Octopus Energy UK: tariffs, smart tech & how the Octopus Energy Referral gets you £50

Octopus Energy Referral

Sign up for a new energy contract with Octopus Energy using our Octopus Energy referral HERE or click the button above and get £50 free credit once you have paid your first months energy bill. If you are signing up on the phone then make sure to quote the referral code: melon-crane-917

octopus energy referral
Octopus referral

TL;DR (quick takeaways)

  • Octopus Energy is a leading UK supplier known for clever tech (its Kraken platform), flexible smart tariffs, EV-friendly deals, and strong customer support.
  • You can cut bills by pairing the right tariff with your lifestyle: Go/Intelligent Go for EVs, Flux/Intelligent Flux for solar + battery, Cosy for heat pumps, Agile/Tracker if you’re flexible, Flexible/Fixed if you want simplicity.
  • Use the octopus energy referral to get £50 bill credit when you join:
  • Referral link: https://share.octopus.energy/melon-crane-917
  • Phone sign-ups: quote the code melon-crane-917.

Contents

  1. Octopus Energy at a glance
  2. Kraken: the tech behind the tariffs
  3. Comprehensive guide to Octopus Energy tariffs (who they’re for, pros/cons)
  4. Demand flexibility: get paid to shift usage
  5. EV ecosystem: Go, Intelligent Go & Electroverse
  6. Heating & home energy: heat pumps, solar, “Zero Bills”
  7. Export options: get paid for your solar
  8. Customer experience: what it’s like in practice
  9. Critiques & caveats (a balanced view)
  10. Octopus Energy referral: how to claim £50 (link + phone code)
  11. Picking the right tariff: fast decision guide
  12. FAQs about the octopus energy referral

1) Octopus Energy at a glance

  • Founded: 2015
  • What makes it different: A software-first approach, transparent communications, and tariffs that reward smart, off-peak usage.
  • Who benefits most: EV drivers, solar/battery owners, heat-pump households, renters who want fairness and simplicity — and anyone willing to shift some usage to cheaper times.

2) Kraken: the tech behind the tariffs

Octopus’s in-house platform, Kraken, connects your smart meter, EV, battery, and heat pump to flexible pricing and automation. It’s why Octopus can publish half-hourly prices, automate EV charging at the cheapest/greenest times, and generally make billing/switching smoother.

Why you care:

  • Less admin, fewer billing hiccups
  • Access to smart tariffs (half-hourly or time-of-use)
  • App-driven control over when your biggest loads run
Octopus refer a friend scheme for £50

3) Octopus Energy tariffs — the comprehensive guide

Note: Availability and exact rates vary by region and meter type. Think of this as a practical map to the options, not a rate sheet. A smart meter unlocks most of the good stuff.

A) Everyday tariffs

Flexible Octopus (Standard Variable)

  • Needs smart meter? No (but recommended)
  • Price shape: Moves with the market/regulator; no exit fees
  • Best for: Simplicity, low effort, easy to leave
  • Watch-outs: A price cap limits unit rates, not your total bill

Fixed-rate tariffs (various terms)

  • Needs smart meter? No
  • Price shape: Locked unit rates/standing charges for the term
  • Best for: Budget certainty
  • Watch-outs: Exit fees may apply; you won’t benefit if prices fall

B) Wholesale-linked variable tariffs (more transparency, more volatility)

Tracker (electricity and/or gas)

  • Needs smart meter? Electricity: usually yes; Gas: smart preferred
  • Price shape: Daily prices follow wholesale with built-in ceilings
  • Best for: You like transparency and can tweak usage day-to-day
  • Watch-outs: Prices can jump in volatile markets

Agile Octopus (electricity)

  • Needs smart meter? Yes, half-hourly
  • Price shape: Half-hourly prices set the evening before
  • Best for: Flexible households with schedulable loads (washers, immersion, batteries)
  • Watch-outs: Peak 4–7pm can be pricey; occasional negative prices off-peak can also pay you to use power

C) Time-of-Use (ToU) tariffs for specific tech

Octopus Go (EV)

  • Needs smart meter? Yes
  • Price shape: Cheap overnight window (e.g., ~00:30–05:30) + standard day rate
  • Best for: EV drivers happy to set a timer
  • Watch-outs: Make sure your car actually charges in the window

Intelligent Octopus Go (smart EV charging)

  • Needs smart meter? Yes, plus compatible car/charger/app
  • Price shape: App schedules charging at a lower off-peak rate
  • Best for: “Set-and-forget” EV owners who want the lowest hassle
  • Watch-outs: Check compatibility and keep your car/charger connected

Cosy Octopus (heat pumps)

  • Needs smart meter? Yes
  • Price shape: Multiple bands with cheaper off-peak heating windows
  • Best for: Heat-pump homes with decent insulation/thermal storage
  • Watch-outs: Plan pre-heat and hot-water around the cheap bands

Octopus Flux (solar + battery)

  • Needs smart meter? Yes (and export set-up)
  • Price shape: Three-rate import/export: cheap import overnight, premium export at the evening peak
  • Best for: Solar with a home battery (charge low, export high)
  • Watch-outs: Works best with automation; remember round-trip losses

Intelligent Flux (automated battery optimisation)

  • Needs smart meter? Yes; compatible battery/inverter
  • Price shape: Smart charging/discharging aligned to price signals
  • Best for: Battery owners who want automated arbitrage/export
  • Watch-outs: Check supported hardware and allow control windows

D) Export tariffs (solar, with or without battery)

Outgoing Octopus (Fixed)

  • Needs smart meter? Yes (or export meter)
  • Price shape: Flat, predictable payment for every kWh exported
  • Best for: Simple certainty if you export across the day
  • Watch-outs: Might earn less than Flux if you can target evening peaks

Agile Outgoing

  • Needs smart meter? Yes, half-hourly export
  • Price shape: Half-hourly export linked to wholesale (can spike at peak)
  • Best for: Solar + battery that can time exports to the evening peak
  • Watch-outs: Variable returns; needs scheduling to shine

Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

  • Needs smart meter? Yes (or export meter)
  • Price shape: Supplier-set flat export to meet the SEG requirement
  • Best for: Basic, entry-level export payment

E) Niche & local

Fan Club (local wind discounts)

  • Needs smart meter? Usually
  • Price shape: Localised discounts when the wind’s blowing (bigger when it’s very windy)
  • Best for: Customers in eligible postcodes
  • Watch-outs: Limited availability and location-dependent

Prepayment (Pay-As-You-Go)

  • Needs smart meter? Not required, but smart prepay is common
  • Price shape: Standard prepay unit rates/standing charges
  • Best for: Households that prefer top-up budgeting

4) Demand flexibility: get paid to help the grid

Octopus runs events where you’re rewarded for shifting or soaking up usage (e.g., cutting demand 4–7pm, using more when there’s surplus wind). If your home can move some loads, it’s an easy way to earn credits and lower carbon.

octopus referral code:

5) EV ecosystem: beyond cheap home charging

  • Intelligent Octopus Go coordinates charging at the cheapest times.
  • Electroverse gives you one app/RFID to roam across a huge public charging network, with helpful integrations and occasional price perks.
  • Octopus EV (leasing) bundles car, charger, and a home tariff for a joined-up experience.

6) Heating & home energy: heat pumps, solar and “Zero Bills”

  • Heat pumps: High-temp models and smart controls, designed to work with ToU tariffs (Cosy).
  • Solar & batteries: Quote, install, then optimise with Flux/Intelligent Flux.
  • Zero Bills™ homes: Packages of solar + battery + heat pump targeting no energy bills for a set period under an audited standard.

7) Export options: turn sunshine into savings

If you generate electricity, don’t leave money on the table. Choose Outgoing Fixed for predictable payouts, or Agile Outgoing/Flux if you can line up exports with the evening peak for higher returns.


8) Customer experience

Octopus is widely praised for responsive support, a clear app, and helpful hardship initiatives (e.g., Octo Assist). It’s not perfect, but compared to old-guard suppliers, communications are typically clearer and faster.


9) Critiques & caveats (balanced view)

  • “Green” matching vs. grid reality: Certificates match annual energy, not the exact instant electrons. Octopus invests in real renewables and PPAs, but the nuance is worth knowing.
  • Volatility risk: Agile/Tracker can save money if you shift usage — but they’re not for everyone. If you want certainty, Fixed or Flexible is safer.
  • Compatibility: Intelligent tariffs depend on supported cars/chargers/batteries and reliable connectivity.
octopus banner for referral offer
get £50 free using octopus referral scheme

You can get £50 account credit via the octopus energy referral when you join Octopus. The credit appears after your supply goes live and the referral is validated (subject to Octopus’s T&Cs).

How to claim (step-by-step)

Online

  1. Click https://share.octopus.energy/melon-crane-917
  2. Pick your tariff and start the switch
  3. Ensure the referral is applied (you can also paste melon-crane-917)
  4. Complete sign-up; credit lands after your supply is live (per T&Cs)

By phone
When asked how you heard about Octopus, say:

“Please add the octopus energy referral code melon-crane-917 to my account.”

Quick referral FAQs

  • What do I get? £50 account credit (reduces future bills)
  • When does it show? After your supply is live and the referral is validated
  • Existing customers? The referral is for new sign-ups; existing customers can share their link to earn credit
  • Stack multiple codes? No — one referral per sign-up
  • Already started the switch? Contact support ASAP and ask them to add melon-crane-917 before completion

Reminder: Terms, eligibility and amounts can change. Always check the latest during sign-up.


11) Picking the right tariff: fast decision guide

  • EV owner:
    • Hands-off cheapest charging → Intelligent Octopus Go
    • Happy with a dumb timer → Octopus Go
  • Solar household:
    • No battery, want simplicity → Outgoing Fixed
    • With battery, can schedule → Flux (or Intelligent Flux if compatible)
  • Heat pump home:
    • Comfortable scheduling heat/HW → Cosy Octopus
  • Data-curious & flexible:
    • Will avoid 4–7pm → Agile
    • Prefer daily transparency with guardrails → Tracker
  • “No drama” bills:
    • Flexible Octopus (easy, no exit fees), or a Fixed deal for certainty

Universal tips

  • Get a smart meter to unlock the best tariffs and accurate billing
  • Move big loads outside 4–7pm
  • Use automation (timers, smart plugs, app schedules)
  • If you generate power, pick an export tariff

12) FAQs about the Octopus Energy Referral

What is the Octopus Energy Referral?
A programme where a new customer and the referrer each receive £50 account credit after the switch completes.

How do I use it online?
Click https://share.octopus.energy/melon-crane-917 and complete sign-up. Check the referral is attached (paste melon-crane-917 if needed).

How do I use it by phone?
Quote the octopus energy referral code melon-crane-917 to the agent.

Can I use it if I’m already with Octopus?
No — but you can share your own referral with friends to earn credit.

Does it affect my tariff choice?
No — pick any tariff; the octopus energy referral is separate from your plan.


Final word (and your £50 credit)

Octopus Energy works best when you match your tariff to your lifestyle, add a smart meter, and automate the energy-hungry stuff. And don’t forget the octopus energy referral — it’s the easiest £50 you’ll make on your energy this year:

Happy saving — and enjoy the credit!


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