Since regulatory changes in July 2019 overhauled the industry, some Aussies will have moved from expensive ‘standing offer’ contracts to cheaper regulated contracts, which also act as a reference price. While the new default pricing does offer ‘fairer’ prices, there are still greater savings to be found. You simply need to understand what type of energy contract you’re on. In this article, Canstar Blue explains the difference between market offers and the default pricing, showing examples of how much customers can expect to save by switching.
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Default Contracts vs Market Offers
If you’re not on a market offer energy plan, then you’re most likely paying the maximum a retailer can charge you for electricity. Market offers are contracts designed by electricity retailers and often include discounts, bill credits, competitive rates and other sign-up incentives to help reduce costs or provide other value add-ons. The alternative to market offer plans is the Default Market Offer (DMO) in NSW, QLD and SA, while it’s known as the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) in VIC. These are default, government-regulated energy deals which usually charge higher rates and don’t include any discounts. You will likely be on a default offer if you have never switched retailers, or haven’t switched in several years. In most cases, market offer plans will work out cheaper, and will generally be the more competitive deal out of the two.
Households could save hundreds of dollars a year by switching contract types, potentially even with the same energy retailer. And in many cases, even greater savings could be made by switching from a standard default contract with one retailer to a market contract with another. Learn more with our guide on switching energy providers.
According to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), around 10% of households in the market are still on a standard contract – that means thousands of Aussies are paying too much for electricity. Canstar Blue breaks down each state below, comparing the annual cost of default offers to the cheapest market offers of some of the largest retailers. These tables should be used a guide only as costs will not be updated regularly.
Compare Market Energy Offers
Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. These costs are based on the Ausgrid network in Sydney but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 3911kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.
Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. These costs are based on the Citipower network in Melbourne but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.
Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. These costs are based on the Energex network in Brisbane but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4613kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.
Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4011kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.
New South Wales
Here are some of the cheapest published deals on our database for NSW. These costs are based on the Ausgrid network in Sydney but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. See here for further information on the Reference Price, which in this comparison assumes general energy usage of 3911kWh/year, meaning the Reference Price is $1,827/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information. Pricing below is subject to change.
| Electricity Retailer | Annual Default Market Offer | Annual Cheapest Market Offer | Annual Savings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kogan Energy | $1,827 | $1,326 (Kogan Energy for Current First Members) | $501 | |
| GloBird Energy | $1,827 | $1,389 (GloSave) | $438 | |
| EnergyAustralia | $1,827 | $1,399 (FlexiPlan) | $428 | |
| Powershop | $1,827 | $1,425 (Power House) | $402 | |
| Dodo | $1,827 | $1,442 (Market Offer) | $385 | |
| OVO Energy | $1,827 | $1,452 (The One Plan) | $375 | |
| Average | $1,827 | $1,405 | $421 | |
| Basic Plan Information Documents | ||||
*Price assumes general energy usage of 3911kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Estimated price includes any conditional discounts that may be available. Pricing based on Ausgrid network in Sydney, but prices differ between distribution zones. April 2024.
As you can see, a typical household on the Ausgrid network in Sydney could save as much as $421 on average a year by switching between contracts with the same retailer. Even greater savings might be possible by switching contracts AND retailers. All you have to do is pick up the phone or search online and switch.
Victoria
Here are the cheapest published deals on our database for VIC. These costs are based on the Citipower network in Melbourne but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. Plans are listed in order of lowest price first. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year, meaning the VDO is $1,571/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information. Pricing below is subject to change.
| Electricity Retailer | Annual Victorian Default Offer | Annual Cheapest Market Offer | Annual Savings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CovaU | $1,571 | $1,030 (Super Saver) | $541 | |
| GloBird Energy | $1,571 | $1,038 (Boost) | $533 | |
| Tango | $1,571 | $1,038 (Value Select) | $533 | |
| Engie | $1,571 | $1,100 (Engie Blue Perks) | $471 | |
| Kogan Energy | $1,571 | $1,111 (Kogan Energy For Current First Members) | $460 | |
| OVO Energy | $1,571 | $1,140 (The One Plan) | $431 | |
| Average | $1,571 | $1,076 | $494 | |
| Energy Fact Sheets | ||||
~Price assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Estimated price includes any conditional discounts that may be available. Pricing based on Citipower network in Melbourne, but prices will differ between distribution areas. April 2024.
There are also tidy savings to be made in Victoria, where, as you can see, customers could stand to save around $494 by switching to a market contract. However, with the VDO priced much more competitively than the DMO in other states, there is a smaller difference between the default tariff cost and the cheapest deals.
Queensland
Here are the cheapest published deals on our database for SEQ. These costs are based on the Energex network in Brisbane but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. Plans are listed in order of lowest price first. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4613kWh/year, meaning the Reference Price is $1,969/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information. Pricing below is subject to change.
| Electricity Retailer | Annual Default Market Offer | Annual Cheapest Market Offer | Annual Savings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GloBird Energy | $1,969 | $1,572 (GloSave) | $397 | |
| Engie | $1,969 | $1,576 (Engie Blue Perks) | $393 | |
| Dodo | $1,969 | $1,605 (Market Offer) | $364 | |
| OVO Energy | $1,969 | $1,616 (The One Plan) | $353 | |
| CovaU | $1,969 | $1,619 (Freedom) | $350 | |
| Powershop | $1,969 | $1,622 (Switch Saver) | $347 | |
| Average | $1,969 | $1,601 | $367 | |
| Basic Plan Information Documents | ||||
*Price assumes general energy usage of 4613kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Estimated price includes any conditional discounts that may be available. Pricing based on the Energex network in Brisbane. but prices will differ between distributions areas. April 2024.
Queenslanders can save $367 on average per year by switching to a market contract. While this may not seem like a lot over the course of a year, that’s still a decent amount of cash that you’d probably rather see in your pocket than your power company’s. Once again, switching between contracts AND retailers could herald even greater savings.
South Australia
Here are the cheapest published deals on our database for SA. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. Plans are listed in order of lowest price first. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4011kWh/year, meaning the Reference Price is $2,279/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information. Pricing below is subject to change.
| Electricity Retailer | Annual Default Market Offer | Annual Cheapest Market Offer | Annual Savings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GloBird Energy | $2,279 | $1,782 (GloSave) | $497 | |
| Amber | $2,279 | $1,910 (Amber Plan – Variable Wholesale Prices) | $369 | |
| Kogan Energy | $2,279 | $1,982 (Kogan Energy For Current First Members) | $297 | |
| Pacific Blue | $2,279 | $2,013 (Blue Home) | $266 | |
| Energy Locals | $2,279 | $2,028 (Online Member) | $251 | |
| Engie | $2,279 | $2,074 (Engie Saver) | $205 | |
| Average | $2,279 | $1,964 | $314 | |
| Basic Plan Information Documents | ||||
*Price assumes general energy usage of 4011kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Estimated price includes any conditional discounts that may be available. Pricing based on SA Power network in Adelaide, but prices differ between distribution areas. April 2024.
South Australian residents are already slugged the highest power prices in the country, so don’t punish yourselves further. If you’re on a default offer, you could save $314 on average per year. All you have to do is contact your energy company and ask for its cheapest market contract. And once again, even greater savings are possible by switching retailers AND contracts.
Finding the cheapest energy offer
While market offers are clearly cheaper, not all market offers are created equal. So how do you find the best deal? When shopping around for a market contract, there are a few key things to keep an eye out for, such as rates, discounts and benefit periods. Most retailers will only supply advertised discounts for a ‘benefit period’ of one to two years. After this period expires, customers will need to renew their plan or otherwise be forced to pay much higher rates, usually at the default price respective to the state.
Customers must be vigilant that some energy retailers simply mask massively hiked base rates behind seemingly generous discounts. In some cases, you may find market offer plans with higher rates than the retailer’s default offer prices.
Fortunately, Canstar Blue’s product comparison tool has done all the work for you, taking the guesswork out of comparing plans. Find out where you can find a great deal in your area with our energy tool via this link.
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