Energy comparison sites compared
Short answer
Uswitch, MoneySuperMarket and Compare the Market are all free to you and paid when you switch. Uswitch and MoneySuperMarket say they are accredited under Ofgem's Confidence Code, which sets rules on ranking, commission and how much of the market a site shows. Compare two sites, or use your real usage, before trusting any single ranking.
Updated
The big sites are free to you because a supplier pays them when you switch. What differs is what each one shows, how it says it is paid, and whether it says it holds Ofgem's Confidence Code accreditation.
The energy comparison sites side by side
| Site | How it says it is paid | What it says about coverage and accreditation |
|---|---|---|
| Uswitch | Commission from providers when you switch through it, which it says does not affect the deals you see. | Includes as many suppliers as possible, though some suppliers have removed themselves from all comparison sites. Says it is accredited under the Confidence Code, which it says it helped found in 2002. |
| MoneySuperMarket | Paid by the companies it works with, in different ways by product. Says commercial agreements do not affect how it compares or ranks quotes. | Shows results from partner providers only, and says not every company can be included. Says it is accredited under the Confidence Code for its energy channel. |
| Compare the Market | A fee each time someone switches gas or electricity tariff having found the new supplier through it. | Compares energy with a panel of partners, and says it only makes money when its customers save. |
| Homebox | Comparison is free for movers; some tariffs it offers may include a commission from the supplier. | Compares energy and broadband inside a move-in setup flow, beside a paid bills bundle. |
| Taupia | Commission from a provider when a switch completes. On energy the rate is the same whichever supplier you pick. | Compares 19 energy suppliers covering around 90% of the GB market, plus broadband and mobile, and does not claim Confidence Code accreditation. Switches only once you approve. |
What does Ofgem's Confidence Code require?
The Confidence Code is Ofgem's voluntary code of practice for online energy price comparison services, websites and apps alike. The latest version Ofgem publishes dates from December 2017.
- Independence: an accredited site must be independent of any energy supplier. It can take commission, but that must not influence the information it gives you.
- Ranking: when you search by price, or do not choose an order, results must be shown strictly cheapest first.
- Commission: the site must list every supplier that pays it commission for switches made through it, in one prominent list, and explain its business model.
- Coverage: it must use all reasonable endeavours to include every available domestic tariff, apart from social tariffs, tariffs a supplier asked it to remove, regional tariffs outside their region and other sites' exclusive deals.
- No whole-of-market claims unless true: a site may not imply it shows every tariff from every supplier unless that is factually accurate.
- Partial views: a site may show only the tariffs it can switch you to by default, but it must say so, summarise its market coverage and let you reach the wider results without starting again.
- Results: at least 10 of the cheapest tariffs in your region on a single page, with VAT included.
Sources: Ofgem: Revised Confidence Code, December 2017 (read 13 October 2026); Ofgem: the Confidence Code (PDF) (read 13 October 2026)
Which comparison sites say they are accredited?
- Ofgem's switching guide, read on 13 October 2026, does not list accredited sites, so the practical check is what each site says about itself.
- Uswitch says it is accredited by the Code, and that it helped found the Code in 2002.
- MoneySuperMarket says Moneysupermarket.com Limited is accredited under the Code for its energy channel.
- An accredited site may show the Confidence Code logo. A site that uses an accredited site's calculator may say so, but may not use the logo itself.
- If a site does not say, ask it, and check whether its results page says it is showing only part of the market.
Sources: Ofgem: switch your home energy supplier (read 13 October 2026); Uswitch: Ofgem, the energy regulator (read 13 October 2026); Uswitch: about us (read 13 October 2026); MoneySuperMarket: how it works (read 13 October 2026); Ofgem: the Confidence Code (PDF) (read 13 October 2026)
How are energy comparison sites paid?
- Uswitch earns commission paid by service providers when you switch through its site, and says this does not affect the deals you see.
- MoneySuperMarket is paid by the companies it works with, some through a flat fixed fee and some through commission, and says commercial agreements do not affect how it compares or ranks quotes.
- Compare the Market says it gets paid a fee each time someone switches gas or electricity tariff having found the new supplier through it.
- None of them charges you to compare. The Code requires an accredited site to list every supplier that pays it commission, so you can see who is paying.
Sources: Uswitch: about us (read 13 October 2026); MoneySuperMarket: how it works (read 13 October 2026); Compare the Market: how we operate (read 13 October 2026); Compare the Market: about us (read 13 October 2026); Ofgem: the Confidence Code (PDF) (read 13 October 2026)
What can a comparison site miss?
- Suppliers that sell only direct. Uswitch says some suppliers have removed themselves from all price comparison websites to sell from their own sites.
- Companies that are not partners. MoneySuperMarket says it only shows results from its partner providers, and that some companies do not want to appear on comparison sites or would rather not pay a fee.
- Exclusive deals. The Code lets an accredited site leave out a tariff that is exclusive to another site, so two sites can show different cheapest deals.
- Your real usage. A quote built on an estimate can rank tariffs differently from one built on the figures on your bill.
Sources: Uswitch: about us (read 13 October 2026); MoneySuperMarket: about us (read 13 October 2026); MoneySuperMarket: how it works (read 13 October 2026); Ofgem: the Confidence Code (PDF) (read 13 October 2026)
Do move-in services compare energy too?
- Some do. Homebox's free setup flow for movers compares energy and broadband alongside finding the providers for a new address.
- The same company sells a bills bundle, and its residential terms say some tariffs it offers may include a commission it receives from the supplier.
Sources: Homebox (read 13 October 2026); Homebox residential terms (read 13 October 2026)
Where does Taupia fit?
- Taupia compares energy from 19 suppliers covering around 90% of the GB market, plus broadband and mobile, so it does not show every tariff.
- It does not claim Confidence Code accreditation.
- It starts from your address or your own bill, shows the full list it compares, recommends one deal with its reasons, and switches only once you approve.
- It is free. A provider pays Taupia commission when a switch completes; on energy the rate is the same whichever supplier you pick, and broadband and mobile rates vary a little.
- After the switch it keeps watching: it flags contract end dates, and in a shared home it splits each bill on percentages the house sets.
Questions about energy comparison sites
Which energy comparison site is best?
There is no single best one. Uswitch, MoneySuperMarket and Compare the Market are all free to you and paid when you switch, and Uswitch says some suppliers have left all comparison sites to sell direct. Uswitch and MoneySuperMarket say they hold Confidence Code accreditation. Compare two sites with your real usage, and check whether a results page says it shows only part of the market.
Are energy comparison sites free?
Yes, to you. Uswitch earns commission from providers when you switch through it, MoneySuperMarket is paid by the companies it works with, and Compare the Market is paid a fee when someone switches gas or electricity tariff through it. Ofgem's Confidence Code requires an accredited site to list every supplier that pays it commission.
Do comparison sites show every energy tariff?
Not always. The Confidence Code asks accredited sites to use all reasonable endeavours to include every available tariff, but lets them leave out social tariffs, tariffs a supplier asked to remove and other sites' exclusives. A site may also default to showing only tariffs it can switch you to, as long as it says so and links to the wider results.
Is Taupia an energy comparison site?
Partly. Taupia compares energy from 19 suppliers covering around 90% of the GB market, plus broadband and mobile, and does not claim Confidence Code accreditation. It differs after the comparison: it recommends one deal with its reasons, switches only once you approve, then keeps contract end dates and bills in one view. It is free.
Each comparison site, in more detail
What each site publishes about itself, set against what Taupia does.
Start here
Uswitch vs Taupia
RecommendedWhat Uswitch builds a quote from, and what happens after the comparison.
MoneySuperMarket vs Taupia
Information rather than recommendations from partner providers, against one recommendation with its reasons.
Compare the Market vs Taupia
How it publishes what each product pays it, and what renewal reminders leave to you.
Live energy tariff table
Today's tariffs, before you give anyone your postcode.
What replaced auto-switching
Look After My Bills has closed. How to stay on a good deal now.
What is the loyalty tax?
What staying on a rolled-over tariff can cost.
Compare from your real bill
Taupia is free. Upload a bill and see the full list it compares, one recommendation with its reasons, and nothing switched until you approve.