Ecotricity EDF Energy (September 2026)
Overview
There is no single best choice: compare price, service, app and green-energy evidence separately.
About Ecotricity and EDF Energy
Who are Ecotricity?
Set up in 1995 by Dale Vince, Ecotricity is one of the UK's oldest green energy companies and operates as a smaller, specialist supplier. The Green Britain Group owns the company, which runs on a not-for-dividend model. This means it uses its profits to build new renewable energy generation across the country rather than paying shareholders.
Products & services
Awards & recognition
Who are EDF Energy?
EDF Energy is the UK retail branch of the French state-owned EDF Group, which the French government fully nationalised in 2023. It is one of the UK's largest domestic energy suppliers and a major electricity generator, known for running the country's nuclear power stations and building new sites like Hinkley Point C.
Products & services
Awards & recognition
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Tariffs and pricing
The cheapest tariff across both suppliers is Ecotricity's EcoFixed - 2 Year August 26 v4 fixed deal, priced at £1,559 a year. This undercuts EDF Energy's cheapest overall option by £52 annually. The Ecotricity deal requires a 24-month commitment and includes a £200 exit fee.
For EDF Energy, the lowest-priced option is its Standard (Variable) tariff at £1,611 a year. As a variable contract, it has no fixed term, allowing customers to switch away at any time with a £0 exit fee.
Households seeking a standard variable tariff may prefer EDF Energy, as its £1,611 annual cost is £203 less than Ecotricity's Standard Variable Green Tariff (£1,813 a year). Conversely, those looking to lock in rates will find Ecotricity's fixed deal cheaper at £1,559 a year, compared to £1,691 for EDF Energy's Simply Fixed 2Yr Sep28v4. Both fixed options last for 24 months and carry a £200 exit fee.
| Metric | Ecotricity | EDF Energy |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest tariff | £1,559 / year | £1,611 / year |
| Cheapest variable tariff | £1,813 / year | £1,611 / year |
| Cheapest fixed tariff | £1,559 / year | £1,691 / year |
Tariff Options
Ecotricity
Ecotricity offers a focused range of domestic tariffs, including a standard variable option and fixed-term deals. It also provides specialist tariffs for electric vehicle drivers, prepayment customers, and homes that generate their own renewable power.
EDF Energy
EDF Energy provides a wide selection of domestic tariffs, covering standard variable and fixed-rate options. The supplier also offers specialist deals for households with electric vehicles, heat pumps, and solar panels.
Customer reviews
EDF Energy holds a higher Trustpilot rating of 4.8 out of 5, based on over 251,000 reviews. Ecotricity scores 4.2 out of 5 from a smaller sample of 6,635 reviews. This difference is visible in the distribution of top ratings: 83% of EDF Energy customers leave five stars, compared to 66% for Ecotricity. Additionally, Ecotricity receives a higher proportion of one-star reviews (22%) than EDF Energy (7%).
Positive feedback for Ecotricity often mentions polite staff, efficient handling of billing queries, and a straightforward sign-up process. Conversely, negative reviews cite unhelpful interactions, communication issues, and high energy prices. EDF Energy customers frequently highlight knowledgeable representatives who provide clear tariff guidance and resolve account issues. However, some critical reviews note difficulties contacting the supplier and frustration with automated phone systems.
In the latest Which? customer satisfaction survey, Ecotricity achieves an overall score of 66, placing it ahead of EDF Energy at 58. Ecotricity also scores higher for value for money (3 out of 5, compared to EDF Energy's 2) and performs better in the complaints category (9 out of 15, against EDF Energy's 7).
Examining specific Which? categories, EDF Energy scores 3 out of 10 for contacting your supplier, while Ecotricity scores 9 out of 10. Both providers receive 1 out of 5 for their switching processes, but they perform strongly in the 'help for those who need it' metric, each scoring 9 out of 10.
Apps
EDF Energy maintains higher app ratings across both major platforms, supported by over a million installs on Google Play. Its App Store rating sits at 4.6 out of 5 from 187,000 reviews, whereas Ecotricity scores 1.8 from 111 reviews. A similar pattern appears on Google Play, where EDF Energy holds a 4.4 rating from 51,073 reviews, compared to Ecotricity's 2.8 out of 5 from 182 reviews.
Both suppliers have updated their applications recently. EDF Energy released an update within the last two weeks to refine smart charging features and address bugs, while Ecotricity's most recent update focused on styling adjustments and minor fixes.
Recent user feedback for the Ecotricity app indicates frustration with an update that removed access to older bills and historical energy usage. Meanwhile, EDF Energy users note that recent updates have improved general reliability, although some still report occasional difficulties when making payments.
Service and support
Average wait: 45 sec
Hours: Weekdays 9am–7pm, open Saturday and Sunday 9am–5pm
Average wait: 2.8 min
Hours: Mon–Thu 8am–6pm, Fri 8am–4pm, closed Saturday, closed Sunday
Replies: 95% within 2 days
Hours: 24/7
Replies: 86% within 2 days
Hours: 24/7
Ecotricity ranks 7th in the latest Citizens Advice ratings with a score of 3.36 out of 5, placing it ahead of EDF Energy, which ranks 11th with a score of 2.9. Ecotricity also records a lower complaints rate, with 21.5 complaints per 10,000 customers compared to 47.6 for EDF Energy.
Ecotricity offers faster phone support, with an average call centre wait time of 45 seconds, compared to 2 minutes 46 seconds for EDF Energy. It also processes digital queries more efficiently, replying to 95.2% of emails within two days, whereas EDF Energy responds to 85.6% in the same timeframe.
Ecotricity has formal vulnerability commitments registered with Citizens Advice, which EDF Energy currently lacks. Both suppliers accept Direct Debit, Cash/Cheque, and Prepayment. Ecotricity provides weekend support, operating from 9am to 7pm on weekdays and 9am to 5pm on weekends. EDF Energy operates from 8am to 6pm Monday to Thursday, 8am to 4pm on Fridays, and remains closed on weekends.
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
Ecotricity
Ecotricity supplies a 100% renewable electricity mix. Rather than just buying certificates to match customer use, the supplier builds its own wind and solar parks to add new renewable power to the grid. For gas, it supplies a mix of green gas made from anaerobic digestion and fossil gas. It offsets the carbon emissions from the fossil gas by investing in direct carbon removal projects in Britain through its Carbon Bank.[1]
EDF Energy
EDF Energy supplies an electricity mix that is largely nuclear, with some fossil fuels and renewables. Because nuclear power does not produce carbon dioxide at the point of generation, the company focuses heavily on zero-carbon electricity. It invests in low-carbon infrastructure to help the UK reach its net zero targets and offers solar panels and battery storage solutions for homes.[2]
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | Ecotricity |
| Overall customer service | Ecotricity |
| A well-rated mobile app | EDF Energy |
| A greener fuel mix | Ecotricity |
Ecotricity offers a cheaper fixed tariff and faster customer service, while EDF Energy leads on variable pricing, app quality, and Trustpilot reviews.
Ecotricity and EDF Energy demonstrate distinct strengths across different categories. Households seeking the cheapest fixed deal will find Ecotricity currently offers the lower price. It also performs better on official service metrics, answering calls faster on average and achieving a higher overall score from Citizens Advice.
Conversely, EDF Energy provides the cheaper standard variable tariff. It also receives stronger customer feedback, holding a higher Trustpilot rating and better scores for its smartphone apps. Because the data points in different directions depending on individual requirements, neither supplier emerges as a definitive overall winner.
Ultimately, the right choice depends on household priorities. Ecotricity may suit those who want to lock in a cheaper fixed rate and value faster call answering times. Alternatively, EDF Energy may be a better fit for customers who prefer a variable tariff and prioritise strong customer reviews alongside a highly rated app.
- Cheaper fixed tariff available
- Faster average call answering times
- Higher Citizens Advice score
- Weekend customer support available
- More expensive standard variable tariff
- Lower Trustpilot rating
- Lower app store ratings
- Cheaper standard variable tariff
- High Trustpilot rating
- High app ratings on both platforms
- No exit fees on its variable deal
- More expensive fixed tariff
- Longer average call wait times
- Closed on weekends
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Ecotricity or EDF Energy?
On the stored annual-cost assumptions, Ecotricity is £1,559 and EDF Energy is £1,611. Ecotricity is lower by about £52 a year.
Can Ecotricity and EDF Energy complaint rates be compared directly?
No direct complaint-rate winner is declared because Ecotricity and EDF Energy do not both have figures for the same stated reporting period.
Which supplier leads on customer service?
On the comparable customer-service measure used in the decision table, Ecotricity leads.
Which supplier has the better app evidence?
On the comparable app measure used in the decision table, EDF Energy leads.
Do tariff eligibility rules matter?
Yes. Specialist, time-of-use, EV, heat-pump and export tariffs can have equipment, meter or account requirements. Check the current supplier terms before applying.
Which supplier has the greener evidence?
On the comparable green-energy measure used in the decision table, Ecotricity leads. This row is based on published fuel-mix percentages.
Which is better overall, Ecotricity or EDF Energy?
There is no single overall winner in this repaired draft. Price, service, app and green-energy evidence are kept as separate choices in the decision table.
When was this comparison updated?
The structured source payload is for September 2026.
What changed this month
This month, EDF Energy's iOS app days since last update rose from 6 to 13, Ecotricity's iOS sampled positive reviews fell from 1 to 0, and Ecotricity's iOS sampled neutral reviews rose from 0 to 1. There were 26 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (35)
Ecotricity
- Trustpilot reviews6,590 → 6,635
- Trustpilot negative reviews replied %100 → 94
- iOS app ratings count110 → 111
- iOS app days since last update47 → 77
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars2.33 → 1.67
- iOS sampled positive reviews1 → 0
- iOS sampled neutral reviews0 → 1
- Play Store rating2.75 → 2.82
- Play Store ratings count181 → 182
- Play Store days since last update47 → 76
- Play Store positive ratings %38 → 40
- Play Store negative ratings %52 → 50
- Play Store neutral ratings %10.1 → 10
- Play Store net-positive %-14 → -10
- Cheapest variable tariff£2,032.01 → £1,813.46
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,677.29 → £1,558.98
- Cheapest tariff£1,677.29 → £1,558.98
EDF Energy
- Trustpilot reviews243,334 → 251,360
- iOS app ratings count185,000 → 187,000
- iOS app days since last update6 → 13
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars2 → 2.33
- Play Store rating4.4256063 → 4.3837585
- Play Store ratings count50,315 → 51,073
- Play Store days since last update7 → 14
- Play Store positive ratings %86.3 → 85.2
- Play Store negative ratings %9.8 → 10.6
- Play Store neutral ratings %3.9 → 4.2
- Play Store net-positive %76.5 → 74.6
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,754.76 → £1,610.88
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,824.37 → £1,691.28
- Cheapest tariff£1,754.76 → £1,610.88
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£50 → £0
- Cheapest fixed tariff exit fee£150 → £200
- Tariff count4 → 3
- Variable tariffs available2 → 1
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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.