Snug Octopus review (October 2026)
A storage-heater tariff with a six-hour overnight cheap band and an Octopus-controlled afternoon boost.
Live tariff data
Snug Octopus prices for your area
Current prices for West Midlands. Rates and standing charges vary by electricity region.
Showing prices for West Midlands
Today’s price bands
West Midlands
- Average today
- 20.96p
- Cheapest today
- 8.57p
- Most expensive today
- 25.10p
- Standing charge
- 54.62p
weighted by how long each price lasts
per day
Daily schedule
Today’s price bands
Snug Octopus repeats a daily shape. The times below are the complete schedule in local time.
Lowest rate
8.57p/kWh
Highest rate
25.10p/kWh
| From | To | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | 00:30 | 0.5 hours | 25.10p/kWhHighest |
| 00:30 | 06:30 | 6.0 hours | 8.57p/kWhBest price |
| 06:30 | 00:00 | 17.5 hours | 25.10p/kWhHighest |
The base bands are not the whole Snug schedule
The table shows the guaranteed 00:30–06:30 cheap period. Octopus may schedule compatible heaters at other times too; while it does, the cheap rate applies to the whole home.
The short answer
Who Snug Octopus is most likely to work for
Snug can be a strong fit for the relatively small group of homes with compatible storage heating, because it combines an overnight cheap band with supplier-controlled afternoon charging.
In its favour
- Six-hour overnight cheap band
- Controlled afternoon storage-heater boost
- Designed around electric storage heating
Against it
- Strict equipment compatibility
- Higher rate outside cheap periods
- Requires supplier control and a compatible smart-meter setup
Read the fuller verdict and trade-offs
Its value cannot be judged from the cheap rate alone. Eligibility, the controlled-load setup and the amount of ordinary electricity bought at the day rate all matter.
- The afternoon boost depends on compatible equipment and supplier control. During a scheduled boost the whole home receives the off-peak rate, but the timing is not a general fixed band you can choose yourself.
- Electricity used outside the cheap periods can be materially more expensive.
- A storage heater, smart meter or control arrangement that is not compatible can make the tariff unavailable.
Tariff facts at a glance
- Current version
- Snug Octopus
View product code
SNUG-24-11-07- Price changes
- By time band
- The same scheduled price periods repeat each day
- Historical cap comparison
- Below in 12 of 12 months
- £21 less in total on the profile below
- Annual illustration from history
- £742
- Based on 31 days of prices and 2,500 kWh a year, spread evenly. Includes the 54.62p daily standing charge; not a forecast.
Key tariff facts
- Variable-rate tariff
- No exit fee on the selected offer
- Monthly Direct Debit · Single-register meter
- Compatible smart meter required
- Electricity tariff
Against the price cap in West Midlands
4.64p
below the price cap
- Tariff today
- 20.96p/kWh
- Ofgem cap
- 25.60p/kWh
Unit rates only. The cap also has a 57.23p/day standing charge; your cost depends on when you use electricity. Cap period: 1 Oct 2026–31 Dec 2026.
Estimated annual cost
£742
a year
- Usage
- 2,500 kWh
- Average rate
- 21.71p/kWh
Uses 31 days of Snug Octopus prices and the 54.62p/day standing charge in West Midlands. Timing affects the actual cost.
Octopus Energy: £827/year. Different basis; not directly comparable.
Against 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
- £21.31 less
View the monthly cost figures
October 2025
£0.33 less
- This tariff
- £70.55
- Price cap
- £70.88
November 2025
£0.29 less
- This tariff
- £68.30
- Price cap
- £68.59
December 2025
£0.30 less
- This tariff
- £70.58
- Price cap
- £70.88
January 2026
£0.74 less
- This tariff
- £73.33
- Price cap
- £74.07
February 2026
£0.67 less
- This tariff
- £66.23
- Price cap
- £66.90
March 2026
£0.71 less
- This tariff
- £73.36
- Price cap
- £74.07
April 2026
£1.46 less
- This tariff
- £65.56
- Price cap
- £67.01
May 2026
£1.50 less
- This tariff
- £67.74
- Price cap
- £69.25
June 2026
£1.46 less
- This tariff
- £65.56
- Price cap
- £67.01
July 2026
£4.55 less
- This tariff
- £67.74
- Price cap
- £72.30
August 2026
£4.55 less
- This tariff
- £67.74
- Price cap
- £72.30
September 2026
£4.75 less
- This tariff
- £65.21
- Price cap
- £69.97
| Month | This tariff | Price cap | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2025 | £70.55 | £70.88 | −£0.33 |
| November 2025 | £68.30 | £68.59 | −£0.29 |
| December 2025 | £70.58 | £70.88 | −£0.30 |
| January 2026 | £73.33 | £74.07 | −£0.74 |
| February 2026 | £66.23 | £66.90 | −£0.67 |
| March 2026 | £73.36 | £74.07 | −£0.71 |
| April 2026 | £65.56 | £67.01 | −£1.46 |
| May 2026 | £67.74 | £69.25 | −£1.50 |
| June 2026 | £65.56 | £67.01 | −£1.46 |
| July 2026 | £67.74 | £72.30 | −£4.55 |
| August 2026 | £67.74 | £72.30 | −£4.55 |
| September 2026 | £65.21 | £69.97 | −£4.75 |
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 Snug 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: 31 days from 08 Sept to 08 Oct. Average prices range from 20.96p to 22.01p per kWh. The shaded band shows the cheapest and most expensive price in each period.
Show these 31 figures as a table
| Period | Average | Cheapest | Most expensive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 09 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 10 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 11 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 12 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 13 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 14 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 15 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 16 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 17 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 18 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 19 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 20 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 21 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 22 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 23 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 24 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 25 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 26 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 27 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 28 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 29 Sept | 22.01p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 30 Sept | 21.10p | 9.00p | 26.35p |
| 01 Oct | 20.96p | 8.57p | 25.10p |
| 02 Oct | 20.96p | 8.57p | 25.10p |
| 03 Oct | 20.96p | 8.57p | 25.10p |
| 04 Oct | 20.96p | 8.57p | 25.10p |
| 05 Oct | 20.96p | 8.57p | 25.10p |
| 06 Oct | 20.96p | 8.57p | 25.10p |
| 07 Oct | 20.96p | 8.57p | 25.10p |
| 08 Oct | 20.96p | 8.57p | 25.10p |
View history coverage and range
Combined across 1 version of this tariff, each shown for the period it was on sale. We hold prices from Nov 2024. A gap means no version of this tariff was on sale then.
What this selected history can show
30 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
- 8.57p/kWh
- Highest complete-period rate
- 26.35p/kWh
- Mean of complete-period averages
- 21.71p/kWh
Regional comparison
How prices differ across Great Britain
Snug Octopus unit rate and standing charge by region
The average price per unit on 8 October 2026, including VAT. The table also shows the daily standing charge.
Selected region
West Midlands
- Unit rate
- 20.96p/kWh
- Standing charge
- 54.6p/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 | 20.75p | 48.6p |
| Yorkshire | 20.77p | 58.8p |
| North East England | 20.96p | 58.6p |
| West Midlands | 20.96p | 54.6p |
| Southern Scotland | 21.05p | 59.8p |
| North West England | 21.64p | 42.8p |
| Northern Scotland | 21.78p | 53.6p |
| South Wales | 21.82p | 52.2p |
| London | 21.84p | 40.4p |
| South West England | 21.96p | 53.7p |
| Eastern England | 21.97p | 49.7p |
| Southern England | 22.04p | 45.4p |
| South East England | 22.11p | 50.2p |
| Merseyside and North Wales | 22.73p | 64.8p |
Northern Ireland has a separate electricity market and is not covered by these regions.
Household fit
Who Snug 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
- Homes already heated by compatible storage heaters
- Households willing to let Octopus schedule storage-heater charging
- People who can also move other suitable loads into the overnight cheap band
Less likely to suit
- Homes without storage heaters
- Households whose meter or heater controls are not compatible
- People who need full manual control of when their heating charges
- Homes with heavy daytime electricity use outside the controlled heater load
Before switching
Check the requirements and what will affect the result
What you need
- Compatible storage heaters that Octopus can control
- A compatible SMETS2 smart meter and auxiliary load control switch
- An Octopus Energy account at the property and the account holder living there
- Successful eligibility and technical checks by Octopus before the tariff is activated
What drives what you pay
- How much storage-heater charging Octopus can move into the cheap periods
- How much ordinary household electricity is used at the higher day rate
- The heat the home needs, which rises sharply in colder weather
- The regional standing charge and regional unit rates
How it works
How Snug Octopus sets its prices
The base tariff repeats two prices each day: a cheaper period from 00:30 to 06:30 local time and a day rate for the other eighteen hours.
Read the full pricing explanation
For a compatible installation, Octopus can control the storage heater through a SMETS2 auxiliary load control switch and schedule an afternoon boost at the cheap rate.
Outside the guaranteed overnight band, ordinary household electricity is normally charged at the day rate. When Octopus smart-schedules compatible heater charging, however, the off-peak rate applies to the whole home during that scheduled period.
Practical advice
Getting the most out of Snug Octopus
Separate heating from the rest of the home
Estimate storage-heater charging and ordinary household use separately. A low controlled heating rate does not make daytime cooking or laundry cheap.
Check every heater is compatible
Do not assume one compatible heater makes the whole installation eligible. Ask Octopus to confirm the meter, switch and connected loads.
Match the tariff to your home
Your largest electrical loads can change the answer
A specialist tariff can be better aligned with one large device, but its eligibility and expensive periods still matter. These are comparisons to make, not automatic recommendations.
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.
Cosy Octopus
Cosy is designed around heat pumps and three daily price periods; Snug is specifically for compatible storage heaters and controlled charging.
More detail
The heating system decides which comparison is relevant.
Octopus Go
Go provides an overnight cheap period aimed at EV charging.
More detail
Snug adds storage-heater eligibility and supplier-controlled heating, so Go is not a substitute for the afternoon heater boost.
Flexible Octopus
Flexible avoids device compatibility and supplier control but has no dedicated cheap heating band.
More detail
Compare the whole-home day rate as well as Snug's cheap hours.
How to switch
Moving to Snug Octopus
- 1
Ask Octopus to check the storage heaters, smart meter and auxiliary load control arrangement before relying on the tariff.
- 2
Confirm which heater loads Octopus will control and when the afternoon boost can be scheduled.
- 3
Compare the higher day rate against your current tariff using electricity that is not part of the controlled heater load.
Frequently asked questions
Who can get Snug Octopus?
It is intended for homes with compatible storage heaters, a compatible SMETS2 smart meter and the necessary auxiliary load control arrangement. Octopus must confirm the installation rather than eligibility being assumed from the heater brand alone.
When is the Snug cheap period?
The public base tariff has a six-hour cheap band from 00:30 to 06:30 local time. An eligible controlled heater may also receive an afternoon boost at the cheap rate, scheduled by Octopus.
Can I use the afternoon boost for other appliances?
When Octopus schedules the storage heaters, all electricity used in the home during that period receives the off-peak rate. The boost is supplier-controlled rather than a fixed extra band you can trigger for appliances yourself.
Does Snug work with a heat pump?
It is designed for compatible storage heaters. A heat-pump household should compare a heat-pump tariff such as Cosy Octopus instead.
