Octopus Energy Smart Tariffs offers one of the UK’s largest ranges of smart energy tariffs, designed around electric vehicles (EVs), solar panels, home batteries, heat pumps and flexible electricity usage.

Unlike standard energy tariffs with one fixed unit rate, Octopus smart tariffs use time-of-use pricing, wholesale energy tracking or automated smart charging to help customers reduce costs and use electricity when renewable generation is highest.

Most smart tariffs require:

• A working smart meter
• Half-hourly meter readings
• Compatible smart technology for some tariffs

Below is a complete breakdown of Octopus Energy’s current smart tariffs, including how they work, who they are best for, eligibility requirements and frequently asked questions.

What Is A Smart Tariff?

A smart tariff changes electricity pricing depending on:

• Time of day
• Wholesale market prices
• Grid demand
• Renewable energy availability

The aim is to reward households that can shift electricity usage away from peak evening demand. Examples include:

• Charging EVs overnight
• Running dishwashers overnight
• Heating water during cheaper periods
• Exporting solar energy during expensive peak times

Octopus says over one million customers have used a smart tariff or smart service.

Octopus Tracker

What Is Octopus Tracker?

Octopus Tracker is a tariff where electricity and gas prices change daily based on wholesale energy costs.

Instead of changing every 30 minutes like Agile, Tracker sets:

• One electricity rate per day
• One gas rate per day

Prices are published in advance for the following day.

Best For

• Households wanting lower prices without constant monitoring
• People comfortable with some price fluctuations
• Customers without EVs or batteries

Key Benefits

• Often cheaper than standard variable tariffs over time
• Easier to understand than Agile
• No need to shift usage every hour

Things To Consider

• Prices can rise during wholesale market spikes
• Savings are not guaranteed
• Daily prices still fluctuate

Tracker FAQs

Does Tracker require a smart meter?

Yes. Tracker requires a smart meter sending half-hourly readings.

Is Tracker cheaper than Agile?

Not always. Agile can sometimes be cheaper for highly flexible households, but Tracker is simpler and more predictable.

Can Tracker prices go very high?

Yes. Rates follow wholesale markets and can increase during periods of high demand or low renewable generation.

Agile Octopus

What Is Agile Octopus?

Agile Octopus is Octopus Energy’s dynamic half-hourly electricity tariff.

Electricity prices change every 30 minutes based on wholesale market conditions. Prices for the next day are usually published in the afternoon.

In some situations, prices can even become negative, meaning customers are effectively paid to use electricity.

Best For

• Highly flexible households
• Solar and battery owners
• Smart home automation users
• EV owners able to charge overnight

Key Benefits

• Potentially very low electricity prices
• Can benefit from negative pricing events
• Excellent for automation and battery storage

Things To Consider

• Peak evening prices can become expensive
• Requires active energy management
• Not ideal for households unable to shift usage

Agile FAQs

Can Agile prices go negative?

Yes. This can happen when renewable generation is very high and electricity demand is low.

Is Agile risky?

It can be. Prices sometimes spike during winter evenings or low wind periods.

Do I need a battery for Agile?

No, but batteries help maximise savings because you can store electricity during cheap periods.

Octopus Go

What Is Octopus Go?

Octopus Go is a two-rate EV tariff offering cheaper overnight electricity for charging electric vehicles.

Typical structure:

• Cheap overnight rate
• Higher daytime rate

Octopus Go usually provides five cheap overnight charging hours.

Best For

• EV owners
• Battery storage users
• Overnight electricity usage

Key Benefits

• Lower EV charging costs
• Simple tariff structure
• Predictable pricing

Things To Consider

• Daytime electricity can be relatively expensive
• Savings depend on charging habits

Go FAQs

Do I need an electric car?

Yes. Go is designed for EV charging households.

What time is the cheap rate?

This varies by tariff version, but overnight windows are typically around midnight to early morning.

Is Go better than Agile?

For many EV owners wanting simplicity, yes. Agile suits users willing to actively manage charging times.

Intelligent Octopus Go

What Is Intelligent Octopus Go?

Intelligent Octopus Go automates EV charging using compatible cars or chargers.

The system automatically schedules charging during cheaper and greener periods. Customers also receive low-cost overnight electricity for home use.

Best For

• EV owners with compatible chargers
• Customers wanting automated charging
• Households using electricity overnight

Key Benefits

• Automated smart charging
• Six hours of lower-cost electricity
• Potential access to extra cheap charging slots

Things To Consider

• Requires compatible EV or charger
• Setup can be more technical than standard Go

Intelligent Go FAQs

Which chargers are compatible?

Compatibility depends on the vehicle or charger brand. Octopus maintains an updated compatibility list on its website.

Can I manually override charging?

Yes, but charging outside smart schedules may cost more.

Is Intelligent Go cheaper than standard Go?

Often yes, especially for compatible EVs because additional cheap charging windows may be available.

Octopus Flux

What Is Octopus Flux?

Octopus Flux is designed for homes with:

• Solar panels
• Home battery storage

Flux combines:

• Variable import pricing
• Higher export payments during peak periods

The goal is to reward households that export electricity when the grid needs it most.

Best For

• Solar + battery households
• Customers exporting electricity to the grid

Key Benefits

• Higher export payments
• Cheap overnight import rates
• Optimised for battery storage systems

Things To Consider

• Works best with batteries
• Requires active energy management for maximum savings

Flux FAQs

Can I join Flux with solar panels only?

You usually benefit most with both solar and battery storage.

Does Flux include export payments?

Yes. Export rates are part of the tariff.

Is Flux good for EV charging?

It can work well alongside home batteries and overnight charging.

Intelligent Octopus Flux

What Is Intelligent Flux?

Intelligent Octopus Flux extends Flux by allowing Octopus to intelligently manage compatible home batteries.

The system automatically:

• Charges batteries during cheap periods
• Exports during expensive periods
• Optimises savings and grid balancing

Best For

• Advanced solar + battery households
• Customers wanting automated optimisation

Key Benefits

• Automated battery management
• Improved export optimisation
• Less manual intervention

Things To Consider

• Requires compatible battery systems
• Availability may vary

Outgoing Octopus

What Is Outgoing Octopus?

Outgoing Octopus pays households for exporting solar electricity back to the grid.

Customers can choose:

• Fixed export pricing
• Agile export pricing linked to wholesale markets

Best For

• Solar panel owners
• Homes exporting excess energy

Key Benefits

• Earn money from solar exports
• Flexible export options
• Works alongside smart import tariffs

Outgoing FAQs

Do I need to be an Octopus import customer?

Not always. Some export tariffs are available independently.

What is Agile Outgoing?

An export tariff where export prices change every 30 minutes.

Cosy Octopus

What Is Cosy Octopus?

Cosy Octopus is a tariff designed for heat pump homes.

It provides multiple cheaper electricity periods during the day when heat pumps commonly run.

Best For

• Air source heat pump homes
• Ground source heat pump homes
• Electrically heated homes

Key Benefits

• Lower heating costs
• Multiple cheaper periods daily
• Designed around heat pump usage patterns

Things To Consider

• Eligibility restrictions may apply
• Best savings come from timed heating usage

Cosy FAQs

Do I need a heat pump?

Officially yes, although customer experiences vary.

Is Cosy cheaper than Agile?

It depends on your usage profile and market conditions. Some users report Cosy being more stable.

Snug Octopus

What Is Snug Octopus?

Snug Octopus is designed for homes using storage heaters.

Octopus intelligently schedules heater charging during:

• Cheaper periods
• Greener grid periods

Best For

• Homes with storage heaters
• Electrically heated properties

Key Benefits

• Automated heating schedules
• Better off-peak optimisation
• Lower heating costs

Intelligent Drive Pack

What Is Intelligent Drive Pack?

Intelligent Drive Pack is a subscription add-on offering unlimited smart EV charging for a monthly fee.

Customers combine it with a home tariff while Octopus optimises charging automatically.

Best For

• High-mileage EV drivers
• Predictable monthly charging costs

Which Octopus Smart Tariff Is Best?

Common Smart Tariff FAQs

Do all smart tariffs require a smart meter?

Almost all Octopus smart tariffs require:

• A smart meter
• Half-hourly readings enabled

Can you switch between Octopus smart tariffs?

Yes. Many customers switch between tariffs depending on seasons or usage changes. Some Reddit users report near-instant switching, though experiences vary.

Are smart tariffs always cheaper?

Not necessarily. Savings depend on:

• Usage habits
• Ability to shift demand
• Technology setup
• Wholesale energy prices

Are Octopus smart tariffs suitable for everyone?

No. Households unable to shift electricity usage may benefit less from tariffs like Agile.

Final Thoughts

Octopus Energy’s smart tariff range is broader than most UK suppliers and is designed around the transition to low-carbon homes and flexible electricity use.

The best tariff depends heavily on your setup:

• EV owners usually benefit most from Intelligent Go
• Solar + battery homes often suit Flux
• Flexible households may save most with Agile
• Heat pump homes are the target audience for Cosy

Before switching, it’s important to:

• Check smart meter compatibility
• Compare regional rates
• Understand how your household uses electricity throughout the day

Official tariff details and eligibility rules can change regularly, so always verify current pricing and compatibility directly with Octopus Energy.