Octopus vs Shell Energy: comparing commercial tariffs to help you choose for your business

Octopus Energy for Business and Shell Energy UK both supply gas and electricity to British businesses, but their strongest products target different parts of the market.

Octopus is particularly well suited to small and medium-sized businesses that want straightforward fixed pricing, innovative smart tariffs, zero-standing-charge options or strong customer service. Its Shape Shifters products reward organisations that can move electricity consumption outside the expensive 4pm to 7pm period, while its Panel Power export tariff pays businesses with solar panels a flat rate for surplus generation.

Shell Energy has a broader proposition for large, energy-intensive and multi-site organisations. In addition to conventional fixed contracts, it offers pass-through pricing, direct wholesale-market purchasing, renewable gas, corporate power purchase agreements and integrated energy infrastructure.

The overall verdict is:

• Octopus is likely to be the better choice for most small businesses. Its standard and no-standing-charge products are comparatively simple, its smart tariffs are among the most innovative available to SMEs, and it has the stronger business-specific customer-review score.
• Shell Energy is the stronger option for complex procurement. Its pass-through and flexible products provide large organisations with greater control over commodity and non-commodity costs.
• Octopus appears cheaper in the available price examples, but its quoted rates are from January and February 2026, while Shell’s current deemed rates apply from July 2026. The figures are also fixed-contract prices versus out-of-contract rates, so they are not directly comparable.

Octopus vs Shell Energy at a glance

Comparison area	Octopus Energy for Business	Shell Energy UK
Business electricity	Yes	Yes
Business gas	Yes	Yes
Domestic energy supply	Yes	No; former household customers transferred to Octopus
Conventional fixed contracts	Commonly 12 or 24 months	One to 36 months
Zero-standing-charge tariff	Electricity and gas options	No equivalent standard product prominently offered
Smart time-of-use tariff	Shape Shifters Trio and Agile	Flexible wholesale products for larger users
Flexible purchasing	Limited SME smart tariffs	Flex Shape and Block and Index
Pass-through contracts	Charges depend on the selected product	Customer can choose which non-commodity costs pass through
Renewable electricity	Green and zero-carbon electricity products	100% renewable electricity as standard
Renewable gas	Not a prominent standard SME product	RGGO-backed renewable gas available
Corporate PPAs	Direct generator and traceable-energy options	Bespoke corporate PPAs
Business solar export	Panel Power pays 12p per kWh	Bespoke export and generation arrangements
Dynamic export tariff	Shape Shifters Export	No comparable public SME product
Published electricity example	23.92p per kWh plus 55.52p daily	28.312p deemed rate plus 168p daily and network charges
Published gas example	5.67p per kWh plus 13.68p daily	7.482p deemed rate plus 446p daily
Business Trustpilot score	4.9 out of 5	4.7 out of 5
Business Trustpilot reviews	217	179
Best suited to	SMEs, smart tariffs and solar exporters	Large users, renewable gas and complex procurement

Octopus’s public business proposition emphasises direct sales, transparent tariffs and products for small, medium-sized and complex organisations. Shell’s range progresses from fixed contracts for smaller businesses to pass-through and flexible purchasing for major commercial and industrial customers.

Does Shell Energy still supply businesses?

Shell Energy continues to supply electricity, gas and related services to UK businesses.

The former Shell Energy household operation was sold to Octopus Energy, and its domestic customers were transferred to Octopus. That transaction did not close Shell Energy UK’s commercial supply business.

The Shell business operation remains active and offers fixed, flexible and pass-through gas and electricity contracts. This article therefore compares two separate active suppliers:

• Octopus Energy for Business
• Shell Energy UK’s commercial supply operation

Shell’s continued business offering includes renewable electricity, renewable gas, flexible wholesale purchasing and energy infrastructure.

Which is cheaper: Octopus or Shell Energy?

There is no universally applicable fixed rate from either supplier.

Business energy prices depend on:

• Annual electricity and gas consumption
• Meter profile and settlement type
• Electricity distribution region
• Agreed supply capacity
• Number of sites
• Contract start date
• Contract duration
• Payment method
• Credit history
• Load profile
• Renewable-energy requirements
• Treatment of network and policy costs
• Broker commission

Octopus requires a postcode and business information before displaying the tariffs available to a particular site. Its tariff page can include current and historical products, but it does not provide one simple national business price card.

Shell publishes national deemed and extended-supply schedules. However, the electricity rates exclude several distribution and transmission charges, which are added separately.

The available price examples must therefore be interpreted carefully.

Important pricing comparison warning

The Octopus figures used below are examples collected in January and February 2026:

• A January 2026 London fixed-tariff example
• A February 2026 quotation for a London business using 48,000 kWh annually

Shell’s current deemed and extended-supply rates took effect on 1 July 2026.

The comparison also places different contract types beside one another:

• Octopus fixed-contract examples
• Shell deemed and extended-supply prices

A deemed tariff normally applies when a business moves into premises without arranging a contract. Extended supply applies when a Shell fixed contract expires and the customer remains on supply without completing a renewal.

These rates are normally more expensive than a competitive fixed contract. The tables show the suppliers’ pricing structures, not the quotation either would necessarily offer today.

Octopus vs Shell Energy electricity prices

Published electricity examples

Supplier and tariff	Price date	Unit rate	Standing charge
Octopus 12-month fixed example	January 2026	23.92p per kWh	55.52p per day
Octopus Economy 7 day	January 2026	24.62p per kWh	55.52p per day
Octopus Economy 7 night	January 2026	20.88p per kWh	55.52p per day
Octopus No Standing Charge	January 2026	32.32p per kWh	0p
Shell deemed	July 2026	28.312p per kWh	168p per day
Shell extended supply	July 2026	35.474p per kWh	168p per day

The Octopus rates were published as examples for a London postcode and should not be treated as current nationwide prices. Octopus quotations vary according to the premises, meter and contract date.

Shell’s rates apply nationally to profile-class 01 to 08 non-half-hourly supplies, but the headline figures do not include all network costs.

Shell electricity pass-through charges

Shell’s deemed and extended electricity rates exclude:

• Distribution Use of System capacity charges
• Distribution fixed charges
• Reactive-power charges
• Transmission Network Use of System charges

These are charged at the prevailing rates applied by the relevant networks. Shell’s unit rate and standing charge are therefore not the complete electricity cost.

Octopus’s business terms state that charges can include wholesale energy, non-wholesale costs, standing charges, capacity charges and exceeded-capacity charges. The exact treatment depends on the supply summary for the selected tariff.

Example annual electricity cost

The following illustration assumes annual consumption of 20,000 kWh.

Supplier and tariff	Unit cost	Standing charge	Headline annual total
Octopus fixed example	£4,784.00	£202.65	£4,986.65
Octopus No Standing Charge	£6,464.00	£0	£6,464.00
Shell deemed	£5,662.40	£613.20	£6,275.60 plus network charges
Shell extended supply	£7,094.80	£613.20	£7,708.00 plus network charges

The Octopus standard fixed example is £1,288.95 below Shell’s deemed headline total and £2,721.35 below Shell extended supply.

The Octopus no-standing-charge example is £188.40 above Shell’s deemed headline total, before Shell’s network costs are added. It is £1,244 below Shell extended supply before those charges.

These differences do not establish the current saving because the Octopus prices are older fixed-contract examples, while Shell’s are current out-of-contract rates.

Separate 48,000 kWh quotation

A February 2026 price exercise for a London business consuming 48,000 kWh annually produced the following Octopus quotations:

Octopus tariff	Unit rate	Standing charge
One-year fixed	22.83p per kWh	62.91p per day
Shape Shifters Agile	Indicative average of 20.5p per kWh	58.24p per day
Shape Shifters Trio night	18.9p per kWh	48.9p per day
Shape Shifters Trio day	20.5p per kWh	48.9p per day
Shape Shifters Trio peak	39.4p per kWh	48.9p per day

The Shape Shifters figures depend heavily on when the electricity is consumed. Agile rates change every half-hour, so a quoted average cannot predict the final bill.

Electricity price winner

Octopus appears more competitive in the available standard fixed-price examples.

Its January and February 2026 unit rates were below Shell’s current deemed and extended-supply rates. Its daily standing charges were also much lower.

However:

• Octopus’s examples are older.
• They relate to fixed contracts rather than deemed supply.
• Shell adds significant network charges separately.
• Octopus prices vary by postcode, meter and quotation date.

A business should compare a new Octopus quotation with a new Shell fixed quotation, not with Shell’s out-of-contract schedule.

Octopus vs Shell Energy gas prices

Octopus does not provide a simple current national business gas schedule on its public business page. A January 2026 London example showed the following prices:

Supplier and tariff	Price date	Unit rate	Standing charge
Octopus fixed gas example	January 2026	5.67p per kWh	13.68p per day
Octopus No Standing Charge gas	January 2026	6.32p per kWh	0p
Shell deemed gas, band 1	July 2026	7.482p per kWh	446p per day
Shell extended gas, band 1	July 2026	11.044p per kWh	548p per day

The Octopus rates were examples for a London postcode and are not necessarily still available. Shell’s rates apply to sites within the relevant annual-quantity bands.

Shell gas prices by consumption

Shell tariff	Annual quantity	Unit rate	Standing charge
Deemed band 1	1–73,200 kWh	7.482p per kWh	446p per day
Deemed bands 2 and 3	73,201–732,000 kWh	7.680p per kWh	1,586p per day
Deemed band 4 and above	More than 732,000 kWh	7.571p per kWh	2,646p per day
Extended band 1	1–73,200 kWh	11.044p per kWh	548p per day
Extended bands 2 and 3	73,201–732,000 kWh	11.242p per kWh	1,688p per day
Extended band 4 and above	More than 732,000 kWh	11.133p per kWh	2,747p per day

Shell’s standing charge increases sharply when a site moves into a higher consumption band. A business close to a threshold should check the annual quantity recorded for its meter.

Example annual gas cost

The following illustration assumes annual consumption of 30,000 kWh.

Supplier and tariff	Unit cost	Standing charge	Estimated annual total
Octopus fixed example	£1,701.00	£49.93	£1,750.93
Octopus No Standing Charge	£1,896.00	£0	£1,896.00
Shell deemed	£2,244.60	£1,627.90	£3,872.50
Shell extended supply	£3,313.20	£2,000.20	£5,313.40

The Octopus fixed example is £2,121.57 below Shell deemed supply and £3,562.47 below Shell extended supply.

The no-standing-charge example is £1,976.50 below Shell deemed supply and £3,417.40 below extended supply.

The apparent difference is large, but it remains an unsuitable direct tariff comparison: the Octopus figures are January fixed-price examples, whereas Shell’s July rates are intended for customers without an active fixed contract.

Gas price winner

Octopus has the stronger available price examples.

Its sample unit rates and standing charges were substantially below Shell’s deemed and extended rates.

Shell could still provide a competitive fixed quotation. Its published out-of-contract prices should not be assumed to represent the price available to a new customer agreeing a formal contract.

Octopus fixed business tariffs

Octopus offers conventional fixed business contracts, although the exact durations and prices displayed depend on the site.

Its current business documentation refers specifically to:

• 12-month fixed tariffs
• 24-month fixed tariffs
• No Standing Charge tariffs
• Standard variable and deemed supply
• Smart time-of-use products

Exit fees apply to 12-month fixed, 24-month fixed and No Standing Charge business tariffs agreed after 1 July 2024. The amount should be shown in the customer’s supply summary.

A fixed contract can protect the business from wholesale-price movements during the agreed term, but customers should still check:

• Whether the entire unit price is fixed
• Which network charges are included
• Capacity charges
• Metering costs
• Exit fees
• Volume tolerances
• Circumstances allowing the supplier to vary prices

Octopus No Standing Charge tariff

Octopus offers no-standing-charge contracts for eligible electricity and gas customers.

The electricity version is a 12-month fixed contract. Instead of charging a separate daily amount, Octopus incorporates the relevant fixed costs into the unit rate.

The tariff was originally made available to businesses in electricity consumption bands 2, 3 and 4. Octopus says it is most likely to benefit customers whose consumption sits towards the lower end of their band.

This structure can suit:

• Seasonal premises
• Community buildings
• Places of worship
• Small workshops
• Properties used only on selected days
• Sites with low consumption but high conventional standing charges

It will not automatically be cheaper. A high-use business may pay more because the unit rate includes costs that would otherwise appear in the standing charge.

Using the January example, the no-standing-charge electricity rate was 32.32p per kWh compared with 23.92p plus 55.52p per day on the standard contract. The mathematical crossover point is approximately 2,412 kWh annually:

• Below roughly 2,412 kWh, the no-standing-charge example is cheaper.
• Above roughly 2,412 kWh, the standard fixed example is cheaper.

The actual crossover point will change with each quotation.

Octopus Shape Shifters

Shape Shifters is Octopus’s distinctive smart electricity proposition for businesses.

It comes in two versions.

Shape Shifters Trio

Trio applies three predetermined unit rates:

• Night rate
• Day rate
• Peak rate

The expensive peak window runs from 4pm to 7pm. Octopus says businesses receive 21 hours of cheaper electricity each day, provided their usage is moved away from that peak.

Trio can suit businesses that can schedule:

• Electric vehicle charging
• Battery charging
• Refrigeration cycles
• Water heating
• Machinery
• Laundry
• Pumping
• Manufacturing processes

Because the time bands remain consistent, the business does not need to check a new wholesale-linked rate every day.

Shape Shifters Agile

Agile prices electricity in half-hourly periods in line with wholesale costs.

Customers receive the following day’s prices in advance and can schedule energy-intensive operations for cheaper periods. Octopus caps the Agile unit price at £1 per kWh.

Agile offers greater potential savings than Trio when wholesale prices are low or negative. It also exposes the business to greater volatility.

A business considering Agile should assess:

• How much consumption can genuinely be moved
• Whether staff can react to daily price signals
• Whether automated controls are available
• Exposure to expensive evening periods
• Battery capacity
• Operational disruption
• The financial effect of the £1-per-kWh maximum price

Shape Shifters eligibility

Both versions are 12-month products requiring the business to:

• Have a working smart meter
• Pay by Direct Debit
• Keep its account payments up to date

Exact prices vary according to the premises and meter arrangement.

Smart-tariff winner: Octopus

Shell offers much more advanced wholesale purchasing for major businesses, but it does not publish a comparable automated time-of-use product aimed at ordinary SMEs.

Shell fixed-price contracts

Shell’s fixed-price business contracts can last from one to 36 months.

The supplier tailors the quotation around expected consumption and offers renewable options and different payment arrangements. Shell promotes these contracts as providing budget certainty, but its terms allow prices to change in certain circumstances beyond its control.

Possible adjustments can arise from:

• Regulatory changes
• Changes to law
• Altered third-party charging structures
• Meter or supply changes
• Incorrect customer information
• Breaches of the contract
• Material changes in consumption

Businesses should review the contract data sheet to identify exactly which costs are guaranteed.

Shell pass-through contracts

Shell offers pass-through electricity contracts to businesses spending more than £50,000 annually on energy.

These products allow a customer to fix the commodity price while choosing which non-commodity costs are charged at prevailing rates. Potential pass-through categories include distribution and transmission costs.

Potential advantages include:

• Avoiding some supplier risk premiums
• Greater visibility over bill components
• Potential savings if network or policy charges fall
• More control over how third-party costs are treated
• Bespoke renewable options
• Flexible billing arrangements

Potential disadvantages include:

• Less predictable bills
• Exposure to increases in network charges
• More complicated invoices
• Greater internal procurement requirements
• A need to understand non-commodity cost forecasts

Pass-through winner: Shell Energy

Octopus’s business contracts can contain separate wholesale and non-wholesale charges, but Shell provides the more explicit and configurable pass-through proposition.

Shell flexible purchasing

Shell offers two principal flexible electricity structures.

Flex Shape

Flex Shape lets a business purchase expected electricity requirements in blocks while Shell manages the difference between the purchased volume and the actual shape of consumption.

The product offers:

• Electricity purchases aligned with business requirements
• An agreed shape fee
• Reduced exposure to non-commodity risk premiums
• 100% renewable electricity
• Options for non-half-hourly and half-hourly meters

Block and Index

Block and Index allows the business to buy blocks of electricity in advance while settling residual consumption against an agreed market index.

Its features include:

• Access to market pricing
• Control over the timing of purchases
• No volume-tolerance penalties under the promoted structure
• Renewable electricity options
• Greater exposure to wholesale-market movements

Shell’s advanced flexible contracts can extend to 60 months and are mainly intended for organisations with substantial electricity expenditure and procurement expertise.

Large-business procurement winner: Shell Energy

Octopus’s smart tariffs are innovative for smaller users, but Shell’s wholesale procurement products are more suitable for major industrial and commercial portfolios.

Which offers greater price certainty?

For a conventional SME, Octopus generally offers the simpler proposition.

A standard fixed Octopus quotation sets out the applicable unit rate, standing charge and any other charges in the supply summary. No-standing-charge customers can remove the separate daily fee entirely, although the corresponding unit rate is higher.

Shell offers fixed-price contracts, but its wider product range creates more possible cost structures:

• All-inclusive fixed pricing
• Pass-through network costs
• Flexible wholesale purchasing
• Deemed supply
• Extended supply

A business must identify which Shell product it is comparing and which charges can vary.

SME price-certainty winner: Octopus

Customised large-user pricing winner: Shell

Renewable electricity comparison

Both suppliers have substantial renewable-energy credentials.

Octopus renewable electricity

Octopus markets green and zero-carbon business tariffs and invests directly in renewable generation.

Octopus Energy Generation manages approximately 4 GW of renewable capacity across more than 240 large-scale projects in ten countries, with an estimated asset value of £6 billion. Octopus also purchases electricity directly from more than 700 UK renewable generators through power purchase agreements.

The No Standing Charge business tariff guarantees 100% zero-carbon electricity, while Octopus’s wider business proposition includes traceable and smart renewable products.

Octopus’s approach includes:

• Direct PPAs with renewable generators
• Octopus-owned and managed renewable assets
• Community energy agreements
• Time-of-use tariffs that encourage consumption when renewable output is abundant
• Export tariffs for commercial solar
• Generator-matching products

Shell renewable electricity

Shell supplies 100% renewable electricity as standard to business customers, supported by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin.

Customers can also request more specific generation-technology or location options, subject to the contract. Shell’s fixed, pass-through and flexible products can all incorporate renewable electricity.

Shell’s disclosed electricity mix for April 2024 to March 2025 was:

Energy source	Shell Energy business mix
Renewables	71%
Natural gas	22%
Coal	4%
Other fuels	2%
Nuclear	1%

The portfolio-wide mix includes customers and products outside Shell’s dedicated 100% renewable arrangements. Shell evidences renewable supply through schemes including REGOs and the Green Gas Certification Scheme.

Renewable electricity winner

Draw for conventional renewable electricity.

Both suppliers can provide electricity matched with renewable generation. Shell’s standard business proposition makes its 100% renewable position particularly clear, while Octopus has stronger consumer-facing innovation and a substantial portfolio of renewable assets and direct generator contracts.

Renewable gas comparison

Shell has the clearer renewable-gas proposition.

Its products can be supported by Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin under the Green Gas Certification Scheme. These certificates match business gas consumption with an equivalent quantity of biomethane injected into the gas network.

Octopus supplies conventional business gas and offers fixed and no-standing-charge options, but it does not promote an equivalent standard renewable-gas product as prominently within its SME range.

Renewable gas winner: Shell Energy

Business solar export tariffs

Octopus has a major advantage for businesses that already generate solar electricity.

Panel Power

Panel Power pays businesses and charities a flat 12p per kWh for electricity exported to the grid.

It can operate alongside an existing Octopus import tariff. Eligible businesses need a smart meter or another export-compatible meter.

At different annual export levels, the gross payment would be:

Electricity exported	Annual Panel Power payment
5,000 kWh	£600
10,000 kWh	£1,200
25,000 kWh	£3,000
50,000 kWh	£6,000

Shape Shifters Export

Shape Shifters Export applies half-hourly prices linked to wholesale market conditions.

It may be suitable for a business with battery storage because the organisation can export when prices are high rather than accepting the same price throughout the day.

The tariff creates both opportunity and risk:

• Exporting at expensive times can produce more than a flat tariff.
• Exporting during low or negative market prices can generate less.
• Battery losses and degradation must be considered.
• Automated controls may be required.

Shell can support commercial generation, PPAs and bespoke export arrangements, but it does not publish an equivalent universal 12p-per-kWh SME export tariff.

Solar-export winner: Octopus

Smart meters and energy monitoring

Octopus smart meters

Octopus can communicate with compatible Secure SMETS1 and SMETS2 meters. Where an incompatible SMETS1 meter cannot be enrolled in the national smart-meter network, Octopus says it may replace it without an additional charge.

Business smart-meter customers can use an online dashboard to monitor consumption, while a working smart meter is essential for Shape Shifters and other time-sensitive products.

The principal advantage is not merely automatic readings. Octopus uses half-hourly data to support:

• Time-of-use import tariffs
• Dynamic wholesale pricing
• Commercial solar export
• Battery optimisation
• Consumption shifting
• Automated charging

Shell smart meters and My Account

Shell gives smart and advanced-meter customers free access to half-hourly consumption data through My Account.

The portal can provide:

• Up to 12 months of historical data by default
• Half-hourly gas and electricity information
• Downloadable datasets
• Charts showing trends and consumption patterns
• Data across multiple business sites
• Access for authorised third parties
• Bespoke reports
• Invoice and contract information

Shell states that a smart meter is not legally required. Customers can select half-hourly, daily or monthly data collection, although daily collection is the default after installation.

Energy-data winner

Octopus for using data to reduce costs automatically.

Shape Shifters, Panel Power and dynamic export pricing turn smart-meter data into direct tariff incentives.

Shell for conventional multi-site reporting.

Its portal provides a detailed set of reporting, invoice, query and contract-management functions, particularly for organisations with several meters.

Multi-site business energy

Both suppliers support businesses with multiple premises.

Octopus offers dedicated multi-site services and promotes centralised management through its business platform. Its direct-sales model may suit smaller retail, hospitality or property portfolios that want one supplier without using a broker.

Shell’s multi-site strengths include:

• Group billing
• Aligned contract end dates
• Fixed and pass-through structures
• Flexible payment terms
• Multi-site consumption reporting
• Large-user procurement
• Integrated generation and infrastructure

Shell is likely to be the stronger choice for an energy-intensive national portfolio, while Octopus may provide the simpler service for a smaller group of sites.

Commercial solar, batteries and energy infrastructure

Octopus’s most clearly defined commercial proposition concerns tariffs for importing and exporting electricity rather than a universal packaged installation service for every business.

Its advantages include:

• Panel Power
• Shape Shifters Export
• Smart import tariffs
• Direct renewable-generator relationships
• Battery-friendly time-of-use pricing
• Wider Octopus solar and battery expertise

Shell offers more bespoke energy infrastructure for larger organisations, including:

• On-site solar generation
• Battery storage
• Microgrids
• Low-carbon heat
• Electric vehicle infrastructure
• Flexible generation
• Asset optimisation
• Operation and maintenance
• Route-to-market services

Shell is therefore likely to be more suitable for a major integrated energy project, while Octopus is especially attractive to a business that already has solar or storage and wants an innovative tariff.

Customer service comparison

Both companies have dedicated business Trustpilot profiles.

Supplier	TrustScore	Reviews
Octopus Energy for Business	4.9 out of 5	217
Shell Energy for Business Customers	4.7 out of 5	179

Octopus currently has the higher score and slightly larger business-specific sample. Its profile was claimed in May 2026 and uses a paid Trustpilot subscription. The company invites customers to review it and reportedly replies to 50% of negative reviews, generally within 48 hours.

Shell also invites business customers to review it and uses a paid profile. Its review volume is relatively low, with only seven reviews recorded in the previous 12 months at the time checked. Trustpilot states that Shell had not replied to negative reviews through the platform.

Both samples remain small compared with the suppliers’ total customer numbers. Review scores can also be affected by invitation methods, recent campaigns and the types of customers most likely to leave feedback.

Customer-review winner: Octopus

Its 4.9 score is higher and its profile has received much more recent review activity.

Octopus advantages and disadvantages

Shell Energy advantages and disadvantages

Which supplier is best for different businesses?

Business requirement	Better choice	Reason
Small office or shop	Octopus	Simpler tariffs and lower price examples
Very low-consumption premises	Octopus	No Standing Charge option
Seasonal business	Octopus	Zero-standing-charge gas and electricity
Business able to move consumption	Octopus	Shape Shifters
Business with electric vehicles	Octopus	Cheaper off-peak smart pricing
Business with battery storage	Octopus	Dynamic import and export products
Existing commercial solar panels	Octopus	Panel Power pays 12p per kWh
Straightforward 12-month contract	Octopus	Clear SME focus
Renewable electricity	Draw	Both provide renewable products
Renewable gas	Shell	RGGO-backed supply
Business spending more than £50,000	Shell	Pass-through options
Major industrial electricity user	Shell	Flexible wholesale purchasing
Five-year procurement strategy	Shell	Block and Index can extend to 60 months
Corporate PPA	Shell	Bespoke large-user structures
Multi-site industrial portfolio	Shell	Group billing and sophisticated procurement
Integrated solar and microgrid project	Shell	Broader infrastructure services
Simple smart-meter dashboard	Octopus	Accessible SME platform
Complex multi-site reporting	Shell	Detailed reports and data exports
Highest customer-review score	Octopus	4.9 compared with 4.7

Final verdict: Octopus vs Shell Energy

Octopus is the better overall business energy supplier for most small and medium-sized organisations.

Its available fixed-price examples are competitive, and its range includes options not commonly found among major suppliers:

• No Standing Charge electricity and gas
• Shape Shifters Trio
• Shape Shifters Agile
• Panel Power
• Shape Shifters Export

These products provide genuine choices for low-use premises, flexible businesses, electric vehicle fleets, battery owners and commercial solar generators.

Octopus also has the stronger relevant customer-review record, with a 4.9 TrustScore from 217 business reviews compared with Shell’s 4.7 from 179.

Shell Energy is the stronger supplier for large and complex energy users.

Its fixed, pass-through and flexible products allow an organisation to decide how much price certainty it wants and which non-commodity charges should remain variable. Renewable gas, corporate PPAs, microgrids and integrated infrastructure further strengthen its proposition for industrial and multi-site customers.

The published price evidence favours Octopus, but it is not a direct current comparison:

• Octopus’s examples are from January and February 2026.
• Shell’s rates apply from July 2026.
• Octopus’s figures are fixed-contract examples.
• Shell’s figures are deemed and extended-supply rates.
• Shell adds electricity network costs separately.

The practical conclusion is:

• Choose Octopus for an SME fixed contract, zero standing charges, smart time-of-use pricing or commercial solar export.
• Consider Shell for renewable gas, pass-through contracts, flexible wholesale purchasing, a corporate PPA or an integrated industrial energy project.
• Compare live fixed quotations before deciding which supplier is cheaper.

A complete comparison should include:

• Unit rates
• Standing charges
• Estimated annual cost
• Distribution charges
• Transmission charges
• Capacity costs
• Metering and data fees
• Contract duration
• Exit fees
• Volume tolerances
• Renewable certificates
• Broker commission
• Price-adjustment provisions
• End-of-contract rates

FAQ