Best Energy Supplier: Octopus Energy Vs Scottish Power

When it comes to domestic energy and business energy, it has never been more difficult to choose between suppliers. Energy consumers have more choices than ever before. 

Octopus Energy might not be part of the Big Six energy suppliers, but Scottish Power is. Should consumers always opt for the biggest name? How do these suppliers compare in terms of packages, prices, and customer service ratings? How about new customer incentives? 

In this guide, our experts explore the best options for domestic and commercial energy customers. They compare two big-name suppliers to see if they do live up to their reputations. 

Why Compare Energy Suppliers?

Given the energy landscape, consumers would be mad not to switch!

Prospective Octopus business energy, Scottish Power business energy, and domestic energy consumers can save themselves a lot of hassle by simply comparing suppliers. 

The energy landscape is confusing, and it often leaves consumers wondering which supplier to choose. Octopus Energy, Scottish Power, and lots of other suppliers make bold claims about their services, but fail to deliver. Things like customer service support should never be left to chance. 

Comparing suppliers can also help consumers find a tailored deal. This is especially important for small, medium, and large businesses that have different needs. 

With Ofgem’s new 5-day rule, it has never been quicker or easier to switch suppliers!

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Which Has the Best Range of Tariffs for Home Energy? (Winner: Octopus Energy)

Some energy suppliers cater to one type of customer, whereas others create tariffs for every kind of customer imaginable. The trick is to find a supplier that caters to your needs. 

Octopus Energy makes home energy customers sign up before it shows them the most popular tariffs on offer. To see all the tariffs, customers can simply pop their postcode in. But beware, scrolling through all the tariffs on offer can be time-consuming and confusing.

Customers can choose from the flexible, gas offset, smart, and prepay tariffs. The sheer number of tariffs can feel overwhelming, so we recommend signing up to see the most popular tariffs. 

Flexible Octopus offers consumers 100% renewable energy. It is a variable tariff, which means that unit rates mirror changing wholesale prices. There are a few different options: Flexible Eco 7 Electricity, Flexible Electricity, or Flexible Gas. Economy 7 is a type of meter that offers lower rates during certain off-peak hours. No matter which Octopus Energy tariff you choose, you will always hear about price increases before they happen. 

Octopus Go is designed for EV (electric vehicle) drivers. It promises cheap electricity from 12:30 am to 4:30 am every night. EV owners can keep their fuel costs to just 2p per mile! Octopus Go Green is an offshoot of Octopus Go. It is a beta product, which means that some parts of the service might not be as seamless as the other tariffs. 

Customers can also opt for Octopus 12M Fixed, which features 100% renewable electricity for 12 months. There are no exit fees. We recommend this tariff to customers who want to lock in good rates and be in control of their monthly expenses. 

Scottish Power home energy customers can choose from several tariffs that all offer 100% green electricity. They are ‘not greenish, they’re truly green.’ All the electricity comes from the supplier’s wind farms in the UK. 

The 1-Year Flexi Price Tariff ends on the 31st of August 2023 and customers have to pay £150 per fuel to exit early. It comes with 100% renewable electricity. The 1-Year Flexi Price & Boiler Insurance Tariff is the same, but it features 12 months of boiler insurance. Customers on this tariff also need to install a smart meter. 

The 2-Year Flexi Price Tariff ends on the 31st of August 2024 and customers have to pay £150 per fuel to exit early. It features 100% renewable electricity, and some of the proceeds even go towards Cancer Research UK. The 2-Year Flexi Price & Boiler Insurance Tariff is the same, but it features 12 months of boiler insurance. Likewise, this tariff requires a smart meter. 

Winner: Octopus Energy wins this round because it has a wider range of tariffs that are catered to different customers. However, Scottish Power provides prospective customers with much clearer information. 

Which Has the Best Prices for Home Energy? (Winner: Octopus Energy)

More and more energy suppliers are being transparent about their energy prices.

Octopus Energy is very transparent about its prices. The Flexible Octopus option is available for Flexible Eco 7 Electricity, Flexible Electricity, and Flexible Gas tariffs. Flexible Eco 7 Electricity promises a day rate of 30.36 p/kWh, a night unit rate of 20.94 p/kWh, and a standing charge of 42.06 p/day. 

EV drivers love Octopus Go. Between the hours of 12:30 am and 4:30 am, the electricity unit rate is 7.5 p/kWh.

Octopus 12M Fixed comes with a unit rate of 60.82 p/kWh and a standing charge of 41.98 p/day for electricity. Gas is available at a unit rate of 18.03 p/kWh and a standing charge of 27.22 p/day. 

Scottish Power is less transparent about its home energy prices. Prospective customers have to request a quote to see the unit rates for each tariff. 

Related: Should I fix my energy prices until 2023?

Winner: Octopus Energy is the clear winner because it is much more transparent about unit rates. 

Which Has the Best Customer Service for Home Energy? (Winner: Octopus Energy)

Energy is an essential yet often overlooked part of day-to-day life. When things go wrong, it is important to have a customer support network that you can rely on. Trustpilot is an invaluable source of information for conscientious consumers. It provides a platform for existing customers to share their experiences. 

Octopus Energy has 4.8/5 stars on Trustpilot and an overall average of excellent. Over 100,000 customers have left a review for this supplier, which is astounding considering that it is not part of the Big Six. 89% of customers think that the services are excellent, and only 3% think that the services are bad. 

Happy reviewers mention customer service representatives by name and claim that they are helpful and kind. Negative reviewers claim that they have had ongoing issues and face unresponsive customer service representatives. Unfortunately, Octopus Energy only replies to a few negative reviews, which means that only a few disappointed reviewers receive help.

Scottish Power has 3.5/5 stars on Trustpilot and an overall rating of average. It has just over 40,000 reviews. 46% of customers think that the services are excellent, and 24% of customers think that the services are bad. 

Positive reviewers are pleased with the helpful representatives and reasonable prices. Unsatisfied customers warn others against the ‘truly awful’ customer service and some are even undertaking legal action. Scottish Power does not reply to any of the negative reviews that it receives. 

Winner: Octopus Energy has a far better rating and even replies to more customer reviews, albeit sporadically. 

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Which Has the Best Green Credentials for Home Energy? (Winner: Octopus Energy)

Octopus Energy leads the way for EV owners, but does it also promise them green credentials? 

This supplier is best known for Octopus Go, an energy tariff that promises lower rates during certain hours. Octopus Go Green is an offshoot of this deal. It allows EV drivers to fill up for a tenth of the price of a traditional car and keep their fuel costs around 2p per mile. This tariff is powered by green electrons that Octopus purchases directly from renewable generators. 

Go Green is in the very early stages of development, and consumers can expect to encounter problems. They will also need to install a secure branded SMETS1 meter, which allows for the transmission of half-hourly consumption data. 

Customers can also expect green energy from any of this supplier’s other electricity tariffs. 

All of Scottish Power’s domestic tariffs come with 100% green electricity. This supplier generates electricity from wind farms that are in the UK. Whichever tariff home energy consumers choose, they can rest assured that they are investing in an environmentally-friendly package. 

Winner: Octopus Energy just cinches the win because it not only provides home energy consumers with 100% green electricity but also creates tailored tariffs for eco-conscious EV owners.  

Which Has the Best Incentives for Home Energy? (Winner: Draw)

Since the dawn of time, suppliers have used new customer incentives to sweeten the deal. Incentives can be vouchers, credit, or even cash! Lots of smaller or up-and-coming energy suppliers use new customer incentives to push their names into public consciousness. 

Unfortunately, neither Octopus Energy nor Scottish Power offers new customer incentives. Both suppliers rely on their existing reputations to reel in new customers. 

Winner: This round is a draw. 

Overall Home Energy Winner: Octopus Energy

Home energy consumers might be shocked to discover that Octopus Energy fares far better than Scottish Power in several areas. When our experts compared both suppliers on packages, prices, green credentials, and customer service support, they found that Octopus has far better offerings. 

We recommend Octopus for EV owners who want the cheapest economy tariffs possible as well as excellent customer service. 

Scottish Power is better suited to home energy consumers who value comprehensive deals that include services that they are already looking for such as boiler cover. Given that this supplier does not reveal its prices on the website, it is also better suited to consumers who do not mind doing a bit more leg work. 

Which Has the Best Range of Tariffs for Business Energy? (Winner: Octopus Business Energy)

Octopus business energy tariffs are hidden. Customers have to input their postcode and answer questions about their energy usage to see the full range of popular tariffs. No matter which tariff customers choose, they can expect 100% certified renewable electricity, award-winning customer service, and no disruption to their supply.

Prospective customers can visit this page to see all the available tariffs. They can choose from a variable, gas offset, smart, and fixed tariffs. The Flexible Octopus Business tariff is available on Flexible Eco 7 Electricity, Flexible Electricity, and Flexible Gas tariffs. 100% of the electricity is renewable.

Octopus Green Business offers consumers fixed rates for 12 months and is specifically designed to support EV drivers. Octopus Green Business 24M offers the same fixed rates for EV drivers, but for 24 months. Fixed tariffs are perfect for people who want consistent unit rates. 

Octopus business energy customers can also access specific products. This supplier creates tailored Panel Power packages for solar developers and installers and even an Electric Juice package for people who are running a charging business. 

Scottish Power business energy tariffs are straightforward. Customers will be pleased to know that this supplier uses typical tariff names, which means that no guesswork is involved. Customers can choose from Business Fixed, Standard Fixed, Business Variable, and Deemed tariffs. 

Business Fixed offers fixed unit rates for 1, 2, or 3 years. It also comes with a UK-based business energy team, online account management, and energy efficiency advice that is backed by the Carbon Trust. Standard Fixed is the tariff that customers are automatically enrolled on when they do not request a specific tariff. It promises fixed unit rates for 1 year and no exit fees. Customers are not obligated to stay on this tariff. 

The Standard Variable tariff is a typical variable unit rate tariff. Unit rates rise and fall with wholesale energy prices. There are no exit fees for this tariff. The Deemed tariff also comes with variable unit rates, but this type of tariff is designed for customers who move to new premises and use energy without signing a contract. 

Finally, Scottish Power business energy customers can choose the newest offering, the For Business deal. It is a bit more complicated than the standard energy offering. It comes with both fixed unit rates (which are not impacted by wholesale costs) and variable charges for external network, social, and environmental services which might change during the tariff. The tariff is available for 1, 2, or 3 years, and customers are informed of changes every quarter.

Related: A guide to 2 & 3 year fixed tariffs

Winner: Although Octopus business energy customers have to request a quote to see the most popular tariffs, they can still browse through all the tariffs available to them. They can see clear unit rates and even access special business-oriented products. 

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Which Has the Best Prices for Business Energy? (Winner: Octopus Business Energy)

Unit rates are an important consideration for energy customers, especially business energy consumers who use large amounts of business electricity and business gas. With rising energy prices, it is no surprise that a lot of energy suppliers display unit rates on their websites. 

Octopus business energy customers do not have to wonder about unit rates. The Flexible Octopus Business tariff offers variable rates for Flexible Eco 7 Electricity tariffs as well as standard Flexible Electricity and Flexible Gas tariffs. Consumers who are on the Eco 7 Electricity option can expect a day unit rate of 46.79 p/kWh, a night unit rate of 34.52 p/kWh, and a standing charge of 31.07 p/day. The standard electricity unit rate is 44.48 p/kWh and the standing charge is 31.07 p/day.

Octopus Green Business is a renewable tariff that offers a fixed unit rate of 18.57 p/kWh and a fixed standing charge of 20.68 p/day for 12 months. For a full breakdown of the unit rates for all tariffs, put your postcode in and request a quote. 

Prospective Scottish Power business energy customers will be disappointed to know that this supplier is not as transparent about its prices. Business owners have to request a quote for a lot of the tariffs. They can only see unit rates for the Standard Variable and Deemed tariffs. Even these rates vary from location to location. 

Customers can browse through Standard Variable electricity rates and Deemed Rates electricity rates on the website. 

Read our top 5 money-saving expert tips for businesses to reduce their bills without switching.

Winner: Octopus Energy wins this round because it provides customers with transparent unit rates for all tariffs.  

Which Has the Best Customer Service for Business Energy? (Winner: Octopus Business Energy)

Trustpilot tells us all we need to know about customer satisfaction. Existing customers can leave honest, real-time reviews on this platform. 

Some suppliers create an account for domestic customers and a separate account for business customers. Unfortunately, Octopus business energy and Scottish Power business energy customers share an account with domestic customers. This means that they might see some reviews that are not relevant to business services. 

Octopus has 4.8/5 stars on Trustpilot, whereas Scottish Power has 3.5/5 stars on Trustpilot.

Winner: Octopus stands head and shoulders above the competition with an almost perfect Trustpilot score.

Which Has the Best Green Credentials for Business Energy? (Winner: Scottish Power Business Energy)

Octopus offers customers 100% renewable electricity that comes from lots of different sources. Octopus tariffs are powered by sun, wind, and water energy. Business customers can also talk to energy efficiency teams to help reduce their consumption and lower their environmental impact. 

Octopus has even created a dedicated sustainability hub for business customers. It has partnered with PlanetMark, a company that certifies businesses for carbon reduction. For 10% less than the usual price, Octopus customers can get a certified carbon footprint, access Net Zero workshops, and use free toolkits. Octopus business energy customers can take advantage of lots of discounts on other eco-friendly services that focus on green travel, water consumption, and even sustainable digital marketing! 

Scottish Power business energy customers can also expect 100% renewable electricity that is sourced from the supplier’s wind farms in the UK. Even better, it has created Scottish Power Renewables to lead the way toward a more sustainable future. This initiative is part of the Iberdrola Group, one of the largest utilities and wind energy producers in the world. Customers can read through the press releases page to see all the environmental programmes that this supplier is involved in. 

So, are green tariffs worth it?

Winner: Scottish Power business energy cinches the win! This supplier has its wind farms and has even created Rewards, a sustainability programme that it funnels millions of pounds into. 

Which Has the Best Incentives for Business Energy? (Winner: Draw)

New customer incentives can make or break a deal, especially for business energy consumers who have lots of suppliers vying for their attention. It is no surprise that a lot of suppliers offer discounts, credit, or even cash incentives for new customers. 

Unfortunately, Octopus business energy and Scottish Power business energy customers cannot expect new customer incentives.

Winner: This round is a draw. 

Overall Business Energy Winner: Octopus Business Energy

Octopus Energy has proven that the Big Six energy suppliers do not necessarily offer the best services! Not only do we recommend Octopus for home energy customers, but we also recommend it for business energy customers. 

Octopus offers such a broad range of tariffs that there is something to suit every kind of business. Even better, unit rates have never been more transparent! Business owners can view the rates on the website and make informed decisions. And with a customer service rating that is almost perfect, Octopus business energy customers can rest assured that they will be supported through all kinds of issues. 

Compare Energy Suppliers

Interested in switching suppliers? There are a lot of suppliers out there, but there is never enough time in the day to research them all. At Love Energy Savings, we streamline the switching process. 

Our experts have created a supplier comparison tool for home energy customers, and for business energy customers, we also have a business energy comparison tool for people who want to avoid all the tiresome legwork of sorting business utilities. 

Simply put your postcode into the generator and wait. After 60 seconds, you will have a list of suitable suppliers. It has never been easier to find a tailored tariff and supplier!