E.ON Next Smart Saver Tariff review: Is this off-peak tariff worth it?

What is a Time of Use tariff?

Unlike a standard energy deal where you pay the same price per unit of electricity no matter when you use it, a Time of Use tariff charges different rates at different times of the day. Typically, with a Time of Use tariff if you use electricity when demand (and therefore cost) is low, you should save money. Conversely if you use energy during peak hours you will pay more.  

What is the E.ON Next Smart Saver tariff?

E.ON Next's ‘Next Smart Saver' is the UK’s first fixed Time of Use tariff. That means that the price per kWh of electricity you use is fixed for 12 months (this gives you some price certainty, unlike variable ToU tariffs where rates can change) but the amount that you pay depends on the time of day at which you use the electricity. 

How much you will be charged under the E.ON ‘Next Smart Saver' tariff will vary depending on your region. However, below is a breakdown of the national average rates:

• Peak time (4pm – 7pm): 38.48p per kWh – This is when electricity is most expensive.  
• Off-Peak (5am – 4pm & 7pm – 2am): 20.11p per kWh – This covers the bulk of the day and evening.  
• Super Off-Peak (2am – 5am): 16.33p per kWh – The cheapest rate, ideal for charging EVs or setting appliances on timers.  

Crucially, E.ON Next says you don't need an electric vehicle or heat pump to get this tariff, opening it up to everyone. However you do need a working smart meter that sends half-hourly readings, and you need to agree to share this data.  

In addition, there are no exit fees. This means if the tariff isn't working for you, or if energy prices plummet later, you can switch away without penalty – a huge plus compared to most fixed-price deals.  

How does Next Smart Saver compare to standard tariffs?

Below we compare ‘Next Smart Saver' to E.ON Next's own Standard Variable Tariff (SVT), called ‘Next Flex'. SVT rates follow the Ofgem Price Cap. For the London region, the SVT rates from April 2025 are:  

E.ON Next ‘Next Flex' (SVT) – London:

• Unit Rate: 26.48p per kWh  
• Standing Charge: 46.20p per day  

Next Smart Saver' national average rates:

• The Peak rate (38.48p) is a hefty 45% higher than the London SVT rate.
• The Off-Peak rate (20.11p) is 24% lower.
• The Super Off-Peak rate (16.33p) is 38% lower.

The standing charge for ‘Next Smart Saver' hasn't been explicitly stated in the launch information, but it's reasonable to assume it matches the SVT standing charge for each region (46.20p/day in London). 

How much could you save on E.ON Next Smart Saver tariff?

The answer depends almost entirely on when you use your electricity and where you live.

Most households naturally use the most electricity between 4pm and 8pm – cooking dinner, watching TV, putting the heating on. This clashes directly with the ‘Next Smart Saver' peak rate of 38.48p/kWh.  

To make this tariff work financially, you must shift a significant chunk of your electricity usage away from that 4pm-7pm peak window. Think running the washing machine, dishwasher, or tumble dryer overnight or during the day using timers. Charging phones, laptops, or an EV should definitely happen in the off-peak or super off-peak slots.  

Let's look at some estimated costs for a typical medium user (2,700 kWh/year ) in London:  

Estimated annual electricity cost saving

This is based on 2,700 kWh/year usage. ‘Next Smart Saver' uses national average rates & assumed London SVT standing charge. Competitor rates estimated based on % saving vs London SVT & specific standing charge.

Surprisingly, even with typical usage (assuming 18% during peak), our calculations suggest ‘Next Smart Saver' could be around £90 cheaper a year than the Standard Variable Tariff (SVT) for this London user profile. This is because the cheaper off-peak rate covers 18 hours a day.

However, if you actively shift usage (reducing peak to 8% in our model), the savings jump to over £143 compared to the SVT. And importantly for Londoners, look at the comparison with the competitor fixed deal (EDF example shown, which also has no exit fees). In this London scenario, actively shifting your usage on ‘Next Smart Saver' (£740) makes it significantly cheaper than one of the cheapest fixed deals (£787) that requires no effort. This makes the ToU tariff potentially more attractive in London than in regions with higher standing charges, provided you can make those shifts. Here is a full list of the regional price caps for standing charges.

You can save money compared to the SVT, potentially even without changing habits much (if your peak usage isn't too high). To get significant savings that beat the best standard fixed deals available, you need to be disciplined about avoiding the 4pm-7pm period.

Is it cheaper than the best fixed-rate energy tariffs available?

There are several suppliers (like Octopus, Outfox the Market, EDF) offering standard fixed-rate tariffs that are 10-16% cheaper than the current Energy Price Cap on average. Here is our roundup of the cheapest fixed-rate energy tariffs, which we regularly update. However many cheaper fixed-rate energy deals come with exit fees (often £50 per fuel) if you leave early.  

Below we look at how some of the best standard fixed-rate tariffs stack up against the E.ON Next ‘Next Smart Saver' Time of Use (ToU) tariff for a London household using 2,700 kWh per year of electricity:

• if you maintain typical usage patterns (using about 18% of your electricity during the 4pm-7pm peak) – then we estimate that the current cheapest standard fixed-rate tariffs could work out marginally cheaper than the ‘Next Smart Saver' tariff – saving you between £6 – £25 a year.
• If you successfully shift your usage (reducing peak usage significantly, e.g., down to 8%) – then the ‘Next Smart Saver' tariff could work out the cheapest option – saving you between £25 -£50 a year versus the leading fixed-rate tariffs at the moment.

This creates a dilemma:

• Standard Fixed Deal: Guaranteed savings, simple, but you're often locked in.
• Next Smart Saver: Potential savings (maybe higher, maybe lower), requires effort, but you also have total flexibility thanks to no exit fees.  

Who is E.ON Next Smart Saver tariff really for?

‘Next Smart Saver' isn't for everyone. It's likely a good fit if you:

• Have an EV or other large controllable loads: Charging your car or running storage heaters during the super off-peak (2am-5am) 16.33p rate is where the big savings lie.  
• Are disciplined and willing to change habits: If you can consistently use timers for laundry/dishwashing and avoid heavy appliance use between 4pm-7pm, you could benefit.  
• Work from home flexibly or are retired: If your main usage naturally falls into the daytime off-peak hours, it could work well.
• Highly value flexibility: The ‘no exit fees' feature is a huge plus if you're worried about future price drops or unsure if you can stick to the schedule.  

It's probably not a good fit if you:

• Have inflexible routines: Families needing to cook and use appliances right after school/work will struggle to avoid the peak rates.
• Want simple, guaranteed savings: A standard fixed deal might be less hassle, although potentially slightly more expensive than this ToU tariff if you shift load effectively.
• Don't have/want a smart meter or dislike sharing data: These are mandatory requirements.  

Summary

E.ON Next's ‘Next Smart Saver' is an innovative attempt to bring fixed-rate Time of Use charging to the masses.

Pros:

• Potential for good savings compared to Standard Variable Rate tariffs, especially if you shift usage.  
• Cheaper electricity during long off-peak (18 hours) and super off-peak (3 hours) periods.  
• 12 months of fixed-rate certainty.  
• Crucially, NO exit fees, offering fantastic flexibility.  
• Potentially cheaper than standard fixed deals but only if you actively shift your usage to the cheaper time periods

Cons:

• Expensive peak rate (4pm-7pm) clashes with typical household usage times.  
• Requires conscious effort and potential lifestyle changes to maximise savings.  
• Requires a smart meter and data sharing consent.  

Overall: It could be a good deal for a specific type of customer such as those who can actively manage their usage (especially EV owners) or those who put a very high price on the flexibility of no exit fees. However, for the average customer just wanting a simple way to cut bills with no effort, a standard fixed-rate deal is still going to be attractive.