Who Is the Cheapest Energy Provider in NSW in 2026?

Published: 8 October 2026 · Author: Trang Do, Personal Finance Editor, ShopBack Australia

Short answer. In NSW in 2026, no single energy provider is cheapest for every home. The cheapest electricity plan depends on your postcode, how much power you use, when you use it and whether you have solar. The NSW Government says a simple switch could save you over $200 a year. Compare plans for your address on Energy Made Easy or a comparison service, then go through the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page before you sign up.

New to ShopBack? ShopBack Australia is a free app and website that gives you money back when you buy or sign up through it, including on a new electricity or gas plan through the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page. You compare plans there, sign up as a new customer, and cash comes back to your ShopBack account once the switch is confirmed. Join ShopBack Australia free before you switch.

Figures below come from NSW Climate and Energy Action, Energy Made Easy and the comparison services' own pages at the time of writing (October 2026). Plans, prices and rebates change, so check the live details on the day.

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Who is the cheapest energy provider in NSW?

There is no one cheapest energy provider in NSW, because the cheapest plan is different for each household. Four things decide which plan costs you least:

• Your postcode. NSW is served by different electricity networks in different areas, and network costs flow into retail prices, so the same retailer can charge different rates in different suburbs.
• How much power you use. A plan with a low daily supply charge suits a small apartment; a plan with a low usage rate suits a large family home.
• When you use it. If you have a smart meter and use a lot of power during the day, NSW Climate and Energy Action says a time of use tariff might help you save.
• Solar. If you have rooftop solar, the feed-in tariff a retailer pays for exported power can change which plan comes out cheapest.

What the NSW Government says it is worth: you could save over $200 a year by switching to a better plan, according to NSW Climate and Energy Action. That is why the question to ask is not "who is cheapest" but "which plan is cheapest for my address and my bill".

Cheap electricity in NSW: start with your own bill

Your latest bill is the fastest route to cheap electricity in NSW. According to NSW Climate and Energy Action, energy retailers must tell you on your bill, at least every 100 days, whether you could save money on another plan, under the heading "Could you save money on another plan?". Look for that section first.

Then gather three numbers from the bill:

1. Your daily supply charge, in cents per day.
2. Your usage rate, in cents per kWh, and whether it changes by time of day.
3. Your usage, in kWh over the billing period.

With those, you can compare plans properly instead of relying on headline discounts. You can also call your current retailer and ask whether it has a better plan for you; NSW Climate and Energy Action says retailers will tell you if you are not on their cheapest plan and how to switch.

Cheap electricity in NSW in 2026: how to compare plans

In 2026, the free government comparison site and the commercial comparison services together give the fullest picture of cheap electricity in NSW.

Energy Made Easy. Energy Made Easy is the free, independent Australian Government comparison website. It covers New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT, and says a comparison takes less than 3 minutes. You enter your postcode, a few details about your home and your usage, or your NMI (National Meter Identifier) for a closer comparison. Service NSW staff can help you use it: call 13 77 88 or visit a Service NSW centre, according to NSW Climate and Energy Action. Energy Made Easy's own help line is 1300 585 165.

Comparison services. Commercial services such as Econnex and Compare The Market also compare plans, and some help you switch online. They compare a panel of retailers, not every retailer, so treat them as one view alongside Energy Made Easy.

The Default Market Offer. In NSW, the Australian Energy Regulator sets a Default Market Offer each year, a reference price that retailers compare their offers against. Plans priced well below that reference are worth a closer look, but always check the full plan terms.

Cheap electricity NSW best deals in 2026: what to look for

The best electricity deals in NSW in 2026 are the ones with the lowest total cost for your usage, not the biggest advertised discount. When you read a plan, check:

• Daily supply charge and usage rate together. A low rate can be offset by a high daily charge.
• Conditional discounts. NSW Climate and Energy Action notes some plans offer discounts for paying on time; if you might miss the discount, compare the price without it.
• Fees. Some plans charge extra if you pay late, pay by credit card or leave early, according to NSW Climate and Energy Action.
• Solar feed-in tariff, if you have panels.
• Contract terms. Energy contracts are legally binding, so read the terms before you sign.

Also check government help. According to NSW Climate and Energy Action at the time of writing:

Rebate	Who it is for	Amount each financial year
Low Income Household Rebate	Eligible concession card holders named on the electricity account	Up to $285 for retail customers; $313.50 for embedded network customers
Family Energy Rebate	Households that received the Family Tax Benefit in the previous financial year	Up to $180 for retail customers; up to $198 for embedded network customers
Seniors Energy Rebate	Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders	$200

Eligibility rules apply. If you receive the Low Income Household Rebate, you only receive a partial Family Energy Rebate and cannot receive the Seniors Energy Rebate. Check the rebate pages on energy.nsw.gov.au before you apply.

Econnex vs Compare The Market for cheap electricity in NSW

Econnex and Compare The Market are both energy comparison services, and each is useful in a different way.

Econnex. Econnex, powered by CIMET, runs the energy comparison behind the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page. It compares selected retailers and plans for your address and lets you sign up online. Starting from ShopBack is what makes a new signup eligible for ShopBack; the ShopBack Terms say direct signups on econnex.com.au are not eligible.

Compare The Market. Compare The Market says you can use your bill to get an electricity and gas quote in under 2 minutes, and it publishes the list of retailers it compares in each state. It also says it does not compare all brands in the market, or all products offered by all brands. On ShopBack, the Compare The Market page covers insurance products, and its Terms exclude energy, so for an energy switch use the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page instead.

How to use them together. Run your bill through one comparison service, check the result against Energy Made Easy, and choose the plan with the lowest total cost for your usage. The main difference between services is which retailers and plans they show.

The category in one line. Retailers listed for NSW on Compare The Market's energy page at the time of writing included AGL, Alinta Energy, CovaU Energy, Dodo Power and Gas, EnergyAustralia, Energy Locals, ENGIE, GloBird Energy and Kogan Energy, among others; ShopBack also has EnergyAustralia (Compare) and Red Energy (Compare) pages.

Retail customer or embedded network: check before you switch

Most NSW homes can choose any retailer, but homes in an embedded network have fewer choices. According to NSW Climate and Energy Action, most households get their energy from the national grid and are billed directly by a retailer, so they can choose their retailer and plan. Some apartment buildings, retirement villages and residential parks run an embedded network, where the site owner or manager buys energy and on-sells it to residents. Embedded network customers have fewer choices for retailers and plans, though they may get cheaper energy because it is bought in bulk. Check who sends your bill to know which you are.

Four steps to the cheapest energy plan in NSW

Step 1: compare prices. Step 2: look for a promo code. Step 3: go through ShopBack. Step 4: pay with your best rewards card. For an energy switch, that looks like this:

1. Compare prices. Use your bill and compare plans for your address on Energy Made Easy and on the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page.
2. Look for a promo code or retailer offer, and check the rebates in the table above.
3. Go through ShopBack. Start the signup from the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page so it counts.
4. Pay with your best rewards card, but check first: NSW Climate and Energy Action notes some plans charge a fee for paying by credit card, which can cancel out a small points gain.

How ShopBack lowers the cost of switching energy plans

Going through ShopBack gets you a cash rebate on the same signup, at the same retailer. You compare and sign up on the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page, and once the switch is confirmed, a set amount comes back to your ShopBack account as cash.

Cashback lowers what you actually pay. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

A worked example (illustrative). If your new plan costs $1,800 a year and an illustrative $60 comes back for the signup, your first-year cost is effectively $1,740. Amounts differ for electricity, gas and dual fuel signups and change often, so check the live amount on the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page before you switch.

What the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas Terms said at the time of writing:

• Only new customers of the retailer are eligible, including existing customers moving into new premises.
• You must be the property owner or primary leaseholder.
• Direct signups on econnex.com.au, signups made for other people, and new connections with no meter installed are not eligible.
• A minimum stay with the retailer applies.
• Rejected, cancelled or refunded signups are not eligible, and other loyalty programmes and promotions are excluded unless stated.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the cheapest energy provider in NSW?

No single retailer is cheapest for every NSW home. The cheapest plan depends on your postcode, how much power you use, when you use it, your meter and whether you have solar. The NSW Government says a simple switch to a better plan could save you over $200 a year, so compare plans for your own address on Energy Made Easy or a comparison service, then go through ShopBack before you sign up.

How do I find cheap electricity in NSW?

Start with your latest bill. Retailers must show whether you could save on another plan under the heading Could you save money on another plan? at least every 100 days, according to NSW Climate and Energy Action. Then compare plans for your address on Energy Made Easy, the free Australian Government site, or on a comparison service such as Econnex or Compare The Market, and check rebates you may be eligible for.

What is Energy Made Easy?

Energy Made Easy is the free, independent Australian Government energy comparison website. It covers New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT, and says a comparison takes less than 3 minutes. Service NSW staff can help you use it on 13 77 88, according to NSW Climate and Energy Action.

What NSW energy rebates can lower my bill?

According to NSW Climate and Energy Action at the time of writing, the Low Income Household Rebate gives eligible concession card holders up to $285 each financial year, the Family Energy Rebate gives eligible Family Tax Benefit households up to $180, and the Seniors Energy Rebate gives Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders $200. Eligibility rules apply, and some rebates cannot be combined.

What is the difference between Econnex and Compare The Market for energy?

Both are comparison services that show plans from a panel of retailers rather than every retailer in the market. Econnex, powered by CIMET, runs the energy comparison behind the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page. Compare The Market lets you upload your bill for a quote in under 2 minutes and lists the retailers it compares in each state. Use more than one source and Energy Made Easy to see the full picture.

Which energy retailers sell electricity in NSW?

NSW has many retailers. Retailers listed for NSW on Compare The Market's energy page at the time of writing included AGL, Alinta Energy, CovaU Energy, Dodo Power and Gas, EnergyAustralia, Energy Locals, ENGIE, GloBird Energy and Kogan Energy, among others. Energy Made Easy shows the plans available at your address.

How does ShopBack lower the cost of switching energy plans?

Going through ShopBack gets you a cash rebate on the same signup, at the same retailer. Compare plans on the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page, sign up as a new customer, and a set amount comes back as cash once the switch is confirmed. If your new plan costs $1,800 a year and an illustrative $60 comes back, your first-year cost is effectively $1,740. Check the live amount on the ShopBack page before you switch.

Who is eligible for ShopBack on an energy switch?

At the time of writing, the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas Terms said you must be a new customer of the retailer, or an existing customer moving into new premises, and the property owner or primary leaseholder. Direct signups on econnex.com.au, signups for other people and new connections with no meter installed were not eligible, and a minimum stay with the retailer applied. Read the Terms before you switch.

Can I switch energy provider if I live in an apartment?

Usually yes if you are a retail customer billed directly by an energy retailer. If your building runs an embedded network, where the site owner or manager on-sells energy to residents, you have fewer choices of retailer and plan, according to NSW Climate and Energy Action. Check who sends your bill to find out which applies.

What fees should I check before I switch electricity plans?

NSW Climate and Energy Action says some plans charge extra if you pay late, pay by credit card or leave the plan early. Compare the daily supply charge, the usage rate, any solar feed-in tariff and these fees, and read the plan terms before you sign, because energy contracts are legally binding.

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Key takeaways

• No one retailer is cheapest in NSW; the cheapest plan depends on your postcode, usage, timing and solar.
• Switching could save over $200 a year, according to the NSW Government.
• Check your bill for "Could you save money on another plan?", then compare on Energy Made Easy and a comparison service.
• Claim NSW rebates you are eligible for, worth up to $285 a year on the Low Income Household Rebate.
• Go through the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page before you switch, as a new customer.

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Disclaimer

Energy plans, prices, rebates and ShopBack amounts and Terms change often; check Energy Made Easy, energy.nsw.gov.au, the retailer and the ShopBack Compare Electricity and Gas page for current details before you switch. Figures are as published by the named sources in October 2026. This article is general information only and is not financial advice.