Electric Ireland vs SSE AirtricityWhich is cheaper for you?
Both suppliers run several plans, and the cheaper one depends on how your home uses electricity. Here's who wins for different kinds of household.
The short answer
On these typical usage shapes, Electric Ireland comes out cheaper across the board — but your home isn't a stereotype. On a time-of-use plan the answer can swing the other way, so the only way to be sure is your own usage.
Which home is most like yours?
Each card is a different way of using electricity. Find the one closest to your home — it shows the cheaper of Electric Ireland and SSE Airtricity, and the exact plan, for that household.
Usage type
EV / night owl
Charges an EV or runs appliances overnight
Cheapest plan for this home
€94 cheaper than SSE Airtricity's best (€1,850).
Usage type
Out 9–5
Empty house by day, morning and evening peaks
Cheapest plan for this home
Neck and neck — only €18 ahead of SSE Airtricity's best.
Usage type
Work from home
Steady use right through the day
Cheapest plan for this home
Neck and neck — only €24 ahead of SSE Airtricity's best.
Usage type
Low user / weekends
Light overall, busiest at weekends
Cheapest plan for this home
€42 cheaper than SSE Airtricity's best (€1,067).
Estimated for each usage shape (urban, smart meter). Figures are illustrative — your own usage is what actually decides it.
Why it changes
These are the plans that win above. Look how their rates rise and fall through the day — that's why no single plan is cheapest for everyone.
Rate by hour of day
Effective unit rates including VAT. Lower is cheaper at that time of day.
The plans we compared
Every smart-meter plan each supplier offers — not just one. A ⚡🏙️🏠🌿 tag shows which kind of home a plan wins for.
Electric Ireland
6 plans- Home Electric + Saver🏠🌿29.8c all day
24 hour flat rate with advanced electricity insights and 20% discount for new customers.
- Home Electric+ SST⚡🏙️Night 17.0c · Day 32.4c · Peak 34.6c
Advanced electricity insights with 20% discount on unit rates for new customers.
- Home Electric SSTNight 17.0c · Day 32.4c · Peak 34.6c
20% discount on electricity unit rates with advanced electricity insights for new customers.
- Home Electric+ Weekender (Saturday)Free Saturday 0.0c · All 38.6c
Free electricity on Saturdays or Sundays between 08:00 - 23:00 with advanced electricity insights.
- Home Electric+ Weekender (Sunday)Free Sunday 0.0c · All 38.6c
Free electricity on Saturdays or Sundays between 08:00 - 23:00 with advanced electricity insights.
- Home Electric+ Night BoostNight Boost 10.9c · Night 18.5c · Day 37.6c
Super low electricity rates at night with advanced electricity insights for new customers.
SSE Airtricity
4 plans- Smart Day/Night/Peak Top DiscountNight 19.6c · Day 30.5c · Peak 34.1c
- Smart Everyday Top Discount28.8c all day
- Smart WeekendsWeekend Night 13.0c · Weekend Day 20.2c · Weekend Peak 22.6c · Weekday Night 25.9c · …
- Smart EV MaxNight 13.9c · Day 38.6c
Your home isn't a stereotype
See which is cheaper for your actual usage
The cards above are typical homes. Link your smart meter and SmarterMeter ranks Electric Ireland, SSE Airtricity and every other supplier against your real half-hourly usage — free.
Find my cheapest planElectric Ireland vs SSE Airtricity — frequently asked
Is Electric Ireland cheaper than SSE Airtricity?▾
On the common usage shapes above, Electric Ireland tends to be cheaper — but that's an average, not your bill. The result can flip on a time-of-use plan, which is why we compare against your real smart-meter data rather than a stereotype.
Why isn't there one "cheapest" plan?▾
Because electricity plans charge different rates at different times of day. A night-saver plan is the cheapest thing going for an EV owner charging at 3am, and one of the dearest for someone home all day. The "best" plan depends entirely on when you use power — so a single league table is misleading.
How do I find which is actually cheapest for me?▾
Link your smart meter to SmarterMeter (free). We rank every plan from every supplier against your actual half-hourly usage — not an average household — so you see your real cheapest plan, not a generic winner.
Can I switch between Electric Ireland and SSE Airtricity?▾
Yes. Switching electricity supplier in Ireland is free, takes about two weeks, and there's no interruption to your supply — the wires and meter stay exactly the same.