Last updated: 19th January 2024
Energy supplier giants British Gas and E.ON Next are comparatively popular. But, how do they compare value for money and customer reviews?
In this guide, we take a look at how the two energy names compare on what matters most to consumers. If you are looking for a comprehensive energy supplier comparison, you’re in the right place!
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Who is E.ON NEXT?
E.ON Next is a brand of E.ON that was founded after the collapse of Npower in 2019. The energy company was launched separately from E.ON and found its way into the market by solely focusing on sustainable energy. Despite sharing the same name, E.ON and E.ON Next are different. E.ON Next has its own tariffs and contact details.
Who is British Gas?
British Gas is one of the country’s largest energy suppliers. They were founded in 1812 and are known for supplying customers with natural gas and electricity. British Gas has grown its services from its initiation. Today the brand offers a wide range of energy-related services spanning boiler installation and maintenance, central heating, smart home solutions and more.
What’s the difference in tariff options?
Both E.ON NEXT and British Gas offer three ‘standard’ tariffs to their customers. However, all of E.ON NEXT’s tariffs come with 100% renewable electricity, great for those who want to live a more green lifestyle.
E.ON NEXT
E.ON NEXT offer three different energy tariffs to customers, two fixed-term options and one that is variable. All of the tariffs include 100% renewable electricity and E.ON NEXT can also provide energy to businesses too.
NEXT Fixed Tariff (12 or 24 months)
– Fixed tariff for 12 or 24 months meaning fixed and predictable prices
– An exit fee of £75 for a 12-month contract and £150 for 24-months
– Smart meter required
– 100% renewable electricity
NEXT Flex
– No contract, so no exit fees.
– Discount applied if you pay with direct debit.
– 100% renewable electricity
For those on a variable tariff, no exit fees are charged as no contract is in place.
Both E.ON NEXT’s variable and fixed-rate tariffs can be either charged on a single rate or off-peak basis. For an off-peak tariff, customers will need to have the right meter installed. This could be an economy 7 meter, for example.
E.ON NEXT also offers either electricity or gas-only tariffs. For customers who require just one type of energy rather than a duel-fuel tariff, this is an excellent option.
British Gas
British Gas offers customers three types of tariff, much like E.ON NEXT. The tariffs include two fixed-term options and a variable tariff for customers who don’t want to be locked in with a contract. All of British Gas’ tariffs are matched 100% with renewable energy. Let’s take a look at these tariffs in more detail.
Fixed Energy Tariff (The Fixed One v25)
– If energy prices increase, the tariff price stays the same
– £100 exit fees per fuel
– Optional sign-up for PeakSave, a scheme that rewards customers for mindful energy usage
– Ofgem caps don’t apply
Standard Variable Tariff (Standard Variable Tariff v14)
– There is no end date for this type of tariff and you can leave whenever you wish to with no exit fees.
– Variable tariffs go up and down and customers will be provided with notice before any price changes.
– Customers on this tariff can also choose to sign-up for PeakSave, a scheme that rewards customers for mindful energy usage.
– Ofgem caps apply to this tariff.
Safeguard PAYG
– There are no exit fees and no end date.
– Variable tariffs go up and down and customers will be provided with notice before any price changes.
– Ofgem caps apply to this tariff.
E.ON NEXT vs British Gas: Is E.ON Cheaper than British Gas?
We requested an online quote from both energy suppliers based on the following factors:
- Dual fuel supply
- Standard Meter
- Medium usage (3-bedroom house occupied by a family of 4)
- 2,900 kWh of electricity and 12,000 kWh of gas
- Postcode in the South East of England
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Let’s weigh up the results before concluding which supplier provides the best value for money.
British Gas offers 3 different tariffs to customers:
Tariff Name | Tariff Description | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|
Standard Variable Tariff v14 | A variable tariff where rates and charges that can go up or down depending at any time (within an Ofgem cap applied). | £156.74 |
The Fixed One v25 | A fixed tariff with rates that won’t change for 12 months. An exit fee of £75 will be charged. | £167.18 |
E.ON NEXT offered 3 tariffs to choose from:
Tariff Name | Tariff Description | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|
Next Flex | Flexible tariff where prices go up and down with the market. No contract. No smart meter is required. | £156.45 |
Next Fixed 12m V2 | 1 year, fixed contract. A smart meter is needed. £75 exit fee per fuel. Smart meter required. | £161.66 |
Next Fixed 24m V1 | 2 year, fixed contract. A smart meter is needed. £150 exit fee per fuel. Smart meter required. | £172.82 |
All of E.ON NEXT’s tariffs come with a discount when a direct debit is set up, which can easily be done online.
So, is E.ON cheaper than British Gas? If you are looking for a 1 year fixed deal, than E.ON is likely to be the cheaper option. If you are looking for a variable tariff, there is little difference between the two.
We have a whole post dedicated to who is cheaper than British Gas if you are currently a British Gas customer and would like to consider other options.
Who offers the greenest energy?
British Gas and E.ON NEXT are both regarded as highly green energy companies. In fact, they are two of the best-known renewable electricity and gas suppliers in the U.K.
All of British Gas’ fixed tariffs are matched 100% with renewable electricity meaning that customers are one step closer to net zero. The Green Future Tariff from British Gas helps customers to go that one step extra to a greener lifestyle.
100% of your CO2 footprint from your gas use will be balanced by carbon-cutting projects around the world (90%), and renewable biogas made from food and farm waste (10%) and you’ll also protect five trees in the UK per fuel for each year of your green energy tariff, contributing to cleaner air and improving natural habitats (source).
Moreover, the British Gas’ Green Future Energy Tariff has been awarded the gold standard by Uswitch – one of the only three energy suppliers to achieve this accreditation.
E.ON NEXT is a 100% renewable electricity supplier meaning that all customers, irrespective of whether they are a home or business, benefit.
E.ON NEXT generates its own renewable electricity with biomass plants in Lockerbie and Sheffield. It creates enough renewable energy to power 100,000 homes throughout the UK. E.ON NEXT also works with other renewable generators such as wind farms and they buy REGO certificates (source).
Who has better customer reviews between British Gas and E.ON Next?
When it comes to customer reviews, they matter. That’s why we compared the two energy suppliers on the Trustpilot platform.
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Here is how British Gas and E.ON NEXT compare in 2023 on Trustpilot:
- British Gas scored 3.8 out of 5 based on over 161,000 reviews (source)
- E.ON NEXT scored 4.2 out of 5 based on over 59,000 reviews (source)
70% of customers rated E.ON NEXT as excellent compared to 50% for British Gas. Both of these energy companies actively seek customer reviews to ensure they can review their services.
E.ON NEXT replies to 99% of negative reviews, whereas British Gas replies to 98% of negative reviews on Trustpilot. The two energy suppliers compare quite highly in this regard with responses typically occurring in a 24-hour time frame.
British Gas vs E.ON: Who has the better website and app?
British Gas and E.ON NEXT both offer their customers an app as well as user-friendly websites. Having the option to manage energy accounts online and via an app provides convenience for customers.
Both of the apps can be used to update personal details, review bills, submit meter readings and review usage. Let’s take a closer look at how the two apps compare in further detail:
British Gas’ app has a score of 2.5/5 based on 34,000 reviews and E.ON NEXT’s app has a score of 4.7/5 based on 19,000 reviews.
The British Gas app has low reviews due to a couple of common themes – no real-time accuracy and the app crashing often. This understandably causes a lot of frustration for customers.
Many British Gas customers prefer to log in online using a desktop it seems as the website offers far better functionality.
E.ON NEXT’s app scores highly when it comes to how it functions, though there have been some poor reviews due to slow loading times.
Both providers offer websites that perform effectively on both desktop and mobile devices. These platforms are user-friendly and straightforward to navigate, posing no challenges when it comes to locating the necessary information.
Who has the better customer service?
To find the best impartial customer service information, we referred to the Citizens Advice website, where you can find supplier-specific customer service comparisons:
British Gas | E.ON NEXT | |
Average call centre wait time (mins) | 03:26 | 02:15 |
Emails responded to within 2 days | 91.4% | 75.9% |
% customers with an accurate bill | 93.8% | 96.2% |
Switches completed < 15 days | 99.4% | 97.7% |
Opening hours | 9 am – 5 pm | 8 am – 8 pm (6 pm on Saturdays) |
Contact via Phone | Yes | Yes |
Contact via Email | Yes | Yes |
Contact via Webchat | Yes | Yes |
Both energy suppliers perform well based on various customer service scoring factors. E.ON NEXT answers phone calls quicker than British Gas and provides customers with accurate bills more often too.
British Gas does not operate its phone lines during weekends, whereas E.ON NEXT does. For this reason, customers may be generally more satisfied with the energy supplier E.ON NEXT.
Who has fewer complaints?
British Gas | E.ON NEXT | |
Complaints per 100k customers | 1,786 | 1,885 |
Resolved per 100k customers | 1,817 | 1,934 |
Resolved next working day | 61.6% | 71.0% |
Resolved in 8 weeks | 87.6% | 91.4% |
Based on the complaints data published on both suppliers’ website, it can be concluded that E.ON NEXT handle their complaints more efficiently than British Gas.
Though both energy suppliers score highly in regard to resolving complaints, E.ON NEXT resolves complaints more quickly.
E.ON NEXT vs British Gas: Which one is the best overall?
Tariff Options | On the range of tariffs available, E.ON NEXT took the lead as they also offer better discounts for fixed-rate options. |
Price | The two suppliers scored similarly when it came to price but E.ON NEXT took the lead with more competitive variable and fixed tariff rates. |
Greenest Energy | British Gas and E.ON NEXT are great green energy suppliers. However, British Gas took the lead here with extra green commitments. |
Customer Reviews | Although it has fewer reviews, E.ON NEXT scores 4.2/5 vs British Gas at 3.8, so wins here. |
Website/App | When we compare their website and apps, E.ON NEXT wins thanks to its easy-to-use app and user-friendly website. |
Customer Service | E.ON NEXT came out on top for customer service. They are open for longer hours during the week and resolve issues on a quicker basis. |
Complaints | E.ON NEXT scored higher for resolving customer complaints. They respond rapidly and provide effective solutions to customer problems. |
Other supplier comparisons for these two suppliers
British Gas
E.On Next
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