Air-to-air heat pump: price and grants in 2026
Reversible air conditioning heats in winter and cools in summer. It costs less than an air-to-water heat pump, but no longer qualifies for MaPrimeRénov’.
An air-to-air heat pump takes heat from the outside air and blows it straight into the rooms through wall-mounted, floor-standing or ducted indoor units; being reversible, it also works as air conditioning. Based on the 148 air-to-air quotes published by the ScoreSolaire observatory (CC BY 4.0 licence), the median installation costs €7,618 including VAT, or €1,030 per kilowatt of output; one quote in ten is below €707 per kilowatt, one in ten above €1,530. It is therefore much cheaper than an air-to-water unit, but it does not heat domestic water and cannot feed radiators. The per-item MaPrimeRénov’ no longer funds it: the scale in force on 1 September 2026 has not brought it back. It can get 5.5% VAT if the equipment meets the performance criteria, and a CEE bonus under a separate sheet that we do not calculate, having not reread the text in force.
Reversible air-con price by output
Estimated median price
€7,210
| 1 quote in 10 below | €4,949 |
| 1 quote in 10 above | €10,710 |
Estimate, not an official price: 148 air-to-air quotes published by the ScoreSolaire observatory (CC BY 4.0), August 2026.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Price by output
The price of an air-to-air installation depends first on output and the number of indoor units: a single split for one room, a multi-split with one outdoor unit for three or four indoor units, or a ducted system distributing air through ducts in the loft. The observatory publishes a median price per kilowatt, which lets you compare quotes of different sizes:
| Total output | Typical use | 1 quote in 10 below | Median | 1 quote in 10 above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 kW | one bedroom | €1,768 | €2,575 | €3,825 |
| 5.0 kW | an open-plan living room | €3,535 | €5,150 | €7,650 |
| 7.0 kW | a three-room flat | €4,949 | €7,210 | €10,710 |
| 10.0 kW | a single-storey house | €7,070 | €10,300 | €15,300 |
The 2.2 ratio between the bottom and top deciles, at equal output, shows why two or three quotes are worth getting. The mini calculator below does the sum for the output on your quote.
Reversible air-con price by output
Estimated median price
€7,210
| 1 quote in 10 below | €4,949 |
| 1 quote in 10 above | €10,710 |
Estimate, not an official price: 148 air-to-air quotes published by the ScoreSolaire observatory (CC BY 4.0), August 2026.
Why it lost MaPrimeRénov’
The Service-Public page on MaPrimeRénov’, checked on 1 September 2026, lists the only works still funded per item in mainland France: ground-source heat pumps, air-to-water heat pumps, district heating connection, oil tank removal and the energy audit. Air-to-air is not on it. Be wary of pages still promising MaPrimeRénov’ for reversible air conditioning: they copy an old scale. The calculator shows zero MaPrimeRénov’ as soon as you pick air-to-air.
Consumption and running cost
For heating, an air-to-air heat pump uses the heat it delivers divided by its efficiency. Replacing electric heaters, the saving is direct: the same heat for a fraction of the electricity. Replacing an oil or gas boiler, you also need another way to heat water, which reduces the benefit. In summer, cooling adds consumption that this site does not estimate, for lack of reliable usage data.
Climate matters: in hard frosts an air-to-air unit loses efficiency and output. In mountain and eastern départements, check the output guaranteed at −7 °C on the data sheet. On the Mediterranean coast, where winters are mild, air-to-air is often the most cost-effective option, as the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur page shows.
Against electric radiators, by climate
| Département | Radiator bill | Saving / yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Var (1,100 DJU) | €1,441 | €1,004 | 8 yrs |
| Gironde (1,491 DJU) | €1,953 | €1,302 | 6 yrs |
| Rhône (2,058 DJU) | €2,696 | €1,797 | 4 yrs |
| Bas-Rhin (2,267 DJU) | €2,970 | €1,980 | 4 yrs |
| Hautes-Alpes (2,465 DJU) | €3,229 | €2,153 | 4 yrs |
The longer the winter, the larger the saving and the faster the payback, even without a grant. No independent measurement publishes the real-world efficiency of air-to-air heat pumps: the site uses the air-to-water figure, which you can correct with the SCOP on your quote. In a mild département the payback stretches out because the radiator bill being replaced is small to begin with; in a cold one, check that the units are sized for the coldest days, or the radiators will still run in January and eat into the saving.
What to check on the quote
The output of each unit and the total output of the outdoor unit; the SCOP and heating energy class; the outdoor unit’s noise level, which matters on estates and in blocks of flats; the length of refrigerant lines and how trunking is routed; commissioning by a refrigeration engineer certified to handle refrigerants; the VAT rate applied. In a block of flats, the general meeting of co-owners usually has to approve an outdoor unit on a façade or balcony.