Ecotricity OVO Energy (August 2026)
Overview
The choice depends on your priorities: OVO Energy offers a cheaper variable tariff and better apps, while Ecotricity provides a cheaper fixed deal and 100% renewable electricity.
Deciding between these two suppliers depends on your household's tariff preferences. OVO Energy provides a cheaper standard variable tariff and higher app ratings, whereas Ecotricity offers a lower-priced fixed deal and supplies 100% renewable electricity.
About Ecotricity and OVO Energy
Who is Ecotricity?
Set up in 1995 by Dale Vince, Ecotricity is one of the UK's oldest green energy suppliers. It is a smaller, independent supplier owned by the Green Britain Group. The company focuses on building its own wind and solar parks using customer bill money, an approach it calls "Bills into Mills". It is also the only supplier to offer vegan energy, meaning no animal byproducts are used in its energy production.
Who is OVO Energy?
Set up in 2009, OVO Energy is one of the UK's largest domestic energy suppliers. It is privately owned by the OVO Group and grew in size after buying SSE's household energy business in 2020. In May 2026, OVO announced a planned deal to sell its retail energy business to E.ON, which is waiting for regulatory approval. The supplier focuses on smart technology, offering an app to track energy use and a rewards scheme called OVO Beyond. It also runs Power Move, which rewards customers for shifting their energy use to off-peak times.
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Tariffs and pricing
Ecotricity’s lowest-priced option is the EcoFixed - 2 Year August 26 v1, a 24-month fixed deal costing £1,677 a year with a £200 exit fee. In contrast, OVO Energy’s cheapest overall tariff is Simpler Energy, a standard variable plan priced at £1,805 a year. Because it is a variable tariff, OVO Energy's option has no fixed term and does not charge exit fees.
Looking at direct comparisons, the cheaper provider depends on the tariff type. Ecotricity's fixed deal at £1,677 a year undercuts OVO Energy's most affordable 12-month fix, which costs £1,923 a year and includes a £100 exit fee. However, OVO Energy supplies the cheaper standard variable tariff at £1,805 a year, compared to £2,032 a year for Ecotricity's Standard Variable Green Tariff.
Tariff options
Ecotricity
Ecotricity offers standard variable and fixed-term energy for households. It also has specialist tariffs for electric vehicle drivers, homes with solar panels, and customers with prepayment meters.
OVO Energy
OVO Energy offers standard variable and fixed-term energy, with options that include extras like boiler cover or a renewable energy add-on. It also has a specialist smart charging add-on for electric vehicle owners.
Customer reviews
OVO Energy holds a higher Trustpilot score of 4.7 out of 5, drawn from a substantial 293,863 reviews. Ecotricity sits at 4.2 out of 5 based on 6,590 reviews. Furthermore, 77% of OVO Energy's ratings are five stars, compared to 66% for Ecotricity. At the other end of the scale, 22% of Ecotricity's reviews are one-star, while just 9% of OVO Energy's feedback falls into the lowest tier.
Reviewers for both companies frequently mention polite and professional staff. OVO Energy customers often note prompt responses and clear communication, although a portion report extended wait times when trying to contact support. Ecotricity's feedback highlights effective problem-solving and the supplier's environmental focus, but some users cite unhelpful service interactions or raise concerns regarding billing and prices.
Ecotricity achieves a slightly higher overall score in the annual Which? energy survey, receiving 66 out of 100 compared to OVO Energy's 61. Both firms receive 2 out of 5 for overall customer service. Ecotricity scores 9 out of 15 for complaints handling—ahead of OVO Energy's 6 out of 15—and secures a 3 out of 5 rating for value for money. However, Ecotricity scores just 1 out of 5 in the switching category.
App quality and features
OVO Energy's mobile applications receive higher ratings across both major platforms. On the App Store, it scores 4.6 out of 5 from 18,000 ratings, whereas Ecotricity scores 1.8 out of 5 from a smaller sample of 110 ratings. On Google Play, OVO Energy holds a 3.0 out of 5 score across 10,621 ratings, compared to Ecotricity's 2.7 out of 5 from 181 ratings.
Feedback for OVO Energy's iOS app frequently highlights the ability to view detailed historical consumption data, although some users report loading issues on iPads. Conversely, sampled reviews for Ecotricity indicate dissatisfaction with a recent update, with users describing the current app as a basic website wrapper that forced them to set up new accounts.
OVO Energy has released two updates for its iOS app in the last 90 days. Ecotricity has not updated its Apple version during the same period, though both providers have issued recent updates for their Android applications.
Customer service and support
The latest Citizens Advice rankings place these two suppliers closely together. Ecotricity ranks 7th with a score of 3.36 out of 5, while OVO Energy follows in 8th position with 3.3 out of 5. Both companies have registered formal vulnerability commitments with the organisation.
For phone support, Ecotricity records a faster average call centre wait time of 45 seconds, compared to 1 minute 33 seconds for OVO Energy. However, OVO Energy responds to 98.5% of emails within two days, slightly ahead of Ecotricity's 95.2%. Additionally, OVO Energy reports an average social media response time of 6 minutes 53 seconds, whereas Ecotricity does not supply data for this metric.
Ecotricity provides weekend support, opening its phone lines from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays, alongside weekday hours of 9am to 7pm. OVO Energy operates exclusively on weekdays between 9am and 5pm. Both brands accept Direct Debit, Cash/Cheque, and Prepayment methods.
Complaints and performance
Both Ecotricity and OVO Energy have published their complaints data for the fourth quarter of 2025. Ecotricity received far fewer complaints than OVO Energy, with 320 complaints per 100,000 customers compared to OVO's 1,651.
Green energy comparison
Ecotricity
Ecotricity supplies a 100% renewable electricity mix. The company generates about a fifth of its electricity from its own wind and solar parks, buying the rest from other green generators. It does not use REGO certificates to match fossil fuel energy. Its gas supply is a mix of green gas and fossil gas, and the supplier invests in carbon removal projects in Britain to offset the fossil gas it supplies.[1]
OVO Energy
OVO Energy supplies an electricity mix that is largely fossil fuels, with some renewable and nuclear energy. Customers who want renewable electricity can pay extra for a "Greener Electricity" upgrade. The company has a "Plan Zero" goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions and states it has planted 5 million trees in the UK since 2015 to help absorb carbon.[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 | OVO Energy |
| A greener fuel mix | Ecotricity |
The choice depends on your priorities: OVO Energy offers a cheaper variable tariff and better apps, while Ecotricity provides a cheaper fixed deal and 100% renewable electricity.
The decision between these suppliers largely depends on your preference for a fixed or variable tariff. Ecotricity may suit households looking for a lower-priced fixed deal and 100% renewable electricity, and it holds a slight edge in the Which? and Citizens Advice rankings.
Alternatively, OVO Energy offers a cheaper standard variable tariff. It may also appeal to those who prefer managing their account digitally, given its highly rated iOS app and higher Trustpilot score compared to Ecotricity's lower app ratings.
The choice is between Ecotricity's cheaper fixed tariff and greener electricity, or OVO Energy's cheaper variable tariff and stronger app experience.
- Cheaper fixed tariff available
- Slightly higher Citizens Advice and Which? scores
- Faster average call centre wait times
- Open on weekends
- More expensive standard variable tariff
- Very low iOS app rating
- Lower Trustpilot score
- Cheaper standard variable tariff
- Highly rated iOS app
- Strong Trustpilot score
- Faster email response times
- More expensive fixed tariff
- Higher complaints rate with Citizens Advice
- Closed on weekends
Frequently asked questions
Which supplier is better overall?
The choice depends on what you value most. OVO Energy offers a cheaper standard variable tariff and a highly rated app, while Ecotricity provides a significantly cheaper fixed deal and 100% renewable electricity.
Which supplier offers the cheapest fixed tariff?
Ecotricity currently offers the cheaper fixed deal. Its 24-month fixed tariff costs £1,677 a year, which is cheaper than OVO Energy's 12-month fixed option at £1,923 a year.
Do customers prefer Ecotricity or OVO Energy?
OVO Energy performs better on Trustpilot, holding a 4.7 out of 5 score compared to Ecotricity's 4.2. Ecotricity scores slightly higher in the annual Which? energy survey, earning an overall score of 66 against OVO Energy's 61.
Which supplier has the better mobile app?
OVO Energy has a much stronger app offering. Its iOS app scores 4.6 out of 5 from thousands of ratings, whereas Ecotricity's iOS app scores just 1.8 out of 5 from a much smaller sample.
How quickly do Ecotricity and OVO Energy answer the phone?
Ecotricity is faster to answer calls, with an average call centre wait time of 45 seconds according to Citizens Advice. OVO Energy takes a little longer, averaging 1 minute 33 seconds.
Should I choose Ecotricity or OVO Energy?
If you want the cheapest fixed deal and prefer a green energy specialist, Ecotricity is the better pick. If you want a cheaper standard variable tariff and value a highly rated app to manage your account, OVO Energy is the stronger option.
Do Ecotricity and OVO Energy charge exit fees?
Yes, both suppliers charge exit fees on their fixed deals. Ecotricity's cheapest fixed tariff carries a £200 exit fee, while OVO Energy's fixed tariff has a £100 exit fee. Neither supplier charges exit fees on their standard variable tariffs.
Do Ecotricity and OVO Energy offer 100% renewable electricity?
Ecotricity supplies 100% renewable electricity as standard. OVO Energy's standard mix includes a large share of fossil fuels, though customers can pay extra for a renewable energy add-on.
How do Ecotricity and OVO Energy perform in Which? rankings?
Ecotricity scores 66 out of 100 in the Which? survey, putting it slightly ahead of OVO Energy, which scores 61. Ecotricity performs particularly well on complaints handling, scoring 9 out of 15, compared to OVO Energy's 6.
Are Ecotricity and OVO Energy open on weekends?
Ecotricity offers weekend support, opening its phone lines from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. OVO Energy is closed on weekends and only operates on weekdays from 9am to 5pm.
What changed this month
This month, OVO Energy's iOS app days since last update rose from 13 to 36, OVO Energy's play store days since last update rose from 14 to 36, and Ecotricity's iOS app updates in last 90 days fell from 1 to 0. There were 35 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (49)
Ecotricity
- Trustpilot reviews6,559 → 6,590
- Trustpilot 3-star %2 → 3
- Trustpilot 1-star %23 → 22
- Trustpilot negative reviews replied %98 → 100
- Trustpilot negative reviews %26 → 25
- Trustpilot neutral reviews %2 → 3
- Trustpilot net-positive %46 → 47
- iOS app ratings count108 → 110
- iOS app days since last update39 → 30
- iOS app updates in last 90 days1 → 0
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars1.67 → 2
- iOS sampled positive reviews0 → 1
- iOS sampled neutral reviews1 → 0
- Play Store rating2.7 → 2.75
- Play Store ratings count179 → 181
- Play Store days since last update23 → 45
- Play Store positive ratings %37.1 → 38
- Play Store negative ratings %53.1 → 52
- Play Store neutral ratings %9.7 → 10.1
- Play Store net-positive %-16 → -14
- Cheapest fixed tariffnow available (£1,677.29)
- Cheapest tariff£2,032.01 → £1,677.29
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£0 → £200
- Cheapest tariff term0 months → 24 months
- Cheapest fixed tariff exit feenow available (£200)
- Cheapest fixed tariff termnow available (24 months)
- Tariff count1 → 2
- Fixed tariffs available0 → 1
- Shortest fixed termnow available (24 months)
- Longest fixed termnow available (24 months)
OVO Energy
- Trustpilot reviews287,327 → 293,863
- iOS app days since last update13 → 36
- iOS app updates in last 90 days3 → 2
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars4.2 → 3.67
- iOS sampled positive reviews4 → 2
- Play Store rating3.2850413 → 3.0206423
- Play Store ratings count10,351 → 10,621
- Play Store days since last update14 → 36
- Play Store positive ratings %55.4 → 48.2
- Play Store negative ratings %40.2 → 46.9
- Play Store neutral ratings %4.5 → 4.9
- Play Store net-positive %15.2 → 1.3
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,797.13 → £1,923.42
- Cheapest tariff£1,797.13 → £1,804.82
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£100 → £0
- Cheapest tariff term12 months → 0 months
- Tariff count5 → 4
- Fixed tariffs available4 → 3
- Longest fixed term24 months → 12 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.