British Gas Sainsbury’s Energy (September 2026)
Overview
British Gas has the cheaper variable tariff and app ratings, while Sainsbury's Energy offers a cheaper fixed deal and better Which? scores.
British Gas stands out for its lower-priced variable tariff, established mobile apps, and a significantly larger volume of positive customer reviews. Sainsbury's Energy may suit households looking for a slightly cheaper fixed deal or those who prioritise its higher Which? customer satisfaction score.
About British Gas and Sainsbury's Energy
Who is British Gas?
British Gas is one of the UK's oldest and largest energy suppliers. It is owned by Centrica. It supplies gas and electricity to millions of homes, making it one of the biggest domestic suppliers. Customers can buy boiler cover, smart home devices through its Hive brand, and electric vehicle chargers. A key feature is its PeakSave scheme, which gives customers with smart meters cheaper electricity when demand is low. It also runs a charity to help people with energy debt. You can find out more on the British Gas website.
Who are Sainsbury's Energy?
Sainsbury's Energy is a partnership between the supermarket and E.ON Next. It is not a licensed supplier itself. Instead, E.ON Next supplies the energy and manages accounts, meaning the brand is supported by one of the UK's largest suppliers. What sets it apart is its link to the Nectar reward scheme, letting customers earn points on their energy use and shopping. It also offers discounts on home energy upgrades through E.ON Next. You can find out more on the Sainsbury's Energy website.
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Tariffs and pricing
British Gas provides the cheaper variable option with its Cap Tracker Plus Sep27 v1 tariff, priced at £1,551 a year. In comparison, the Sainsbury's Standard Variable tariff costs £1,611 annually. This results in a £60 yearly difference, or roughly £5 a month. While both are 0-month term deals, British Gas applies a £50 exit fee, whereas Sainsbury's Energy charges no exit fee on this tariff.
For households looking to lock in their rates, Sainsbury's Energy offers the cheaper fixed deal. The Sainsburys Fix and Reward Fixed 24m v51 tariff is priced at £1,640 a year for a 24-month term. Meanwhile, the most affordable fixed option from British Gas is the Fix and Boiler Bonus v14, costing £1,649 a year over a 21-month term. Both of these fixed tariffs include a £200 exit fee.
Tariff Options
British Gas
British Gas offers a range of standard variable and fixed-term tariffs, as well as specialist smart options for electric vehicles, heat pumps, and solar panels.
Sainsbury's Energy
Sainsbury's Energy offers standard variable and fixed-term tariffs, alongside a specialist option for electric vehicle owners.
Customer reviews
On Trustpilot, British Gas holds a 4.5 out of 5 rating across more than 353,000 reviews. Sainsbury's Energy has a slightly lower overall score of 4.3 out of 5, based on just over 3,100 reviews. Looking at the breakdown, 66% of British Gas reviews are five-star and 20% are one-star. Sainsbury's Energy receives 80% five-star ratings and 10% one-star ratings. British Gas responds to 99% of negative reviews, generally within 24 hours. Sainsbury's Energy replies to 31% of negative feedback, typically taking about two weeks.
Feedback for British Gas often highlights professional engineers, clear communication, and punctual staff, alongside some reports of long waiting times and repetitive customer service loops. Sainsbury's Energy reviewers frequently mention helpful staff and prompt communication, though some note occasional billing errors and pricing concerns.
The annual Which? customer survey awards Sainsbury's Energy a score of 71 out of 100, compared to 59 for British Gas. Sainsbury's Energy leads in several specific categories, achieving 4 out of 5 for customer service and 8 out of 10 for smart meters. In those same areas, British Gas receives 2 out of 5 and 3 out of 10, respectively.
App quality and features
British Gas provides mobile apps for Apple and Android devices, whereas app rating data is not currently available for Sainsbury's Energy. The British Gas iOS app achieves 4.5 out of 5 from 14,000 ratings. Its Android equivalent on the Google Play Store holds a 4.1 out of 5 rating across 13,701 reviews, with over a million installs.
British Gas has updated its apps three times in the last 90 days. Recent release notes highlight a feature that lets prepayment customers check their emergency credit status. However, a small sample of recent iOS reviews averages 1.6 stars, with some users reporting performance issues and difficulties following smart meter upgrades.
Service and support
British Gas receives an overall Citizens Advice score of 2.61 out of 5, placing it 13th in the rankings. Sainsbury's Energy does not currently feature in our Citizens Advice data. For British Gas, the average call centre wait time is 51 seconds, and social media responses average 55 seconds. The supplier also replies to 97.9% of emails within two days.
Additionally, British Gas has registered formal vulnerability commitments with Citizens Advice. Its customer support lines operate from 8am to 6pm on weekdays, and between 9am and 2pm on Saturdays.
Complaints and performance
Both suppliers have published complaints data for the second quarter of 2026. Sainsbury's Energy received fewer complaints than British Gas, with 906.21 complaints per 100,000 customers compared to 944.
Green Energy Comparison
British Gas
According to Citizens Advice data from January to March 2026, the British Gas electricity fuel mix is largely nuclear, with some fossil fuel and renewables (57% nuclear, 21% fossil fuels, 20% renewable, 2% other). The supplier states it is helping the UK reach zero carbon emissions by 2050. It encourages customers to lower their carbon footprint by offering smart tariffs that shift energy use to off-peak times, such as its PeakSave events. It also sells heat pumps, solar panels, and electric vehicle chargers to help households use greener energy.
Sainsbury's Energy
Because E.ON Next supplies the energy, Sainsbury's Energy relies on its partner's fuel mix and green credentials. The brand focuses on helping customers improve their home energy efficiency. It offers discounts on solar panels, home batteries, and electric vehicle chargers through E.ON Next. It also gives energy-saving tips to help households lower their usage and reduce their impact on the planet.
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | British Gas |
| Overall customer service | Sainsbury’s Energy |
There is no clear overall winner: British Gas has the cheaper variable tariff and app ratings, while Sainsbury's Energy offers the cheaper fixed deal and better Which? scores.
This comparison is finely balanced: British Gas provides the cheapest overall variable tariff and has established mobile apps, while Sainsbury's Energy leads on the available customer-service evidence. It also benefits from a high volume of positive Trustpilot reviews and fast call centre response times. A complete comparison is limited by the fact that Sainsbury's Energy is missing key independent metrics, such as app ratings and a Citizens Advice score.
British Gas may suit households focused on securing the lowest annual costs on a flexible deal. Conversely, Sainsbury's Energy may appeal to those who prefer to lock in their rates on a fixed tariff or who prioritise stronger Which? customer satisfaction scores.
- Cheapest overall variable tariff in this comparison
- Highly rated iOS and Android apps
- Fast call centre and social media response times
- Lower Which? customer satisfaction score
- £50 exit fee on its cheapest variable tariff
- Cheaper fixed tariff option
- Higher Which? customer satisfaction score
- No exit fee on its standard variable tariff
- Missing Citizens Advice data
- No mobile app ratings available
- Replies to only 31% of negative Trustpilot reviews
Frequently asked questions
Which supplier is better overall, British Gas or Sainsbury's Energy?
There is no clear overall winner: British Gas offers a cheaper variable tariff and app ratings, while Sainsbury's Energy provides a slightly cheaper fixed deal and scores higher in the annual Which? customer survey.
Which supplier has the cheapest energy tariff?
British Gas offers the cheapest overall deal with its Cap Tracker Plus Sep27 v1 variable tariff, which costs £1,551 a year. If you prefer a fixed deal, Sainsbury's Energy is cheaper, offering a 24-month fixed tariff at £1,640 a year.
Does Sainsbury's Energy or British Gas have better customer reviews?
British Gas has a slightly higher Trustpilot rating of 4.5 out of 5 from over 353,000 reviews, compared to 4.3 out of 5 for Sainsbury's Energy. However, Sainsbury's Energy achieves a higher customer satisfaction score in the annual Which? survey.
Can I manage my energy with an app from British Gas or Sainsbury's Energy?
British Gas offers highly rated apps for both Apple and Android devices, scoring 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store and 4.1 on the Google Play Store. We do not currently have app rating data for Sainsbury's Energy.
Which supplier has faster call centre wait times?
British Gas customers wait an average of 51 seconds to speak to a call centre agent, according to Citizens Advice data. We do not currently have call centre wait time data for Sainsbury's Energy.
Should I switch to British Gas or Sainsbury's Energy?
British Gas may suit you if you want the cheapest overall variable tariff and app ratings. Sainsbury's Energy may suit you if you prefer a fixed tariff and value stronger Which? scores.
Do British Gas and Sainsbury's Energy charge exit fees?
Yes, both suppliers charge exit fees on their fixed tariffs. The cheapest fixed deals from both British Gas and Sainsbury's Energy carry a £200 exit fee. British Gas also charges a £50 exit fee on its cheapest variable tariff, whereas the cheapest variable deal from Sainsbury's Energy has no exit fee.
How quickly do British Gas and Sainsbury's Energy reply to reviews?
British Gas replies to 99% of its negative Trustpilot reviews, typically within 24 hours. Sainsbury's Energy replies to 31% of its negative reviews, usually taking around two weeks.
What are the customer service opening hours for British Gas?
British Gas customer support lines are open on weekdays from 8am to 6pm, and on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. They are closed on Sundays.
How long are the fixed tariffs from British Gas and Sainsbury's Energy?
The cheapest fixed tariff from British Gas lasts for 21 months, while the cheapest fixed option from Sainsbury's Energy lasts for 24 months.
What changed this month
This month, British Gas's fixed tariffs available rose from 1 to 3, British Gas's iOS sampled negative reviews rose from 0 to 3, and Sainsbury’s Energy's shortest fixed term rose from 12 months to 24 months. There were 23 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (32)
British Gas
- Trustpilot rating4.4 → 4.5
- Trustpilot reviews350,018 → 353,681
- Trustpilot 5-star %65 → 66
- Trustpilot 3-star %4 → 3
- Trustpilot positive reviews %73 → 74
- Trustpilot neutral reviews %4 → 3
- Trustpilot net-positive %50 → 51
- iOS app ratings count13,000 → 14,000
- iOS app days since last update9 → 15
- iOS sampled reviews avg starsnow available (1.67)
- iOS sampled negative reviews0 → 3
- Play Store rating4.0881915 → 4.1812863
- Play Store ratings count13,409 → 13,701
- Play Store days since last update10 → 18
- Play Store positive ratings %77.4 → 80.1
- Play Store negative ratings %19.1 → 16.4
- Play Store net-positive %58.3 → 63.7
- Avg social media response timenow available (55)
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,744.71 → £1,550.78
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,833.95 → £1,649.29
- Cheapest tariff£1,744.71 → £1,550.78
- Cheapest fixed tariff exit fee£150 → £200
- Cheapest fixed tariff term24 months → 21 months
- Tariff count3 → 5
- Fixed tariffs available1 → 3
- Shortest fixed term24 months → 21 months
Sainsbury’s Energy
- Trustpilot reviews3,127 → 3,139
- Trustpilot negative reviews replied %35 → 31
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,804.81 → £1,610.88
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,840.79 → £1,639.64
- Cheapest tariff£1,804.81 → £1,610.88
- Shortest fixed term12 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.