Alberta electricity and natural-gas plans: bundle or compare separately?

How do I compare electricity and gas plans in Alberta?

Compare gas rates and electricity rates in Alberta by their full cost for your household’s use. Count fees, delivery and taxes. Check contract terms. Use the Alberta energy plans list and natural gas rates guide. The Utilities Consumer Advocate (UCA) has a tool to compare plans. Include your current plans.

Some Alberta retailers let you put electricity and natural gas on one bill. Each service can still have a different rate, fee and contract. The Utilities Consumer Advocate explains the retailer choices.

How do I compare gas rates in Alberta?

Compare natural gas prices in Alberta using the same household gas use in gigajoules and the same period for each offer. The UCA comparison tool helps estimate costs. Include administration fees, delivery and taxes, then check fixed or floating terms. A lower gas rate alone does not establish a lower household bill.

What should I check before comparing electricity and gas plans?

Before comparing electricity and gas plans, check the service address, who pays and when each current plan ends. The UCA explains how to compare retailer choices. Gather usage and fees from bills for that home. Keep the same period for each offer so the cost comparison is fair.

Where is the home? Do you pay for both electricity and natural gas? Is either plan near renewal? These questions help you find the right options before spending time on the fine print.

A recent bill may contain the usage history you need, in a table or chart. Check the service address and dates, then find electricity usage in kilowatt-hours (kWh), gas in gigajoules (GJ), and each service’s rate and administration fee. If you have moved, keep the old and new homes separate.

What does a bundle change?

A bundle can change who bills you and which discounts or conditions apply to your electricity and gas. The UCA explains retailer choices. Check each fuel’s fees and terms separately, even with one company. A single bill does not mean a single fee or a lower total cost.

A bundle can mean one retailer, one account, or a discount. Check exactly what is included: two services do not necessarily mean one administration fee. A promotion, deposit or payment condition can also change the value of the offer.

You do not have to choose the same rate type for both services. For example, you might prefer a fixed electricity rate and be comfortable with a floating gas rate. A fixed commodity rate does not fix your total bill: usage and other charges can change. A floating rate that looked attractive last year is not a promise about next winter. See UCA’s rate-choice guide and our fixed-versus-floating explanation.

How do deposits and prudential payments affect the comparison?

Deposits and prudential payments tie up cash when a plan starts. Check them apart from ongoing costs. The UCA explains how to assess offers. Ask when you get the money back and whether interest applies. Read the terms before you count a returned payment as a cost or saving.

Before comparing totals, separate four things: upfront cash a plan requires, the money you can get back, recurring fees, and any interest credited under the contract. One retailer example, checked 28 September 2026, is Get Energy. Its public terms describe an optional prudential payment for some rates, with interest credited and the payment refunded subject to amounts owed. A separate security deposit can depend on credit circumstances and is generally non-interest bearing. Base rates do not guarantee no deposit. Terms can change, so check the Get Energy terms.

Money you get back is neither an annual bill cost nor a saving. But a deposit ties up cash, so consider any interest you could have earned elsewhere. BillRobin is building a comparison that checks these costs alongside energy rates. Compare the full quote before accepting a new retailer contract.

How does the same usage change a cost comparison?

The same usage makes a cost comparison fair because each plan prices the same amount of energy. The UCA tool uses your usage to estimate bills. The fictional example below shows energy and account fees for one month. Check delivery and tax too before you compare whole bills.

This is not a complete bill or an annual saving. Include delivery, transmission, municipal and tax lines in a full comparison. Check which charges stay the same and which change; do not subtract an energy-only quote from your entire old bill. GST on a retailer charge changes when that charge changes. See UCA’s bill explanation and our electricity-rate checklist.

For a yearly comparison, use a year of usage where available. Heating and electricity needs change through the seasons, so multiplying one month’s difference by twelve can mislead. Calculate each option against the same household profile, including your current plans.

How should I compare plans when moving or renting?

Compare plans when moving or renting by checking who holds the account and which home the usage covers. The UCA tenant guide explains account responsibilities. Confirm start and end dates before signing. An old home’s bills can help with estimates, but may not match the new building’s needs.

Ask whether your current plan can move, what happens to each service, and whether start and end dates overlap. An old home’s annual usage is only an estimate for a different building; it should not silently become a confident forecast.

Renters who pay utilities may be able to choose a retailer. In a sub-metered arrangement, the landlord may control that choice. Check the UCA tenant guide (PDF). Our switching guide covers the changeover questions.

How do I choose between the plans I compared?

Choose between the plans you compared by weighing full costs, contract terms and the effort of managing each account. The UCA comparison tool is a starting point. Confirm current terms with the retailer. Keeping your present plans is also an option when a change offers little value for your household.

• Bundle when the combined cost and conditions fit, and one account is worth it to you.
• Choose separately when that combination costs less or fits each service better. You can also keep one current plan and change the other.
• Stay put when the difference is small, the evidence is incomplete, or changing adds more effort than value.

The UCA comparison tool is a useful public starting point. Verify the selected offer and eligibility with the retailer, because prices and terms can change.

Read how we approach evidence and comparisons.

Send us your gas and electricity bills as PDFs. No PDF? Screenshots or a photo work too. We compare the plans at your address, free during our launch period. We never switch your plan.