Octopus Energy vs Utilita: comparing commercial tariffs and features to help you choose for your business

Octopus Energy and Utilita both supply gas and electricity to UK businesses, but their commercial propositions have developed in different directions.

Octopus Energy for Business combines conventional supply with smart electricity tariffs, multi-site account management, commercial export payments and renewable-energy services. Its Shape Shifters tariffs reward businesses that move consumption away from expensive periods, while Panel Power pays a fixed rate for exported solar electricity.

Utilita Business focuses on locked energy rates, compulsory smart metering, real-time consumption information, dedicated business support and commercial solar installations. Its solar division provides batteries, EV chargers and several financing options, including long-term Power Purchase Agreements with no initial capital expenditure.

The environmental difference is substantial. Octopus’s disclosed 2024/25 electricity mix was 86.4% renewable and 13.6% nuclear, with no gas or coal. Utilita’s mix was 75% gas, 15% coal, 4% nuclear, no reported renewable generation and 6% other fuels.

Octopus is therefore likely to be the stronger choice for businesses prioritising low-carbon electricity, time-of-use pricing, batteries and solar exports.

Utilita may be more suitable where the company wants a straightforward fixed contract, dedicated account support, smart-meter visibility and an integrated commercial solar or EV-charging project.

Neither supplier is automatically cheaper. The answer depends on a matched quotation for the same premises, meter, consumption and contract period.

Octopus Energy vs Utilita at a glance

Feature	Octopus Energy for Business	Utilita Business
Business electricity	Yes	Yes
Business gas	Yes	Yes
SME supply	Yes	Yes
Half-hourly electricity	Yes	Yes
Multi-site supply	Yes	Yes, including group billing
Standard national contract prices	Not published	Not published
Fixed-rate contracts	Individually quoted	Individually quoted locked-rate plans
Smart time-of-use tariff	Shape Shifters Trio and Agile	No directly comparable public tariff
Seasonal business tariff	Summer Saver	No prominent equivalent
No-standing-charge tariff	Available to qualifying businesses	No prominent equivalent
Smart-meter requirement	Required for smart tariffs	Required under Utilita’s business terms
Supplier-wide renewable share	86.4%	0%
Supplier-wide nuclear share	13.6%	4%
Supplier-wide gas and coal	0%	90%
Reported carbon intensity	0g CO₂/kWh	481g CO₂/kWh
Flat commercial solar export	Panel Power at 12p/kWh	SEG at 3p/kWh
Dynamic business export	Shape Shifters: Export	No prominent equivalent
Commercial solar installation	Available through bespoke low-carbon projects	Major turnkey installation service
Solar funding	Bespoke funded projects and Wind Works	PPA, hire purchase and other funding
Business EV services	Smart charging, fleet services and Electroverse	Installed workplace, visitor and solar-carport chargers
Large-business renewable matching	Electric Match	No direct equivalent
On-site funded wind generation	Wind Works	No prominent standard offer
Broker distribution	Octopus says it normally sells directly	Broker partnerships supported
Best suited to	Flexible, low-carbon and exporting businesses	Fixed supply, smart meters and commercial solar

Which businesses can apply?

Both suppliers serve small and medium-sized businesses and can support half-hourly electricity customers.

Octopus offers:

• standard SME electricity and gas;
• fixed contracts;
• smart tariffs;
• multi-site portfolios;
• solar and battery export tariffs;
• half-hourly supplies;
• Electric Match for large users; and
• bespoke renewable projects.

Utilita offers:

• commercial electricity and gas;
• fixed-rate plans;
• smart-meter installation;
• real-time consumption information;
• dedicated support;
• group billing;
• half-hourly supply;
• commercial solar;
• battery storage; and
• business EV charging.

Example suitability by company type

Example business	Annual electricity use	Potentially suitable option
Small shop	12,000kWh	Fixed quotation from either supplier
Office	50,000kWh	Octopus fixed tariff or Utilita fixed plan
Seasonal visitor attraction	100,000kWh	Octopus seasonal or fixed tariff
Restaurant	120,000kWh	Compare fixed and time-of-use structures
Workshop with flexible equipment	250,000kWh	Octopus Shape Shifters
Business wanting close account support	Any suitable level	Utilita
EV fleet depot	500,000kWh	Octopus smart supply or Utilita charging project
Company installing rooftop solar	Varies	Utilita turnkey installation
Existing business solar generator	Below 150kWp	Octopus Panel Power
Company with solar and batteries	Below 150kWp	Octopus dynamic export
Major corporate user	10GWh or more	Octopus Electric Match
Industrial site suitable for wind	High consumption	Octopus Wind Works

A successful quotation can also depend on:

• meter configuration;
• postcode;
• annual consumption;
• available electricity capacity;
• payment history;
• company creditworthiness;
• property use;
• number of sites; and
• proposed contract dates.

Which supplier is cheaper?

Neither supplier publishes one business rate applying nationwide.

A commercial quotation normally considers:

• the electricity MPAN or gas MPRN;
• postcode and distribution region;
• annual usage;
• meter profile;
• half-hourly demand;
• electricity capacity;
• residual charging band;
• contract start date;
• contract duration;
• payment method;
• credit risk;
• number of sites; and
• wholesale prices when the quote is issued.

A complete comparison should calculate:

• Annual consumption × unit rate
• daily standing charge × 365
• capacity charges
• meter and data costs
• network and policy charges
• VAT and Climate Change Levy where applicable
  − export income and other credits

A lower unit rate does not necessarily mean a lower bill if the tariff has a substantially higher standing charge.

How unit-rate differences affect annual costs

Annual consumption	Value of 0.5p/kWh	Value of 1p/kWh	Value of 3p/kWh	Value of 5p/kWh
10,000kWh	£50	£100	£300	£500
25,000kWh	£125	£250	£750	£1,250
50,000kWh	£250	£500	£1,500	£2,500
100,000kWh	£500	£1,000	£3,000	£5,000
250,000kWh	£1,250	£2,500	£7,500	£12,500
1GWh	£5,000	£10,000	£30,000	£50,000
10GWh	£50,000	£100,000	£300,000	£500,000

A difference of only 1p/kWh changes annual expenditure by £10,000 for a business using 1GWh.

How standing charges affect costs

Daily standing-charge difference	Annual difference per meter	Difference across ten meters
25p	£91.25	£912.50
50p	£182.50	£1,825
£1	£365	£3,650
£2	£730	£7,300
£5	£1,825	£18,250

Standing charges can be especially important for:

• low-consumption premises;
• seasonal businesses;
• vacant properties;
• commercial landlords;
• multi-site organisations; and
• businesses retaining inactive meters.

Octopus conventional business tariffs

Octopus provides fixed and variable business quotations based on the company’s individual meter and property.

Its standard business proposition includes:

• electricity and gas;
• fixed-rate supply;
• zero-carbon electricity;
• online account management;
• monthly billing;
• smart meters;
• multi-site portfolios; and
• commercial export tariffs.

Octopus says its standard business tariffs are sold directly, rather than through the conventional broker-distribution model, to help ensure customers receive its direct rates.

A conventional Octopus fixed tariff may suit a company that wants the supplier’s environmental credentials but cannot alter when it uses electricity.

Octopus Shape Shifters

Shape Shifters is Octopus’s main smart electricity product for businesses.

Eligibility requires:

• a working smart meter;
• an active Direct Debit;
• an account that is up to date; and
• no overdue energy debt.

There are two versions.

Shape Shifters Trio

Trio divides the day into three fixed-price periods:

• night;
• daytime; and
• the more expensive 4pm to 7pm peak.

The prices within each period remain consistent, meaning the business does not need to check the wholesale market each day.

Octopus describes Trio as providing 21 hours of lower-priced electricity outside the evening peak.

It may suit:

• EV fleets;
• laundries;
• workshops;
• refrigeration businesses;
• commercial kitchens;
• charging hubs;
• companies with batteries; and
• manufacturers able to reschedule equipment.

Shape Shifters Agile

Agile changes its unit price every half hour in line with wholesale energy costs.

Prices for the following day are published through:

• the Agile portal;
• the customer’s online account; and
• Octopus’s application programming interface.

Octopus normally releases the following day’s prices between 4pm and 8pm. The unit rate cannot exceed £1/kWh, but there is no lower limit.

Agile may suit businesses with:

• battery storage;
• automated energy management;
• flexible industrial equipment;
• overnight vehicle charging;
• controllable heating or cooling;
• refrigeration;
• solar panels; or
• staff able to respond to changing prices.

It is considerably riskier for a company that must consume large amounts of electricity during expensive periods.

Potential value of moving demand

Suppose a company uses 100,000kWh annually and can move 20% of its demand from expensive periods.

The flexible consumption would be 20,000kWh.

Difference between higher and lower prices	Illustrative annual saving
3p/kWh	£600
5p/kWh	£1,000
10p/kWh	£2,000
15p/kWh	£3,000
20p/kWh	£4,000

These figures are mathematical examples rather than guaranteed savings.

A business should examine at least 12 months of half-hourly data before choosing a smart tariff.

Switching between Octopus smart tariffs

Octopus allows eligible businesses to move:

• from Shape Shifters Trio to Agile;
• from Agile to Trio; or
• from Shape Shifters to a fixed product.

The current Shape Shifters terms do not impose an exit fee for these changes. Octopus contacts customers around 60 days before the end of the contract and does not renew it automatically.

This flexibility is a significant advantage over many conventional fixed business contracts.

Octopus seasonal and no-standing-charge tariffs

Octopus has also developed specialist products for businesses whose consumption does not fit a standard pattern.

Its seasonal tariff can favour companies using most of their electricity during the summer.

A no-standing-charge option is available to qualifying businesses in selected residual charging bands. The network and policy costs normally recovered through the standing charge are instead placed into the unit rate.

This can benefit a lightly used or seasonal meter, but may be more expensive for a high-consumption business.

Break-even example

Suppose a conventional tariff has:

• a standing charge of £2 per day; and
• a unit rate 2p/kWh below the zero-standing-charge tariff.

The annual standing charge is £730.

The break-even consumption is:

£730 ÷ £0.02 = 36,500kWh

Below 36,500kWh, the no-standing-charge option may cost less.

Above that level, the lower unit rate on the conventional tariff may outweigh the standing-charge saving.

Utilita fixed business energy

Utilita promotes locked business energy rates designed to protect customers against unexpected price increases.

Its standard business service emphasises:

• individually quoted fixed-term prices;
• smart metering;
• real-time usage information;
• accurate billing;
• dedicated business specialists;
• proactive account support;
• energy-efficiency guidance; and
• an online quotation process.

This may appeal to businesses that prefer a conventional contract and do not want to monitor half-hourly wholesale electricity prices.

Are Utilita’s prices completely fixed?

Utilita’s principal terms state that contracted charges normally remain unchanged during a fixed term, except for pass-through costs and specified contractual events.

Charges can potentially change because of:

• legislation or regulation;
• VAT changes;
• incompatible metering;
• materially different consumption;
• non-payment;
• early departure from the premises;
• supply-registration problems; or
• other circumstances permitted by the contract.

The business should therefore obtain a written list of:

• fixed elements;
• pass-through elements;
• standing charges;
• meter charges;
• network charges; and
• circumstances permitting a price adjustment.

Utilita smart meters

Smart metering is a central part of Utilita’s business proposition.

Utilita states that business energy customers are required to have a smart meter installed in accordance with its terms. The meters provide actual consumption information rather than relying on estimated bills.

Potential benefits include:

• automatic meter readings;
• fewer estimated invoices;
• real-time consumption information;
• visibility of unusual usage;
• easier budget management;
• support for energy-efficiency decisions; and
• improved data for solar or EV projects.

A smart meter does not automatically save energy. The business must act on the information it receives.

Octopus smart meters versus Utilita smart meters

Requirement	Octopus	Utilita
Smart meter with ordinary fixed tariff	Product-dependent	Required under business terms
Smart meter for time-of-use tariff	Yes	No equivalent public tariff
Real-time consumption visibility	Yes	Core proposition
Next-day half-hourly price visibility	Agile	No equivalent
Accurate automatic readings	Yes	Yes
Dynamic export support	Yes	No equivalent
Primary purpose	Smart pricing and automation	Billing accuracy and usage control
Best for active price optimisation	Octopus	Limited
Best for conventional real-time monitoring	Either	Utilita emphasises this strongly

Utilita published deemed electricity rates

Utilita’s February 2026 principal terms contain non-half-hourly deemed and out-of-contract prices.

These apply where:

• no fixed contract has been agreed;
• a company moves into Utilita-supplied premises;
• an agreed price expires; or
• the business remains supplied without renewing.

The published single-rate electricity prices are:

Region	Unit rate	Standing charge
Lowest published region	31.395p/kWh	250p per day
Highest published region	33.156p/kWh	250p per day

Its day-and-night schedule provides:

Charge	Published regional range
Day rate	31.693p–33.642p/kWh
Night rate	29.283p–30.494p/kWh
Standing charge	250p per day

The £2.50 daily standing charge equals £912.50 annually. Rates exclude VAT and can be changed or withdrawn.

Illustrative Utilita non-half-hourly costs

Annual electricity use	Lowest regional total	Highest regional total
10,000kWh	£4,052.00	£4,228.10
25,000kWh	£8,761.25	£9,201.50
50,000kWh	£16,610.00	£17,490.50
100,000kWh	£32,307.50	£34,068.50

These examples include the standing charge but exclude VAT, Climate Change Levy and other possible costs.

They are deemed or out-of-contract figures, not representative fixed-term quotations.

Utilita published gas rates

The same Utilita schedule shows regional gas prices of:

Charge	Published range
Gas unit rate	11.178p–11.334p/kWh
Standing charge	250p per day
Annual standing charge	£912.50

Illustrative totals are:

Annual gas use	Lowest regional total	Highest regional total
25,000kWh	£3,707.00	£3,746.00
30,000kWh	£4,265.90	£4,312.70
50,000kWh	£6,501.50	£6,579.50
100,000kWh	£12,090.50	£12,246.50
250,000kWh	£28,857.50	£29,247.50

These figures exclude VAT and CCL and should not be treated as new-customer fixed quotations.

Utilita half-hourly rates

Utilita issued a separate half-hourly deemed and out-of-contract schedule effective from 1 April 2026.

Meter type	Day or unit rate	Night rate	Standing charge
Unrestricted	39.095p/kWh	Not applicable	£14.40 per day plus kVA
Day and night	40.078p/kWh	38.664p/kWh	£14.40 per day plus kVA

Additional charges can include:

• meter operation;
• data collection and aggregation;
• reactive power;
• Climate Change Levy;
• excess capacity;
• excess losses;
• special visits; and
• other industry costs and levies.

The £14.40 daily charge alone equals £5,256 annually before the kVA and other costs are included.

A half-hourly customer should therefore compare a complete annual model rather than the unit rate alone.

Can the published prices identify the cheaper supplier?

No.

The Utilita figures are deemed and out-of-contract rates for businesses without a negotiated fixed price.

Octopus does not publish one equivalent current national rate applying to all business meters.

A negotiated Utilita tariff could be lower than the published default rates, while an Octopus quotation will vary by region, meter and contract date.

The only fair comparison requires same-day fixed quotations for the same supply.

Comparing environmental credentials

The suppliers’ fuel mixes are dramatically different.

Octopus fuel mix

Octopus’s disclosed 2024/25 electricity mix was:

Source	Octopus
Renewables	86.4%
Nuclear	13.6%
Natural gas	0%
Coal	0%
Other fuels	0%
Reported carbon emissions	0g/kWh

Octopus invests in renewable generation and manages approximately 4GW across more than 240 large-scale green-energy projects in ten countries, according to its published information.

The supplier-wide mix is zero carbon but not renewable-only because it includes nuclear electricity.

Utilita fuel mix

Utilita’s corresponding disclosure was:

Source	Utilita
Natural gas	75%
Coal	15%
Nuclear	4%
Renewables	0%
Other fuels	6%
Reported carbon emissions	481g/kWh
Radioactive waste	0.00028g/kWh

Utilita’s electricity mix was therefore 90% gas and coal combined.

Utilita’s position on green tariffs

Utilita is openly critical of electricity tariffs based primarily on separately purchased Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin.

Its argument is that:

• REGOs can be traded separately from the electricity originally generated;
• the electricity physically delivered through the grid remains mixed;
• certificate-only products can give customers an incomplete impression; and
• reducing consumption or installing generation can produce clearer environmental benefits.

Utilita instead emphasises:

• smart meters;
• consumption reduction;
• live carbon information;
• commercial solar;
• batteries; and
• EV charging.

This provides useful transparency, but it does not change the fact that Utilita’s disclosed supplier mix is considerably more carbon intensive than Octopus’s.

Which supplier has greener electricity?

Environmental priority	Likely stronger fit
Lower supplier-wide carbon intensity	Octopus
Higher supplier-wide renewable share	Octopus
No gas or coal in supplier-wide mix	Octopus
Avoiding nuclear power	Neither automatically
Time-of-use pricing supporting grid flexibility	Octopus
Granular renewable matching	Octopus Electric Match
Transparency about physical grid electricity	Utilita’s public commentary
On-site solar generation	Compare both
Reducing demand through smart-meter data	Both
Formal zero-carbon electricity proposition	Octopus

Octopus is the clear winner on disclosed electricity sourcing.

A company with a strict renewable-only requirement should still confirm the product-level evidence, because Octopus’s overall mix contains nuclear generation.

Octopus Electric Match

Electric Match is designed for large companies wanting traceable electricity linked with specific renewable generators.

The service:

• links the business with selected solar, hydro and wind generators;
• measures consumption and generation half-hourly;
• identifies the location and source;
• provides granular carbon reporting; and
• can sit alongside an existing Octopus business tariff.

Its published target customer uses at least 10GWh annually and has meters capable of sending half-hourly readings.

Utilita does not currently promote an equivalent large-business renewable-matching product.

Comparing business gas

Both companies supply conventional business gas.

Neither supplier currently promotes a mainstream business gas product clearly matching 100% of consumption with renewable-gas certificates.

A business seeking a lower-carbon gas arrangement should ask:

• whether biomethane certificates are available;
• what percentage of use is matched;
• whether carbon offsets are used;
• which verification standards apply;
• what premium is charged; and
• what evidence is provided.

Burning gas at the premises will still create direct Scope 1 emissions.

Commercial solar

Utilita has the clearer turnkey commercial-solar proposition.

Its services include:

• site consultation;
• system design;
• solar panels;
• battery storage;
• installation;
• monitoring;
• maintenance;
• EV charging;
• solar carports;
• reporting; and
• several funding structures.

Utilita advertises average energy-bill savings of around 40% from suitable installations. This is a supplier claim rather than a guaranteed result and will depend on the site, financing, electricity consumption and amount of solar energy used on site.

Utilita solar funding

Utilita’s funding options include a solar PPA.

Under its published PPA structure:

• no initial capital investment is required;
• Utilita installs and maintains the panels;
• the company buys the generated electricity at an agreed rate;
• the rate is adjusted annually for inflation;
• the typical term is 20 years; and
• the customer may extend, acquire or remove the panels when the term ends.

Hire purchase and other payment arrangements are also available.

A business should review:

• PPA duration;
• inflation formula;
• roof or land rights;
• property-sale provisions;
• minimum purchase commitments;
• maintenance obligations;
• end-of-term ownership; and
• early termination costs.

Utilita solar case studies

Utilita says its installation at Utilita Bowl includes 1,044 panels and is expected to generate nearly 400,000kWh annually.

It also reports projects for organisations including Pompey in the Community and AFC Bournemouth, whose training-ground project involves 642 solar panels.

Case-study savings should not be treated as forecasts for a different property.

Octopus renewable infrastructure

Octopus’s commercial proposition is particularly strong for businesses that already own solar panels or batteries and want to optimise them through:

• Panel Power;
• Shape Shifters: Export;
• smart import tariffs;
• Electric Match;
• multi-site allocation; and
• bespoke commercial contracts.

Octopus also offers Wind Works, under which it can fund, build, operate and maintain on-site wind or combined renewable generation.

Wind Works uses PPAs lasting between seven and 20 years. Octopus says suitable businesses commonly spend more than £20,000 per month on energy and have average power demand above 200kW.

Utilita is likely to offer the simpler commercial-solar installation journey.

Octopus is more distinctive where the project includes flexible tariffs, dynamic export or funded wind generation.

Comparing export tariffs

Octopus Panel Power

Panel Power pays:

12p per exported kWh

The main eligibility requirements include:

• commercial solar panels;
• capacity below 150kWp;
• a smart or other export-compatible meter;
• no Feed-in Tariff export payments; and
• imported electricity supplied by Octopus Energy for Business.

Utilita Smart Export Guarantee

Utilita pays:

3p per exported kWh

The Utilita SEG:

• is available without requiring Utilita import supply;
• covers qualifying generation up to 5MW;
• requires half-hourly export readings;
• requires appropriate installation certification; and
• covers solar, wind, hydro, anaerobic digestion and micro-CHP.

Export-income comparison

Annual export	Octopus at 12p/kWh	Utilita at 3p/kWh	Difference
5,000kWh	£600	£150	£450
10,000kWh	£1,200	£300	£900
25,000kWh	£3,000	£750	£2,250
50,000kWh	£6,000	£1,500	£4,500
100,000kWh	£12,000	£3,000	£9,000

Octopus provides the substantially higher published flat rate.

Utilita offers broader capacity eligibility and does not require the generator to buy its imported electricity from Utilita.

Octopus Shape Shifters: Export

Shape Shifters: Export changes its rate every half hour with wholesale electricity prices.

It is designed for companies with:

• battery storage;
• solar panels;
• controllable generation; or
• the ability to delay exports until more valuable periods.

The product may allow a battery to:

1. charge when electricity is relatively cheap;
2. store solar generation during the day; and
3. export during higher-priced periods.

It requires an Octopus business import account and qualifying generation or storage below 150kWp.

Utilita does not currently advertise a directly comparable dynamic business export tariff.

Which is better for solar?

Solar requirement	Likely stronger fit
Turnkey commercial installation	Utilita
Solar PPA with no upfront capital	Utilita
Hire-purchase funding	Utilita
Solar carport with EV charging	Utilita
Highest published flat export rate	Octopus
Export without changing import supplier	Utilita
Export from systems above 150kWp	Utilita SEG may qualify
Dynamic battery exports	Octopus
Smart import and export optimisation	Octopus
Funded on-site wind and solar combination	Octopus Wind Works
Long-term maintenance within PPA	Utilita
Granular renewable allocation	Octopus

Electric vehicle charging

Utilita

Utilita offers installed EV charging for:

• employees;
• visitors;
• customers;
• commercial fleets;
• car parks; and
• solar-powered charging canopies.

Its process covers:

1. consultation and site assessment;
2. a proposal and quotation;
3. installation and integration;
4. testing and activation; and
5. maintenance, software updates and support.

Optional software can provide charging tracking and billing.

Octopus

Octopus’s wider business EV ecosystem includes:

• time-of-use electricity through Shape Shifters;
• EV salary-sacrifice leasing;
• charge-point installation;
• fleet management;
• public charging through Electroverse;
• a business payment card; and
• downloadable fleet charging reports.

Octopus’s current group proposition combines vehicle leasing, charge points, specialist tariffs and access to more than 1.2 million public charge points globally.

Which is better for EVs?

EV requirement	Likely stronger fit
Installed workplace chargers	Utilita
Solar-powered charging canopy	Utilita
Visitor and customer charging	Utilita
Ongoing charger maintenance	Utilita
Overnight time-of-use electricity	Octopus
Dynamic charging prices	Octopus
EV salary sacrifice	Octopus group
Public charging access	Octopus Electroverse
Fleet charging reporting	Octopus
Solar, battery and charger installation	Utilita
Battery and electricity-price optimisation	Octopus

A business could install chargers through Utilita while buying its electricity from Octopus, provided the contractual and technical arrangements permit this.

Multi-site businesses

Octopus provides joint multi-site portfolios covering:

• switching;
• contract renewals;
• billing;
• central account management;
• one online login;
• customer support; and
• smart products.

Electric Match can also link consumption with selected renewable generators.

Utilita offers group billing and can manage payments across several sites through a single or group variable Direct Debit.

Octopus is likely to be stronger for a technology-led portfolio using smart tariffs, exports or renewable matching.

Utilita may suit an SME group wanting consolidated billing, fixed rates and dedicated support.

Early termination and broker commission

Utilita publishes unusually detailed information about termination charges and broker commission.

Early termination

Utilita’s fixed-contract termination charge is calculated as:

20% of the estimated monthly contract price × remaining contract months

The remaining period starts after the applicable 30-day notice period.

The monthly contract price is based on:

• one-twelfth of expected annual consumption;
• multiplied by the energy rate;
• plus the standing charge.

The published example produces a £480 fee where the annual contract cost is £3,600 and eight months remain.

Broker commission

Where a third-party intermediary such as a broker introduces the customer, Utilita allows commission to be included as an uplift to the unit rate.

The published uplift is capped at 2.5p/kWh, and the customer may request a statement showing commission paid or due.

The maximum annual effect would be:

Annual consumption	Cost of 2.5p/kWh uplift
10,000kWh	£250
25,000kWh	£625
50,000kWh	£1,250
100,000kWh	£2,500
250,000kWh	£6,250

Octopus’s standard public proposition emphasises direct sales, reducing the likelihood of a conventional hidden broker uplift in a direct Octopus quote.

A company using an independent consultant should still establish whether a separate fee or commission applies.

Contract protections

Business energy contracts are not covered by the household energy price cap.

There is also no automatic cooling-off period after a business agrees a contract, even where the agreement is accepted over the telephone.

Before accepting an Octopus or Utilita quotation, check:

• tariff name;
• unit rates;
• standing charges;
• contract start and end dates;
• fixed and pass-through costs;
• time-of-use periods;
• meter requirements;
• Agile’s £1/kWh ceiling;
• electricity-capacity charges;
• early termination formula;
• payment requirements;
• broker commission;
• environmental credentials;
• export eligibility;
• renewal procedure; and
• deemed or out-of-contract rates.

Octopus Energy advantages and disadvantages

Utilita advantages and disadvantages

Which supplier is better for different businesses?

Business or requirement	Likely better fit	Reason
Small business wanting a conventional fix	Compare both	Both provide individual fixed quotations
Business wanting dedicated support	Utilita	Strong account-specialist proposition
Company with flexible machinery	Octopus	Shape Shifters
EV fleet charging overnight	Octopus	Smart time-of-use tariffs
Company requiring installed EV chargers	Utilita	Turnkey installation and maintenance
Business with battery storage	Octopus	Dynamic import and export prices
Company prioritising low-carbon electricity	Octopus	Zero fossil generation in disclosed mix
Company avoiding nuclear electricity	Neither automatically	Product-specific evidence is needed
Seasonal or lightly used meter	Octopus may suit	Specialist tariff options
Company wanting real-time meter information	Either	Core feature of both propositions
Business wanting turnkey solar	Utilita	Design, funding, installation and maintenance
Solar exporter below 150kWp	Octopus	Panel Power pays 12p/kWh
Solar exporter not changing import supplier	Utilita	SEG does not require import supply
Generator above 150kWp	Utilita may suit	SEG eligibility extends to 5MW
Solar and battery exporter	Octopus	Dynamic export tariff
Business wanting a solar PPA	Utilita	Published no-upfront-cost structure
Site suitable for funded wind generation	Octopus	Wind Works
Major user seeking traceable electricity	Octopus	Electric Match
Business using a broker	Compare carefully	Utilita may include an uplift
Multi-site SME wanting group billing	Utilita	Consolidated payment arrangements
Technology-led multi-site business	Octopus	Smart tariffs and renewable matching

Final verdict: Octopus Energy vs Utilita

Octopus Energy and Utilita can both provide competitive business energy services, but they appeal to different types of customer.

Octopus is likely to be the stronger choice where the company wants:

• low-carbon electricity;
• smart time-of-use pricing;
• exposure to half-hourly wholesale prices;
• flexible EV charging;
• battery optimisation;
• dynamic export payments;
• a flat solar export rate of 12p/kWh;
• multi-site smart management;
• granular renewable matching; or
• funded wind generation.

Utilita is likely to be stronger where the business wants:

• a conventional locked-rate contract;
• dedicated business specialists;
• smart-meter consumption visibility;
• group billing;
• transparent termination and broker-commission formulas;
• a turnkey commercial-solar installation;
• no-upfront-cost PPA funding;
• solar-powered EV charging; or
• installed chargers with ongoing support.

The environmental comparison clearly favours Octopus.

Octopus’s disclosed electricity mix contained:

• 86.4% renewable electricity;
• 13.6% nuclear power;
• no gas;
• no coal; and
• reported emissions of 0g/kWh.

Utilita’s disclosed electricity mix contained:

• 75% natural gas;
• 15% coal;
• 4% nuclear;
• no reported renewable electricity;
• 6% other fuels; and
• reported emissions of 481g/kWh.

Utilita argues that conventional certificate-backed green tariffs can be misleading and instead concentrates on efficiency and on-site generation. That position may appeal to some businesses, but it does not overcome the substantial difference between the suppliers’ reported fuel mixes.

The solar comparison is more balanced.

Utilita has the stronger installation and funding operation, while Octopus offers substantially higher and more sophisticated export payments.

The pricing question can only be answered with matched quotations.

A fair comparison should require both suppliers to quote for:

1. the same meter and postcode;
2. identical annual consumption;
3. the same contract start date;
4. an equivalent contract duration;
5. all standing charges;
6. capacity and metering costs;
7. fixed and pass-through components;
8. broker commission;
9. time-of-use savings based on actual data;
10. solar export income;
11. early termination liability;
12. renewal and default rates; and
13. the complete projected annual cost.

For most companies, the conclusion is:

• choose Octopus Energy for smart tariffs, low-carbon electricity, batteries, EV fleets and export payments;
• choose Utilita for dedicated fixed-contract support and turnkey solar or charging infrastructure;
• compare Octopus Panel Power with Utilita SEG where export revenue is important;
• compare Utilita’s solar PPA with Octopus Wind Works or other funded generation where upfront capital is limited; and
• select the supplier offering the lowest realistic annual cost after standing charges, broker commission and operational flexibility have been included.

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