E.ON Next Ecotricity (August 2026)
Overview
E.ON Next is stronger on service and apps, while Ecotricity currently offers a cheaper fixed tariff, faster phone support and a greener fuel mix.
E.ON Next scores higher across most metrics in this comparison, including Trustpilot feedback, app ratings, and Citizens Advice rankings. Conversely, Ecotricity currently provides a cheaper fixed tariff and faster call answer times.
About E.ON Next and Ecotricity
Who is E.ON Next?
E.ON Next is the UK retail brand of the German energy group E.ON SE and is one of the UK's largest domestic suppliers. It grew its customer base by taking on accounts from npower and Powershop, and a planned deal to buy OVO Energy would increase its scale. The supplier offers a wide range of tariffs, including standard variable, fixed, tracker, and electric vehicle options. What sets it apart is its focus on smart home technology, giving customers an app to manage energy use and discounts on solar panels, heat pumps, and electric vehicle chargers.
Who is Ecotricity?
Founded in 1995, Ecotricity is an independent company and one of the UK's oldest green energy suppliers. It is a smaller supplier that uses a model where customer bills fund new renewable energy generation rather than paying dividends to shareholders. The company keeps its product range simple with variable, fixed, and electric vehicle tariffs. Its key difference is its deep commitment to ethical business, as it builds and runs its own wind and solar parks across Britain and is the only supplier to offer vegan-certified energy.
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Tariffs and pricing
Ecotricity supplies the lowest-priced tariff in this comparison. Its EcoFixed - 2 Year August 26 v1 is priced at £1,677 a year, requiring a 24-month contract and carrying a £200 exit fee.
By comparison, E.ON Next’s lowest overall option is the Next Fixed 24m v57 at £1,746 a year. This tariff shares the same 24-month term length and £200 exit fee.
Households seeking a variable rate may find E.ON Next more suitable. The Next Pledge Tracker 12m v12 costs £1,747 a year over a 12-month term. In contrast, Ecotricity's Standard Variable Green Tariff is priced at £2,032 a year and operates with no fixed term.
E.ON Next and Ecotricity: Tariff Options
E.ON Next
E.ON Next offers a wide range of standard variable and fixed tariffs to suit different household needs. It also has a large selection of smart and specialist tariffs for electric vehicle owners, heat pump users, and homes with solar panels.
Ecotricity
Ecotricity keeps its product range simple, offering a few clear variable and fixed tariffs. It also has specialist options for electric vehicle owners and customers with prepayment meters.
Customer reviews
E.ON Next holds a 4.5-star Trustpilot rating based on 219,212 reviews, while Ecotricity maintains a 4.2-star rating from 6,590 reviews. Five-star feedback makes up 74% of E.ON Next's total, compared to 66% for Ecotricity. Additionally, Ecotricity records a higher proportion of one-star reviews at 22%, whereas E.ON Next sits at 9%.
In the annual Which? survey, both suppliers achieve an overall score of 66 out of 100. Within the individual category metrics, E.ON Next receives 8 out of 10 for smart meters, ahead of Ecotricity’s 4 out of 10.
Reviewers frequently note that E.ON Next staff are polite and efficient, often resolving problems effectively. Conversely, some users report contradictory advice and pricing concerns. Ecotricity customers similarly highlight knowledgeable staff and a personalised approach, though a portion of reviews mention delayed email responses and expensive tariffs.
App ratings and features
E.ON Next achieves higher scores for its smartphone applications. The provider's iOS app holds a 4.8 rating from 49,000 reviews, and its Google Play version scores 4.3 from 16,070 ratings.
Ecotricity records lower ratings across both platforms, scoring 1.8 on iOS from 110 reviews and 2.8 on Google Play from 181 reviews. E.ON Next also registers a larger user base, showing over 1,000,000 installs on Google Play.
Recent iOS feedback for Ecotricity averages 2 stars, with a small sample of users citing frustration over a software update. Meanwhile, E.ON Next's iOS app shows recent updates, with release notes indicating bug fixes and performance enhancements.
Customer service and support
E.ON Next places 3rd in the Citizens Advice rankings with a score of 3.71 out of 5, while Ecotricity ranks 7th with 3.36 out of 5. Both suppliers maintain formal vulnerability commitments registered with the organisation.
Ecotricity reports faster call answering times, averaging 45 seconds compared to 2 minutes and 3 seconds for E.ON Next. It also responds to a higher percentage of emails within two days, achieving 95.2% against E.ON Next's 90.7%.
E.ON Next operates its customer service lines on weekdays only. Ecotricity provides weekend support, opening on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 5pm.
Complaints and performance
In the fourth quarter of 2025, Ecotricity received 320 complaints for every 100,000 customers. E.ON Next received more than double this amount, with 795 complaints per 100,000 customers.
Green Energy Comparison
E.ON Next
E.ON Next supplies a mostly renewable mix, with some fossil fuels and nuclear. For customers who want a greener option, it offers the Next Gust tariff, which supplies 100% renewable electricity backed by UK wind farms. The supplier also partners with the Woodland Trust. When customers choose a fixed tariff, E.ON Next makes a one-off donation to help restore ancient woodland in the UK.
Ecotricity
Ecotricity supplies 100% renewable electricity, which it largely generates at its own wind and solar parks around Britain. Its gas supply is a mix of sustainable green gas and fossil gas. To balance the fossil gas, Ecotricity invests in direct carbon removal projects in Britain through its Carbon Bank. The company focuses on building new green energy sources rather than just buying green certificates, using the money from customer bills to fund new renewable energy generation.
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | Ecotricity |
| Overall customer service | E.ON Next |
| A well-rated mobile app | E.ON Next |
| A greener fuel mix | Ecotricity |
E.ON Next wins on service and apps, though Ecotricity currently offers a cheaper fixed tariff and faster phone support.
E.ON Next leads across the majority of metrics in this comparison. It secures higher app ratings, stronger Trustpilot feedback, and a better overall Citizens Advice score than Ecotricity.
Households prioritising the lowest fixed rates or fast call answering times may find Ecotricity more suitable. However, for those who value higher app ratings, a cheaper variable tariff, and stronger independent customer service scores, E.ON Next is likely the better option.
- Higher smartphone app ratings
- Places 3rd with Citizens Advice
- Lower-priced variable tariff
- 4.5-star Trustpilot rating
- Longer average call wait times
- Higher-priced fixed tariff
- No weekend customer support
- Lowest-priced fixed tariff
- 45-second average call wait time
- Weekend customer service hours
- Lower smartphone app scores
- Higher-priced variable tariff
- Greater proportion of one-star reviews
Frequently asked questions
Which supplier is better overall, E.ON Next or Ecotricity?
E.ON Next performs better across most of the data we compared, scoring higher on Trustpilot, app ratings, and the Citizens Advice rankings. However, Ecotricity currently offers a cheaper fixed tariff and answers customer calls faster.
Does E.ON Next or Ecotricity have the cheaper tariff?
Ecotricity has the cheaper overall fixed deal at £1,677 a year. However, if you are looking for a variable rate, E.ON Next offers a lower-priced tracker tariff at £1,747 a year.
Who has better customer reviews, E.ON Next or Ecotricity?
E.ON Next scores higher on Trustpilot with a 4.5-star rating compared to Ecotricity's 4.2 stars. E.ON Next also has a larger share of five-star reviews.
Are E.ON Next's apps better than Ecotricity's?
Yes, E.ON Next has significantly higher ratings across both iOS and Android platforms, scoring 4.8 on the App Store compared to Ecotricity's 1.8.
Which supplier answers the phone faster?
Ecotricity answers calls much faster, with an average wait time of 45 seconds. E.ON Next takes an average of 2 minutes and 3 seconds.
Should I choose E.ON Next or Ecotricity?
If you want the cheapest fixed deal and fast call answering, Ecotricity is a good choice. If app quality and overall service scores matter most, E.ON Next is the stronger option.
Do E.ON Next and Ecotricity charge exit fees?
Yes, both suppliers charge £200 exit fees on their cheapest fixed tariffs.
Is Ecotricity open on weekends?
Yes, Ecotricity's customer service is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 5pm. E.ON Next is closed on weekends.
Does E.ON Next or Ecotricity score higher with Citizens Advice?
E.ON Next scores higher, placing 3rd in the Citizens Advice table with 3.71 out of 5. Ecotricity ranks 7th with a score of 3.36.
How do E.ON Next and Ecotricity perform in the Which? survey?
Both suppliers score 66 out of 100 in the overall Which? customer satisfaction survey.
What changed this month
This month, Ecotricity's iOS app updates in last 90 days fell from 1 to 0, Ecotricity's iOS sampled positive reviews rose from 0 to 1, and E.ON Next's iOS sampled neutral reviews rose from 0 to 1. There were 33 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (45)
E.ON Next
- Trustpilot reviews211,533 → 219,212
- iOS app ratings count48,000 → 49,000
- iOS app updates in last 90 days3 → 2
- iOS sampled neutral reviews0 → 1
- Play Store rating4.3445005 → 4.324643
- Play Store ratings count15,798 → 16,070
- Play Store days since last update9 → 4
- Play Store positive ratings %83.5 → 82.6
- Play Store negative ratings %13.7 → 14.2
- Play Store neutral ratings %2.8 → 3.2
- Play Store net-positive %69.8 → 68.4
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,733 → £1,745.58
- Cheapest tariff£1,733 → £1,745.58
- Cheapest fixed tariff exit fee£100 → £200
- Cheapest fixed tariff term12 months → 24 months
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)
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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.