Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Introduction
OVO Energy’s marketing campaign would have you believe it’s the white knight of the Australian energy sector—clean, green, and customer-focused. But if you peel back the shiny surface, a less flattering picture begins to emerge. This OVO Energy review exposes a provider that talks a big game yet often fails to deliver real savings or substantial value. In a market where every dollar matters, consumers deserve more than gimmicks wrapped in recycled buzzwords. It’s time to look beyond the PR spin and see whether OVO Energy genuinely stands out—or simply blends in with a slightly greener filter.
Who is OVO Energy?
OVO Energy hails from the UK, where it built its reputation on digital billing and renewable energy claims. Its Australian rollout came with the promise of change—simpler pricing, sustainable sourcing, and better customer treatment. Unfortunately, those promises begin to unravel under scrutiny.
For all its talk of disruption, OVO behaves like a legacy provider with a millennial aesthetic. It offers no gas plans, no bundled incentives, and very little in the way of meaningful savings in most regions. What’s worse, it charges extra for some of its “green” offerings, placing the burden of sustainability on the consumer while still patting itself on the back for environmental consciousness. If that’s innovation, then the bar is embarrassingly low.
Key Features of OVO Energy
Let’s examine OVO’s much-touted features—not through the lens of their marketing team, but with a critical eye:
- 3% Interest on Account Credit: This is a classic distraction tactic. The idea of earning interest on your energy account balance sounds great—until you realise the only way to benefit is to routinely overpay your bills. Who exactly is this supposed to help? Not the average family trying to manage a tight budget.
- “Free 3” Electricity Plan: Another headline grabber that doesn’t hold up. Yes, you get three hours of free electricity every day from 11am to 2pm —it’s positive for people without solar who can use big appliances in the 3 hour window when most households can’t use major appliances. And the risk is, the price ouside the 3 hour window is much more expensive. For those few who can benefit it’s great and, yes, it’s greener because you are using surplus solar at that time. It’s a feature designed to sound generous and green while delivering minimal real-world benefit for most customers.
Understanding Energy Costs: Is OVO Competitive?
State-by-State Savings Analysis Here’s where the numbers speak louder than the marketing slogans. OVO Energy touts competitive pricing, but when you look at the actual savings across different states—comparing its cheapest plans to the market’s cheapest—the value proposition becomes shaky at best. In some areas it’s ok, but in others, it’s expensive. But take note check the latest information as it can change quickly.
Victoria Ovo Energy Review
OVO Energy consistently charges more than the lowest-priced options across Victoria. The differences may seem small in some areas—like $19 in Bendigo—but in Heidelberg, the gap balloons to $116. For a provider claiming cost-efficiency, this level of overpricing is hard to justify.
OVO – VIC – Elec
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Citipower – Camberwell – Single Rate
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Powercor – Bendigo – Single Rate
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Jemena – Heidelberg – Single Rate
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Ausnet – Traralgon – Single Rate
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United Energy – Moorabbin – Single Rate
Usage Type | OVO Cheapest | Cheapest plan |
---|---|---|
Peak1 | 0.2118 | 0.1343 |
Peak2 | N/A | $0.2783 |
Daily charge | 0.8250 | $1.5125 |
Yearly Cost | $1,308 | $1,244 |
Overpayment | $64 | – |
Usage Type | OVO Cheapest | Cheapest plan |
---|---|---|
Peak1 | 0.2282 | 0.1583 |
Peak2 | N/A | 0.3520 |
Daily charge | 0.9790 | 1.6390 |
Yearly Cost | $1,442 | $1,423 |
Overpayment | $19 | – |
Usage Type | OVO Cheapest | Cheapest plan |
---|---|---|
Peak1 | 0.2454 | 0.1578 |
Peak2 | N/A | 0.3108 |
Daily charge | 0.8228 | 1.4900 |
Yearly Cost | $1,466 | $1,351 |
Overpayment | $116 | – |
Usage Type | OVO Cheapest | Cheapest plan |
---|---|---|
Peak1 | 0.2788 | 0.1980 |
Peak2 | 0.2866 | 0.4086 |
Daily charge | 0.9515 | 1.6500 |
Yearly Cost | $1,675 | $1,621 |
Overpayments | $54 | – |
Usage Type | OVO Cheapest | Cheapest plan |
---|---|---|
Peak | 0.2205 | 0.2093 |
Daily charge | 0.8250 | 0.8763 |
Yearly Cost | $1,349 | $1,314 |
Overpayment | $34 | – |
New South Wales Ovo Energy Review
NSW shows an even more glaring problem: OVO is charging up to $291 more annually in Smithtown compared to the market’s cheapest provider. Even in urban areas like Mosman and Mount Druitt, customers are paying over $150 more. That’s not just uncompetitive—it’s actively expensive.
OVO – NSW – Elec
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Ausgrid – Mosman – Single rate
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Endeavour Energy – Mount Druitt – Single rate
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Essential Energy – Smithtown – Single rate
Usage Type | OVO | Cheapest plan |
---|---|---|
Peak1 | 0.3014 | 0.2684 |
Peak2 | N/A | 0.3069 |
Daily charge | 0.8250 | 0.8800 |
Yearly Cost | $1,951 | $1,791 |
Overpayment | $161 | – |
Usage Type | OVO | Cheapest plan |
---|---|---|
Peak1 | 0.3003 | 0.2673 |
Peak2 | N/A | 0.2992 |
Daily charge | 0.9086 | 0.9680 |
Yearly Cost | $1,976 | $1,817 |
Overpayment | $159 | – |
Usage Type | OVO | Cheapest plan |
---|---|---|
Peak1 | 0.3509 | 0.3080 |
Peak2 | N/A | 0.3443 |
Daily charge | 1.7050 | 1.5510 |
Yearly Cost | $2,544 | $2,252 |
Overpayment | $291 | – |
Queensland Ovo Energy Review
In Brisbane, OVO’s pricing is nearly indistinguishable from the bottom tier—yet still manages to be more expensive. A $44 difference on the Anytime Plan and a $7 premium on the Time of Use plan offer little incentive to switch. Why pay more for less?
OVO – QLD – Elec
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Brisbane – Energex – Single rate
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Brisbane – Energex – Time Of Use
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Brisbane – Energex – Time Of Use + Controlled Load
Usage Type | OVO | Cheapest |
---|---|---|
Peak1 | 0.2604 | 0.2552 |
Peak2 | N/A | 0.2937 |
Daily Charge | 0.9680 | 0.9240 |
Yearly cost | $1,750 | $1,706 |
Overpayments | $44 | – |
Usage Type | OVO | Cheapest |
---|---|---|
Peak | 0.3531 | 0.3344 |
Off Peak | 0.2057 | 0.2376 |
Shoulder | 0.2233 | 0.2376 |
Daily charge | 1.1330 | 1.0230 |
Yearly cost | $1,822 | $1,815 |
Overpayments | $7 | – |
Usage Type | OVO | Cheapest |
---|---|---|
Peak | 0.3531 | 0.3344 |
Off Peak | 0.2057 | 0.2376 |
Shoulder | 0.2233 | 0.2376 |
CL | 0.2266 | 0.2200 |
Daily charge | 1.1330 | 1.0230 |
Yearly Cost | $2,162 | $2,145 |
Overpayments | $17 | – |
South Australia Ovo Energy Review
SA households looking at OVO will find themselves paying $84 to $123 more per year than they need to. These are not minor differences—they’re missed opportunities for real savings. OVO might be greener, but your wallet will feel the cost.
OVO – SA – Elec
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Adelaide – SAPN – Single rate
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Adelaide – SAPN – Time of Use
Usage Type | OVO | Cheapest plan |
---|---|---|
Peak1 | 0.3498 | 0.3366 |
Peak2 | N/A | 0.3630 |
Daily charge | 1.2650 | 1.2430 |
Yearly cost | $2,484 | $2,400 |
Overpayment | $84 | – |
Usage Type | OVO | Cheapest plan |
---|---|---|
Peak | 0.3795 | 0.4004 |
Off Peak | 0.2574 | 0.2112 |
Shoulder | 0.2156 | 0.2112 |
Daily charge | 1.5620 | 1.3200 |
Yearly cost | $2,049 | $1,926 |
Overpayments | $123 | – |
Is OVO Energy Cheaper Overall?
In short? No. Even when OVO puts its most competitive foot forward, it still fails to match the cheapest energy plans on the market across most states.
This OVO Energy review makes it clear: while the company may offer lower rates than the default standing offers, that’s a pretty low bar. When you stack OVO up against genuine low-cost players, it becomes painfully obvious that OVO is not playing to win on price. The “savings” exist, sure—but they’re often modest, sometimes negligible, and rarely enough to make switching worthwhile.
Customer Experience and Support
Here, too, OVO Energy oversells and under-delivers. It promotes an easy-to-use mobile app and claims to offer “great service,” but customer reviews are far more mixed. While some praise the digital interface, many others report issues with response times, billing errors, and unclear account adjustments.
Customer support is handled primarily online, and phone support is limited—often leaving customers frustrated when something goes wrong. For a provider asking you to pay a premium in many areas, you’d expect better support infrastructure. Unfortunately, OVO doesn’t provide it.
What OVO Energy Is Missing
For all its branding and customer-focused messaging, OVO Energy has some glaring holes. It doesn’t offer bundled gas plans, which puts it behind full-service competitors. There are also no serious incentives for electric vehicle users, battery storage customers, or tech-savvy energy managers—audiences that would logically align with a green, digital-first energy brand.
Ideal Customer Profile
So who is OVO Energy really for? Perhaps someone who values a clean interface over hard savings. Households that want fixed pricing with a sprinkle of green virtue-signaling might find it “good enough”—but price-conscious or tech-driven users will find better elsewhere.
Final Verdict: Is OVO Worth It?
OVO Energy wraps itself in all the right buzzwords—green, fair, transparent—but when you strip away the branding, the reality is far less impressive. Savings are inconsistent, added features under-deliver, and the lack of extras makes it hard to justify OVO over stronger, cheaper alternatives. Unless you live in a very specific area where OVO happens to be the cheapest (and that’s rare), there’s little reason to switch.
Conclusion
In a crowded, competitive energy market, OVO Energy simply doesn’t do enough. Modest discounts, mediocre solar support, and missing features combine to create an offering that’s more style than substance. Consumers deserve better—and they can find it, with just a bit of research.
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