What is the best way to compare electricity plans?

Compare the estimated annual cost for your address and usage, then check conditional discounts, contract length, exit fees, solar feed-in terms and any controlled-load charges. Confirm the result on the official comparison service for your state or territory.

Why is a usage rate not enough to compare plans?

A bill can also include a daily supply charge, time-of-use rates, demand charges, controlled-load rates, discounts and solar credits. Annual cost combines the parts into a more useful estimate.

Does switching electricity retailer interrupt supply?

Changing retailer is an account change; the poles, wires and local distributor do not change. Confirm the transfer timing and any special circumstances with the new retailer.

Are the calculator results a quote?

No. The calculator is an educational estimate based only on the values entered. It does not include every tariff component or household circumstance and is not a retailer quote.

Australian household energy lab

Compare electricity plans by annual cost.

Short answer: use your own bill, model the full year and read the conditions. A headline discount or single cents-per-kWh rate cannot show the whole cost.

Estimate your bill Open official tools

No pay-to-rank plan table
Assumptions shown beside results
Official comparison links included

BILL MAP / YEARINPUT → ESTIMATE

Daily supply365 days

Grid usagekWh × rate

Solar exportcredit

Compare thisannual estimate

01Get a recent bill
02Model annual cost
03Check conditions
04Verify officially

See the complete checklist

Interactive bill lab

Turn rates into one annual estimate

Enter values from a plan fact sheet or retailer quote. The calculation stays in your browser and uses only the fields shown.

FORMULA(usage × rate) + (365 × supply) − solar credit

Plan comparison checklist

Six lines of fine print that change the result

Price matters, but only after the tariff structure and conditions match your household.

01 / COST

Annual estimate

Use your address and usage profile. Reference prices and network zones differ.

02 / TARIFF

Rate structure

Check flat, time-of-use, demand and controlled-load components—not one advertised rate.

03 / TERMS

Conditional discounts

Identify direct-debit, on-time payment, bundle or usage conditions and when they expire.

04 / EXIT

Contract and fees

Read benefit periods, exit fees, payment fees and how the retailer can change prices.

05 / SOLAR

Export value

Compare feed-in tariff, caps, eligibility and grid import cost together.

06 / SOURCE

Official verification

Confirm available plans for the address on the relevant government comparison service.

The final verification step

Continue with an official comparison service

Availability and rules depend on the address. Use WattCompare to understand the bill, then confirm market offers with the government service that covers your location.

NSW · QLD · SA · TAS · ACTEnergy Made EasyAustralian Government service ↗ VICTORIAVictorian Energy CompareVictorian Government service ↗ WESTERN AUSTRALIARead the WA market guideMarket structure and official links →

Location changes the market

Electricity guides by state and territory

NSWNew South WalesNetworks, tariffs and comparison route VICVictoriaVDO and Victorian comparison tools QLDQueenslandRegional and south-east market differences SASouth AustraliaUsage, solar and plan checks WAWestern AustraliaRetail market structure by area TASTasmaniaRetail choices and tariff basics ACTAustralian Capital TerritoryPlan and concession starting points NTNorthern TerritoryRegulated market context

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What WattCompare does

MODEL

Show the arithmetic

Calculator results expose the inputs and formula, so you can reproduce the estimate.

CONTEXT

Explain the contract

Guides unpack tariffs, solar credits, switching terms and state-specific routes.

LIMIT

No invented rankings

We do not call a plan “best” or publish stale rates as current without a dated evidence record.

Prices, concessions and eligibility can change. Verify with the official service and retailer before switching. Read the full methodology →

Frequently asked

Comparing electricity plans

What is the best way to compare plans?

Compare estimated annual cost for your address and usage, then check discounts, contract terms, solar conditions and any controlled-load or demand charges. Confirm on the official comparison service.

Why is the usage rate not enough?

A bill can include daily supply, time-of-use, demand or controlled-load charges, plus discounts and solar credits. The annual estimate brings the main parts together.

Will changing retailer interrupt power?

Changing retailer is an account transfer; the local network infrastructure does not change. Confirm transfer timing and any special circumstances with the retailer.

Is the calculator result a quote?

No. It is an educational estimate using only the values entered. It cannot include every tariff component, tax, concession or household circumstance.