Octopus Energy EDF Energy (October 2026)
Comparison at a glance
Octopus Energy leads on service evidence, while EDF Energy’s lowest-priced tracker shown costs £42 less a year but carries a £100 total exit fee.
Octopus Energy has stronger service evidence, while EDF Energy has the lower annual estimate shown; neither supplier leads on every household priority. Octopus has a 74% Which? total score against EDF’s 58%, shorter average call waits and a higher iPhone app rating. Both score 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot. EDF’s Simply Tracker Jan28 is estimated at £1,622 a year, compared with £1,664 for Flexible Octopus. That £42 annual difference comes with a trade-off: EDF’s tracker carries a £100 total exit fee, while Flexible Octopus has none.
About Octopus Energy and EDF Energy
Who are Octopus Energy?
Octopus Energy is part of Octopus Energy Group, a clean-energy business whose work covers household supply, technology and renewable energy investment. The group has backing from pension funds, investors and energy companies. Its broad approach links selling electricity with changing how homes use energy, rather than focusing only on the supply account.
Customer service is another part of its identity. Octopus was named a Which? Recommended Provider for energy in 2026, its ninth consecutive year. That recognition sits alongside its work on electricity purchasing and home electrification; the practical services below have separate equipment, installation or contract conditions.
Products & services
Awards & recognition
Who are EDF Energy?
EDF Energy is the UK supply business of French state-backed EDF Group. Its group relationship connects household energy supply with electricity generation. This gives it a different background from a supplier focused mainly on retail accounts, although the electricity backing of a household deal still depends on the named tariff.
EDF describes its electricity purchasing as a combination of its own UK power stations, wholesale markets and independent generators. Its household approach includes both conventional contracts and offers linked to changing when electricity is used. The distinction matters for homes with electric heating, vehicles or batteries, where the timing of use can affect the value of a deal.
Products & services
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Tariffs and pricing
Octopus Energy Flexible Octopus has Octopus’s lowest annual estimate shown at £1,664, with **no exit fee, but it is a variable tariff, so its rates can change. For households who prefer fixed rates, Octopus 18M Fixed October 2026 v5 costs £1,831 a year and fixes rates for 18 months, with a £150 total exit fee**.
Octopus 12M Fixed October 2026 v6 offers a shorter 12-month commitment at £1,886 a year, with a £100 total exit fee. It costs £55 more a year than the 18-month deal, in return for a shorter commitment and a lower charge for leaving early.
EDF Energy Simply Tracker Jan28 has EDF’s lowest annual estimate shown at £1,622, but its tracker rates can change. It costs £42 a year, or about £4 a month, less than Flexible Octopus and carries a £100 total exit fee. EDF’s separate Standard (Variable) tariff costs £1,672 a year with no exit fee.
Simply Fixed 2Yr Oct28v7 costs £1,832 a year for 24 months, with a £200 total exit fee. The two suppliers’ cheapest fixed estimates are effectively identical under our assumptions, but Octopus’s deal has a shorter commitment. EDF also offers the 12-month Simply Fixed Oct27v4 at £1,997 a year, with a lower £100 total exit fee.
These priced deals use monthly Direct Debit. Fixing rates gives more certainty about energy prices, but does not fix the total bill, because the amount paid still changes with energy use.
Octopus Energy and EDF Energy tariff options
Octopus Energy tariffs
Flexible Octopus has variable prices, while Octopus 12M Fixed October 2026 v6 fixes rates for 12 months and Octopus 18M Fixed October 2026 v5 for 18 months. The shorter fixed deal has a lower total early-exit charge than the longer deal, so choosing longer price protection also means accepting a longer commitment and a higher charge for leaving early.
Agile Octopus suits households able to respond to half-hourly wholesale-linked prices, including the risk of price rises. Octopus Go instead has a set overnight window and does not need a dedicated home charger. Cosy Octopus targets electric heating, while Octopus Flux needs both solar panels and a battery. These smart tariffs need working half-hourly meter data; Octopus’s terms also restrict moves between smart tariffs for 30 days.[1][2]
Eligibility
Octopus must supply your electricity; A connected SMETS2 or Secure SMETS1 smart meter must send half-hourly readings.
Eligibility
Octopus must supply the home, with an operational air-source or ground-source heat pump, electric boiler or electric radiators; other systems need approval; A connected SMETS2 or Secure SMETS1 smart meter must send half-hourly readings.
Eligibility
You must already have Octopus import and export accounts, with operational solar PV and a home battery; Octopus installation is not required; A connected SMETS2 or Secure SMETS1 meter must cover import and export and send half-hourly readings. An export MPAN is needed; Octopus can apply for one; Give Octopus your distributor’s G98/G99 certification and the MCS certificate for the solar PV installation; Stop existing FiT export payments and permanently opt out of deemed export, notifying another FiT supplier where needed. Generation payments can stay unchanged; You must set the battery’s charging and discharging schedules yourself.
EDF Energy tariffs
Standard (Variable) changes with EDF’s price-cap-based rates. Simply Tracker Jan28 also has variable prices, while the Simply Tracker offer applies a standing-charge discount rather than fixing energy prices. Simply Fixed Oct27v4 fixes rates for 12 months, compared with 24 months for Simply Fixed 2Yr Oct28v7. The shorter edition has a lower total early-exit charge, making it a different commitment from the longer fixed deal.[3]
GoElectric works with any EV and charger, but needs half-hourly readings, Direct Debit and EDF-only flexibility services. Heat Pump Tracker follows the price cap with discounted heating periods and no peak premium. FreePhase suits households able to move use away from the evening peak. Solar purchase offers have separate installation conditions, and the Pod charger bundle includes a paid equipment arrangement rather than a free charger.[4][5][6]
Eligibility
You must have an electric vehicle; any EV and charger can be used; Use a continuously communicating smart meter, consent to half-hourly readings and pay by Direct Debit; EDF must be the only flexibility-services provider for your EV and home. Another provider or lost meter communication can lead to Standard Variable.
Eligibility
Have an air-source heat pump heating the home; installations by other companies are accepted. Losing eligibility can lead to Standard (Variable); Pay by Direct Debit and consent to half-hourly readings from a continuously communicating smart meter. Lost communication can lead to Standard (Variable).
Eligibility
A qualifying solar or battery enquiry and purchase after 2 March 2026, followed by installation by Contact Solar; EDF electricity supply and MyAccount; a continuously communicating smart meter with half-hourly reading consent; and Direct Debit. Available once per Contact Solar purchase. Previous use within 12 months needs an additional qualifying purchase.
Eligibility
Agree to paperless bills and Direct Debit, with half-hourly readings from a continuously communicating electricity smart meter; Agree to tariff messages by SMS or WhatsApp and complete the tariff-specific registration.
Eligibility
Manage the account online, accept paperless bills, pay by Direct Debit and consent to half-hourly readings from a continuously communicating smart meter; Agree to tariff messages by SMS or WhatsApp and complete the tariff-specific registration; You must not have been on FreePhase Dynamic within the previous nine months.
Eligibility
EDF household electricity supply and solar PV only, with or without a battery, up to 50 kW. A Contact Solar lead form submitted on or after 2 March 2026 must result in a new Contact Solar panel or battery installation. Requires MCS or Flexi-Orb certificates for the relevant installations, DNO letters and a half-hourly export smart meter. Export must be exclusive to EDF, with no FiT export or other supplier’s SEG payments. Available once per purchase; use within the previous 12 months needs another Contact Solar purchase. If automatic readings fail, actual export readings are needed quarterly or sooner on request.
Eligibility
EDF household electricity supply; anaerobic digestion, solar PV, onshore wind, hydro or micro-CHP generation up to 50 kW; MCS certification and a DNO letter. Requires exclusive export to EDF, no FiT export or other supplier’s SEG payments, and a half-hourly export smart meter. If automatic readings fail, actual export readings are needed quarterly or sooner on request.
- [1] Octopus Energy: Octopus Go
- [2] Octopus Energy: Cosy Octopus
- [3] EDF Energy: Simply Tracker offer
- [4] EDF Energy: GoElectric
- [5] EDF Energy: Heat Pump Tracker
- [6] EDF Energy: FreePhase
- Octopus Energy — Agile Octopus
- Octopus Energy — Octopus Flux
- EDF Energy — Heat Pump Tracker
- EDF Energy — FreePhase Static
Customer reviews
Both suppliers score 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot, with 880,701 reviews for Octopus Energy and 260,277 for EDF Energy. The distribution differs: Octopus has 90% five-star and 3% one-star reviews, compared with EDF’s 83% and 7%. Although the headline ratings tie, Octopus has a larger share of the most positive feedback.
Octopus reviewers often praise helpful, polite staff who explain billing, tariff and account questions clearly, alongside quick replies and the ability to speak to a real person. Negative accounts describe slower help with complex requests, technical installations and account changes, with some issues left unresolved.
EDF reviewers praise friendly, understanding staff and helpful conversations when resolving problems, with some describing promptly answered calls. Others report delayed email replies, lengthy billing disputes and difficulty arranging engineer visits. EDF replies to 99% of negative Trustpilot reviews, typically within 24 hours, compared with Octopus’s 97% and one week, although a reply does not necessarily mean the problem is resolved.
The Which? total scores are 74% for Octopus and 58% for EDF. In the Which? customer survey, Octopus receives 4 out of 5 for both overall service and ease of contact, against 2 for EDF. The separate Which? supplier assessment gives Octopus 10 out of 10 for help for those who need it, compared with 9 out of 10 for EDF.
App ratings and feedback
Both Android apps have at least one million installs, and their Google Play scores round to 4.3 out of 5. There is little difference in the headline Android rating, although EDF has a slightly higher net-positive share. On iPhone, Octopus is better rated at 4.8, compared with EDF’s 4.6, with substantial rating volumes for both.
One EDF iPhone user reported being unable to pay for gas or electricity through the app and having to visit shops instead. That is an individual experience rather than a general finding about payments. Both suppliers have recently updated their iPhone and Android apps.
Service and support
Average response: 1.2 min (April to June 2026)
Hours: Monday 9am-5pm, Tuesday 9am-5pm, Wednesday 9am-5pm, Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4pm
Average response: 2.8 min (April to June 2026)
Replies: 86.4% within 2 days (April to June 2026)
Hours: 7 days/week
Replies: 85.4% within 2 days (April to June 2026)
Replies: 91% within 2 days (April to June 2026)
Replies: 90.9% within 2 days (April to June 2026)
For April to June 2026, Citizens Advice gives Octopus 3.67 out of 5, ranked 5th, and EDF 2.96, ranked 10th. Octopus also had a shorter average call centre wait: 1 minute 9 seconds, compared with 2 minutes 47 seconds for EDF. This may matter to households who prefer calling, although the wait to get through does not show how well a query is resolved.
Email response rates were close: Octopus answered 86.4% within two days and EDF 85.4%. EDF also answered 91% of WhatsApp messages and 90.9% of SMS messages within two days. Octopus’s routine phone hours are Monday to Thursday, 9am–5pm, and Friday, 9am–4pm; its email team is available seven days a week.
Billing and meter measures show a mixed picture for the same quarter. EDF had a slightly higher share of working smart meters, at 92.67% against Octopus’s 91%. Actual readings were used for 97.6% of EDF’s smart-meter bills and 96.33% of Octopus’s. For traditional-meter bills, Octopus had the higher share at 93.99%, compared with EDF’s 90.75%, meaning fewer estimated bills on that measure.
| Billing and metering | Octopus Energy — April to June 2026 | EDF Energy — April to June 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Smart meters working correctly | 91% | 92.67% |
| Bills based on readings — smart meters | 96.33% | 97.6% |
| Bills based on readings — traditional meters | 93.99% | 90.75% |
Complaints and performance
In Q2 2026, Octopus Energy reported 476 complaints per 100,000 customer accounts, compared with EDF Energy’s 965. Octopus had the lower complaint rate for this quarter. These figures count complaints, not the number or percentage of individual customers affected.
EDF resolved a higher share of complaints within both reported timescales in Q2 2026: 62% by the same or next working day, compared with Octopus’s 43%, and 86% within eight weeks, compared with 80%. This gives a mixed picture: Octopus received fewer complaints relative to its account base, while EDF closed a larger share within these timescales. Resolution figures do not show whether customers were happy with the outcome.
The separate Citizens Advice measure records complaints to advice bodies and the Energy Ombudsman, rather than complaints received directly by suppliers. For April to June 2026, Octopus recorded 21.4 per 10,000 customers and EDF recorded 47.7. Octopus’s rate was lower for this period, but these figures use a different measure and population from the supplier-reported rates above.
The complaint themes below are not dated, so they cannot be tied to Q2 2026 or compared as a same-period breakdown. Octopus describes actions taken and work under way without giving theme shares, while EDF gives shares and descriptions rather than responses to each theme.
Where their electricity comes from
Octopus Energy: renewable purchasing and nuclear power
For 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, Octopus Energy’s electricity supply mix was 86.4% renewable and 13.6% nuclear, with no gas, coal or other fuels recorded. This was a zero-carbon mix at the point of generation, but it was not wholly renewable: nuclear power made up the remaining share. Octopus names wind, solar and hydro among the renewable sources it buys.
Octopus says it buys renewable electricity from more than 700 UK generators through power purchase agreements. These are contracts to buy a generator’s electricity. Its purchasing includes some independent generators and some projects within a portfolio it operates. It also describes community energy agreements, where local people own and run generation and profits go back into local charity or environmental work.
Named tariff promises are more specific than the annual supplier mix. On Agile Octopus and Octopus Flux, Octopus says each megawatt-hour used is matched with a Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin certificate from British renewable generation. These certificates record renewable generation; matching does not mean renewable electricity reaches the home at every hour, because homes share the electricity grid.
Octopus also describes owning wind turbines in Yorkshire and South Wales, with further adopted turbines in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Its Fan Club links nearby communities with discounts when participating turbines are working hardest. Separately, Octopus Energy Generation, part of Octopus Energy Group, backs, builds and manages renewable projects. That wider generation activity is distinct from the electricity matching promised on a particular household tariff.
EDF Energy: nuclear-led supply with different product mixes
For 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, the EDF Energy Customers Limited supply mix was 41.1% nuclear, 23% renewable, 28.5% gas, 5% coal and 2.4% other fuels. Nuclear was the largest source, but fossil fuels also formed part of the electricity supplied under that licence. This is the licence-wide mix, rather than the backing of every household tariff.
EDF says it sources electricity from its own UK power stations, wholesale markets and independent generators, and supports independent renewable generators. Buying from these different sources helps explain why its overall supply mix differs from the mix recorded for particular product groups.
For the same 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 period, EDF’s product-group disclosure records its “Zero carbon” group as 100% nuclear and its “Renewable” group as 100% renewable. The “All other” group has a mixed fuel supply. Those labels describe separate product groups, so a zero-carbon promise is not the same as a renewable promise.
EDF’s household heat pump tariff page says its heat pump electricity is backed by zero-carbon electricity generated in the UK. For a household choosing Heat Pump Tracker, that is a product-specific promise alongside its heating discounts, rather than a claim that EDF’s entire electricity supply is zero-carbon.
The disclosures shown here cover different years: Octopus Energy’s figures run from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, while EDF Energy’s run from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. They describe annual supply, not the live electricity mix.
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual tariff estimate shown | EDF Energy |
| Higher independent overall service scores | Octopus Energy |
| Higher app ratings from iPhone users | Octopus Energy |
Octopus Energy leads on service evidence, while EDF Energy’s lowest-priced tracker shown costs £42 less a year but carries a £100 total exit fee.
Octopus is the stronger choice if service and getting help matter most. Customers often value its clear explanations and helpful staff, while its higher Which? and Citizens Advice scores, shorter call waits and larger five-star Trustpilot share give reasons to favour it beyond price. Complex account or installation problems can still take time to resolve.
EDF’s reviewers also praise friendly staff, and its smart-meter measures are slightly stronger, although negative feedback includes prolonged billing disputes and communication delays. It may suit households who prioritise the lower annual estimate and accept the tracker’s £100 total exit fee. Neither supplier wins across all these priorities: Octopus has stronger service evidence, while EDF has the lower-priced tracker shown. The shared Trustpilot score alone does not capture those differences.
- Higher Which? total and Citizens Advice scores.
- Shorter average call centre waits.
- Higher iPhone app rating.
- Flexible Octopus has no exit fee.
- Flexible Octopus’s annual estimate is £42 higher than EDF’s tracker.
- Some reviewers report delays with complex requests and installations.
- Simply Tracker Jan28 has the lower annual estimate shown.
- Trustpilot rating matches Octopus at 4.8 out of 5.
- Slightly higher working-smart-meter share.
- Lower Which? total and Citizens Advice scores.
- Longer average call centre waits.
- Simply Tracker Jan28 carries a £100 total exit fee.
Frequently asked questions
Will I pay an exit fee on the lowest-priced deals shown?
Flexible Octopus has no exit fee. EDF’s Simply Tracker Jan28 carries a £100 total dual-fuel exit fee, despite having changing rates. The tracker’s annual estimate is £42 lower, so the exit charge matters if you expect to switch again soon.
Can I choose a shorter fixed contract?
Yes. Octopus 12M Fixed October 2026 v6 costs £1,886 a year for 12 months, with a £100 total exit fee. EDF’s Simply Fixed Oct27v4 costs £1,997 a year for 12 months, also with a £100 total exit fee. Both cost more than their supplier’s longer fixed deal shown.
Which supplier has shorter phone waits?
For April to June 2026, Octopus’s average call centre wait time was 1 minute 9 seconds, compared with EDF’s 2 minutes 47 seconds. These measure the wait to get through, not how long it takes to resolve a problem.
When can I call Octopus about a routine enquiry?
Octopus’s routine phone hours are Monday to Thursday, 9am–5pm, and Friday, 9am–4pm. Its email team is available seven days a week, but that does not mean an immediate reply.
How quickly do the suppliers answer emails?
In April to June 2026, Octopus answered 86.4% of emails within two days and EDF answered 85.4%. The difference is small, and neither figure promises a reply within two days for every enquiry.
Which app is better rated on my phone?
On iPhone, Octopus scores 4.8 out of 5 from 263,000 ratings, against EDF’s 4.6 from 189,000. On Android, both Google Play scores round to 4.3, with little difference in the headline rating.
Which supplier uses actual meter readings for more bills?
For April to June 2026, EDF had the higher share for smart-meter bills: 97.6%, against Octopus’s 96.33%. Octopus had the higher share for traditional-meter bills: 93.99%, against EDF’s 90.75%. These figures describe bills based on actual readings rather than estimates.
What changed this month
This month, Octopus Energy's iOS app days since last update rose from 1 to 25, Octopus Energy's play store days since last update rose from 1 to 17, and Octopus Energy's iOS sampled positive reviews fell from 1 to 0. There were 37 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (47)
Octopus Energy
- Trustpilot reviews857,633 → 880,701
- Trustpilot negative reviews replied %96 → 97
- iOS app ratings count254,000 → 263,000
- iOS app days since last update1 → 25
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars2.5 → no longer available
- iOS sampled positive reviews1 → 0
- iOS sampled negative reviews1 → 0
- Play Store rating4.3669577 → 4.328419
- Play Store ratings count47,238 → 47,449
- Play Store days since last update1 → 17
- Play Store positive ratings %84.5 → 83.2
- Play Store negative ratings %11.7 → 12.6
- Play Store neutral ratings %3.7 → 4.2
- Play Store net-positive %72.8 → 70.6
- Citizens Advice rank4 → 5
- Complaints per 10,000 customers21.3 → 21.4
- Avg call centre wait time77 → 69
- Emails responded within 2 days %86.1 → 86.4
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,598.38 → £1,664.22
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,641.76 → £1,831.1
- Cheapest tariff£1,598.38 → £1,664.22
- Cheapest fixed tariff exit fee£100 → £150
- Cheapest fixed tariff term12 months → 18 months
- Tariffs with comparison prices2 → 3
- Fixed tariffs with comparison prices1 → 2
- Longest fixed term12 months → 18 months
EDF Energy
- Trustpilot reviews251,360 → 260,277
- iOS app ratings count187,000 → 189,000
- iOS app days since last update13 → 24
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars2.33 → 2.67
- Play Store rating4.3837585 → 4.34756
- Play Store ratings count51,073 → 52,185
- Play Store positive ratings %85.2 → 84.5
- Play Store negative ratings %10.6 → 11.4
- Play Store neutral ratings %4.2 → 4.1
- Play Store net-positive %74.6 → 73.1
- Citizens Advice rank11 → 10
- Citizens Advice score2.9 → 2.96
- Complaints per 10,000 customers47.6 → 47.7
- Avg call centre wait time166 → 167
- Emails responded within 2 days %85.6 → 85.4
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,610.88 → £1,622.14
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,691.28 → £1,831.77
- Cheapest tariff£1,610.88 → £1,622.14
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£0 → £100
- Tariffs with comparison prices3 → 4
- Variable tariffs with comparison prices1 → 2
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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.