Simply Energy has taken out top spot in our SA gas supplier ratings for the second year in a row. The retailer managed a five-star review for overall satisfaction, value for money and bill and cost clarity, leading the way from the big three providers in the state.
We’ve surveyed more than 400 bill-paying customers across Adelaide and the surrounding areas to find out what they think about their gas supplier in respect of its customer service, bill and cost clarity, and the value for money it provides. Finding the right deal for you is about more than just the cheapest price – but getting a good deal certainly helps. Keep in mind, while this report looks at four of the most prominent retailers in SA there may be others operating in your area.
Canstar Blue surveyed 443 South Australian households for their feedback on their natural gas retailer. Respondents had to live in South Australia, have a gas account and pay the bills for their response to be eligible.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their natural gas provider from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Provider satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Best SA Natural Gas Providers:
Taking top spot for a second time in a row, Simply Energy has once again stolen the crown from the ‘big three’. Simply Energy received five stars for overall satisfaction, with Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia not far behind on four stars. AGL falls behind with just three stars overall in our latest ratings.
Find more detailed information on our ratings methodology.
Here are some of the cheapest gas deals on our database for SA. These estimated annual costs are based on the Australian Gas Network in Adelaide and yearly gas usage of 11,875MJ, but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest estimated cost. These are products from referral partners†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.
Simply Energy rated five stars for overall satisfaction, value for money and bill and cost clarity this year. It earned four stars for its online tools and advice and ease of sign-up, and just three stars for its customer service.
Simply Energy’s gas plans in South Australia mirror the retailer’s electricity products, with three options to consider. These include an exclusive deal for RAA members in SA that comes with a decent guaranteed discount. All plans come with variable rates and Simply Energy may offer an additional bill credit for combining electricity with gas when you join, however this may not be available at all times.
Here are the Simply Energy gas plans on our database for SA. These estimated annual costs are based on the Australian Gas Network in Adelaide and yearly gas usage of 11,875MJ, but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. These are products from a referral partner†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.
This year’s runner up, Origin Energy has earned four-star ratings for overall satisfaction, bill and cost clarity and online tools and advice. The retailer’s only three-star rating was for ease of sign-up; however, it did manage to snag five stars for its value for money and customer service.
Energy giant Origin has three gas market offers for South Australians, some with varying conditions based on personal preferences and others that come with value-add incentives. Prospective customers can choose between gas plans with variable rates or a plan with Everyday Rewards points. These products all come with benefit periods of either 12 months or ongoing, depending on the plan. There are no exit fees with Origin’s plans nor are there any lock-in contracts. Customers may need to contact Origin to check eligibility on certain plans.
Here are the Origin gas plans on our database for SA. These estimated annual costs are based on the Australian Gas Network in Adelaide and yearly gas usage of 11,875MJ, but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. These are products from a referral partner†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.
In our latest SA gas review, EnergyAustralia has received a mixed bag of results. For its overall satisfaction this retailer scored four stars. It earned a noble five stars for its value for money, customer service and ease of sign-up but just three stars for its bill and cost clarity and online tools and advice.
As one of the biggest electricity and gas companies in the country, you would expect EnergyAustralia to have plenty of offers for South Australians – and you’d be right. Guaranteed discounts are the order of the day, with personal preferences definitely coming into the decision-making process. Mirroring its electricity plans, the retailer has two gas plans on offer, both offering variable rates. For those just looking for a no fuss plan, EnergyAustralia has a ‘basic’ deal on an ongoing benefit period. However, this plan does come with slightly higher rates than the others. South Australians also have the ability to opt in to carbon offset options with EnergyAustralia through its ‘Go Neutral’ product.
Here are the EnergyAustralia gas plans on our database for SA. These estimated annual costs are based on the Australian Gas Network in Adelaide and yearly gas usage of 11,875MJ, but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. These are products from a referral partner†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.
Rounding out our SA gas ratings this year, AGL received three stars for overall satisfaction and bill and cost clarity. In all other research categories however, this retailer earned a four-star rating.
AGL usually offers a few gas plans in South Australia. AGL’s plans have no exit fees or lock-in contracts, but it should be warned the retailer has a habit of changing its plans fairly often, so keep an eye out for product changes and online sign-up credits which may be available at certain times. You’ll also gain access to AGL Rewards when signing up to a gas plan.
Here are the AGL gas plans on our database for SA. These estimated annual costs are based on the Australian Gas Network in Adelaide and yearly gas usage of 11,875MJ, but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. These are products from a referral partner†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.
Customers connected to the gas distribution network can access one of two types of contracts with their gas supplier – standard contracts and market contracts. Understanding the difference is the first step to saving money.
Market contracts will almost always work out cheaper than standard contracts, provided that you meet the conditions of any discounts. Market contracts can come with either variable or fixed rates. If you haven’t switched plans in recent years, you will likely save money by switching to a new offer with a conditional discount or other sign-up incentive. Ultimately though, you will need to get to know usage and supply charges, and compare rates between different suppliers. If you think you’re paying too much for gas, you probably are. It’s the same deal when it comes to electricity, so make sure you shop around.
Kelseigh Wrigley covers Australia’s retail energy market, growing her industry specific expertise over the last two years. She holds a Bachelor of Journalism at the Queensland University of Technology and has contributed her skills to online publications Hunter & Bligh and local radio station 4ZZZ.
Meet the Editorial Team
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and two years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
Meet the Research TeamKeep in mind that there are several gas companies operating in South Australia. While the four in our review can generally be considered the most prominent, retailers including Alinta Energy, Lumo Energy and Red Energy also sell natural gas across SA. However, the vast majority of households remain connected with one of the big three. Here is a list of gas suppliers curretnyl offering plans in South Australia:
It’s likely that other retailers may be added to this list in the near future.
In South Australia, the gas distributor is Australian Gas Networks (formerly Envestra). This is who you will need to contact in the event of a gas leak or other emergency. If you’re worried about signing up with a small gas supplier, remember that these companies are simply the customer-facing part of your overall service. They handle your billing and general enquiries, but it’s the gas distributors that are actually responsible for your supply.
The gas you use for things like your hot water system or stove cooktop comes from a number of different sources. The majority of natural gas in Australia (around 60%) is used to generate electricity and the rest is piped to households and businesses throughout the distribution network. South Australia’s gas is sourced from Victoria, Queensland and the Cooper Basin, with six transmission pipelines delivering the gas to Adelaide and major regional areas. Retailers purchase this gas and sell it onto their customers. Transmission and distribution costs account for as much as 50% of your final bill. Households who can’t access the natural gas distribution network can purchase liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
In South Australia, natural gas typically costs 3-5 cents per megajoule (MJ) – the unit of measurement for gas. The exact price you’ll pay for gas in SA depends on a number of factors, including your gas retailer, plan and tariff. In SA, gas retailers charge for gas in ‘blocks’ of daily usage. For example, you might pay 4.2c per MJ for the first block of 30 megajoules, followed by 2.2 cents per MJ for all remaining usage. It’s important to check your energy plan information document for all rates. Some suppliers charge for gas in two daily blocks, while others charge in multiple increments. And the point at which different block rates apply can vary between plans. To put these prices into perspective, the average gas oven will use around 12 megajoules an hour.
In addition to these gas usage charges, also pay close attention to the daily supply charges in your price fact sheet. These are the costs you’ll need to pay simply for the pleasure of being connected to the gas network. These can add a significant amount to your overall bill – typically around 60c to 80c a day. It’s entirely possible that gas supply charges could contribute a higher proportion of your overall costs than gas usage charges, especially if you don’t use gas for hot water heating. So, be sure to check all the rates listed before making a decision.
There are lots of things to think about when it comes to picking a gas supplier for your home. We asked respondents to our survey in 2022 about their main reasons for initially picking their gas supplier. This is what we found:
About 19% of respondents gave other reasons for choosing their gas supplier, with 37% simply choosing the same gas supplier as they have for electricity.
A quarter of gas customers in SA (25%) signed up to their supplier over the phone and another quarter (25%) did so online. This year, we found that 42% of South Aussies think they get a good deal on gas.
Here are the previous winners of Canstar Blue’s Natural Gas Suppliers – SA Customer Satisfaction Award:
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