Overview
- Recent H1 2026 analyses by comparison services show dynamic, time‑varying tariffs cost less than expensive municipal basic supply but usually more than the cheapest competitive fixed‑price offers for a typical three‑person household.
- Verivox’s mid‑2026 example put a dynamic tariff at about €645, the Grundversorgung at €787 and the cheapest fixed offer at roughly €481 for a 3,000 kWh annual user, illustrating the usual price gap.
- Households still in the Grundversorgung can typically save around €280–€300 a year by switching to competitive fixed tariffs according to Finanztip and Bundesnetzagentur data.
- Electric‑vehicle owners and households that can shift big loads benefit most because they can exploit low wholesale prices at night, but wider gains depend on a broader rollout of time‑variable grid charges and smart‑meter control.
- Consumer groups warn that new‑customer bonuses can hide higher long‑term costs and advise checking prices without bonuses, choosing short or transparent contracts and verifying comparison‑portal filters before switching.