OVO vs E.ON Next (November 2026): Which Is Better After the Takeover?

Last updated: Thursday 12 November 2026

OVO or E.ON Next: which is better? On price and official service scores, E.ON Next is slightly ahead. Its cheapest deal in Energy Review’s comparison, updated 9 November 2026, is the Next Pledge tracker at about £1,622 a year for a representative East Midlands home, £50 less than OVO’s Simpler Energy at about £1,672. Citizens Advice ranked E.ON Next third for April to June 2026 (3.71 out of 5) and OVO sixth (3.65). OVO answers the phone and emails faster, and E.ON Next’s Pledge tariff has a 12-month term and a £50 exit fee, while Simpler Energy has none. E.ON completed its takeover of OVO on 8 October 2026, but the two still sell separate tariffs, and OVO says nothing changes for its customers for now.

This SwitchSquid guide compares the two suppliers for a typical household on gas and electricity. Figures are from Energy Review’s E.ON Next vs OVO comparison (updated 9 November 2026, for an East Midlands home paying by monthly Direct Debit), Citizens Advice’s customer service table for April to June 2026, and Ofgem’s price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Your own price depends on your region, meter and usage. We may earn a commission if you use the comparison buttons on this page, which open MoneySuperMarket’s home energy comparison. It does not change the price you pay.

Are OVO and E.ON the same company now?

They now have the same owner, but they are still two separate suppliers. E.ON said on 8 October 2026 that it had completed its acquisition of OVO after clearance from the Competition and Markets Authority. It said there was “no immediate change” for customers of either business: existing tariffs are honoured in full, customer service channels continue as they are, and customers will get “plenty of notice” of any future change.

OVO’s own “OVO joins E.ON” page says the same thing in plainer words: you don’t need to do anything, and your supply, tariff, balances and the way you deal with OVO stay the same for now. E.ON’s parent company has said OVO will be “fully integrated” into E.ON over time, but neither company has published a date for moving accounts or changing tariffs. Until they do, an OVO tariff and an E.ON Next tariff are different products with different prices, and moving from one to the other is an ordinary switch.

If you are an OVO customer, the takeover on its own isn’t a reason to switch, and it isn’t a reason to stay. Your existing tariff is honoured. The question is the same as it was before: is there a cheaper or better-fitting tariff for your home?

OVO vs E.ON Next at a glance

*Energy Review estimates for a representative East Midlands home paying by monthly Direct Debit, from its E.ON Next vs OVO Energy comparison (prices from 1 November 2026, page updated 9 November 2026). Service figures are from Citizens Advice for April to June 2026, as reported in the same comparison. They are a guide to how the tariffs compare, not a quote for your home.

Price: how OVO and E.ON Next compare in November 2026

The price cap, and why it matters

From 1 October to 31 December 2026, Ofgem’s price cap puts the typical dual-fuel Direct Debit bill at £1,723 a year. That is a comparison figure based on typical use, not a maximum bill. The cap limits the unit rates and standing charges on standard variable tariffs such as Next Flex and Simpler Energy. Ofgem will announce the January to March 2027 cap by 25 November 2026, and forecasts published by 12 November range from £1,999 to £2,215 a year. Our January 2027 price cap forecast guide lists each forecast with its date.

Variable and tracker tariffs

In Energy Review’s example, OVO’s Simpler Energy and E.ON Next’s Next Flex both cost about £1,672 a year. Neither has a fixed term or an exit fee, so there is effectively nothing between them for a household that wants to be free to leave at any time. Both move when the cap moves, including on 1 January.

E.ON Next’s cheaper option is Next Pledge, a 12-month tracker whose rates are set below the Ofgem cap. Energy Review puts it at about £1,622 a year, £50 less than Simpler Energy, or about £4 a month. The catch is the commitment: it runs for 12 months, charges a £50 exit fee if you leave early, needs Direct Debit and asks for a smart meter where possible. Because it tracks the cap, it will still rise in January if the cap does; it just stays below it. Our E.ON Next Pledge review covers how it works in more detail.

Fixed deals

Both suppliers’ fixes cost more than their variable tariffs in Energy Review’s example. E.ON Next’s cheapest, Next Fixed 12m, is about £1,884 a year with a £100 exit fee, and its 24-month fix is about £1,895. OVO’s cheapest listed fix is 1 Year Fixed + Complete Cover at about £2,027 a year, with a £100 exit fee, and the plain 1 Year Fixed is about £2,031. On those figures, E.ON Next’s 12-month fix is £143 a year cheaper than OVO’s, or about £12 a month.

Fix prices move quickly. On 12 November 2026, uSwitch’s fixed-deal table listed a newer E.ON Next 12-month fix at an estimated £1,827.73 a year for typical use, and no OVO fix in its ten cheapest. A fix above today’s £1,723 cap can still pay off if January’s cap rises as forecast, but it only makes sense if the price for your own postcode beats what you expect to pay on the cap over the term.

Customer service: is OVO the worst energy supplier?

No. On the official measure, OVO is in the top half. Citizens Advice scores suppliers on complaints, how easy they are to contact, how they handle switching and billing, and their commitments to customers. For April to June 2026 it gave OVO 3.65 out of 5, sixth among the large suppliers, and E.ON Next 3.71, third. For comparison, British Gas scored 2.61 and came 14th in the same table.

The detail splits the two. OVO answered calls in an average of 47 seconds and replied to 98.7% of emails within two days. E.ON Next took about two minutes on the phone and replied to 91.4% of emails within two days. If quick answers matter most to you, OVO has the edge. E.ON Next scores higher on Which?’s survey (66% against 61%) and on app ratings, especially on Android, where its app averages 4.4 against OVO’s 3.0.

Reviews from individual customers vary, and a single score never tells you how a supplier will handle your account. Check the exit fee and the payment terms before you commit, whichever you choose.

Is OVO struggling financially?

OVO has a new owner rather than a funding problem that customers need to act on. E.ON, one of Europe’s largest energy companies, bought the OVO retail business and the OVO brand, and the deal completed on 8 October 2026. Neither company disclosed the price. If any energy supplier does fail, Ofgem’s Supplier of Last Resort process moves customers to a new supplier and protects credit balances, so your gas and electricity would not be cut off.

Smart meters, EVs and extras

Both suppliers sell more than standard tariffs. E.ON Next has EV tariffs (Next Drive), a heat pump tariff (Next Pumped), a smart time-of-use tariff and solar and battery installation. OVO offers Charge Anytime for compatible electric cars, the Beyond rewards scheme for smart-meter customers, Power Move, and boiler cover and servicing from the same brand as your supply. If you want boiler cover alongside your energy, OVO is the closer fit. If you want a wide choice of smart and EV tariffs, E.ON Next has more of them.

Which should you choose?

Choose E.ON Next if: you’re happy with a 12-month tracker and a £50 exit fee in return for a price below the cap, or you want its higher-rated app and its range of EV and heat pump tariffs.

Choose OVO if: you want no tie-in at all, quicker answers on the phone and by email, or boiler cover bundled with your supply.

Look at the whole market if: neither price beats your current bill once exit fees are included. Energy Review’s 9 November comparison shows both suppliers’ fixes above the £1,723 cap, and other suppliers often have cheaper fixes. Our Octopus vs OVO and British Gas vs OVO guides compare OVO with two more big names, and our OVO and E.ON supplier pages have more on each.

How to switch between OVO and E.ON Next

1. Find your usage and tariff. Your annual kWh and your tariff’s end date are on your bill or app.

2. Check exit fees. Most suppliers don’t charge them in the last 49 days of a fixed term.

3. Compare at your postcode. Use your own kWh, not typical figures.

4. Switch. The new supplier handles it, usually within five working days, and your supply isn’t interrupted.

5. Take a meter reading on switch day so your final bill is accurate.

Sources

• Energy Review, “E.ON Next vs OVO Energy (November 2026)” (updated 9 November 2026)

• Citizens Advice, compare domestic energy suppliers’ customer service (April to June 2026)

• E.ON, “E.ON completes acquisition of OVO” (8 October 2026)

• OVO, “OVO joins E.ON”

• Ofgem, “Changes to energy price cap between 1 October and 31 December 2026” (26 August 2026)

• uSwitch, energy price cap guide and fixed-deal table (12 November 2026)

Switch Squid is a comparison site. We’re not Ofgem, Citizens Advice or an energy supplier, and nothing here is personal financial advice. This guide covers home energy only.

FAQ

Is OVO now part of E.ON?

Yes. E.ON completed its acquisition of OVO on 8 October 2026. OVO still sells its own tariffs, and E.ON and OVO both say nothing changes for OVO customers for now, with existing tariffs honoured and plenty of notice promised before any future change.

Is E.ON Next cheaper than OVO?

Slightly, in Energy Review’s 9 November 2026 comparison. E.ON Next’s Next Pledge tracker was about £1,622 a year for a representative East Midlands home, against about £1,672 for OVO’s Simpler Energy. Pledge has a 12-month term and a £50 exit fee, while Simpler Energy has none. Their no-tie-in variable tariffs cost about the same.

Do I need to do anything if I’m with OVO?

No. OVO says your supply, tariff, balances and the way you contact it stay the same for now, and that you will be told well in advance about any change. You can still switch if you find a cheaper tariff, as you could before the takeover.

Which has better customer service, OVO or E.ON Next?

It depends on what you value. Citizens Advice ranked E.ON Next third (3.71 out of 5) and OVO sixth (3.65) for April to June 2026. OVO answered calls faster, in 47 seconds against about two minutes, and replied to more emails within two days.

Is OVO the worst energy supplier?

No. OVO ranked sixth in Citizens Advice’s April to June 2026 table with 3.65 out of 5. Several large suppliers scored lower, including British Gas at 2.61 in 14th place.

Will my OVO tariff move to E.ON Next?

Neither company has announced a date for moving OVO accounts or tariffs. E.ON says OVO will be fully integrated over time and that customers will get plenty of notice of any change that affects them. Until then, your existing OVO tariff is honoured in full.

Should I fix my energy with OVO or E.ON Next before January?

Only if the fix for your postcode beats what you expect to pay on the cap. Forecasts for the January to March 2027 cap range from £1,999 to £2,215 a year against today’s £1,723. In Energy Review’s 9 November example, E.ON Next’s 12-month fix was about £1,884 and OVO’s cheapest about £2,027, so compare the whole market too.