We looked at bills from 37 electricity providers and discovered that the some Australian's could be saving nearly $120 every quarter on their power bill - around $480 annually.
"Some Australian's could be saving nearly $120 every quarter on their power bill - around $480 annually."
Exactly how much you can save by switching provider depends on where you live, but even between the big three (Origin, AGL, and EnergyAustralia) there's almost a $70 difference on bills, with Victorians seeing the largest gap.
To find out how much you could save, just plug in your postcode at the top of the page and browse plans by their estimated price.
Here is the difference between the most expensive and least expensive plan we compared in our engine (per quarter) .
| Per quarter | NSW (Sydney 2000) | VIC (Melbourne 3000) | QLD (Brisbane 4000) | SA (Adelaide 5000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most expensive plan | $413 | $355 | $399 | $485 |
| Least least expensive plan | $294 | $283 | $322 | $383 |
| Savings | $119 | $71 | $77 | $102 |
From the big 3 providers (AGL, EnergyAustralia, Origin Energy), here is the difference between the most expensive and least expensive plan we compared in our engine (per quarter) .
| NSW (Sydney 2000) | VIC (Melbourne 3000) | QLD (Brisbane 4000) | SA (Adelaide 5000) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most expensive plan | $366 | $355 | $399 | $485 |
| Least expensive plan | $308 | $283 | $333 | $417 |
| Savings | $58 | $71 | $66 | $68 |
Accurate as of February 2020.
We've built a tool to help you compare gas or electricity plans in your state in just minutes.
Whether you're looking for a better energy deal for your family household or you are moving house and just need to sort your utilities, you've come to the right place to save on your yearly energy bill.
Maurice Thach
Energy Publisher
Kate Browne
Managing editor
Frank Restuccia
Co-Founder
Zahra Campbell-Avenell
Utilities publisher
Graham Cooke
Consumer insights
Ben King
Sustainability Expert
Our engine lets you compare estimated prices to give you an idea of how you'll pay. Here's a quick guide on how to use it:
After price, it's also important to consider the following factors. Tip: These factors will affect your wallet too.
If you're looking to connect both electricity and gas, you might be able to get a discount by signing up for both services with the same provider with a bundled plan.
Bundled plans also offer the added benefit of simplifying your bills into a single bill and making it easier to budget for utilities.
If you have a solar panel system connected to the grid, one of the most important features of an energy plan to consider is the feed-in tariff (FiT).
The feed-in tariff defines how much you earn for the electricity your solar panels feed back into the network. FiTs vary dramatically depending on location and retailer.
Most households in Australia are a single rate tariff where electricity is the same price at any time of day.
However, if you don't use most of your energy during peak periods, it could work out cheaper to choose a time of use tariff where you pay different rates at different times of day.
Market contracts usually come with a benefit period of one or two years, which means you'll receive a discounted rate in exchange for a 'lock in contract'. If you want to leave in this time, you'll likely receive a charge. Once the discount period ends, you'll remain on the contract but likely pay more for your electricity unless you shop around for a new deal.
Other electricity retailers may offer you a 'no lock-in contract' deal. You might have to pay a little more but you can usually leave whenever you want without incurring an exit fee.
Currently, most electricity comes from generators that burn fossil fuels like coal. If the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet is important to you, then you might be to contribute to renewable energy in Australia.
While you will most likely continue to receive your electricity supply from the grid which is made up of a mix of generation sources, your money goes towards investing in clean energy. This includes government accredited renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydro and biomass.
Energy providers regularly offer discounts and incentives for your electricity and gas bills. The best offers are usually conditional discounts while unconditional offers are simply there to make the energy plan stand out.
Conditional discounts, on the other hand, means that in order to receive the discount, you'll need to meet specific conditions. These can include paying your bills on time or using direct debit.
If you're moving house, you will need to let your energy provider know. When moving to a new location, you do have the option to stay with your current provider if it supplies energy to that new area. It's smart to check and compare services in your new location. You may potentially find a much better deal with another provider that services that address.
Typically it takes up to three business days to get your energy connected. As such it's best not to leave this to the last minute, otherwise you may be leaving your family in the dark.
Once you've compared energy retailers and chosen the one that meets your needs, switching providers is simple. All you have to do is sign up for your new plan and notify your current provider that you want to switch.
When you switch providers, your distributor still stays the same so you won't lose power or gas during the transition. If you're moving to a new location, make sure to sign up for an energy plan before you move to make sure you're connected as soon as you move in.
Switching could take anywhere from a few days up to a few months depending on the type of meter you have.
Check out our step-by-step guide on how to switch energy providers
One of the easiest ways to save on energy costs is to switch to a cheaper energy provider. Here are a few more tips to lower your bills:
Note: Not available in the Northern Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia.
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