Customer review

The short version

Octopus Energy is the best energy supplier I've used. That's not a particularly high bar in the UK energy market, but they clear it comfortably. Their prices are consistently at or below the price cap, the customer service is surprisingly good for a utility company, and if you've got a smart meter, their time-of-use tariffs can save you serious money.

They're not perfect. The app has some quirks, the Direct Debit calculations can be confusing, and some of their smart tariffs need you to be fairly hands-on to get the most out of them. Compared to the alternatives, though? It's not even close.

What Octopus actually is

For anyone who hasn't come across them before: Octopus Energy launched in 2016 and has grown incredibly fast. They overtook British Gas in 2024 to become the UK's biggest energy supplier, with around 7.7 million UK households. They supply both gas and electricity, and they're known for two things: competitive pricing and genuinely innovative tariffs.

Their standard tariff tracks below the Ofgem price cap. The interesting stuff, though, happens with their smart tariffs. Agile gives you half-hourly electricity pricing linked to wholesale costs (so you can get really cheap power overnight, or even get paid to use electricity when there's a surplus on the grid). Go and Intelligent Go give EV owners super-cheap overnight charging. Flux lets solar panel owners sell electricity back to the grid at premium rates.

I'll go into the tariffs in more detail on the tariff guides, but the point is that Octopus gives you options that other suppliers simply don't.

What I like

The prices are genuinely good

This is the big one. Octopus consistently prices below the Ofgem cap, which is more than most suppliers can say. Their standard rate typically tracks at or just below the cap (South England, your region may vary slightly). The standing charges are lower than the cap too. It's not a huge difference on the standard tariff, but it adds up over a year.

Where it gets really interesting is with the smart tariffs. I've saved significantly more by being on one of their time-of-use deals. Running the dishwasher overnight instead of after dinner is a trivial change, but at 9p/kWh instead of 30p, it makes a genuine difference to the bill.

Customer service that doesn't make you want to scream

I know that's a low bar. Still, after years of being stuck in call queues with British Gas and getting passed between departments, Octopus's support has been a breath of fresh air. Their email responses actually answer your question (imagine that), and the online chat is genuinely useful rather than being a bot that sends you to the FAQ page.

There's a reason they have a 4.8 star rating on Trustpilot from over 757,000 reviews. Energy companies don't get scores like that unless they're doing something right.

The smart tariffs set them apart

If you've got a smart meter (and if you haven't, Octopus will install one for free), you can access tariffs that simply don't exist with other suppliers. Agile Octopus lets you pay wholesale rates that change every half hour. Octopus Go gives EV owners a 7p/kWh rate overnight. Flux lets you profit from your solar panels. These aren't gimmicks. They're real, and they save real money for people who can shift some of their energy use to cheaper times.

Green energy without paying more

All of Octopus's electricity is backed by renewable sources. They also own a significant amount of generation (wind farms, solar farms) through Octopus Generation. The fact that you can be on a genuinely green tariff without paying a premium is a nice bonus. Some other "green" suppliers charge extra for it, which always felt like a bit of a con to me.

Things worth knowing

Smart tariffs need some effort

Agile is great if you're the kind of person who'll check tomorrow's prices and plan around them. If you just want to use electricity whenever you want without thinking about it, a half-hourly tariff isn't for you. The peak rates on Agile can be steep during the 4-7pm window, so you need to be willing to shift some usage to get the benefit. The EV tariffs are simpler (just charge overnight), but they do have a higher daytime rate than the standard tariff. Worth understanding the trade-off before you jump in.

Direct Debit takes a while to settle

Like most energy suppliers, Octopus spreads your payments across the year so you build up credit in summer and draw it down in winter. It can take a few months for the amount to reflect your actual usage, especially after switching. You can adjust it in the app or ask them to review it, which they're always happy to do.

Who should switch to Octopus?

Honestly? Most people would benefit from being with Octopus, especially if they're currently with one of the old big six suppliers. Some groups, though, will get even more out of it:

• EV owners. The Go and Intelligent Go tariffs offer overnight charging at 7-8.5p/kWh. That's roughly 90% cheaper than public chargers and massively cheaper than petrol.
• Solar panel and battery owners. Flux lets you buy electricity cheap overnight, sell it back at premium rates during peak hours, and use your solar generation in between. Some people are actually making money on their electricity bills.
• Tech-savvy households. If you're comfortable with a smart meter and don't mind optimising when you use energy, Agile Octopus can save you hundreds of pounds a year.
• Anyone who just wants a decent deal. Even if you don't want a fancy tariff, the standard Flexible rate is below the price cap, the customer service is better than most, and there are no exit fees if you want to leave.

Who might want to look elsewhere?

To be fair, Octopus isn't for everyone:

• If you want absolute price certainty and hate the idea of rates changing, a long-term fixed deal from another supplier might suit you better. (Though Octopus does offer a 12-month fix with no exit fees.)
• If you're on a prepayment meter and can't switch to Direct Debit, the options are more limited. Octopus does offer prepay tariffs, but the really interesting smart tariffs need a DD setup.
• If you absolutely cannot shift any energy usage to off-peak times, the smart tariffs won't save you anything. You'd be paying higher daytime rates for no benefit.

Bottom line

Octopus Energy is comfortably the best energy supplier I've been with. The prices are competitive, the service is good and the smart tariff options give you a real opportunity to reduce your bills if you're willing to put in a small amount of effort. The smart tariffs won't suit everyone, but even on the standard variable rate you're likely paying less than the price cap. For most UK households, switching to Octopus is a straightforward improvement.

If you do decide to switch, there's a referral link on this site that gets you £50 credit on your account.