Refer a friend, both sides paid
£50 credit for switching to Octopus. The money is the easy part.
Most people who miss out on the referral reward do so for one of four reasons, and all four are avoidable. Here is the whole thing, including when not to switch.
Opens octopus.energy. You must sign up there directly for the credit to count.
Four steps, one credit
How the £50 actually reaches you
Open the link
It goes straight to octopus.energy. Check the address starts share.octopus.energy before you type anything.
Get your quote and sign up
Directly on the Octopus site, never through a comparison site. Same tariffs, same prices as going direct.
Let the switch run
Octopus handles your old supplier. Around two to three weeks, and you submit one opening meter reading.
Credit lands
Once supply starts and your first Direct Debit clears, £50 appears in your balance history. About four weeks in.
The number in question
£50
Added to your account. Not a voucher, not a draw.
Same tariffs and prices as going direct. The credit is stacked on top, and the referrer receives the same. One link, both sides paid.
Opens octopus.energy. You must sign up there directly for the credit to count.
Start here
The referral code, in full
What you get, when it lands, every eligibility rule, and the three ways people lose it.
Should you actually switch?
Octopus against British Gas, EDF, E.ON Next, OVO, Scottish Power and Utility Warehouse, including who should stay put.
Which tariff fits
Agile, Tracker, Cosy, Intelligent Octopus Go, Flexible and export, and who each one is wrong for.
Who runs this and how it is paid for
Who writes it, the programme this site is registered under, and the money flow.
Questions people actually ask
Does the Octopus Energy referral code still work in 2026?
Yes. The refer-a-friend scheme has been running for years and is still active, paying £50 in account credit to the person who switches and £50 to the referrer.
How much do you get for switching to Octopus Energy with a referral link?
£50 is applied as credit to your Octopus account. It is credit against your bills, not a cash payment, and it is the same £50 whichever valid referral link you use.
When is the Octopus referral credit paid?
After two things have both happened: your supply has started with Octopus, and your first monthly Direct Debit has been taken successfully. That is typically around four weeks after you apply.
Why did I not get my Octopus referral credit?
The three common reasons are signing up through a price comparison site instead of directly with Octopus, having been an Octopus customer within the previous 12 months, or the switch being cancelled before the first Direct Debit cleared.
Can I use a stranger’s Octopus referral code?
The refer-a-friend scheme is intended for people you know. Octopus runs a separate High Referrer programme for people sharing links publicly, and links used commercially on the friends scheme can be deactivated. The link on this page is issued under the correct programme.
Does using a referral link change the tariff or price I get?
No. You get the same tariffs and the same unit rates as anyone applying directly. The credit is added on top.
Can I refer a business to Octopus Energy?
Yes, and it pays more: £75 to the business that switches and £75 to the referrer. It is a separate process from the household scheme.
Is there a limit on how many people you can refer to Octopus?
There is no fixed cap on the friends scheme, but Octopus states it is meant for people you actually know. If a link looks like it is being used commercially they will move the referrer onto a scheme designed for that.
Can I add a referral code after I have already signed up?
Usually yes. Contact Octopus with the referral code. As long as you signed up directly on their site rather than through a third party, they can normally attach it to both accounts.
What if I have a prepayment meter?
You are still eligible. Sign up using the link, then contact Octopus after your account is set up and ask them to apply the referral credit to your meter or issue it as pre-loaded credit.
Do I need a smart meter to get the Octopus referral credit?
No. The referral credit does not require a smart meter. Some Octopus tariffs, such as Agile and Tracker, do require one, but the standard tariff and the credit work with any meter.
Can renters use an Octopus referral code?
Yes. If your name is on the energy bill you can choose your supplier and use a referral link, whether you rent or own. If bills are included in your rent, the account is your landlord’s and the choice is theirs.
How long does switching to Octopus take?
The switch itself typically completes in around two to three weeks, including a two-week cooling-off period. The referral credit follows later, once your first Direct Debit has cleared, about four weeks after you apply.
Does switching energy supplier affect your credit score?
Switching itself does not damage your credit score. A supplier may run a soft check when you set up an account with a Direct Debit, and soft checks are not visible to other lenders.
What happens to money I have built up with my old supplier?
Your old supplier must send a final bill and refund any credit balance you hold. The switch does not forfeit it. Take a meter reading on switchover day so the final bill is right.
Do I contact my old supplier to cancel before switching to Octopus?
No. Sign up with Octopus and the switch is handled between the suppliers through the industry process. The one exception is a fixed contract with an exit fee, which is worth checking before you start.
Every guide
- Octopus vs British GasSwitching from British Gas to Octopus does not usually change your unit rate much on a standard variable tariff, because both track the Ofgem price cap. The real differences are smart tariff availability, service quality and whether you can use a referral link for credit.
- Octopus vs EDFEDF and Octopus are close on standard variable pricing. Octopus has the wider smart tariff range and the referral credit; EDF has a longer track record on fixed deals for low-usage households.
- Octopus vs E.ON NextThe pricing gap between Octopus and E.ON Next on standard variable tariffs is small. Most people switching cite service and smart meter handling rather than a cheaper unit rate.
- Octopus vs OVO EnergyBoth run rewards schemes and both price close to the cap. The decision usually comes down to which smart tariff fits your usage pattern and which app you prefer.
- Octopus vs Scottish PowerScottish Power and Octopus both track the Ofgem cap on standard variable tariffs, so the switch rarely changes a default bill much. The differences that matter are smart tariff range, service handling and the referral credit for joining Octopus directly.
- Octopus vs Utility WarehouseUtility Warehouse prices energy as part of a bundle with broadband, mobile and insurance, so comparing it with Octopus means pricing the whole bundle, not just the energy. Octopus is a standalone supplier with a wider smart tariff range and a referral credit for direct sign-ups.
- Agile OctopusAgile Octopus sets a different electricity price for every half-hour, published the afternoon before. It rewards people who can genuinely move their usage; it punishes people who cannot.
- Intelligent Octopus GoIntelligent Octopus Go gives a low overnight electricity rate for the whole house, and lets Octopus schedule your EV charging inside a wider window in exchange.
- Cosy OctopusCosy Octopus gives several cheap electricity windows spread through the day, designed around heat pumps running in bursts rather than one overnight block.
- Outgoing OctopusOutgoing Octopus pays you for electricity you export to the grid, either at a flat rate or at a half-hourly rate that follows wholesale prices.
- Flexible OctopusFlexible Octopus is the standard variable tariff you land on if you pick nothing else. It tracks the Ofgem price cap, has no exit fees, and is the sensible starting point until you know which smart tariff fits your usage.
- Octopus TrackerOctopus Tracker sets a single price for the whole day, published in advance and tied to wholesale energy costs. In calm markets it has often undercut the price cap; in a spike it can rise above it, and moving off the tariff takes a couple of weeks.