Business energy suppliers
Which energy suppliers work with Uswitch for Business?
At Uswitch for Business, we only compare business energy deals from suppliers who offer great service alongside competitive rates.
- British Gas
- Crown
- E.ON
- EDF Energy
- Haven Power
- Octopus Energy
- Opus Energy
- Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE)
- ScottishPower
- Smartest Energy
- Valda Energy.
Comparing business energy suppliers isn't the same as running a search for domestic gas and electricity. This is because commercial energy is tailored to the specific needs of your business. While this is good news because it means you get a bespoke plan, it does mean you'd need to contact every provider to get a quote in the first place.
As a business energy broker, we can help you compare energy suppliers all at once to help you find the deal that best suits the needs and budget of your business.
For instance, if you run a large business that uses a lot of energy, we make the switching process simpler with a bespoke procurement service, a bill validation service and a metering and data collection service. If you run your business from multiple locations, we also offer a multi-site metering service.
How to find the best energy supplier for your business
The right energy supplier for your business won’t necessarily be the one that charges the least amount of money. Commercial contracts can run for up to five years so it’s important to choose a gas and electricity provider that you’re happy with overall.
You might need a supplier that can offer longer contracts, certain payment methods, or boasts a great customer service record.
With that in mind, it's worth taking the time to find out what a provider is really like. Reading reviews and finding out call waiting and response times are all good ways to choose an energy supplier. Word of mouth is also a valuable source of information.
As well as customer satisfaction, you should also think about:
- Budget – consider how much flexibility you have to meet rising energy prices. If there’s minimal room for manoeuvre then fixed contracts (for example) might be better than variable options.
- Your business – some plans will suit you better than others depending on the type of business you run. For example, if you’re busiest at night and at weekends, your needs will be different to businesses that run during traditional opening hours.
- Your usage – if you operate a machinery or production plant then you’re likely to consume far more energy than a shop, which might mean you need a specific meter or supply.
- Green tariffs – if your business has a strong environmental ethos then you may want to consider suppliers that use renewable energy or invest in eco-friendly projects.
If cost is your main concern, you’ll want to find out which supplier is offering cheap energy rates. When you run an energy comparison with a broker or comparison service like Uswitch for Business, we’ll compare prices from our panel of trusted suppliers to find our cheapest business gas and electricity rates.
Key things to consider when choosing a new energy supplier
Choosing the right energy supplier isn’t an overnight decision, so before you sign on the dotted line, consider the following:
Unit rates and standing charges
The unit rate is the price you pay for each kilowatt hour (kWh) of energy you use. Suppliers all add a daily standing charge, which is a fee to supply you with energy. Your agreed unit cost can be either fixed or variable (which means it can go up or down according to the market), but your overall bill will reflect the amount of energy you’ve used.
Out of contract rates
It’s essential to ensure you’ve officially cancelled your contract when it ends, if you don’t, then your supplier can put you on an out-of-contract tariff which is likely to be very expensive. Always check what your provider’s policy is and what its out-of-contract tariffs are so you don’t get caught out.
Know your renewal window
This is when you can start looking at new deals and providers and is typically one to six months before the end of your contract.
Regional prices
If you work in an office or other premises then this is something you won’t be able to control but it’s handy to know that where you’re located can affect the price of your energy.
Business energy meters
If you use a lot of energy or have premises spread across a number of sites, then think about installing a half-hourly (HH) or multi-site meter.
Installation
If you’re moving to a new site that isn’t connected to gas or electricity yet, you’ll need to factor in time and money to install a connection. Double-check any terms and conditions as well, to ensure you don’t end up locked into a lengthy contract based on the work a provider has done.
What types of business energy contracts are available?
Most business energy suppliers will offer contracts that last for between one and three years. Some will offer up to five years. That's why it makes sense to speak to one of our experts and find out which will best suit your business.
We'll also talk you through the types of contracts that are available to you, which could include the following:
- Fixed-term tariffs – the unit rate and standing charge are fixed for the length of the contract
- Extended tariffs – your current supplier offers you competitive rates to extend your current contract
- Flex approach tariffs – larger businesses can bulk buy energy for future use to take advantage when prices are lower
- Pass-through tariffs – splits your bill between paying for the energy you use (which is fixed) and other costs (which are variable).
If you've moved into new premises without sorting a new business energy deal, you'll be placed on deemed rates by that building's supplier. If you don't arrange a new contract before your current one ends, you'll be placed on out-of-contract rates by your current supplier. In both cases, these rates are usually among a supplier's most expensive, but you can switch at any time.
Why switch business energy supplier?
When it comes to comparing business energy suppliers, you'll quickly realise that there are a lot of choices out there. And when you're deciding which supplier to switch to, you’ll need to work out whether you want to go with one of the bigger, more well-known energy suppliers or one of the smaller commercial energy suppliers. Competitive pricing will probably be your main priority when running a business energy comparison, but there’s more to consider than just cheap energy.
Energy supply is a highly competitive industry and most business energy suppliers will offer different contract terms and levels of service, depending upon the size and needs of your business - while one supplier might be great for a micro business, it might not be best equipped to meet the demands of a high energy consumption business. If you do run a large business, you might even need to consider half-hourly metering or multi-site meters.
It’s well worth taking the time and effort to look a little further past the price point to see what else a supplier can offer. We can compare deals in a matter of minutes to find you the best commercial energy supplier.
How to compare and switch business gas and electricity supplier
Switching electricity and gas suppliers isn't as straightforward as switching home energy. This means it can be time-consuming, not least because the only way to make sure you're on the best deal is to contact each supplier for an individual, bespoke quote. Or you can let our energy experts do all the hard work for you, to save both time and money.
Negotiation plays an important role in any business energy switch, as suppliers don’t always publish all their rates on business gas and electricity comparison sites. But don’t let this put you off - from a financial standpoint alone, the benefit of switching gas and electricity suppliers for business vastly outweighs the effort involved if you let us run the comparison on your behalf. This is especially true for business energy customers who have inadvertently found themselves on uncompetitive deemed or out-of-contract rates, something that can easily happen if you don’t keep an eye on your renewal dates.
While comparison sites can help you benchmark prices, gathering and analysing quotes from different gas and electricity business suppliers takes time. As a general rule, you should aim to try and compare quotes for upwards of 10 business energy companies to be sure your company is getting the best deal on the market.
How much could your business save by switching energy supplier?
The amount your business can save from switching depends on its size, the number of staff you employ and, ultimately, how efficiently it’s run. It’s impossible to say exactly how much your company could save, as all businesses are different. But it’s safe to say that if you haven’t re-negotiated your business’s energy tariff for a few years, then it’s highly likely that you’re now paying more than you should be.
If you need to work out how much energy your business should be using, it helps to know how much energy a business of your size should be using.
Below are the average electricity and gas consumption rates for businesses of all sizes.
| Business size | Average annual electricity usage | Price per kWh | Daily standing charge | Average annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microbusiness | 5,000-15,000 kWh | 25.3p | 54.9p | £2,730 (based on annual usage of 10,000 kWh) |
| Small business | 15,000-25,000 kWh | 25.2p | 49.0p | £5,219 (based on annual usage of 20,000 kWh) |
| Medium business | 25,000-55,000 kWh | 25.5p | 85.4p | £10,512 (based on annual usage of 40,000 kWh) |
| Large business | 55,000+ kWh | 25.5p | 45.0p | £14,189 (based on annual usage of 55,000 kWh) |
Note: Prices are correct as of July 2025. Rates and bill size may vary according to your meter type and business location. The prices you’re quoted may be different from the averages shown. The figures shown are the average unit rates and standing charges quoted by Bionic per business size from July 1 to July 8, 2025.
| Business size | Average annual gas usage | Price per kWh | Daily standing charge | Average annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microbusiness | 5,000-15,000 kWh | 8.2p | 35.1p | £948 (based on annual usage of 10,000 kWh) |
| Small business | 15,001-30,000 kWh | 6.9p | 48.3p | £1,729 (based on annual usage of 22,500 kWh) |
| Medium business | 30,001-65,000 kWh | 7.3p | 51.6p | £3,656 (based on annual usage of 47,500 kWh) |
| Large business | 65,000+ kWh | 7.0p | 72.9p | £7,211 (based on annual usage of 65,000 kWh) |
Note: Prices are correct as of July 2025. Rates and bill size may vary according to your meter type and business location. The prices you’re quoted may be different from the averages shown. The figures shown are the average unit rates and standing charges quoted by Bionic per business size from July 1 to July 8, 2025.
How long does it take to switch business energy supplier?
Switching gas and electricity suppliers should be completed within five working days.
Although you can start comparing prices as soon as your switching window opens, the switch won't actually take place until your current contract has ended. Even so, it's often worth locking your rates in as soon as your switching window opens as this can help protect against future price rises.
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