Last Updated: 19th January 2024
In this comparison, we’ll look at how OVO and Scottish Power perform across a range of areas, including customer reviews, tariff options, prices and customer reviews. Whether you have just moved home and you’re seeking a new energy provider or you want to compare before you swap, you’re in the right place!
Hopefully, by the end of this comparison, you will have a better idea of which is the best energy supplier for you.
OVO vs Scottish Power: What’s the difference in tariff options?
First, we’ll look at the different tariff options offered by both energy companies. This gives a good idea of the options that are available to you, whether you would like a fixed or variable tariff.
OVO
OVO has 4 different options for you to choose from. One variable tariff, which is just a no-frills variable tariff, and 3 different fixed options. You can choose between a one and two-year fix or ‘upgrade’ your one-year fix to receive both greener gas and electricity.
You can see the full details of each tariff below, including exit fees:
Simpler Energy
– Flexible plan where prices can go up and down over time
– No exit fees
1 or 2-Year Fixed
– £75 exit fee per fuel if you choose to leave early.
1 Year Fixed + Greener Energy
– 100% renewable electricity
– 10% green gas and 90% carbon offset gas
– £20 contribution to support new renewable generators
– £75 exit fee per fuel
Scottish Power
Scottish Power offers two different tariffs. Another no-frills variable tariff and a 1-year fixed tariff. You can see the details below:
Standard Variable Tariff
– Your prices could go up or down over time
– No Tariff End Date
– Not 100% green electricity
1 Year Flexi Price Tariff
– Support Cancer Research UK (more info here)
– 100% green electricity
– £100 exit fee per fuel
OVO certainly provides more options when it comes to tariffs, with double the amount available. Their variable tariffs are the same.
When it comes to a one-year fix, Scottish Power offer 100% renewable electricity as standard but you would need the ‘upgraded’ green tariff to get this with OVO (amongst other benefits). Scottish Powers exit fees for their fixed tariff are more expensive, however. If you would like a two-year fix, OVO are the only option.
OVO vs Scottish Power: What’s the difference in price?
This is probably the most important area to compare for most people when looking to switch suppliers. In this section we have compared the price of each available tariff using the criteria below:
- Dual fuel supply
- Standard Meter
- Payment by Direct Debit
- 2,900 kWh of electricity and 12,000 kWh for gas (Medium usage – 3 bedroom house occupied by a family of 4)
- Postcode in the South East of England
You will likely get quoted different prices based on your own circumstances, so we would recommend getting a quote from both suppliers using your actual past usage data to see how they compare for you. The below prices should give a good indication however of which supplier will be cheaper.
These were the prices for each tariff we got from OVO:
| Tariff Name | Tariff Description | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Simpler Energy | Variable tariff. Prices can either go up or down with no minimum term. No exit fees. | £157 |
| 1-Year Fixed | A fixed-rate contract for 12 months. £75 exit fee per fuel. | £167 |
| 2-Year Fixed | Rates are locked in for 24 months. £95 exit fee per fuel. | £167 |
| 1 Year Fixed + Greener Energy | Fixed-rate for 1 year. £75 exit fee per fuel. Green addons. | £175 |
As you can see, it costs about £10 per month extra for a fixed deal over the variable tariff. Interestingly both fixed tariffs cost the same, just with the longer fix having slightly higher exit fees. If you would like the green add-ons, then this will cost approximately an extra £8 per month.
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Scottish Power provided us with these prices for their tariffs:
| Tariff Name | Tariff Description | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Variable | No tariff end date. Prices can go up or down over time | £156.74 |
| 1-Year Flexi Price Tariff | This is a 12-month fixed tariff with an exit fee of £100. 100% renewable electricity included. | £168.92 |
Similar to OVO, their fixed rate detail is slightly more per month, this time approximately £12.
When it comes to prices, this is very close, so we will have to call it a draw!
Scottish Power vs OVO: Who offers the greenest energy?
Now, let’s dive into how both energy providers embrace green initiatives. With an increasing number of energy suppliers showing a commitment to the environment, we want to see what each company is doing to provide green energy.
Scottish Power operates as an energy generator and plays an active role in supplying renewable electricity to the National Grid. The company has taken significant strides towards a more environmentally friendly operation, including the closure of all its coal-fired power stations and the divestment of gas facilities.
Scottish Power proudly asserts its position as one of the greenest energy providers in the nation, being the first to generate renewable electricity exclusively. Presently, the company manages over 40 wind farms throughout the country, boasting an annual energy output that exceeds 2,500 MW.
OVO places a strong emphasis on environmental responsibility. While they don’t presently provide a dedicated green tariff, they offer the option to include “Greener Energy” to guarantee carbon-neutral energy. Keep in mind that this does involve an additional monthly fee.
OVO also has an initiative of planting trees 1 million trees per year throughout the UK and has a dedicated plan for reaching net zero by 2035.
Scottish Power vs OVO: Who has better customer reviews?
Next, we have taken a look at how existing customers see each supplier with their reviews.
For this category, we used Trustpilot to compare the ratings of each. Their overall ratings were:
- Scottish Power scores 4.1 out of 5 based on over 57,000 reviews
- OVO scores 4.2 out of 5 based on over 121,000 reviews
50% of the reviews for Scottish Power were rated 5 stars whereas 69% of OVO’s ratings were 5 stars.
OVO has responded to 99% of negative reviews whereas Scottish Power has only replied to 7%.
OVO is widely applauded for its ability to deliver speedy and responsive services to its customers. Scottish Power also received praise for when customers had to speak to customer service.
Scottish Power vs OVO: Who has the better website and app?
You generally have two options when it comes to managing your account with an energy supplier, either through their website or through their app. Here we have taken a look at how each supplier’s websites and apps perform to see if one is better than the other.
OVO’s app is very popular with customers, boasting an impressive 4.8-star rating on the app store. Reviews state they’ve created an intuitive and practical app that enhances overall customer experience.
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OVO’s development team also go the extra mile to listen to feedback and pinpoint areas where they can make things even better based on responses to reviews. They also have a great website design that has been created with the end user in mind. It’s easy to use and includes lots of information on the company and various useful guides for customers.
The Scottish Power app has a rating of 4.7/5 from over 30,000 reviews. They don’t appear to respond to negative reviews, however.
Their website also boasts a straightforward design that’s easy to navigate. Again it contains lots of information about the company although it doesn’t provide as much useful information in the form of guides.
Scottish Power vs OVO: Who has the better customer service?
To gain valuable insights into customer service, we turned to the Citizens Advice website. They provide quarterly updates on various customer service metrics for most suppliers. Here we have compared the most important ones:
| Scottish Power | OVO | |
|---|---|---|
| Average call centre wait time | 01:59 | 01:39 |
| Emails responded to with 2 days | 97.7% | 62.30% |
| % customers with accurate bill | 98.8% | 95.50% |
| Switches completed < 15 days | 100% | 100.00% |
| Opening hours | Monday to Saturday 9 am – 5 pm | 9 am – 8 pm (6 pm on Fridays) 9 am – 5 pm on Saturdays |
| Contact via Phone | Yes | Yes |
| Contact via Email | Yes | Yes |
| Contact via Webchat | Yes | Yes |
Scottish Power vs OVO: Who has fewer complaints?
Every supplier has to provide complaints data for each quarter. Here we have compared the data for each supplier:
| Scottish Power | OVO | |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints per 100k customers | 1,565 | 1,489 |
| Resolved per 100k customers | 1,435 | 1,213 |
| Resolved next working day | 54% | 83.3% |
| Resolved in 8 weeks | 81% | 96.8% |
Scottish Gas vs OVO: What are the main differences between the two?
Now we’ve looked at each of these two suppliers for various categories, here is a summary of how each performed:
| Area | Summary | Winner |
| Tariff Options | OVO provides twice as many tariff options and so wins this round. | OVO |
| Price | OVO and Scottish Power offer very similar tariff prices. OVO is slightly cheaper but Scottish Power provides 100% renewable electricity for no extra fee. | Draw |
| Greenest Energy | Both OVO and Scottish Power have solid green credentials, and there is little to tell them apart. | Draw |
| Customer Reviews | The differences between Scottish Power and OVO were apparent in customer reviews. OVO scores more highly for customer reviews. | OVO |
| Website/App | The two energy suppliers have excellent apps based on user reviews. They also have equally good website designs too. | Draw |
| Customer Service | Scottish Power just wins this one with much better email response times. | Scottish Power |
| Complaints | OVO receives fewer complaints than Scottish Power and also resolves them faster. | OVO |
Who is the best supplier?
It is very close when it comes to OVO and Scottish Power. There is nothing between them in 3 of our categories. OVO provide better tariff options and performs better when it comes to customer reviews and complaints. Scottish Power won our customer service round, however.
The overall winner however has to be OVO!
Get a quote from our top-rated supplier Octopus Energy and see if you could save money on your energy bills.
Plus, get £50 credit when using our special link here.
Comparisons with other suppliers
OVO
Scottish Power
