Compare NSW energy provider deals

How to compare energy providers in NSW

If you live in NSW you live in a state with a competitive energy market. This means you can choose your energy retailer. So, if you’ve been putting up with energy bill price increases each quarter and thinking there isn’t much you can do about it, you’re wrong. You can fight back by getting a better energy deal. 

The good news is that comparing energy in NSW is simple using Mozo’s price comparison tool. We compare plans from leading energy providers across NSW and will give you price estimates for each plan in our database so that you can find the one that best meets your budget. We can help you to compare gas and electricity plans separately or together. 

It is a good idea to have a recent bill handy as this will enable us to give you a more accurate estimate. If you don’t have one, that’s ok, we can still give you an estimate based on the number of people in your home and your estimated usage.

Who is the best energy provider in NSW?

There isn’t one best energy provider for every household in NSW. The best provider for you and your home will depend on a number of factors including your individual usage, the time of usage, type of usage and your postcode. 

There are also other factors that come into choosing an energy plan. If price is your biggest consideration then the best plan will be the cheapest one. But these days, more people are putting more emphasis on social and environmental factors and choose an energy provider based on whether they generate energy via renewable sources or offer green energy plans.  

Each year, Mozo’s team of energy experts conduct the Mozo Experts Choice Energy Awards where they compare the plan costs of all providers in our database and award those with the best value plans. 

Then there’s the Mozo People’s Choice Household Awards, and this is where we ask Australian consumers to rate their energy provider on a number of criteria. We tally up the results and award those energy providers that are voted best by their customers.  

Which energy provider is cheapest in NSW?

There isn’t one provider that is the cheapest for every home in NSW, but Mozo can help you see if you can save money by switching from your existing plan to a new one. To get started, simply put your NSW postcode into your comparison tool at the top of this page. 

If you are wanting to lower your energy bill, in addition to switching energy providers you might want to do a home audit to see if there are additional things that you could be doing around the home that could reduce the amount of energy you’re using. Check out our energy savings tips hub to get some ideas. 

What should I look for in a good energy plan? 

Every energy provider that operates in NSW will have a range of energy plans for you to choose from. While many energy providers will have ‘sign up’ incentives for new customers such as “get $50 off your first bill” or 50% off your first electricity bill, there are other features you should consider:

• Pay on time discount. Many NSW energy providers will offer customers discounts for paying their bill on time. But don’t be fooled by the discount amount. A 10% discount with provider A could be more than an 18% discount with provider B. 

• Direct debit discount. You can get money knocked off your bill simply by setting up a direct debit from your account. You’ll still receive bill notification of your usage but you don’t need to worry about making the payment as the provider will directly debit your account on the due date. Just make sure you have enough funds in the account on the payment date or you could be hit with a missed payment fee and a bank fee. 

• Clean energy generation. Opting for a plan that generates some or all of the energy via renewable sources could be a better option for your budget (and conscious) than one that generates it via coal. 

• Bill smoothing. If budgeting is top of mind, some energy retailers in NSW have plans that enable you to spread out the cost of your electricity in regular instalments over the year, rather than in quarterly chunks. 

What types of energy plans can I choose from?

There are a range of energy plans available in the NSW energy market, but the main two are market retail and standard retail plans.

Market retail plan
These are set by energy retailers, and can change at any time, even if you’ve just signed up. Because the prices are set by the retailer, you can often get discounts, or enjoy the benefits of a fixed plan for a certain period.

Standard retail plan - default market offer
If you haven’t switched energy plans in a while, you could find you are on a standard retail energy plan. Regulatory changes made in July 2019, meant that if you were not on a market offer plan you would be moved onto the government-mandated ‘Default Market Offer’ (DMO). The DMO prices are often set by the government, depending on where you live. 

You might also find that your energy provider offers the following types of plans: 

• Dual Fuel: When you sign up with the same provider for both your gas as well as electricity services. It’s convenient to deal with just one provider for both services and many energy companies offer discounts if you sign up with them for dual fuel services.

• GreenPower: The GreenPower Program is a government managed scheme that lets you match your electricity usage with certified sustainable power. This means that when you buy a GreenPower certified plan from your energy provider, they buy the equivalent amount of electricity as specified by you from accredited renewable energy generators. This renewable energy will not be directly supplied to your home but it is pumped into the grid by the provider for you.

• Prepaid Power Packs: Think of this as a similar deal to a prepaid mobile phone plan. Just like you can prepay for the calls you’re going to make in a month, certain providers like Powershop will let you pre-purchase power for your home at a set price. This could help you save money and reduce the chance of bill shock by helping you budget better depending on your energy needs.

• Bill smoothing: Bill smoothing refers to a payment plan where instead of receiving quarterly bills, the energy supplier gives you the option to distribute estimated power costs across equal monthly, fortnightly or even weekly instalments. If you’ve been with the same supplier for more than a year, these costs are estimated based on your annual energy usage. For new customers, the retailer calculates the cost using other customer usage data in your area.

• Time-of-use plans: This means that you’ll be charged different rates for using energy during peak, shoulder and off peak time frames. So you’ll have to pay higher rates for using electricity at peak hours, lower rates during the shoulder period and the lowest rate at off-peak times. This plan tends to be ideal for people who have the flexibility to regularly use energy in non-peak times. This type of plan is only available if the electricity meter at your home allows for time of use calculations. 

Is there an energy rebate in NSW?

The NSW government offers a number of rebates to help you reduce the cost of your energy bills. If you are eligible, you can apply for a combination of rebates reducing your energy bill substantially.

Rebates include:

Low income household rebate: The Low Income Household Rebate helps people with a valid concession card issued by the Commonwealth Department of Human Services or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs pay their electricity bill.

Gas rebate: The NSW Gas Rebate helps people who hold eligible concession cards issued by the Commonwealth Department of Human Services or the Department of Veterans' Affairs pay their natural gas or residential LPG bills.

Family energy rebate: The Family Energy Rebate helps eligible households pay their electricity bill if they have dependent children and received the Family Tax Benefit payment from the Commonwealth Department of Human Services.

Life support rebate: The Life Support Rebate helps people pay their electricity bills if they are required or have someone living with them who is required to use approved energy-intensive equipment at home.

Medical energy rebate: The Medical Energy Rebate helps people who hold eligible concession cards issued by the Commonwealth Department of Human Services or the Department of Veterans' Affairs pay their electricity bill if either they, or someone living with them, has an inability to self-regulate body temperature when exposed to extremes of environmental temperatures (hot or cold).

Seniors energy rebate: Independent retirees who hold a valid Commonwealth Seniors Health Card can apply for the Seniors Energy Rebate. This rebate provides eligible households with a $200 rebate, per year, to help with the cost of living. The rebate is for independent self-funded retirees only. Pensioners and veterans may be eligible for the $285 Low Income Household Rebate.

Energy accounts payment assistance scheme: The Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) Scheme helps people experiencing a short term financial crisis or emergency to pay their electricity or natural gas bill. This scheme is only for short term assistance.

To find out if you are eligible for any of the following rebates you can check out the NSW Govt energy saver website. 

Does the government regulate pricing for energy in NSW?

On 1 July 2017, the NSW Government deregulated pricing for energy, which meant a more competitive market for households and small businesses. 

But just because the market is deregulated, it doesn’t mean that you automatically get a better deal with your energy provider. Just like other products like your mortgage and car insurance, you should shop around each year to make sure that the energy plan you are on is still delivering you good value.   

How much does energy cost in NSW?

The cost of your energy service will be determined by a number of factors including where you live in NSW and how much energy you consume. Energy providers in NSW will calculate your bill based on:

• fixed supply charge: a fixed price per day for your service
• usage: charged per kilowatt hour of usage     

Does the type of electricity and gas meter make a difference to the cost of my energy bill?  

Yes, the meter that is installed at your premise will determine the tariff you’re charged. In NSW there isn’t a government led initiative around the rollout of smart meters for all residential customers so the type of energy meter at your property will depend on how old your property is and the energy distributor in your area. The distributor is responsible for installing meters.

There are a number of meters available in NSW including:

• Accumulation meters. These meters keep track of the accumulated electricity usage. You are charged a single flat rate for the electricity you use, so if you have this kind of meter at your premises you will generally be on a single tariff plan. 

• Interval Meters: Record how much energy you use at different times of the day and are called time of use meters. The benefit of these meters is that you will be charged different rates for your electricity usage depending on the time of day.   

• Smart meters: These are digital meters that measure energy use every 30 minutes. With a smart meter you are also able to choose more flexible pricing plans that allow for discounts depending on the time of day. Want more info, read our smart meter guide.

Energy comparison NSW FAQs

Ceyda Erem

Money writer

Ceyda Erem was Mozo’s lead energy writer as well as covering personal finance across the site until May 2021. She put her research and writing talents into stories that helped our readers to make more informed financial choices, whether that’s about finding the best energy deal or writing about the latest sneaky bank tricks. Ceyda has a Bachelor of Arts (major in writing) from Macquarie University. She is also  ASIC RG146 (Tier 2) certified for general advice.