Octopus Energy Utilita Energy (August 2026)
Overview
Octopus Energy leads on price, customer service scores, and app ratings, though Utilita Energy answers emails faster and offers weekend support.
Octopus Energy leads across most of the data we reviewed, offering a cheaper variable tariff and scoring higher on independent customer service metrics. Utilita Energy performs well on email response times, but Octopus ranks higher for overall satisfaction and app store ratings.
About Octopus Energy and Utilita Energy
Who are Octopus Energy?
Octopus Energy started in 2016 and is now the UK's largest energy supplier. It powers millions of homes and runs its own technology platform, Kraken, which it also licenses to other energy companies, while investment funds back the business. Over the years, it has grown by taking on customers from other suppliers that closed down, as well as through its own growth. What sets Octopus apart is its focus on smart technology and flexible pricing. It offers a wide range of direct-only smart tariffs for electric vehicles, heat pumps, and solar batteries. Some Octopus fixed tariffs carry exit fees, so customers should check their tariff terms before leaving a 12-month deal early.
Who are Utilita Energy?
Utilita Energy started in 2003 and is one of the UK's largest domestic suppliers. It runs high street Energy Hubs where customers can get face-to-face help. What sets Utilita apart is its focus on smart meters and helping people cut energy waste. Its app has a Smart Score feature that shows how much different appliances cost to run. It also offers options with no standing charge for pay-as-you-go customers, meaning they only pay for the energy they use.
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Tariffs and pricing
The cheapest tariff across both suppliers is Flexible Octopus, a variable deal costing £1,792 a year. Utilita Energy's lowest-priced option is its Smart Energy variable tariff at £1,805 a year. Both of these entry-level options are variable, require no fixed term, and carry a £0 exit fee.
Households preferring to lock in their unit rates can opt for a 12-month fixed deal from Octopus Energy, priced at £1,841 a year. This tariff includes a £100 exit fee. We do not currently have pricing data for any fixed tariffs from Utilita Energy this month.
Octopus Energy and Utilita Energy: Tariff Options
Octopus Energy
Octopus Energy offers standard variable and fixed-term tariffs, alongside smart and specialist options for homes with electric vehicles, heat pumps, or solar panels.
Utilita Energy
Utilita Energy keeps its domestic range simple, focusing on a standard variable tariff for pay-as-you-go customers. We did not identify fixed deals, tracker tariffs, EV tariffs, or green tariffs in Utilita Energy's current published domestic range when checked.[1]
Customer reviews
Octopus Energy holds a 4.8 out of 5 Trustpilot rating across 837,814 reviews, while Utilita Energy scores 4.3 out of 5 from 112,253 reviews. A breakdown of these figures shows that 90% of Octopus reviews award five stars, compared to 72% for Utilita. Conversely, Utilita receives a higher proportion of one-star feedback at 16%, against 3% for Octopus.
Reviewers frequently commend Octopus staff for their helpfulness and note a generally smooth user experience, though some report that email replies can take several days. Utilita customers also highlight patient staff capable of resolving complex problems, although complaints frequently mention billing and payment issues. Both suppliers address negative feedback promptly; Utilita typically responds within 24 hours, while Octopus generally replies within a week.
In the annual Which? survey, Octopus Energy achieves an overall score of 74 out of 100, compared to 68 for Utilita. Octopus receives 4 out of 5 for overall customer service, whereas Utilita scores 2 out of 5. However, Utilita earns 10 out of 10 in the smart meters category, ahead of the 5 out of 10 awarded to Octopus.
App quality and features
Octopus Energy achieves higher ratings across both major mobile app stores. On the App Store, it is rated 4.8 from 249,000 ratings, while Utilita Energy is rated 4.4 from 27,000 ratings. Both suppliers record over 100,000 installs on Google Play, where Octopus scores 4.4 against Utilita's 4.1.
Both applications receive regular updates, including recent iOS releases. A sample of recent iOS reviews for Octopus indicates mixed user experiences; some praise the interface, while others report bugs related to smart meter data. Utilita's latest release notes highlight new features, such as a progress bar for tracking go-live dates and a tool for booking smart meter appointments.
Customer service and support
Octopus Energy places 4th in the Citizens Advice rankings with an overall score of 3.67 out of 5, while Utilita Energy sits 15th with a score of 2.35 out of 5. In terms of dispute volume, Octopus records 21.3 complaints per 10,000 customers, which is notably lower than the 164 complaints per 10,000 customers logged for Utilita.
Call centre data shows Utilita customers wait an average of 60 seconds to speak to an agent, compared to 1 minute 17 seconds for Octopus callers. Utilita also processes emails more rapidly, responding to 98.2% of messages within two days, against 86.1% for Octopus. Additionally, Utilita reports an average social media response time of 1 minute 28 seconds; equivalent data is not available for Octopus.
Both providers maintain formal vulnerability commitments registered with Citizens Advice. Octopus Energy operates its phone lines from 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am to 4pm on Fridays. Utilita Energy provides broader contact hours, operating from 8am to 8pm on weekdays and offering weekend support from 8am to 5pm.
Complaints and performance
In Q1 2026, Octopus Energy received 538 complaints per 100,000 customers, while Utilita Energy received 1,502. This means Utilita had nearly three times as many complaints as Octopus during this period.
When it comes to fixing issues, Utilita Energy resolved 66% of complaints by the end of the next working day, compared to 43% for Octopus Energy. Utilita also resolved 91% of complaints within eight weeks, while Octopus resolved 80%.
For Octopus Energy, the main reason for complaints was customer service. To help with this, the supplier has set up an operations academy to train staff and has grown its teams to answer queries faster. Other common complaints were about billing, payment issues, and smart meter installations. Octopus has put £40 million into its Octo Assist Fund to help customers who are worried about paying their bills.
Half of all complaints to Utilita Energy were about customer service. Payment issues made up 17% of complaints, followed by smart meter billing, smart prepayment meter installations, and pricing.
Octopus Energy gets far fewer complaints, but Utilita Energy is faster at resolving the complaints it receives.
Green Energy Comparison
Octopus Energy
Octopus offers 100% zero-carbon electricity. The electricity it supplies to customers is a mostly renewable mix, with some nuclear power. As well as this, the company invests directly in wind and solar power through Octopus Energy Generation, which manages an £8.5 billion renewable energy portfolio. It also helps customers cut their carbon footprint through smart tariffs that encourage energy use when the grid is greenest.
Utilita Energy
The electricity Utilita supplies to customers is largely fossil fuels, with some nuclear and other sources. The company campaigns against greenwashing and the use of REGO certificates, arguing that there is no such thing as a 100% renewable tariff from the grid. Instead of offering green tariffs, it focuses on helping customers reduce energy waste and aims to reach net zero in its own operations by 2030. It also offers solar panel and battery storage installations to help homes lower their carbon footprint.
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | Octopus Energy |
| Overall customer service | Octopus Energy |
| A well-rated mobile app | Octopus Energy |
| A greener fuel mix | Octopus Energy |
Octopus Energy leads on price, customer service scores, and app ratings, though Utilita Energy answers emails faster and offers weekend support.
Octopus Energy leads across the majority of metrics in this comparison, including price, overall satisfaction, and app ratings. It provides the cheaper variable tariff and achieves higher scores in independent assessments from Which? and Citizens Advice.
Octopus Energy may suit households seeking the lowest variable rates and higher overall customer service scores. Alternatively, Utilita Energy could be a practical option for those who prioritise faster email response times and require weekend support hours.
- Cheaper variable tariff in this comparison
- Higher scores from Citizens Advice and Which?
- Higher ratings on both the App Store and Google Play
- Slower average email response times than Utilita
- No weekend opening hours for phone support
- Answers phone calls faster on average
- Responds to 98.2% of emails within two days
- Scores 10 out of 10 for smart meters with Which?
- Higher number of complaints per 10,000 customers
- Lower overall Trustpilot and app ratings
- No fixed tariffs among the deals we have prices for
Frequently asked questions
Which supplier is better overall?
Octopus Energy performs better across most metrics in our comparison. It offers lower prices and holds higher scores from Citizens Advice, Which?, and Trustpilot. Utilita Energy performs well on email response times and offers weekend support, but Octopus wins on overall satisfaction.
Who offers the cheaper energy tariff?
Octopus Energy offers the cheaper variable tariff in our comparison, costing £1,792 a year compared to £1,805 for Utilita Energy. Octopus also offers a 12-month fixed deal, whereas we have no fixed tariff prices for Utilita this month.
Who has better customer reviews?
Octopus Energy has a higher Trustpilot rating, scoring 4.8 out of 5 compared to 4.3 for Utilita Energy. Octopus also scores higher in the annual Which? survey for overall customer service.
Which supplier has the better app?
Octopus Energy scores higher on both the App Store and Google Play. Its iOS app holds a 4.8 rating, while Utilita Energy scores 4.4. Both apps are actively maintained and regularly updated.
Who is easier to contact?
Utilita Energy answers phone calls and emails faster on average, and it offers weekend support hours. Octopus Energy does not open on weekends, but it ranks much higher overall in the Citizens Advice table.
Should I choose Octopus Energy or Utilita Energy?
Octopus Energy is stronger on price and overall satisfaction, making it the better choice for most households. Utilita Energy is a good option if you value fast email responses and need to contact customer service on weekends.
Do they charge exit fees?
The cheapest variable tariffs from both suppliers have no exit fees. However, Octopus Energy does charge a £100 exit fee if you choose its 12-month fixed tariff and leave before the term ends.
Do these suppliers support vulnerable customers?
Yes, both Octopus Energy and Utilita Energy have formal vulnerability commitments registered with Citizens Advice, meaning they have policies in place to help customers who need extra support.
What changed this month
This month, Octopus Energy's iOS sampled positive reviews rose from 0 to 1, Octopus Energy's iOS sampled negative reviews rose from 0 to 2, and Octopus Energy's cheapest tariff exit fee fell from £100 to £0. There were 21 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (31)
Octopus Energy
- Trustpilot reviews821,111 → 837,814
- iOS app ratings count245,000 → 249,000
- iOS app days since last update9 → 6
- iOS sampled reviews avg starsnow available (2)
- iOS sampled positive reviews0 → 1
- iOS sampled negative reviews0 → 2
- Play Store rating4.4341745 → 4.3956046
- Play Store ratings count46,873 → 47,091
- Play Store days since last update11 → 2
- Play Store positive ratings %86.7 → 85.5
- Play Store negative ratings %10 → 11
- Play Store neutral ratings %3.3 → 3.5
- Play Store net-positive %76.7 → 74.5
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,697.05 → £1,841.19
- Cheapest tariff£1,697.05 → £1,792.32
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£100 → £0
- Cheapest tariff term12 months → 0 months
- Tariff count2 → 3
- Fixed tariffs available1 → 2
Utilita Energy
- Trustpilot reviews111,959 → 112,253
- Trustpilot negative reviews replied %99 → 100
- iOS app days since last update39 → 47
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars2.6 → 2.67
- iOS sampled positive reviews2 → 1
- iOS sampled negative reviews3 → 2
- Play Store rating4.136039 → 4.129011
- Play Store ratings count61,525 → 61,547
- Play Store days since last update38 → 61
- Play Store positive ratings %77.9 → 77.7
- Play Store negative ratings %18.6 → 18.7
- Play Store net-positive %59.3 → 59
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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.