Octopus Tariff Comparison (UK)
Most bills boil down to two numbers from the tariff: how much you pay per unit of electricity you use (shown as pence per kWh), and a standing charge per day whether you use any power or not. Your annual cost is both of those, plus how many kWh you actually burn. So the cheapest headline unit rate isn't automatically the cheapest tariff — a high standing charge can catch low users out.
There's another twist: the UK grid is split into regions. The same product name on Octopus can carry different regional codes and prices. Your postcode tells the network area you're in — skip it and you might be comparing someone else's rates. Product names and rules change; always read the live wording on octopus.energy before you switch.
What you should compare
- Unit rate (p/kWh): what you pay for each kWh you consume.
- Standing charge (p/day): a fixed daily cost, even if you use no electricity.
- Your usage profile: the same tariff can be “best” for one household and not for another.
A simple way to estimate annual cost
A practical estimate uses a straightforward formula:
This won’t capture every nuance (like time-of-use rates or export credits), but it’s a strong baseline for comparing typical domestic electricity tariffs using published rates.
Put numbers on it with the calculator
Enter your postcode and a monthly kWh figure (from a bill is best). We pull the same published unit rates and standing charges Octopus exposes in their public API and rank tariffs for your usage — so you see a table and chart instead of juggling PDFs.
Thinking of switching?
If a tariff looks good, finish on Octopus's site so you see eligibility, exit fees, and the exact offer today. Referral credit (when available) is run by them, not us.