How to compare electricity and gas plans in Australia, step by step (2026)

The most reliable way to compare electricity and gas plans in Australia is to use the free government comparison sites — Energy Made Easy (run by the Australian Energy Regulator) for New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT, and Victorian Energy Compare (run by the Victorian Government) for Victoria — and to price every plan on your own usage, ideally by entering your NMI or uploading your smart meter data. Then shortlist two or three plans, read their fact sheets for conditions and benefit end dates, ask your current retailer to match, and switch with the 10-business-day cooling-off period in mind. This guide walks through the process with a worked example and links to the detailed guides in this section.

Step 1: Gather your information

From your most recent bill (or your retailer's online account):

If you are not sure how to read these items, the bill reading worked example goes line by line.

Step 2: Choose the right comparison site

• Energy Made Easy (energymadeeasy.gov.au): lists all generally available offers from retailers in NSW, Queensland (mainly South East Queensland, where there is retail competition), South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT. Retailers must publish their plans there.
• Victorian Energy Compare (compare.energy.vic.gov.au): lists Victorian electricity and gas offers and can take a smart meter data file.
• Western Australia and the Northern Territory have limited residential retail competition, so these sites do not cover them; contact the government-owned retailer and state regulator for your options.

Commercial comparison websites and brokers may be paid by retailers and may not show every plan. The government sites show offers without commission.

Step 3: Enter your real usage

Choose the most accurate option the site offers:

1. Your NMI with consent to retrieve your meter data (Energy Made Easy), or a smart meter data download from your distributor or retailer (Victorian Energy Compare).
2. Usage from your last bill, with the billing period.
3. A household profile (least accurate — it assumes a "typical" pattern).

If you have solar, include exports. If you have a controlled load, tick that option.

Step 4: Shortlist on annual cost, then read the detail

Sort by estimated annual cost and shortlist three plans. For each, open the plan's Basic Plan Information Document (Energy Made Easy) or Energy Fact Sheet (Victoria) and check:

• Supply charge, usage rates and time periods
• Whether the price includes conditional discounts (pay on time, direct debit, e-bills)
• Benefit periods and what happens when they end
• Fixed-price period or how and when prices can change
• Exit fees, sign-up credits and payment methods
• Feed-in tariff and any cap on high-rate exports

The reference price guide explains the percentage you will see on each offer.

Worked example

Illustrative figures only (not real offers). A Sydney household uses 5,200 kWh a year, has no solar, and is on a plan with a supply charge of 125 c/day and a flat rate of 36 c/kWh.

• Current: 365 × $1.25 + 5,200 × $0.36 = $456.25 + $1,872 = $2,328.25

Shortlisted plans from the comparison site:

Plan 1 saves about $333 a year with no conditions. Plan 2 is only marginally cheaper if every bill is paid on time and costs about $119 more than Plan 1 if not. Plan 3 depends on the household's actual timing; test it with the flat versus time-of-use worked example.

Step 5: Ask your current retailer

Before switching, call your retailer, quote the cheapest comparable plan and ask whether they can offer a better plan for your usage. Your bill should already carry a "better offer" or "best offer" message. Staying with your retailer avoids changeover admin, but get any new plan's terms in writing.

Step 6: Switch and check

Follow the switching checklist: confirm the contract terms, note the 10-business-day cooling-off period, transfer concessions and check the first bill. You do not need to contact your old retailer; the new retailer arranges the transfer.

Other situations

• Solar households: see the solar exports worked example.
• Gas and electricity together: compare each fuel separately, then check whether a dual-fuel discount survives the comparison. If you are thinking of disconnecting gas, read the gas versus all-electric bill example.
• Concession card holders: check eligibility in energy concessions and rebates by state.

FAQ

How often should I compare plans?

At least once a year, and whenever a benefit period ends, your retailer changes prices (often around 1 July) or your household changes (solar, EV, new appliances, more people at home).

Do I need a smart meter to compare?

No, but smart meter data makes comparisons of time-of-use and free-midday plans much more accurate.

Will switching cut off my power?

No. Your supply continues through the same network; only the retailer that bills you changes.

Is it safe to give my NMI to Energy Made Easy?

Energy Made Easy is a government service run by the AER. It uses the NMI, with your consent, to retrieve your usage data for comparison.

Sources

• Energy Made Easy — official comparison site, helpline 1300 585 165
• Victorian Energy Compare — official Victorian comparison site
• Australian Energy Regulator — retail rules, Better Bills Guideline
• Essential Services Commission — Victorian best offer rules