Thinking about switching to Octopus Energy in 2026? Octopus also offers a wide range of standard and smart tariffs, strong digital account tools, and options designed for homes with electric vehicles, solar panels, batteries and heat pumps.
Before you switch, it is worth checking whether Octopus is the right supplier for your household. This guide explains what you get when you join, how the £50 switching bonus works, and the steps involved in moving your supply.
Before you switch to Octopus Energy
Here’s a quick checklist to run through before you make your switch to Octopus.
- Check if your current tariff has exit fees. Most standard variable tariffs have no exit fees. Fixed deals often do. The exception: you can switch penalty-free in the last 49 days of any fixed contract.
- Check if you have any outstanding balance with your current supplier. If you owe them more than 28 days of bills, they can object your switch until it’s paid.
- Keep your current direct debit running until your final bill from the old supplier clears.
- Are you on the Priority Services Register? If you are with your current supplier, you’ll need to re-register with Octopus as this doesn’t automatically carry over.
How to switch to Octopus Energy (step-by-step guide)
Switching to Octopus is straightforward. Get a quote online, complete your details, and Octopus handles the move from your old supplier.
Step 1. Start with our referral link
Use our Octopus Energy referral code when you begin your switch. This makes you eligible for £50 credit on your new account once your switch is complete and your first Direct Debit has been taken.
Step 2. Get a quote
Enter your postcode and an estimate of your energy use. A recent bill can help, but you do not need exact figures.
Octopus will show the tariffs available for your home and an estimated monthly payment, so you can choose the option that suits you.
Step 3. Complete your sign-up
Add your contact details, current supplier details and payment information.
You will usually need the account holder’s name, bank account number and sort code to set up your monthly Direct Debit. Once everything is confirmed, Octopus starts the switch for you.
Step 4. Your supply moves to Octopus
Octopus contacts your old supplier and handles the switch for you.
Your supply will usually move over within around three working days, with no interruption to your gas or electricity. On the transfer date, take and submit a meter reading so your final bill is accurate. If you have a working smart meter sending readings automatically, you should not need to do this.
5. Receive your £50 credit
Once you are on supply with Octopus and your first Direct Debit has been successfully taken, the £50 credit is added automatically to your account within a few weeks.
More information on switching:
- You have a 14-day cooling-off period from the day after you sign up. Cancel during that window and the switch stops.
- If something goes wrong and the switch takes longer than five working days, you’re entitled to £30 compensation from Octopus under Ofgem’s Guaranteed Standards of Performance.
- You don’t need to phone your old supplier. They’ll find out from Octopus.
Is Octopus Energy worth switching to?
For most UK households in 2026, yes. Octopus Energy is worth switching to if you want a supplier with competitive tariffs, highly rated customer service, useful smart tariff options, and a simpler app-based experience than many traditional energy companies.
You’ll benefit most by switching to Octopus if you’re sitting on a Big Six standard variable tariff (British Gas, EDF, E.ON Next, OVO, Scottish Power) and haven’t shopped around in years, if you’ve had genuinely bad customer service experiences, if you have or are planning an EV, solar panels, or a heat pump, or if you just want a supplier that handles your account quietly.
Why people are switching to Octopus in 2026
Octopus has spent the last few years quietly becoming the default answer to “who should I switch to?”
As of June 2026, Octopus serves 8 million UK households, putting it ahead of British Gas as the country’s largest domestic supplier. That’s the first time the top spot has changed hands in the retail energy market since it opened for competition in the 1990s. They picked up the bulk of Shell Energy’s UK domestic customers in late 2023 (around 1.3 million accounts), absorbed Bulb’s customers through the supplier of last resort process before that, and have led the switching market for several years running.
Scale alone doesn’t tell you whether a supplier is any good. Octopus’s case is that it’s grown without the usual deterioration in service. Which? has named Octopus a Recommended Provider for nine years running, the only energy supplier ever to hit that mark. Trustpilot sits at 4.8 out of 5 across roughly 794,000 reviews. They consistently come top in Uswitch’s customer satisfaction surveys.
The other thing that convinces consumers to switch to Octopus is their tariff range. Octopus didn’t invent time-of-use pricing, but they’ve built more of it into the mainstream than anyone else. If you have an EV, a heat pump, solar panels with a battery, or you’re just willing to shift some usage to cheaper windows, there’s almost certainly an Octopus tariff that fits.
Worth being honest about the trade-offs. Which?’s 2026 survey gave Octopus three stars for value for money rather than four or five. That isn’t unusual: no large supplier scored above three stars on that measure, and Octopus’s prices are broadly in line with the market rather than the absolute cheapest on any given day. The win is the package, not the headline rate.
What you get when you switch to Octopus
- £50 credit when you switch through our referral link. Applied automatically after your first direct debit clears. No code to type.
- Access to the full Octopus tariff range once your account is set up. You’ll start on a standard tariff (usually Flexible or a 12-month Fixed) and can move to smart tariffs like Tracker, Agile, Cosy or Intelligent Octopus Go once eligible.
- 100% carbon-zero electricity as standard. Matched by REGO certificates from British generators.
- A genuinely good app and online account. Sounds like a small thing until you’ve used a Big Six app for five years.
- Smart meter installation if you want one. Not pushed if you don’t.
- SEG export tariff access for solar owners. Octopus Outgoing is one of the more competitive Smart Export Guarantee options on the market.
- No exit fees on the standard tariffs (Flexible Octopus, Agile, Tracker) as of 2026. Some smart tariffs as well as Octopus 12 Month Fixed do now carry small exit fees following the March 2026 changes. More below.
More benefits of switching to Octopus Energy
Octopus Energy customers also get a handful of extras that add up over a year. None will transform your bills alone, and most need a working smart meter, but together they’re a real reason people stay with Octopus after switching.
- Octopus Home Mini. A free, palm-sized device that plugs into a socket and beams near real-time electricity use to the Octopus app, far better than the standard in-home display. Handy for lining up washing, dishwashing or EV charging with your cheap rate. Still in beta, so there’s usually a waitlist, and you’ll need a SMETS2 smart meter.
- Octoplus. Octopus’s free rewards programme. Opt in via the app to earn Octopoints (redeemable as bill credit) plus rotating perks like free Greggs and discounted cinema tickets. Octopus says the average member had access to over £300 of value last year, though that depends entirely on how much you engage. It’s also the gateway to the two features below.
- Saving Sessions. The “power down” side. On high-demand winter evenings, Octoplus members earn Octopoints for cutting usage during a short window (usually an hour, 4–7pm). Easiest if you can simply shift EV charging or appliances out of the slot.
- Free Electricity sessions. The flip side. When the grid is flooded with cheap green power, often bright, windy days, any electricity you use above your normal level is free. You get a day’s notice by email. Most common in summer, quieter in winter, but a genuine chance to run power-hungry jobs for nothing.
Popular Octopus Energy tariffs you can switch to
| Tariff | Type | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Flexible Octopus | Standard variable, tracks the Ofgem price cap | Most new switchers as a starting point. No smart meter needed, no exit fees. |
| 12-Month Fixed | Fixed unit rates for a year | Households that want budget certainty. |
| Octopus Tracker | Daily wholesale-linked rate | Households who want wholesale exposure without managing half-hourly slots. Needs a smart meter. |
| Agile Octopus | Half-hourly wholesale pricing | Tech-engaged households who can shift usage actively, especially with batteries. |
| Octopus Go | Standard cheap five-hour overnight window | EV drivers who want simple overnight charging without app dependencies. |
| Intelligent Octopus Go | Smart EV charging with extended cheap windows | EV drivers with a compatible car or charger who want smart charging and cheaper overnight prices. |
| Cosy Octopus | Three off-peak windows per day | Heat pump households who want flexible pricing for cheaper home heating. |
| Outgoing Octopus | SEG export tariffs | Solar panel owners exporting to the grid who want flexible export pricing or smart home battery charging. |
The smart tariffs have always been the differentiator, and they still are. The Flexible and Fixed options are competitive but not market-leading on price alone. Where Octopus genuinely pulls ahead is when your household uses electricity in a shape that suits time-of-use pricing.
As of June 2026, Octopus has started removing exit fees from certain tariffs again (including Intelligent Octopus Go). Tariff terms move around, so always check the current setup on Octopus’s Energy site before signing up.
Switching to Octopus for solar owners, EV drivers, and heat pump users
This is where Octopus genuinely pulls ahead of competitors, rather than just matching them on service.
However, most new customers will usually start on Flexible Octopus first. Once your supply has switched over, Octopus needs to check that your smart meters are communicating correctly before you can move onto a smart tariff such as Intelligent Octopus Go, Cosy Octopus, Octopus Flux, Intelligent Octopus Flux, or Outgoing Octopus.
This smart meter check can take a few days. It does not usually mean anything is wrong. Octopus simply needs to confirm that it can receive the data needed to bill you correctly on a time-of-use or export tariff. Once they’ve done their checks, you can switch tariff to one that better suits your household.
EV drivers. Intelligent Octopus Go gives you a cheap whole-home rate overnight, plus bonus cheap charging slots when renewable generation is high. The app handles scheduling automatically once you connect a compatible car or charger. For a wider comparison, see our best EV tariffs guide.
Heat pump households. Cosy Octopus is designed for homes with heat pumps or electric heating. It offers cheaper electricity during set off-peak windows, helping you shift heating and hot water usage away from the most expensive parts of the day.
Solar owners. Outgoing Octopus and Octopus Flux can be strong options for households exporting solar electricity back to the grid. If you already have an export MPAN, switching your export tariff can be quick, often around one working day once everything is ready. If you do not yet have an export MPAN, Octopus may need to request one before your export tariff can be set up, which can take longer, sometimes up to around two weeks.
Is there anyone who shouldn’t switch to Octopus?
Yes. A few cases.
If you’re still on a deeply-discounted legacy fixed deal signed before the 2024–2025 wholesale spike, you probably shouldn’t break it. Those tariffs are essentially extinct now and the unit rates are usually well below anything in the current market.
If your real problem is consumption rather than supplier choice, switching won’t fix it. Heating an under-insulated home through a cold British winter costs roughly the same whoever bills you.
For everyone else, the case for switching is straightforward.
FAQ
How long does it take to switch to Octopus Energy?
Most switches complete in around three working days from when you sign up, sometimes as little as two. You have a 14-day cooling-off period during which you can cancel.
Will my supply be interrupted when I switch?
No. All UK energy suppliers use the same physical infrastructure: the same pipes, wires, and meters. Only the billing arrangement changes.
Do I need to contact my old supplier?
No. Octopus handles that. Your old supplier will send a final bill within six weeks and refund any credit balance within 14 days of that bill.
Will Octopus install a smart meter automatically?
Not automatically. They’ll offer one if you want it, especially if you’re moving onto a smart tariff that needs it. If you don’t want one, you don’t have to have one.
What happens if I’m in debt with my current supplier?
If you owe more than 28 days of bills, your current supplier can legally block the switch until the debt is cleared. Smaller balances usually transfer with no problem. Citizens Advice has a useful overview at citizensadvice.org.uk.
Can I switch to Octopus if I’m on a prepayment meter?
Yes. Octopus supports both traditional key/card prepayment meters and smart prepayment meters. The referral credit still applies; you may need to contact their team to arrange how it’s credited.
Can I switch back if I change my mind?
Yes, within the 14-day cooling-off period without any cost. After that you can still switch away to another supplier at any time. On Flexible Octopus, Agile, and Tracker there are no exit fees.
Does Octopus charge exit fees?
Not on most tariffs. Flexible Octopus, Agile, and Tracker have no exit fees. Standard 12-month fixed tariffs typically have no exit fees either, though this can change. Cosy and Intelligent Octopus Go now carry a £25 exit fee per fuel during the fixed term, following March 2026 changes.
When does the £50 referral credit arrive?
Within two to four weeks after your switch completes and your first direct debit has been successfully taken. It appears as a £50 credit on your account.
Is Octopus Energy actually the cheapest?
Not always. Octopus’s standard variable tariff usually sits very close to or just below the Ofgem price cap. Some smaller suppliers occasionally beat Octopus on headline unit rates. The case for Octopus is the combination of competitive pricing, customer service, smart tariff access, and the £50 credit, rather than being the lowest price on a given week.