Octopus vs Ovo Energy 2026: Which UK Supplier Is Better?

Last updated: 6 April 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

If you're weighing up Octopus vs Ovo for your next energy switch, you're not alone. Both are major UK suppliers, both talk a big game on green energy, and both want your direct debit. So which one actually delivers? In this head-to-head comparison, we break down pricing, customer service, green credentials, smart tariffs, and everything else that matters when choosing between Octopus Energy and Ovo Energy in 2026.

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Octopus vs Ovo: price and tariffs

Price is where most people start, so let's get straight into it. As of April 2026, Ofgem's energy price cap sits at £1,641 per year for a typical dual-fuel household paying by direct debit. That's a welcome 6.6% drop from Q1's £1,758 level.

Here's the thing, though: not every supplier prices right up to the cap. Octopus Energy is the only large UK supplier to have never charged the full price cap on its standard variable tariff. In contrast, Ovo's Simpler Energy variable tariff typically tracks close to the cap ceiling. As a result, most households on Octopus pay less before they even consider a fixed deal.

On fixed tariffs, Octopus consistently undercuts Ovo by a small but meaningful margin. Crucially, Octopus charges zero exit fees on its fixed deals. Ovo, on the other hand, charges £75 per fuel if you leave a fixed tariff early. That's up to £150 for a dual-fuel customer, and it's a significant penalty if energy prices fall further.

Ovo does offer a bundled 1 Year Fixed + Boiler Cover deal that can look cheaper at first glance. However, you need to factor in the high exit fees and whether you actually need boiler cover. For most people who simply want the cheapest energy, Octopus wins on price.

Customer service and reviews

Customer service is where Octopus vs Ovo starts to look very one-sided. Octopus holds a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot from more than 778,000 reviews. It's the highest-rated major energy supplier in the UK by some distance. Their team typically answers the phone within two minutes, and they've been a Which? Recommended Provider for nine consecutive years.

Ovo scores a respectable 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot from around 269,000 reviews. That's still a strong rating. However, the picture looks less rosy elsewhere. In the most recent Which? annual survey, Ovo ranked among the lowest-scoring suppliers overall, receiving just two stars for customer service, value for money, and communications. Some of this stems from legacy issues after absorbing SSE's customer base, but it's been several years since that transition.

Octopus also runs the Octo Assist fund, worth over £30 million, specifically to support customers struggling with bills. They offer direct bill credits, free energy-saving devices like electric blankets, and thermal camera assessments to identify heat loss. Ovo doesn't have an equivalent hardship fund, although they do provide general guidance on available support.

Green energy credentials

Both suppliers market themselves as green, but the detail matters. Octopus supplies 100% renewable electricity as standard on every tariff. There's no add-on cost. On top of that, they've invested over £2 billion in UK renewable infrastructure, meaning they're genuinely building wind farms, solar capacity, and battery storage rather than just buying certificates.

Ovo took a different path. In 2023, they dropped REGO certificates (Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin) from their standard tariffs, arguing that REGOs amount to greenwashing. That's a fair point. However, the result is that Ovo's base tariff is no longer backed by 100% renewable electricity. If you want that, you need to pay for their Greener Electricity add-on at £8 per month. That's an extra £96 per year just to match what Octopus gives you for free.

As a consequence, Octopus is the better choice if renewable energy matters to you and you don't want to pay a premium for it.

App and account experience

Both suppliers offer solid mobile apps for managing your account, submitting meter readings, and tracking usage. In terms of basic functionality, they're fairly comparable.

Where Octopus pulls ahead is in how its app integrates with smart tariffs. If you're on Agile Octopus, you can see half-hourly pricing in real time and plan your usage accordingly. The Tracker tariff shows you tomorrow's rate each evening. Intelligent Octopus Go lets you set your EV charging schedule directly through the app. These features are genuinely useful, not just gimmicks.

Ovo's app handles the basics well. Bill tracking, payment management, and usage breakdowns are all clean and easy to navigate. Their Power Move feature rewards you for shifting energy use to greener times of day, which is a nice touch. Still, Ovo's app doesn't offer the same depth of tariff-specific tools that Octopus provides.

Smart meter support and smart tariffs

Smart meter installation is free from both suppliers, and both support SMETS2 meters. Booking an appointment can take a few weeks with either company, although Octopus tends to have slightly better availability in most regions.

The real differentiator is what you can do with a smart meter once it's installed. Octopus offers a range of smart tariffs that simply don't have equivalents at Ovo. Agile Octopus tracks wholesale prices in 30-minute intervals, allowing flexible users to shift consumption to very cheap periods. Octopus Tracker follows a daily wholesale rate, and it's been averaging around 30% below the price cap over recent months.

For EV drivers, Intelligent Octopus Go drops to just 5.5p per kWh from April 2026 for smart overnight charging. That's remarkably cheap. Ovo's Charge Anytime tariff charges a flat 7p per kWh for EV charging at any time of day, which is decent. However, unlike Intelligent Octopus Go, OVO's cheap rate applies only to your car. All your home electricity stays at the standard unit price.

If you want to make the most of a smart meter, Octopus gives you far more options. For more detail on how the Ofgem price cap affects your bills, we've written a full explainer.

Switching process

Switching between energy suppliers in the UK is straightforward. Both Octopus and Ovo are signatories to the Energy Switch Guarantee, which means your switch should complete within five working days. Your supply won't be interrupted, and you don't need to contact your current supplier yourself.

With Octopus, you enter your postcode, get a quote, and sign up online in around five minutes. The process is genuinely that simple. Ovo's sign-up process is similarly smooth, although some customers report that the quote stage can feel slightly less transparent, particularly around bundled products.

One practical point worth noting: if you switch to Ovo on a fixed tariff and later find a better deal, those exit fees (up to £150 for dual fuel) will eat into any savings. With Octopus, you can leave at any time without penalty. That flexibility is a significant advantage.

Sign-up incentives

Octopus currently offers £50 account credit when you switch through a referral link. You get £50, and the person who referred you also gets £50. The credit lands in your account after your first direct debit clears, usually within a few weeks. On top of that, once you're a customer, you get your own referral link to share with friends and family. There's no cap on how many people you can refer.

Ovo doesn't run a public referral programme that matches this. They occasionally offer promotional sign-up credits, but nothing as consistent or generous as Octopus's scheme.

Additionally, Octopus runs the Octoplus rewards programme, which offers free drinks, cinema tickets, and other perks throughout the year. It's not the reason you'd switch suppliers, but it's a nice bonus on top of already competitive pricing.

The verdict: Octopus vs Ovo

Let's be fair to Ovo first. They're a solid, well-established supplier. Their app works well, their Charge Anytime EV tariff is a genuinely good product, and the bundled boiler cover option is handy if you want everything in one place. They're not a bad choice by any means.

However, when you compare the two side by side, Octopus comes out ahead in almost every category that matters. They're cheaper on both fixed and variable tariffs. Their customer service ratings are significantly higher. They supply 100% renewable electricity at no extra cost. Their smart tariffs are the most innovative in the UK market. They charge no exit fees. And they offer a generous £50 referral bonus that Ovo simply can't match.

If you're currently with Ovo, or any other supplier, and you haven't compared deals recently, now is a good time. The April 2026 price cap drop means better rates across the board, and Octopus's pricing sits below even that reduced cap. For our full breakdown on how to switch, including the referral credit, take a look at our Octopus Energy switching guide.

Get £50 credit — switch to Octopus Energy

Capital at risk with investments. Energy prices can change. Switching, referral, and tariff availability may vary. This post is not financial advice. Always check the latest terms with the supplier before switching. CoolCuration may earn a commission or referral bonus if you sign up through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

Frequently asked questions

Is Octopus Energy cheaper than Ovo Energy?

In most cases, yes. Octopus's fixed and variable tariffs are typically a few pounds per month cheaper than Ovo's equivalent deals. More importantly, Octopus charges no exit fees, whereas Ovo charges up to £75 per fuel on fixed tariffs. That makes Octopus the better-value option for most households.

Does Ovo Energy supply 100% renewable electricity?

Not as standard. Ovo dropped REGO-backed renewable electricity from its base tariffs in 2023. Their Greener Electricity add-on costs £8 per month and provides 100% renewable electricity backed by Power Purchase Agreements. By comparison, Octopus includes 100% renewable electricity on all tariffs at no extra charge.

Can I switch from Ovo to Octopus without a penalty?

If you're on Ovo's variable tariff (Simpler Energy), you can switch at any time with no exit fee. If you're on a fixed tariff, you'll need to pay the early exit fee, which is currently £75 per fuel. It's worth checking whether your fixed deal is close to ending before you switch.

How long does it take to switch from Ovo to Octopus?

The switch typically completes within five working days under the Energy Switch Guarantee. Both suppliers manage the process for you, so there's no gap in supply and no need to contact Ovo yourself.

What is the Octopus Energy referral credit?

Octopus offers £50 account credit when you join through a referral link. The person who referred you also receives £50. The credit is applied after your first direct debit clears. Business customers receive £75 instead.