BillBuddy Review

What is BillBuddy?

This BillBuddy review will start with the basics: BillBuddy is essentially a personal savings assistant. Its main function is to constantly scan the market and save you money on your gas and electricity bills when a cheaper deal is available. In addition to this, BillBuddy can also provide other comparison services such as car and home insurance as well as broadband and mobile phone deals.

How does BillBuddy work?

According to the BillBuddy website, once a customer signs up and provides their meter readings, they will initially find you the best deal they can on the market. Once you switch, it will then constantly check the market for better deals based on your location, any exit fees, usage and any other criteria. BillBuddy will inform you when a saving can be made. However, you do not have to switch if it doesn’t suit you at that time. BillBuddy also incorporates a chat bot which you can ask questions such as when does your deal end and how much are you currently paying.

How will I know when I have switched suppliers?

BillBuddy does not automatically switch energy provider for you. You will just receive a notification when a saving can be made. In order for the switch to take place, you need to approve it first. Once you have agreed and clicked approved for BillBuddy to make the switch, it usually takes 3-4 weeks and BillBuddy will handle the whole process. Once completed you will usually receive a welcome pack or communication from your new supplier to confirm the switch has taken place.

Will I always get moved to a cheaper supplier?

That decision is in your hands. BillBuddy will notify you can save money and on which tariffs. You are able to filter by the supplier in case there is any you would rather avoid. BillBuddy will only send you an alert or notification when you can make a saving on your tariff. They state they notify you to keep you in the loop when potential savings on your energy bills can be made but it’s completely up to the customer if they wish to go ahead.

Is BillBuddy free?

Yes, there is no charge to customers for using BillBuddy. BillBuddy charges the supplier for facilitating the switch rather than passing on costs to the customer.

How does BillBuddy make money?

BillBuddy charges a fee to the supplier when you switch to them. BillBuddy states that this is non biased because all suppliers pay the same fee regardless. This means there is no push towards one supplier and the recommendation is driven solely by which one can save you more money. The downside of this is you will not see the whole market, only those that have agreed to pay a commission/fee to BillBuddy for the switch.

How much money will BillBuddy save me?

According to their website, BillBuddy could save you £100’s on your energy bill. The figure quoted on their home page is: “Save up to £461 by switching to a cheaper energy deal”. In their FAQ BillBuddy state they save the average customer £200 on their energy bills.

Which suppliers do BillBuddy use?

BillBuddy lists energy suppliers such as British Gas, EDF, Npower, Bulb, Shell and other smaller suppliers on their website. While they do include most available energy suppliers they won’t cover the whole market, as some smaller suppliers do not have the funds, scale or desire to pay for the referral.

What is BillBuddy’s customer service like?

Compared to similar services, their customer service appears to rate well above average. Many customers on Trustpilot and other review sites such as reviews.co.uk are citing that BillBuddy’s customer service is exceptional and customers are generally content with any contact they have had with BillBuddy’s customer service team.

What do other BillBuddy reviews say?

When checking Martin Lewis’ MoneySaving Expert.com, the general feeling is that it could save you money but it’s nothing you can’t do yourself and you could possibly save more because BillBuddy doesn’t cover the whole market. Of course, it all depends on how much leg work you are willing to do yourself. Websites like BillBuddy make everything easier for the customer. That being said, the reviews on Trustpilot are glowing, BillBuddy rate as excellent with 1,289 customer reviews and scoring 4.8 with 90% of customers rating them as ‘Excellent’. Some comments state that the service is easy to use, the service is excellent and switches are smooth and straightforward. Most customers have also made considerable savings. When looking at the reviews of the 3% of customers who gave BillBuddy the lowest rating, most of the complaints are around not receiving a cheaper energy deal as a result of signing up.

How is the BillBuddy website/app?

The BillBuddy website is very user-friendly. It’s very simple to sign up in just a few minutes by inputting your details. It then lists your switching options and clearly states how much money the switch is likely to save you. You can also filter the results further by selecting green tariffs, paper billing or suppliers who do not charge exit fees. Once you have picked your preferred tariff you just need to enter a few more details and BillBuddy will then handle the switch for you. Currently BillBuddy does not offer an app.

How does the BillBuddy login/portal work?

Once you login to BillBuddy you are logged in to an area called the hub. You can then click on the type of product you want to explore savings or manage any offers you have signed up for, such as energy, home insurance, car insurance, mortgages and mobile phones. You can also ask BillBuddy questions using a chatbox feature. There is also a profile area where you can update your personal details.

How to cancel/leave BillBuddy

If you want to cancel any deal you have signed up for through BillBuddy you will need to contact them to action the cancellation on your behalf. You can do this via the contact form in the support area of your account or by emailing support@billbuddy.co.uk

Can I trust BillBuddy? Is it safe to use?

Yes. BillBuddy is a legitimate company. They have 1,000’s of positive online reviews, and they are renowned for saving their customers £100’s on their household bills. Their website is safe and secure.

How does BillBuddy compare to comparison sites?

Unlike comparison sites like CompareTheMarket or uSwitch it does not compare the whole market. It will search for a number of money saving options for you. Once you select one, BillBuddy will take care of the rest of the switch for you. You won’t see the whole market as you can with other websites because BillBuddy only works with companies that will pay the switching fee. But if you’re looking for a simple hassle free switch that could mean you save money, BillBuddy could be a good option for you.

Are BillBuddy any good?

Based on their customer reviews, yes they are. They have a rating of 4.9 on Trustpilot with 90% of customers rating them as excellent. On reviews.co.uk they have a rating of 97%. BillBuddy have a proven track record of saving customers upwards of £200 on average when they choose to switch energy suppliers with them.

Are there any alternatives to BillBuddy?

There are a couple of companies similar to Billbuddy out there that offer third party switching, let’s take a quick look at them:

Look After My Bills

The dragon’s den backed Look After My Bills is a free to use auto-switching service. Similar to BillBuddy, the service scans the market to look for the best energy deals available. They will only switch you when a saving of at least £50 can be made and where there are no exit fees. The main difference between the two services is Bill Buddy asks if you want to proceed before a switch. Whereas Look After My Bills will automatically switch suppliers for you if a better deal is found elsewhere. Look After my Bills also only offers energy comparison. BillBuddy is able to check for multiple services including broadband and mobile phones. Just like Bill Buddy, Look After My Bills will only switch you to suppliers that will pay a commission. Neither cover the whole market.

Switchd

Switchd offer a free service where they will, like the other switching services, only switch customers to a supplier that pays them a commission. They also offer a paid service. This means that Switchd customers can access the whole market for either £1.99 and up to £4.99 a month. With Switchd, once signed up you can set your own minimum savings and any switch will happen automatically unlike BillBuddy.

Is BillBuddy the best energy auto switching service?

It’s hard to define which is the best auto-switching services because it depends on what you as the customer want to get out of it. It’s free to use and facilitates any supplier switch for you once accepted. You can also access a whole range of other services through the website unlike some of the alternatives. Based on customer reviews, they appear to offer excellent service and have many happy customers.

BillBuddy Contact Number and Details

If you want to get in touch with BillBuddy you can access their contact form here or use their chat service. Their email address is: support@billbuddy.co.uk

Their postal address is: 16-18 Barnes Wallis Road, Fareham, Hampshire, PO15 5TT

FAQs

How many customers does BillBuddy have?

BillBuddy does not state how many customers they currently have. However, on their homepage, it states that they have helped 1000s of customers save on their bills.

Does BillBuddy only do gas and electric?

No, BillBuddy offers a whole range of bill saving services including broadband, mobile phones, home insurance and car insurance. 

Are there any incentives for joining BillBuddy?

No, there are currently any joining incentives available for new customers.

Do they offer a recommend a friend scheme?

At the present time BillBuddy does not offer a refer a friend scheme.

How do I sign up for BillBuddy?

New customers can sign up via the BillBuddy website. It is a straightforward process and once you have viewed the offers available to your area you can proceed to sign up by inputting more information. Once you have selected the best deal, BillBuddy will take care of the switch for you.

How long does it take to switch energy?

In most cases, 3-4 weeks from the date the switch is initiated, with 21 days being the average.

Do I need to cancel with my old supplier?

No, as part of the switching process, BillBuddy will handle the cancellation and any contact with your old supplier on your behalf.

Can I sign up if I am in credit with my current supplier?

Yes. Once your final bill is settled, your old supplier will refund any credit owed to you.

Do they work with pre-payment meters?

BillBuddy does work with prepayment meters. On their website, they do state that the options available to prepayment customers will be very limited. They encourage customers to look into switching over to direct debit tariffs once they have switched to achieve greater savings.

Do they accept Economy 7?

Yes, BillBuddy can compare and move customers to economy 7 tariffs.

Do they work with the Warm Home Discount?

If the supplier BillBuddy switches you to supports the Warm Home Discount, then yes, you will be able to apply this to your tariff.

Can you use BillBuddy as a tenant?

Yes. If you are responsible for paying the utility bills at a rented property you usually have the freedom to choose a new supplier. If you are uncertain, check your tenancy agreement or with your landlord/letting agent for clarification. Some landlords have a preferred supplier and you may have to switch back to them when you leave the property. However, there’s no reason you can’t change the supplier while you are the tenant.

What happens if you move home with BillBuddy?

If you are moving home and are already a customer of BillBuddy, contact them when you move home to provide the new details, so they can start searching for a new energy deal for you at the earliest opportunity. When you move into a property it’s likely you will be automatically placed on a higher tariff with the current supplier. This makes it even more important to contact BillBuddy to switch to a new supplier at the earliest opportunity.