Overall verdict: OVO Energy — it has stronger Trustpilot and Citizens Advice scores, and offers fixed-term tariffs, while Utilita Energy scores higher in the Which? survey and has a better-rated Android app.
OVO Energy suits households wanting broader tariff choice and stronger review scores, while Utilita Energy is built specifically for pay-as-you-go customers who want no standing charge and face-to-face support.
Who is OVO Energy
Founded in 2009, OVO Energy is one of the UK’s largest domestic suppliers and is currently in the process of becoming part of E.ON, a deal that would increase its scale in the market. It focuses on smart technology and EV charging support, backed by its Beyond rewards programme.
Who is Utilita Energy
Founded in 2003 and owned by Luxion Group, Utilita Energy specialises in pay-as-you-go energy and smart meters. Its standout feature is charging prepayment customers no daily standing charge — a genuine cost saving most suppliers don’t offer. It also runs physical high street Energy Hubs for face-to-face support, and won Energy Supplier of the Year at the 2025 Energy Awards.
OVO Energy vs Utilita Energy: At a Glance
Compare OVO Energy vs Utilita Energy on price, trust score, app ratings & standing charges — find out which supplier suits you best.
| Feature | OVO Energy | Utilita Energy | Better |
| Trustpilot | 4.7/5 (293,863 reviews) | 4.3/5 (112,253 reviews) | OVO |
| Citizens Advice rank | #8 | #15 | OVO |
| Which? score | 61% | 68% | Utilita |
| Cheapest variable tariff | £1,805/year | £1,805/year | Tied |
| Fixed-term tariffs | Available | Not currently offered | OVO |
| App rating (iOS / Android) | 4.6 / 3.0 | 4.4 / 4.1 | Split — OVO on iOS, Utilita on Android |
| Standing charge (PAYG) | Standard standing charge applies | No standing charge for prepayment customers | Utilita |
| EV charging support | Dedicated Charge Anytime tariff | Not currently offered | OVO |
If you only wanted to know which supplier is better, you already have the answer above. But if you want to understand why one is better and whether that applies to you, the comparison below breaks down the important differences in simple terms.
Tariffs and Pricing
Both suppliers’ cheapest tariffs cost the same on paper, but Utilita’s pricing works differently — it’s a prepayment-only tariff, not a direct-debit deal like OVO’s.
OVO Energy
- Cheapest: Simpler Energy — £1,805/year, standard variable, no exit fee — best for flexibility
- Fixed: 1 Year Fixed + Boiler Cover — £1,923/year, 12-month term, £100 exit fee — best for price certainty
Utilita Energy
- Cheapest: Smart Energy — £1,805/year (comparison estimate), prepayment tariff with no standing charge, no exit fee
- No fixed-term tariffs currently offered — and no traditional direct-debit variable option either, since Utilita sold over 40,000 credit/direct-debit customers to EDF in November 2025 to focus solely on Pay As You Go
Feature verdict:
The headline prices look tied at £1,805/year, but they’re not quite comparable — OVO’s is a standard direct-debit variable tariff, while Utilita’s is prepayment-only with a different charging structure (no standing charge, but tiered unit rates). Also worth noting: Ofgem’s price cap rises 4% to £1,723/year from October 2026 (up from £1,663), so variable rates on both suppliers are likely to increase this autumn.
Tariff Options
OVO Energy offers five tariffs for direct-debit households, while Utilita Energy offers just one — built specifically around prepayment rather than choice.
OVO Energy
- Simpler Energy — standard variable, no exit fee — best for flexibility
- 1 Year Fixed — 12-month fixed — best for price certainty
- 1 Year Fixed + Boiler Cover — 12-month fixed with boiler cover — best for bundling home emergency cover
- 1 Year Fixed + Greener Electricity — 12-month fixed, green add-on — best for fixed-price customers wanting renewable support
- Charge Anytime — EV charging add-on — best for lowering EV charging costs
Utilita Energy
- Smart Energy — two-rate prepayment tariff, no standing charge — best for prepayment customers who want to track usage closely
Feature verdict:
OVO Energy wins on choice with five tariffs to Utilita’s one. But Utilita isn’t offering less by accident — it deliberately dropped direct-debit and fixed tariffs to focus entirely on prepayment, where its no-standing-charge model is a genuine cost advantage most suppliers don’t match.
Customer Reviews
OVO Energy leads on Trustpilot volume, but Utilita Energy actually scores higher in the independent Which? survey.
OVO Energy
- Trustpilot: 4.7/5 from 298,928 reviews (updated 28 August 2026) — 77% five-star, 9% one-star
- Which? score: 61% — 2/5 for overall customer service and value for money; 5/10 for smart meters
- Citizens Advice: 3.3/5, ranked 8th
- Common feedback: helpful staff and prompt responses; some report difficulty getting through
Utilita Energy
- Trustpilot: 4.3/5 from 112,480 reviews (updated 31 August 2026) — 72% five-star, 16% one-star
- Which? score: 68% — ahead of OVO, despite the same 2/5 for overall customer service and value for money; 10/10 for smart meters and help for those who need it
- Citizens Advice: 2.35/5, ranked 15th
- Common feedback: knowledgeable staff and efficient problem resolution
Feature verdict:
Utilita Energy actually wins the Which? survey (68% vs 61%), even though it shares the same 2/5 score as OVO on overall service — it pulls ahead on smart meters and vulnerability support instead. On Trustpilot, OVO’s edge is clearer: a higher rating from nearly triple the reviews, and roughly half Utilita’s one-star share (9% vs 16%).
App Ratings & Features
OVO Energy leads on iOS, Utilita Energy leads on Android — a genuine split, not a clear winner.
OVO Energy
- App Store (iOS): 4.6/5 from 18,000 reviews
- Google Play (Android): 3.0/5 from 10,621 reviews
- Recent updates focus on bug fixes and performance
Utilita Energy
- App Store (iOS): 4.4/5 from 27,000 reviews
- Google Play (Android): 4.1/5 from 61,547 reviews
- Recent updates added clearer account status and smart meter appointment booking
Feature verdict:
There’s no single winner here — OVO Energy has the better iOS app, Utilita Energy the better Android app, and Utilita’s Google Play rating is backed by six times more reviews than OVO’s. iPhone users may prefer OVO; Android users are likely better served by Utilita.
Customer Service and Support
OVO Energy scores higher overall with Citizens Advice, but Utilita Energy answers faster and offers far longer contact hours.
OVO Energy (Citizens Advice, Jan–Mar 2026)
- Overall: 3.3/5, ranked 8th — 39.5 complaints per 10,000 customers
- Email response: 98.5% within 2 days; call wait 1 min 33 sec; webchat 6 min 53 sec
- Phone hours: weekdays 9am–5pm, closed weekends
Utilita Energy (Citizens Advice, Jan–Mar 2026)
- Overall: 2.35/5, ranked 15th — 164 complaints per 10,000 customers
- Email response: 98% within 2 days; call wait 1 min (faster than OVO); social media response 1 min 28 sec
- Phone hours: weekdays 8am–8pm, plus weekends 8am–5pm — far more accessible than OVO
Feature verdict:
OVO Energy wins on the metrics that carry the most weight — overall score and complaint volume, where Utilita’s rate is over four times higher. But Utilita answers calls and social media faster, and its weekend phone hours are a real advantage for anyone who can’t call during the week.
Complaints and Performance
Utilita Energy receives far fewer complaints than OVO Energy, and — despite what some comparisons suggest — it does publish a full complaint-theme breakdown.
OVO Energy (Q2 2026, latest)
- Complaints: 1,775 per 100k customers
- Resolved same/next day: 63.5% | Within 8 weeks: 90.7%
- Top themes: customer service, payment issues, smart billing, debt-related, general billing
Utilita Energy (Q2 2026, latest)
- Complaints: just 946 per 100k customers — down sharply from 1,502 in Q1
- Resolved same/next day: 66% | Within 8 weeks: 93%
- Top themes: customer service (42%), payment issues (21%), smart PPM metering (12%), smart billing (8%), debt/disconnection (4%)
Feature verdict:
Utilita’s Q2 complaint rate (946 per 100k) is now well under half of OVO’s (1,775), and it also resolves more within 8 weeks. Both suppliers share the same top complaint category — customer service — mirroring what we’ve seen across other comparisons.
Green Energy Comparison
OVO Energy’s fuel mix includes a small renewable share; Utilita Energy’s is 0% — despite offering a “live carbon dashboard” to track it.
OVO Energy (Jan–Mar 2026, Citizens Advice)
- Renewable: 11% | Nuclear: 9% | Fossil fuel: 74% | Other: 6%
- Runs Plan Zero (net zero target: 2030); stopped using REGO certificates in 2023, buying directly from UK generators instead
- Power Move rewards customers for using electricity at greener times
Utilita Energy (Jan–Mar 2026, Citizens Advice)
- Renewable: 0% | Nuclear: 11% | Fossil fuel: 83% | Other: 7%
- Targets net zero by 2030; offers a “live carbon dashboard” showing customers real-time fuel mix and emissions
- Offers solar panel and battery storage packages
Feature verdict:
There’s a real tension here: Utilita markets a live carbon dashboard to help customers track their emissions, yet its own supplied electricity carries 0% renewable content — the lowest of any supplier we’ve compared. OVO’s 11% is modest too, but it’s still meaningfully ahead. Neither supplier’s actual fuel mix is genuinely green; Utilita’s tracking tools measure a footprint it isn’t currently reducing at the source.
Best for Pay-As-You-Go Households
Utilita Energy is the clear choice for PAYG customers — it’s built entirely around prepayment, while OVO Energy treats it as one option among several.
Utilita Energy
- No standing charge on its Smart Energy tariff — customers only pay for what they use
- Runs physical high street Energy Hubs for face-to-face help with top-ups and account queries
- My Utilita app includes a Smart Score feature showing which appliances cost the most to run
- Entire business model built around prepayment since selling its direct-debit customer base to EDF in late 2025
OVO Energy
- Accepts prepayment as a payment method, alongside Direct Debit and cash/cheque
- No dedicated no-standing-charge PAYG tariff — standard charges apply
- No physical high street presence for in-person support
Feature verdict:
This isn’t a close comparison — Utilita Energy exists specifically to serve prepayment households, with a no-standing-charge tariff, in-person Energy Hubs, and app tools built around usage tracking. OVO Energy supports prepayment as a payment method but offers none of Utilita’s PAYG-specific features.
Best for EV Owners & Solar Homes
OVO Energy is the stronger pick here — Utilita Energy offers no EV tariff at all, and its solar option is an installation service rather than an export tariff.
OVO Energy
- Charge Anytime — EV charging add-on, now a monthly subscription (from £27.50/month), effective cost around 14p/kWh
- Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) — three tiers, up to 20p/kWh if OVO installs your solar and battery, or 12p/kWh just by switching your import supplier
Utilita Energy
- No EV tariff currently offered — nothing comparable to Charge Anytime
- Offers solar panel and battery installation packages, but no dedicated export/SEG tariff of its own — customers would need a separate supplier’s SEG deal to get paid for exported electricity
Feature verdict:
There’s no real contest for EV owners — Utilita simply doesn’t have a tariff, so OVO wins by default. For solar, Utilita can install your panels, but it doesn’t pay you for what you export; OVO does, up to 20p/kWh. Solar households would need to pair Utilita’s installation with another supplier’s export tariff to get paid at all.
Our verdict
Winner: OVO Energy
OVO Energy leads overall with stronger Trustpilot and Citizens Advice scores, while Utilita Energy performs better in the Which? survey and on Google Play.
OVO Energy comes out ahead on overall customer reviews and customer-service rankings. It also offers fixed-term tariffs, giving customers more choice if they want to lock in their rates.
Utilita Energy is a stronger option for customers who value its Android app, faster phone support and PAYG-focused service. Its standard variable tariff is also currently priced the same as OVO Energy’s cheapest variable option under our comparison assumptions.
OVO Energy — Winner
Pros
- Higher Trustpilot and Citizens Advice scores
- Offers fixed-term tariffs
- Lower Citizens Advice complaint rate
Cons
- Lower Google Play rating
- Slower average call response
- Shorter phone support hours
Utilita Energy
Pros
- Higher overall Which? score
- Higher Google Play rating
- Faster average call response
Cons
- Lower Citizens Advice score
- Higher complaint rate
- No fixed tariffs currently listed
Compare UK energy suppliers, EDF Energy Vs Utilita Energy tariffs and deals to find the right option for your home.
FAQs
Common questions about OVO Energy vs Utilita Energy — covering pricing, Pay As You Go options, standing charges and app features.
Is OVO Energy better than Utilita Energy?
For most households, OVO Energy is the stronger all-round choice, especially if you want more tariff options and value customer service. Utilita Energy may be better for PAYG customers who prefer topping up and flexible payment options.
Is Utilita Energy good for Pay As You Go customers?
Yes. Utilita specialises in Pay As You Go energy and offers features such as app top-ups, emergency credit and Friendly Credit Hours.
Does Utilita Energy have a standing charge?
Utilita offers zero-standing-charge PAYG tariffs, although the unit rates can be higher. This can be useful for households that use very little energy or are away from home for long periods.
Which is cheaper, OVO Energy or Utilita Energy?
There is no single winner for every household. Your actual cost depends on your tariff, usage, location and payment method. Ofgem confirms that energy rates and standing charges vary by region and payment type.
Does OVO Energy offer Pay As You Go?
Yes. OVO supports Pay As You Go meters, including smart meters switched to prepayment mode. PAYG customers top up their meter before using energy, and OVO applies a daily standing charge.
Which supplier is better for prepayment energy?
Utilita has the stronger PAYG focus. It offers multiple ways to top up, emergency credit and Friendly Credit Hours, making it particularly suitable for customers who want to manage their energy spending through a prepayment meter.
Which has the better app, OVO or Utilita?
It depends on the platform and the features you need. OVO focuses heavily on account and bill management, while My Utilita is particularly useful for PAYG customers, including balance checks and top-ups.
Should I choose OVO Energy or Utilita Energy?
Choose OVO Energy if you want a broader choice of tariffs and a more traditional energy account. Choose Utilita Energy if PAYG, top-up control and smart prepayment features are your priority.
Energy Advisor