British Gas So Energy (September 2026)
British Gas vs So Energy
So Energy edges ahead on customer service and offers a cheaper variable tariff, but British Gas is cheaper if you want a fixed deal.
So Energy performs slightly better across independent customer service metrics and currently offers a cheaper variable tariff. British Gas, however, provides a cheaper fixed deal, which may suit households looking to lock in their rates.
About British Gas and So Energy
Who is British Gas?
British Gas is one of the UK's oldest and most recognised energy brands, with roots dating back to 1812. Owned by Centrica, it operates as one of the biggest domestic suppliers in the UK. It sets itself apart through a large in-house network of engineers and its integration with Hive smart home products.
Who are So Energy?
So Energy started in 2015 as a challenger supplier, and ESB acquired a majority shareholding in it in 2021. It operates as a mid-sized, digital-first supplier in the UK market. It focuses on straightforward customer service and sets itself apart by letting customers vote on the type of UK-based renewable energy generation it invests in for the following year.
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Tariffs and pricing
The lowest-priced option across both suppliers is So Energy's So Green Tracker 24m, a variable tariff estimated at £1,508 a year. This undercuts British Gas's cheapest equivalent, the Cap Tracker Plus Sep27 v1 (£1,551 a year), by £43 annually. While both are variable tracker deals, they include exit fees. So Energy applies a £190 fee on a 24-month term, whereas British Gas charges a £50 fee on a 0-month term.
For households preferring price certainty, British Gas provides the more competitive fixed option. Its Fix and Boiler Bonus v14 tariff is priced at £1,649 a year over a 21-month term, with a £200 exit fee. In contrast, So Energy's lowest fixed deal, the So Kestrel 18m, costs £1,735 a year over 18 months and carries a £190 exit fee. Consequently, fixing with British Gas costs £85 less per year than with So Energy.
British Gas and So Energy: Tariff Options
British Gas tariffs
British Gas offers a range of mainstream standard and fixed-term deals, alongside specialist options for electric vehicle owners, heat pump users, and solar panel owners.
So Energy tariffs
So Energy provides a streamlined range of mainstream variable and fixed-term deals, as well as specialist options for electric vehicle drivers and homes that generate their own power.
Customer reviews
While both suppliers achieve a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, the breakdown of these scores varies. So Energy holds a higher proportion of five-star ratings (73% versus 66% for British Gas) and a lower share of one-star complaints (12% compared to 20%). It is worth noting, however, that British Gas draws from a significantly larger feedback pool, with over 353,000 reviews against So Energy's 30,000.
Written feedback for British Gas frequently highlights polite and efficient engineers, though some users report long wait times and delayed account updates. Conversely, So Energy customers often cite helpful staff and straightforward switching, while negative comments tend to focus on high prices and slow support responses.
The annual Which? energy survey places the two providers closely together. So Energy achieves an overall score of 60 out of 100, marginally ahead of British Gas at 59. Breaking this down, So Energy receives 3 out of 5 for both overall customer service and value for money, whereas British Gas scores 2 out of 5 in these areas. British Gas leads in the 'contacting your supplier' metric with 9 out of 12 (compared to So Energy's 4 out of 12), although So Energy performs better specifically for 'ease of contacting'.
App quality and features
So Energy's mobile applications hold higher average ratings, though these are drawn from a limited user base. Its iOS app scores 4.7 out of 5 from 225 ratings, while British Gas achieves 4.5 from 14,000 ratings. Similarly, on the Google Play Store, So Energy scores 4.6 out of 5 (138 ratings) against British Gas's 4.2 (over 13,000 ratings). This disparity in sample size makes direct comparisons difficult.
Both providers update their apps regularly. Recent iOS feedback for British Gas points to occasional bugs and difficulties with smart meter readings. The smaller number of recent reviews for So Energy highlight a clean design and straightforward navigation, though a few users also report minor technical glitches.
Service and support
In the latest Citizens Advice rankings, So Energy scores 2.86 out of 5, placing 12th overall. British Gas follows closely in 13th position with a score of 2.61. Both companies have registered formal vulnerability commitments with Citizens Advice to assist households requiring additional support.
British Gas demonstrates faster response times across most communication channels. Its average call centre wait time is 51 seconds, compared to 1 minute 6 seconds for So Energy. Additionally, British Gas responds to 97.9% of emails within two days, whereas So Energy manages 91.3%. On social media, British Gas averages a 55-second response time; So Energy does not currently publish data for this metric.
Payment flexibility is broader with British Gas, which accepts Direct Debit, cash, cheque, and prepayment. Its phone lines are also available on weekdays and Saturday mornings. In contrast, So Energy only accepts Direct Debit at a brand level, and its customer support lines operate exclusively on weekdays between 9am and 5pm.
Complaints and performance
Complaint figures are shown with each supplier’s reporting period. No winner is declared when periods differ or one figure is missing.
Green Energy Comparison
British Gas
British Gas supplies a fuel mix that is largely nuclear, with some fossil fuel and renewables. Its electricity mix is made up of 57% nuclear, 21% fossil fuels, 20% renewable, and 2% other. Its parent company, Centrica, aims to be a net zero business by 2045 and to help its customers reach net zero by 2050. It offers ways for customers to lower their carbon footprint, such as installing heat pumps and solar panels. Its standard domestic tariffs do not come with 100% renewable electricity as standard.[1][2]
So Energy
So Energy supplies a mostly renewable mix, with some fossil fuels and a small amount of nuclear. Its electricity mix consists of 67% renewable, 27% fossil fuels, 4% nuclear, and 2% other. It guarantees that all of its fixed-rate tariffs are powered by 100% renewable electricity. It matches this usage by buying Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificates and by using Power Purchase Agreements to buy energy directly from older wind farms in the UK. It also helps customers generate their own green energy by installing solar panels and batteries.
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | So Energy |
| Overall customer service | So Energy |
| A well-rated mobile app | So Energy |
| A greener fuel mix | So Energy |
So Energy edges ahead on customer service and offers a cheaper variable tariff, but British Gas is cheaper if you want a fixed deal.
So Energy performs better across several independent customer service metrics and currently provides the cheaper variable tariff. However, its high app ratings are based on a very small user sample, and its lowest-priced variable deal includes a £190 exit fee.
British Gas may suit households looking to fix their rates, as its cheapest fixed deal costs £85 a year less than So Energy's equivalent. It also offers faster response times for calls and emails, alongside an app tested by a significantly larger customer base.
- Cheaper fixed tariff available
- Answers calls and emails faster
- Large app user base
- More expensive variable tariff
- Lower Citizens Advice score
- Higher share of one-star Trustpilot reviews
- Cheaper variable tariff available
- Higher Citizens Advice score
- Higher share of five-star Trustpilot reviews
- More expensive fixed tariff
- Very small app review sample
- Slower call centre wait times
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, British Gas or So Energy?
So Energy performs slightly better across independent customer service metrics and offers a cheaper variable tariff. However, British Gas provides a cheaper fixed deal.
Who has the cheaper energy tariff, British Gas or So Energy?
So Energy offers the cheaper variable tariff, costing £1,508 a year compared to £1,551 for British Gas. However, British Gas has the cheaper fixed deal at £1,649 a year, while So Energy's cheapest fixed option costs £1,735.
Do customers prefer British Gas or So Energy?
Both suppliers have a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, but So Energy has a higher share of five-star reviews. British Gas has a much larger total number of reviews.
Which supplier has the better mobile app?
So Energy scores higher on both the App Store and Google Play Store, but its ratings are based on very small numbers. British Gas has slightly lower scores but a much larger base of app users.
Who offers better customer service, British Gas or So Energy?
So Energy scores higher with Citizens Advice, ranking 12th compared to 13th for British Gas. However, British Gas answers phone calls and emails faster.
Should I switch to British Gas or So Energy?
If you want a cheaper variable tariff and better customer service scores, So Energy is a strong choice. If you prefer to lock in your prices with a fixed deal, British Gas is the cheaper option.
Do British Gas and So Energy offer fixed tariffs?
Yes, both suppliers offer fixed-term tariffs. British Gas's cheapest fixed deal costs £1,649 a year, while So Energy's cheapest fixed option costs £1,735 a year.
How do British Gas and So Energy score with Which?
They score very similarly in the annual Which? survey. So Energy gets an overall score of 60 out of 100, just ahead of British Gas on 59.
How quickly do British Gas and So Energy answer the phone?
British Gas answers calls slightly faster, with an average wait time of 51 seconds. So Energy customers wait an average of 1 minute 6 seconds.
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 So Energy's iOS sampled neutral reviews rose from 0 to 1. There were 31 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (43)
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
So Energy
- Trustpilot reviews30,220 → 30,767
- Trustpilot negative reviews replied %100 → 99
- iOS app ratings count197 → 225
- iOS app days since last update45 → 75
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars3.67 → 3.75
- iOS sampled neutral reviews0 → 1
- Play Store rating4.62 → 4.64
- Play Store ratings count127 → 138
- Play Store days since last update46 → 76
- Play Store positive ratings %92 → 91.9
- Play Store negative ratings %3.2 → 2.2
- Play Store neutral ratings %4.8 → 5.9
- Play Store net-positive %88.8 → 89.7
- Avg social media response time351 → no longer available
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,687.08 → £1,508.13
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,828.88 → £1,734.74
- Cheapest tariff£1,687.08 → £1,508.13
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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.