On 28th September 2021, Flipper announced that it has withdrawn from the market and will be closing its business.
It said "You may have seen in the recent media the issues with suppliers ceasing trading due to the heavily reported increase to gas wholesale prices, and the subsequent removal of low cost tariffs which make the switching market work.
We are very sad to announce that we have withdrawn from the market and will be closing, as we can no longer continue to offer the service promised to you, our loyal members and we can no longer sustain the great savings that as Flipper customers you have come to expect"
How does Flipper work?
Flipper is an automated energy comparison service that will 'flip' you to a better deal every time it identifies a saving of more than £50 (compared to your current deal). Rather than relying on estimates, Flipper uses the data from your existing utility bills to accurately identify the cheapest energy supplier based on your usage. Once signed up, Flipper will handle the process of switching energy supplier from start to finish, monitoring (and potentially 'flipping') each month thereafter.
Flipper provides an automated energy switching service, monitoring the best energy deals and 'flipping' you whenever you can make a saving of more than £50. Flipper does all of the hard work for you, liaising with and closing down your existing energy account and setting everything up with your new energy supplier, all without you having to lift a finger. Flipper does not receive any commission from energy suppliers and so is able to check and compare every energy supplier on the market. Many comparison sites (and some auto-switching services) restrict their results, only recommending those that pay them an agreed commission. By accessing to the whole of the energy market, Flipper estimates that you'll save an additional £71.54 when compared to traditional comparison sites, plus you'll be automatically switched each time it identifies a saving of more than £50. Flipper charges an annual fee of £30, however, you will only be charged once it has found you a deal that will save you at least £50.
How to sign up to Flipper?
** This independent review of Flipper was written prior to its closure on 28th September 2021. Flipper has subsequently withdrawn from the market and is no longer taking on new customers **
To get started you'll first need to provide your postcode and confirm whether your electricity and gas is being supplied by the same provider. Next, you'll need to confirm who your current energy supplier is and finally, how much you currently spend on energy each month. Flipper will then conduct a search of the whole market and provide you with an estimate of how much you can save. Flipper estimated I could save £312 per year.
You are then provided with two choices:
Choice 1 - Choose supplier type
All suppliers and tariffs
Choosing 'all suppliers and tariffs' may mean you need to be a little more hands-on in terms of how you manage your Flipper account. You may have to provide monthly meter readings and you may need to make an initial advanced payment to set the ball rolling. If you are happy to do a little more work then selecting this option will provide you with the biggest saving.
- Provides the maximum saving
- May have to provide monthly meter readings
- May have to pay an initial 'advanced payment'
Only larger suppliers
Choosing only larger suppliers will mean less work for you, however, you'll typically save around 25% less than selecting 'all suppliers and tariffs'. If you are happy to make a smaller saving and prefer the service to be fully automated, then this could be a better option for you
- Provides a lower amount of saving
- Less frequent meter readings
- No initial 'advanced payment'
Choice 2 - Choose tariff type
All tariffs
Choosing 'all tariffs' will ensure you can make the maximum saving, however, the supplier you are paired with may not be able to provide green/renewable energy
Only green tariffs
Choosing 'only green tariffs' will ensure that your energy is 100% renewable, however, you may not receive the maximum saving.
Setting up your Flipper account
Once you have selected your supplier type and tariff type you'll need to click on 'Start Saving' in order to start the setup process. Firstly, you'll need to provide an email address and secure password. Next, you'll be asked to confirm your full address, followed by your name, telephone number, date of birth and residential status. You'll then need to confirm your marketing preferences; you'll still be contacted about upcoming switches, even if you select no to all. Finally, you'll need to provide your bank details either by card or by setting up a direct debit.
Once fully set up, you'll be taken through Flipper's 4 steps of auto-switching.
Step 1 - You'll be asked to provide accurate energy data from your current supplier and the quickest way to do this is to give Flipper access to your online energy account. Alternatively, if you prefer not to provide your account details, you can upload the details by PDF.
Step 2 - Flipper will conduct a thorough search, identifying the best energy supplier based on your supplier and tariff choices. It will only consider energy suppliers that will save you at least £50 and will screen out energy suppliers that have a poor customer service record
Step 3 - Flipper will execute the switch. It will deal with the suppliers for you and keep you up to date by email. If you do have any questions you are able to contact them by phone, livechat or email between the hours of 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Step 4 - Flipper will conduct a full market search every month. This should ensure you stay on the best deal (as prices and tariffs can regularly change). It will only switch your energy supplier if it can save you more than £50 and will contact you by email when it is time to time to flip.
How long does it take to switch energy suppliers with Flipper?
Flipper will start the switching process within 24 hours of setting the switch in motion. You'll be given secure access to your new provider's login details via your Flipper account and you are free to change your mind within the first 14 days (after which the switch will be 'locked in'). It usually takes between 4 - 5 weeks for a switch to complete at which point Flipper will notify you and invite you to provide meter readings to finalise the switch.
How does Flipper make money?
Flipper charges a fee as it does not receive commission from energy suppliers, giving you access to a wider range of suppliers in the hope that it can save you more money.
How much does Flipper cost?
Flipper costs £30 per year, however, you will only be charged if it is able to save you at least £50 per year. Payment can be made via debit or credit card or alternatively via direct debit.
Flipper customer reviews
Flipper is rated as 'Excellent' on review site Trustpilot with an average score of 4.7 out of 5.0 from over 3,800 reviews. 76% of reviewers rated it 5 stars, many of which cite the excellent levels of customer service and ease of switching. Only 4% of reviewers rated it 1 star with some saying that they felt they were no better off having switched.
Alternatives to Flipper
In our article, "Compare the best energy auto-switching services in the UK" we compare the top energy-switching services and in it we explain what we like about each service and how they compare. Below we have summarised how Flipper compares to two well-established energy switching services, Look After My Bills and Switchd.
Flipper vs Look After My Bills
Look After My Bills is a free energy switching service, meaning you never have to pay a fee to switch. As Look After My Bills only consider suppliers that will pay it a commission fee, the results you receive are from a reduced panel of suppliers and so there is the possibility of you not being offered the very best deal on the market. If getting the very best deal on the market is important to you, then you may be better off paying a small fee to Flipper to gain access to the best deals. If you'd prefer not to pay a fee then Look After My Bills could be a better option for you. Check out our "Look After My Bills review".
Flipper vs Switchd
Switchd offers four different service plans, ranging from free, to a premium service priced at £4.99 per month. Unlike Flipper, Switchd provides a free service that displays results from providers that pay it a commission fee. You can, however, opt to pay a fee in order to gain access to every energy supplier in the market. Switchd charges its customers monthly, rather than annually and charges £1.99, £3.49 or £4.99, depending on which paid plan you choose. Check out our "Switchd review".
Flipper pros and cons
Pros
- Access to every energy supplier on the market
- Never have to manually switch energy supplier again
- Automatic comparison completed every month
Cons
- No free service offered (costs £30 annually)
- May need to provide regular meter readings in order to maintain best deals
- May need to pay 'advanced payment' to some of the smaller suppliers
Conclusion
Flipper provides an automated energy switching service and is perfect for those that are sick of having to search for the best deals and the ongoing admin that comes with switching suppliers. It does however come at a cost. There are other services that provide auto-switching for free, but remember that the results you see will be restricted to those that pay a commission fee. If you truly want to ensure that you are on the best energy deal possible then you should consider using a paid service offered by either Flipper or Switchd. If you are keen to use a free switching service then check out our 'auto-switch comparison table' where we compare 6 of the top free switching sites including Look After My Bills, Bill Buddy, Weflip, Switchcraft, Migrate and Labrador.
