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Combined with a fill factor of about 70%, overall peak power production for current DSSc's represents a conversion efficiency of about 11%, whereas (as noted earlier) common low-cost commercial panels operate between 12% and 15%. Flexible thin-film cells are typically around 8%. This makes DSSc's extremely attractive as a replacement for existing technologies in "low density" applications like rooftop solar collectors. They may not be as attractive for large-scale deployments where higher-cost higher-efficiency cells are more viable, but even small increases in the DSSc conversion efficiency might make them suitable for some of these roles as well.

So in spite of the slightly lower efficiency, DSSc's represent a major advance in solar cell technology. They offer efficiency close to that of the very best low-cost devices, but are far easier and less expensive to produce. Even small improvements in the efficiency of the electrolyte or dye would essentially eliminate silicon as a competitive approach to solar power generation. Their closest competitor in price-performance terms are the various thin-film approaches, which are currently somewhat more developed commercially.