Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Octopus vs Utility Warehouse
Where Octopus and Utility Warehouse differ
| Compare |  Octopus |  Utility Warehouse |
|---|---|---|
| Exit fee | £50Lower | £75 |
| EV off-peak rate | £0.080 | £0.075 to £0.090Lower |
| Export rate | £0.12Higher | £0.020 to £0.080 |
| Markets | GB, DE, ES, FR, IT, JP, NZ, USCovers more | GB |
| Renewable share | 86.4% | Not confirmed |
| Renewable basis | Ppa | Not confirmed |
| Customers | Not confirmed | 1,400,000 |
Same on both: Fixed terms (12), Smart meter required (Yes).
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Key differences
- Utility Warehouse scores higher overall: 8.8 vs 8.7.
- Exit fee is lower at Octopus: £50 vs £75.
- EV off-peak rate is lower at Utility Warehouse: £0.075 to £0.090 vs £0.080.
- Export rate is higher at Octopus: £0.12 vs £0.020 to £0.080.
- Support channels: only Octopus offers Email.
- Founded is lower at Utility Warehouse: 2002 vs 2016.
- Octopus is available in 7 more countries.
- Tariff types: only Octopus offers Time of use, Dynamic, Green.
- Markets: only Octopus offers DE, ES, FR.
Our verdict on each
Octopus
Octopus suits households with an electric car or a smart meter that can move their usage to the cheapest windows. It scores 8.7 overall, spreads across variable, fixed and tracker, and charges an exit fee of £50 on its smart plans.
Utility Warehouse
Utility Warehouse suits households wanting a single supplier across electricity and gas with an EV option in the mix. The catch sits in the exit fee of £75 on fixed terms, and a smart meter is required before that fixed price starts.
Score breakdown
| Area | Octopus | Utility Warehouse |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.6Cost scores 8.6, helped by an off peak rate of £0.08 and an export rate of £0.12. | 8.8HigherOff peak EV electricity at £0.075 to £0.09 undercuts standard rates for anyone who charges overnight. |
| Offer | 8.9HigherOffer scores 8.9, with tariff choice spanning variable, fixed and tracker and electricity and gas sold together. | 8.8Tariff types span fixed, tracker and variable, so one account covers fixed, tracker, variable and EV buying. |
| Trust | 8.2Trust scores 8.2, with support on email, phone and help centre, a smart meter requirement and a company founded in 2016. | 8.8HigherFounded in 2002 and serving 1,400,000 customers, with support on phone and help centre. |
The numbers side by side
| Fact | Octopus | Utility Warehouse |
|---|---|---|
| Exit fee | £50 | £75 |
| EV off-peak rate | £0.080 | £0.075 to £0.090 |
| Export rate | £0.12 | £0.020 to £0.080 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Octopus | Utility Warehouse |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
Available in 1 country for both. Additional countries for Octopus: 7.
Pick Octopus if, pick Utility Warehouse if
Pick Octopus if exit fee, export rate, and markets matter most.
Pick Utility Warehouse if trust and ev off-peak rate matter most.
A third option
100Green has exit fee at £0, against £50 for Octopus and £75 for Utility Warehouse.
100Green reviewHow they place
| Ranking | Octopus | Utility Warehouse |
|---|---|---|
| Energy suppliers | 44 of 96 | 42 of 96 |
| EV tariffs and home chargers | 17 of 27 | 16 of 27 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Octopus | Utility Warehouse |
|---|---|---|
| Tariff types | Variable, Fixed, Tracker, Ev, Time of use, Dynamic, GreenCovers more | Fixed, Tracker, Variable, Ev |
| Fuels | Electricity, Gas | Electricity, Gas |
| Legal entity | Octopus Energy Ltd | Utility Warehouse Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2016 | 2002Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Phone, Help centre |
EV charging
| Fact | Octopus | Utility Warehouse |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile plans
| Fact | Octopus | Utility Warehouse |
|---|---|---|
| Seller type | Not confirmed | Mvno |
| Host network | Not confirmed | EE |
| SIM-only | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Billing | Not confirmed | Rolling |
| Price from | Not confirmed | £23.95 |
| Reference plan prices | Not confirmed | Full Fibre 150: £23.95 per month, 152Mbps, 24 months; Full Fibre 500: £30 per month, 500Mbps, 24 months; Full Fibre 900: £35 per month, 944Mbps, 24 months |
| Unlimited plan price | Not confirmed | £13 |
| Contract length | Not confirmed | 24 |
| 5G | Not confirmed | Yes |
| eSIM | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Wi-Fi calling | Not confirmed | Yes |
| EU roaming | Not confirmed | Included |
| Roaming countries | Not confirmed | 45 |
| Mid-contract price rises | Not confirmed | £4 per month rise each April |
| Multi-line discount | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Network coverage | Not confirmed | 99% |
Broadband
| Fact | Octopus | Utility Warehouse |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Not confirmed | Fttp, Fttc |
| Top download speed (Mbps) | Not confirmed | 944 |
| Setup fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Price after contract | Not confirmed | £27.95 to £39 |
| Exit fee terms | Not confirmed | Remaining monthly charges discounted 20% plus £10 disconnection fee |
| Router | Not confirmed | Wi-Fi 6 Hub included free |
| Address checker | Not confirmed | https://uw.co.uk/quote/address |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Octopus | Utility Warehouse | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exit fee | £50at the median | £75highest quarter | £50 |
| Renewable share | 86.4%lowest quarter | Not confirmed | 100% |
| EV off-peak rate | £0.080at the median | £0.075 to £0.090below the median | £0.080 |
| Export rate | £0.12at the median | £0.020 to £0.080lowest quarter | £0.12 |
| Customers | Not confirmed | 1,400,000above the median | 850,000 |
Median across 58 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Octopus
Pros
- The off peak rate of £0.08 on Intelligent Octopus Go is the single number that pulls EV owners across, and the export rate of £0.12 rewards households with panels or a battery.
- Tariff choice runs wide with variable, fixed and tracker sold under one roof, so you can move between pricing shapes without changing supplier.
- A power purchase agreement is the basis for the green tariffs, with 86.4% of the electricity matched to renewable generation.
Cons
- The exit fee of £50 ranks Octopus 22 of 29 on the brands compared, so leaving early is not cheap.
- A smart meter is required, so the smart tariffs only suit homes already set up for one and the installation has to come first.
- The Outgoing plan runs a fixed term of 12 months, so the export side of the deal carries a commitment with it.
Utility Warehouse
Pros
- Tariff choice spans fixed, tracker and variable, covering fixed, tracker, variable and EV buying under one roof.
- Both fuels are available, with fuels covered being electricity and gas.
- Off peak EV electricity at £0.075 to £0.09 gives drivers a clear reason to time their charging.
Cons
- Exit fees sit at £75, placing the supplier 27 of 29 brands on this measure.
- Support runs on phone and help centre only, so live chat and email are not options here.
- A smart meter is required, so a property has to have working metering in place before the fixed price starts reading real usage.
Who each suits
Octopus
Who it suits
- EV drivers with a smart meter who can charge overnight rather than during working hours.
- Households ready to run washing, heating and the car on the cheaper windows of a smart tariff.
- Readers who want electricity and gas from one supplier; Octopus covers electricity and gas.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want a shorter tariff choice to weigh: Powerpeers lists dynamic, fixed and variable.
- Households that pay by prepay, since electricity-ratings lists fixed, ev and time of use and includes that option.
- Anyone after a compact set of plans: Endesa lists fixed, time of use and ev and stops there.
Utility Warehouse
Who it suits
- Households that want both fuels from a single account, since fuels covered are electricity and gas.
- EV drivers with a smart meter who can charge overnight, where off peak electricity runs £0.075 to £0.09.
- Solar households selling spare power back to the network, paid £0.02 to £0.08 for what they export.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for households after a green tariff, since Powerpeers lists green while the options here are fixed, tracker and variable.
- Not for prepayment customers, since Electricity Ratings lists prepay and fixed, tracker and variable does not include it.
- Not for anyone wanting a time of use tariff, since Endesa lists that type and the range here is fixed, tracker and variable.
Country by country
| Country | Octopus | Utility Warehouse |
|---|---|---|
| France | Yes | No |
| Germany | Yes | No |
| Italy | Yes | No |
| Japan | Yes | No |
| New Zealand | Yes | No |
| Spain | Yes | No |
| United States | Yes | No |
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Octopus
What does it cost to leave an Octopus smart tariff?+
Leaving early on the smart plans costs an exit fee of £50, ranking Octopus 22 of 29 on exit fees among the brands compared. That is neither the cheapest way out nor the priciest. If you may move home during the term, add the fee to the cost of switching before you commit to the plan.
How cheap is off peak charging on an Octopus electric vehicle tariff?+
Intelligent Octopus Go charges £0.08 for off peak electricity. That is the figure that decides whether a smart electric vehicle tariff is worth it: if the car can sit on the drive overnight, the lower window compounds month after month, and charging in the busier hours works against the saving.
Utility Warehouse
What does it cost to leave a Utility Warehouse fixed tariff?+
Yes on fixed tariffs, where the exit fee is £75. That cost is why the fixed term at 12-month deserves a second look before signing, especially for renters or anyone expecting to move house. Budget it as part of the tariff price rather than a surprise later.
Can I get both electricity and gas from Utility Warehouse?+
Yes. Fuels covered are electricity and gas, so electricity and gas can sit on the same account and the same bill. Availability is limited to GB, which makes sense for a GB supplier, and it also means each meter needs to be in place before the account is fully live.