Outgoing Octopus: tariff explained (2026)
Outgoing Octopus is Octopus Energy's export tariff: it pays you for the surplus electricity your home sends back to the grid, usually from solar panels. It sits alongside your normal import tariff, so the power you buy and the power you sell are handled separately. In short, it turns the energy you don't use into credit rather than letting it disappear for free.
What is Outgoing Octopus?
Outgoing Octopus is Octopus Energy's export tariff: it pays you for the surplus electricity your home sends back to the grid, usually from solar panels. It sits alongside your normal import tariff, so the power you buy and the power you sell are handled separately. In short, it turns the energy you don't use into credit rather than letting it disappear for free.
Who it’s best for
- Homes with solar panels (and ideally a smart meter that records export half-hourly)
- Solar owners with a battery who can store cheap or self-generated power and export at the most valuable times
- People happy to choose between a fixed flat export rate or a variable rate that follows wholesale prices
- Anyone pairing solar with an EV or heat pump who wants to maximise the value of every unit they generate
How it works
When your panels produce more electricity than your home is using, the surplus flows back to the grid and your smart meter records how much. Outgoing Octopus credits you for those exported units, with the credit offsetting your bill. Octopus offers more than one version: a fixed rate that pays the same for every unit whenever you export, and a variable rate that tracks the wholesale market across the day, rewarding you more when you export at high-demand, high-price times. A fixed rate gives certainty and simplicity, while a variable rate can pay more if you have a battery and can time your exports. Because it only covers what you sell, you keep a normal import tariff for the electricity you buy, and many people pair it with a smart import tariff to round out the setup. Export rates and which versions are available change over time, so check current rates on octopus.energy before you decide.
Joining Outgoing Octopus? Use my referral link and get £50 credit on top.
Get my £50Joining Octopus through a refer-a-friend link gets you £50 of account credit (and £50 for whoever shared it) once your switch completes and your first Direct Debit is taken. That £50 is separate from your export earnings, so it simply stacks on top of what your panels pay you back.
Rates and availability change regularly — check current prices on octopus.energy. Last reviewed 1 June 2026.
FAQs
How much is the Octopus Energy referral bonus?+
£50 for you and £50 for the referrer — £50 each. Business and charity referrals are £75 each. Octopus sometimes frames it as “splitting £100 with a mate”, which is the same thing: £50 into each account.
Is the Octopus referral code still working in 2026?+
Yes. The scheme is active and we re-verify our code on the 1st of every month. We last confirmed it works on 1 June 2026.
How long does it take to get the £50 credit?+
It’s paid automatically once your switch completes and your first monthly Direct Debit has been taken — usually around 4 weeks after you join. No claim needed.
Ready to switch? Use my link and we both get £50 — it costs you nothing.
Get my £50