Compare electricity plans in Victoria

How to choose the right VIC electricity plan for you

Comparing electricity rates in Victoria is simple. With the help of our comparison tool, you’ll easily navigate dozens of options to decide which is best for you.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to using Canstar Blue’s energy comparison tool.

1. Enter your postcode into our comparison tool or upload a past bill and press the search icon on the right-hand side.
2. Filter results by provider, contract length, conditional discount, billing frequency, and plan features. If you have a controlled load, edit the blue text in the white box above the tool and change your tariff type in the ‘refine your search section’.
3. Sort results by value rank, customer satisfaction or price.
4. Find your perfect plan and click the green ‘See offer’ button to sign up on the provider’s page.

What is the cheapest electricity provider in Victoria?

Tango Energy and 1st Energy are currently the cheapest electricity providers in Victoria. However, the list is constantly changing, as competitors race to offer the cheapest plans.

About half of Victorians are still with the ‘big three’, Origin, AGL and EnergyAustralia, but it’s not often that these well-known power companies offer the best deal in the state. What’s more likely is that small-to-medium-sized challenger brands will make a more concerted effort to stay on top.

Who has the best electricity rates in Victoria?

Typically, a good usage rate in Victoria is 20-21¢/kWh, with a reasonable supply charge sitting at about 113¢/day.

Ultimately, the best rates are the ones that suit your household’s energy needs:

• If you are part of a smaller, lower usage household,  a cheaper supply charge may be the way to go.
• For bigger households, a plan with cheaper usage rates would be more cost-effective.

What tariffs apply to Victorian electricity?

Tariffs refer to how you’re charged for your electricity usage by your provider. Your electricity meter’s configuration and your location may determine the tariff you pay.

The Victorian electricity tariffs available to you may include:

• Single rate tariff: One rate throughout, regardless of the time of day — this is the most common tariff type in Victoria.
• Block rate tariff: One rate for the first electricity ‘block’ and another for the remainder.
• Flexible pricing tariff: Different rates in peak, off-peak and shoulder periods.
• Time of use tariff: Different rates in peak and off-peak periods.
• Demand tariff:  Electricity supply and usage charges plus a ‘demand’ charge.
• Controlled load tariff: Separately metered appliances are charged at a lower rate.

What rebates or concessions are available in Victoria?

Eligible Victorian households may have options for support in paying their electricity bills. Here is a list of concessions provided by the state government: 

• Federal Government’s Energy Bill Relief Fund extension: Australian households can claim an additional $150 off electricity bills in July 2025.
• Annual Electricity Concession: A payment for seniors and concession card holders to the amount of 17.5% of electricity usage and service costs.
• Excess Electricity Concession: A payment for seniors and concession card holders who have unusually high power bills (exceeding $3,985.13/year). Payable on 17.5% of electricity usage and service costs.
• Winter Gas Concession: Available for winter gas bills to concession cardholders with bills (doesn’t apply to the first $62.40). Payable on 17.5% of gas usage and service costs.
• Excess Gas Concession: Available to concession cardholders with unusually high winter gas bills (exceeding $2,499.14 throughout winter). Worth 17.5% of gas usage and service costs.
• Life Support Concession: Households with at least one member requiring life support equipment are entitled to a reduction on their power bills. This is applicable to 1,880 kilowatt hours of power a year.
• Medical Cooling Concession: A concession with 17.5% of electricity usage and service costs for customers with medical conditions that inhibit them from self-regulating their body temperature. This is available from November 1 to April 30.

Victorian Default Offer (VDO) Explained

The Victorian Default Offer (VDO) is a benchmark by which all power plans must be compared. It brought more transparency to the Victorian energy market, making it easier to compare plans without the presence of dodgy discounts or misleading marketing.

Energy companies must reference how their deals compare to the VDO. For example, a standing offer needs to be listed as ‘Equal to the VDO’, whereas a more affordable plan might be listed as ‘20% less than the VDO’.

Keep in mind that plans equal to the VDO aren’t the cheapest options out there, so it’s important to shop around for the best deal.

Understanding electricity in Victoria

Victoria has a total of five distribution networks that run and maintain power supply for different regions:

• CitiPower: Melbourne city and inner suburbs
• Jemena: Northern and south-western suburbs
• Powercor Australia: Western suburbs and western Victoria
• AusNet Services: Outer northern and eastern suburbs and eastern Victoria
• United Energy: Southern suburbs and Mornington Peninsula

A distribution network is responsible for electricity coverage in your area.

Distribution charges make up a large part of your power bill, and your location can impact how much you’re paying for power.

Due to distribution costs, a household in rural Victoria will likely pay more for its power than one in inner-city Melbourne.

Most Satisfied Customers Award – VIC Provider

Canstar Blue releases an annual satisfaction rating for electricity providers in Victoria. In this report, providers are ranked based on value for money, customer service, bill & cost clarity, ease of sign-up, focus on environmental sustainability, online tools and advice and overall satisfaction.

Lumo Energy has claimed its second award for Most Satisfied Customers in the garden state, earning five stars for overall satisfaction, value for money, customer service and ease of signup. It also scored four stars for online tools and advice and bill and cost clarity.

Outstanding Value Award – VIC Providers

Canstar Blue’s Outstanding Value Awards are based on our unique value rank methodology and highlight the electricity providers that offer superior prices, value and features for consumers in each eligible state or territory.

In 2024, Tango Energy was awarded Outstanding Value in Victoria for its well-priced offers,  no-lock-in contracts and incentives such as monthly billing and direct debit during the observation period.

Learn more about electricity in Victoria

Why compare VIC electricity plans with Canstar Blue?

About our energy experts

Tara Donnelly, Utilities Editor

Tara Donnelly is Canstar Blue’s Utilities Editor, leading the team that focuses on energy, telecommunications and consumer technology. She has spent more than a decade covering these topics in Australia, the US and Canada, and has authored over 500 Canstar Blue articles. Her expertise has seen her appear in national media including 9 News, 7 News, Sunrise, the ABC , The Australian Financial Review, 4BC Radio and The Sydney Morning Herald.

Tara has been nominated for multiple awards for her technology reporting, including Canstar Blue’s highly commended recognition for Best Consumer Technology Coverage in 2024. She has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canberra and is passionate about simplifying complex subjects so consumers aren’t just informed, they’re connected and confident. You can read more of Tara’s published articles and follow Tara on LinkedIn.

Breanna Gream, Data Insights Team Lead

Bachelor of Business (Finance) with Distinction & Bachelor of Mathematics (Applied Computational Modelling) with Distinction, QUT

Breanna Gream is Canstar’s Data Insights Team Lead, responsible for developing the methodology and delivering Canstar Blue’s Value Ranking and determining Outstanding Value award winners for the energy and telecommunications sectors. Breanna completed a double Bachelor’s degree in Business, majoring in Finance, and Mathematics, majoring in Applied Computational Modelling, at the Queensland University of Technology.

Breanna enjoys using her skills to help consumers find more suitable utilities plans by transforming complex calculations into a Value Rank that provides a simpler way to compare different products. She most recently developed Value Ranking methodologies for wireless broadband plans and solar energy plans, to make it easier for households to identify plans that provide good value not just in terms of prices but also the features they offer. Breanna’s work on Value Ranking plays a key part in determining the winners of Canstar Blue’s Outstanding Value awards for electricity, gas, solar, phone and internet brands.

Many of the articles published by Canstar Blue feature calculations also undertaken by Breanna and her team, which converts pricing data into easy-to-understand cost forecasts and average price information for readers.

During her time at Canstar Blue, Breanna has developed an in-depth knowledge of product, market and regulatory changes across the electricity, solar, gas, internet and phone sectors, and particularly likes keeping Canstar Blue’s methodologies up to date and reflective of the ever-changing utilities environment. 

When Breanna’s not crunching data, she’s likely to be somewhere remote – two of her favourite things to do are hiking and mountain climbing.