British Gas vs OVO Energy: Which Should You Pick?

British Gas vs OVO Energy often comes down to price for bill-conscious households, but the cheaper option depends on your postcode, meter type and usage. In live tariff comparisons, British Gas and OVO can each be cheaper on different deals, so you should compare the current offers for your own household rather than rely on a single headline figure. Neither is universally cheaper, though, because your gas and electricity unit rates and standing charges vary by region and how much energy you actually use.

Both suppliers price their standard variable tariffs close to Ofgem’s energy price cap, so the real differences show up on fixed deals, exit fees, product extras like boiler cover, and service quality. If you are on a standard variable tariff sitting above the price cap floor, the fastest way to cut costs is to run a live comparison against your own postcode and usage rather than rely on a single headline figure.

Free Price Compare is an Ofgem-accredited comparison service, and we source the context below from Ofgem publications alongside our own live tariff data.

Last updated: August 2026

Written by the Free Price Compare editorial team | Reviewed August 2026

Which is cheaper, British Gas or OVO?

British Gas was the cheaper option in one comparison, with its cheapest variable tariff shown below OVO’s comparable variable deal., a difference of around £60/year (Free Price Compare research, August 2026). On a comparable fixed deal, the British Gas example came in around £89/year lower. That does not make British Gas cheaper for everyone, though, because both suppliers set standard variable rates close to the Ofgem energy price cap, and your actual cost depends on your region, your meter type and how much gas and electricity you use. A household with high gas use and low electricity use can get a different result from a household with the reverse profile.

The honest position is that neither supplier is reliably cheaper across all postcodes and usage patterns. Small differences in the unit rate and standing charge on each fuel add up differently for each home. That is why a single headline annual figure is a starting point, not an answer.

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British Gas vs OVO tariffs at a glance

British Gas vs OVO tariffs differ most on fixed deals and product bundles, while their standard variable tariffs both broadly follow the Ofgem energy price cap. A standard variable tariff is the default deal your rates move with when the cap changes, whereas a fixed tariff locks your unit rate and standing charge for a set term, usually 12 months. The table below shows example annual costs from an August 2026 comparison for a typical dual-fuel household.

The pattern in this snapshot is that British Gas edged OVO on both the cheapest variable and the cheapest standalone fixed examples, while a fixed plus boiler cover bundle priced identically at around £1,923/year. That bundle comparison shows why you should separate the energy cost from any add-on, because a boiler cover product is worth different amounts to different households. For a fuller picture of how British Gas compares against other large suppliers, our British Gas vs E.ON Next guide uses the same approach.

Do both suppliers track the Ofgem energy price cap?

Both British Gas and OVO price their standard variable tariffs to sit close to the Ofgem energy price cap, which limits the maximum unit rate and standing charge a supplier can charge on a default tariff for a typical dual-fuel household paying by direct debit. The price cap does not fix your total bill, because your bill depends on how much gas and electricity you use. Ofgem reviews and resets the cap every three months, so the level changes through the year. OVO’s Simpler Energy standard variable tariff was shown at 26.11p/kWh for electricity and 7.33p/kWh for gas on British Gas’s July 2026 average price cap rates page., with standing charges of around 57.19p/day for electricity and 29.04p/day for gas.

Because both default tariffs hug the cap, the difference between them on standard variable rates is usually small. The larger, controllable saving comes from moving off a standard variable tariff onto a competitive fixed deal, or switching supplier entirely, rather than from choosing between two similar cap-tracking defaults.

Still on a standard variable tariff?

Cap-tracking defaults are rarely the cheapest deal available for your usage.

Compare fixed and variable deals

What are the exit fees if you leave British Gas or OVO early?

British Gas fixed tariffs can carry exit fees, charged if you switch away before the fixed term ends, but the amount varies by tariff and you should check the specific product terms before switching. Standard variable tariffs do not carry exit fees, so you can leave a default deal at any time with no penalty. Exit fees matter because an annual saving from switching can be smaller than the fee, in which case leaving early costs you money in the short term. Always check the specific tariff terms, as fees vary between deals and can change on new products.

If you are weighing up whether to fix, factor the exit fee into the decision: a deal that saves you £100/year but charges a £150 exit fee only pays off if you stay past roughly 18 months. Our British Gas exit fees and switching guide sets out how these charges work and when they apply.

How long does it take to switch, and will you lose power?

Switching between British Gas and OVO takes around 5 working days from the day you accept the new deal, and your gas and electricity supply is never interrupted during the switch. No engineer visits your home and no wires or pipes are changed, because a switch is a change of billing account, not physical infrastructure. Under Ofgem’s switching rules you also get a 14-day cooling-off period after you agree, so you can cancel without penalty if you change your mind.

You will need a recent meter reading and your bank details to set up direct debit, and it helps to have your annual usage in kWh from a recent bill for an accurate comparison. If anything goes wrong during the switch, the Energy Ombudsman can step in once you have raised a complaint with the supplier first.

See current British Gas and OVO deals

Which has better customer service and fewer complaints?

Customer service between British Gas and OVO varies by household and is best judged from independent measures rather than a single opinion, and both suppliers appear in Citizens Advice’s regular star rating of large domestic energy suppliers on service and complaints handling. British Gas is the largest domestic energy supplier in the UK by customer numbers. and OVO is one of the largest, so both handle very high call and complaint volumes, which affects the raw complaint totals. Before choosing on service, it is worth checking the latest Citizens Advice star rating and each supplier’s Trustpilot score for a current view.

If a dispute is not resolved within 8 weeks, or you receive a deadlock letter sooner, you can escalate free of charge to the Energy Ombudsman, whose decision is binding on the supplier. That protection applies whichever of the two you choose, so service reputation should inform your decision without being the only factor. For another head-to-head on this basis, see our Octopus Energy vs OVO Energy comparison.

Do both offer green electricity, smart meters and EV tariffs?

Both British Gas and OVO offer smart meters, green electricity options and electric-vehicle tariffs, so neither is limited on the technology front for a modern household. A smart meter sends automatic meter readings, which removes estimated bills and is needed for most time-of-use and EV tariffs. OVO has historically positioned itself around greener energy, while British Gas offers renewable-backed electricity options too, so read each tariff’s specific green credentials rather than the general brand image.

If you have solar panels, both suppliers participate in the Smart Export Guarantee, which pays you for electricity you export to the grid. If you own an EV, compare the off-peak overnight rate on each supplier’s EV tariff, because a low overnight unit rate can matter more to your annual cost than the headline dual-fuel figure. Households on the Priority Services Register, or those eligible for the Warm Home Discount, should check both suppliers support these before switching.

Check OVO and British Gas smart meter tariffs

Is British Gas or OVO Energy better for your household?

British Gas suits you if price on a standard fixed or variable deal is your main criterion and the example savings above hold for your postcode, while OVO suits you if its product bundles, green positioning or service experience matter more to you than a small price difference. For a household on a standard variable tariff above the cap floor, the bigger decision is not British Gas versus OVO but whether to move off your default deal at all, and onto which fixed rate. Run a comparison on your own usage before committing, because a £60/year headline gap can flip once your regional unit rates and standing charges are applied.

If you want to widen the shortlist beyond these two, our guides comparing British Gas against other large suppliers, such as the British Gas vs Scottish Power comparison and the So Energy vs OVO Energy comparison, use the same neutral, usage-based approach.

• British Gas vs E.ON Next – Who Is Better?
• British Gas vs Scottish Power Who Is Better?
• So Energy vs British Gas Which Is the Better Supplier?
• So Energy vs EDF Energy Which SupplierIs Better?
• So Energy vs Scottish Power Which Supplier Is Better?

Information correct as of 10 August 2026. Prices, tariffs, policy details and providers change frequently, so please check the latest details before making a decision. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Free Price Compare is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).