Octopus Energy Tariffs Overview
Octopus Energy offers a range of smart tariffs designed to maximize savings, reduce carbon footprints, and seamlessly integrate with modern energy technologies. Whether you own an electric vehicle, use solar power, have a heat pump, or are just looking to make smarter energy choices, Octopus has a tariff tailored to your needs.
Intelligent Octopus Go
Intelligent Octopus Go is the ideal tariff for electric vehicle (EV) owners looking to save on charging costs while also getting six hours of cheap electricity for home use each night. This tariff allows Octopus to manage your EV charging times, ensuring you benefit from the cheapest and greenest energy available. By aligning your car charging with off-peak hours, you can significantly reduce your energy bills while minimizing your carbon footprint. Read more on Octopus Energy EV chargers here.
Octopus Go
If your EV or charger isn’t compatible with Intelligent Octopus Go, the Octopus Go tariff is a great alternative. It provides five hours of off-peak electricity every night, perfect for charging your EV or reducing the cost of home energy use during the cheapest hours. This tariff is a straightforward way to enjoy lower electricity rates without needing the advanced features of the Intelligent tariff.
Agile Octopus
For those who can be flexible with their energy usage, Agile Octopus offers dynamic pricing based on half-hourly wholesale electricity costs. Prices are updated daily, allowing you to save by shifting your energy use away from peak times (typically 4 pm – 7 pm). This tariff is perfect for tech-savvy users who want to take full advantage of lower energy prices during off-peak periods, and potentially even get paid to use energy when prices turn negative.
Not sure what we mean by off-peak hours? Read more here.
Cosy Octopus
Designed specifically for homes with Octopus Energy heat pumps, Cosy Octopus ensures your heating is both affordable and eco-friendly. This tariff aligns your heat pump’s operation with cheaper electricity periods, helping you keep your home warm without the high costs associated with peak-time energy use. By optimizing your heat pump’s efficiency, Cosy Octopus makes it easier to maintain a comfortable home environment while saving on your energy bills (read more on Octopus Energy’s investment into green energy here).
If you don’t yet have a heat pump the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) is a government grant that can help with the costs of the installation of a heat pump or alternatively a more energy efficient boiler.
Octopus Tracker
Octopus Tracker is the UK’s first tariff to directly follow the wholesale price of electricity, giving you full transparency and the potential for significant savings. Each day, the price of energy on the tariff reflects the cost Octopus pays, meaning your energy rates could drop when wholesale prices are low. This tariff is a great introduction to smart energy use, offering a straightforward way to benefit from fluctuating energy costs without the need for advanced technology or significant lifestyle changes.
Outgoing Octopus
If you generate your own electricity through solar panels or battery storage, Outgoing Octopus provides a way to earn money by exporting surplus energy back to the grid. With both fixed and agile options, you can choose between a predictable rate or one that fluctuates with the market, depending on your energy needs and usage patterns. This tariff is perfect for those looking to maximize the return on their investment in renewable energy technology. Read more on getting solar panels through Octopus Energy here.
Octopus Flux
Octopus Flux is tailored for households with solar panels and battery storage, allowing you to optimize both the consumption and export of your generated energy. By scheduling your home battery’s charging and discharging cycles, this tariff ensures you get the best rates for using and selling your energy, making the most out of your renewable energy setup. With Intelligent Octopus Flux, you can even let Octopus manage your battery for optimal savings and grid balancing.
Power Pack
For those with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, Power Pack is the UK’s first tariff that lets you charge your EV for free by exporting power back to the grid. This tariff leverages the ability of certain EVs and chargers to send electricity from your car back into the grid, reducing overall demand and even allowing you to profit from your stored energy. It’s an innovative option for EV owners looking to fully engage with the smart energy revolution.
Which Tariff Is Best for You?
For comprehensive information on Octopus Energy’s smart tariffs, click here [External Link].
| Your Home Energy Set Up | Best Octopus Tariff |
| Heat Pump | Cosy Octopus |
| Electric Car (EV) | Intelligent Octopus Go |
| Solar Panels | Outgoing Fixed |
| Solar + Battery Storage | Octopus Flux |
| Battery Storage | Agile + Outgoing Octopus |
| EV + Solar Panels | Intelligent Octopus Go |
| EV + Heat Pump | Intelligent Octopus Go |
| EV + Solar + Heat Pump | Intelligent Octopus Go |
| Heat Pump and Solar | Cosy Octopus + Outgoing Fixed |
| Standard Heating Device (Boiler) | Agile Octopus or Octopus Tracker |
It is key to understand how changes in the Government’s Energy Price Cap may affect the cost of your home energy mix.
What Is A Smart Tariff?
A smart tariff is an innovative energy pricing plan designed to adjust electricity costs based on real-time demand and supply fluctuations, often with the help of smart meters. Unlike traditional flat-rate tariffs, which charge a consistent rate regardless of when energy is used, smart tariffs encourage consumers to shift their energy usage to times when renewable energy is more abundant or when demand is lower, resulting in lower costs.
These tariffs are particularly beneficial for households using electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps, or other energy-intensive devices that can be programmed to operate during cheaper, off-peak periods. For example, a smart tariff may offer lower electricity rates when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining, maximizing the use of renewable energy and reducing strain on the grid during peak hours.
Smart tariffs not only save consumers money but also help drive the transition to a more flexible, sustainable energy system. By incentivizing more energy-efficient behaviours, they contribute to balancing energy supply with demand, reducing carbon emissions, and supporting the broader adoption of renewable energy sources.
What’s the difference between fixed and flexible tariffs?
Fixed tariffs: The price you pay for your energy stays the same throughout the term of the tariff, regardless of changes in the wholesale energy market. This provides price stability and protection from market fluctuations.
Flexible tariffs: Prices can vary, going up or down in response to changes in the cost of wholesale energy. Octopus’s Flexible Octopus tariff is popular for offering no exit fees and reflecting the true cost of energy.
Each option caters to different customer preferences, whether they want predictable billing or the potential for lower costs with flexible pricing.
*The information in this page is correct as of October 2024.