British Gas EDF Energy (August 2026)
Overview
EDF Energy wins on customer reviews and app ratings, but British Gas is a strong alternative for fast call response times and the cheapest variable deal.
EDF Energy scores higher across most customer review and app metrics, and currently offers a cheaper fixed tariff. British Gas provides the cheapest variable deal and answers phone calls faster, meaning the right choice depends on your household's priorities.
About British Gas and EDF Energy
Who is British Gas?
British Gas is one of the UK's oldest and most recognised energy brands. Owned by Centrica, it is one of the UK's largest domestic suppliers. As well as supplying gas and electricity, it offers boiler cover, home servicing, and smart technology through its Hive brand. A key feature for customers is the PeakSave scheme, which gives smart meter users half-price electricity on Sundays.
Who are EDF Energy?
EDF Energy is owned by the French state-owned EDF Group and is one of the UK's largest energy suppliers. A key difference is its direct role in generating zero-carbon nuclear electricity in the UK. The supplier offers a mix of standard and smart tariffs, and also provides low-carbon technology such as solar panels, heat pumps, and electric vehicle chargers.
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Tariffs and pricing
British Gas offers the cheapest overall deal in this comparison. Its Cap Tracker Plus Sep27 v1 variable tariff costs £1,745 a year. EDF Energy's cheapest equivalent, the Simply Tracker Sep27 variable tariff, costs £1,755 a year. Both variable options have no fixed term but carry a £50 exit fee.
For households looking to lock in their rates, EDF Energy provides the cheaper fixed option. The Simply Fixed 2Yr Aug28 tariff costs £1,824 a year for a 24-month term with a £150 exit fee. In comparison, the cheapest fixed deal from British Gas costs £1,834 a year, which also requires a 24-month term and includes a £150 exit fee.
Tariff Options
British Gas tariffs
British Gas offers a range of mainstream variable and fixed tariffs, alongside specialist options for electric vehicle owners, homes with heat pumps, and customers with solar panels.
EDF Energy tariffs
EDF Energy provides mainstream variable and fixed tariffs, as well as tracker deals and specialist smart tariffs for electric vehicles and homes with solar panels.
Customer reviews
EDF Energy holds a higher Trustpilot rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 243,334 reviews, while British Gas scores 4.4 out of 5 from 350,018 reviews. Both suppliers maintain a high review volume and typically reply to negative feedback within 24 hours. Feedback for EDF Energy frequently mentions professional staff and quick responses. British Gas reviewers also note polite staff who handle repairs efficiently, though some recurring complaints focus on billing and payment processes.
EDF Energy receives a greater share of positive feedback, with 83% of its reviews awarding five stars. British Gas has a 65% five-star share alongside a higher proportion of one-star reviews at 20%, compared to just 7% for EDF Energy.
In the Which? annual survey, the two suppliers score closely: British Gas achieves 59 out of 100, and EDF Energy follows with 58 out of 100. British Gas scores 9 out of 10 for contacting your supplier, whereas EDF Energy receives 3 out of 10 in this category. Conversely, EDF Energy performs better on smart meters, scoring 5 out of 10 compared to 3 out of 10 for British Gas. Both suppliers rate well for providing help for those who need it, with EDF Energy receiving 9 out of 10 and British Gas scoring 8 out of 10.
App quality and features
Both suppliers offer apps with over a million installs on Google Play, though EDF Energy ranks higher across both operating systems. On Google Play, EDF Energy scores 4.4 out of 5 from 50,315 ratings, while British Gas scores 4.1 out of 5 from 13,409 ratings. On the App Store, EDF Energy holds a 4.6 out of 5 rating, compared to 4.5 out of 5 for British Gas.
EDF Energy has updated its iOS app three times in the last 90 days, introducing a cleaner design and easier access to support. British Gas has not updated its iOS app in the same period. A small sample of recent iOS reviews for British Gas indicates frustration with clunky login screens and slow loading times. Meanwhile, sampled EDF Energy reviews are mixed; some users note recent app improvements, while others mention issues with customer service.
Service and support
EDF Energy scores 2.9 out of 5 in the Citizens Advice ratings, ranking 11th. British Gas scores 2.61 out of 5, placing it 13th. Additionally, EDF Energy receives fewer complaints, logging 47.6 per 10,000 customers compared to 68.7 for British Gas.
British Gas answers phone calls faster, recording an average call centre wait time of 51 seconds, whereas EDF Energy averages 2 minutes 46 seconds. British Gas also replies to 97.9% of emails within two days, ahead of EDF Energy's 85.6%.
Both suppliers maintain formal vulnerability commitments registered with Citizens Advice. British Gas operates its phone lines on weekdays from 8am to 6pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. EDF Energy is open Monday to Thursday from 8am to 6pm and Fridays from 8am to 4pm, but remains closed at weekends.
Complaints and performance
In Q4 2025, British Gas received 1,158 complaints for every 100,000 customers. It solved 60.1% of these by the end of the next working day, and 90.7% within eight weeks.
Green Energy Comparison
British Gas
British Gas states it is helping the UK reach zero carbon emissions by 2050. It offers products to help homes lower their carbon footprint, such as heat pumps, solar panels, electric vehicle chargers, and home insulation. The supplier's electricity fuel mix is largely nuclear, with some fossil fuel and renewables. It also offers specialist tariffs for electric vehicles and heat pumps.[1]
EDF Energy
EDF Energy aims to reach net zero by 2050. It is a major generator of zero-carbon electricity in the UK. The supplier states that its fixed home energy tariffs are backed yearly by 100% zero-carbon nuclear electricity. Its electricity fuel mix is largely nuclear, with some fossil fuel and renewables. It also offers specialist tariffs for electric vehicles and homes with solar panels.[2][3]
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | British Gas |
| Overall customer service | EDF Energy |
| A well-rated mobile app | EDF Energy |
| A greener fuel mix | Either |
EDF Energy wins on customer reviews and app ratings, but British Gas is a strong alternative for fast call response times and the cheapest variable deal.
Based on the available data, EDF Energy scores higher overall due to stronger customer reviews and better app ratings. However, British Gas may suit households looking for faster call response times or the cheapest variable deal.
If you prioritise high Trustpilot scores and a cheaper fixed price, EDF Energy is the stronger option in this comparison. Conversely, if you prefer a supplier that answers the phone quickly and offers Saturday support hours, British Gas may be the better fit.
- Answers calls in under a minute
- Offers a cheaper variable tariff
- Customer support is open on Saturdays
- Lower overall Trustpilot rating
- One in five Trustpilot reviews is one-star
- Lower app scores on Google Play
- High 4.8-star Trustpilot rating
- Cheaper fixed tariff available
- Better app ratings on both platforms
- Longer average call wait times
- Customer support is closed at weekends
- Lower Which? score for contacting your supplier
Frequently asked questions
Which supplier is better overall, British Gas or EDF Energy?
EDF Energy performs better on most review and app metrics, but British Gas offers faster call answering times and a cheaper variable tariff.
Who has the cheapest energy tariff, British Gas or EDF Energy?
British Gas currently offers a cheaper variable tariff, while EDF Energy has a cheaper fixed deal in our comparison.
Does British Gas or EDF Energy have better customer reviews?
EDF Energy scores higher on Trustpilot with a 4.8-star rating, compared to 4.4 stars for British Gas. It also sees a higher share of five-star reviews.
Which supplier has the better mobile app?
EDF Energy scores higher on both the App Store and Google Play, and it updates its app more frequently than British Gas.
Which supplier is easier to contact by phone?
British Gas answers phone calls in 51 seconds on average, which is much faster than EDF Energy's average wait time of 2 minutes 46 seconds.
Should I choose British Gas or EDF Energy?
If you want highly rated customer service and apps, EDF Energy is a strong choice. If you prefer fast phone support and a cheaper variable deal, look at British Gas.
Do British Gas and EDF Energy charge exit fees?
Yes, the cheapest variable and fixed tariffs for both suppliers carry exit fees ranging from £50 to £150.
Are British Gas and EDF Energy open on weekends?
British Gas is open on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm, while EDF Energy is closed on weekends.
Can I use the British Gas or EDF Energy app on Android?
Yes, both have Android apps. EDF Energy scores 4.4 out of 5 on Google Play, while British Gas scores 4.1.
What changed this month
This month, British Gas's iOS app updates in last 90 days fell from 3 to 0, EDF Energy's iOS app updates in last 90 days rose from 0 to 3, and British Gas's cheapest tariff term fell from 24 months to 0 months. There were 27 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (36)
British Gas
- Trustpilot reviews345,969 → 350,018
- iOS app days since last update9 → 16
- iOS app updates in last 90 days3 → 0
- iOS sampled negative reviews2 → 3
- Play Store rating4.0481653 → 4.0881915
- Play Store ratings count13,077 → 13,409
- Play Store days since last update14 → 9
- Play Store positive ratings %76.2 → 77.4
- Play Store negative ratings %20 → 19.1
- Play Store neutral ratings %3.7 → 3.4
- Play Store net-positive %56.2 → 58.3
- Avg social media response time55 → no longer available
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,804.81 → £1,744.71
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,702.64 → £1,833.95
- Cheapest tariff£1,702.64 → £1,744.71
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£150 → £50
- Cheapest tariff term24 months → 0 months
- Fixed tariffs available2 → 1
- Variable tariffs available1 → 2
- Shortest fixed term14 months → 24 months
EDF Energy
- Trustpilot reviews234,962 → 243,334
- iOS app ratings count182,000 → 185,000
- iOS app days since last update754 → 4
- iOS app updates in last 90 days0 → 3
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars2 → 2.33
- Play Store rating4.4540496 → 4.4256063
- Play Store ratings count49,305 → 50,315
- Play Store days since last update20 → 5
- Play Store positive ratings %87.2 → 86.3
- Play Store negative ratings %9.1 → 9.8
- Play Store neutral ratings %3.7 → 3.9
- Play Store net-positive %78.1 → 76.5
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,692.77 → £1,824.37
- Cheapest tariff£1,692.77 → £1,754.76
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£150 → £50
- Cheapest tariff term24 months → 0 months
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Written by
Rob Gibbs
Hi, I'm Rob, and I run Energy-Review.co.uk. I initially started this project in 2018 when I was looking to switch energy suppliers and found there wasn't a website that provided simple, data-backed reviews on all the suppliers available. Since then, I have spent a lot of time (too much, some may say!) looking at all publicly available data about each supplier and writing reviews using this information. These reviews are updated as regularly as possible, and any data is backed up by a source where necessary. I have also started writing guides on various energy-related topics, which hopefully you will find useful. If you find any issues, please use our contact form to let us know.