The Octopus app walkthrough
The Octopus Energy app is available on iOS and Android, and it’s genuinely one of the better energy supplier apps out there. It’s responsive, regularly updated and puts your actual usage data front and centre rather than burying it behind three menus like some competitors do.
Here’s what you’ll find in each section and how to make the most of it.
The home screen
When you open the app, the home screen gives you a snapshot of your account. Your current balance (credit or debit) is displayed prominently, alongside a graph showing your recent energy usage. You’ll also see your current tariff name and, if you’re on a variable tariff like Agile, the current unit rate.
There’s usually a message or two from Octopus here as well. These range from genuinely useful (tariff change notifications, Saving Session alerts) to promotional (Octoplus challenges, referral reminders). Worth scanning, not always worth reading.
Usage section
This is where the app really earns its keep. If you have a smart meter sending data, you can see your electricity and gas consumption broken down by day, week or month. Each day shows as a bar on the chart, with your total usage in kWh or pounds and pence. The standing charge is included in each day’s figure, so what you see is your true daily cost.
On time-of-use tariffs, the usage view becomes especially valuable. Agile customers can see how costs varied across the day, making it obvious where the expensive periods were. Go customers can see the split between off-peak and peak consumption to check they’re shifting enough usage into the cheap overnight window.
Data takes 24 to 48 hours to appear. If you used a lot of electricity yesterday evening, don’t expect to see it until tomorrow. This is a limitation of the smart meter infrastructure, not the app. If your smart meter isn’t sending data, you can still submit readings manually.
Gas data is typically less granular. You’ll see daily totals rather than half-hourly readings, because most gas smart meters only report once or twice a day.
Account and tariff details
Under the account section, you’ll find your tariff breakdown, including your current unit rates and standing charges. This is the quickest way to check what you’re actually paying per kWh without digging through bills.
You can also browse other available tariffs and, in most cases, switch directly from within the app. The process takes a couple of taps. Select the tariff, confirm your choice, and the switch usually completes within a day or two. No exit fees apply on most Octopus tariffs, so you can try something and switch back if it doesn’t work out.
Payments and billing
The payment section shows your direct debit history, upcoming collection dates and your statement archive. You can adjust your monthly DD amount, change your payment date, or request a refund of any credit balance.
Each statement is available to view in the app, showing the full breakdown of standing charges, unit rates, consumption and VAT. For a deeper explanation of what each line means, see our guide to understanding your Octopus bill. If you spot something that doesn’t look right, the support section is only a couple of taps away.
The referral section
Every Octopus customer gets a unique referral link. Share it with someone who signs up and you both get £50 credit. The app shows your referral link and tracks how many successful referrals you’ve made. It’s straightforward and the credit usually applies within a few weeks of the new customer’s switch completing.
Octoplus and rewards
Octopus runs a free rewards programme called Octoplus. You earn Octopoints by submitting meter readings (or automatically if you have a smart meter), participating in Saving Sessions and taking part in challenges. Every meter reading earns you a spin of the Wheel of Fortune, with Octoplus members guaranteed at least 8 points per spin and a chance at up to 800,000 points (worth £1,000). You get one spin per meter, so dual-fuel customers get two spins each month.
Octopoints convert to account credit at a rate of 800 points to £1, or you can stretch their value further by redeeming them against partner offers. These include free coffees, discounted cinema tickets, Greggs treats and other rotating perks from brand partners. Octopus also runs Free Electricity Sessions through Octoplus, where extra electricity you use during a designated hour costs nothing.
To join Octoplus you need a smart meter and to pay by direct debit or smart prepay. If you qualify, it’s worth signing up; the rewards are modest individually, but they add up over the course of a year.
Smart meter and device integrations
If your smart meter isn’t communicating, the app has tools to help reconnect it. There’s a guided troubleshooting flow and the option to request an engineer visit if needed.
For EV owners on Intelligent Go, the app integrates with a wide range of supported chargers and vehicles. You tell Octopus when you need the car ready by and how much charge you need, and they handle the scheduling to maximise the use of cheap overnight rates. The app shows your charging sessions and costs. Compatible chargers now include models from Ohme, Zappi, Hypervolt, Indra, Andersen and VCHRGD, along with direct vehicle integrations for Tesla and several other manufacturers.
Export meter customers (with solar panels selling electricity back to the grid) can see their export data and payments in the app too, though this section is simpler than the import side.
Support and contact
The support section offers help articles and email contact. Octopus’s customer service is consistently rated among the best of any energy supplier in the UK, and the agents have a reputation for being knowledgeable and empowered to actually resolve issues rather than just reading scripts. You can reach them by emailing hello@octopus.energy or by phone during business hours.
Compared to other supplier apps
Having used apps from several of the larger energy suppliers, the Octopus app stands out. The data is accurate, the interface is clean, and features actually work. Most competitor apps feel like afterthoughts. The Octopus app feels like something they genuinely invested in building well.
The one criticism: it can occasionally be slow to load usage data during peak periods. This is a minor gripe in the context of everything else it does right.