Ecotricity

2026 is the third time we've included Ecotricity in our energy companies survey. It didn't score highly enough to be named a Which? Recommended Provider. 

However, Ecotricty was one of three firms named Which? Eco Providers for energy in our most recent Eco Provider assessment in October 2024.

Ecotricity was set up in 1995 and claims to be the world's first green energy company, introducing green energy to the market. 

It's a not-for-dividend company, which means it invests customers' 'bills into mills', building solar parks and wind turbines. It's currently building a green gas mill to make gas from grass.

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Ecotricity score

We combine the results of our customer survey with an in-depth assessment of companies' behind-the-scenes practices and policies to give you an overall view. 

Take a look at our table below to see our score breakdown for Ecotricity:

Here's how Ecotricity's customer and policy assessments break down:

To find out how Ecotricity compares with other energy firms, see our full results of the best energy suppliers.

Which? verdict on Ecotricity

• Pros Fair customer ratings ease of contacting it, accuracy of payments and value for money; Which? Eco Provider for energy
• Cons One of the least successful firms in meeting switching targets

Ecotricity customer review

Ecotricity's customer score is just below average, based on responses from customers in our latest annual Which? survey of 11,945 members of the general public.

It received a fair three-star rating in three areas: How easy it is to contact, the accuracy of payments and value for money. Ecotricity received two-star ratings in all other areas. 

One satisfied Ecotricity customer said: 'Apart from being very friendly and helpful, the energy is priced at a reasonable and competitive rate.'

Another told us: 'Green energy supplier, committed to it wholeheartedly and not afraid to acknowledge there are cheaper suppliers available. Consistently reliable service.'

Ecotricity customer service

Customers in our survey weren't particularly happy with Ecotricity's customer service. It was one of eight firms out of 17 to score just two stars. Four other firms achieved four stars in this area. 

That said, when we looked behind the scenes at its customer service setup, Ecotricity's score was among the highest. It has a full live chat service and the range of ways to get in touch are monitored until 7pm on weekdays and 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Its self-help information online covers key customer questions.

Ecotricity common complaints

In our survey, 6% of Ecotricity's customers who told us they had engaged with it in the past 12 months said they did so to make a complaint. 

Amongst all Ecotricity customers, the most common problems experienced in the past year were their direct debit payments being set too high or low (10% of customers experienced this), estimated meter readings being used when actual readings had been submitted (9%) and an engineer missing their scheduled appointment (9%). 

Our Ecotricity supplier assessment

In September-November 2025, we looked at five aspects of suppliers' business practices and procedures. Examples of some criteria within each category include:

• Complaints – how many complaints suppliers get and how quickly they resolve them
  
• Contacting your supplier – including how and when you can get in touch, call waiting times, and the quality of self-service help online
• Help for customers who need it – including those in vulnerable situations, those who use prepayment meters, those who need materials in languages besides English, and web accessibility 
• Smart meters – including performance against 2024 smart meter targets and the proportion of customers' smart meters actually operating in smart mode
• Switching – how well suppliers handle switching.

We did this using a combination of the responses to a survey we sent to suppliers and our own assessments.

Ecotricity had an above-average score in this assessment. 

It achieved high marks for its support of customers who need help. This includes its website meeting accessibility guidelines, and its provisions for prepayment customers. It also scored well for providing a variety of methods of contact and self-service support to customers. 

On the downside, it got a low score for its switching performance. 

Does Ecotricity support prepayment meters?

Yes. Here's what you need to know:

• If you have a traditional key or card prepayment meter, you'll need to go to a Post Office, PayPoint or PayZone outlet to top up.
• If you have a smart prepay meter, you can top up using its automated phone line or Ecotricity's app, or by visiting a PayPoint outlet.
• Emergency credit is available of up to £10 per fuel.
• There are friendly credit hours (when your supply won't go off if you run out of credit) between 6.30pm and 8.30am Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays. You'll pay back what you've used when you next top up.

Friendly credit and emergency credit options are the same, whether you have a smart meter or traditional meter. 

Find out whether prepayment energy is right for you.

How sustainable is Ecotricity?

Sustainability credentials are important when choosing an energy supplier for two thirds of those responsible for choosing their provider. That’s according to our online survey of 3,000 UK adults in August 2024. 

So we factor in a range of sustainability criteria in our Eco Provider assessment. We are next running this research in 2026.

Ecotricity is one of three firms that were named Which? Eco Providers for energy in 2024. Here's how it fared:

• Proportion of renewable electricity sold to customers: 100%. 
• Generates renewable electricity. Since 1995, it has built 24 wind parks with 74 turbines, and three solar parks.
• Uses its profits to invest in building new renewable energy. It calls this 'bills into mills'.
• Sells green gas comprising 1% of the gas it sells to domestic customers. It gets this from biomethane anaerobic digestion plants.
• Offers time-of-use tariffs for EV drivers. 
• Installs solar pv and battery storage.

Find out more about the differences between green energy companies, and find out how we assessed energy suppliers for sustainability. 

Based on information supplied by companies in August 2024 and their most recent published fuel mixes, where available. 

Making your home more energy efficient will save money on your bills in the long term and lower your carbon footprint. Get started with our guides to home energy efficiency.