The same kilowatt-hour of electricity costs wildly different amounts depending on whose charger you plug into — on today’s data, from 32.5p/kWh on the cheapest on-street lampposts to 87p/kWhon the priciest rapid network. On a 40kWh top-up, that is a £22 difference for the same energy. This table is computed from our live ledger — every network’s latest advertised pay-as-you-go rate at every site we track — and it updates as prices change.
| Network | Fast AC | Rapid DC | Ultra-rapid | Sites tracked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ubitricity | 20.0–70.8p (avg 42.8p) | — | — | 12,822 |
| Shell Recharge | 57.5–74.2p (avg 64.4p) | 57.5–74.2p (avg 72.9p) | 57.5–74.2p (avg 72.3p) | 212 |
| Osprey | 87.0p flat | 87.0p flat | 87.0p flat | 369 |
Pay-as-you-go energy rates including VAT, per charging speed tier (Fast AC · Rapid DC · Ultra-rapid DC). Session/connection fees excluded; network memberships and apps are often cheaper than the contactless rate shown.
How to read the spread
- Flat pricing (one price everywhere) is typical of rapid-only networks — simple, but you pay the same at 3am as at peak.
- Ranges usually mean per-borough or per-site deals — on-street networks agree tariffs with each council, so the same network can be 32.5p on one street and 70p in the next borough.
- Speed costs money: ultra-rapid hubs carry the hardware and grid costs, and their prices show it. If your car is parked overnight anyway, the slowest charger is usually the smartest one.
Getting below these prices
The rates above are what a drive-up contactless customer pays. Network apps and memberships routinely undercut them — some networks discount a few pence per kWh through their own app — and off-peak home charging beats everything at 7–9p/kWh (the full cost picture). For the cheapest public option in most towns, see the lamppost charging guide.
This comparison grows as networks publish their data — more UK networks are being added as their open-data access comes through. National averages across all networks are on the UK Fuel & Charging Price Index, updated daily.