Octopus Energy Utility Warehouse (July 2026)
Overview
Octopus Energy is the stronger all-round choice due to its excellent customer service, though Utility Warehouse currently offers cheaper tariffs.
Octopus Energy scores higher on customer service and app quality metrics, making it a suitable option for those prioritising account management. However, Utility Warehouse currently offers cheaper fixed and variable tariffs, which may appeal to households focused primarily on reducing costs.
About Octopus Energy and Utility Warehouse
Who are Octopus Energy?
Set up in 2015 and backed by the Octopus Group, Octopus Energy has grown through its own growth and by buying other suppliers to become the UK's largest domestic energy supplier. It runs on its own customer service and billing software, called Kraken, which it also licenses to other suppliers. A key difference is its focus on smart technology and green energy, offering products like solar panels, home batteries, and its own heat pump.
Who are Utility Warehouse?
Launched in 2002 and run by Telecom Plus PLC, Utility Warehouse is one of the UK's largest domestic energy suppliers. Instead of traditional advertising, it grows through a word-of-mouth model using a network of independent partners. The main thing that sets it apart is its bundling model, where customers get cheaper energy rates and a single monthly bill if they sign up for multiple home services at the same time.
Use our referral link, and we'll both get £50 credit once your switch is complete.
Existing customer? Find out how you can benefit too. T&Cs apply (only one switching offer per household)
Tariffs and pricing
Utility Warehouse currently provides the cheaper overall deal. Its UW Fixed Saver 90 tariff costs £1,671 a year, fixing prices for 12 months with a £150 total exit fee. In comparison, Octopus Energy's lowest-priced option is the Octopus 12M Fixed July 2026 v2, a 12-month fixed deal costing £1,697 a year with a £100 exit fee.
Utility Warehouse also leads on variable pricing, although its UW Tracker Saver 2 tariff has a £150 total exit fee. It is estimated at £1,683 a year, compared to £1,792 a year for Flexible Octopus.
Tariff Options
Octopus Energy
Octopus Energy offers a range of mainstream standard variable and fixed-term tariffs, as well as a wide selection of specialist smart tariffs. These include dynamic time-of-use options, electric vehicle tariffs, and export tariffs for homes with solar panels or heat pumps.
Utility Warehouse
Utility Warehouse offers a selection of mainstream standard variable, fixed-term, and tracker tariffs. It also provides specialist options, such as export tariffs and an electric vehicle tariff.
Customer reviews
Octopus Energy holds a 4.8 Trustpilot rating from over 821,000 reviews, with 90% of users awarding five stars. Positive feedback frequently mentions efficient staff and fast issue resolution. While most interactions are rated highly, a small number of reviews note occasional poor phone line quality or unanswered calls.
Utility Warehouse holds a 4.2 Trustpilot rating from nearly 80,000 reviews, with 14% of its feedback at one star. Many users note polite staff and value within its bundled services, but others report long waiting times to reach customer support. A portion of the negative feedback also cites issues with broadband connections and smart meter installations.
In the latest Which? annual survey, Octopus Energy achieved an overall score of 74, compared to 69 for Utility Warehouse. Octopus Energy secured 4 out of 5 for customer service and 8 out of 15 for complaints handling. Utility Warehouse received 3 out of 5 and 6 out of 15 in those respective categories, though it performed better on smart meters, scoring 7 out of 10 against Octopus Energy's 5 out of 10. Both suppliers received 10 out of 10 for helping customers who need additional support.
App quality
Octopus Energy maintains higher-rated applications across both major platforms. Its iOS app scores 4.8 from over 245,000 ratings, while the Android version scores 4.4 from over 46,000 ratings. Both versions receive frequent updates, and the Google Play edition shows over a million installs.
Utility Warehouse holds a 4.5 rating on the App Store and a 4.2 rating on Google Play. The Android app records over 500,000 installs, and both platforms show recent updates for bug fixes and performance. A sample of iOS reviews indicates mixed experiences; some users highlight the cashback card features, while others report difficulties when attempting to top up via the app.
Service and support
Octopus Energy ranks 4th in the Citizens Advice customer support table, achieving an overall score of 3.67 out of 5. The supplier answers calls in an average of 1 minute 17 seconds and responds to 86.1% of emails within two days. It operates phone lines on weekdays only and maintains formal vulnerability commitments registered with Citizens Advice.
Utility Warehouse sits lower in the Citizens Advice rankings at 14th place, scoring 2.45 out of 5. Its average call centre wait time is 7 minutes 16 seconds, and it replies to 40.5% of emails within two days. Like Octopus, it has registered vulnerability commitments, but it offers the addition of Saturday opening hours for weekend support.
Complaints and performance
In the last three months of 2025, Octopus Energy received far fewer complaints than Utility Warehouse. Octopus had 495 complaints for every 100,000 customers, while Utility Warehouse had 1,815.
Green Energy Comparison
Octopus Energy
Octopus Energy supplies a 100% zero-carbon electricity mix, which is mostly renewable, with the rest coming from nuclear power. The company is a major investor in green energy, managing billions of pounds worth of renewable projects such as wind and solar farms across the UK and Europe. It actively supports the move to green energy by offering smart export tariffs that pay customers for sending extra solar power back to the grid. It has also set a target to reach net zero by 2040.[1]
Utility Warehouse
Utility Warehouse supplies an electricity mix that is largely fossil fuels, with some nuclear and other sources. To keep costs down for customers, the supplier no longer buys Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin certificates for its Double Gold tariff. It supports the Smart Export Guarantee, paying customers for renewable power they send back to the grid. It also runs a tree-planting scheme that has planted over 174,000 trees in Wales, planting a tree for every new customer who takes all of its core services.[2]
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | Utility Warehouse |
| Overall customer service | Octopus Energy |
| A well-rated mobile app | Octopus Energy |
| A greener fuel mix | Octopus Energy |
Octopus Energy is the stronger all-round choice due to its excellent customer service, though Utility Warehouse currently offers cheaper tariffs.
Octopus Energy performs better across the majority of customer service and app metrics, making it a suitable choice for households prioritising account management and support. It answers calls faster, responds to emails more consistently, and holds higher independent review scores from Trustpilot and Citizens Advice.
However, Utility Warehouse currently provides lower-priced fixed and variable tariffs. It may suit households focused strictly on minimising their annual energy costs, provided they are comfortable with longer average wait times for customer support.
- Higher Citizens Advice score
- High Trustpilot rating
- Higher-rated mobile apps
- 100% zero-carbon electricity mix
- More expensive fixed tariff
- Standard variable tariff costs more
- Customer service closed on weekends
- Cheaper fixed and variable tariffs
- Phone lines open on Saturdays
- Bundling options for home services
- Lower Citizens Advice score
- Long average call wait times
- Lower percentage of five-star reviews
Frequently asked questions
Which supplier is better overall, Octopus Energy or Utility Warehouse?
Octopus Energy is the stronger all-round supplier because it scores much higher for customer service and app quality. However, Utility Warehouse currently offers cheaper fixed and variable tariffs, which may suit households focused purely on price.
Who offers the cheaper fixed energy tariff?
Utility Warehouse currently offers the cheaper fixed deal. Its 12-month UW Fixed Saver 90 tariff costs £1,671 a year, compared to £1,697 a year for the Octopus 12M Fixed July 2026 v2.
Does Octopus Energy or Utility Warehouse have better customer reviews?
Octopus Energy has much stronger customer reviews. It holds a 4.8 Trustpilot rating with 90% five-star reviews, whereas Utility Warehouse holds a 4.2 rating with 70% five-star reviews and a higher proportion of negative feedback.
Which supplier has the better mobile app?
Octopus Energy has the higher-rated apps on both platforms. Its iOS app scores 4.8 and its Android app scores 4.4, while Utility Warehouse scores 4.5 and 4.2 respectively.
Who answers customer service calls faster, Octopus Energy or Utility Warehouse?
Octopus Energy answers calls much faster. According to Citizens Advice, its average call wait time is 1 minute 17 seconds, while Utility Warehouse customers wait an average of 7 minutes 16 seconds.
Should I choose Octopus Energy or Utility Warehouse?
If you want excellent customer service, highly rated apps, and fast call answer times, Octopus Energy is the better choice. If you want the cheapest available fixed or variable tariff, Utility Warehouse is currently cheaper.
Which supplier charges a higher exit fee on their cheapest fixed deal?
Utility Warehouse charges a higher exit fee of £150 in total for its cheapest fixed tariff, whereas Octopus Energy charges £100 for its cheapest fixed option.
What are the customer service opening hours for both suppliers?
Octopus Energy is open on weekdays from 9am to 5pm (closing at 4pm on Fridays) but is closed on weekends. Utility Warehouse is open on weekdays from 8:30am to 5pm and also opens on Saturdays from 9am to 4:30pm.
How do Octopus Energy and Utility Warehouse score in the Which? survey?
In the latest Which? annual survey, Octopus Energy achieved an overall score of 74, while Utility Warehouse scored 69. Octopus Energy scored higher for customer service and complaints handling, though Utility Warehouse scored better on smart meters.
Do these suppliers offer variable tariffs without exit fees?
Yes. Flexible Octopus has no exit fee, while Utility Warehouse’s Value and Gold Variable tariffs also allow customers to leave without a penalty. UW Tracker Saver 2 has a £150 total exit fee.
What changed this month
This month, Octopus Energy's cheapest tariff term changed from a variable tariff to a 12-month fixed deal, Utility Warehouse's cheapest tariff term changed from a variable tariff to a 12-month fixed deal, and Utility Warehouse's tariff count rose from 1 to 9. There were 40 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (50)
Octopus Energy
- Trustpilot reviews807,247 → 821,111
- iOS app ratings count244,000 → 245,000
- iOS app days since last update25 → 9
- Play Store rating4.4444447 → 4.4341745
- Play Store ratings count46,777 → 46,873
- Play Store days since last update25 → 11
- Play Store positive ratings %87 → 86.7
- Play Store negative ratings %9.8 → 10
- Play Store neutral ratings %3.2 → 3.3
- Play Store net-positive %77.2 → 76.7
- Citizens Advice rank3 → 4
- Citizens Advice score3.78 → 3.67
- Complaints per 10,000 customers21.8 → 21.3
- Avg call centre wait time72 → 77
- Emails responded within 2 days %90.4 → 86.1
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,566.25 → £1,792.32
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,691.36 → £1,697.05
- Cheapest tariff£1,566.25 → £1,697.05
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£0 → £100
- Cheapest tariff termvariable → 12 months
Utility Warehouse
- Trustpilot rating4.3 → 4.2
- Trustpilot reviews78,116 → 79,523
- iOS app days since last update3 → 13
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars2.67 → 2.4
- iOS sampled positive reviews1 → 2
- iOS sampled negative reviews2 → 3
- Play Store rating4.2325583 → 4.202414
- Play Store ratings count11,042 → 11,089
- Play Store days since last update22 → 14
- Play Store positive ratings %80.6 → 79.5
- Play Store negative ratings %14.9 → 15.6
- Play Store neutral ratings %4.6 → 4.9
- Play Store net-positive %65.7 → 63.9
- Citizens Advice rank12 → 14
- Citizens Advice score2.66 → 2.45
- Complaints per 10,000 customers34.4 → 38.1
- Avg call centre wait time176 → 436
- Emails responded within 2 days %69.7 → 40.5
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,583.12 → £1,682.7
- Cheapest fixed tariffnow available (£1,670.87)
- Cheapest tariff£1,583.12 → £1,670.87
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£0 → £150
- Cheapest tariff termvariable → 12 months
- Cheapest fixed tariff exit feenow available (£150)
- Cheapest fixed tariff termnow available (12 months)
- Tariff count1 → 9
- Fixed tariffs available0 → 3
- Variable tariffs available1 → 6
- Shortest fixed termnow available (12 months)
- Longest fixed termnow available (12 months)
Related comparisons
Related reviews
Octopus Energy Review
Octopus Energy was set up in 2015 and is backed by the Octopus Group, as well as investors such as Generation Investment Management, Origin Energy, Tokyo Gas, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Through its own growth and by buying other suppliers like Bulb Energy and Shell Energy Retail,
Read review→
Utility Warehouse Review
Utility Warehouse is one of the UK's biggest domestic energy suppliers. The brand is owned by Telecom Plus PLC, a company set up in 1996 that originally ran from a pub in Henley-on-Thames before growing into a business listed on the London Stock Exchange. Utility Warehouse itself was started in Nort
Read review→
Cheapest Energy Suppliers in the UK
During summer, when heating usage typically drops, many households take the opportunity to reassess their energy bills. When comparing deals this month, your main choice is between the price certainty of a fixed tariff, the flexibility of a variable option, or a tracker tariff that moves with wholes
Read article→Related guides
Octopus Energy Refer a Friend Code – 2026
Octopus Energy runs one of the most popular refer-a-friend schemes in the UK energy market. While many suppliers stopped offering sign-up bonuses during the recent energy crisis, Octopus kept its scheme open. If you use a referral link from an existing customer to switch your gas or electricity, you
Read guide→
Octopus Energy Tracker Tariff Review 2026
The Octopus Tracker is a variable energy tariff provided by Octopus Energy, the UK's largest energy supplier. Instead of charging a set price for your energy over a year, or following the quarterly changes of the standard variable rate, the Tracker tariff changes its unit rates every single day. It
Read guide→
Who is cheaper than British Gas? (2026)
British Gas is one of the UK's largest energy suppliers, but staying on its default standard variable tariff is currently one of the most expensive ways to pay for your gas and electricity. Following a 13% rise in the Ofgem price cap on 1 July 2026, household energy bills have jumped again, driven b
Read guide→
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.