OctoTariffs

Supplier comparison

Octopus Energy vs EDF: prices, GoElectric and switching

Octopus vs EDF compared on standard variable prices in your region, EDF GoElectric against Octopus Go and Intelligent Go, and what to check before switching.

Edited by Rob Gibbs. Published: . Guidance reviewed: .

Methodology · Corrections

Quick answer

For a household on a standard variable tariff, Octopus Flexible and EDF’s standard variable tariff are held to the same regional cap. The live table shows the measured gap for your region.

For EV drivers, EDF GoElectric is a strong rival: a seven-hour overnight window open to any EV and charger. Octopus Go gives five hours; Intelligent Go gives six hours plus extra smart-charging slots, but needs a supported car or charger.

Octopus offers more tariff structures, including Agile, Tracker, Cosy and solar export tariffs. Compare the full annual cost rather than the off-peak headline.

Standard variable prices in London

EDF's standard variable tariff cannot charge more than the Ofgem price cap for your region. Below, Octopus Flexible is measured against that cap month by month. If Flexible is under the cap, it is under the most EDF can charge on its standard variable tariff.

Over 12 complete months, this tariff came in under the Ofgem cap in 12 of them.

Monthly cost on this tariff against the Ofgem price cap, most recent month last
MonthThis tariffCapDifference
October 2025£68.40£68.70−£0.30
November 2025£66.20£66.49−£0.29
December 2025£68.40£68.70−£0.30
January 2026£71.52£71.93−£0.41
February 2026£64.60£64.97−£0.37
March 2026£71.52£71.93−£0.41
April 2026£64.44£64.61−£0.16
May 2026£66.59£66.76−£0.17
June 2026£64.44£64.61−£0.16
July 2026£68.81£69.83−£1.02
August 2026£68.81£69.83−£1.02
September 2026£66.59£67.57−£0.99

Both columns cost the same 2,500 kWh a year on the typical household consumption pattern, on a direct-debit basis — the basis the cap itself is set on. A negative difference means this tariff was cheaper. The cap is a cap on what you can be charged, not a price anyone is billed, so this compares this tariff against the maximum a capped tariff could have charged the same household.

EDF smart and EV tariffs

Summarised from EDF's own pages. Published rates are headline figures checked on the date shown and can vary by region; they are not quotes.
EDF productWhat it offersNearest Octopus option
GoElectricEVA fixed EV tariff with a whole-home off-peak rate from 11pm to 6am every night, published at 6.66p/kWh. EDF says it works with any EV and charger. Source, checked 2026-10-30.Intelligent Octopus Go in London

Octopus is likely the better fit if…

  • You want more than one type of smart tariff to choose from

    Agile, Tracker, Cosy, Flux and the Outgoing export tariffs cover more home setups than EDF’s range.

  • You have solar panels or a battery

    Octopus pairs import tariffs with Outgoing, Outgoing Agile and Flux export payments.

  • You have a supported EV and want charging scheduled for you

    Intelligent Go adds smart-charging slots beyond the fixed household window.

EDF is likely the better fit if…

  • You have an EV with a charger Intelligent Go does not support

    GoElectric works with any EV and charger and still gives seven off-peak hours.

  • You want the longest fixed overnight window for the whole home

    GoElectric’s 11pm–6am window is longer than Go’s 00:30–05:30.

  • You prefer a fixed price for the term

    GoElectric is fixed. Compare the day rate and standing charge as well as the off-peak rate.

Before you switch

  • Compare the full annual cost (unit rates plus 365 days of standing charge), not the headline off-peak rate.
  • Check exit fees on your current fixed tariff. Switching in the last 49 days of a fix is fee-free under Ofgem rules.
  • Take a meter reading on the switch date so the closing and opening bills agree.
  • For EV tariffs, check the day rate: on a long overnight window a higher day rate can cancel out the cheap night rate.

The full timeline is in how to switch to Octopus.

Questions people ask

Is EDF GoElectric better than Octopus Go?

It depends on your day-time use and equipment. GoElectric has a longer off-peak window and works with any charger. Go’s window is shorter. Intelligent Go adds smart slots but needs a supported car or charger. Compare the annual cost with your own usage.

Will my supply be cut off when I switch?

No. The same wires, pipes and meter carry on supplying you; only the company billing you changes. Most switches complete within five working days.

Why does this page compare Octopus with the price cap rather than with the other supplier’s rates?

Ofgem sets a regional ceiling on the unit rate and standing charge of every standard variable tariff, and the large suppliers price their default tariffs at or close to it. The cap is published for every region, so it gives a like-for-like benchmark we can measure each month. Rival fixed and smart tariffs are quoted individually and change often, so we list their published rates with the date we checked them instead.

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