What’s the difference between Good Energy and Octopus Energy?
A comparison of two energy companies
Octopus Energy and Good Energy have a lot in common. We both install solar panels and heat pumps, which we both see as the main way we’ll cut the carbon from how we heat our homes. 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.
Fuel mix
All suppliers publish an annual fuel mix, showing where their electricity has come from. There are caveats to this in that certificates called REGOs are used to evidence renewable electricity and suppliers don’t have to have actually sourced renewable electricity to use them as evidence – but we’ll get onto that.
Good Energy’s most recent fuel mix (April 2024 – March 2025) is 100% renewable, with 47% from wind, 32% from biogeneration, 12% from solar and 9% from hydro.
Octopus Energy’s published fuel mix is 84.8% renewable and 15.2% nuclear (April 2023 – March 2024). It discloses that the renewable portion is 56.8% offshore wind, 32.2% onshore wind, 6.3% solar, 4.6% hydro and 0.1% biomass.
Good Energy doesn’t buy nuclear power. Whilst it is low carbon, it tends to be supported through very high strike prices because of its extremely high cost. So we don’t see the need to support it further, especially given it takes so long to build new power stations and our modelling has shown the UK can achieve net zero without new nuclear. We see our role as supporting lots of independent renewable generation.
Support for renewables
Octopus Energy says it buys power from ‘700 renewable generators and counting’. Good Energy buys from over 3,000. If you consider that Octopus is now the UK’s biggest energy provider with over seven million customers whereas Good Energy has tens of thousands, this is a very marked difference.
Good Energy promises to match all of its customers’ electricity usage with power procured directly from renewable generators. This means if you join us, we have to go and find more renewable power from the market. 36% of the power we supply comes from new renewable generators too – so you know you are helping to support the growth of renewables.
Another aspect that is important here is time-matching. Good Energy matches the output from our renewable generators with the electricity our customers use in half hourly intervals 90% of the time. Octopus has not published their equivalent figure.
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 energy provider to be a certified B Corp.
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 has now pipped Octopus on TrustPilot. We are now rated 4.9 stars to Octopus’ 4.8.
A minimal difference and you are likely to get good service from either, but we are very proud to be number one.
Energy tariffs
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.
Price
Good Energy’s SVT is currently 11% 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.
Good Energy’s off peak rate for our EV tariff is just 6.6p/kWh whereas Octopus’ Octopus Go is 9p/kWh, and our heat pump tariff is designed with data from our heat pump customers to ensure heat pump users save money.
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
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.
The reason we supply 10% green gas is because that is the ceiling for how much of the UK’s gas can be met with biogas produced sustainably. Biogas isn’t the answer to decarbonising heat countrywide – electrification through heat pumps are necessary to do that – but if you do live in a home heated with gas today, Good Energy’s a greener option here.
Heat pump installation
Both energy companies install heat pumps, but again we take different approaches. Octopus heat pump installation is typically around £4,460 after the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme government grant. Good Energy heat pumps do cost from £4,000 but a more typical standard installation around £8,000.
Good Energy’s heat pump engineers are experts at bespoke installations in larger or more difficult to heat properties. We pride ourselves on being able to install a heat pump in practically any home, and our prices include additional work such as installing new radiators, complex pipework, and a new hot water cylinder.
The end result is a highly efficient heating system that outperforms industry averages, often with lower running costs than competitors.
Octopus tend to be cheaper as we’ve seen and may be right for some properties, but we believe we offer higher quality, efficient solutions for larger, more complex installs.
In summary
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.
