Commander Electricity Review and Rates
COMMANDER IS NO LONGER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
Details should be treated as historical information only.
Commander, sometimes referred to as ‘Commander Power & Gas’, is an electricity retailer operating in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. While it does list some residential electricity offers on its website, Commander is first and foremost an electricity retailer for business customers.
In addition to its electricity retail service, Commander provides a range of phone and internet products, which customers can bundle for convenient utility management. In this article, we review Commander’s electricity offering. We look at its prices, services, plans and whether this retailer offers genuine value to customers.
Commander Electricity Prices
We outline Commander’s electricity plans in detail below to give you an overview of what you can expect to pay in each state. Keep in mind that these prices are estimates only. Read on for all the details, but first, here’s a quick price check.
Commander Electricity Plans
Commander’s electricity products are very straightforward, offering only one market offer to residential customers in each state that it operates. Instead of providing flashy discounts, each of the state’s market offers include competitive usage and supply rates.
Market Offer
Commander’s Market Offer is a variable rate plan with reasonably competitive electricity rates. Bills with this plan are issued quarterly and there are no exit fees, which is great if you find a better deal elsewhere and decide to leave. The Commander Market Offer is available on both a single and time of use tariff, with options for a controlled load.
Where does Commander operate?
If you’re interested to know whereabouts Commander electricity plans are available, look no further than the table below. We summarise what you can expect to find from Commander in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, ACT and WA.
| State | Electricity? | Gas? |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | ||
| VIC | ||
| QLD | ||
| SA | ||
| ACT | ||
| WA | ||
| TAS |
Commander Electricity Rates
Overall, Commander is a competitive energy retailer, offering electricity rates that give some of the other better established retailers a run for their money. So how much can you expect to pay with Commander? The prices presented below are representative of Commander’s market offer on a single-rate tariff at a selected postcode in each state.
Customers are billed on a quarterly basis. Note that these prices are not fixed, meaning Commander can change your rates so long as you’re notified. The deal is also on a ‘no-term’ contract, meaning customers are free to leave at any time and the discount should not disappear after a year or two.
Commander Electricity Rates NSW
In the table below, we show Commander prices on the Ausgrid network in Sydney. Plans are listed from the lowest priced estimate first. See here for information on the AER Reference Price, which in this comparison assumes general energy usage of 3900kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff, meaning the Reference Price is $1,462/year. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area.
| Electricity Provider | Electricity Plan | Difference from Reference Price^ | Conditional Discounts | Price Estimate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commander | Market Offer | 18% Less Than Reference Price | No conditional discounts | $1,206 |
| Basic Plan Information Documents | ||||
*Price assumes general energy usage of 3900kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Estimated price includes any conditions discounts that may be available. Pricing based on Ausgrid network in Sydney, but prices differ between distribution areas. October 2020.
See how Commander compares to other energy providers in our NSW price comparison report.
Commander Electricity Rates Victoria
In the table below, we show Commander prices on the Citipower network in Melbourne. Plans are listed from the lowest priced estimate first. See here for information on the VDO, which in this comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff, meaning the VDO is $1,420/year. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area.
| Electricity Provider | Electricity Plan | Difference from VDO› | Conditional Discounts | Price Estimate˜ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commander | Market Offer | 11% Less Than VDO | No conditional discounts | $1,270 |
| Commander | Victorian Default Offer | Equal to VDO | No conditional discounts | $1,420 |
| Energy Fact Sheets | ||||
~Price assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Estimated price includes any conditions discounts that may be available. Pricing based on Citipower network in Melbourne, but prices will differ between distribution areas. October 2020.
See our Victorian electricity price report to see how Commander compares to other retailers in the state.
Commander Electricity Rates SA
In the table below, we show Commander prices on the SA Power network in Adelaide. Plans are listed from the lowest priced estimate first. See here for information on the AER Reference Price, which in this comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff, meaning the Reference Price is $1,832/year. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area.
| Electricity Provider | Electricity Plan | Difference from Reference Price^ | Conditional Discounts | Price Estimate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commander | Market Offer | 3% Less Than Reference Price | No conditional discounts | $1,783 |
| Basic Plan Information Documents | ||||
*Price assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Estimated price includes any conditions discounts that may be available. Pricing based on SA Power network in Adelaide, but prices differ between distribution areas. October 2020.
How does Commander stack up in South Australia? Find out with our SA price comparison report.
Commander Bundled Deals
As mentioned, Commander is a bundled utility provider that offers business phone, internet and energy services. Commander offers what it calls the ‘Power Bundle discount’ for customers that have both an electricity account and selected business phone plan with Commander. In order to receive the bundled discount however, you will need to pay both services in full and on time.
Commander Fees & Charges
Like most retailers, Commander charges a number of fees that customers should keep wary of. While the charges vary across different distribution networks and may be subject to change over time, some common fees include:
- Payment processing fee: A charge to direct debit, cheque and BPay customers for processing payments
- Credit card fee: A fee for customers paying with credit card, equivalent to a small portion of the bill
- Dishonour fee: A fee charged to direct debit or cheque-paying customers when there are insufficient funds or the cheque bounces.
- Dis/connection fee: Commander charges a fee of about $55 for customers that connect or disconnect from the grid.
Canstar Blue has a full guide on electricity fees and charges for more information about power fees in general.
Commander Billing Options
Commander electricity customers are billed quarterly (every 3 months). They are defaulted to e-mail billing, however customers can switch to paper billing for a fee of $2.95 per bill. Billing options include:
- Online: Customers can pay their bill online using their credit card or direct bank transfer. Customers can also set up direct debit online so they never miss a bill, however will incur a processing fee of $3.95.
- Over the phone: Customers can pay their bill by calling 133 914 and using their credit card.
- Payment in person: If you prefer paying face to face, then head down to the local Australia Post outlet with your bill.
- BPay: Customers can pay with BPAY using the biller code and reference number at the bottom of the bill.
Customers with any queries or concerns about their bill should contact Commander for more information.
Commander Service
With today’s fast paced lifestyle, Commander says that customers need fast, reliable service. For this reason, Commander offers a live chat function to provide customers with immediate support online. It also has a large FAQ section on its website to help customers with some of the more common queries.
If you can’t find an answer online, then you can give Commander a call on its extended-hours phone line. Customers with general enquiries can call between 8am and 6pm, while sales enquirers can get in touch between 9am and 8pm.
Is Commander Electricity right for me?
Commander’s competitive rates make the retailer a solid contender in market, so long as you’re vigilant about changing energy prices. Commander may not necessarily be the cheapest on the market, but it doesn’t claim to be. The value of Commander’s service lies in the convenience of bundling your electricity, phone and internet services with the one provider – minimising the hassle and allowing you to get on with running your business.
Choosing an energy retailer for your home or business is a big decision, so contact Commander directly to make any further queries about whether it is right for you. If you’re interested to see what your other options are, be sure to check Canstar Blue’s customer satisfaction ratings and price comparison tool.
About the author of this page
This page was written and is regularly updated by Canstar Blue’s Energy Editor, Jared Mullane. He’s an expert in all things utilities, including electricity, gas and water, helping to make complicated subjects easier to understand for consumers. A trained journalist, Jared is usually one of the first to break energy-related news, whether it’s the latest changes in the industry, price movements, or the next best deal you need to know about.