Octopus Energy British Gas (August 2026)
Overview
Octopus Energy wins overall on service and apps, though British Gas currently offers a cheaper fixed tariff.
Octopus Energy scores higher across independent customer service and app ratings, making it our overall pick. However, British Gas currently provides cheaper fixed and variable tariffs, which may suit households prioritising upfront costs.
About Octopus Energy and British Gas
Who are Octopus Energy?
Founded in 2015 and backed by the Octopus Group, Octopus Energy has grown to become the UK's largest domestic energy supplier. It expanded through its own growth and by taking on customers from other suppliers. The company builds its own technology platform, Kraken, which runs its billing and customer service.
Who is British Gas?
Owned by Centrica, British Gas is one of the UK's oldest and most recognised energy brands, operating as one of the UK's largest domestic energy suppliers. It supplies gas and electricity to millions of households and offers home services alongside its energy supply. A key feature of its product range is the PeakSave scheme, which rewards customers with cheaper electricity at certain times.
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Tariffs and pricing
British Gas currently provides the cheapest overall tariff in this comparison with its Cap Tracker Plus Sep27 v1. This variable option costs £1,745 a year, has no fixed term, and carries a £50 total exit fee. In contrast, Octopus Energy's lowest-priced option is the Flexible Octopus variable tariff, costing £1,792 a year with no fixed term and zero exit fees.
For households who prefer to lock in their unit rates, British Gas again offers the cheaper deal. Its Fix and Fall Aug28 v2 tariff is priced at £1,834 a year on a 24-month term, with a £150 total exit fee. Octopus Energy's cheapest fixed alternative is the Octopus 12M Fixed July 2026 v5, which costs £1,841 a year on a shorter 12-month term and includes a £100 total exit fee.
Tariff options
Octopus Energy tariffs
Octopus Energy offers a range of mainstream household tariffs, including standard variable and fixed-term options with terms of 12 months. It also provides a wide selection of specialist smart tariffs designed for homes with electric vehicles, heat pumps, solar panels, and battery storage.
British Gas tariffs
British Gas offers traditional mainstream tariffs, including standard variable deals and fixed options with terms of 24 months. It also provides specialist tariffs for homes with green technology, such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, and solar panels, alongside pay-as-you-go options.
Customer reviews
Octopus Energy holds a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, drawn from 837,814 reviews. Of these, 90% are five-star and 3% are one-star. Reviewers frequently highlight helpful staff and quick initial response times. Conversely, a minority of users report that email replies can take several days or go unanswered.
British Gas achieves a 4.4 out of 5 Trustpilot score across 350,018 reviews, with 65% rating the supplier five stars and 20% giving one star. Positive feedback often focuses on polite staff and efficient repairs. Both providers actively monitor the platform; British Gas replies to 99% of its negative reviews, while Octopus Energy responds to 96%.
In the annual Which? energy survey, Octopus Energy receives an overall score of 74, ahead of British Gas at 59. Octopus achieves 4 out of 5 for customer service and 10 out of 10 for helping those who need it. British Gas receives 2 out of 5 for customer service, 8 out of 10 for helping those who need it, and 0 out of 5 for its switching process. Octopus Energy also outperforms British Gas in the clarity of statements and ease of contacting categories.
App quality and features
Octopus Energy's mobile app scores 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store (from 249,000 ratings) and 4.4 on Google Play (from 47,091 ratings). British Gas holds a 4.5 App Store rating (from 13,000 ratings) and a 4.1 Google Play score (from 13,409 ratings). Both suppliers maintain over 1,000,000 Android installs and release regular updates.
Recent iOS reviews for Octopus Energy present a mixed picture; some users report a straightforward experience, while others note glitches and billing issues following the Bulb migration. Meanwhile, British Gas has recently updated its application to allow prepayment customers to view their emergency credit status.
Service and support
Octopus Energy places 4th in the Citizens Advice energy ratings, scoring 3.67 out of 5. British Gas ranks 13th with a score of 2.61. In terms of issue resolution, Octopus Energy receives 21.3 complaints per 10,000 customers, whereas British Gas records 68.7.
British Gas connects phone calls faster, averaging a 51-second wait time compared to 1 minute 17 seconds for Octopus Energy. British Gas also responds to 97.9% of emails within two days, ahead of Octopus at 86.1%. Both providers maintain formal vulnerability commitments registered with Citizens Advice.
Operating hours differ between the two suppliers. Octopus Energy is open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm, and Friday from 9am to 4pm, but remains closed on weekends. British Gas operates on weekdays from 8am to 6pm and offers Saturday morning support from 9am to 2pm.
Complaints and performance
In Q1 2026, Octopus Energy received 538 complaints for every 100,000 customers. British Gas received 1,122 complaints per 100,000 customers in the same period.
Octopus Energy receives fewer than half the complaints of British Gas, making it the clear winner here. However, British Gas is slightly faster at fixing the complaints it does get.
While Octopus Energy gets fewer complaints overall, British Gas is faster at sorting them out. British Gas resolved 54.2% of complaints by the end of the next working day, and 85.3% within eight weeks. Octopus Energy resolved 43% of complaints by the next working day, and 80% within eight weeks.
Why do customers complain?
For Octopus Energy, the main reason for complaints is customer service. To help with this, the supplier has set up an Operations Academy to train its staff and runs refresher courses every month. Other common issues include billing, meter readings, and payments. Octopus Energy has put £40 million into its Octo Assist Fund to help customers who are worried about paying their bills.
For British Gas, exactly half of all complaints are about billing. The supplier says it is giving its teams better tools to help customers sort out these issues quickly. Payments make up 20% of complaints, and British Gas is working to speed up refunds for customers who have paid too much. Other complaints are about credit management, customer service, and metering.
Green energy comparison
Octopus Energy
Octopus Energy supplies 100% zero-carbon electricity. According to Citizens Advice data for January to March 2026, its electricity fuel mix is mostly renewable, with some nuclear. The company invests directly in green energy projects across Europe, such as wind and solar farms. It also runs the Octopus Fan Club, a scheme that gives customers living near specific wind turbines cheaper electricity when the wind blows, and helps households move away from fossil fuels by installing solar batteries and heat pumps.[1]
British Gas
British Gas aims to help the UK reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Based on Citizens Advice data for January to March 2026, its electricity fuel mix is largely nuclear, with some fossil fuels and renewables. The company helps customers lower their carbon footprint by installing heat pumps, solar panels, and home insulation. It also supports community sustainability through its Energy for Tomorrow fund, which helps local sports clubs and non-profit groups install solar panels and reduce their carbon emissions.[2]
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | British Gas |
| Overall customer service | Octopus Energy |
| A well-rated mobile app | Octopus Energy |
| A greener fuel mix | Octopus Energy |
Octopus Energy wins overall on service and apps, though British Gas currently offers a cheaper fixed tariff.
Octopus Energy achieves higher scores across the majority of independent metrics we reviewed, particularly in customer service, third-party ratings, and app quality. It also supplies 100% zero-carbon electricity. However, British Gas currently provides cheaper variable and fixed tariffs, which may suit households focused primarily on reducing their annual bills.
If securing the lowest possible price is the primary goal, British Gas offers the cheaper tariffs in this comparison. Alternatively, for households who prioritise established customer support metrics and highly rated digital tools, Octopus Energy may be the more suitable option.
- Higher Citizens Advice score and ranking
- 4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot
- Supplies 100% zero-carbon electricity
- Higher app ratings on iOS and Android
- More expensive standard variable tariff
- Higher-priced 12-month fixed deal
- Longer average call centre wait time
- Cheaper standard variable tariff
- Cheaper fixed deal
- Faster call answering and email responses
- Open on Saturday mornings
- Lower Citizens Advice ranking
- 20% of Trustpilot reviews are one-star
- Scores 0 out of 5 for switching with Which?
Frequently asked questions
Which supplier is better overall?
Octopus Energy performs better in our comparison due to its higher scores with Citizens Advice and Which?, alongside stronger Trustpilot and app ratings. However, British Gas currently offers cheaper fixed and variable tariffs.
Who has the cheaper fixed deal?
British Gas currently offers the cheaper fixed deal. Its Fix and Fall Aug28 v2 tariff costs £1,834 a year on a 24-month term, while Octopus Energy's 12M Fixed July 2026 v5 costs £1,841 a year on a 12-month term.
Which supplier has better customer reviews?
Octopus Energy has stronger customer reviews, scoring 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot with 90% five-star ratings. British Gas scores 4.4 out of 5, with 65% five-star ratings and 20% one-star ratings.
Do Octopus Energy and British Gas have good mobile apps?
Yes, both suppliers have highly rated apps. Octopus Energy scores 4.8 on the App Store and 4.4 on Google Play. British Gas scores 4.5 on the App Store and 4.1 on Google Play.
Who answers the phone faster?
British Gas answers calls faster, with an average wait time of 51 seconds according to Citizens Advice. Octopus Energy has an average wait time of 1 minute 17 seconds.
Should I switch to Octopus Energy or British Gas?
It depends on what matters most to you. British Gas is a strong option if you want the cheapest fixed or variable tariff available in this comparison. Octopus Energy is the better choice if you prioritise customer service, app quality, and high independent ratings.
Are there exit fees on the cheapest tariffs?
The cheapest overall tariff from British Gas carries a £50 total exit fee, even though it has no fixed term. Octopus Energy's cheapest overall tariff has no exit fee.
Do both suppliers offer weekend support?
No. British Gas is open on Saturday mornings from 9am to 2pm, while Octopus Energy's phone lines are closed on weekends.
What are their Citizens Advice scores?
Octopus Energy scores 3.67 out of 5 and ranks 4th in the Citizens Advice table. British Gas scores 2.61 and ranks 13th.
How do they perform in Which? rankings?
Octopus Energy scores 74 overall with Which?, getting 4 out of 5 for customer service. British Gas scores 59 overall and gets 2 out of 5 for customer service.
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 British Gas's iOS sampled negative reviews fell from 2 to 0. There were 26 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (38)
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
British Gas
- Trustpilot reviews345,969 → 350,018
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars2 → no longer available
- iOS sampled negative reviews2 → 0
- Play Store rating4.0481653 → 4.0881915
- Play Store ratings count13,077 → 13,409
- Play Store days since last update14 → 10
- Play Store positive ratings %76.2 → 77.4
- Play Store negative ratings %20 → 19.1
- Play Store neutral ratings %3.7 → 3.4
- Play Store net-positive %56.2 → 58.3
- Avg social media response time55 → no longer available
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,804.81 → £1,744.71
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,702.64 → £1,833.95
- Cheapest tariff£1,702.64 → £1,744.71
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£150 → £50
- Cheapest tariff term24 months → 0 months
- Fixed tariffs available2 → 1
- Variable tariffs available1 → 2
- Shortest fixed term14 months → 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.