Energy Tariff Comparison Spreadsheet

Who this is for

Compare tariffs on your own usage, not an average. Enter your annual electricity and gas kWh once, then each tariff's unit rates and standing charges, and the sheet projects a year's cost for each and the difference from what you pay now.

Householders weighing up a renewal offer or a switch, and anyone who wants to see whether a fixed or variable deal suits their own pattern of use.

What this helps you track

• Every tariff you are considering, with its rates, exit fee and contract length
• The projected annual cost of each at your own electricity and gas usage
• How each tariff compares with your current annual cost
• The cheapest option on your figures and what it would save

How to use it

1. Find your annual electricity and gas kWh on a recent bill or annual statement and enter them in the header.
2. Enter what your current tariff costs over a year at that usage; listing it as the first row is a good check.
3. For each tariff, enter the supplier and name, both unit rates, both daily standing charges, any exit fee and the contract length.
4. The annual cost and the difference from your current tariff are worked out in the browser and the workbook.
5. Read the exit fee and contract length alongside the difference before deciding, and note the date you gathered the prices.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Where do I get my annual usage?

Most bills and annual statements show your usage over the past year in kWh. If you have not been with the supplier a full year, a meter reading calculator can give a daily average to multiply up.

Can I compare an electricity-only tariff?

Yes. Leave the gas rate and gas standing charge blank on that row, and compare it only with other electricity-only rows or with the electricity part of your current cost, so like is set against like.

Why 365 days for the standing charge?

The sheet projects one calendar year, so the daily standing charge is multiplied by the days in a year. In a leap year the real figure is one day more.

Does it pick the best tariff for me?

It shows which is cheapest on your usage and rates. It cannot weigh exit fees, price changes during the contract or service, so read those columns before you switch.