Electric Ireland vs EnergiaWhich is cheaper for you?
Both suppliers run several plans, and the cheaper one depends on how your home uses electricity. Here's who wins for different kinds of household.
The short answer
There's no single answer — and that's exactly the point. Electric Ireland is cheaper for some homes, Energia for others. It all comes down to when you actually use electricity.
Which home is most like yours?
Each card is a different way of using electricity. Find the one closest to your home — it shows the cheaper of Electric Ireland and Energia, and the exact plan, for that household.
Usage type
EV / night owl
Charges an EV or runs appliances overnight
Cheapest plan for this home
€211 cheaper than Energia's best (€2,073).
Usage type
Out 9–5
Empty house by day, morning and evening peaks
Cheapest plan for this home
Neck and neck — only €11 ahead of Energia's best.
Usage type
Work from home
Steady use right through the day
Cheapest plan for this home
Neck and neck — only €2 ahead of Electric Ireland's best.
Usage type
Low user / weekends
Light overall, busiest at weekends
Cheapest plan for this home
Neck and neck — only €23 ahead of Energia's best.
Estimated for each usage shape (urban, smart meter). Figures are illustrative — your own usage is what actually decides it.
Why it changes
These are the plans that win above. Look how their rates rise and fall through the day — that's why no single plan is cheapest for everyone.
Rate by hour of day
Effective unit rates including VAT. Lower is cheaper at that time of day.
The plans we compared
Every smart-meter plan each supplier sells, not just the one that wins. Where a plan is the cheapest choice for one of the four homes above, it's tagged with that home.
Electric Ireland
6 plans- Home Electric+ Saver31.3c all dayCheapest forLow user / weekends
- Home Electric+ SST SaverNight 17.9c · Day 34.0c · Peak 36.3cCheapest forEV / night owlOut 9–5
- Home Electric+ Weekender (Saturday)Free Saturday 0.0c · All 38.6c
Free electricity on Saturdays or Sundays between 08:00 - 23:00.
- Home Electric+ Weekender (Sunday)Free Sunday 0.0c · All 38.6c
Free electricity on Saturdays or Sundays between 08:00 - 23:00.
- Home Electric+ Night BoostNight Boost 10.9c · Night 18.5c · Day 37.6c
Super low electricity rates at night.
- Home Electric+ saver35.2c all day
24-hour flat rate with advanced electricity insights and 20% discount.
Energia
5 plans- Smart 24 Hour30.1c all dayCheapest forWork from home
- Smart DataNight 22.8c · Day 33.4c · Peak 38.3c
- Energia SSTNight 26.9c · Day 36.9c · Peak 42.2c
- EV Smart Drive PlusElectric Car Charge Time 13.3c · Night 24.0c · Day 38.9c · Peak 51.1c
- EV Smart DriveElectric Car Charge Time 12.3c · All 40.2c
Your home isn't a stereotype
See which is cheaper for your actual usage
The cards above are typical homes. Link your smart meter and SmarterMeter ranks Electric Ireland, Energia and every other supplier against your real half-hourly usage — free.
Find my cheapest planElectric Ireland vs Energia — frequently asked
Is Electric Ireland cheaper than Energia?▾
Not always — it depends on your home. Electric Ireland works out cheaper for some usage patterns and Energia for others (see the breakdown above). An EV owner who charges overnight and a household that's out all day can get opposite answers from the same two suppliers.
Why isn't there one "cheapest" plan?▾
Because electricity plans charge different rates at different times of day. A night-saver plan is the cheapest thing going for an EV owner charging at 3am, and one of the most expensive for someone home all day. The "best" plan depends entirely on when you use power — so a single league table is misleading.
How do I find which is actually cheapest for me?▾
Link your smart meter to SmarterMeter (free). We rank every plan from every supplier against your actual half-hourly usage — not an average household — so you see your real cheapest plan, not a generic winner.
Can I switch between Electric Ireland and Energia?▾
Yes. Switching electricity supplier in Ireland is free, can take a few weeks, and there's no interruption to your supply — the wires and meter stay exactly the same.