Origin Energy vs EnergyAustralia

Cheapest overall

Usually neither. Both discount hardest on conditional plans (12% to 18% below DMO); smaller retailers often go deeper.

Best conditional discount

Line ball: Origin Max and EnergyAustralia Total Plan both require direct debit and email billing.

Best for solar and extras

Origin (Solar Boost feed-in, Spike wholesale plan, broadband and LPG).

Customer ratings

Origin 1.5/5, EnergyAustralia 1.4/5 on Google. Both typical for their size.

The short answer

Origin and EnergyAustralia are the closest pairing among the Big 3. Their headline conditional plans, Origin Max and EnergyAustralia's Total Plan, both discount roughly 12% to 18% below the Default Market Offer and both demand the same conditions: direct debit and email billing. Their no-conditions plans, Origin Go and the Basic Plan, both sit around 5% to 12% below reference. For most households the price difference at a given address is a rounding error, so the decision rests on solar offers, extras and preferences. And as with every Big 3 comparison, the sharpest smaller retailers undercut both, typically pricing 15% to 25% below the AER's reference price.

Who they are

Origin Energy is ASX-listed (ORG) and pairs its retail arm with a large generation portfolio: the Eraring coal-fired power station in NSW, due to close in 2027, alongside a fast-growing solar and battery investment programme. EnergyAustralia is wholly owned by CLP Group of Hong Kong and is the only fully foreign-owned member of the Big 3. Both retail across NSW, Victoria, SEQ Queensland, South Australia and the ACT.

Plan ranges compared

Origin runs four notable structures: Origin Go (simple flat rate, no conditions, 5% to 12% below DMO), Origin Max (12% to 18% below, with direct debit and email billing), Solar Boost (higher feed-in tariff, slightly higher usage rate) and Spike (wholesale pass-through pricing, cheap in mild months, risky in heatwaves).

EnergyAustralia mirrors the first two: Total Plan (guaranteed 10% to 18% discount, same conditions) and Basic Plan (no conditions, 5% to 10% below). Solar Home adds a competitive feed-in tariff. There is no wholesale pass-through equivalent to Spike.

Beyond price

Solar. Origin's Solar Boost generally offers the higher headline feed-in rate, worth $50 to $90 a year for a typical exporter, but pairs it with a higher usage rate that can erase the gain for households that self-consume most of their generation. EnergyAustralia's Solar Home is competitive without leading the market. Heavy exporters lean Origin; heavy self-consumers should simply chase the lowest usage rate.

Extras. Origin sells broadband and LPG alongside energy, and its Spike plan suits engaged customers who can shift load away from evening peaks. EnergyAustralia offers electricity and gas only.

Green credentials and ownership. Origin's renewables and battery build-out, and the planned 2027 Eraring closure, give it the stronger transition story. EnergyAustralia's ownership by Hong Kong's CLP Group is worth knowing if local ownership matters to you, though it makes no practical difference to supply or rates.

Service. Origin rates 1.5/5 and EnergyAustralia 1.4/5 on Google Reviews, both normal for retailers of their scale, with identical complaint themes: billing, wait times and expired plans rolling onto dearer rates.

When each one wins

Choose Origin if you export a lot of solar (Solar Boost), want broadband or LPG with your energy, are curious about wholesale pricing via Spike, or prefer the retailer with the stronger renewables investment story.

Choose EnergyAustralia if its Total Plan happens to price better at your address and you will reliably meet the direct debit and email billing conditions.

Choose neither if you simply want the lowest bill. Reference prices fell across most networks on 1 July 2026 and smaller retailers are pricing aggressively for switchers; the savings are usually $100 to $300 a year over either of these two.

Common questions