Comparing energy and broadband deals: what to look for

Comparison sites are genuinely useful, but here’s the thing - they’re businesses with their own interests. Once you understand how they work, you can use them properly and actually find good deals instead of just whatever pays them the most commission.

How comparison sites make money

The commission model is straightforward: most comparison sites earn money when you switch through them. That creates some obvious incentives. Deals that pay higher commissions tend to rank higher. Some suppliers don’t even appear at all (no commercial agreement, no incentive to show them). When a site says “best deals,” they might mean best for you, or they might mean best for their bottom line.

The catch? This doesn’t make them useless. It just means you can’t rely on them as your only source.

Energy comparison

With energy, Ofgem accredits comparison sites if they meet certain standards. These sites must show a proper range of tariffs (not just the high-commission ones), be transparent about how they rank results, and include accurate information. Uswitch, Money Supermarket, and Compare the Market all have Ofgem accreditation (though Uswitch is also unregulated in other ways). Then there’s Citizen Advice’s comparison tool, which is independent and doesn’t take commission at all.

Here’s the reality though: even accredited sites will emphasise deals that pay them more. Citizens Advice’s tool is genuinely the most neutral option, but you might have fewer deals to choose from.

What to check for energy deals

Factor	Why It Matters
Total annual cost	The actual number that affects your budget
Unit rates (gas and electric)	What you pay per kWh used
Standing charges	Daily fixed cost, whether you use anything or not
Contract length	How long you’re locked in
Exit fees	What it costs if you want to leave early
Price guarantee	Can they raise prices mid-contract?

Watch out for comparison sites that show monthly cost in big letters. A deal that’s £5 cheaper per month but charges £100 to exit isn’t a bargain if you might need to move house.

Price cap vs fixed deals

The price cap limits what suppliers can charge on variable tariffs. Fixed deals, though, can sit above or below it - they’re set when you sign up and don’t move with the cap.

Right now, some fixed deals are actually better than the price cap (worth switching), while others are worse (probably not). The tricky part is this changes constantly depending on where wholesale energy prices are sitting. Always check whether a fixed deal is genuinely cheaper than the cap before you switch. The comparison site should make this comparison clear, but if it doesn’t, calculate it yourself.

Broadband comparison

Broadband’s less regulated than energy, which means comparison sites have more freedom about the order they show deals. This is where things get tricky.

What to check for broadband deals

Factor	Why It Matters
Total contract cost	Work this out: monthly price × number of months + setup fee
Contract length	Usually 12, 18, or 24 months
Setup fee	Anywhere from £0 to £50+
Mid-contract price rises	Most providers increase prices once a year
Speed guarantee	The minimum you’ll actually get
Out-of-contract price	What you’ll pay when the deal ends

That headline monthly price? It’s often just the start. A £25/month deal with 9% annual rises and a £50 setup fee is completely different from a £27/month deal with a price lock and no setup. You have to calculate the total cost over the whole contract.

The mid-contract rise problem

This is the big one. Most broadband providers keep the legal right to increase prices mid-contract - typically by CPI inflation plus 3-4%, or RPI plus some fixed amount. When inflation’s been running high (like recently), that’s meant price jumps of 8-14% in year two alone. The annoying thing? Comparison sites usually show you the starting price, not what you’ll actually pay after the rises kick in.

Now Broadband locks prices for the full contract length, which is rare. A few smaller providers do the same, but for the majority you need to do the maths yourself and factor in realistic price rises across the whole contract term.

Using multiple sites

The actual best approach is a bit more work but worth it. Check two or three different comparison sites (they don’t all show the same deals because of different commercial relationships). Then check what the suppliers themselves offer direct on their websites - sometimes you’ll find deals that don’t appear on comparison sites at all, especially if they don’t want to pay commission. Once you’ve got a shortlist, sit down and calculate the total costs yourself for each option. For broadband especially, factor in realistic mid-contract price rises.

Cashback and incentives

Many deals come with extra stuff - cashback, gift cards, statement credits, free equipment. Some of it’s genuinely useful, and some is just marketing noise. A £50 cashback on a deal that actually costs £100 more isn’t a saving, it’s just misdirection. So always calculate the total cost including any incentives.

When you’re looking at these extras, check when the cashback actually gets paid (sometimes it takes months after you’ve switched), what hoops you need to jump through (some require you to do extra stuff), and whether it’s coming from the supplier or the comparison site.

Auto-switching services

If you hate the idea of doing all this research yourself, there are services like Labrador, Switchcraft, and Look After My Bills that automatically switch you to better deals when they appear. They’re genuinely convenient if you’re the type who never remembers to switch manually.

The trade-off is they make commission on each switch, which creates an incentive to switch more often than might actually be optimal for you. They also might not sniff out the absolute best deals out there. And if you’re the kind of person who likes to know exactly what you’re signed up to, the automated approach might feel uncomfortable.

Red flags

Watch out for deals that seem dramatically, too-good-to-be-true cheaper than everything else. Unknown suppliers? Check whether they’re actually financially stable (the big names still exist for a reason). Watch for introductory rates that disappear after just 3-6 months and jump massively. Be sceptical of “deal ends today” pressure tactics. And any tariff with extraordinarily high exit fees is basically a lock-in device. Read the small print if something feels off.

After switching

Put reminders in your phone or calendar right now:

• 6 weeks before your energy contract ends
• 8 weeks before your broadband contract ends

That gives you enough time to compare and switch before you roll onto those pricey out-of-contract rates (which can be 20-30% more expensive). Yeah, it’s a bit repetitive - but if you want to keep actually saving money, the comparison-and-switch cycle just never really ends.