Over the last decade, the energy industry in the UK has been disrupted by the rise of so-called ‘challenger’ brands. These new suppliers often promised cheaper tariffs, better service, and a heavier reliance on green energy.
Two of the most successful of these are Octopus and Bulb. Both claim to be greener, better alternatives to traditional providers, and had seen great success prior to the ongoing energy crisis.
But, which one comes out on top? We’ve taken a look at the facts to save you the time.
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Bulb Energy has made it very clear they want to make things as simple as possible. So, true to their word, they only offer one deal – their standard variable tariff.
While this may seem a little simplistic, Bulb says this singular approach allows them to provide a superior service, as they can focus their resources on other parts of the business
Under normal circumstances, the variable tariff would mean the price you pay per energy unit changes monthly. Due to the current crisis, however, it will consistently be at the maximum amount allowed by Ofgem.
One advantage of their fixed-term contracts is that you are not obliged to stay with them for any period of time. That means if you want to leave, you can do so without incurring exit-fees.
Whereas Bulb goes for simplicity, Octopus Energy has chosen variety when it comes to their products.
Their different tariffs are available on monthly or 12-month fixed rate plans. If you choose to go for the rolling contract, then you will pay slightly more each month.
As well as their standard offering, Octopus have a range of ‘innovative’ tariffs, containing distinguishing features which would appeal to different types of customers:
Both of these providers take pride in being able to offer cheaper tariffs than many of their competitors. However, this was before the cost of wholesale energy sky-rocketed in 2021-22.
Now that prices are so high, companies have far less wiggle-room. Currently, cheap fixed-rate deals and introductory offers are almost impossible to find, with energy providers all charging the maximum amount they are allowed.
Octopus have said that they will offer loyal customers a rate £50 below the price-cap. But, as this is only available to existing customers, it’s not much help if you’re thinking about switching.
If global climate catastrophe is weighing on your conscience, Octopus and Bulb are both great options. 100% green energy tariffs sit at the heart of both companies’ propositions, but of course, that’s not all they do.
Octopus are very involved in developing renewable technologies. They have received huge investment over the past few years to do this, and currently supply around 40% of the UK’s solar energy.
Bulb’s main selling point comes from their carbon offset gas. This means that while only 10% of their natural gas comes from green sources, they offset the carbon footprint caused by the other 90% through a range of emission reducing initiatives around the world.
Overall, this one was too close to call, as both companies have different green credentials. So, we’re going to call it a tie.
This one’s a lot easier.
Using data taken from Citizens Advice, we can see that Octopus Energy is head and shoulders above Bulb when it comes to customer service. In fact, they were tied for the top spot with M&S Energy, with both boasting an impressive 3.95 out of 5. Bulb fared less well, and found themselves 11th in the table, with a forgettable rating of 3.15 out of 5.
It’s important to note that these figures are a little old, running from July-September 2021. However, even if we take a look at TrustPilot, Bulb’s customer service rating of 4.5 stars falls just short of Octopuses 4.8. So, we can safely say Octopus won this round.
Whereas both apps offer more or less the same services on paper, looking at the customer reviews for both shows one side as the clear winner.
Octopus, it appears, have had some difficulties with theirs for a while. Sporting a meagre 3.2 and 2.7 stars on the Playstore and Appstore respectively. Specific problems focus around sporadic technical issues which can render the application unusable.
Bulb, however, has no such concerns, and has a highly impressive 4.8 stars for Apple users, and almost unheard of 5 stars for Android. This is miles ahead of Octopus, so, for app functionality, Bulb gets the crown.
Despite Bulb’s app being superior, Octopus gets our vote overall. The wider variety of tariffs and better customer service seemed more important to customers than having a good app, something we view as more of a nice thing to have than a necessity.
So, while we still believe Bulb are a great option, if your looking to switch provider, we’d recommend Octopus