Octopus Energy vs Utilita Energy
Winner: Octopus Energy — it offers a cheaper variable tariff, higher customer satisfaction scores, and better-rated apps, while Utilita Energy answers emails faster and offers weekend phone support.
Octopus Energy is the stronger all-round choice for most households, but Utilita Energy stands out for pay-as-you-go customers and anyone who wants faster, weekend-friendly contact.
About Octopus Energy
Founded in 2016, Octopus Energy is now the UK’s largest energy supplier, powering millions of homes on its own Kraken technology platform, which it also licenses to other energy companies. It’s known for smart, flexible tariffs covering EVs, heat pumps, and solar batteries, and was named a Which? Recommended Provider for 2026.
About Utilita Energy
Founded in 2003, Utilita Energy is one of the UK’s largest domestic suppliers, built around smart meters and pay-as-you-go energy with no standing charge. It runs high street Energy Hubs for face-to-face support and was named Energy Supplier of the Year at the 2025 Energy Awards.
Table of Contents
Octopus Energy vs Utilita Energy: At a Glance
| Feature | Octopus Energy | Utilita Energy | Better |
| Trustpilot | 4.8/5 (837,814 reviews) | 4.3/5 (112,253 reviews) | Octopus |
| Citizens Advice rank | #4 | #15 | Octopus |
| Which? score | 74% | 68% | Octopus |
| Cheapest variable tariff | £1,792/year | £1,805/year | Octopus |
| Cheapest fixed tariff | £1,841/year | No fixed deals published | Octopus |
| App rating (iOS) | 4.8/5 | 4.4/5 | Octopus |
| EV charging tariffs | Two dedicated options | None currently offered | Octopus |
| Pay-as-you-go / no standing charge | Not a core focus | Built around PAYG | Utilita |
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
Octopus Energy is cheaper on both variable and fixed tariffs, though Utilita Energy’s fixed pricing currently isn’t published for comparison.
Octopus Energy
- Cheapest: Flexible Octopus — £1,792/year, no fixed term, no exit fee — best for maximum flexibility
- Fixed: Octopus 12M Fixed July 2026 — £1,841/year, 12-month term, £100 exit fee — best for price certainty
Utilita Energy
- Cheapest: Smart Energy — £1,805/year, no fixed term, no exit fee — best for pay-as-you-go, smart meter households
- No fixed-rate tariff currently published for comparison
Feature verdict:
Octopus Energy is £13/year cheaper on its entry-level variable tariff, and it’s the only one of the two with a published fixed-rate option. Worth factoring in: 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 — a fixed deal may be worth considering if you want to lock in ahead of that rise.
Pricing based on East Midlands, average 3-bed detached home, monthly direct debit, dual fuel.
Octopus Energy and Utilita Energy: Tariff Options
Octopus Energy has a much broader tariff range, covering flexible, fixed, time-of-use and specialist energy plans. Utilita Energy takes a simpler approach, with its Smart Energy tariff focused heavily on smart-meter and Pay As You Go customers.
Octopus Energy
- Flexible Octopus — standard variable tariff with no fixed term; best for: customers who want flexibility.
- Octopus Fixed — fixed-rate options for customers who want greater price certainty.
- Agile Octopus — half-hourly pricing linked to wholesale electricity costs; best for: households able to shift usage outside expensive periods.
- Octopus Tracker — daily prices that follow wholesale energy costs; best for: customers comfortable with changing rates.
- Intelligent Octopus Go — smart EV tariff with six hours of cheap overnight home energy; best for: eligible EV owners.
- Cosy Octopus — designed around cheaper periods for heat-pump households.
- Octopus Flux — import-and-export tariff for solar and battery owners.
Utilita Energy
- Smart Energy — variable tariff with a Saver Rate that automatically reduces the cost of energy after a daily usage threshold; best for: customers using smart meters and Pay As You Go.
- Utilita’s current tariff availability is postcode-dependent and can vary by region, meter type and payment method.
Feature verdict: Octopus Energy wins for tariff choice. It offers considerably more options for EVs, solar and batteries, heat pumps, time-of-use pricing and wholesale-linked rates, while Utilita’s simpler range may suit customers who prefer straightforward smart-meter and PAYG energy.
Customer reviews
Octopus Energy has the stronger overall customer-review profile, with higher Trustpilot and Which? scores, while Utilita Energy performs particularly well for smart-meter support.
Trustpilot
- Octopus Energy: 4.8/5 from 857,000+ reviews; 90% are five-star and just 3% are one-star.
- Utilita Energy: 4.3/5 from 112,000+ reviews; 72% are five-star and 16% are one-star.
Recent feedback commonly praises Octopus staff for being helpful, knowledgeable and quick to resolve issues, although some customers mention delays with complex billing or meter problems. Utilita customers often praise friendly, patient support, while billing, top-ups and communication are recurring complaints.
Which?
Octopus scores 74%, ahead of Utilita’s 68%. Octopus also scores 4/5 for overall customer service, compared with 2/5 for Utilita. However, Utilita is stronger for smart meters, scoring 10/10 against Octopus’s 5/10.
Feature verdict: Octopus Energy wins for overall customer satisfaction, while Utilita remains a strong choice for customers who specifically value smart-meter and PAYG support.
App quality and features
Octopus Energy has the stronger app ratings overall, while both suppliers provide tools for managing bills, payments and energy usage.
App Store
- Octopus Energy: 4.8/5 from around 253,000 ratings
- Utilita Energy: 4.4/5 from around 27,000 ratings
Google Play
- Octopus Energy: 4.4/5 from around 47,000 reviews
- Utilita Energy: 4.2/5 from around 61,000 reviews
Octopus lets customers check balances, view bills and transactions, manage payments, submit meter readings and explore their tariff. Its app is updated frequently, with the latest Google Play release dated 24 August 2026.
Utilita’s app is particularly focused on Pay As You Go and smart-meter users, offering balance checks, top-ups, usage tracking, bills, meter readings, POWER UP and rewards. Its latest Google Play update was released on 20 August 2026.
Feature verdict: Octopus Energy wins for app ratings, while Utilita’s app has useful features for customers who want close control over top-ups, balances and smart-meter usage.
Customer service and support
Octopus Energy has the stronger overall customer-service record, ranking 4th in the latest Citizens Advice comparison with 3.67/5, compared with Utilita Energy at 15th with 2.35/5.
Octopus Energy
- Citizens Advice: 3.67/5 · #4
- Complaints: 21.3 per 10,000 customers
- Average call wait: 1 min 17 secs
- Emails answered within 2 days: 86.1%
- Phone: Mon–Thu 9am–5pm; Fri 9am–4pm
- Support: phone, email and BSL SignVideo
Octopus also records strong billing performance, with 96.44% of smart-meter bills based on readings and 91.49% of smart meters working correctly.
Utilita Energy
- Citizens Advice: 2.35/5 · #15
- Average call wait: 1 min
- Emails within 2 days: 98.2%
- Phone: Mon–Fri 8am–8pm; Sat 8am–5pm
- 24/7 live chat and face-to-face Energy Hubs
Utilita therefore has the advantage for faster contact and longer opening hours, while Octopus performs substantially better in the overall Citizens Advice assessment.
Feature verdict: Octopus Energy wins overall for customer service, while Utilita is better if fast replies, extended phone hours and weekend support matter most.
Complaints and performance
The latest published figures show a clear trade-off: Octopus Energy has newer Q2 2026 performance data, while the latest comparable Utilita figures available are from Q1 2026.
Octopus Energy
- 1,775 complaints per 100,000 customers — Q2 2026
- 63.5% resolved by the next working day
- 90.7% resolved within eight weeks
Octopus received 101,965 complaints in Q2 2026. Its latest customer feedback also remains strong, with 90% of customers rating their service experience positively.
Utilita Energy
- 1,502 complaints per 100,000 customers — Q1 2026
- 66% resolved by the next working day
- 91% resolved within eight weeks
Utilita therefore remains slightly faster at resolving complaints in the latest available comparison, although its figures are from an earlier quarter.
Feature verdict: Octopus has the stronger recent performance picture, but this isn’t a like-for-like quarter comparison. Utilita’s Q1 figures show a slightly higher resolution rate, while Octopus’s newer Q2 results show a significant improvement from its Q1 43% same/next-day resolution rate.
Green Energy Comparison
Octopus Energy has a much stronger renewable-energy position than Utilita Energy. For January–March 2026, the published fuel-mix data shows Octopus Energy at 85% renewable electricity, compared with 0% renewable electricity for Utilita Energy. Utilita’s mix is predominantly fossil fuel-based at 83%, with 11% nuclear and 7% other sources.
Octopus Energy
- 85% renewable electricity
- 15% nuclear
- Strong focus on wind and solar generation
- Offers smart tariffs that can encourage electricity use when renewable generation is higher
Utilita Energy
- 0% renewable electricity in the published mix
- 83% fossil fuel
- 11% nuclear
- Focuses more on reducing household energy consumption and supporting solar and battery installations
Feature verdict:
Octopus Energy is the clear winner for customers prioritising renewable electricity. Its published fuel mix contains substantially more renewable generation, while Utilita’s supplied electricity remains predominantly fossil-fuel based. However, customers should distinguish between a supplier’s electricity fuel mix and its wider investment in renewable projects.
Octopus Energy vs Utilita Energy for EV owners
Octopus Energy has a much stronger EV-specific offering than Utilita Energy, with dedicated tariffs designed around cheaper overnight charging and smart charging.
Octopus Energy
- Intelligent Octopus Go — smart charging for compatible EVs or chargers, with a guaranteed overnight cheap period.
- Octopus Go — simpler overnight tariff compatible with all EVs and chargers.
- Both tariffs can apply cheaper off-peak rates to whole-home electricity, not just EV charging.
Utilita Energy
- Utilita focuses more on smart-meter and pay-as-you-go energy rather than a dedicated EV tariff range.
- We found no equivalent published EV tariff offering comparable smart-charging features in the information reviewed.
Feature verdict: Octopus Energy wins for EV owners. Its dedicated EV tariffs, automated smart charging and overnight whole-home rates give electric-car households considerably more flexibility and potential to reduce charging costs.
Octopus Energy vs Utilita Energy for solar and battery homes
Octopus Energy
- Outgoing Octopus — solar owners ko exported electricity ke liye currently 12p/kWh milta hai.
- Octopus Flux — solar + battery homes ke liye import and export tariff.
- Intelligent Octopus Flux — compatible batteries ko automatically charge/discharge karke rates optimise karta hai.
- SEG — customers can earn 4.1p/kWh for exported electricity even if they use another supplier for their import energy.
Utilita Energy
- Utilita also offers a Smart Export Guarantee tariff, currently listed at 3p/kWh.
- It also provides solar panels and battery storage solutions, but its published export offering is less extensive than Octopus’s range of solar and battery tariffs.
Feature verdict: Octopus Energy is the stronger choice for solar and battery homes, with more dedicated import/export options and greater flexibility for optimising when electricity is stored, used or exported.
Octopus Energy vs Utilita Energy for heat-pump owners
If you have a heat pump, the tariff you choose can make a noticeable difference to your electricity costs. Octopus Energy offers a dedicated Cosy Octopus tariff designed around heat-pump use, while Utilita Energy does not currently publish an equivalent dedicated heat-pump tariff.
Octopus Energy
- Cosy Octopus — a dedicated smart tariff for heat pumps, electric boilers and electric radiators.
- Three cheaper periods daily: 4am–7am, 1pm–4pm and 10pm–midnight.
- Requires a compatible smart meter and works best when heating and hot water can be shifted into cheaper periods.
Utilita Energy
- Utilita focuses mainly on smart-meter and pay-as-you-go energy.
- We found no equivalent dedicated heat-pump tariff in its current published offering.
Feature verdict: Octopus Energy wins for heat-pump homes. Its dedicated Cosy tariff gives heat-pump owners more control over when they use electricity and can make off-peak heating cheaper.
Who should choose Octopus Energy or Utilita Energy?
| If you care most about | Better choice |
| Cheapest current variable tariff | Octopus Energy |
| Overall customer satisfaction | Octopus Energy |
| EV charging | Octopus Energy |
| Solar + battery | Octopus Energy |
| Heat-pump tariff | Octopus Energy |
| Faster email response | Utilita Energy |
| Weekend support | Utilita Energy |
| PAYG and smart-meter features | Utilita Energy |
Our verdict
Winner: Octopus Energy
Octopus Energy is the stronger all-round choice, while Utilita Energy can make more sense for customers who prioritise PAYG energy, smart-meter features and longer support hours.
Octopus stands out across several important areas, including customer ratings, independent service scores, EV tariffs, solar and battery options, and heat-pump support. Its current Trustpilot profile also remains rated 4.8/5, compared with 4.3/5 for Utilita.
Octopus Energy — Pros
- Stronger overall customer ratings
- Wider range of smart and specialist tariffs
- Better choice for EV, solar and heat-pump homes
Cons
- Slower email response than Utilita
- Less extensive weekend phone support
Utilita Energy — Pros
- Strong PAYG and smart-meter focus
- Faster customer-service response in some channels
- Weekend support available
Cons
- Lower overall customer-service scores
- Higher complaint rate than Octopus in the comparison data
- Fewer specialist tariff options
Bottom line: For most households, Octopus Energy is the better overall choice. Utilita remains worth considering if PAYG energy and accessible support hours matter more than having a broad range of tariffs and specialist energy products.
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FAQ’s
Is Octopus Energy better than Utilita Energy?
For most households, Octopus Energy is the stronger all-round choice. It currently has a higher Which? customer score and Recommended Provider status, while offering a wider range of fixed, flexible and smart tariffs. Utilita may suit households that prefer pay-as-you-go energy and smart-meter features.
Is Octopus Energy the best energy supplier in the UK?
Octopus Energy is one of the strongest overall energy suppliers in the UK in 2026. It is a Which? Recommended Provider for the ninth consecutive year and scored 74% in Which? ‘s latest customer survey. However, the best supplier depends on your tariff, energy usage and priorities.
Is Utilita Energy a good supplier?
Utilita can be a good option for prepayment and smart-meter customers, particularly those who value its pay-as-you-go features. However, its 2026 Which? customer score of 68% is below Octopus Energy’s 74%.
Who are Octopus Energy’s main competitors?
Octopus Energy competes with major suppliers including British Gas, OVO Energy, EDF Energy, E.ON Next, ScottishPower, Sainsbury’s Energy and Utilita Energy. The best alternative depends on price, customer service and the type of tariff you need.
Is Octopus Energy good for EV owners?
Yes. Octopus Energy is particularly strong for electric vehicle owners, with specialist smart tariffs designed around cheaper off-peak charging. Its range also extends to solar, batteries and heat-pump households.
Is Utilita Energy good for smart-meter and prepayment customers?
Yes. Utilita focuses heavily on smart meters and pay-as-you-go energy, making it particularly relevant to households that want to monitor and manage their energy balance closely.
Should I choose Octopus Energy or Utilita Energy?
Choose Octopus Energy if you prioritise overall service, tariff choice, smart energy options and strong independent ratings. Utilita Energy may be a better fit if pay-as-you-go energy, smart-meter management or its longer customer-support hours matter more to you.