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The most popular brands were based on market share using figures from the Australian Energy Regulator (AER's) Annual retail markets report 2019-20 (Table 2.1). Keep in mind that the most popular brand may not always be the best for you, and you're encouraged to compare for yourself to find one that works for you.
These deals are from retailers on our database that include a link to their website or a form from an energy broker. Prices are based on a residential customer in VIC (Postcode: 3000) who consumes 4,000 kWh a year on a single rate tariff in the Citipower network. We show one plan per provider and the estimated price includes conditional discounts. Any plans with special eligibility requirements are excluded from this list. Your actual bill may vary, depending on your usage.
Based on the general usage in the CitiPower network the VDO reference price is $1,270 / year.
Electricity charges may have changed in VIC, NSW, QLD, SA, ACT, and TAS on 1 January 2021 and could also change on 1st February. Our pricing and estimates below may not take these possible changes into account.
Please confirm plan details with the provider before making a decision.
Get me prices using my postcode
Although there is no 'best' retailer, to give you a general guide, here are 5 top electricity and gas retailers by arranged by the lowest complaints percentage.
Retailer | Number of customers | Number of complaints | Complaints as a proportion of customers |
---|---|---|---|
Powershop | 52,871 | 169 | 1% |
amaysim Energy | 95,212 | 1,203 | 1% |
Origin Energy | 1,831,948 | 26,598 | 1% |
Dodo | 47,839 | 782 | 2% |
EnergyAustralia | 1,044,384 | 17,806 | 2% |
AGL | 1,390,017 | 41,703 | 3% |
Alinta Energy | 352,679 | 13,782 | 4% |
Powerdirect | 47,932 | 2,352 | 3% |
Red Energy | 306,228 | 15,404 | 3% |
Simply Energy | 133,318 | 9,627 | 7% |
Source: AER, Annual retail markets report 2019-20 (Table 2.1 & 5.2). We looked at complaints to the 10 largest retailers in Australia by customer (available in Victoria) and ranked them by the smallest proportion of complaints to a retailers' total customers.
1Our research found that the average quarterly electricity bill in Australia is around $353. VIC came in at a slightly cheaper $349 per quarter.
State | Average quarterly bill | Annual bill |
---|---|---|
New South Wales | $358 | $1,432 |
Victoria | $349 | $1,396 |
Queensland | $332 | $1,328 |
South Australia | $418 | $1,672 |
1.Average bills per state are based on Finder's Customer Sentiment Tracker. Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker takes responses from 16,000 Australians to get an average figure. The last number was last checked in January 2021. We will continue to update this data.
As of 15 January 2021, the cheapest estimated price that we found for a plan in VIC (Postcode: 3000) is $988 per year ($247 per quarter). If the average bill holder was to switch to the cheapest plan, they would be able to save $408 in the year.
Comparison | Quarterly | Annual |
---|---|---|
Average bill | $349 | $1,396 |
Cheapest plan available (estimated price)2 | $247 | $988 |
Savings | $102 | $408 |
2.The cheapest price available on Finder was found by searching our engine for results using the following postcodes: (3000 - Melbourne). Prices are based on a residential customer who consumes the following amount of energy per year on a single rate tariff: (4,000 kWh for VIC). Prices are subject to change.
1Our research found that the average quarterly gas bill in Australia is around $212. VIC came in more expensive at $251 per quarter.
State | Average quarterly bill | Annual bill |
---|---|---|
New South Wales | $194 | $776 |
Victoria | $251 | $1,004 |
Queensland | $166 | $664 |
South Australia | $207 | $828 |
1.Average bills per state are based on Finder's Customer Sentiment Tracker. Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker takes responses from 16,000 Australians to get an average figure. The last number was last checked in January 2021. We will continue to update this data.
As of 15 January 2021, the cheapest estimated price that we found for a plan in VIC (Postcode: 3000) is $628 per year ($157 per quarter). If the average bill holder was to switch to the cheapest plan, they would save an extra $376 in the year.
Comparison | Quarterly | Annual |
---|---|---|
Average bill | $251 | $1,004 |
Cheapest plan available (estimated price)2 | $157 | $628 |
Savings | $94 | $376 |
2.The cheapest price available on Finder was found by searching our engine for results using the following postcode: (3000 - Melbourne). Prices are based on a 3 person household that owns a gas heater. Prices are subject to change.
Link to provider review | ⚡ Electricity | ♨️ Gas | ☀️ Solar |
---|---|---|---|
1st Energy | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
AGL | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Alinta | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
amaysim | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Elysian Energy | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Click Energy | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
CovaU | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
DC Power Co | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Diamond Energy | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Dodo | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
EnergyAustralia | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
GloBird Energy | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Lumo Energy | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Mojo Power | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Momentum Energy | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Origin Energy | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
People Energy | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Powerdirect | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Powerclub | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Powershop | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
QEnergy | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Red Energy | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Simply Energy | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Sumo | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Tango Energy | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Tas Gas | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
Note: Plan information last checked in January 2021.
With the Essentials plan, you'll enjoy fixed power rates for the first 12 months of your plan. There's no lock-in contract, and you can choose between 10%, 20%, or 100% GreenPower. Billed monthly. Earn flybuys points when paying your bill.
The Total Plan will provide you with power at a fixed rate, plus a guaranteed discount on your bills for its 12 month benefit period. It has quarterly billing and flexible payment options, plus a choice of between 10% and 100% GreenPower. After 6 months, you can opt in to convert your plan to carbon neutral.
Fixed price power for 12 months, as well as flexible billing and payment options. Pick between 25%, 50%, or 100% GreenPower. Customers with Everyday Rewards memberships can link their account to get bonus points, earn points for paying bills, and the 25% GreenPower option for free.
Variable rate electricity with no lock-in contract, flexible payments, zero fees for moving in, and up to 100% GreenPower. If you pre-purchase energy in the form of "Powerpacks" from their shop, you can get a discount on your entire bill. Billed monthly.
Fixed electricity prices for the first 12 months, after which they revert to variable. Has flexible payment options and is billed monthly, but lacks any GreenPower options.
Who is the best energy provider in Australia?
We went through all the energy plans on offer in Victoria to discover what kinds of discounts exist. Here are the four main types:
According to our data, direct debit discounts are the most common discount variety offered by Victorian retailers. Discounts generally apply only during set benefit periods, and expire when they run out.
Discount type | Example | Providers that offer the discount |
---|---|---|
Pay on time discounts | Discount on total bill Discount on total usage | Sumo, Diamond Energy, Lumo Energy, Red Energy, GloBird Energy 1st Energy, GloBird Energy |
Direct debit discounts | CovaU, Diamond Energy, GloBird Energy | |
Guaranteed discounts | Discount on total bill | CovaU, Energy Australia |
Bill credit | Sumo Saver Credit $25 sign up credit (all plans) | Sumo EnergyAustralia |
Other special discounts | Mega Pack Free Power Bonus Everyday Rewards extras | Powershop Energy Locals Origin Energy |
Last checked January 2021.
An energy rebate works by providing a certain amount of money back on your energy bill. To qualify for a particular rebate, you usually need to satisfy some condition or have a valid concession card.
Rebates come in two forms: a flat amount back (like $50), or a percentage of your power bill. If you want to know what energy rebates exist in Victoria, go to our energy rebates and concession guide and search the Victorian section.
Power use is split into different periods, known as peak and off-peak. Unlike other states, Victoria does not have a shoulder period. These periods are only relevant on a time-of-use tariff, since single rate plans treat the whole day as a single peak time.
You can either have a technician visit to read your meter, or you can read it yourself. The technician route is easy, as all you have to do is make sure the technician can access your meter. With a smart meter, you won't even have to locate your physical meter.
Electricity can be dangerous, so if you choose to read your meter yourself you should take a few basic safety precautions. Make sure the meter and its housing don't show any signs of deterioration, including damage from water or animals, and burnt or melted components. Taking a reading will then depend on what meter you have, explained in full on our meter reading guide.
As a Victorian customer, you have the right to send a self-read of your meter to your energy provider so that you aren't given an estimated bill.
Victorian regulations require retailers to provide energy bills at least quarterly, or once per three months. Your provider may also decide to send the bill monthly or allow you to opt in to monthly billing.
When moving from one property to another, you have to deal with switching over your electricity connection from the old to the new. There are a few ways to deal with this:
Moving a connection from one house to another isn't always free. The distributor may charge one or both of a connection fee for moving in and a disconnection fee for moving out. This table shows the fees that Victorian distributors charge.
Distributor | Connection fee | Disconnection fee |
---|---|---|
Citipower | $41.79 | $42.42 |
Powercor | $61.66 | $65.55 |
Ausnet Services | $22.04 | $22.04 |
Jemena | $42.39 | $65.41 |
United Energy | $54.52 | $54.52 |
Source: Origin Energy
Feature | Details |
---|---|
Tariff types | Some plans charge you a single rate tariff (one rate based on use), whilst others charge you a time of use tariff (different rates based on your time of use). |
Discounts | In a free energy market, electricity and gas providers offer all sorts of discounts and energy plans tailored to specific types of consumers, and many offer discounts for new customers. Keep in mind, plans with introductory discounts may have higher charges later on. Look for energy plans that extend discounts to customers beyond the early stages of a contract. Some plans include discounts for paying on time or signing long-term contracts and many providers offer discounts if you bundle gas and electricity plans together. |
Termination fees | Some energy providers charge a fee when you terminate a contract before the end period. Early termination fees generally range from $40 to $100 and are specified in your contract. If you don't want to pay early termination fees, look for a no-lock-in contract that allows you to switch providers freely without incurring a penalty. |
Payment options | Check if a provider lets you pay your bills in a variety of ways. If you're worried about paying bills on time, flexible options can help. Some providers let you purchase energy in advance, which can help limit bill shock. |
Digital energy tools | Many providers in Victoria offer a variety of apps and online tools that let consumers measure their energy consumption. Knowing more about your energy usage patterns can help you make better energy decisions in the future. |
Your choice of retail provider can make a noticeable difference to the size of your energy bill. Once you've compared electricity and gas plans and chosen a new provider, it's relatively easy to switch. It's simply a matter of applying with the new provider and cancelling your existing plan. Your new provider should generally be able to supply your energy by the next day.
Important notes: The estimated price we show by default is based on a single rate tariff. On your bill this might be known as a 'peak tariff', 'peak only' or an 'anytime tariff'. There are other tariff types available to customers and you may need to contact your provider if you are on these tariffs:
The price estimate should not be used as an official quote, but an indication of what your costs may be on the plan. It varies based on whether you provide us with your bill details. You can learn more here.
Picture: GettyImages
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How can I compare my power bill .I find it so confusing
Hi John & Cheryl,
Thank you for reaching out to Finder.
Not sure what you are asking about comparing your power bill. The page we are on offers different options on energy providers available to you. It list details on what services they could provide as well as the states where they are available. Clicking on the “More Info” button will lead you to the review page for that specific company for you to learn more on what service they provide. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
Which comparison site can I send my current bills for them to compare?
Hi Lydia,
Thanks for your question.
You may complete the form on this page with some details about your residential electricity and gas needs and you’ll be contacted by a consultant for an obligation-free discussion about your options. The consultant will work with you to compare a range of energy suppliers in your area.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Liezl
We have just installed 11 solar panels in Grovedale
Are we able to claim a government rebate and how do we do this.
Hi Judy,
Thanks for your question.
Generally, when homeowners invest in an eligible solar power system, the Federal Government issues STCs based upon the size of the energy efficient system and their location. The number of STCs you can receive depend on your location and which zone that falls into.
To learn more about the processes involved in getting the STCs in your area, you can reach out to your local government agency that handles its issuance.
Cheers,
Anndy