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In one state (NSW) we found a difference of $480 per year between the average electricity bill1 people were paying and the cheapest electricity plan at the time2. That's why it's so important to compare your plan regularly, so that you're not paying more than you have to.
Note: To get rates for 'time of use' plans you will need to enter your bill details in the form above.
Confused? Finder's Managing Editor Kate Browne has explained the process of comparing plans in a handy video below.
Based on the AER annual model usage in the Ausgrid network, the AER reference price is $1,462 / 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.
Prices last checked on January 2021 and are subject to change. To view more plans, you can use our engine. Please use our engine for a specific comparison in your postcode.
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.
Prices last checked on January 2021 and are subject to change. To view more plans, you can use our engine. Please use our engine for a specific comparison in your postcode.
Based on the AER annual model usage in the SA Power Networks network, the AER reference price is $1,832 / 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.
Prices last checked on January 2021 and are subject to change. You can compare plans by price using our engine below. Please use our engine for a specific comparison in your postcode.
Based on the AER annual model usage in the Energex network, the AER reference price is $1,508 / 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.
Prices last checked on January 2021 and are subject to change. You can specifically compare options for your postcode & view pricing by using our engine above.
The most popular brands below are based on data from an Australian Energy Regulator Annual report (2019-20). 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.
We do the hard yards, analysing every detail and feature of products and services to find the best deal for you. Many purchases we make as we get older, buy property or start families are complicated financial or technical products - so we're here to help. Our aim is to simplify, explain and compare energy plans so that you save money and have peace of mind.
It's 100% free to use every part of the Finder site. If you find a plan you like when comparing and we service that brand, you can click through to its website or enquire via a broker. If you do, we may receive a small commission for facilitating.
Finder staff are money experts, data nerds, and dog lovers - in addition to being publishers, designers, developers, analysts and content specialists. What brings us together is our passion for helping people make better decisions.
Here's what our users want to know when it comes to comparing electricity.
1We found that the average quarterly energy bill in Australia to be around $363. For states where we had the most respondents, here were their average bills:
| State | Average quarterly bill | Annual bill |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | $386 | $1,544 |
| Victoria | $338 | $1,352 |
| Queensland | $347 | $1,388 |
| South Australia | $405 | $1,620 |
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. These numbers were was last checked in August 2020. We will continue to update this data.
Here is the difference between the least expensive plan we compared in our engine and the average bill by state.
| State | Average bill (annual) | Cheapest price available on Finder2 | Potential savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | $1,544 | $1,064 | - $480 |
| VIC | $1,352 | $1,240 | - $112 |
| QLD | $1,388 | $1,112 | - $276 |
| SA | $1,620 | $1,244 | -$376 |
Note: The average bills are based on a range of different household sizes that are captured in our data. Your actual bill may be larger or smaller based on how big your household is and how much electricity your household uses.
2.The cheapest price available on Finder was found by searching our engine for results using the following postcodes: (2000 - Sydney, 3000 - Melbourne, 4000 - Brisbane and 5000 - Adelaide). Prices are subject to change.
Prices are based on the residential who consumes the following amount of energy per year on a single rate tariff: (3,900 kWh for NSW, 4,000 kWh a year for Victoria, 4,600 kWh for Queensland, 4,000 kWh for South Australia).
If your electricity bill has jumped up a lot in recent times, there are a couple of common causes:
Many energy plans will give you a fixed discount for the first 12 months or so. Once that period has expired, the prices will rise again leading to a sudden spike in your energy bill. Comparing your energy plan and finding one with better rates will go a long way to lowering it again.
People spending more time at home due to COVID-19 restrictions has increased residential energy use, according to a report from the ACCC.
Since heating and cooling already make up about 40% of your bill, more time at home means more temperature control. This is a common culprit for inflated power bills, and you can find more about how to minimise costs in our heating and cooling guides.
Why is electricity so expensive in Australia?
Graduate Publisher at Finder Maddie Burke realised that she could save $125 per bill, simply by switching plans.
| Feature | What it is |
|---|---|
| Supply rate | A supply rate is the amount you are charged per day, regardless of usage. |
| Usage rate | A usage rate is the amount you are charged for energy use. |
| Prepaid packs | Prepaid packs let you pay for energy ahead of time, based on how much energy you expect to use. |
| Wholesale rates e.g. Amber | Purchase energy at the same rate retailers have access to, updated every 30 minutes. Usually involves a membership fee. |
| Fixed rates | Usage and supply rates are set to a single value for the duration of the benefit period. |
| Variable rates | Usage and supply rates can change at short notice, raising or, occasionally, lowering. |
| Feature | What it is |
|---|---|
| Exit fee | The amount you pay if you leave a fixed-term contract before it expires. |
| Disconnection and connection fees when you move | Fees charged to have your gas and power connected or disconnected when you move to or from a property. |
| Disconnection and reconnection fees for non payment | If you fail to pay your energy bills, your retailer might disconnect your house and charge you an extra fee to reconnect it later. |
| Feature | What it is |
|---|---|
| Guaranteed Discount | This is a discount on your usage and/or supply rates that applies no matter what for a set period. |
| Pay On Time Discount | A discount that applies to your whole bill so long as you're never late with payments. |
| Incentives | These are bonus features offered to customers. They could be rewards, extras, frequent flyer points, etc. |
| Bonus Signup Credits | Extra bill credit offered to new customers signing up to the plan. |
| Feature | What it is |
|---|---|
| Time of use | Usage costs depend on when you use your energy, split up into peak, off-peak, and sometimes shoulder periods. |
| Single rate tariffs | All energy use is billed at the same usage rate, regardless of time of use. |
| Feature | What it is |
|---|---|
| Feed-in tariff | The rate paid for excess solar energy fed back into the grid. Certain plans will include this feature. |
| Solar rebate | This a refund that you might be eligible to receive from the government for your solar panels. |
| Feature | What it is |
|---|---|
| GreenPower | An optional extra where a certain percentage of your energy is guaranteed to come from renewable sources. |
| GreenAward | Rates retailers on a number of criteria, including environmental performance, support for clean tech, GreenPower options, and more. |
| Feature | What it is |
|---|---|
| Customer service rating | A composite score from Finder taking into account call centre hours, ease of access, financial hardship support, and more. |
| Call centre hours/weekend hours | What time of day you can get in touch with the call centre and receive help. |
| Financial hardship program | Programs in place for people who can't afford to pay their bills or are having cash-flow issues. |
| Online chat | Availability of online chat services for real-time assistance. |
| Usage management app | Apps for tracking your power usage and keeping an eye on solar production. |
Unfortunately, there is no single best electricity retailer because everyone's power needs are different. As a general guide, we've put together the best providers based on our customer service rating.
According to the results of the survey, the best performing brand is AGL and CovaU, with Origin just behind them by a hair.
Ratings are subject to change. See our full methodology here.
Prices you get from average pattern of energy consumption. Obviously, this is only a general guide and will not match your particular energy requirements. Compare actual usage charges instead.
Plans have two main rates. First is the supply charge, which you pay daily just to be connected to the power grid. Second is the usage rate, which you pay per kWh of energy you actually consume.
There are three main types of discounts:
Origin vs Simply Energy: Which brand offers better electricity rates in your state?
Read more…
Energy Australia vs Origin: Find out who will save you more money.
Read more…Note: This consultant does not compare providers in the Northern Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia.
Electricity Wizard can help you find the right electricity or gas plan from their panel of energy providers.
Have an issue with your power supply? Find how to reach Energex's support team.
We picked brands in 6+ categories and then found the best deals from each brand in the postcode 2000.
Find out who your electricity distributor is.
Find out who your electricity distributor is in Victoria.
Find out who your electricity distributor is in New South Wales.
Why has your energy bill increased?
Can you save money by using energy at certain times of the day on a time of use plan?
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I am looking for the cheapest electricity supplier in NSW. Can you please tell me what company has the best rates for electricity?
Hi Vicki,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. 😃
Regarding your question, I’m afraid I can’t tell you specifically which one offers the cheapest rates. Electric companies consider various factors and thus, the rate would depend on your chosen plan, situation, and preference.
We are currently working on getting pricing to our pages soon.
In the meantime, you can click on the “Go to site” green button for a provider. From there, you should be able to check out their rates.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
I currently have my electricity and gas account with Energy Australia here in Victoria. Despite my usage not really changing and it’s just me, the bills continually rising. Need help.
I am off today and you can phone today but will return tomorrow. This bill is forever rising.
Hi Moira!
We feel your concern about rising utility bills! :(
All you need to do is to leave off a message to our energy broker, by filling up the form on this page. They will do an assessment which provider will match your personal situation.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan
how do i work out the best electricity deals for me?
Hi Jo
Thanks for your question.
You can compare electricity deals on the table provided on this page. If you prefer to speak to someone, you can request a call back from an energy consultant using the form above.
Cheers,
Shirley
Would like to connect to click energy
Hi Laurence,
Thanks for your question. I’ve emailed you a response privately.
how do i talk to an energy consultant
Hi Ken,
Thanks for your question.
I’ve emailed you back privately.