Octopus Energy E.ON Next (August 2026)
Overview
Octopus Energy has stronger Trustpilot and Which? scores and shorter phone waits, while E.ON Next is cheaper and wins more criteria in this comparison. The better choice depends on your priorities.
Octopus Energy leads this comparison based on higher customer review scores and shorter average call wait times. E.ON Next, however, provides cheaper fixed and variable tariffs, which may appeal to households prioritising lower upfront costs.
About Octopus Energy and E.ON Next
Who are Octopus Energy?
Octopus Energy started in 2015 and is backed by Octopus Group and other investors. It has grown to become the UK's largest domestic energy supplier. The company runs on its own software platform called Kraken and focuses on customer service and smart technology.
Who are E.ON Next?
E.ON Next is a brand of E.ON UK, part of the German energy group E.ON. It was set up to take on customers from npower and older E.ON systems, and is now one of the UK's largest domestic energy suppliers. In May 2026, E.ON announced a planned deal to buy OVO Energy, which would increase its scale.
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
E.ON Next provides the lowest-priced overall deal in this comparison. Its cheapest option, the Next Fixed 24m v57 tariff, costs £1,746 a year. This is a 24-month fixed contract that carries a £200 exit fee. In contrast, Octopus Energy's cheapest option is the Flexible Octopus variable tariff, priced at £1,792 a year with no fixed term or exit fees.
For households seeking price certainty, E.ON Next offers the cheaper fixed deal. Its 24-month tariff costs £1,746 a year, whereas Octopus Energy's lowest-priced fixed option is £1,841 a year. The Octopus Energy alternative lasts for a 12-month term and includes a £100 exit fee.
For the priced variable options, E.ON Next’s Next Pledge Tracker costs £1,747 a year, compared with £1,792 for Flexible Octopus. However, E.ON Next’s tariff has a 12-month term and a £50 exit fee.
Tariff options
Octopus Energy tariffs
Octopus Energy offers a standard variable tariff and fixed deals with 12-month terms. It also has a wide range of smart and specialist tariffs for people with electric cars, heat pumps, and solar panels.
E.ON Next tariffs
E.ON Next offers a standard variable tariff and fixed deals with terms from 12 to 24 months. It also provides specialist tariffs for electric vehicle drivers, homes with heat pumps, and customers with solar batteries.
Customer reviews
Octopus Energy achieves higher scores on Trustpilot, holding a 4.8 out of 5 rating across 837,814 reviews, with 90% of those users awarding five stars. E.ON Next maintains a 4.5 out of 5 rating from 219,212 reviews, of which 74% are five-star. Additionally, 9% of E.ON Next reviewers leave a 1-star score, compared to 3% for Octopus Energy.
Feedback from Octopus Energy users frequently highlights knowledgeable staff and prompt initial responses, though some note that email replies can take several days. E.ON Next customers similarly report polite and efficient issue resolution, while other reviews cite concerns regarding unexpected direct debit increases and occasional delays in communication.
In the annual Which? survey, Octopus Energy ranks higher with an overall score of 74, compared to 66 for E.ON Next. Octopus Energy receives 4 out of 5 for customer service and 10 out of 10 for helping those who need it. Conversely, E.ON Next scores 2 out of 5 for customer service, though it achieves an 8 out of 10 rating for its smart meters.
App quality
Both suppliers provide well-rated iOS apps, each scoring 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store. Octopus Energy draws from a larger sample size of 249,000 ratings, compared to 49,000 for E.ON Next. Both applications have received three updates in the last 90 days.
For Android users, Octopus Energy scores slightly higher on the Google Play Store with a 4.4 out of 5 rating, while E.ON Next scores 4.3 out of 5. Both apps record over 1,000,000 installs.
Recent App Store reviews for Octopus Energy contain a mix of positive feedback and reports of missing data or billing discrepancies. Meanwhile, recent feedback for the E.ON Next app indicates occasional issues with users being logged out unexpectedly.
Service and support
E.ON Next achieves a slightly higher score from Citizens Advice, receiving 3.71 out of 5 compared to 3.67 for Octopus Energy. This places E.ON Next 3rd overall in the rankings, with Octopus Energy in 4th.
When contacting support by phone, Octopus Energy records a shorter average wait time of 1 minute 17 seconds, whereas E.ON Next averages 2 minutes 3 seconds. However, E.ON Next is quicker to handle written queries, replying to 90.7% of emails within two days, compared to 86.1% for Octopus Energy.
Payment options for both suppliers include Direct Debit, cash, cheque, and prepayment. Customer service opening hours are identical across both providers: Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 4pm, with lines closed on weekends. Additionally, both companies maintain formal vulnerability commitments registered with Citizens Advice.
Complaints and performance
Both suppliers' figures cover the fourth quarter of 2025, so we can compare them directly. Octopus Energy received fewer complaints than E.ON Next, with 495 complaints for every 100,000 customers compared to 795 for E.ON Next.
Green energy comparison
Octopus Energy
The Octopus Energy electricity mix is mostly renewable, with some nuclear. Because of this mix, the supplier describes its electricity as 100% zero-carbon. The company is one of Europe's main investors in green energy. It also runs the Octopus Fan Club, a scheme that gives customers cheaper electricity when their local wind turbine is spinning.[1]
E.ON Next
The E.ON Next electricity mix is mostly renewable, with some fossil fuels and nuclear. The supplier supports the Woodland Trust by making a one-off donation when customers sign up for a fixed tariff. It also offers a specific green tariff backed by UK wind power.[2][3]
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | E.ON Next |
| Overall customer service | E.ON Next |
| A well-rated mobile app | Either |
| A greener fuel mix | E.ON Next |
Octopus Energy has stronger Trustpilot and Which? scores and shorter phone waits, while E.ON Next is cheaper and wins more criteria in this comparison. The better choice depends on your priorities.
Octopus Energy has stronger Trustpilot and Which? scores and shorter average phone waits. However, E.ON Next is selected for price, customer service and green energy in the decision table, so the overall choice depends on which measures matter most to you.
E.ON Next may suit households whose primary focus is price. It currently offers cheaper fixed and variable tariffs than Octopus Energy and secures a slightly higher ranking with Citizens Advice, making it a viable option for those prioritising lower unit rates.
- Answers phone calls faster on average
- Higher score in the Which? energy survey
- Stronger Trustpilot and Google Play ratings
- More expensive fixed and variable tariffs in this comparison
- Slower to reply to emails than E.ON Next
- Cheaper overall, fixed, and variable tariffs
- Slightly higher Citizens Advice score
- Responds to a higher percentage of emails within two days
- Lower Trustpilot and Which? scores
- Longer average wait times for phone support
Frequently asked questions
Which supplier is better overall?
Octopus Energy has stronger Trustpilot and Which? scores and faster average phone response times. E.ON Next is cheaper and leads the decision table on price, customer service and green energy, so the better option depends on your priorities.
Who offers the cheaper energy tariff?
E.ON Next offers the cheaper tariffs in this comparison. Its cheapest fixed deal costs £1,746 a year, while Octopus Energy's cheapest fixed option costs £1,841 a year. E.ON Next also has a cheaper variable tariff.
Do customers prefer Octopus Energy or E.ON Next?
Customers strongly favour Octopus Energy on review platforms. It holds a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, with 90% of reviews being five-star, and scores 74 in the Which? survey. E.ON Next has a 4.5 Trustpilot rating and a Which? score of 66.
Which supplier has the better mobile app?
Both suppliers have highly rated apps. They tie on the App Store with 4.8 out of 5, but Octopus Energy is slightly ahead on the Google Play Store with a 4.4 rating, compared to 4.3 for E.ON Next.
How long does it take to reach their call centres?
Octopus Energy answers calls faster, with an average wait time of 1 minute 17 seconds. E.ON Next takes an average of 2 minutes 3 seconds to answer phone calls.
Should I switch to Octopus Energy or E.ON Next?
If you care most about customer service, app quality, and fast call response times, Octopus Energy is the better choice. If your main priority is finding the cheapest fixed or variable tariff, E.ON Next is the stronger option.
Do these suppliers charge exit fees?
Yes, both suppliers charge exit fees on their fixed tariffs. E.ON Next charges a £200 exit fee on its cheapest 24-month fixed deal, while Octopus Energy charges £100 on its 12-month fixed tariff. Octopus Energy's variable tariff has no exit fee.
How do they perform in the Which? energy survey?
Octopus Energy performs better in the Which? survey with a score of 74, getting 4 out of 5 for customer service. E.ON Next scores 66, getting 2 out of 5 for customer service, though it scores highly for its smart meters.
What are their opening hours?
Both suppliers have the same opening hours for customer support. They are open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm, and Friday from 9am to 4pm. Both are closed on weekends.
Who replies to emails faster?
E.ON Next responds to emails faster, replying to 90.7% of emails within two days. Octopus Energy replies to 86.1% of emails in the same timeframe.
What changed this month
This month, Octopus Energy's iOS sampled positive reviews rose from 0 to 1, E.ON Next's iOS sampled positive reviews fell from 1 to 0, and Octopus Energy's iOS sampled negative reviews rose from 0 to 2. There were 25 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (36)
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
E.ON Next
- Trustpilot reviews211,533 → 219,212
- iOS app ratings count48,000 → 49,000
- iOS app days since last update9 → 4
- iOS sampled positive reviews1 → 0
- iOS sampled negative reviews1 → 0
- iOS sampled neutral reviews0 → 1
- Play Store rating4.3445005 → 4.324643
- Play Store ratings count15,798 → 16,070
- Play Store days since last update9 → 5
- Play Store positive ratings %83.5 → 82.6
- Play Store negative ratings %13.7 → 14.2
- Play Store neutral ratings %2.8 → 3.2
- Play Store net-positive %69.8 → 68.4
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,733 → £1,745.58
- Cheapest tariff£1,733 → £1,745.58
- Cheapest fixed tariff exit fee£100 → £200
- Cheapest fixed tariff term12 months → 24 months
Related comparisons
Related reviews
E.ON Next Review
E.ON Next is the customer-facing brand of the E.ON group, launched in 2020 to supply homes across the country. It was set up to take on customers from E.ON and npower after its parent group bought npower. Today, E.ON Next is one of the UK's largest domestic energy suppliers.
Read review→
Good Energy Review
Founded in 1999, Good Energy is one of the UK's oldest renewable electricity suppliers. The Chippenham-based company is now owned by Esyasoft, a Dubai-based smart-grid technology business that bought the supplier and took it private in April 2025. Today, it is one of the UK's most recognised green e
Read review→
Cheapest Fixed Energy Tariffs in the UK
As we head into summer and heating usage drops, many households take the opportunity to reassess their energy bills. When considering a fixed tariff, the main challenge is balancing price certainty with flexibility. A fixed deal locks in your unit rates and standing charge for the duration of the co
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→
How to get a free Octopus Energy cuddly toy?
If you are an Octopus Energy customer, you might recognise their pink, eight-legged mascot, Constantine. Fluffy plush versions of the mascot have become highly popular, often appearing across social media and in homes around the UK.
Read guide→
Who are the ‘Big Six’ energy suppliers?
For years, the term 'Big Six' was used to describe a specific group of energy companies that dominated the UK market. These companies emerged after the energy sector was privatised in the 1990s. Today, the phrase is mostly an outdated industry label. The original line-up no longer exists, as several
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.