British Gas Outfox Energy (August 2026)
Overview
Outfox Energy wins by offering cheaper fixed prices and stronger customer service ratings, though British Gas is the better choice if you want a reliable mobile app.
Outfox Energy is the overall winner, offering lower fixed prices and higher independent customer service ratings. British Gas provides a cheaper variable tariff and higher-rated mobile apps, but Outfox Energy scores higher with Trustpilot and Citizens Advice.
About British Gas and Outfox Energy
Who is British Gas?
British Gas is one of the UK's oldest and largest domestic energy suppliers. Owned by Centrica, it supplies gas and electricity to homes across the country. A key difference is its PeakSave scheme, which gives customers cheaper electricity on Sundays. It also runs a support fund to help people struggling with bills and offers a wide range of home services beyond energy supply.
Who are Outfox Energy?
Outfox Energy is a smaller independent supplier based in Leicester. Owned by Foxglove Energy Supply Limited, it focuses on offering simple tariffs and low prices. Customers can manage their accounts online or through a mobile app, though paper billing is available for those who need it. A key feature is its UK-based customer support team.
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Tariffs and pricing
Outfox Energy provides the lowest overall price in this comparison. Its Fix'd Dual Jul26 24M v10 fixed tariff costs £1,700 a year, requiring a 24-month contract and a £200 exit fee. For British Gas, the lowest available option is the Cap Tracker Plus Sep27 v1 variable tariff at £1,745 a year, which has a 0-month term and a £50 exit fee.
Comparing specific tariff categories, British Gas supplies the cheaper variable option. Its Cap Tracker Plus Sep27 v1 is priced at £1,745 a year, compared to £1,805 for Outfox Energy's Fox Standard Dual. Conversely, Outfox Energy leads on fixed deals at £1,700 a year. The most affordable fixed option from British Gas costs £1,834 annually on a 24-month term, carrying a £150 exit fee.
Tariff options
British Gas tariffs
British Gas offers a range of domestic energy deals. These include standard variable and fixed-term options, as well as specialist time-of-use tariffs for homes with electric vehicles, heat pumps, or solar panels.
Outfox Energy tariffs
Outfox Energy keeps its domestic energy deals simple. The supplier offers standard variable and fixed-term options, alongside a specialist tariff for electric vehicle owners.
Customer reviews
Outfox Energy achieves a higher Trustpilot score, holding 4.8 out of 5 from 54,758 reviews, with 76% of users awarding five stars. Reviewers frequently note helpful staff and quick response times, although some report difficulties connecting by phone. British Gas holds a 4.4 out of 5 rating across a much larger volume of 350,018 reviews. Users often mention polite staff and efficient repair work, though 20% of these reviews are one-star.
Outfox Energy also leads in the annual Which? survey, scoring 71 overall compared to 59 for British Gas. It outperforms on several sub-metrics, including an 11 out of 15 rating for complaints and 8 out of 10 for smart meters. In contrast, British Gas scores 5 and 3 in these respective categories. British Gas does score slightly higher for helping those who need it, achieving 8 out of 10 against Outfox Energy's 7. For switching, British Gas receives 0 out of 5, while Outfox Energy scores 2.
App quality
British Gas scores higher for mobile app quality. Its iOS application achieves 4.5 out of 5 from 13,000 ratings, and the Android version holds a 4.1-star rating on Google Play alongside a 58.3% net-positive score. The Android app was updated recently to introduce emergency credit tracking for prepayment users. Still, a sample of recent iOS feedback indicates some user frustration regarding slow loading times and separate login screens for gas and electricity.
Outfox Energy receives low app ratings, although these stem from a smaller user base. Its iOS app scores 2.0 out of 5 from 102 ratings, and the Android app scores 2.3 out of 5 from 189 ratings. Recent iOS reviews indicate the interface functions similarly to a basic website portal, with users noting a poor login experience and an inability to view detailed daily energy usage.
Service and support
Outfox Energy ranks higher in Citizens Advice data, placing 2nd overall with a score of 4.25 out of 5. British Gas is positioned in 13th place with a score of 2.61. Outfox Energy also records fewer complaints, logging 16.3 per 10,000 customers compared to 68.7 for British Gas, and it responds to 100% of emails within two days.
British Gas answers phone calls slightly faster, showing an average wait time of 51 seconds, while Outfox Energy averages 1 minute 17 seconds. Outfox Energy lists a social media response time of 49 seconds; this metric is unavailable for British Gas. Both suppliers maintain formal vulnerability commitments registered with Citizens Advice. Regarding opening hours, British Gas operates on weekdays from 8am to 6pm, and Outfox Energy from 8:30am to 5pm. Both are open on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. Payment methods differ: British Gas accepts Direct Debit, Cash/Cheque, and Prepayment, whereas Outfox Energy only accepts Direct Debit.
Complaints and Performance
For the fourth quarter of 2025, British Gas received 1,158 complaints for every 100,000 customers. Outfox Energy does not have any complaints data available, so we cannot compare the two suppliers directly.
Green energy comparison
British Gas
British Gas aims to help the UK reach net zero emissions by 2050. To support this, it sells green home technology such as heat pumps, solar panels, home batteries, and electric vehicle chargers to help households lower their carbon footprint. It does not currently offer a dedicated green energy tariff. Based on data from Citizens Advice for January to March 2026, the electricity it supplies is largely nuclear, with some fossil fuels and renewables.
Outfox Energy
Outfox Energy encourages eco-friendly energy use by offering cheaper off-peak electricity on its electric vehicle tariff, which helps to support greener grids during quiet hours. It buys Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin certificates to match the renewable part of its fuel mix. Based on data from Citizens Advice for January to March 2026, the electricity it supplies is a mix of fossil fuels and renewables, with some nuclear.
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | Outfox Energy |
| Overall customer service | Outfox Energy |
| A well-rated mobile app | British Gas |
| A greener fuel mix | Outfox Energy |
Outfox Energy wins by offering cheaper fixed prices and stronger customer service ratings, though British Gas is the better choice if you want a reliable mobile app.
Based on the data compared, Outfox Energy may suit households looking for lower fixed pricing and higher independent customer service ratings. It provides a cheaper fixed tariff and scores higher across Trustpilot and Citizens Advice metrics.
Alternatively, British Gas may be a better fit for customers seeking a cheaper variable deal or those who prefer managing their account via a mobile app. Outfox Energy's applications receive low ratings on both iOS and Android platforms.
- Cheaper variable tariff
- Highly rated mobile apps
- Slightly faster average call answering times
- Lower scores on Trustpilot and Citizens Advice
- Higher volume of complaints per 10,000 customers
- Cheaper fixed tariff and lower overall starting price
- High 4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot
- Ranks 2nd overall with Citizens Advice
- Poorly rated mobile apps on both platforms
- Slower average phone answering times
Frequently asked questions
Which supplier is better overall, British Gas or Outfox Energy?
Outfox Energy performs better across most of our independent metrics, scoring higher on Trustpilot and ranking 2nd with Citizens Advice. It also offers a cheaper fixed tariff. However, British Gas has a cheaper variable deal and much better mobile apps.
Who has the cheaper energy tariffs, British Gas or Outfox Energy?
Outfox Energy offers the cheaper overall deal with its 24-month fixed tariff. However, if you are looking for a variable deal with no fixed term, British Gas currently offers a cheaper variable tariff than Outfox Energy.
How do customers rate British Gas and Outfox Energy?
Outfox Energy gets higher scores, holding a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot and scoring 71 in the Which? annual survey. British Gas holds a 4.4 out of 5 Trustpilot score but receives a lower Which? score of 59, with a higher share of one-star reviews.
Which supplier offers a better mobile app experience?
British Gas has a clear advantage when it comes to mobile apps. Its iOS app scores 4.5 out of 5 and its Android app scores 4.1 out of 5. In contrast, Outfox Energy's apps receive very low ratings of around 2 stars on both platforms, with users reporting limited features.
How quickly do British Gas and Outfox Energy answer the phone?
British Gas is slightly faster on the phone, with an average call centre wait time of 51 seconds. Outfox Energy is slightly slower, taking an average of 1 minute 17 seconds to answer calls, according to Citizens Advice data.
Should I choose British Gas or Outfox Energy?
If you want the cheapest fixed tariff and value strong customer service ratings, Outfox Energy is the better choice. However, if you prefer a cheaper variable tariff or want to manage your account through a highly rated mobile app, British Gas is the stronger option.
Do British Gas and Outfox Energy charge exit fees?
Yes, both suppliers charge exit fees on their cheapest fixed tariffs. The cheapest British Gas fixed deal has a £150 exit fee, while the cheapest Outfox Energy fixed deal carries a £200 exit fee. The British Gas variable tariff also carries a £50 exit fee, whereas the Outfox Energy variable tariff has no exit fee.
What are the customer service opening hours for these suppliers?
British Gas phone lines are open on weekdays from 8am to 6pm, and on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. Outfox Energy is open on weekdays from 8:30am to 5pm, and also on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. Both suppliers are closed on Sundays.
How fast are British Gas and Outfox Energy at replying to emails?
Both suppliers are very quick at responding to written messages. Outfox Energy responds to 100% of emails within two days, while British Gas replies to 97.9% of emails in the same timeframe, according to Citizens Advice.
What changed this month
This month, British Gas's iOS app updates in last 90 days fell from 3 to 0, British Gas's cheapest tariff term fell from 24 months to 0 months, and British Gas's variable tariffs available rose from 1 to 2. There were 27 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (37)
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
Outfox Energy
- Trustpilot reviews53,918 → 54,758
- iOS app days since last update137 → 175
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars1.8 → 2.33
- iOS sampled negative reviews4 → 2
- Play Store rating2.3267326 → 2.31
- Play Store ratings count185 → 189
- Play Store days since last update140 → 161
- Play Store positive ratings %28.6 → 28.8
- Play Store negative ratings %62.6 → 63.6
- Play Store neutral ratings %8.8 → 7.6
- Play Store net-positive %-34 → -34.8
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,542.79 → £1,699.69
- Cheapest tariff£1,542.79 → £1,699.69
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£150 → £200
- Cheapest tariff term15 months → 24 months
- Cheapest fixed tariff exit fee£150 → £200
- Cheapest fixed tariff term15 months → 24 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.