Compare Cheapest Electricity Prices in SA

Fact Checked

To help South Australians find a cheaper plan, Canstar Blue has compared costs from some of the biggest electricity providers in SA to show what you can expect to pay with each of them.

South Australians are slugged the highest electricity prices in the country, which is why it’s hugely important to compare plans and make sure you’re getting the best deal possible. This means understanding electricity discounts and how they impact your overall costs.

Before we compare prices, it’s important to make the point that, if you have not switched electricity providers in the last couple of years, then you are almost certainly paying more than you need to. This is because new customers can benefit from often generous electricity discounts which have short benefit periods of usually just 12 months. After this time, you will start paying the higher rate, meaning that to get the best deals, you need to be willing to switch every year or two, otherwise you’ll end up paying the ‘lazy tax’.

Our price calculations are based on a specific postcode in Adelaide. To get a quote for your suburb, use our comparison tool here. Our database may not cover all deals available in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.

The pricing shown below is based on the SA Power network in Adelaide, South Australia. If you’d like a more accurate quote from your area, jump onto our comparison tool.

Cheap electricity plans SA

It is always a good idea to keep informed on other electricity providers and the current deals on the market.

• SA Sponsored Plans
• SA Plans

Here are some sponsored deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from our referral partners†. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area and to see other products in our database that may be available. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Sponsored Products

Based on the general usage^ in the SA Power network the AER reference price is: $2,230 / year

Netflix Plan Basic Plan Information Enjoy $100 credit when you join AGL electricity. Plus, get $96 RRP off Netflix value each year for the life of your plan with the AGL Netflix Plan. T&C’s apply

6% Less than reference price

$2,103 Price/year (estimated)

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View all electricity plans listed on Canstar Blue

*^View important information

Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area and to see other products in our database that may be available. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Which electricity provider is cheapest in South Australia?

According to our database, GloBird Energy, Pacific Blue and Momentum Energy currently offer the cheapest energy plans in South Australia. To see what you can expect to pay from these retailers, we’ve listed the cheapest plans below. Please note, these prices are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide with a general energy usage assumption of 4000kWh/year. In instances where one provider may have multiple cheap offers, we show only one product with the lowest price estimate first. The Reference Price for this area is currently $2,230/year. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area.

Glosave – GloBird Energy

Here is GloBird Energy’s plan on our database for South Australia. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Blue First – Pacific Blue

Here is Pacific Blue’s plan on our database for South Australia. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Nothing Fancy Electricity – Momentum Energy

Here is Momentum Energy’s plan on our database for South Australia. This product is from a referral partner†. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Best-Rated Electricity Providers SA

Other cheap electricity plans in South Australia

We’ve listed the cheapest plans for SA on our database above, but what if you’re looking for a specific product type? Here are the cheapest plans in our database for customers looking for a specific product type, including plans from the big three retailers, 0% discount plans, discounted plans, variable rate and fixed rate plans. The categories below fall under no particular order.

Cheapest Electricity Plan (Big 3 Provider) – Origin, Origin Go Variable – New Customer Only

Here is Origin’s plan on our database for South Australia. This product is from a referral partner†. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Cheapest Electricity Plan (No Discount) – GloBird Energy, Boost

Here is GloBird Energy’s plan on our database for South Australia. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Cheapest Electricity Plan (Discounted) – GloBird Energy, Glosave

Here is GloBird Energy’s plan on our database for South Australia. This product is from a referral partner†. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Cheapest Electricity Plan (Variable Rates) – GloBird Energy, Glosave

Here is GloBird Energy’s plan on our database for South Australia. This product is from a referral partner†. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Cheapest Electricity Plan (Fixed Rates) – EnergyAustralia, Rate Fix Plan

Here is EnergyAustralia’s plan on our database for South Australia. This product is from a referral partner†. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

How energy discounts impact your bill

Energy discounts were once the main marketing tool of the energy retailers, but following regulatory changes to the industry in July 2019, most have moved away from discounts and instead now focus on just providing cheaper base rates instead, as well as other incentives like bill credits. However, some retailers do still market discounts, which will typically now apply to both usage and supply charges. Discounts are typically available for paying bills on time or by direct debit. Some providers will also give you money off if you agree to receive bills via email instead of post. However, be aware that failing to meet the terms of your discount will not only mean you could lose the benefit, but you could also be charged a fee. Therefore, customers who struggle to pay their bills on time may find better value from electricity plans with lowest base pricing.

The other thing to be aware of in regards to energy discounts is the benefit term. Being able to lock-in a good discount for a couple of years represents a good deal. But no matter how long the benefit period, make sure you pay attention to when it disappears because it may not return and you’ll be left paying more.

Other incentives

Also be conscious of sign-up incentives. It’s common for the energy companies to offer a rebate on your first bill when you sign up online, for example. Others have rewards programs whereby customers can get money off things like movie tickets. Simply Energy typically has a plan that brings discounts for members of a certain motoring club while Lumo Energy has a program that brings discounts at various shopping and dining locations. While fairly attractive, it’s probably best not to let these incentives dictate your final decision, but they can be a good point of difference if you find two similar plans.

• Expert Picks: Best Value Energy Plans in SA

Tiered electricity pricing in South Australia

In South Australia, most electricity providers structure their plans with tiered pricing. This means you will be charged for power at different rates depending on how much you have used throughout the day. For example, you will typically pay lower prices for the first ‘block’ of electricity you use, but then a slightly higher rate for each next block. Our cost comparison has taken these block rates into account. While some providers only have two tiers of electricity pricing, others have as many as five.

Tiered pricing is another important consideration when comparing prices, so get to know your household’s specific electricity requirements, because the cheapest plan for you may be different to the cheapest plan for another household with higher or lower energy requirements. You can learn more about block rate pricing in our review of South Australia electricity tariffs.

SA electricity rates example

Electricity rates in South Australia often change, and this means annual energy bills can vary by hundreds of dollars depending on the specific rates you pay. Based on the winner of our electricity customer satisfaction ratings, here is an example of rates found in SA.

Questions to ask your energy provider

It’s important to regularly reviewing your electricity plan to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal you can. No one wants to switch electricity providers every year, but the reality is that it takes effort to get the best deals and that’s what you might need to do. Here are some questions to consider and potentially ask when comparing electricity prices in South Australia.

• Are you offering me the plan with the lowest usage rates?
• How much are the supply charges and how do they compare to other plans?
• How does the plan compare to the Reference Price?
• Is there a contract? How long is it? Are there any exit fees if I leave?
• What discount can I get off my bill and how do I quality for the discount?
• What is the benefit term of the discount? Will it disappear after a year?
• Can you offer me any additional sign-up incentives?

Ultimately, you should try to get to know your energy plans. No one is going to come round your house and offer to take $200 off your annual bill. Be proactive, compare plans, and consider switching if you think you can find a better deal.

Which energy providers are rated highest in South Australia?

It’s natural that consumers will be drawn towards the cheapest electricity prices in South Australia, but it’s also worth considering other factors, particularly customer service. That’s why Canstar Blue produces an annual review of electricity providers in SA, to see which are actually meeting expectations. EnergyAustralia has been rated best overall in this year’s ratings.

South Australians are paying a high price for electricity, but you can help reduce costs by ensuring you are getting a good deal. Compare plans from other providers and make the most informed decision you can. We hope this price comparison proves helpful, because if there is one message to take away from this, it’s that shopping around is hugely important.

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