E.ON Next vs British Gas: Which Supplier Is Better?

Choosing between E.ON Next and British Gas can be difficult because both are major UK energy suppliers with millions of customers, fixed and variable tariffs, smart-meter products, EV charging plans, solar export options and business-energy services.

E.ON Next says its tariffs are trusted by around five million homes. It has built its current proposition around one- and two-year fixed deals, a price-cap tracker, time-of-use tariffs, EV charging, heat pumps, solar panels and batteries. British Gas supplies energy to more than seven million customers and combines gas and electricity with boiler cover, repairs, Hive smart-home products, solar panels and EV chargers.

This guide compares E.ON Next vs British Gas across pricing, fixed tariffs, smart plans, EV charging, renewable energy, customer service, digital tools, solar export, business energy and overall supplier stability.

Quick Comparison: E.ON Next vs British Gas

E.ON Next vs British Gas: Detailed Comparison

1. Pricing

From 1 July to 30 September 2026, Ofgem’s energy price cap is £1,862 per year for a typical dual-fuel household paying by Direct Debit. This represents a 13% increase from the previous cap period.

The national average electricity rate is 26.11p per kWh, with an electricity standing charge of 57.19p per day. The average gas unit rate is 7.33p per kWh, while the average gas standing charge is approximately 29.04p per day. Actual rates vary by region.

The £1,862 figure is not a maximum bill. It is an illustration based on typical annual consumption. A household that uses more electricity or gas will pay more.

E.ON Next Pricing

E.ON Next’s standard variable plan is Next Flex. Like other default tariffs, its maximum rates are controlled by the Ofgem price cap.

E.ON Next also offers Next Pledge, a tracker tariff designed to remain below the price cap. The current version promises an estimated £50 annual saving for an average dual-fuel customer, divided between electricity and gas unit-rate reductions.

Next Pledge adjusts when the price cap changes, so customers can benefit when capped prices fall. It currently has a £25 exit fee per fuel when a customer leaves E.ON Next, although customers can move to another eligible E.ON Next tariff without that supplier-switching fee.

British Gas Pricing

British Gas’s Standard Variable tariff also follows the Ofgem price cap. Its personalised fixed tariffs may be cheaper or more expensive than the capped tariff depending on when the customer requests a quote.

British Gas currently promotes fixed deals and its two-year Fix & Fall tariff following the July 2026 price-cap increase. The supplier says existing and new customers can access the same range of offers and that customers can move between British Gas fixed tariffs without paying an internal exit fee.

Pricing Verdict

Standard variable prices are likely to be similar because both suppliers operate under the same Ofgem cap. E.ON Next has the clearer price-cap tracker proposition through Next Pledge, while British Gas gives customers more flexibility to move between its own fixed tariffs.

• Best tracker tariff: E.ON Next.
• Best for switching between fixed deals: British Gas.
• Best standard variable price: Usually a tie.
• Most important figure: The personalised estimated annual cost.
• Before switching: Add exit fees and standing charges to the comparison.

2. Fixed Tariff Options

A fixed tariff locks the unit rates and usually the standing charges for a specified period. The total bill is not fixed because it continues to depend on household consumption.

E.ON Next Fixed Tariffs

E.ON Next offers both 12-month and 24-month fixed plans.

Its current published tariff range lists a £50 exit fee per fuel on the 12-month fixed tariff and a £100 exit fee per fuel on the 24-month tariff when customers leave the supplier early.

The longer contract gives greater protection against possible market increases, but its higher exit fee means customers need to be confident that they can remain on the plan. E.ON Next also offers discounts on selected home-energy technologies to tariff customers.

British Gas Fixed Tariffs

British Gas offers conventional fixed tariffs as well as Fix & Fall.

Fix & Fall locks prices for two years but includes a mechanism under which rates can fall if energy-market prices decline sufficiently. This attempts to combine protection against increases with some potential benefit from lower future prices.

British Gas also allows customers to move from one of its fixed tariffs to another British Gas fixed tariff without an exit fee. A charge may still apply when leaving the supplier or moving to a non-qualifying tariff before the contract’s renewal period.

Fixed Tariff Verdict

British Gas has the more flexible fixed-tariff structure. Fix & Fall is particularly notable because a normal fixed tariff does not usually reduce when market prices fall.

• Best one-year fixed option: Compare live quotes.
• Best two-year flexibility: British Gas Fix & Fall.
• Simplest contract choices: E.ON Next.
• Lower published 12-month exit fee: E.ON Next at £50 per fuel.
• Before fixing: Compare rates with both the current and expected future price cap.

3. Smart Tariff Choice

Smart tariffs charge different rates according to the time electricity is used. They usually require a communicating smart meter capable of sending half-hourly readings.

E.ON Next Smart Tariffs

E.ON Next has developed a relatively broad smart-tariff range.

Next Smart Saver provides different peak, off-peak and super-off-peak rates, encouraging customers to avoid the more expensive 4pm-to-7pm period.

Next Drive is designed for EV owners, while Next Pumped provides cheaper electricity between 10pm and 6am for eligible heat-pump customers. Next Optimise is a developing solar-and-battery product that automatically manages battery imports and exports according to changing electricity prices.

British Gas Smart Tariffs and Rewards

British Gas’s main flexible-use programme is PeakSave.

PeakSave customers receive half-price electricity every Sunday between 11am and 4pm. Once customers join, they are automatically included in each Sunday event.

British Gas also runs Green Flex events during selected one- or two-hour periods when renewable electricity is expected to be more readily available. Customers must opt into these additional events. A compatible smart meter is required to calculate the credit.

British Gas also provides tariffs for EV charging, heat pumps and home batteries, giving customers more ways to shift electricity use away from normal daytime rates.

Smart Tariff Verdict

E.ON Next is stronger for households that want a complete time-of-use tariff covering EVs, heat pumps, solar panels or batteries.

British Gas PeakSave is easier to understand because it provides five predictable half-price hours every Sunday without requiring customers to follow several daily pricing periods.

• Best smart-tariff variety: E.ON Next.
• Best simple weekly discount: British Gas PeakSave.
• Best heat-pump tariff: E.ON Next.
• Best for occasional load shifting: British Gas.
• Best for daily flexible usage: E.ON Next.

4. EV Charging Support

EV tariffs should be judged on more than the off-peak rate. Drivers also need to compare the charging window, daytime rate, standing charge, contract term and charger compatibility.

E.ON Next EV Tariff

E.ON Next Drive Fixed V25 provides electricity at 9p per kWh between midnight and 6am. This gives customers six hours of cheaper overnight electricity.

The cheaper rate applies to electricity used throughout the home during the off-peak window, not only electricity delivered to the vehicle. It requires an eligible smart meter and the exact peak rate varies by region.

E.ON Next also sells home chargers and allows customers to manage compatible EV charging, solar panels, batteries and heating controls through the separate E.ON Home app.

British Gas EV Tariff

British Gas’s Electric Driver tariff gives customers a 50% discount on the tariff’s electricity unit rate between midnight and 5am.

This is a five-hour charging window. Customers still pay the tariff’s full standing charge, and British Gas can change the underlying unit rates according to the product’s terms.

British Gas also offers EV chargers through Hive, allowing customers to connect charging with the company’s broader smart-home ecosystem.

EV Charging Verdict

E.ON Next provides the clearer EV rate and a charging window that is one hour longer.

British Gas’s tariff could still be competitive if its normal unit rate is low, because its off-peak price is calculated as a 50% discount rather than a permanently advertised pence-per-kWh amount.

• Published E.ON Next off-peak rate: 9p/kWh.
• E.ON Next charging period: Midnight to 6am.
• British Gas discount: 50% from midnight to 5am.
• Best overall EV tariff: E.ON Next.
• Best for existing Hive users: British Gas.

5. Renewable and Low-Carbon Energy

The electricity physically supplied to a property comes from the shared National Grid. Fuel-mix disclosures show how each supplier purchases or accounts for the electricity sold to customers.

E.ON Next Fuel Mix

For 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, E.ON Next reported the following electricity mix:

• 31.3% renewable energy.
• 51.5% natural gas.
• 10.2% coal.
• 2.7% nuclear energy.
• 4.3% other sources.

Its reported carbon intensity was 331g of carbon dioxide per kWh, compared with a UK average of 205g/kWh for the disclosure period.

However, E.ON Next says selected fixed tariffs signed or renewed directly with the supplier are backed by 100% renewable electricity. This matching is supported through renewable generation, agreements with UK generators and renewable electricity certificates.

British Gas Fuel Mix

British Gas reported the following mix for the same disclosure period:

• 35% renewable energy.
• 55% nuclear energy.
• 8% natural gas.
• 1% coal.
• 1% other sources.

This resulted in a reported fuel mix that was 90% zero carbon, with carbon dioxide emissions of 53g/kWh. British Gas also offers a separate residential renewable product reported as 100% renewable.

Green Energy Verdict

British Gas has a considerably stronger standard fuel mix because it contains far less gas and coal and a much larger nuclear share.

E.ON Next can still be suitable for green-energy customers when they choose an eligible renewable-backed fixed tariff.

• Best standard low-carbon fuel mix: British Gas.
• Best selected renewable-backed fixed tariffs: E.ON Next.
• Best for nuclear-backed electricity: British Gas.
• Important: Check the fuel mix of the specific product, not only the company-wide headline.

6. Customer Support Experience

Citizens Advice compares suppliers using complaint volumes, contact waiting times, billing and metering performance, and customer commitments.

For January to March 2026, E.ON Next ranked third with an overall score of 3.71 out of 5. It scored 3.0 for complaints, 3.6 for contact waiting time, 4.3 for billing and metering, and 5.0 for customer commitments.

British Gas ranked thirteenth with an overall score of 2.61 out of 5. It scored 1.0 for complaints, 4.2 for contact waiting time, 2.0 for billing and metering, and 5.0 for customer commitments.

British Gas therefore performed better for contact waiting time, but E.ON Next achieved substantially stronger complaint and billing results.

Customer Service Verdict

E.ON Next is the clear customer-service winner based on the latest available independent comparison.

• E.ON Next score: 3.71/5.
• British Gas score: 2.61/5.
• Overall winner: E.ON Next.
• Better waiting-time score: British Gas.
• Better complaints and billing performance: E.ON Next.
• Next update: Citizens Advice expects to publish the following quarter’s results in September 2026.

7. Digital Account and Usage Tracking

E.ON Next Digital Tools

The E.ON Next app allows customers to manage Direct Debits, make payments, submit meter readings, check bills, book smart-meter appointments and manage Smart Pay As You Go balances.

Customers can also review energy-use information, while the separate E.ON Home app controls compatible solar panels, EV chargers and heating systems. The main app supports both domestic and business accounts.

British Gas Digital Tools

The British Gas app combines energy-account functions with the company’s wider home-services offering. Customers can manage payments, submit meter readings, monitor energy use and access PeakSave credits.

Customers with British Gas boiler cover or home services can also manage appointments and repairs through the same digital ecosystem. This makes the app particularly useful for households using several British Gas products.

Digital Experience Verdict

E.ON Next is better for customers managing renewable technology and smart-energy products.

British Gas is better for households that want their energy account, boiler servicing, repairs and Hive products connected through one supplier.

• Best energy-focused app: E.ON Next.
• Best home-services ecosystem: British Gas.
• Best for solar, EV and heating controls: E.ON Next with the E.ON Home app.
• Best for PeakSave tracking: British Gas.

8. Solar Panels and Export Tariffs

E.ON Next Solar Export

E.ON Next currently offers several Smart Export Guarantee tariffs.

Its Next Export Premium v3 tariff pays 17.5p per kWh to eligible customers who have qualifying solar panels or batteries installed through E.ON Installation Services.

Next Export Exclusive v3 pays 13p per kWh to eligible E.ON Next electricity customers. The standard Next Flex Export tariff pays 6p per kWh and is available more broadly.

These plans require a suitable export meter and permission to collect half-hourly data. Time-of-use import tariffs such as Next Drive may not be compatible with every export option.

British Gas Solar Export

British Gas’s Export Premium tariff pays eligible electricity customers 12p per kWh for exported electricity from systems up to 15kW.

Export Extra pays 8p per kWh for larger eligible systems, while customers who do not buy electricity from British Gas generally receive a lower rate. The tariffs have no exit fee or fixed end date, although the rates are variable.

Solar Export Verdict

E.ON Next offers the higher headline export rate, but its 17.5p tariff is limited to qualifying installation customers.

• Highest headline export rate: E.ON Next at 17.5p/kWh.
• Best E.ON Next customer-only rate without the installation requirement: 13p/kWh, subject to eligibility.
• British Gas customer rate: Up to 12p/kWh.
• Best overall solar export: E.ON Next.
• Before choosing: Compare installation cost, tariff duration, import-tariff compatibility and battery strategy.

9. Business Energy Suitability

E.ON Next supplies domestic and small-business customers. Selected fixed business tariffs are backed by renewable electricity, and its app can manage both home and business accounts.

Its Smart Export Guarantee for businesses pays eligible commercial customers 8.5p per kWh for exported electricity from qualifying systems up to 5MW.

British Gas has a broader business-energy operation covering small businesses, large organisations, fixed and flexible purchasing, renewable electricity, carbon-neutral gas, commercial solar panels and export tariffs.

It also offers renewable-gas products backed by Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin and provides more tailored services for larger or more complex commercial customers.

Business Energy Verdict

• Best for a straightforward small-business account: E.ON Next.
• Best for large or multi-site businesses: British Gas.
• Best for broader gas and electricity options: British Gas.
• Best published business solar-export rate: E.ON Next.
• Best overall business supplier: British Gas.

10. Supplier Stability and Market Position

E.ON Next says its tariffs are trusted by five million homes, placing it among the UK’s largest domestic suppliers. It offers domestic supply, small-business energy and a broad range of low-carbon home technologies.

British Gas supplies energy to more than seven million customers and has operated under one of the UK’s oldest energy brands. Its parent company, Centrica, also operates home services, smart-home products and other energy businesses.

Both suppliers operate at a scale that makes supplier stability unlikely to be the main deciding factor.

E.ON Next Is Better For:

• Customers who prioritise independent customer-service performance.
• EV drivers want a clear 9p overnight rate.
• Heat-pump owners looking for dedicated off-peak pricing.
• Solar customers are eligible for its higher export tariffs.
• Households wanting several smart time-of-use tariff options.
• Customers interested in a tariff guaranteed to remain below the price cap.

British Gas Is Better For:

• Households wanting energy, boiler cover and repairs from one company.
• Customers who can benefit from half-price PeakSave Sundays.
• Customers who prefer the stronger standard low-carbon fuel mix.
• People Want to switch between British Gas fixed tariffs.
• Existing Hive smart-home users.
• Small, large or multi-site businesses needing broader energy services.

E.ON Next vs British Gas: Pros and Cons

E.ON Next Pros

• Strong Citizens Advice customer-service score.
• Price-cap tracker through Next Pledge.
• One- and two-year fixed plans.
• Dedicated EV and heat-pump tariffs.
• Six-hour EV charging window at 9p/kWh.
• Higher eligible solar-export rates.
• App support for home and business customers.

E.ON Next Cons

• Standard disclosed fuel mix includes a high gas and coal share.
• The 24-month fixed tariff has a large published exit fee.
• The highest solar-export rate has installation restrictions.
• Several smart products require a compatible smart meter.
• Time-of-use tariffs require customers to change their habits.

British Gas Pros

• More than seven million energy customers.
• Half-price electricity every Sunday through PeakSave.
• Strong standard zero-carbon fuel mix.
• Fix & Fall provides more flexibility than a normal fixed tariff.
• No exit fee when moving between eligible British Gas fixed tariffs.
• Broad boiler, repair, Hive and business services.
• Competitive solar-export tariff for electricity customers.

British Gas Cons

• Significantly lower Citizens Advice customer-service score.
• EV discount window is only five hours.
• Published EV price is less transparent than a fixed pence-per-kWh rate.
• Solar-export headline rate is lower than E.ON Next’s premium products.
• Customers may not need or value the wider home-services ecosystem.

E.ON Next vs British Gas: Which Is Cheaper?

There is no permanent price winner.

On standard variable tariffs, both suppliers follow the same Ofgem price cap, so differences normally come from regional unit rates, standing charges and payment methods.

E.ON Next may be cheaper for customers using Next Pledge, Next Drive or another smart tariff effectively. British Gas may provide better value to customers who use a significant amount of electricity during PeakSave Sundays or secure a competitive Fix & Fall quote.

For a fair comparison, use the same:

• Postcode.
• Annual electricity and gas use.
• Payment method.
• Meter type.
• Contract length.
• Standing charges.
• Exit fees.
• Peak and off-peak consumption.
• Smart-tariff eligibility.

Final Verdict: E.ON Next or British Gas?

E.ON Next is the stronger overall energy supplier for customers focused on customer service, smart tariffs, EV charging, heat pumps and solar exports.

Its Citizens Advice rating is considerably higher, its EV tariff offers a clear six-hour overnight rate, and its smart product range covers more household technologies.

British Gas remains a strong choice for customers who value a broader home-services ecosystem. Peak Save Sundays, Fix & Fall, boiler services, Hive technology and a low-carbon standard fuel mix give it advantages that E.ON Next does not fully match.

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Frequently Asked Questions

These FAQs compare both suppliers on price, service, green energy, EV tariffs, solar export rates, and exit fees to help you decide which option may suit you better.