Octopus Tracker

Tracker is for people who want complete transparency about what they're paying and why. Your unit rate changes daily, directly linked to the day-ahead wholesale electricity price. When wholesale costs drop, your rate drops the very next day. No waiting for a quarterly price cap update. No wondering whether your supplier is pocketing the difference.

How it works

Each day, the wholesale electricity market sets prices for the following day. Octopus takes that wholesale price, adds a transparent markup to cover their costs and margin, and that becomes your unit rate. It's published the day before, so you always know what tomorrow's rate will be.

Unlike Agile, the rate doesn't change every half hour. You get one rate for the whole day. That makes it much simpler to understand and predict your bills. No need to schedule appliances for specific time slots.

Gas works the same way but tracks the wholesale gas price.

Is it cheaper?

Over the long term, Tracker tends to come out slightly cheaper than Flexible, because you benefit immediately when wholesale prices fall. With Flexible, there's always a lag between wholesale prices dropping and your rate changing at the next cap update.

Tracker also means you're exposed to wholesale price spikes, though. If something causes wholesale prices to jump (a cold snap, a drop in wind generation, geopolitical events), your rate goes up the next day. There's a cap to protect you from extreme spikes, but day-to-day variability is higher than Flexible.

Who is it for?

• People who value transparency. You can see exactly how your rate is calculated, every single day. No hidden margins, no opaque pricing decisions.
• Anyone who believes wholesale prices will trend downward. If you think the energy crisis is easing and prices will keep falling, Tracker lets you benefit immediately.
• People who don't want the hassle of Agile. You still get wholesale-linked pricing, but without needing to plan your energy use around half-hourly slots.

Who should avoid it?

• People who need budget certainty. If you rely on knowing exactly what your bills will be each month, the daily price changes might stress you out. Flexible gives you more predictability.
• Risk-averse households. Tracker is a bet on wholesale prices staying reasonable. Most of the time that bet pays off, but it's not guaranteed.

Bottom line

Tracker is the fairest tariff Octopus offers. You pay what the energy actually costs, plus a known markup. Over time, that tends to work out cheaper than a standard variable rate. The daily price changes add some unpredictability, but for most people the savings outweigh the uncertainty.