In the present study, we report a cost-effective quantum dot solar cells based on a combination of electrospinning and successive-ionic-layer-adsorption and reaction (SILAR) methods. CdSe nanocrystals are deposited on electrospun SnO2 nanofibers by SILAR method using CdCl2 as the cadmium source and Na2Se as selenium source. The as-prepared materials are characterized by spectroscopy and microscopy. CdSe deposited SnO2 electrodes are also characterized by spectroscopy and microscopy. Cells are fabricated with platinum (Pt)-sputtered FTO glasses used as the counter electrodes and polysulfide solution used as the electrolyte. The efficiency of the cells is studied for different number of SILAR cycles. Current density-voltage (J-V) measurements on a cell having CdSe deposition of 7 SILAR cycles and SnO2 coating area 0.25 cm(2) showed an overall power conversion efficiency of 0.29 % with a photocurrent density (J(SC)) of 5.32 mA cm(-2) and open circuit voltage (V-OC) of 0.23 V under standard 1 Sun illumination of 100 mWcm(-2) (AM 1.5 G conditions). This is improved by carefully coating SnO2 film without losing the structures. Also ZnS passivation layer is coated to obtain an improved efficiency of 0.48% with J(SC) of 4.68 mAcm(-2), and V-OC of 0.43 V. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.