Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating vs Good Energy
Where British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating and Good Energy differ
| Compare |  British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating |  Good Energy |
|---|---|---|
| Installation price | £999 | from £985.50Lower |
| Charging power (kW) | 7.4 | 22Higher |
| Tethered cable | No | YesHas it |
| Tariff integration | British Gas, British Gas EV Power | Good Energy EV Charge |
| Charger price | £999 | Not confirmed |
| Solar divert | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Warranty | 3 years | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Installation included (Yes), Mobile app (Yes), Markets (GB).
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Key differences
- Good Energy scores higher overall: 8.9 vs 8.6.
- Installation price is lower at Good Energy: from £985.50 vs £999.
- Charging power (kW) is higher at Good Energy: 22 vs 7.4.
- Tethered cable: only Good Energy.
- Support channels: only British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating offers Chat.
- Support channels: only Good Energy offers Email.
- Founded is lower at Good Energy: 1999 vs 2013.
- Tariff integration: only British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating offers British Gas, British Gas EV Power.
- Tariff integration: only Good Energy offers Good Energy EV Charge.
Our verdict on each
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating
British Gas Hive suits households already on a British Gas supply who want a home charger ordered alongside their energy account, and it prices at £999 with installation included. The trade-off is 7.4 kW of output and an untethered cable, so drivers who need quicker top-ups should look wider.
Good Energy
Good Energy is a British supplier for households that want renewable supply and a home charger sorted under a single roof. Its overall score is 8.9, and the Good Energy EV Charge tariff is the part that sets it apart for anyone charging overnight.
Score breakdown
| Area | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Good Energy |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.2Charging at £999 with installation at £999 and fitting included keeps the entry cost to a single hardware purchase. | 8.6HigherThe cost part is 8.6, propped up by an off-peak rate of £0.08, offset by an exit fee of £50. |
| Offer | 8.8Installation is included, a mobile app handles control, and British Gas and British Gas EV Power tie charging to an existing British Gas account. | 9.2HigherOffer scores 9.2, with renewable electricity at 100%, a tethered charger at 22 kW and installation included. |
| Trust | 9.0Centrica Hive Limited has traded since 2013, and chat, phone and help centre give buyers a clear route to help. | 9.2HigherTrust scores 9.2: trading since 1999, support on email, phone and help centre and a named legal entity, Good Energy Services Limited. |
Availability and regulation
| Country | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Good Energy |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
Available in 1 country for both.
How they place
| Ranking | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Good Energy |
|---|---|---|
| EV tariffs and home chargers | 18 of 27 | 13 of 27 |
What we checked
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating
- hivehome.com: 13 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Good Energy
- goodenergy.co.uk: 11 facts, checked September 30, 2026
- join.goodenergy.co.uk: 1 fact, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Good Energy |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Centrica Hive Limited | Good Energy Services Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2013 | 1999Lower |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Good Energy | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charging power (kW) | 7.4lowest quarter | 22at the median | 22 |
| Warranty | 3 yearsat the median | Not confirmed | 3 years |
Median across 15 listed providers.
Pros and cons
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating
Pros
- Installation is included with the unit, so a fitter does not have to be arranged separately, and the charger price of £999 is the figure most buyers start from.
- Support covers chat, phone and help centre, giving a phone line and live chat alongside written help once the box is on the wall.
- The charger works with British Gas and British Gas EV Power, so charging can follow the tariff the household already holds.
Cons
- The unit is untethered, so there is no permanently attached cable and drivers bring or pick their own lead.
- Output of 7.4 kW places the unit at 12 of 18 on our charger power table, so it suits overnight charging rather than quick turnarounds.
- The £999 charger price sits above DRBO Greenenergy at €499, though the two are quoted in different currencies.
Good Energy
Pros
- Renewable electricity at 100%, secured through ppa, sits behind the whole range.
- Tariff types run to fixed, variable and ev, adding a variable option to the fixed, time of use and ev set listed by Endesa.
- The EV kit is a tethered charger at 22 kW with installation included, and solar divert is supported.
Cons
- An exit fee of £50 applies, which places Good Energy at 22 of 29 brands ranked on exit fee.
- Fixed terms are 12 months, so the rate is protected for a short stretch only.
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre, with no live chat or member forum in the list.
Who each suits
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating
Who it suits
- Households already on a British Gas supply who want the charger ordered alongside the energy account.
- Drivers who charge on the drive overnight and can live with 7.4 kW of output and an untethered cable.
- Buyers who put aftercare first: 3 years of warranty and support across chat, phone and help centre.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for shoppers comparing sticker prices alone: DRBO Greenenergy lists its charger at €499 and Endesa at €1,099, so both belong next to the £999 here.
- Not for anyone outside GB, and for drivers who need a cable fixed to the box. Where the fitting cost decides it, EVSE - Enphase at $1,000 is the figure to weigh against £999.
Good Energy
Who it suits
- EV owners in GB who charge at home overnight and want renewable supply from the same supplier.
- Households willing to accept a short fixed term and an exit fee in return for a low off-peak rate.
- People who want human help on email, phone and help centre rather than app-only self service.
Who should look elsewhere
- Drivers who want dynamic pricing: Powerpeers lists dynamic tariffs within dynamic, fixed and variable.
- Anyone needing a prepay option, which Electricity Ratings includes in fixed, ev and time of use but Good Energy leaves out of fixed, variable and ev.
Country by country
| Country | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Good Energy |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating
What does the Hive EV charger cost, and what is the fitting on top?+
The charger is priced at £999 and the listing states installation at £999. Both are hardware figures quoted at the point of order, not subscription charges, so there is no renewal to weigh once the box is on the wall. Compare the two lines separately against any alternative, because a cheaper unit can carry a higher fitting cost.
Does the price cover installation?+
Installation is marked as included with the unit, so a fitter does not have to be arranged separately. The listing still gives an installation figure of £999, so it is worth checking which parts of the fitting that covers before ordering. The unit itself is £999.
Good Energy
Does Good Energy supply gas as well as electricity?+
Yes. The fuel mix is electricity and gas, so the same supplier can cover both the electricity and gas side of a household. The company serves GB, which narrows it to a single market, and the tariff types on offer are fixed, variable and ev. Budgeting with the same supplier across both fuels usually simplifies the comparison.
What does charging an EV on this tariff cost?+
The off-peak rate on the Good Energy EV Charge tariff is £0.08, and that is the number to compare against other EV tariffs. Overnight charging is the point of the plan, so a household with a home charger and a normal nightly routine gets the benefit without changing habits. Charger and tariff pairing is listed as Good Energy EV Charge, so check your equipment matches before signing up.