Electricity Providers in Germany

Electricity meter with meter number

If you don't sublet from someone but rent an apartment on your name, you likely need make a contract with an electricity provider. Read here how to find, compare & sign up with a €35 bonus.

Note that you can make a contract with any German provider, no matter where you live. So even if you live in Berlin, you can make a contract with a provider from Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt, or Munich.

Questions & Answers

When do I need an electricity provider?

If you rent an apartment or house directly from a landlord.

You usually don't need an electricity contract

if you sublet an apartment or room (from another person), or
if you rent your apartment or room with an "all-inclusive" contract like via Airbnb or similar.

If in doubt, ask your landlord.

Aren't my energy costs already billed in my warm rent (Warmmiete)?

Your warm rent includes the energy needed for heating your apartment. It may also include water heating.

But for energy used for/from:

lights
power sockets
stove & oven (if electric)
water heating (if electric)

you need to make a contract with an electricity supplier.

How to find an electricity supplier?

You will need you postal code postal code because prices are different by area. (Use Google maps to find it.)

However, you can make a contract with any German provider (if they offer it), no matter where you live. So even if you live in Berlin, you can make a contract with a provider from Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt, or Munich.

Find out whether your warm water is heated by
- your electricity,
- or instead by gas or even delivered from your landlord (central heating)
Given this information, estimate your consumption (see the table below).
Compare providers or pick a provider from the list below. Key factors to look at:
- Grundpreis (basic fee): fixed fee to pay per month
- Arbeitspreis (consumption price): what you pay per kWh used
- bonuses: are often available for new customers (but some are only paid out after a year, so be careful to check also cancellation policies)

How to sign up with an electricity provider?

All the sign-up can be done online. Once you've picked your provider, you will need to give them

the ID number of your electricity meter (it is usually printed on it),
the current electricity meter reading,
your IBAN bank account number (if you agree to direct debit)

How will I get billed for my electricity use?

Based on your consumption estimation, your electricity provider will calculate a monthly prepayment rate. This prepayment rate will be either
- either deducted from your bank account, if you agreed to direct debit (Lastschrift)
- or you will need to transfer it yourself every month.
After a year (usually), they measure your actual consumption.
- If you used less than your estimation, you will get money back and your monthly prepayment rate will be lowered.
- If you used more than your estimation, you will need to pay the difference and your monthly prepayment rate will be raised.

Average & Ideal Consumption Rates

To estimate your electricity consumption, you can go by average consumptions per year of German households, as shown in the table below. Additionally, ideal consumptions are shown (if savings potentials are used). ^[1]

Household size	Average, with electric water heating	Average, without electric water heating	Ideal (minimized) consumption
1 person	1500 kWh	2100 kWh	800-1300 kWh
2 person	2500 kWh	3400 kWh	1300-2100 kWh
3 person	3500 kWh	4400 kWh	1700-2600 kWh
4 person	4250 kWh	5500 kWh	1900-2900 kWh

Find an Electricity Provider

List of German Electricity Providers

Common German electricity providers with their Trustpilot rating:

5
ostrom^[2] – English support 🇬🇧, minimum term: 11 days^[3], allows prepayment adjustments at any time^[4], €35 bonus when using referral code XPATWIKI35
4.5
Polarstern^[2]: minimum term: 1 month^[5]
4.5
Vattenfall^[2]: minimum term: 12 months
3.5
Stadtwerke Flensburg^[2]: minimum term: 12 months^[6]
3
LEW^[2]
2
eprimo^[2] – Video guide on how to sign up
2
lekker^[2]
1.5
Qcells^[2]

Compare German Electricity Providers

Instead of comparing offers yourself, you can use a comparison service. Enter your postal code & estimated consumption, and get a list of offers.

5
Check24 Electricity Comparison^[2]

Notes

↑ "Stromverbrauch: Durchschnittsverbrauch Strom" – source, retrieved 2022-06-20
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 ^2.7 ^2.8 This is an affiliate link. If you click on it and then buy something or sign up for a service, we may earn a commission which covers our expenses. This does not change the price for you.
↑ "The minimum contract period is 11 days" – source, retrieved 2022-06-22
↑ "you can adjust your monthly payment at all times." – source, retrieved 2022-06-22
↑ "Welche Konditionen bietet Polarstern? / Bei uns gibt es keine Mindestvertragslaufzeit – du kannst deinen Vertrag immer mit zwei Wochen Frist zum Monatsende kündigen." – source, retrieved 2022-06-22
↑ "Mindestvertragslaufzeit von 12 Monaten" – source, retrieved 2022-06-22

[1] "Stromverbrauch: Durchschnittsverbrauch Strom" – source, retrieved 2022-06-20

[affiliate-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 ^2.7 ^2.8 This is an affiliate link. If you click on it and then buy something or sign up for a service, we may earn a commission which covers our expenses. This does not change the price for you.

[3] "The minimum contract period is 11 days" – source, retrieved 2022-06-22

[4] "you can adjust your monthly payment at all times." – source, retrieved 2022-06-22

[5] "Welche Konditionen bietet Polarstern? / Bei uns gibt es keine Mindestvertragslaufzeit – du kannst deinen Vertrag immer mit zwei Wochen Frist zum Monatsende kündigen." – source, retrieved 2022-06-22

[6] "Mindestvertragslaufzeit von 12 Monaten" – source, retrieved 2022-06-22

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