British Gas vs OVO 2026: Which Is Better for Price and Service?

British Gas or OVO: which is better? On customer service, OVO. Citizens Advice scored OVO 3.65 out of 5 for April to June 2026, sixth of 16 suppliers, against 2.61 and 14th place for British Gas. On price it is close. Both standard variable tariffs sit at the Ofgem price cap, British Gas has a cheap tracker with a small exit fee, and OVO’s 12-month fix was slightly cheaper than British Gas’s two-year fix in early November. Neither has the cheapest fixed deal on the market, so compare the whole market before you choose.

Last updated: 10 November 2026. Service scores from Citizens Advice (April to June 2026). Tariff prices from Energy Review for a representative East Midlands home (an average 3-bed detached) paying by monthly Direct Debit, checked 1 and 9 November 2026 and re-checked 10 November 2026. Your own price depends on your region, meter and usage.

British Gas vs OVO at a glance

*Energy Review estimates for an average 3-bed detached East Midlands home on monthly Direct Debit: tracker and variable prices checked 1 November 2026, fixed prices checked 9 November 2026. They are a guide to how the tariffs compare, not a quote.

We may earn a commission if you compare or switch through links on this page; it doesn’t change the price you pay.

Price: how British Gas and OVO compare in November 2026

Most homes on a standard variable tariff pay the Ofgem price cap. From 1 October to 31 December 2026 that is £1,723 a year for a typical dual-fuel home on Direct Debit, according to Ofgem. Both suppliers’ variable tariffs are priced at or close to the cap, so if you are on either one and have never switched, you are paying much the same.

The differences show up in the other tariffs.

British Gas tariffs

• Standard Variable: moves with the price cap, no exit fee. About £1,672 a year in Energy Review’s East Midlands example.

• Cap Tracker: tracks the price cap and runs to March 2028. About £1,622 a year in the same example, with a £50 exit fee. That fee is about the same as a year’s saving against the variable tariff, so it only pays if you stay.

• Fix and Fall: fixes your rates for two years, with a review after 12 months linked to the price cap. About £2,066 a year in the example, with a £250 exit fee for dual fuel. Read our British Gas Fix and Fall guide before choosing it.

OVO tariffs

• Simpler Energy: OVO’s variable tariff. Moves with the price cap, no exit fee, about £1,672 a year in the example.

• 1 Year Fixed: fixes your unit rates for 12 months, about £2,031 a year in the example, with a £100 exit fee.

• 1 Year Fixed with Complete Cover: the same fix sold with OVO’s boiler cover, about £2,027 a year. It is aimed at homeowners with a gas boiler, and the cover renews automatically unless cancelled, so check it before you sign.

The fixes are not cheap

Both suppliers’ fixed deals cost more than their own variable tariffs at the moment. That is normal when people expect prices to rise, because a fix is partly insurance. Across the whole market, though, there were much cheaper fixes. Energy Review’s 9 November list for the same home had the cheapest fixed deal at about £1,803 a year (Utility Warehouse, which needs energy plus two other UW services). Fixes that need no other services started at about £1,810 from Outfox Energy, with Octopus 18M Fixed at £1,848, against £2,031 for OVO and £2,066 for British Gas.

If price certainty is what you want, fixing elsewhere could save more than £180 a year compared with either of these two, even without bundling other services.

Customer service: what Citizens Advice found

Citizens Advice scores the larger suppliers every quarter on four things: complaints, how long you wait to get through, billing and metering, and whether they keep promises such as the vulnerability commitment. Its April to June 2026 table covers 16 suppliers, and the next update is due in December 2026.

The two suppliers are equally quick to answer the phone. The gap is in complaints and billing. British Gas scored 1 out of 5 on complaints and 2 out of 5 on billing and metering, which covers accurate bills and working smart meters. OVO scored 4 out of 5 on billing, one of the best results in the table.

Review sites point the same way. Energy Review, checked on 1 November 2026, showed OVO on 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot and British Gas on 4.4, both from more than 300,000 reviews. About one in five British Gas reviews were one-star, against fewer than one in ten for OVO.

What E.ON buying OVO means for you

E.ON completed its purchase of OVO on 8 October 2026, after the Competition and Markets Authority cleared the deal. E.ON says there is no immediate change for OVO customers: existing tariffs are honoured in full and customer service carries on as before, and customers will get plenty of notice of any future change.

In practice, that means an OVO fix you take today will run to its end date as agreed. Longer term, OVO accounts may move to E.ON Next systems. E.ON Next scored 3.71 in the same Citizens Advice table, so that would not be a step down on service. See our E.ON Next Pledge review for its current deals.

Extras: boiler cover, smart tariffs and EV charging

If you already have British Gas HomeCare and like it, staying with British Gas for energy keeps everything in one place. You do not have to, though. You can keep the cover and switch energy supplier separately.

Who should choose British Gas, and who should choose OVO

How to switch between British Gas and OVO

1. Find a recent bill, your meter readings and your annual usage in kWh.

2. Compare tariffs with your postcode. Check exit fees on your current deal before you go.

3. Sign up with the new supplier. They handle the switch, and you do not need to call your old one.

4. Most switches finish within 5 working days. Take a meter reading on the day the switch happens.

5. Your old supplier sends a final bill and must refund any credit within 10 working days of that bill.

Our guide to how long it takes to switch energy supplier walks through each day, including the Christmas 2026 dates.

Should you switch before January?

Ofgem is due to announce the price cap for January to March 2027 by 25 November 2026. If you are on either supplier’s variable tariff, you will move with the cap automatically. If you would rather know your price for the next year, compare fixes before the announcement, because fixed prices often move once the new cap is known.

FAQ

Is OVO better than British Gas?

On customer service, yes. Citizens Advice scored OVO 3.65 out of 5 and British Gas 2.61 for April to June 2026. On price they are close, with identical variable tariffs and British Gas offering a cheaper tracker.

Which is cheaper, British Gas or OVO?

It depends on the tariff. Both variable tariffs follow the price cap. British Gas’s Cap Tracker was about £50 a year cheaper in Energy Review’s 1 November example, while OVO’s 12-month fix was about £35 a year cheaper than British Gas’s two-year fix on 9 November.

Who owns OVO now?

E.ON. It completed the purchase of OVO’s home energy business on 8 October 2026. E.ON says OVO tariffs and customer service carry on unchanged for now.

Will my OVO tariff change because of E.ON?

Not straight away. E.ON says existing tariffs are honoured in full and customers will get plenty of notice of any future change.

Does British Gas have exit fees?

On its fixed and tracker tariffs, yes. The Cap Tracker had a £50 exit fee and Fix and Fall £250 for dual fuel. The Standard Variable tariff has no exit fee.

Can I keep British Gas HomeCare if I switch to OVO?

Yes. HomeCare is a separate contract from your energy supply, so you can switch energy supplier and keep the cover.

How long does it take to switch from British Gas to OVO?

Usually up to 5 working days under Ofgem’s switching rules. Your new supplier arranges it.

Sources: Citizens Advice, Compare energy suppliers’ customer service (April to June 2026 scores); Ofgem, Energy price cap; E.ON, E.ON completes acquisition of OVO, 8 October 2026; CMA, E.ON / OVO merger inquiry; Energy Review, British Gas vs OVO Energy and cheapest fixed energy tariffs, checked 1 and 9 November 2026.