Octopus Agile — The Half-Hourly Tariff Reviewed
Agile is an electricity-only tariff whose unit price changes every 30 minutes, tied to wholesale prices. It can work well for households that move usage to cheaper periods; it can cost more for households whose use is concentrated in expensive periods.
In one sentence
Half-hourly variable rate, capped at 100p/kWh. Needs a smart meter. Suits households that can shift when they use power.
Octopus Agile at a glance
- How prices work
- A new unit price every 30 minutes, tied to wholesale prices and published the day before. There is no single 'Agile rate'.
- Price ceiling
- Unit rate capped at 100p/kWh including VAT (Octopus product terms).
- Regions
- Prices and standing charges differ by electricity region. The table shows five regions; check your postcode with Octopus.
- Eligibility
- Electricity only. Needs a smart meter sending half-hourly readings.
Checked against Octopus Energy's published rates on 11 October 2026. Rates can change — confirm with Octopus before switching. We don't promise savings: it depends on when you use electricity.
Current rates
Standing charges were checked against the Octopus Energy public API on 11 October 2026 (inc. VAT). Agile's unit rate has no fixed value: it changes every 30 minutes and is capped at 100p/kWh.
| Region | Unit rate | Standing charge |
|---|---|---|
| London | Changes every 30 min (max 100p) | 37.65p/day |
| South East | Changes every 30 min (max 100p) | 53.13p/day |
| North West | Changes every 30 min (max 100p) | 47.60p/day |
| North Scotland | Changes every 30 min (max 100p) | 57.07p/day |
| Wales (South) | Changes every 30 min (max 100p) | 59.11p/day |
What Octopus Agile actually is
Octopus Agile is a single-rate electricity-only tariff whose unit price updates every 30 minutes. Octopus publishes the next day's prices in advance, so you can see what you'll pay before you use it.
Prices are tied to the wholesale market, so they are typically lower when demand is low or renewable output is high and higher at busy times, such as weekday early evenings. Prices can occasionally fall below zero.
Octopus caps the unit rate at 100p/kWh including VAT. You need a smart meter sending half-hourly readings to sign up.
Pros
- You can cut costs by moving flexible use into cheaper half-hours.
- Prices are published in advance, so there are no surprises on the day.
- Unit rate is capped at 100p/kWh.
- No exit fees on Octopus's variable tariffs.
- Works with apps and home automation that read Octopus's published prices.
Cons
- Expensive periods can cost more than a standard tariff if you can't move usage.
- Bills swing month to month — harder for tight budgeting.
- Needs a smart meter sending half-hourly readings.
- Electricity only — you still need a separate gas tariff if you have gas.
Who Octopus Agile suits
- EV drivers who can charge when prices are low.
- Households with a home battery that can charge during cheap periods.
- People at home in the day who can run washing or dishwasher cycles when prices are lower.
- Heat pump owners with a hot-water tank that can be heated on a schedule.
- People comfortable checking tomorrow's prices in an app.
Who should avoid it
- Households whose biggest loads run in the early evening and can't be moved.
- Anyone without a working smart meter.
- Households that need a predictable monthly bill.
- People who don't want to check prices regularly.
How to work out whether Agile suits you
Agile's cost depends entirely on when you use electricity, so we don't quote a typical saving. Your annual cost is the sum of each half-hour's usage multiplied by that half-hour's price, plus the daily standing charge.
If you have a smart meter, download your half-hourly usage from your supplier or app and compare it with Agile's past prices for your region. Households that can move EV charging, laundry and hot-water heating into lower-priced periods are the ones most likely to pay less.
If most of your use falls in the early evening and can't be moved, you could pay more than on a standard or fixed tariff. Try it for a billing period and compare before committing.
Work out your own numbers on Octopus Agile
- Heating with electricity? Cost each heater per hour, day and year with the electric heating running cost calculator using this tariff's unit rate.
- Want to move appliances into the cheap window automatically? See our review of the Hive Active Plug for scheduling flexible load into the cheap window.
- Charging an EV overnight? Compare this with the Octopus Go tariff review and its 00:30–05:30 off-peak window, or work out your costs with the EV charging cost calculator.
Safety first: UK fire services advise against running washing machines, tumble dryers or dishwashers while you are asleep or out of the house. Shift flexible load such as EV charging, hot water or storage heating into the cheap hours instead, and follow your appliance manufacturer's instructions.
How to switch to Octopus Agile
- Confirm you have a smart meter sending half-hourly readings. Octopus needs this before switching you.
- Sign up on the Octopus Energy website or app.
- Octopus will confirm when your Agile tariff starts.
- Use the Octopus app or a price-watching tool to see tomorrow's prices.
- Compare your first bill with your old one before deciding to stay.
Independent review. PowerGuardian is not affiliated with Octopus Energy. Rates shown are indicative for Octopus Energy's Octopus Agile tariff at the time of review — check the supplier's website for current pricing before signing up.