The dataset in four numbers
- 498 live residential electricity plans tracked
- 13 retailers publishing CDR data
- 68% of plans are time-of-use, not flat rate
- +17.6% average premium on rural NSW/QLD networks
Cheapest and priciest plan by state
Estimated annual cost for a 4,000 kWh/year household, from published usage and supply rates, a comparative ranking, not a bill guarantee.
| State | Cheapest plan | Est. $/yr | Priciest plan | Est. $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIC | 1st Energy, 1st Emerald (Controlled Load) | $1,040 | OVO Energy, The EV Plan | $2,088 |
| QLD | Ergon Energy, Tariff 14C | $1,210 | Ergon Energy, Tariff 12F | $2,368 |
| NSW | Red Energy, Qantas Red Saver (Demand) | $1,332 | OVO Energy, Basic Free 4 Plan | $3,169 |
| TAS | 1st Energy, RACT Members Only | $1,572 | 1st Energy, Standing Offer | $1,887 |
| SA | 1st Energy, 1st Emerald (Single Rate) | $1,716 | OVO Energy, Basic Free 4 Plan | $2,868 |
| ACT | EnergyAustralia, Balance Plan (My Connect), only Evoenergy-tagged plan in the feed | $1,791 | ||
WA (Synergy) and NT aren't in the National Electricity Market so don't appear in CDR data. NSW's spread ($1,332 to $3,169) is the widest of any state, nearly $1,840/yr between the best and worst live-tracked plan on the same network.
Retailer average price ranking
Averaging every retailer's own published plans, not just its cheapest offer, shows a different picture to a single headline deal.
| Retailer | Average $/yr | Plans in feed |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Energy | $1,477 | 40 |
| Alinta Energy | $1,556 | 40 |
| Arcline by RACV | $1,558 | 38 |
| Powershop | $1,712 | 40 |
| Dodo Power & Gas | $1,810 | 40 |
| Momentum Energy | $1,835 | 40 |
| Lumo Energy | $1,872 | 40 |
| Ergon Energy | $1,893 | 20 |
| Red Energy | $1,931 | 40 |
| AGL | $2,141 | 40 |
| Origin Energy | $2,223 | 40 |
| EnergyAustralia | $2,309 | 40 |
| OVO Energy | $2,495 | 40 |
Three more slices worth knowing
- Rural network premium: plans on Essential Energy (regional NSW) and Ergon (regional QLD) networks average $2,195/yr versus $1,867/yr everywhere else in the dataset, a 17.6% rural premium baked into the network tariff, before you even compare retailers.
- Solar feed-in tariffs: 489 of 498 plans (98%) publish a feed-in rate; the average is 4.06c/kWh, but they range all the way to 1st Energy's promotional 44c/kWh, and down to Alinta's standard 0.04c, a spread worth checking before assuming "solar plan" means "good solar plan".
- Fixed-term contracts are nearly extinct: 494 of 498 plans (99.2%) are exit-fee-free "no contract" plans. Only four fixed-term plans remain in the entire live dataset.
Our take
The retailer with the single cheapest advertised plan isn't always the cheapest retailer overall, look at the average across a retailer's full range, not just its hero offer. And in a market where 99.2% of plans have no exit fee, there's very little reason to stay on a plan out of switching-cost worry.
Compare electricity plans at your address
See where your own plan sits against this data, live.
Compare electricity plansSources and methodology
Live pull from the Consumer Data Right energy API, the government-mandated Product Reference Data every retailer must publish, cached 6 September 2026. Annual estimates use a 4,000 kWh/year benchmark household and published usage/supply rates, a relative ranking tool, not a bill guarantee.