Business electricity prices: what you should be paying and how to check
Business electricity has no price cap, so two firms next door can pay very different rates for the same power. This guide explains what drives your unit rate, what small businesses should look for, and how OptiFlow Watch spots overpaying.
Why business electricity prices vary so much
Your electricity rate is fixed by the wholesale market on the day you signed, shaped by your usage, your meter and your contract type. There is no cap and no standard price, which is why the firm next door can pay a different rate per kwh for the same supply.
That variation cuts both ways. Sign well and you sit below the market for years. Let a contract lapse and you land on a deemed rate, usually the most expensive electricity a supplier sells. The difference is rarely effort, it is whether anyone is watching. OptiFlow Watch is the one watching.
What drives your electricity price
The unit rate per kwh
The price of the power itself, locked to the wholesale market on the day you agreed the contract.
The standing charge
A daily fixed fee that applies even when the lights are off. Small firms often overlook it.
Your usage shape
Using power overnight or in peaks changes what suppliers offer, especially on half hourly meters.
Contract type
Fixed gives certainty, variable follows the market, and deemed rates punish drifting.
Small business tariffs
Small business electricity prices differ from large user rates. The wrong tariff costs real money.
Comparison timing
Rates move daily, so a comparison is only as good as the day it was run.
How OptiFlow Watch keeps your electricity honest
Flags overpaying
Watch compares your unit rate and standing charge against the market and tells you when you have drifted.
Guards the renewal
It warns you before your contract ends so you never fall onto a deemed rate.
Checks every bill
Errors and overcharges get caught month after month, for 49 pounds a month.
See also business gas prices, business energy procurement and the free business bill overspend checker.
Common questions
How are business electricity prices set?
There is no price cap. Your rate is fixed by the wholesale market on the day you sign, shaped by your usage, your meter and your contract type.
What is a fair price per kwh for a small business?
It moves with the wholesale market, so check current rates rather than a remembered number. OptiFlow Watch compares your rate automatically each month.
Why is my rate higher than another firm’s?
Rates are individually contracted, so timing, usage and whether you are still in contract all change the price.
What is a deemed rate?
The default rate you fall onto when a contract lapses, usually the most expensive electricity a supplier sells.
Can OptiFlow help?
Yes. OptiFlow Watch reads your electricity bills monthly, flags overpaying and errors, and warns you before renewal.