Ecotricity OVO Energy (July 2026)
Overview
OVO Energy wins with cheaper tariffs and higher app ratings, though Ecotricity slightly leads on call wait times and weekend support.
OVO Energy leads this comparison by offering cheaper tariffs and higher ratings across its mobile apps and Trustpilot. While Ecotricity sits slightly ahead on Citizens Advice and Which? scores, its energy plans currently cost more based on our data.
About Ecotricity and OVO Energy
Who are Ecotricity?
Set up in 1995 by Dale Vince, Ecotricity is one of the UK's oldest green energy suppliers and remains independently owned. It operates as a smaller, specialist supplier. Instead of paying dividends to shareholders, it uses customer bills to build new renewable energy projects through its "Bills into Mills" model. It also offers 100% vegan energy and UK-based customer service.
Who are OVO Energy?
Set up in 2009 by Stephen Fitzpatrick, OVO Energy is one of the UK's largest domestic suppliers. It grew significantly after buying SSE's retail business in 2020. In 2026, OVO announced a planned agreement to become part of E.ON, which would increase E.ON's scale in the UK market. What sets it apart is its Beyond rewards programme and Power Move scheme, which gives customers perks for shifting their energy use to off-peak times.
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Tariffs and pricing
OVO Energy currently provides the lowest-priced tariff between the two suppliers. Its 1 Year Fixed + Boiler Cover 09 July 2026 plan is priced at £1,797 a year, featuring a 12-month term and a £100 total exit fee. Ecotricity’s lowest-priced option is the Standard Variable Green Tariff at £2,032 a year, which operates as a variable plan with no exit fees.
For households seeking a variable tariff without a fixed term, OVO Energy remains the cheaper option. The Simpler Energy plan costs £1,805 a year, coming in over £200 below the Ecotricity equivalent.
Customers looking to lock in their rates will find fixed options with OVO Energy starting from £1,797 a year for a 12-month contract. Based on this month's pricing data, we do not currently have a priced Ecotricity fixed tariff to compare.
Ecotricity and OVO Energy: Tariff Options
Ecotricity tariffs
Ecotricity offers a simple range of energy plans. This includes a standard variable option, as well as specialist tariffs for electric vehicle drivers and prepayment customers.
OVO Energy tariffs
OVO Energy offers a wide selection of energy plans. The range includes standard variable and fixed tariffs, along with options that bundle in boiler cover or greener electricity, and specialist add-ons for electric vehicle charging.
Customer reviews
On Trustpilot, OVO Energy holds a rating of 4.7 out of 5 from a large volume of reviews, comprising 77% five-star and 9% one-star ratings. Ecotricity maintains a 4.2 out of 5 rating from a smaller review pool, with 66% five-star feedback and a 23% share of one-star reviews.
Reviewers discussing Ecotricity frequently mention helpful staff and quick response times, often noting a personal approach to customer service. OVO Energy customers similarly highlight polite representatives and fast replies, although some report communication delays and issues regarding smart meters.
The annual Which? survey places Ecotricity slightly ahead with an overall score of 66, compared to 61 for OVO Energy. Both suppliers achieve 9 out of 10 for helping those who need it. Ecotricity, however, receives 1 out of 5 for its switching process.
App quality and ratings
OVO Energy records higher mobile app ratings across both major platforms. Its iOS app scores 4.6 out of 5, while the Android version scores 3.3 out of 5 alongside over 1,000,000 installs on Google Play. Ecotricity's applications receive lower scores, sitting at 1.8 out of 5 on iOS and 2.7 out of 5 on Android.
Following recent iOS updates from both suppliers, user feedback has been mixed. A sample of recent Ecotricity reviews indicates frustration regarding an update that removed access to historical billing data. Conversely, OVO Energy users note the high level of detail available in the app, though some mention losing the ability to view full tariff information on the desktop website after installation.
Service and support
The latest Citizens Advice ratings show a narrow margin between the two providers. Ecotricity ranks 7th with an overall score of 3.36 out of 5, while OVO Energy follows closely in 8th place with 3.3 out of 5.
When contacting customer service by phone, Ecotricity is faster to answer, averaging a wait time of 45 seconds compared to 1 minute 33 seconds for OVO Energy. Both suppliers respond to over 95% of emails within two days. Additionally, OVO Energy reports an average social media response time of 6 minutes 53 seconds; Ecotricity does not publish equivalent data.
For households requiring weekend support, Ecotricity operates on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 5pm. OVO Energy's phone line is closed at the weekend, although email support remains available. Both suppliers maintain formal vulnerability commitments registered with Citizens Advice.
Complaints and performance
Ecotricity gets far fewer complaints than OVO Energy. In the last three months of 2025, Ecotricity had 320 complaints for every 100,000 customers, while OVO Energy had 1,651.
Green Energy Comparison
Ecotricity's green energy
Ecotricity supplies a 100% renewable electricity mix. The company generates its own green electricity at wind and sun parks around Britain, rather than buying green certificates. Its gas supply is a mix of sustainable green gas and fossil gas. To handle the fossil gas part, Ecotricity invests in direct carbon removal projects in Britain through its Carbon Bank.[1]
OVO Energy's green energy
OVO Energy's electricity mix is largely fossil fuels, with some renewable and nuclear energy. The supplier runs a "Plan Zero" scheme to cut carbon emissions and has planted 5 million trees in schools and communities on behalf of its customers. It also helps customers lower their carbon footprint through smart technology, such as dedicated electric vehicle charging plans and the Power Move scheme. Customers can also choose to add a greener electricity upgrade to their tariff.[2]
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | OVO Energy |
| Overall customer service | Ecotricity |
| A well-rated mobile app | OVO Energy |
| A greener fuel mix | Ecotricity |
OVO Energy wins with cheaper tariffs and higher app ratings, though Ecotricity slightly leads on call wait times and weekend support.
Based on current pricing and performance data, OVO Energy emerges as the stronger option in this comparison. It provides lower-priced tariffs across both fixed and variable categories, alongside higher customer ratings for its mobile applications.
Ecotricity may appeal to those prioritising customer support accessibility, as it leads on Citizens Advice metrics, phone answering times, and weekend availability. However, its current energy plans carry higher annual costs, and its iOS app receives lower user ratings.
- Higher Citizens Advice and Which? scores
- Faster average call centre wait times
- Weekend customer service availability
- Variable tariff is more expensive
- Low iOS app rating
- No fixed tariffs in current price data
- Lower-priced fixed and variable tariffs
- Higher iOS app rating
- Trustpilot score includes 77% five-star reviews
- No weekend customer service
- Longer average call centre wait times
Frequently asked questions
Which supplier is better overall?
OVO Energy wins overall due to its cheaper tariffs and much higher app ratings, though Ecotricity slightly leads on Citizens Advice scores and offers weekend support.
Does Ecotricity or OVO Energy have cheaper tariffs?
OVO Energy currently offers cheaper tariffs. Its cheapest variable and fixed deals both cost less than Ecotricity's variable option.
What do customers say about OVO Energy on Trustpilot?
OVO Energy has a strong Trustpilot rating of 4.7 out of 5. Customers often praise the polite staff and quick responses, though some mention issues with smart meters.
Are the Ecotricity and OVO Energy apps any good?
OVO Energy has highly rated apps on both iOS and Android. Ecotricity's apps score much lower, with recent iOS reviews complaining about a loss of historical billing data.
Which supplier is faster to answer the phone?
Ecotricity is faster to answer the phone, with an average wait time of 45 seconds compared to 1 minute 33 seconds for OVO Energy.
Should I switch to Ecotricity or OVO Energy?
If price and app quality are your main priorities, OVO Energy is the stronger choice. If you value weekend customer support and a slightly higher Citizens Advice score, Ecotricity may suit you better.
Do these suppliers offer fixed energy deals?
OVO Energy offers several fixed tariffs, starting from a 12-month term. Ecotricity does not have a fixed tariff in our current price data.
Do Ecotricity and OVO Energy open on weekends?
Ecotricity is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 5pm. OVO Energy's phone line is closed at the weekend, although email support remains available.
How do Ecotricity and OVO Energy perform in Which? rankings?
Ecotricity scores 66 in the latest Which? survey, while OVO Energy scores 61. Both score highly for helping those who need it.
What changed this month
This month, OVO Energy's cheapest tariff term changed from a variable tariff to a 12-month fixed deal, Ecotricity's Citizens Advice rank rose from 1 to 7, and OVO Energy's tariff count rose from 1 to 5. There were 34 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (46)
Ecotricity
- Trustpilot reviews6,530 → 6,559
- Trustpilot negative reviews replied %100 → 98
- iOS app days since last update25 → 39
- Play Store rating2.72 → 2.7
- Play Store ratings count178 → 179
- Play Store days since last update30 → 23
- Play Store negative ratings %52 → 53.1
- Play Store neutral ratings %10.9 → 9.7
- Play Store net-positive %-14.9 → -16
- Citizens Advice rank1 → 7
- Citizens Advice score3.93 → 3.36
- Complaints per 10,000 customers13 → 21.5
- Avg call centre wait time46 → 45
- Emails responded within 2 days %93.5 → 95.2
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,825.18 → £2,032.01
- Cheapest tariff£1,825.18 → £2,032.01
- Cheapest tariff termvariable → 0 months
OVO Energy
- Trustpilot reviews282,070 → 287,327
- iOS app days since last update0 → 13
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars4 → 4.2
- iOS sampled positive reviews2 → 4
- iOS sampled negative reviews0 → 1
- iOS sampled neutral reviews1 → 0
- Play Store rating3.4702382 → 3.2850413
- Play Store ratings count10,218 → 10,351
- Play Store days since last update29 → 14
- Play Store positive ratings %60.4 → 55.4
- Play Store negative ratings %35.3 → 40.2
- Play Store neutral ratings %4.3 → 4.5
- Play Store net-positive %25.1 → 15.2
- Citizens Advice rank10 → 8
- Citizens Advice score2.76 → 3.3
- Complaints per 10,000 customers42.6 → 39.5
- Avg call centre wait time254 → 93
- Avg social media response time1267 → 413
- Emails responded within 2 days %83.6 → 98.5
- Cheapest fixed tariffnow available (£1,797.13)
- Cheapest tariff£1,804.82 → £1,797.13
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£0 → £100
- Cheapest tariff termvariable → 12 months
- Cheapest fixed tariff exit feenow available (£100)
- Cheapest fixed tariff termnow available (12 months)
- Tariff count1 → 5
- Fixed tariffs available0 → 4
- Shortest fixed termnow available (12 months)
- Longest fixed termnow available (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.