Octopus Energy vs E.ON Next (2026 Comparison)

Last Updated: 9th January 2026

Two of the biggest energy suppliers currently are Octopus Energy and E.ON Next. In this article, we will compare the two, looking at which one is better in terms of tariffs, prices, customer service, and reviews.

You can use the links below to skip to a particular section or scroll down to read our in-depth comparison in full.

Quick Verdict: Who is the best?

If you are in a rush, here is the bottom line:

The Winner: Octopus Energy Octopus Energy is the better choice for most households in 2026.

• Cheapest Overall: Their Tracker Tariff (~£126/month) is currently far cheaper than any fixed deal from E.ON Next (~£143/month).
• Better Reviews: They have a higher Trustpilot score (4.8/5) from nearly 730,000 reviews.
• Better for Solar & EVs: They pay nearly double for exported solar energy and offer “Intelligent” EV charging that E.ON cannot match.
• No Exit Fees: You can leave their standard tariffs at any time without penalty.

The Runner Up: E.ON Next E.ON Next is a strong alternative if you specifically want a Fixed Tariff. Their fixed rates are currently slightly cheaper than Octopus’s fixed rates (£143 vs £150). They are also excellent at responding to emails quickly.

Who are the suppliers?

Who is E.ON Next?

E.ON Next is the latest part of the EON group. Their primary focus is to supply renewable energy to customers across the UK. Essentially, E.ON Next was E.ON’s answer when the energy market saw several new suppliers using technology and other resources in order to drive down prices.

E.ON Next was created in 2020 and took on previous Npower customers, which E.ON brought out in 2019.

Who are Octopus Energy?

Octopus Energy is an energy provider that supplies renewable energy. Established in 2016 and part of the wider Octopus Group of companies, they are the largest investor in the UK solar industry.

In addition, Octopus Energy also invests in wind generation, energy through the anaerobic digestion of plants, and rapid response gas generation.

Octopus now has over seven million customers across the UK and has won several awards, including the Uswitch Supplier of the Year and Which? Recommended Provider status for the 8th year running in 2025.

What’s the difference in tariff options?

E.ON Next

E.ON Next currently offers a variety of fixed tariffs with different contract lengths, giving customers plenty of choice for locking in rates:

• Next Pledge: A variable tariff that guarantees to stay slightly below the Price Cap.
• Next Fixed 18m v25: An 18-month fixed contract.
• Next Fixed 12M V107: A standard 1-year fix.
• Next Fixed 24M V36: A longer 2-year fix for maximum stability.

Octopus

Currently, Octopus Energy offers these primary tariffs:

• Agile Octopus: A smart tariff where prices change every half-hour (great for EV drivers).
• Flexible Octopus: The standard variable tariff (Price Cap).
• Octopus 12M Fixed: A 1-year fixed term.
• Tracker Tariff: A smart tariff where prices change daily based on wholesale costs.

Octopus vs E.ON Next: Is Octopus cheaper than E.On Next?

We ran a like-for-like comparison directly on each supplier’s website to see the prices they offered for the abovementioned tariffs.

We used the following details:

• Dual Fuel supply
• Standard Meter
• Medium usage (3-bedroom house with four occupants)
• 2,900 kWh of electricity and 12,000 kWh of gas
• Postcode in the East Midlands

It is important to note that your actual quote will likely be different, as changing each aspect of the above criteria will result in a different amount quoted.

Let’s look at how they compare and see if Octopus Energy is cheaper than E.ON Next or is E.On cheaper than Octopus?

E.ON Next

On E.ON Next’s website, we were offered these prices:

Octopus

We also looked at the Octopus Energy website to get a quote based on the same details above:

The tracker tariff is only available to existing customers, but you can sign up on the flexible tariff above and then switch straight to the tracker. You can find out more in our Tracker Tariff article here.

Is Octopus still the cheapest supplier?

Is Octopus still the cheapest supplier? Yes and no. If you are looking for a standard Fixed Tariff, E.ON Next is currently cheaper (£143-£144/month) compared to Octopus’s fixed option (£150/month).

However, Octopus Energy remains the cheapest overall if you switch to their Tracker tariff (£126/month), which is significantly lower than both the Price Cap and E.ON’s fixed deals.

Who offers the greenest energy?

Renewable energy and sustainability are at the heart of both of these suppliers’ offerings.

Let’s take a look to see how they compare in this area:

E.ON Next

E.ON Next advertises heavily that 100% of the electricity they generate is from renewable sources. Their fuel mix is currently approximately 85.5% renewable, with the remainder largely coming from gas and nuclear. They invest in their own renewable energy generation plants and purchase renewable electricity certificates (REGOs) to back their tariffs.

Octopus

Just like E.ON Next, Octopus put their green energy credentials at the forefront of its offering. They offer 100% renewable electricity on all tariffs as standard. Much of this they generate at their own plants, and they invest heavily in the production of renewable electricity and green gas from biomass plants.

Octopus’s Supergreen customers also receive a carbon-neutral gas supply, which is offset by Octopus’s partnership with Renewable World.

Octopus Energy vs E.ON Next: Who has better customer reviews?

Trustpilot is the most reliable website for comparing 100,000s of genuine customer reviews. Here is our comparison based on the information available:

• E.ON Next scored 4.5 out of 5 based on over 182,000 reviews (source)
• Octopus scored 4.8 out of 5 based on over 729,000 reviews (source)

We have to assume the lower number of E.ON Next reviews is due to them only being around since 2020, as there is a significant difference.

Overall, 73% of E.ON Next customers rate them as ‘Excellent’. At the other end of the scale, 10% rated them as bad, and the additional 17% fell somewhere in between.

In the case of Octopus, 90% of their customers rate them as excellent, and just 3% rated them as bad. Leaving just 7% of customers somewhere between.

Both companies respond to customer reviews, both good and bad.

Both companies receive a high number of positive reviews. However, in the case of E.ON Next, when customers feel let down is the time it takes to answer the phone. Some customers state they have had to resort to messaging on Twitter to get a reply. It’s also clear that their customer service agents are a credit to them, with many of them being personally thanked on Trustpilot.

Similarly, Octopus customers more often state that the agent they spoke to was helpful and resolved their queries. There are also comments about how switching is easy and that they are always clear and efficient when it comes to communications.

Who has the better website and app?

We tried out both E.ON Next and Octopus’s websites. Both are really well laid out, and we had no trouble finding our way around.

When it comes to mobile apps, both suppliers have heavily invested in their technology:

• Octopus Energy App: Rated 4.8 out of 5 on the Apple App Store (from 205,000+ ratings). Customers frequently praise the app for its real-time usage tracking, especially those on smart tariffs like Tracker and Agile.
• E.ON Next App: Also rated 4.8 out of 5 on the Apple App Store (from 43,000+ ratings). It is a solid, functional app that allows for easy bill payments and meter readings.

Who has the better customer service?

We checked data on the Citizens Advice website to compare information on the customer service offered by each supplier. We believe they offer the most unbiased view based purely on facts obtained from Ofgem and the suppliers directly.

The race is very tight here. Octopus answers the phone faster (1 min 27 secs vs 1 min 41 secs), but E.ON Next is actually faster at responding to emails, answering 90.10% within two days compared to Octopus’s 87.20%.

Which supplier has fewer complaints?

We looked at the latest available complaint data. We have summarised the data in the table below:

This is a mixed bag. Octopus receives far fewer complaints than E.ON Next (560 vs 877 per 100k customers), suggesting their customers are generally happier.

However, when things do go wrong, E.ON Next is faster at fixing it, resolving 60% of complaints by the next working day and 92% within 8 weeks (compared to Octopus’s 47% and 80%).

Who is best for Electric Vehicle (EV) drivers?

With the rise of electric vehicles, both suppliers have launched competitive tariffs designed to make charging at home cheaper.

E.ON Next (Next Drive)

E.ON Next offers the Next Drive tariff.

• Rate: ~6.7p – 6.9p per kWh for overnight charging.
• Window: 7 hours of off-peak energy (typically 12 am – 7 am).
• Pros: It offers a slightly longer off-peak window than Octopus’s standard Go tariff and a very competitive rate.

Octopus Energy (Intelligent Octopus Go)

Octopus offers the market-leading Intelligent Octopus Go.

• Rate: 7p per kWh for overnight charging.
• Window: 6 hours guaranteed (11:30 pm – 5:30 am), PLUS extra “smart slots.”
• Pros: The “Intelligent” aspect connects directly to your car or charger. If you plug in when you get home, Octopus automatically charges your car when the grid is greenest and cheapest—even if that falls outside the standard 6-hour window—giving you the cheap 7p rate for those extra hours too.

Who pays more for your Solar Energy? (SEG)

If you have solar panels, getting paid for the energy you export back to the grid is just as important as the energy you buy.

• E.ON Next: Their best export tariff for solar customers is Next Export Exclusive, which pays around 16.5p per kWh.
• Octopus Energy: Octopus offers Intelligent Octopus Flux, a game-changer for solar and battery owners. It offers peak export rates that can reach up to 29p–30p per kWh during high-demand hours (4 pm – 7 pm), with standard rates around 22p per kWh.

Do they offer Referral Rewards?

For years, Octopus Energy was famous for its “Refer a Friend” scheme, but E.ON Next has now caught up.

• Octopus Energy: Offers £50 bill credit to both you and the friend you refer. The process is seamless, and credits are usually applied quickly once the switch is complete.
• E.ON Next: Now also offers a £50 bill credit referral scheme for new customers who sign up via a friend’s link.

What are the main differences between the two?

These two suppliers have offerings that are similar to each other. They both focus on green energy generation, offer similar tariffs and have similar performance in customer service. There are some important differences between the two, however.

Is Octopus Energy better than E.ON Next?

This head-to-head comparison was close, but Octopus Energy won the battle, coming out in front in 7 out of 11 categories.

While E.ON Next is an excellent choice if you want a Fixed Tariff (where they are currently cheaper than Octopus) or if you prioritise fast email support, they simply cannot match the breadth of innovation Octopus offers.

Octopus Energy remains the market leader for overall value (via the Tracker tariff), offers significantly better rates for Solar & EV drivers, and maintains consistently lower complaint volumes than its rival.

Want to know even more about each supplier? You can find out more in our Octopus Energy review and E.ON Next review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Octopus Energy actually cheaper than E.ON Next?

It depends on which tariff you choose. If you want a Fixed Tariff to lock in your rates for 1 or 2 years, E.ON Next is currently cheaper (around £143/month vs Octopus’s £150/month). However, if you are willing to use a “smart” tariff like the Octopus Tracker, Octopus is significantly cheaper, potentially saving you over £20 per month compared to E.ON’s best prices.

Will I be charged exit fees if I leave?

This is a major difference between the two. E.ON Next charges exit fees on almost all its fixed tariffs, ranging from £50 to £200 per fuel, depending on the contract length. Octopus Energy, on the other hand, typically does not charge exit fees on its standard fixed or flexible tariffs, giving you the freedom to leave if prices drop elsewhere.

Do I need a smart meter to switch to these suppliers?

You don’t need a smart meter to switch to their standard tariffs (like Flexible Octopus or Next Pledge). However, to access the cheapest and most innovative rates—such as Octopus Tracker, Agile, or the E.ON Next Drive EV tariff—you must have a working smart meter. Both suppliers can install one for free if you don’t already have one.

How do I claim the £50 referral credit?

To get the £50 credit with Octopus Energy, you simply need to click a referral link (like the one on this page) before you start your quote. The £50 is usually credited to your account shortly after your first direct debit payment clears. E.ON Next also operates a referral scheme where you can share a unique link with friends to earn £50 credit each.

I have solar panels; which supplier is better?

Octopus Energy is currently the better choice for solar owners. Their Intelligent Octopus Flux tariff offers significantly higher export rates (up to roughly 30p per kWh) compared to E.ON Next’s standard export tariffs (around 16.5p per kWh). This difference can add up to hundreds of pounds in extra earnings per year for your exported electricity.