Today’s Octopus Tracker rates
The dashboard above shows today’s Octopus Tracker electricity and gas rates for each region. Select your electricity supply region to see the prices that apply where you live.
If you are already on Tracker, today’s rate is the unit price you pay for each kWh of electricity or gas you use. Your bill will also include a daily standing charge, so the unit rate is only one part of your total energy cost.
Electricity usually has the higher price per kWh, but many homes use considerably more gas during winter. If you have gas central heating, it is worth checking both rates rather than focusing only on electricity.
Tomorrow’s Octopus Tracker prices
Octopus normally publishes tomorrow’s Tracker prices before the following day begins. Once the new rates are available, they will appear in the dashboard above.
Comparing today’s and tomorrow’s prices can help you decide when to run flexible appliances. For example, you may choose to use your washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher on the cheaper day, although the saving from moving a single load will often be small.
Tracker is not a half-hourly tariff like Octopus Agile. Its electricity and gas rates change once each day, and the same unit rate applies throughout that day.
Octopus Tracker price history
The price history chart shows how Tracker rates have changed over recent weeks and months. Looking at a single day tells you what you are paying now, while the wider trend gives you more context.
Tracker prices tend to rise and fall with wholesale energy markets. Cold weather, high demand and disruption to energy supplies can push prices up, while lower and more stable wholesale costs can bring them down.
The chart can also help you see whether today’s rate is unusual or part of a longer trend. Previous prices cannot tell you whether Tracker will remain cheaper, but they can show how the tariff has performed over time.
How does Octopus Tracker pricing work?
Octopus Tracker has a different electricity and gas unit rate each day. The rates are calculated using day-ahead wholesale prices and a regional pricing formula.
Wholesale energy costs are the main part of the price that changes each day, but they are not the only cost included. The formula also accounts for charges involved in transporting, balancing and supplying energy to your home, along with government policy costs and VAT.
This means Tracker responds to changes in wholesale markets much more quickly than most conventional tariffs. Prices can fall when wholesale costs are lower, but they can also rise quickly when the market becomes more expensive.
Tracker also has maximum daily unit rates of 100p per kWh for electricity and 30p per kWh for gas. These limits are much higher than typical household energy prices, so the tariff could still become expensive during a major wholesale price spike.
Read our full Octopus Tracker tariff guide to understand how it works, who it suits and how to switch to the tariff.
Is Octopus Tracker cheaper than the price cap?
Octopus Tracker can be cheaper than a standard variable tariff protected by the Ofgem price cap, but this is not guaranteed.
The price cap does not limit the total amount you can pay for energy. It limits the unit rates and standing charges suppliers can apply to standard variable tariffs, while your final bill still depends on how much energy you use.
Tracker works differently because its unit rates follow wholesale markets and change every day. It can remain below standard variable rates for long periods, but it can also become more expensive when wholesale costs rise.
When comparing Tracker with a standard variable tariff, consider:
- the electricity unit rate
- the gas unit rate
- the standing charges
- how much electricity and gas your household uses
A cheaper electricity rate does not necessarily make Tracker cheaper overall if its gas rate or standing charge is higher for your particular usage.
Why do Tracker rates vary by region?
Octopus Tracker rates vary by region because some of the costs involved in supplying energy are different across the country.
Great Britain is divided into 14 electricity distribution regions. Each region has different local network costs, which affect the final Tracker unit rate.
This means two households on the same version of Tracker can pay slightly different rates on the same day.
When using the dashboard, select the region connected to your electricity supply rather than simply choosing the nearest city. This will give you the most relevant Tracker prices for your home.
Octopus Tracker rates FAQs
What time are Octopus Tracker prices updated?
Octopus normally publishes the next day’s Tracker prices in the evening. Once tomorrow’s rates are available, the dashboard above will show them alongside today’s prices.
Are Octopus Tracker prices the same in every region?
No. Tracker rates vary by region because network and supply costs differ across the country. Select your electricity supply region in the dashboard to see the relevant prices for your area.
Do Octopus Tracker prices change every day?
Yes. Octopus Tracker electricity and gas unit rates change daily. This is different from Octopus Agile, where electricity prices change every 30 minutes.
Can Octopus Tracker be more expensive than Flexible Octopus?
Yes. Tracker can be cheaper than Flexible Octopus when wholesale prices are low, but it can also become more expensive when wholesale markets rise.
Compare the current unit rates, standing charges and recent price history before deciding between them.
Does Octopus Tracker have a price cap?
Tracker has maximum daily unit rates of 100p per kWh for electricity and 30p per kWh for gas. This is separate from the Ofgem price cap that applies to standard variable tariffs.
Can I leave Octopus Tracker if prices rise?
You can switch away from Tracker, but Octopus may apply restrictions on how soon you can rejoin.
Check the current tariff terms before switching, particularly if you think you may want to move away from Tracker temporarily and return later.
Do I need to check Tracker prices every day?
No. The daily rate applies automatically to the energy you use, so you do not need to take any action.
Checking the rates can help you understand what you are paying or decide when to use flexible appliances, but Tracker does not require the same level of planning as a half-hourly tariff.