The current paper demonstrates the economic viability and environmental suitability of solar still with and without nanoparticles. The experiment was conducted during the summer season at 4 cm water depth and 11° tilt angles. Higher productivity is obtained with hybrid nanofluids (CuO + ZnO) 4550 mL/m2day. Whereas SS with CuO, ZnO, and without nanoparticles gives 3365, 2305 and 1620 mL/m2 distilled water in a day. The results indicated that the one-liter price of freshwater is 2.96, 3.44, 2.38, and 1.9 Rs/L for the solar still with plain water, ZnO, CuO, and hybrid nanofluids, respectively. ZnO, CuO, and hybrid nanofluids-based SS increased productivity by 29.71, 51.85, and 64.39%, respectively, compared to the conventional SS. Energy payback time of conventional SS, SS with ZnO, CuO, hybrid nanoparticles is 2.18, 3.30, and 2.26 and 2.65 years, respectively. ZnO, CuO and hybrid nanoparticles augmented SS mitigates 7.75, 12.32, and 18.14 tons of CO2 in its life time while the conventional SS without nanoparticles mitigates 5.97 tons of CO2 in its lifetime. In terms of economic and environmental analyses, it is concluded that solar still performs better with hybrid nanofluids compared to CuO nanofluids, ZnO nanofluids and without nanoparticles.