So Energy is a small energy supplier that aims to put customers first by focusing on what they really want. They want their customers to have easy and stress-free interactions with their energy supplier, whilst offering competitive prices and renewable energy.
Obviously this is a lot easier said than done, so within this So Energy review, I’ll run through whether they’re actually achieving their aim and how they stack up against alternative providers in the market.
Contents
So Energy Tariffs and Prices
Keeping with their ethos of being easy to use, they only offer one fixed-rate tariff. Even more impressive is that they also have a price pledge where they continually monitor the market to ensure they’re always among the cheapest 10% of energy suppliers.
The fixed-rate tariff is called the So Bramble Fixed Tariff and they offer a 12 month contract length. This comes with 100% renewable electricity and a £5 early exit fee per fuel.
After the 12 month fixed contract has finished, you are then transferred to their variable tariff called the So Out of Contract Tariff. With this variable contract, you have no early exit fees and currently the charges are the same, both for standing charges, per unit rates and night rates.
Usually when energy companies transfer you to their variable tariff after your fixed tariff has ended is when they significantly increase the price and aim to make more money out of their long term customers. Thankfully So Energy is aiming to break the mould and put customers first.
This means you don’t have to worry about when your contract is due to finish, although it would be advisable to stay on their fixed tariffs just to avoid any price increases as you’ll have a fixed price for 12 months.
If you want to get started, go to So Energy here and get a quote in minutes.
Customer Reviews
So Energy has a very impressive rating on Trustpilot with 96% reviews either being great or excellent. with an average of 4.7 out of 5 from over 5,000 reviews. Many of the reviews highlight their excellent customer service, competitive prices and how easy it was to switch.
They also came in rank 7 out of 35 energy companies rated by Which and they even selected So Energy as one of the recommended providers. Where they fell short was on their customer wait times for call length, however looking through the reviews on Trustpilot, there aren’t any negative reviews in this area so isn’t a major issue.
Renewable Energy Sources
One feature that is unique to So Energy is they let customers vote on the source of their energy. The results are then pooled together and the company then uses this data to help them choose where to source their energy from. This includes options between wind, solar, hydro and biomass.
All the electricity that is offered to customers is backed by Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) Certificates which helps to prove it’s from 100% renewable sources.
Smart Meter
So Energy supports the latest SMETS2 smart meters. If you already have one installed your smart meter will automatically connect when you switch energy suppliers. For those people that don’t have one, you can request one to be installed which will help you more accurately monitor your energy usage and mean you no longer have to submit your readings manually.
If you have a first-generation SMETS1 smart meter, unfortunately, it is not supported so you’ll have to submit manual meter readings. However, the good news is that there is currently work underway to modify the existing first-generation smart meters to work on the new smart communications infrastructure which should be finished at the end of 2021.
To tell the difference between the two smart meters, the second generation has a number of barcodes on it and a device ID that looks like this: AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF-GG-HH-II.
Refer a Friend
Once great feature that So Energy offer is a refer a friend bonus. When your friend switches their energy supplier using your personal link they’ll give both you and your friend £40 each, not bad if you’re happy with the service as it helps to give you an even lower energy bill.
You can find your personal referral link in the online account dashboard which you can then share with your friends and family.
So Energy Alternatives
Due to the price pledge of being in the cheapest 10% of all energy providers, it does make reviewing alternatives a lot easier and you already know they’re competitive on price for the average user.
Where comparison becomes more difficult are for those people that are also interested in different types of tariffs, such as those people that have high night energy usage if they have an electric vehicle or providers that only offer the warm home discount.
To easily find alternatives, make sure to read this post on how to find the cheapest energy suppliers in the UK where I explain what to look for and which suppliers to check first, such as Bulb and Octopus Energy.
Warm Home Discount
So Energy also offer the Warm Home Discount to eligible customers to help contribute to the payment of their energy bills. If you think you’re eligible, make sure to read the full criteria list as you could be entitled to £140 discount.
So Energy App
Unfortunately So Energy doesn’t currently offer an app to help manage your energy, although they do have a mobile optimised website which offers all the standard features you’d expect. These include a place to view your bills, usage, customer support and more.
Energy Switch Guarantee
So Energy have signed up to the energy switch guarantee scheme which means they have to abide by a number of key targets and timelines when switching a customers energy service. This ensures that customers can change their energy without any hassle, for free and within 21 days.
Conclusion / Verdict
Overall, So Energy is an excellent energy provider and due to their price pledge, you can be sure that they are going to maintain their competitive prices for the long term.
For the average household, they’re a great choice, offering low prices, easy to understand tariffs and great customer service. To start your switch head over to So Energy now and get a quote in minutes.
Hi, I’m John. I’ve always had a keen interest in Finance, so much so that I’ve made a career out of it! This site is a place where I can share everything I’ve learned as well as give me the excuse to research certain topics.
Check out my about page for more info.