The cheapest electricity provider in Australia changes with your postcode, your usage and the week you look. In our 14 November 2026 snapshot of single-rate residential plans from eight retailers, 1st Energy had the lowest annual bill on the Ausgrid (Sydney), Energex (south-east Queensland) and SA Power Networks (Adelaide) networks, between 19% and 23% below the regulator’s Default Market Offer. For a solar home the winner changed in two of the three networks.
This is a dated calculation from public regulator data, not a permanent ranking. Plans are repriced often, so use it to see how wide the gap is, then check your own postcode on Energy Made Easy. We did not contact any retailer and none paid to appear.
Key facts
- As at 14 November 2026, the cheapest generally available single-rate plan we found on the Ausgrid network was 1st Energy 1st Emerald at about A$1,454 a year for 3,900 kWh, against the Default Market Offer of A$1,899.
- On the Energex network, the cheapest was 1st Energy 1st Emerald at about A$1,588 a year for 4,600 kWh, against the Default Market Offer of A$1,988.
- On the SA Power Networks network, the cheapest was 1st Energy 1st Emerald at about A$1,887 a year for 4,000 kWh, against the Default Market Offer of A$2,334.
- For a solar home that imports 2,500 kWh and exports 3,650 kWh a year, the cheapest plan was Alinta Energy SolarBalance in Ausgrid and Energex, and 1st Energy in SA Power Networks.
- The Victorian Default Offer for 2026-27 is A$1,481 to A$1,748 a year depending on the distribution zone, and the Essential Services Commission publishes no minimum feed-in tariff from 1 July 2025.
- Rates and plans change often, so a ranking read on one day is a snapshot, not a recommendation.
How we found the cheapest plans
The answer to “who is cheapest” depends on method, so here it is. We read the Australian Energy Regulator’s public Consumer Data Right product data, the same data Energy Made Easy shows, on 14 November 2026. We took every residential market plan from eight retailers (AGL, Origin Energy, EnergyAustralia, Red Energy, Alinta Energy, OVO Energy, 1st Energy and Nectr) in three networks, then kept single-rate plans with one rate all year and no demand charge.
We left out plans needing a Westpac, Qantas, BP, Velocity or Everyday Rewards membership, comparison-site-only variants, seniors offers and plans needing a particular solar installer. Rates in the data are ex GST, so we multiplied by 1.1. As a check, Origin’s basic Ausgrid plan matches the regulator’s Ausgrid cap divided by 1.1.
Guaranteed percentage discounts are included. One-off credits, referral credits and pay-on-time offers are not. We used the regulator’s assumed usage for each network, so each bill compares directly with the Default Market Offer (DMO): 3,900 kWh in Ausgrid, 4,600 kWh in Energex and 4,000 kWh in SA Power Networks. The DMO is the regulator’s price cap for standing offers; see our DMO and VDO guide.
Annual bill = (daily supply charge x 365 + usage rate x kWh) x 1.1, less any guaranteed discount.
Cheapest electricity in Sydney and NSW (Ausgrid)
On the Ausgrid network, 1st Energy 1st Emerald was cheapest at about A$1,454 a year, 23% below the A$1,899 DMO, and the eight retailers’ best plans ranged from A$1,454 to A$1,709.
View the data as a table
| Annual bill | |
|---|---|
| 1st Energy | A$1,454 |
| Nectr | A$1,501 |
| Red Energy | A$1,588 |
| Alinta Energy | A$1,633 |
| OVO Energy | A$1,635 |
| EnergyAustralia | A$1,671 |
| AGL | A$1,709 |
| Origin Energy | A$1,709 |
| Default Market Offer | A$1,899 |
Every retailer’s best Ausgrid plan sat below the DMO, and the dearest was A$255 more than the cheapest. NSW has its own page: see cheapest electricity in NSW.
Cheapest electricity in Queensland (Energex)
On the Energex network in south-east Queensland, 1st Energy 1st Emerald was cheapest at about A$1,588 a year, 20% below the A$1,988 DMO, and the retailers’ best plans ranged from A$1,588 to A$1,908.
View the data as a table
| Annual bill | |
|---|---|
| 1st Energy | A$1,588 |
| Nectr | A$1,627 |
| Alinta Energy | A$1,709 |
| OVO Energy | A$1,801 |
| EnergyAustralia | A$1,868 |
| Red Energy | A$1,875 |
| AGL | A$1,888 |
| Origin Energy | A$1,908 |
| Default Market Offer | A$1,988 |
The cheapest Energex plan beat the largest-retailer plans (AGL, Origin) by about A$300 a year. Regional Queensland (Ergon network) is regulated separately; see electricity cost per kWh.
Cheapest electricity in South Australia (SA Power Networks)
On the SA Power Networks network, 1st Energy 1st Emerald was cheapest at about A$1,887 a year, 19% below the A$2,334 DMO. This was the widest spread of the three: A$1,887 to A$2,334 between retailers.
View the data as a table
| Annual bill | |
|---|---|
| 1st Energy | A$1,887 |
| Red Energy | A$2,109 |
| EnergyAustralia | A$2,170 |
| AGL | A$2,217 |
| Origin Energy | A$2,217 |
| OVO Energy | A$2,294 |
| Nectr | A$2,310 |
| Alinta Energy | A$2,334 |
| Default Market Offer | A$2,334 |
South Australian rates are the highest of the three networks, so the gap between a good and an average plan is worth the most here. Alinta Energy’s best plan matched the DMO.
The cheapest plans in detail
The table gives the three cheapest plans in each network, with rates converted to GST inclusive. “Discount” is a guaranteed percentage off the bill.
| Network | Retailer and plan | Supply (c/day) | Usage (c/kWh) | Discount | Annual bill | vs DMO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ausgrid | 1st Energy 1st Emerald | 132.88 | 26.40 | 4% | A$1,454 | -23% |
| Ausgrid | Nectr Home Buzz (October 2026) | 82.91 | 30.74 | none | A$1,501 | -21% |
| Ausgrid | Red Energy Living Energy Saver | 134.75 | 28.12 | none | A$1,588 | -16% |
| Energex | 1st Energy 1st Emerald | 153.56 | 22.33 | none | A$1,588 | -20% |
| Energex | Nectr Home Buzz (October 2026) | 127.50 | 25.25 | none | A$1,627 | -18% |
| Energex | Alinta Energy HomeDeal Flow | 165.13 | 24.06 | none | A$1,709 | -14% |
| SA Power Networks | 1st Energy 1st Emerald | 145.75 | 33.88 | none | A$1,887 | -19% |
| SA Power Networks | Red Energy Living Energy Saver | 121.00 | 41.69 | none | A$2,109 | -10% |
| SA Power Networks | EnergyAustralia Flexi Plan | 180.05 | 41.91 | 7% | A$2,170 | -7% |
Source: Solar Cobber calculation from AER Energy Made Easy product data, plans current on 14 November 2026. Rates were ex GST in the data and are shown multiplied by 1.1. These are headline rates for a standard single-rate meter; your own tariff, meter type and eligibility decide whether a plan is open to you.
Which plan is cheapest if you have solar?
A solar home needs a different plan, because it buys fewer kWh and sells many back. A plan with a low usage rate but a 0 c/kWh feed-in tariff can lose to a dearer plan that pays 8 c/kWh for the first 8 to 10 kWh exported each day.
We modelled one household and label it as an assumption, not a typical home: 2,500 kWh imported a year and 10 kWh exported every day (3,650 kWh a year). We counted each plan’s flat feed-in tariff, including daily caps, and ignored time-varying feed-in options and legacy government tariffs. Plans needing existing solar are included only here.
- Ausgrid
- Energex
- SA Power Networks
Source: Solar Cobber calculation from AER Energy Made Easy product data, read 14 November 2026. Annual bill = (supply x 365 + usage rate x 2,500) x 1.1 less guaranteed discounts, minus feed-in tariff income on 10 kWh a day.
View the data as a table
| Ausgrid | Energex | SA Power Networks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alinta Energy | A$1,065 | A$1,052 | A$1,641 |
| Nectr | A$1,071 | A$1,053 | A$1,688 |
| 1st Energy | A$1,079 | A$1,099 | A$1,359 |
| EnergyAustralia | A$1,143 | A$1,108 | A$1,413 |
| Origin Energy | A$1,180 | A$1,145 | A$1,457 |
| AGL | A$1,179 | A$1,145 | A$1,464 |
| Red Energy | A$1,103 | A$1,218 | A$1,411 |
| OVO Energy | A$1,113 | A$1,159 | A$1,629 |
The cheapest solar plan was Alinta Energy SolarBalance Smart in Ausgrid (about A$1,065) and SolarBalance Ready in Energex (about A$1,052). In SA Power Networks, 1st Energy 1st Emerald stayed cheapest at about A$1,359. Alinta’s SolarBalance versions end on 26 November 2026 in the data, so expect a replacement. Nectr in Ausgrid was within A$6 of the winner with a 0 c/kWh feed-in tariff.
Working for Ausgrid, Alinta SolarBalance Smart: supply 1.3903 x 365 = A$507.5, usage 0.2771 x 2,500 = A$692.8, total A$1,200.3, x 1.1 = A$1,320.3. Feed-in: 8 kWh at 8 c plus 2 kWh at 3 c is A$0.70 a day, or A$255.5 a year. Bill: A$1,064.8.
The ranking moved: Alinta’s general Ausgrid plan sat fourth at A$1,633, but its solar plan came first. A larger export volume, a battery or a time-of-use meter would change it again. Our feed-in tariff tracker and the NSW, Queensland and South Australian guides cover feed-in rates in depth.
Cheapest electricity in Victoria
Victorian plans are not on Energy Made Easy, so we have not ranked Victorian retailers. Victoria’s benchmark is the Victorian Default Offer (VDO), set by the Essential Services Commission for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 at A$1,481 to A$1,748 a year for 4,000 kWh, depending on the zone.
- 2026-27
- 2025-26
View the data as a table
| 2026-27 | 2025-26 | |
|---|---|---|
| AusNet | A$1,748 | A$1,908 |
| Powercor | A$1,633 | A$1,703 |
| Jemena | A$1,563 | A$1,638 |
| United Energy | A$1,529 | A$1,579 |
| CitiPower | A$1,481 | A$1,546 |
The VDO fell in every zone for 2026-27, by about 3% (United Energy) to 8% (AusNet). Check retailers on Victorian Energy Compare, since market offers in Victoria are quoted against the VDO. There is no ESC minimum feed-in tariff for 2026-27, so retailers set their own rate; see the Victorian feed-in guide.
Other states and territories
We did not rank plans in Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT or the Northern Territory. Regulated 2026-27 standing rates are published: Synergy Home Plan A1 in WA at 33.2621 c/kWh and 119.24 c/day, Aurora Energy Tariff 93 in Tasmania at 17.02 c/kWh off-peak and 36.1878 c/kWh peak, and Jacana Energy in the NT at 31.6788 c/kWh. See electricity cost per kWh for the sources.
How to check the cheapest plan for your home
Watch this short guide to using Energy Made Easy from SA Power Networks, a network operator, before you compare.
- Find your latest bill and note your annual usage, meter type and whether you have solar, a controlled load circuit or a battery.
- Enter your postcode and usage on Energy Made Easy (Victoria: Victorian Energy Compare), and add solar export if you have it.
- Compare the estimated annual cost, then read the fact sheet for supply charge, feed-in tariff, fees and discounts.
- Check conditions: lock-in, exit fees, discounts that end after 12 months, and whether a credit is paid once.
- Re-check every 12 months, because plans reprice. Time-of-use plans and the Solar Sharer Offer can beat single-rate plans for some homes; see peak and off-peak times and the Solar Sharer Offer. Wholesale-linked plans suit some battery homes: Amber Electric, GloBird Energy, and VPPs. If you are considering solar, compare installers in our directory and see whether solar is worth it. For help with bills, see energy bill rebates.
What this snapshot cannot tell you
- It covers one network per state and eight retailers. Smaller retailers (for example GloBird and Amber) are not included.
- It uses the regulator’s assumed usage, not your usage. A home using more than assumed is more exposed to the usage rate than the supply charge.
- Time-of-use, demand and controlled load plans are excluded.
- It uses headline rates; the data showed only fixed-dollar conditional credits, which we excluded.
- 1st Energy led all three networks, but we did not assess ratings, service or billing quality for any retailer. See the electricity prices trend page.
FAQ
Who is the cheapest electricity provider in Australia?
There is no single cheapest provider. On 14 November 2026, 1st Energy had the lowest single-rate annual bill in Ausgrid, Energex and SA Power Networks among the eight retailers we compared. The cheapest changes by postcode, usage and week, so check your own postcode on Energy Made Easy.
Who is the cheapest electricity provider in Queensland?
In south-east Queensland (Energex network), 1st Energy 1st Emerald was cheapest on 14 November 2026 at about A$1,588 a year for 4,600 kWh. The Default Market Offer for that network is A$1,988. Regional Queensland has a separate regulated tariff.
Who is the cheapest electricity provider in Victoria?
We have not ranked Victorian retailers, because Victorian plans are not on Energy Made Easy. The benchmark is the Victorian Default Offer of A$1,481 to A$1,748 a year for 2026-27. Compare current offers on Victorian Energy Compare.
Who is the cheapest electricity provider in South Australia?
On the SA Power Networks network, 1st Energy 1st Emerald was cheapest on 14 November 2026 at about A$1,887 a year for 4,000 kWh. The Default Market Offer is A$2,334. The gap between retailers was the widest of the three networks we checked.
Is the cheapest plan the same for a solar home?
Not always. In our model of a solar home, Alinta Energy led in Ausgrid and Energex, while 1st Energy stayed cheapest in SA Power Networks. A higher feed-in tariff can outweigh a higher usage rate.
Why are my rates different from this page?
Your network, meter type, tariff, usage and eligibility decide the plans on offer. We used the regulator’s assumed usage and converted ex GST rates by multiplying by 1.1. Your bill will also include fees and any discounts that are not guaranteed.
How often should I compare electricity plans?
At least once a year, and when your discount or fixed term ends. Retailers update plans often, and many of the plans we read were updated between July and November 2026.
Method
All plan figures come from the AER’s Consumer Data Right product data, read on 14 November 2026, and are Solar Cobber calculations. Rates are ex GST in that data and were multiplied by 1.1. The DMO figures are from the AER 2026-27 final determination and the VDO figures from the ESC 2026-27 decision.
Sources
- Australian Energy Regulator, Energy Made Easy product data (Consumer Data Right), read 14 November 2026
- AER, Default market offer prices 2026-27: Final determination
- Essential Services Commission, Victorian Default Offer
- WA Government, household electricity pricing
- Aurora Energy, residential prices
- Jacana Energy, residential pricing
About this guide
Written by the Solar Cobber editorial team from independent desk research checked in November 2026. Solar Cobber is a free directory that may earn referral or advertising fees from installers, and commercial relationships never affect content. This is general information, not financial advice. Corrections are welcome via /contact.
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