⚖️Side-by-Side Comparison
Scottish Power, owned by Spanish energy giant Iberdrola, has genuine renewable generation heritage — it operates the UK's largest portfolio of onshore wind farms. But on the metrics customers experience directly, the gap with Octopus is significant.
| Category | Octopus Energy | Scottish Power |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.8/5 (800K+ reviews) | 4.3/5 (124K reviews) |
| Which? Recommended | 9 consecutive years | Not recommended (62% score) |
| Complaints per 100K accounts | 561 (lowest in sector) | 1,499 (nearly 3× worse) |
| Green Electricity (supply) | 100% renewable-backed | ~29% renewable (supply mix) |
| Green Electricity (generation) | 700+ UK generators, £6bn assets | 100% renewable own generation (wind) |
| Smart Tariffs | Agile, Tracker, Intelligent Go, Cosy, Flux | EV Saver, EV Optimise, Power Saver |
| EV Off-Peak Rate | ~7–8p/kWh (Intelligent Go) | ~8.5–9.5p/kWh (EV Saver) |
| Exit Fees (variable) | None | None on Cap Tracker / Standard Variable |
| Exit Fees (fixed) | £50 per fuel on 12M Fixed (£100 dual-fuel) | £50 per fuel (£100 dual-fuel) |
| UK Customers | 7.3M (23.7%) | ~4.3M (~8% market share) |
| Ofgem Enforcement | None | Provisional Order 2025; £18m fine (prior) |
| Referral Reward | £50 credit | Varies by campaign |
⭐Customer Service
Scottish Power's 4.3/5 Trustpilot score from 124,000 reviews tells a different story to independent benchmarks. Citizens Advice data shows Scottish Power generates 1,499 complaints per 100,000 accounts — nearly three times Octopus Energy's sector-leading 561. Phone wait times are frequently reported at 1.5–2 hours.
More significantly, Ofgem issued a Provisional Order in 2025 against Scottish Power for failing to adequately support vulnerable customers in debt, requiring mandatory process changes, staff retraining, and a pause on certain disconnections. Scottish Power had previously paid £18 million to Ofgem for customer service failings and £1.5 million for overcharging direct debit customers. Octopus has no equivalent enforcement history and has been a Which? Recommended Provider for nine consecutive years.
⚡Tariff Innovation
Scottish Power offers EV Saver (off-peak midnight–5am at ~8.5–9.5p/kWh) and an EV Optimise app add-on for smart scheduling. Its Power Saver tariff provides discounted electricity on weekend afternoons for smart meter users. There is also a solar export option (SmartGen SEG).
However, Scottish Power has no equivalent to Agile Octopus (half-hourly pricing that can go negative), Octopus Tracker (daily wholesale pricing), or the Flux tariffs for solar battery optimisation. Its fixed tariffs also carry £50 per fuel exit fees — up to £100 for a dual-fuel customer — the same as Octopus's 12-month fix, though Octopus's variable tariffs carry no exit fees.
🌱Green Energy
Scottish Power has a genuine renewable generation story. Its parent Iberdrola operates the UK's largest portfolio of onshore wind farms — 41 across the UK — and is investing in East Anglia THREE, one of Europe's largest offshore wind projects. Scottish Power's own electricity generation is 100% renewable.
The supply picture is more complex. Scottish Power's official Ofgem Fuel Mix Disclosure shows ~29% renewable in the electricity it actually supplies — below the UK grid average of ~41%. This is because supply is sourced from the wholesale market, not exclusively from owned wind farms. Octopus Energy also uses REGO certificates to back 100% renewable supply, with £6 billion invested in UK renewable generation assets.
💷Pricing
Both suppliers track the Ofgem price cap on variable tariffs — ~26.32p/kWh electricity (at 0% VAT) and 7.97p/kWh gas since 1 October 2026, or £1,723 a year for a typical household. Scottish Power's Cap Tracker passes cap changes to customers, so it will move again in January.
On fixed deals, Scottish Power's pricing is broadly competitive with the market. Its £50 per fuel exit fee on fixed tariffs matches Octopus's 12M Fixed, so there's nothing between them there — but Octopus's smart tariffs (particularly Tracker) offer genuine below-cap pricing. Scottish Power's My ScottishPower Rewards programme offers 100 points = £1 per quarter, with bonus points for solar bookings and tenure — modest versus Octoplus's Saving Sessions and monthly prize spin.
🏆Our Verdict
Scottish Power's renewable generation credentials are real and credible. But the customer experience is one of the weakest in the UK market: nearly three times more complaints than Octopus per customer, two Ofgem enforcement actions in recent years, and no equivalent to Agile or Tracker pricing.
For customers on Scottish Power's Cap Tracker variable tariff, switching to Octopus is straightforward — no exit fees on either side. On a fixed Scottish Power deal, check whether the 49-day fee-free window applies before switching. Already decided? Our guide to leaving Scottish Power covers exit fees, your final bill, credit refunds and what happens to your boiler cover. Switching to Octopus takes about 5 minutes and earns you £50 free credit. Read our full Octopus review for more detail.