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1st Energy Review and Rates
1st Energy is a small electricity retailer that operates in New South Wales, Victoria and South East Queensland. 1st Energy pitches itself as a customer-focused retailer, promising its customers excellent levels of service, quick solutions and peace of mind that their energy company cares about them. 1st Energy also claims to offer a price that “actually reflects the real cost of doing business”. The retailer is also one of few that doesn’t charge its customers a credit card fee for paying their bills.
So is all this just a sales pitch, or does 1st Energy truly offer a valuable service and good value? In this article, Canstar Blue details what’s on offer from 1st Energy and whether this retailer could be right for you. You can also jump straight into our comparison tool to check the latest pricing for 1st Energy compared to other providers.
Compare 1st Energy Plans
1st Energy Plans
1st Energy’s electricity deals may seem rather difficult to get your head around at first sight. In addition to its required standing offer, 1st Energy has two or three market offers depending on where you live – the ‘1st Saver’, the ‘Easy Saver’ and the ‘Direct Saver’.
The 1st Saver and Easy Saver products are relatively similar. They apply for a two-year contract period and include some of the largest conditional discounts that you are likely to find (not necessarily as good as it sounds). The only difference is that the Easy Saver includes a ‘bonus’ discount for customers that agree to receive their bills via email. These products are available in Victoria, NSW and Queensland.
In Victoria, 1st Energy also offers a third option called the Direct Saver. This comes with a smaller discount than the two plans mentioned above, but the difference is that the discount does not expire after two years. Once again customers will need to pay their bills on time and receive bills via email to benefit from the discount. Of course, we must stress that a bigger discount doesn’t always equate to a better price.
To give you some idea of what 1st Energy might cost you, we have estimated the annual costs of the retailer’s plans across each state. These figures assume a typical three person household on a single-rate plan at selected postcodes in each state. Use our comparison tool above for specific pricing in your area.
1st Energy Electricity Prices NSW
The 1st Saver in New South Wales comes with a 22% pay on time discount off electricity usage charges, while the Easy Saver comes with a bonus 3% discount (for a total of 25%) on usage charges when customers agree to receive their bill by email. These deals are offered with both a single-rate and a time-of-use tariff with the option of controlled load.
| Plan | Discount | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Easy Saver | 25% | $1,650.69 |
| 1st Saver | 22% | $1,701.94 |
| Standing Offer | N/A | $2,315.80 |
Costs based on annual usage calculations using statistics from the AER for a three person household. Costs based on Ausgrid network in Sydney.
You can see how 1st Energy compares to other New South Wales electricity retailers here.
1st Energy Electricity Prices VIC
Victoria is home to some of Australia’s largest discounts and 1st Energy certainly steps up to the plate. It offers a whopping 43% pay on time discount – one of the largest in the state. The Easy Saver goes even further, offering 47% off electricity usage charges – that’s nearly half off when you pay on time. There is also the Direct Saver to consider in Victoria.
| Plan | Discount | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Saver | 20% | $1,252.96 |
| Easy Saver | 47% | $1,268.26 |
| 1st Saver | 43% | $1,331.68 |
| Standing Offer | N/A | $2,162.77 |
Costs based on annual usage calculations using statistics from the AER for a three person household. Costs based on Citipower network in Melbourne.
See how 1st Energy compares to other electricity providers in Victoria with our price comparison page.
1st Energy Electricity Prices QLD
The 1st Saver offers a 28% discount, while the Easy Saver again ups the ante with its 30% discount for South East Queensland customers connected to the Energex network. Once again, this discount is for a two-year benefit period and applies to usage charges when customers pay their bills on time.
| Plan | Discount | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Easy Saver | 30% | $1,575.94 |
| 1st Saver | 28% | $1,607.85 |
| Standing Offer | N/A | $2,058.50 |
Costs based on annual usage calculations using statistics from the AER for a three person household. Costs based on Energex network in Brisbane.
According to our calculations, 1st Energy is a reasonably priced electricity retailer, sitting around the middle in our price comparison table for Queensland.
1st Energy Service Guarantee
1st Energy says its goal is to be the best energy retailer and claims to put its customers first and foremost in every decision. It claims to offer competitive rates, no broken promises, and a guarantee that all emails will receive a reply within a day. 1st Energy also says it has “passionate” account managers ready to take your call.
1st Energy Price Match Guarantee
As part of its “honest pricing” ideology, 1st Energy says that if a customer finds a better price on electricity, it will match it or let them go. Presumably this means that 1st Energy will waive exit fees, however according the retailer’s energy price fact sheets, there don’t appear to be any exit fees regardless.
Account Management
1st Energy’s online My Account service provides customers with a number of tools via which they can monitor and manage their account. Via My Account, customers can:
- Pay their bill
- Check their usage
- Access their account details
- Access their latest invoices
When it comes to invoicing, 1st Energy issues invoices on a monthly basis, with customers able to make payment via:
- Credit card and MasterPass online via 1st’s payment portal
- Credit card via phone
- Direct debit
- BPay
- Cheque via mail
Is 1st Energy right for me?
1st Energy does have some great discounts, but we must stress that this is not indicative of a better price overall. Customers must compare a range of factors, including usage rates, supply charges and any additional fees. 1st Energy often isn’t the cheapest retailer in town, but it does claim to offer outstanding service. If you’re someone who values being treated like a person and not just a customer number, then perhaps 1st Energy has something to offer you. It’s all about understanding what you want from your electricity company and shopping around until you find it. To start your search, check out our customer satisfaction ratings and price comparison tool via the link below.
