- Cheapest overall
- Alinta, usually: 12% to 25% below the DMO against EnergyAustralia's 5% to 18%.
- Closest like-for-like
- Alinta No Fuss (12% to 20%, no conditions) against EnergyAustralia Total Plan (10% to 18%, with conditions).
- Customer ratings
- Alinta 4.5/5 on Trustpilot; EnergyAustralia 1.4/5 on Google. Different platforms, so read the direction, not the exact gap.
- Ownership
- Alinta is owned by Sembcorp Industries (Singapore); EnergyAustralia by CLP Group (Hong Kong).
Cheapest current plan, side by side
Each retailer's cheapest current electricity plan for a 4,000 kWh/year household, sourced from official plan data and refreshed weekly. Not personalised to your address, enter your postcode below for that.
| Alinta Energy | EnergyAustralia | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | HomeDeal Next - Single Rate | Flexi Plan |
| Usage rate | 19.89c/kWh | 25.43c/kWh |
| Daily supply charge | 86.63c/day | 174.56c/day |
| Solar feed-in | 0.0c/kWh | 4.0c/kWh |
| Contract | No lock-in | No lock-in |
| Est. annual cost* | $1,112 | $1,654 |
*Estimate only, for comparing plans against each other. Enter your postcode below for pricing specific to your address and usage.
The short answer
Alinta is cheaper than EnergyAustralia at most addresses. Alinta's No Fuss plan runs 12% to 20% below the Default Market Offer (DMO) reference price with no conditions, and its Deal plan reaches 15% to 25% below. EnergyAustralia's Total Plan sits 10% to 18% below and its Basic plan 5% to 10% below, and the better discounts depend on conditions. EnergyAustralia has the larger customer base and a long-running gas and electricity bundle; Alinta wins on price and on ratings.
Who they are
EnergyAustralia is one of the Big 3 retailers, owned by CLP Group of Hong Kong, with a large generation fleet that includes Yallourn in Victoria. Alinta Energy is a mid-tier retailer serving NSW, Victoria, SEQ Queensland, South Australia and the ACT. It is owned by Singapore-based Sembcorp Industries, which completed its acquisition from Chow Tai Fook Enterprises in June 2026.
Plans compared
EnergyAustralia sells a Total Plan (10% to 18% below the DMO, with conditions such as pay-on-time and billing preferences) and a Basic plan (5% to 10% below) for people who want few conditions. Solar plans are available with a feed-in tariff.
Alinta keeps two structures. No Fuss is a flat rate with no conditional discounts. Deal adds a pay-on-time or direct debit condition for a deeper discount.
Worked example: SA Power Networks area, 4,000 kWh/year. The 2026-27 DMO 8 reference price is $2,334 per year (AER, effective 1 July 2026). EnergyAustralia Basic at 7% below lands around $2,171, and its Total Plan at 14% below around $2,007. Alinta No Fuss at 15% below lands around $1,984, and Alinta Deal at 20% below around $1,867. The like-for-like gap is about $170 to $300 a year in Alinta's favour.
Beyond price
Service. Alinta's 4.5/5 on Trustpilot compares with EnergyAustralia's 1.4/5 on Google. The platforms differ and retailers can invite happy customers to review on Trustpilot, so treat the gap as a direction, not a measurement.
Scale. EnergyAustralia has more customers and a wider range of billing options. That helps if you want a retailer with a long operating history, though it does not lower your bill.
Ownership. Both are foreign-owned. Your protections come from Australian energy law and the same distributor network either way.
See both at your address
Rates for Alinta Energy and EnergyAustralia vary by distribution network. The only comparison that matters is the one at your postcode.
Compare plans nowWhen each one wins
Choose Alinta if you want the lower price on a simple plan. For most households comparing these two, that settles it.
Choose EnergyAustralia if a current offer beats Alinta at your address, you want a particular solar feed-in arrangement, or you already hold gas with them and value one account.
Our verdict: Alinta Energy or EnergyAustralia?
This is a price-led comparison and Alinta usually takes it, often by $150 to $300 a year at the same usage. EnergyAustralia is a reasonable fit only when a time-limited offer or a bundle makes the maths work, and you plan to re-compare when it ends.
Always check at your postcode. Network charges differ by area, and at some addresses a third retailer beats both.