Pros
- Bonus points for Everyday Rewards members
- Comprehensive app for keeping track of energy usage and bills
- Good solar feed-in tariff rates
Cons
- Cheapest deals only come with a 12-month benefit period
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Origin Energy review: Our verdict
Origin isn't the cheapest energy provider on the block. But, it does have some well-discounted plans that are 3% to 22% less than the reference price.
What's the catch?
- Discounts (or lack of) will vary between states
- Your benefit period will last 12 months before you notice your bills creep up again
But the good news is that there is no lock-in contract or exit fees on most of Origin's offerings so you can change plans or move on to a new provider after your first year.
Origin also makes up for its higher rates by offering:
- Everyday Rewards points
- Extensive customer service support features (it got 4 out 5 stars on Finder for customer service)
- Options to purchase GreenPower and Green Gas to help you offset your carbon footprint
Origin Energy offers
Deal
Bundle with broadband to get $10 off your monthly broadband plan
Customers with both with Origin Energy and Origin broadband get $10 off their monthly broadband plan
Where is Origin Energy available?
With more than 4.2 million Aussies signed up to its plans, Origin Energy operates in every state and territory except the Northern Territory and Tasmania. You can get both electricity and gas in all available states except Western Australia where electricity isn't available.
Energy plans and annual cost estimates by state
We've given a snapshot of Origin's electricity and gas plans (plus annual bill estimates) by state.
But first, here's a look at what rewards or incentives you might be privy to on eligible plans:
- Everyday Rewards members can collect 5,000 bonus points on sign-up, and 1 point for every $1 spent on your energy bill.
- Get 25% GreenPower at no extra cost if you're an Everyday Rewards member.
Click on your state below to get started. Please note that rates and other details were last checked 10 June 2022.
Electricity plans
| Plans | Rates | Annual bill estimate | Rewards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Go | 12 months guarantee | $1,810 | ✅ | |
| Origin Flexi Rate ePlus | Variable rates on 12 month plan | $1,430 | ❌ | |
| Origin Basic | Variable | $1,830 | ❌ |
Estimated cost including GST for an average household using 3,900 kWh yearly on a flat rate tariff in the Ausgrid network.
| Plans | Rates | Annual bill estimate | Rewards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Go | 12 months guarantee | $1,217 | ✅ | |
| Origin Flexi Rate ePlus | Variable | $1,126 | ❌ | |
| Origin Basic | Variable | $1,335 | ❌ |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 4,000 kWh yearly on a flat rate tariff in the Citipower network.
| Plans | Rates | Annual bill estimate | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Go | 12 months guarantee | $1,610 | ✅ |
| Origin Flexi Rate ePlus | Variable rates on 12 month plan | $1,320 | ❌ |
| Origin Basic | Variable | $1,630 | ❌ |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 5365.5 kWh yearly on a flat rate tariff in the ENERGEX Ltd network.
| Plans | Difference from reference price | Rates | Annual bill estimate | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Go | 9% less | 12 months guarantee | $2,384 | ✅ |
| Origin Flexi Rate ePlus | 31% less | Variable rates on 12 month plan | $1,806 | ❌ |
| Origin Basic | 8% less | Variable | $2,408 | ❌ |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 6,100 kWh yearly on a flat rate with control load tariff in the EvoEnergy network.
| Plans | Rates | Annual bill estimate | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Go | 12 months guarantee | $2,180 | ✅ |
| Origin Flexi Rate ePlus | Variable rates on 12 month plan | $1,870 | ❌ |
| Origin Basic | Variable | $2,200 | ❌ |
Estimated cost including GST for an average household using 5292.5 kWh yearly on a flat rate tariff in the SA Power Networks - NSP network.
Gas plans
| Plans | Rates | Annual bill estimate | Rewards | 100% Green Gas free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Go | 12 months fixed rate | $830 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Origin Flexi Rate ePlus | Variable rates on 12 month plan | $760 | ❌ | ❌ |
| Origin Basic | Variable | $840 | ❌ | ❌ |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 17,739 MJ yearly in the JEMENA network.
| Plans | Rates | Annual bill estimate | Rewards | 100% Green Gas free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Go | 12 months fixed rate | $1,784 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Origin Flexi Rate ePlus | Variable rates on 12 month plan | $1,113 | ❌ | ❌ |
| Origin Basic | Variable | $2,019 | ❌ | ❌ |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 52,560 MJ yearly in the Australian Gas Networks Limited network.
| Plans | Rates | Annual bill estimate | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Go | 12 months fixed rate | $640 | ✅ |
| Origin Flexi Rate ePlus | Variable rates on 12 month plan | $620 | ❌ |
| Origin Basic | Variable | $650 | ❌ |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 6679.5 MJ yearly in the Australian Gas Networks Limited network.
| Plans | Rates | Annual bill estimate | Rewards | 100% Green Gas free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Go | 12 months fixed rate | $1,073 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Origin Flexi Rate ePlus | Variable rates on 12 month plan | $812 | ❌ | ❌ |
| Origin Basic | Variable | $1,084 | ❌ | ❌ |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 20,000 MJ yearly in the EvoEnergy network.
| Plans | Rates | Annual bill estimate | Rewards | 100% Green Gas free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Go | 12 months guarantee | $1,010 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Origin Flexi Rate ePlus | Variable rates on 12 month plan | $920 | ❌ | ❌ |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 16352 MJ yearly in the Aust. Gas Networks network.
| Plans | Rates | Annual bill estimate | Rewards | 100% Green Gas free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Go | 12 months guarantee | $687 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Origin Flexi Rate ePlus | Variable rates on 12 month plan | $522 | ❌ | ❌ |
| Origin Supply | Variable | $694 | ❌ | ❌ |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 4,000 units yearly in the ATCO Gas Australia network.
Can I save with Origin Energy by bundling gas and electricity?
You can save by bundling up gas and electricity with Origin if you live in NSW or the ACT, and sign up to the provider's Origin Go plan.
Here's how much you could save per year:
Origin Energy and Internet bundling
Origin is also giving NBN and fibre broadband unlimited data plans to its customers for $10 less per month if bundled with one of its energy offerings.
| Plan | Speed | Usual price (per month) | Bundled with energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday NBN | 25Mbps | $74 | $64 |
| Experience NBN | 50Mbps | $84 | $74 |
| Enthusiast NBN | 100Mbps | $104 | $94 |
| Super fast NBN | 250Mbps | $134 | $124 |
| Ultra fast NBN | 1000Mbps | $155 | $144 |
Good to know. Only homes with Fibre to the Node (FTTN) or Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) connection types can get access to NBN 250 and NBN 1000. Take a dive into figuring out the right NBN speed for your household here.
You can BYO modem or purchase one from Origin for $149 + $20 for express post delivery.
If your property doesn't have an existing NBN connection, you'll need to pay around $300 to get your premises connected.
| Plan | Speed | Usual price (per month) | Bundled with energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday Fibre | 25Mbps | $74 | $64 |
| Experience Fibre | 50Mbps | $84 | $74 |
| Enthusiast Fibre | 99Mbps | $104 | $94 |
| Super fast Fibre | 248Mbps | $134 | $124 |
| Ultra fast Fibre | 600Mbps | $154 | $144 |
- Keep in mind that there's a one-off Opticomm connection fee of $99.
Solar Energy
Does Origin offer solar plans?
You'll hear Origin describe itself as a "one-stop" solar system provider. It not only has energy plans for households with solar panels, it also offers a range of other services that include the design, installation and maintenance of your solar system.
How good is the feed-in tariff?
Here's a breakdown for each state. We've compared Origin's feed-in tariffs to state-specific benchmarks (where applicable) so you know where they stand.
- Watch out for: Origin's highest feed-in tariffs are only applicable to households that purchase a solar system through the provider.
Benchmark range. The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal's report has set NSW's benchmark range for 2020-2021 to 6-7.3c/kWh for feeding electricity into the grid.
Expect 5c/kWh or 14c/kWh, depending on which plan you opt for.
You can get 22 c/kWh back.
Benchmark range. The Essential Services Commission for Victoria has put the state's benchmark at 6.7c/kWh.
Expect 6.7c/kWh or 10c/kWh, depending on which plan you opt for.
You can get 20 c/kWh back.
We've used data from South East Queensland to give you the information below.
Benchmark range. There is no set minimum solar feed-in tariff for South East Queensland, but the rates are monitored by the Queensland Competition Authority.
Expect 5c/kWh or 13c/kWh, depending on which plan you opt for.
You can get 18c/kWh back.
Benchmark range. There is no preset minimum feed-in tariff rate since the ACT government ended its solar buyback incentive.
Expect 7c/kWh or 11c/kWh, depending on which plan you opt for.
You can get 20c/kWh back.
Benchmark range. There is no longer a minimum feed-in tariff in South Australia.
Expect 6c/kWh or 13c/kWh, depending on which plan you opt for.
You can get 21c/kWh back.
Green Energy
How green is Origin Energy?
Green Electricity Guide Rating: 1.6/10
Origin allows its customers to offset their carbon emissions by purchasing GreenPower government accredited renewable electricity and Green Gas.
For GreenPower, you could be paying an extra:
- $8.45 per quarter – 25% GreenPower
- $17.50 per quarter – 50% GreenPower
- $35 per quarter – 100% GreenPower
However, certain plans have the added incentive of offering 25% of GreenPower free of cost.
Green Gas will only cost you an extra $1 a week on all residential gas plans.
User reviews and customer service
★★★★★
3.9 out of 5 stars
Origin Energy user reviews and customer service
Origin's user rating on Finder is 3.9, with around 75% of customers giving it above average positive reviews (4 or 5 stars).
★★★★★ It also got 4 out of 5 stars in our customer service rating. The average between 50 providers we cover is 2.8 which makes Origin's standing high up the ladder.
For another perspective, the 2019-2020 market report from the Australian Energy Regulator is another good source to look at. Here's a look at Origin's performance:
| Origin Energy | Market Average | Major provider average | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average call wait time | 145 seconds | 53 seconds | 99 seconds |
| Calls abandoned before being answered | 10% | 9% | 6% |
| Complaints (% of total customers) | 1% | 2% | 2% |
Why does customer service rating matter?
A high customer service score is a great indicator of how your energy provider will help you:
- Understand your current electricity, gas or solar plan
- Switch to a new plan
- Figure out your energy bill
- When you're experiencing any financial difficulty
How can I get in touch with Origin Energy?
Origin has a few different ways for you to get in touch all 7 days of the week (Monday to Friday, 7am–9 pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am–5 pm/AEST). You'll be able to:
- Call or speak to an agent via online chat through its website or app
- Check its user-friendly app for energy usage and bill
- Online chat to its customer advocacy team for financial assistance (Monday to Friday, 8am-5pm/AEDT)
Looking to switch to Origin Energy?
If you're keen to switch to an energy plan with Origin, all you need to do is click the green "Enquire now" button and fill out the form.
Your second option is to directly sign up via Origin's website. All you need to do is enter your address, choose a plan and follow the prompt.
- Once you're signed up, Origin will take care of the rest. Keep in mind that the switching process can take anywhere between 1 and 3 months.
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:
- Single rate with a controlled load
- Time of use
- Time of use with a controlled load
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.
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Ask an Expert
Do you have energy home assessor , who visit an make recommendations?
Hi Tim,
Thank you for your inquiry.
While we cannot recommend what is best for you, we can offer you a general information. Regarding electricity and gas you can call Origin Energy website or call 13 24 61.
I hope this information has helped.
Cheers,
Harold
My mother is an ‘Origin’ customer but does not get any discounts except for the pension. Can she switch to the ‘Origin Saver’ plan, if not, she will switch to another supplier that will offer her discounts.
Hi Cheryle,
Thanks for reaching out to us. Please note that we are not affiliated with Origin Energy or any company we feature on our site and so we can only offer you general advice.
Origin Energy offers certain discounts for electricity and gas depending on your plan and your state. You may select your state on the tabs above this page to see details. I suggest contacting Origin Energy directly to inquire about their discounts.
Best regards,
Rench