Solar cover vs heat pump: Solar cover wins for budget, heat pump for daily swimmers

A solar cover is cheap ($100–200) and adds 5–10°F for free after one season, but won’t make your pool tropical in spring. A heat pump costs $2,000–5,000 installed and keeps the pool warm all season, but the upfront hurts. Gas heaters are fast but expensive to run—skip them unless you need occasional quick heat.