Everything You Need To Know About Online Energy Tariffs

What is an online energy tariff?

Signing up for an online energy tariff means you agree to manage your gas and electricity bills via the internet - meter readings are recorded online, and bills are usually accessed by logging into your energy supplier's website or sent via email, rather than through the post. You might also be able to manage your account via a mobile app, so you can check your usage and pay bills whenever and wherever you are.

Although online energy accounts need to be set up and managed online, you should still be able to speak to your energy provider over the phone if you need to. And when it comes to paying your bills, this can still be done by monthly direct debit, or you might prefer to log in to your account and pay by debit or credit card once you've received your bill.

Online tariffs can be both fixed rate and variable rate – if you sign up for a fixed rate online energy tariff, you may be charged a fee for leaving the deal early, so always check the terms and conditions before you switch.

But if you're in the last 49 days of your fixed rate deal, you can compare gas & electricity tariffs and switch to a better deal without having to pay an exit fee.

What are the best online energy deals?

The only way to find the best online energy deals is to run an energy tariff comparison. Just enter your postcode in the box at the top of the page and click ‘Compare prices’ to compare gas and electricity tariffs and find the cheapest online energy deals currently available in your area.

Can you save money with an online energy plan?

Online account management means energy companies can completely cut out the costs associated with sending out paper bills and taking manual meter reading - online energy plans offer gas and electricity at a discounted rate to both reflect this cut in overheads and make this type of tariff more attractive.

When you compare energy plans, you'll often find online energy tariffs are among the cheapest available, but to make sure you're definitely getting the best price, you should always compare the overall cost of any online deal against the other types of tariffs out there. And, if you’re signed up to a fixed rate deal, don’t forget to factor in any early exit fees.

What are the benefits of an online energy tariff?

Cheaper gas and electricity is the most obvious benefit of an online energy plan, but you'll also find they offer a more convenient way of managing your energy bills, particularly if you already do a lot of your household budgeting and banking online.

For instance, you can log your meter readings at any time, and not just during call centre opening hours, and check your most recent bill, review your monthly usage, and check when your tariff ends from any device with internet access. And when you know your deal’s renewal date, you’ll be able to work out the best time to compare energy tariffs.

And then there's the fact that paperless bills and no more house calls to read your meter means online energy tariffs are also better for the environment.

Is an online energy tariff the right plan for you?

24/7 access to your account means you can take control of your energy costs and provide regular meter readings to ensure your bills are accurate, rather than relying on the supplier to provide "estimated" bills - which can often be incorrect.

Some suppliers' also offer online tools that provide useful usage graphs to help you gauge your energy consumption and detect any sudden changes in usage which can lead to larger and more costly energy bills.

If you have regular access to the internet and you're comfortable managing your household bills online, then an online energy tariff could offer a perfect fit.

Compare electric and gas tariffs now by entering your postcode at the top of the page, or calling our switching team on 0800 320 2000.