This paper presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of three nonlinear control strategies for Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) in photovoltaic (PV) systems i.e. backstepping controller, integral backstepping controller and sliding mode controller. The study evaluates the proposed controller’s performances under different climate conditions i.e. irradiation and temperature. Simulation results demonstrate that while all three controllers achieve effective MPPT, the integral backstepping controller shows superior steady-state performance with minimal oscillations, the sliding mode controller provides excellent robustness to disturbances and the conventional backstepping controller offers an excellent balance between performance and computational complexity. The comparative analysis considers tracking accuracy, convergence speed, steady-state oscillations, and robustness to fast climate conditions variations.