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Octopus Agile vs Flux: which is better?
Agile changes price every half hour with the wholesale market. Flux has three fixed daily bands built for solar and battery homes. Here is how they compare and who each one suits.
At a glance
| Octopus Agile | Octopus Flux | |
|---|---|---|
| How prices work | 48 half-hourly prices a day, published the afternoon before, linked to wholesale prices | Three fixed bands each day: cheap (2am–5am), day and peak (4pm–7pm) |
| Import price | Varies. Often lowest overnight and midday, highest 4pm–7pm. Capped at 100p/kWh. Can go negative | Southern England: 16.09p cheap, 26.65p day, 37.2p peak |
| Export | Paired with a separate export tariff, such as Outgoing Octopus | Built in: 4.7p cheap, 11.06p day, 30.16p peak |
| Standing charge | Regional | 47.47p/day (Southern England) |
| Needs | Smart meter sending half-hourly readings | Smart meter, plus solar and/or a home battery |
| Best for | Flexible users who can shift EV charging, batteries and appliances to the cheapest slots | Solar + battery homes that can export at the 4pm–7pm peak |
Flux rates for Southern England as of 2026-10-20, including VAT where applicable. Rates differ by region and change from time to time. Agile's cap is set by Octopus. Check Octopus's own pages for your region's live prices.
How Flux makes money for battery owners
The idea is simple: charge the battery in the cheap 2am–5am window at 16.09p, then export at the 4pm–7pm peak for 30.16p. Round-trip losses of around 10% eat into the gap, but a battery cycling 5 kWh a day this way could make about £202 a year on that spread alone, before any solar. Outside the peak, Flux's day export rate of 11.06p is broadly in line with other good export tariffs. See what a battery is worth to you with our solar and battery calculator.
When Agile wins
Agile rewards flexibility. On windy or sunny days, half-hour prices often fall well below the price cap rate of 26.32p, and sometimes go below zero, so you're paid to use electricity. Households that can move most of their use, such as EV charging, battery charging, immersion heaters and tumble dryers, into the cheapest slots often average well below the cap. The risk is the evening peak and cold, still winter days, when prices can spike towards the 100p cap. If you cook, heat or charge at 4pm–7pm without a battery, Agile can cost more than a standard tariff.
Which should you choose?
- Solar + battery, no EV: Flux is usually the simpler and stronger choice, because the export peak does the work.
- EV, no battery: a fixed overnight EV tariff like Octopus Go (around 8.21p off-peak) is often simpler than Agile. Compare them in our smart tariff comparison and EV charging cost calculator.
- Battery + EV + automation: Agile with Outgoing Octopus Agile export can beat Flux if you actively manage it, but it carries more price risk.
- Little flexibility: stay on a standard or fixed tariff. Read standing charges explained before comparing.
FAQs
Is Octopus Agile capped?
Yes. Octopus caps Agile import prices at 100p per kWh, including VAT. Prices can also be negative.
What are the Octopus Flux times?
The cheap period is 2am–5am and the peak period is 4pm–7pm, every day, in local time. All other times are the day rate. The same bands apply to Flux import and export.
Do I need a battery for Flux?
Octopus says Flux is for homes with solar panels and/or a home battery. It works best with a battery, because you can charge cheaply overnight and export at the peak.
Can I switch between Agile and Flux?
Octopus generally lets customers move between its smart tariffs, though some smart tariffs have rules about how often you can switch back. Check the current terms before moving.
Related calculators
Sources
- Octopus Energy – Octopus Flux
- mysmartenergy.uk – Octopus Flux prices, Southern England (20 Oct 2026)
- Octopus Energy – Agile tariff charts
- energy-stats.uk – Octopus Agile: how it works and pricing
- Energy Review – Octopus price change log (Oct 2026)
- Ofgem – Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (1 Oct–31 Dec 2026)
Estimates only, not financial advice. Results use average UK figures and the assumptions shown. Your real costs depend on your home, tariff, region and installer quotes. Always get several quotes from certified installers and check current tariff rates before deciding. Don't rely on these results alone: see our disclaimer.