Is Pay As You Go Electricity More Expensive?

⚡ Cheapest Electricity Offer per Supplier

⚡ Cheapest Electricity Offer per Supplier

Supplier	Best Offer	Estimated Annual Bill
	Variable Rate Discount	€1,281.23
	26% off Electricity	€1,282.06
	30% on Standard Electricity	€1,317.20
	29% on Standard Electricity	€1,398.03
	35% off Electricity	€1,406.31
	32% on Standard Electricity	€1,488.76
	No Discount	€1,474.51
	29% off Electricity	€1,559.14
	No Discount	€1,566.28
	No Discount	€1,912.10
	No Discount	€2,220.62
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*Figures are for illustrative purposes only. Calculations based on average consumption figures for an urban home with a standard meter. All discounts and cashback have been applied, including recently announced price increases.
Last updated: October 2025

Which Suppliers Offer Pay As You Go Electricity?

There are currently just three Pay As You Go electricity suppliers in Ireland:

1. Electric Ireland
2. Pinergy
3. PrepayPower

These suppliers provide the PAYG meter "free" of charge. “Free” is a bit misleading, as this option results in a higher PAYG service charge in order to recoup the cost.

Most electricity providers do not supply Pay As You Go electricity in Ireland unless the customer requests it and can prove financial hardship and the need for a pay as you go meter to help them manage their costs.

PAYG vs. Standard Credit Meters: Quick Comparison

To summarise the core difference in cost and convenience, here is a quick breakdown between Pay As You Go meters and standard credit meters:

What Is Pay As You Go Electricity in Ireland?

Pay As You Go (PAYG) electricity meters allow you to pay for your electricity before you use it, much like with prepaid mobile phones. In Ireland, these prepayment meters are topped up with specific electricity cards, except for smart PAYG meters.

With Pay As You Go electricity meters, you only pay for the electricity that you actually use. These types of meters can be a good option for those who prefer to budget their spending ahead of time.

Your credit will be deducted from the meter as you consume electricity. It's important to make sure you always have credit on your meter. Unless you have emergency credit, your electricity supply could be cut off if you use up your balance.

Should I Switch to Pay As You Go Electricity?

We advise thinking long and hard before switching to Pay As You Go electricity, as saving money on your energy bills is easier with credit meters.

Below, you will find some pros and cons when it comes to pay as you go electricity:

What Are the Pros of Pay As You Go Electricity?

• Reduce Energy Usage
  It can enable you to reduce your energy usage, save energy, and reduce your household’s carbon footprint, as well as mitigating the impact of the carbon tax.
• Budget More Easily
  You can budget your home energy more easily, particularly if you’re on a low or variable income, especially with electricity prices so high in Ireland.
• No Meter Readings
  There is no need to submit meter readings or to rely on inaccurate estimations of how much you're using.
• No Energy Bills
  You don’t need to pay large monthly or bimonthly utility bills, which helps avoid billing errors..
• Access To Emergency Credit
  Emergency credit is available to Pay As You Go customers as a last resort. You can’t be cut off in the evenings, at the weekend, or on certain holidays should your credit run out.
• More Manageable Debt
  If you have built up some debt from unpaid bills, it can be a more manageable form of repayment.
• Better for Rentals
  It’s useful for landlords as they avoid the risk of being left with large bills to pay if a tenant leaves the rental property without settling their account.

What Are the Cons of Pay As You Go Electricity?

• Higher Standing Charges
  It will cost you more money on your bills even when you’re not using any energy (for example, if you go on holiday) due to higher standing charges and the PAYG charge. This is on top of other obligations such as the PSO levy.
• Extra PAYG Charge
  Due to the extra PAYG charge, it’s more expensive than even standard rate tariffs. “Free” installation of PAYG meters is not really “free” as it results in a higher PAYG charge with the cost of living being high.
• Hard To Switch Back After Debt
  If you are not currently in debt or undergoing financial hardship, switching from a PAYG meter to a traditional credit meter, or vice versa, could incur some hefty charges (from €100-€300).
• Manual Updates
  If your Pay As You Go electricity plan is updated and any of the charges are changed, you’ll need to manually enter a code (40–60 digits long) instead of being automatically updated.
• Moving Is Complicated
  If you move to a new house where there is a PAYG meter, you’ll need to re-register it with your details as soon as possible, otherwise, you could be paying the wrong tariff.
• Hard To Keep Track of Costs
  If you need to use emergency credit, all standing charges will be suspended and build up as debt that you’ll need to repay on top of the emergency credit next time you top up, increasing your average electricity bills.
• Top Up Shops Far Away
  Outlets to purchase credit might be far enough away to be a hassle to get to: or worse if your car breaks down, or you’re ill. In addition, if you can’t afford to top up, you’ll very quickly be left in the dark without electricity.
• No Opt-In
  You cannot opt in to PAYG if you or anyone in your household is critically dependent on electrically powered equipment. Additionally, it’s generally not recommended for vulnerable priority consumers or for certain cases regarding customers who need special services.

Alternatives to Pay As You Go Electricity

If you are primarily interested in a PAYG meter for **budgeting** purposes but want to avoid the high costs, there are better alternatives available with standard credit meters:

• Nightsaver Tariffs:
  Also known as Day/Night tariffs, these offer a significantly cheaper unit rate for electricity consumed during night-time hours (typically 11 p.m. to 8 a.m.). This is ideal if you can shift large consumption tasks like running the washing machine, dishwasher, or charging an electric car until after 11 p.m.
• Level Payment Plans:
  Most suppliers offer budget plans where your estimated annual consumption is divided into 12 equal monthly payments. This completely removes the "lump sum" bill shock and provides the same **predictable budgeting** benefit as PAYG, but without the higher tariffs and service charges.
• Smart Meter Time of Use (ToU) Tariffs:
  As mentioned above, if you have a smart meter, you can access ToU tariffs which offer three rates (peak, off-peak, and day), allowing you to save money by avoiding the most expensive peak-time usage.

How Do You Read Pay As You Go Meters?

A pay as you go meter will not show you your current reading on the screen, instead it will display your credit.

To get a meter reading, simply press number nine on the keypad.

Be aware that many PAYG meters have two components, the meter, and the keypad (which is normally positioned to the side of the meter).

How Do I Top Up My Pay As You Go Electricity Meter?

Topping up your Pay As You Go electricity meter depends on which energy provider you are with and whether you have a smart meter. In most cases, both smart meters and pay-as-you-go meters can be topped up in the following fashion:

1. Via SMS.
2. Your energy supplier’s app.
3. Your provider’s online portal.
4. At any Payzone point.

If you are supplied by one of the main PAYG energy providers, select your company's dedicated top-up guide from the list below for provider-specific details.

• Electric Ireland top up
• Pinergy top up
• PrepayPower top up

If you’re feeling a little confused about how to read your meter and access the different options, have a look at our guide to reading your electricity meter.

What Do I Do If I Lose My Top-Up Card?

If you’ve lost your electricity top-up card, then you’ll need to contact your electricity provider to order a new one. They can also provide you with your keypad number, which you can use to top up in the meantime.

There is normally a nominal charge of no more than €2 for replacing your electricity PAYG card.

If you lose your Pay As You Go electricity receipt before you top up your meter, you can either call your electricity supplier’s customer services, and they can give you the last purchased top-up code.

Alternatively, you can go back to where you bought the credit, and they will reprint the receipt for you. The minimum top-up amount you can make is €10, and the maximum amount is €100.

Pay As You Go Electricity with Smart Meters

The rollout of smart meters in Ireland is changing the landscape of Pay As You Go electricity. Smart PAYG meters eliminate some of the biggest drawbacks of traditional prepayment meters.

• Remote Topping Up: They allow you to top up seamlessly via an app or online, with the credit sent directly to your meter—no more manual entry of a long code (40–60 digits) or trips to a Payzone point.
• Automatic Updates: Tariff and charge updates are handled automatically by the supplier, eliminating the need to manually enter update codes.
• Time of Use (ToU) Tariffs: Smart meters enable access to **Time of Use tariffs**. These plans offer cheaper electricity during off-peak hours (e.g., at night), which can make a smart PAYG plan competitive with, or even cheaper than, standard credit plans for high-consumption households (like those with an electric car).
• Real-Time Data: You get access to real-time consumption data via a mobile app, significantly improving the ability to budget and track energy usage minute-by-minute.

If you are considering switching to PAYG, ask your supplier about a smart PAYG option to maximise the benefits and minimise the hassle.