What do you want to compare?
Electricity, gas or both
Right now
Ireland's top 3 cheapest electricity plans
Based on a family home using 5,500 kWh/year, new-customer rates. Your figure may differ — compare with your real usage above.
The CompareElectricity Index
Ireland's real electricity usage — built from real bills, not ESB's headline
Everyone quotes ESB's 4,200kWh “average” — a figure that suits a modest, gas-heated home and understates a modern all-electric house. So we're compiling the real number from people's actual usage, anonymously.
20% higher than the number every other site uses.
Run a comparison and your usage joins the national picture — anonymously. Upload your ESB half-hourly export and it counts as gold-standard metered data.
Add your usageAnonymous and aggregate only — no names, no addresses, no account numbers. 20 of these are metered ESB exports.
How it works
Three steps to your cheapest tariff
Enter your usage
Pick your home type, or enter the annual kWh from your ESB bill. Don't lean on the '4,200 kWh average' — modern homes with heat pumps or EVs use far more.
We calculate to the cent
Real unit rates and standing charges — not fictional averages. Your true annual cost, calculated precisely from your actual figure.
Switch with confidence
Click straight through to your new supplier's website. No middlemen, no sign-up required. Know exactly what you'll pay.
The problem
“Cheapest” — measured how, exactly?
When a supplier announces it's the cheapest, the honest follow-up is: at what annual usage? On which tariff? For a new customer or an existing one? Change any one of those and the ranking changes.
Sites like Bonkers.ie lead with “Save 27% with Energia” — but that percentage is calculated against the supplier-friendly 4,200 kWh. If your usage differs, the saving is meaningless.
NightSaver only saves money if 30%+ of your usage is at night.
EV tariffsoffer extraordinary night rates — but if you don't charge an EV nightly, the higher day rate costs you more, not less.
We show your real cost in euro — not a percentage, not a headline.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my annual kWh usage?+
Your annual kWh usage is printed on every ESB bill under 'Estimated Annual Consumption' or 'Annual Usage'. ESB quotes a 4,200 kWh 'average', but that suits a modest gas-heated home — heat-pump and EV households often use 6,000–9,000+, so start from your own bill rather than the average.
Is a NightSaver tariff worth it?+
A NightSaver tariff saves money if you use a significant portion of your electricity between 11pm and 8am — typically by running dishwashers, washing machines, or charging an EV overnight. The day rate on NightSaver is usually higher than standard, so it only saves money if you genuinely shift usage to night hours.
What is an EV tariff?+
An EV (Electric Vehicle) tariff offers a very cheap overnight rate specifically for charging electric cars. They typically have the cheapest night rates available but require a smart meter or EV charger installation.
Why don't comparison sites show real savings?+
Most Irish comparison sites calculate savings using fictional 'average' consumption figures set by suppliers, not your actual usage. This can make expensive tariffs appear cheaper than they are. CompareElectricity.ie uses your real kWh figure to calculate your actual annual cost.