Good Energy vs Octopus Energy: What’s the Difference?
A comparison of two energy companies
Octopus Energy and Good Energy have a lot in common. We both install solar panels and heat pumps. We both use the same billing platform – Kraken, developed by Octopus and since growing into its own independent company. And we both believe in rapidly reducing emissions from energy and combatting climate change.
But there are some key differences. If you are considering your options between the two suppliers, here’s what we think those are.
Good Energy vs Octopus Energy: Renewable Electricity Mix
All suppliers publish an annual electricity fuel mix, showing where their electricity has come from.
Good Energy’s most recent fuel mix (April 2025 – March 2026) is 100% renewable, with 55% from wind, 27% from biogeneration, 9% from solar and 9% from hydro.
Octopus Energy’s published fuel mix is 86.4% renewable and 13.6% nuclear (April 2024 – March 2025). It doesn’t disclose where the renewable portion comes from.
Another important distinction is that we buy our power in slightly different ways too – with Good Energy favouring long term contracts to provide maximum support to renewable energy generators. More on that below…
Good Energy doesn’t buy nuclear power. Whilst it is low carbon, it tends to be supported through very high strike prices – making it a more expensive fuel than renewable electricity. We see our role as supporting wide-spread independent renewable generation instead.
Hourly matched renewable power
At Good Energy, we’re very proud to be ranked Number one for British-made renewable electricity †. We achieve the highest hourly match to renewable electricity of all UK energy suppliers – verified independently by the Matched Clean Power Index. Here’s how Good Energy’s hourly matching score compares with Octopus Energy:
Why does that matter? While some electricity can be stored using technologies like batteries and pumped hydro, most electricity needs to be used more or less as soon as it’s produced. That’s the whole reason hourly matching matters: it shows whether renewable power is genuinely flowing into the system at the exact moment demand rises, which will help the UK to lower its carbon emissions from energy for good.
Which Energy Supplier Supports More Renewable Generators?
Octopus Energy says it buys electricity directly from 700 renewable generators and counting. Good Energy buys from over 3,000 independent renewable generators – giving us Britain’s largest renewable electricity producer community out of all major UK energy suppliers ‡.
That’s a significant difference, especially when you consider that Octopus is the UK’s largest energy supplier, with over seven million customers, compared with Good Energy’s tens of thousands.
But it’s not just about the numbers. It’s about how we buy our power.
Good Energy commits to matching 100% of our customers’ electricity use with power we buy directly from renewable generators (and achieves the highest hour-by-hour match). As more customers join us, we need to secure more renewable electricity to meet their demand.
Octopus also supports some renewable generators through direct Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). However, its remaining renewable electricity portion is likely to be backed by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs). These certificates can be bought separately from the electricity itself, without necessarily providing the same direct financial support to British renewable generators.
So both companies support renewables, but as a customer of Good Energy you are likely to have a greater impact. This is reflected in Good Energy being the only UK home energy provider to be a certified B Corp.
Good Energy vs Octopus Energy customer service
Octopus Energy is rightly renowned for customer service, and much of this is underpinned by the brilliant technology they built in Kraken. However, since moving to Kraken and evolving our own customer service, Good Energy is now tied with Octopus Energy at 4.8 stars.
“Great service from Ryan setting up an account for my 80 year old mother. Many thanks!”
“Hannah was extremley helpful in assisting with obtaining a refund. Nothing was too much trouble and she responded very quickly! I deal with a number of different utility companies, and …”
“Ive recently joined with good energy and so far best thing I could have done they are friendly polite very helpful always reply quickly and easy to understand recommend highly …”
“I spoke to Rachel S today from Team A she very quickly understood that I had made a mistake with a meter reading and kindly resolved the problem very efficiently . “
Trustscore 4.8 | 15,144 reviews
Good Energy vs Octopus Energy: Energy Tariffs Compared
The two suppliers have quite different approaches to tariffs. Good Energy offers a single Standard Variable Tariff (SVT) as well as flexible Smart tariffs for EV drivers and heat pump users. Octopus Energy has lots more tariffs with various flexible rates.
Ultimately Good Energy takes a simplified approach where you know whatever tariff you choose supports UK renewables, with options for more innovative flexible tariffs available too. Octopus is a great innovator in this area and offers a wide range of tariffs. What works for you will be a matter of choice.
Good Energy vs Octopus Energy: Prices and Costs
Good Energy’s SVT is currently 5% more than the price cap for a typical home on dual fuel. It is exempt from the price cap because it supports renewables more than other suppliers’ tariffs. Octopus does not have this exemption and therefore its standard tariffs will likely be cheaper.
Both suppliers re-price their Smart tariffs regularly to ensure competitive rates that match market conditions. Sometimes Good Energy’s have cheaper off-peak rates, and sometimes Octopus. Both suppliers pay customers 12p / kWh on their standard export tariffs – with Good Energy offering an exclusive higher rate tariff for 12 months, currently paying 25p / kWh, to customers that install solar panels and a battery with us.
Again it is up to customer choice, the likelihood is most customers will save money with Octopus but anyone who chooses Good Energy can be assured they are doing more to help support renewables.
Green Gas: Good Energy vs Octopus Energy
10% of the gas Good Energy supplies is from biogas, a renewable form of gas where biomethane is captured from organic matter. We then carbon offset all of the emissions from our customers’ gas usage through Gold Standard schemes which support renewable production around the world.
Octopus does not offer green gas and offsets emissions from the gas usage of customers on its Supergreen tariff.
Good Energy vs Octopus Energy: Solar Panel Installation
Both Good Energy and Octopus Energy install solar panels for British homes. We both use quality technologies with long-term warranties and enhanced safety features. Good Energy exclusively installs SolarEdge optimised systems, which allow each panel to perform independently, helping maximise the electricity your system can generate – and therefore your annual savings.
Octopus says that its panel-only systems use micro-inverter technology. These work similarly to optimisers, to help every single panel work at their optimal performance. However their solar and battery systems do not benefit from this technology – relying instead on the battery’s built in inverter. This means that if one panel is shaded, dirty or faulty, the whole system performance will be compromised.
Good Energy also installs solar panels for businesses of all sizes, with flexible funding options. Businesses can pay for their system upfront or explore finance and PPA partnerships to help fund their installation.
Octopus Energy also installs solar panels for businesses through its GreenWorks scheme, which is only available to businesses spending over £100,000 a year on electricity. Under this scheme, Octopus manages the installation, operation and maintenance, with no upfront costs. While businesses receive some savings through their energy bills, this model may not deliver the same long-term financial benefits as purchasing and owning a solar system outright.
Good Energy vs Octopus Energy: Heat Pump Installation
Both energy companies install heat pumps, but again we take different approaches. Octopus install most of their heat pumps directly in house. Good Energy installs via a trusted partner, Installio.
Good Energy vs Octopus Energy: Which Should You Choose?
Octopus Energy does lots of brilliant things and has no doubt been a driver of innovation and brilliant customer service in energy. If your main concern when choosing an energy supplier is price, they’re a good option. But if your main concern is being greener, whilst not having to sacrifice great customer service, we don’t think Good Energy can be beaten.
† Good Energy ranked #1 in the Matched Clean Power Index, an independent assessment of how closely UK suppliers match renewable generation to customer demand on a half hourly basis. Comparison verified at https://matched.energy.
‡ Good Energy has Power Purchase Agreements with more than 3,000 independent renewable generators – enough to match the total electricity volume used by its home and business customers. Based on publicly available information, this is the largest PPA (including SmartGen) community among major UK energy suppliers. Excludes microgenerators, such as Smart Export and FIT participants.
