Flexible Octopus review (November 2026)
The standard variable tariff, tracking the Ofgem price cap. Available on a single rate or Economy 7.
Live tariff data
Flexible Octopus prices for your area
Current prices for London. Rates and standing charges vary by electricity region.
Showing prices for London
Current rate
London
- Current unit rate
- 26.60p/kWh
- The same displayed rate applies throughout the day.
- Daily standing charge
- 41.39p/day
- Charged once per day, separately from the unit rate.
No cheaper time of day
Flexible Octopus charges one rate at all times. It changes only when Octopus Energy changes it, not on any daily cycle.
Use your own figures
What could a month on Flexible Octopus cost you?
Enter your expected usage for a simple 30-day illustration using the displayed average unit rate and standing charge.
Enter the electricity you expect to use over 30 days.
Enter a number of kWh to see what it would cost at today’s average price.
The short answer
Who Flexible Octopus is most likely to work for
Flexible is the standard variable tariff, currently priced below the Ofgem cap and changing on the cap timetable. It asks nothing of you: no smart meter, no shifting, no hardware, no commitment.
In its favour
- Protected by the Ofgem cap and currently priced below it
- No smart meter needed
- No exit fees on the current product
- Prices follow a conventional variable-tariff timetable rather than changing daily
Against it
- A well-matched specialist tariff may work out cheaper
- The cap is a ceiling, not a good price
- No reward for shifting usage
- Changes with the cap, so it is not fixed either
Read the fuller verdict and trade-offs
That simplicity can cost more than a specialist tariff for a household that fits it. Flexible remains a useful benchmark for judging whether the extra requirements and changing rates of another product are worthwhile.
- Being the default is not the same as being the cheapest. It is the baseline, not the recommendation.
- Economy 7 only pays off if a real share of your usage is at night. Otherwise the higher day rate costs you more than the cheap nights save.
- The cap changes quarterly, so a rate that looks good today can move in three months.
Tariff facts at a glance
- Current version
- Flexible Octopus
View product code
VAR-22-11-01- Price changes
- One unit rate
- The price does not change during the day
- Historical cap comparison
- Below in 12 of 12 months
- £6 less in total on the profile below
- Estimated annual cost
- £816
- Illustration at the displayed rate for 2,500 kWh a year; future rate changes and your usage can change the bill. Includes 41.39p per day standing charge.
Key tariff facts
- Variable-rate tariff
- No exit fee on the selected offer
- Payment method varies · Single-register meter
- No special smart-meter requirement
- Electricity and gas are covered on this page
Against the price cap in London
0.00p
the same as the price cap
- Tariff today
- 26.60p/kWh
- Ofgem cap
- 26.60p/kWh
Unit rates only. The cap also has a 42.92p/day standing charge; your cost depends on when you use electricity. Cap period: 1 Oct 2026–31 Dec 2026.
Estimated annual cost
£816
a year
- Usage
- 2,500 kWh
- Rate
- 26.60p/kWh
Uses the displayed rate and the 41.39p/day standing charge in London. The figure changes when the rate changes.
On an Economy 7 meter
13.99p
night rate per kWh
- Day rate
- 33.11p/kWh
- Standing charge
- 40.96p/day
The seven off-peak hours vary by location and supplier. Check your meter’s schedule before planning storage heating, hot water or EV charging. See Ofgem’s Economy 7 guide.
Octopus Energy: £1,002/year. Based on 3,400 kWh, so it is not directly comparable with the single-rate estimate.
View Economy 7 tariff code
Flexible Octopus: E-2R-VAR-22-11-01-CGas
8.15p
per kWh
- Standing charge
- 29.24p/day
- Cheaper hours
- None
One gas rate applies all day, so there is no usage window to target.
View gas tariff code
G-1R-VAR-22-11-01-CAgainst the Ofgem price cap
Month by month on the same household profile
Across the latest 12 complete months, this tariff cost less than the cap in 12. Both sides use 2,500 kWh a year on the ordinary household, single-rate meter profile, including standing charges.
- Months below the cap
- 12 of 12
- Total across these months
- £5.77 less
View the monthly cost figures
November 2025
£0.29 less
- This tariff
- £66.20
- Price cap
- £66.49
December 2025
£0.30 less
- This tariff
- £68.40
- Price cap
- £68.70
January 2026
£0.41 less
- This tariff
- £71.52
- Price cap
- £71.93
February 2026
£0.37 less
- This tariff
- £64.60
- Price cap
- £64.97
March 2026
£0.41 less
- This tariff
- £71.52
- Price cap
- £71.93
April 2026
£0.16 less
- This tariff
- £64.44
- Price cap
- £64.61
May 2026
£0.17 less
- This tariff
- £66.59
- Price cap
- £66.76
June 2026
£0.16 less
- This tariff
- £64.44
- Price cap
- £64.61
July 2026
£1.02 less
- This tariff
- £68.81
- Price cap
- £69.83
August 2026
£1.02 less
- This tariff
- £68.81
- Price cap
- £69.83
September 2026
£0.99 less
- This tariff
- £66.59
- Price cap
- £67.57
October 2026
£0.47 less
- This tariff
- £69.30
- Price cap
- £69.77
| Month | This tariff | Price cap | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2025 | £66.20 | £66.49 | −£0.29 |
| December 2025 | £68.40 | £68.70 | −£0.30 |
| January 2026 | £71.52 | £71.93 | −£0.41 |
| February 2026 | £64.60 | £64.97 | −£0.37 |
| March 2026 | £71.52 | £71.93 | −£0.41 |
| April 2026 | £64.44 | £64.61 | −£0.16 |
| May 2026 | £66.59 | £66.76 | −£0.17 |
| June 2026 | £64.44 | £64.61 | −£0.16 |
| July 2026 | £68.81 | £69.83 | −£1.02 |
| August 2026 | £68.81 | £69.83 | −£1.02 |
| September 2026 | £66.59 | £67.57 | −£0.99 |
| October 2026 | £69.30 | £69.77 | −£0.47 |
A negative difference means the tariff cost less. This is a model on one named consumption shape, not a prediction of an individual bill. Months count only when every day and its applicable cap rate are held.
Price history
How Flexible Octopus prices have moved
The line is the average price for each day; the shaded range shows the cheapest and most expensive prices within it.
Choose one history view
Use a rolling period to look back from today, or open one calendar year. Selecting either view replaces the other.
Last 30 days: 30 days from 05 Oct to 03 Nov. Average prices are unchanged at the displayed precision. The shaded band shows the cheapest and most expensive price in each period.
1 of 30 periods are only partly covered by stored prices and are shown as they are rather than filled in.
Show these 30 figures as a table
| Period | Average | Cheapest | Most expensive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 06 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 07 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 08 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 09 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 10 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 11 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 12 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 13 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 14 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 15 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 16 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 17 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 18 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 19 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 20 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 21 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 22 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 23 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 24 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 25 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 26 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 27 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 28 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 29 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 30 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 31 Oct | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 01 Nov | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 02 Nov | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
| 03 Nov | 27.34p | 26.60p | 28.09p |
View history coverage and range
Combined across 25 versions of this tariff, each shown for the period it was on sale. We hold prices from Mar 2016. A gap means no version of this tariff was on sale then.
What this selected history can show
29 of 30 days are represented in the stored history. The figures below use complete daily or monthly periods only, so a partial period cannot create a false low or high.
This summary remains at daily or monthly level. Any separate statistics panel uses the complete daily distribution fields supplied by the rollup rather than inferring them from this chart.
- Lowest complete-period rate
- 26.60p/kWh
- Highest complete-period rate
- 28.09p/kWh
- Mean of complete-period averages
- 27.34p/kWh
Regional comparison
How prices differ across Great Britain
Flexible Octopus unit rate and standing charge by region
The current unit rate and daily standing charge in each distribution region, including VAT.
Selected region
London
- Unit rate
- 26.60p/kWh
- Standing charge
- 41.4p/day
Hover a region for its figure, or select one to load its prices.
Tap a region to load its prices.
View all regional prices
| Region | Per kWh | Standing charge per day |
|---|---|---|
| East Midlands | 25.36p | 50.2p |
| North East England | 25.46p | 60.8p |
| Yorkshire | 25.60p | 60.9p |
| West Midlands | 25.60p | 56.3p |
| Southern Scotland | 26.11p | 60.7p |
| Northern Scotland | 26.35p | 54.1p |
| Southern England | 26.47p | 46.3p |
| North West England | 26.49p | 44.2p |
| South Wales | 26.55p | 54.4p |
| South West England | 26.58p | 54.5p |
| London | 26.60p | 41.4p |
| Eastern England | 26.61p | 50.5p |
| South East England | 26.88p | 51.0p |
| Merseyside and North Wales | 27.86p | 67.3p |
Northern Ireland has a separate electricity market and is not covered by these regions.
Household fit
Who Flexible Octopus might be good for
The right answer depends on your equipment, routine and tolerance for changing prices—not just how much electricity you use.
Likely to suit
- Households without a smart meter, who cannot use the smart tariffs
- Anyone who wants a rate that changes quarterly rather than daily
- Homes with storage heating or night usage, on the Economy 7 arrangement
Less likely to suit
- Households that could shift usage and would do better on a time-of-use tariff
- Anyone wanting a rate fixed for longer than the next cap change
- Homes with an electric vehicle that can make better use of a dedicated off-peak or managed-charging tariff
Before switching
Check the requirements and what will affect the result
What you need
- No smart meter needed, unlike every smart tariff on this site
- Economy 7 needs a meter with two registers, which not every home has
- Available across Great Britain, priced by distribution region
What drives what you pay
- The Ofgem cap, which moves quarterly and applies to everyone on a variable tariff
- How much you use, since there is no timing advantage to capture
- Your region, and whether you pay by direct debit
- On Economy 7, the share of your usage that falls in the night window
How it works
How Flexible Octopus sets its prices
One unit rate and one standing charge, protected by the cap and currently set below it. Ofgem updates the cap quarterly, so the tariff follows that timetable rather than changing continuously.
Read the full pricing explanation
The cap limits the rate per unit, not your bill. Using more still costs more, and the widely quoted annual figure is an illustration for typical consumption rather than a maximum.
On an Economy 7 meter the day and night rates are billed against separate registers, so the saving depends on genuinely using more electricity at night.
Alternatives
Other smart tariffs from Octopus and EDF to compare
These are other smart-tariff comparisons from the two suppliers, not a claim that every option suits the same household.
Agile Octopus
Agile can beat Flexible substantially if you shift usage, and lose to it if you cannot.
More detail
Flexible is the safe option; Agile is the one with both upside and downside. The cap comparison on the Agile page shows where it currently sits.
Octopus Tracker
Tracker follows wholesale costs rather than the cap, so it can sit below Flexible for long stretches and above it during a spike.
More detail
Flexible is steadier; Tracker is usually cheaper on average and occasionally worse.
Octopus 12M Fixed
A fix locks the rate for a year, which protects against a rising cap and costs you if the cap falls.
More detail
Flexible does the opposite. Choose on whether you value certainty over the average outcome.
What it costs if you do not pay by direct debit
The same tariff, averaged over the last 30 days in London.
Electricity
- Monthly direct debit
- 26.60p
- On receipt of bill
- 28.09p
Paying on receipt of a bill costs 1.49p more per kWh, about 5.6% more, over 29 days.
Gas
- Monthly direct debit
- 8.15p
- On receipt of bill
- 8.58p
Paying on receipt of a bill costs 0.44p more per kWh, about 5.4% more, over 29 days.
Ofgem caps these payment methods separately. This is a payment-method comparison, rather than a reason to switch supplier.
How to switch
Moving to Flexible Octopus
- 1
This is the tariff you land on by default when you join Octopus, when a fixed deal ends, or when a supplier of last resort moves you across. Most people do not choose it so much as arrive on it.
- 2
No smart meter is required, which sets it apart from every smart tariff here. Economy 7 needs a two-register meter, which not every home has.
- 3
No exit fees at any point, so it is also the tariff to sit on while you decide what to move to.
Frequently asked questions
Is Flexible Octopus the same as the price cap?
It follows the cap timetable rather than being the cap itself. The cap limits what a supplier may charge per unit and per day; Octopus currently prices Flexible below it.
Do I need a smart meter for Flexible Octopus?
No. It is the one tariff here that does not require one, which is why it remains the default for homes without a working smart meter.
Is Economy 7 worth it?
Only if a real share of your electricity is used at night — storage heating, an immersion heater, or overnight car charging. The day rate is higher than a single rate, so without night usage it costs more.
How often does the price change?
When the Ofgem cap changes, which is quarterly. That is far less often than Tracker, which moves daily, or Agile, which moves every half hour.
