Electricity can be confusing, but switching is a lot easier than you think.
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Currently available for electricity and gas in NSW, ACT, VIC, SA and QLD (limited plans in Ergon Area), and for electricity only in TAS. Not available in WA, NT, or for embedded networks and non-quotable meters
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How do I compare electricity plans?
If you're comparing electricity plans, there are a few things to check, including the rates.
Usage rates and supply charges
The usage rate is what you pay for each unit of electricity you use, measured in cents per kWh. The supply charge is a flat daily fee for being connected. You pay it no matter how little power you use. If your household doesn't use much electricity, keeping the supply charge low makes the bigger difference; if you use a lot, a low usage rate matters more. For most homes, you're better off with 2 reasonable rates than one really cheap rate that's dragged down by a much higher one.
Tariff type
A single-rate tariff charges the same no matter when you use power. A time-of-use tariff is cheaper off-peak and higher at peak times. If you can run appliances during the day or late at night, time-of-use can be a good option as long as you have a smart meter. You can read about other tariff types to see what else is available.
The reference price
In most of the country, electricity plans are advertised as a percentage below a government-set benchmark called the reference price. The further below the reference price a plan sits, the better the deal. (We'll explain how this works in more detail, including how the terminology varies between states and territories, in the next section.)
Discounts and credits
Sign-up credits and pay-on-time discounts can be great, but read the conditions. A big welcome credit paired with high usage rates and/or supply charges can cost you more over the year than a plan with low rates.
Contract terms and fees
Check for things like the disconnection fees, credit card fees and how long any introductory offer lasts.
Green options
If you want greener power, look for a GreenPower add-on. You'll pay a little extra for your retailer to match your electricity usage with renewable energy. Some providers also offer a carbon neutral option, where they buy carbon offsets from projects that reduce or store greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar feed-in tariff
If you have solar panels, check the feed-in tariff, which is the credit you're paid for the electricity your panels send back to the grid. It's best to avoid choosing a plan on the feed-in rate alone: a high credit can be wiped out by expensive usage rates, so look at what the plan charges you as well.
Did you know?
You can only shop around and compare electricity plans in New South Wales, Victoria, South East QLD, Tasmania and the ACT. In WA and the NT, electricity prices and providers are regulated, so households generally can't choose their electricity retailer.
What is the reference price?
When comparing electricity plans, the reference price gives you a simple way to see if a deal is actually good value.
It's the estimated cost of the default plan you'd be on if you didn't choose a different offer.
In NSW, South Australia and South East QLD, this is called the Default Market Offer (DMO). It acts as a benchmark for comparing other electricity plans.
So, if a plan says it's "15% less than the reference price", it's expected to cost about 15% less than that benchmark for a typical home.
Generally, the bigger the discount, the better the deal.
The rules vary slightly depending on where you live.
In the ACT, it's still called the reference price, but it's set by the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission rather than the AER.
Victoria has its own version called the Victorian Default Offer (VDO).
Tasmania is the exception, as it doesn't have a reference price. Instead, electricity plans are compared against Aurora Energy's standing offer.
How much does electricity cost in Australia?
What you pay depends on your state, your network distributor and your tariff.
Here's an example of the average cost of electricity across all states and territories for single rate plans.
You'll see a range for NSW in the table below because the state has 3 electricity distribution networks.
We used the following methods to work out average usage rates in each state:
ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, VIC and TAS. We looked at single rate tariff plans in our database across each state, territory and distributor. Some providers set minimum and maximum usage rates, so we averaged those as well. For example, a provider might charge one rate for the first 11kWh used each day, and a different rate for any usage above that.
NT and WA. We used the usage rates for residential customers set by state regulators.
How can I get 3 hours of free electricity?
As of 1 July 2026, there's a new opt-in energy plan worth knowing about.
The Solar Sharer Offer gives eligible households 3 hours of free electricity every day, during the middle of the day when solar floods the grid.
Here's how it works:
Where it's available: NSW, South Australia and South East QLD for now. VIC will have its own version go live in October.
The free window: 11am-2pm in NSW and SE QLD, and 12pm-3pm in SA.
Eligibility: Renters and homeowners. You don't need your own solar panels, but you do need to have a smart meter installed.
The catch: The free power is capped at 24kWh a day and you still pay for anything you use outside the window, plus your daily supply charge. The prices outside of the free window are fairly high, so you'll need to be able to shift most of your energy use into that 3-hour period to make the most of the offer.
This will depend on where you live and what type of plan you're after. There's no single cheapest provider for everyone.
Your best option is to use our engine up top to compare energy plans for your area and find the cheapest deal.
That said, a few things hold almost everywhere:
Standing offers are rarely the cheapest. If you've never switched, moving to a market plan is usually where the biggest savings are at. If you're unsure of what plan you're on, check your last bill or simply ask your provider.
Don't overlook the smaller retailers. AGL, Origin and EnergyAustralia are among the largest electricity providers, but they might not be the cheapest. Electricity itself is the same no matter who supplies it, so it's worth comparing plans from smaller retailers too.
You can also check out our guide to the cheapest energy plans to see which providers are slinging the lowest rates this month.
Did you know?
Most states offer rebates and/or concessions for eligible households, including pensioners, concession card holders, low-income households and people with certain medical needs. If you're struggling to keep up with your bills, there are also hardship programs available. What's available depends on your state, circumstances and energy retailer. You can check your state government's website or contact your retailer to find out if you're eligible.
206 Finder Electricity Customer Satisfaction Award winners
Each year we survey thousands of Aussies to highlight which electricity brands they love the most, based on their overall satisfaction and experience.
Here's a look at the most loved brands nationally and across the major states for 2026.
Most Loved Electricity - National: Red Energy
Red Energy was the winner for Most Loved Electricity - National with a score of 4.10.
Check out the full awards list to see which electricity providers topped in other categories, including trust and service.
How do I switch electricity providers?
Once you've found a better plan, the switch itself usually takes 5 minutes, as long as the electricity account is in your name.
Here's what you need to do:
Find a recent bill. It lists your usage rate and supply charge, your current tariff and your National Meter Identifier (NMI).
Compare plans. Enter your address to see which plans are available to you. See how they stack against the reference price or the Victorian Default Offer.
Pick a plan and apply. Your new retailer takes it from there and sorts out the changeover with your old one, so there's no cancellation call to make.
Wait for the changeover. Your electricity keeps running the whole time and if you have second thoughts, you'll have a 10-day cooling-off period to cancel the switch.
Reading your electricity bill can be daunting if you don't know what any of it means. Check out our glossary to make sense of the jargon.
Usage charge: This is what you pay for the electricity you use, measured in cents per kWh.
Supply charge: This is the fixed daily cost of being connected to the grid, whether you use power or not.
kWh (kilowatt-hour): The unit used to measure electricity usage. Your usage charge is based on how many kWh you use.
Tariff: The pricing structure that determines how you're charged for electricity, such as single rate, time-of-use or controlled load.
Single-rate tariff: You're charged one flat rate for electricity, regardless of the time of day.
Time-of-use tariff: You're charged different rates depending on when you use electricity, usually split into peak, off-peak and shoulder periods.
Controlled load: A separate, cheaper electricity rate for specific appliances, such as an electric hot water system.
Feed-in tariff: The credit you receive for solar power you export back to the grid.
Standing offer: The default electricity plan you'll be placed on if you don't choose a market offer. Prices are regulated through benchmarks like the DMO or VDO, but these plans are usually more expensive than competitive offers.
Market offer: A plan set by an electricity retailer with its own rates, discounts, credits or other incentives. These plans are usually cheaper than standing offers.
Reference price: A government-set benchmark used to compare electricity plans. Retailers advertise discounts as a percentage below this price, such as "15% less than the reference price". The name and rules vary depending on where you live.
DMO (Default Market Offer): The reference price used in NSW, South Australia and South East QLD. It acts as a benchmark for comparing electricity plans.
VDO (Victorian Default Offer): Victoria's version of the reference price, set by the Essential Services Commission.
Smart meter: A digital electricity meter that records your usage and can send readings remotely. It's often needed for time-of-use tariffs and some solar offers.
NMI (National Meter Identifier): A unique number linked to your electricity connection, which you can find on your energy bill.
Why compare energy with Finder?
We know our stuff. Our experts review hundreds of plans each month. It's hard work, but we love it.
You can rely on us. We update plan data on dozens of providers daily, and we're constantly fact-checking.
We're here to help. We've helped millions of Aussies find cheaper energy. That's pretty powerful.
Frequently asked questions
Usually, yes. If you're on a standing offer or haven't switched in a couple of years, moving to a competitive market plan can save you a few hundred dollars a year.
The saving depends on your state and usage, so compare plans at your address to see the potential savings for your household.
This can vary depending on what plan you're on. For example, according to the Australian Energy Regulator, "a typical customer moving from the median market electricity offer to the lowest offer in their distribution region could achieve savings ranging from $200 in Queensland to $420 in South Australia."
No. A switch only changes the retailer that bills you, not the physical supply to your home. Your meter and connection stay exactly as they are, so the power keeps flowing and no site visit is needed.
Yes. If you pay the electricity bill, you can choose your own retailer, just like a homeowner. The exception is if you're in an embedded network (common in some apartment blocks), where your options are limited.
On a time-of-use tariff, peak is when power costs the most (usually weekday evenings) and off-peak is when it's cheapest (overnight and, increasingly, the middle of the day).
A single-rate tariff charges the same at all times.
About once or twice a year is a good habit. Even if you don't actively switch, you should see if you're still on the best deal by comparing plans.
This depends on where you live. According to our Consumer Sentiment Tracker, the average electricity bill can vary between $276 to $484 per quarter.
Mariam Gabaji is a journalist with 13 years of experience, specialising in consumer topics like mobile services and energy costs. Her work appears in the ABC, Yahoo Finance, 9News, The Guardian, SBS, 7News, A Current Affair and Money Magazine. Mariam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and was a finalist for the 2024 and 2025 IT Journalism Award for Best Telecommunications Journalist.
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AGL and EnergyAustralia are closely matched on price but AGL fares slightly better for additional perks such as bundling offers.
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