What Is the Best Electricity Tariff for Students in Germany? (2026)
The verdict
For students, Octopus Energy Relax12 leads at 3.7 out of 5, unit rate EUR 0.28/kWh for the catalogue's reference postcode. It carries no sign-up bonus, so the rate you sign is the rate you keep. The lowest headline in the catalogue, immergrün! Spar Smart FairMax at 24.12 cents in Berlin, includes a bonus and comes with a record of contested price increases. In Munich the SWM default tariff is cheap enough to sit on this list for your first weeks.
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How we ranked this for students 5 criteria, weights published
Unit cost carries 45% here against 35% on the general ranking, and Price guarantee carries 10% here against 20% on the general ranking. The weights were fixed on 24 October 2026, before the catalogue was scored against them.
Which electricity tariff is best for students?
Sorted by unit rate, not our recommendation. The default view is our ranking, weights published below.
Sorted by contract freedom, not our recommendation. The default view is our ranking, weights published below.
Sorted by english support, not our recommendation. The default view is our ranking, weights published below.
Octopus Energy
Relax12
Score 3.7/5. Honest fixed rate, English support, no clawback traps
Get this tariff- Unit rate (Arbeitspreis)
- EUR 0.28
- Standing charge (Grundpreis)
- EUR 178.90/year (EUR 14.91/month)
- Estimated annual cost
- EUR 1,149.80 (3,500 kWh/yr; sibling Relax24: 27.37 ct/kWh with 24-month guarantee)
- Contract
- 12 months
- Price guarantee
- 12 months
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- 27.74 ct/kWh fixed without any bonus games
- Trustpilot 4.8/5, top tier among large suppliers
Cons
- Standing charge ~EUR 14.9/month above discounters
Best for Students who want the strongest overall fit.
immergrün!
Spar Smart FairMax
Score 3.3/5. Cheapest headline rate, but monitor price letters closely
Get this tariff- Unit rate (Arbeitspreis)
- EUR 0.24
- Standing charge (Grundpreis)
- n/a
- Estimated annual cost
- EUR 771.90 (3,200 kWh/yr Berlin incl. bonus)
- Contract
- 12 months
- Price guarantee
- 12 months
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Cheapest Berlin fixed listing at 24.12 ct/kWh (Aug 2026)
- 12-month price guarantee
Cons
- History of contested price increases (Verbraucherzentrale warnings 2021-2023)
Best for Students in a different city or with a different priority.
SWM
Grundversorgung (Munich)
Score 3.2/5. Zero effort on arrival; switch within the first month
Get this tariff- Unit rate (Arbeitspreis)
- EUR 0.31
- Standing charge (Grundpreis)
- EUR 161.60/year (EUR 13.47/month)
- Estimated annual cost
- EUR 1,253 (3,500 kWh/yr Munich)
- Contract
- no minimum term
- Price guarantee
- no price guarantee
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Auto-supply from day one of a Munich move
- Two-week cancellation, no term
Cons
- ~EUR 360/yr above cheapest Munich switcher tariff
Best for Students in a different city or with a different priority.
Rabot Energy
rabot.home flex
Score 3.0/5. Low average rates without hardware requirements
Get this tariff- Unit rate (Arbeitspreis)
- n/a
- Standing charge (Grundpreis)
- EUR 216/year (EUR 18/month)
- Estimated annual cost
- EUR 950 (3,500 kWh/yr modelled at trailing dynamic average (Jul 2026))
- Contract
- cancellable monthly
- Price guarantee
- no price guarantee
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Dynamic tariff usable without smart meter (load profile)
- Monthly cancellable
Cons
- Savings-share fee model is hard to compare
Best for Students in a different city or with a different priority.
Naturstrom
naturstrom
Score 2.9/5. Monthly cancellation ideal for semester-length stays
Get this tariff- Unit rate (Arbeitspreis)
- EUR 0.31
- Standing charge (Grundpreis)
- EUR 166.80/year (EUR 13.90/month)
- Estimated annual cost
- EUR 1,248.30 (3,500 kWh/yr, no bonus, the price is the price)
- Contract
- cancellable monthly
- Price guarantee
- no price guarantee
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Monthly cancellable, no lock-in, no bonus traps
- Double-label green certification (Grüner Strom, ok-power)
Cons
- No price guarantee: rate can be raised with notice
Best for Students in a different city or with a different priority.
Polarstern
Wirklich Ökostrom (Komfort)
Score 2.9/5. High standing charge penalises small flats' consumption
Get this tariff- Unit rate (Arbeitspreis)
- EUR 0.31
- Standing charge (Grundpreis)
- EUR 217/year (EUR 18.08/month)
- Estimated annual cost
- EUR 1,311.80 (3,500 kWh/yr, no bonus)
- Contract
- 12 months
- Price guarantee
- 12 months
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Grüner Strom Label with highest-tier plant funding
- No bonus traps, stable honest pricing
Cons
- High standing charge (~EUR 18/month) hurts low users
Best for Students in a different city or with a different priority.
Green Planet Energy
green energy strom
Score 2.9/5. Green credentials strong, price mid-table, 12-month term
Get this tariff- Unit rate (Arbeitspreis)
- EUR 0.31
- Standing charge (Grundpreis)
- EUR 154.80/year (EUR 12.90/month)
- Estimated annual cost
- EUR 1,222 (3,500 kWh/yr Berlin)
- Contract
- 12 months
- Price guarantee
- 12 months
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Cooperative linked to Greenpeace heritage
- Among highest new-plant funding contributions
Cons
- Regional price spread up to 5 ct/kWh between regions
Best for Students in a different city or with a different priority.
Ostrom
Ostrom SimplyFair12
Score 2.8/5. App-first English onboarding suits international students
Get this tariff- Unit rate (Arbeitspreis)
- EUR 0.35
- Standing charge (Grundpreis)
- EUR 135.60/year (EUR 11.30/month)
- Estimated annual cost
- EUR 962 (3,500 kWh/yr Berlin, first year (no bonus scheme))
- Contract
- 12 months
- Price guarantee
- 12 months
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Full English app and support, rare in German energy
- No bonuses, so year-two price equals year one
Cons
- No phone hotline, chatbot-first support draws complaints
Best for Students in a different city or with a different priority.
Also a strong fit
The general weighting also picks Octopus Energy Relax12, so the winner holds for students. What moves is the shelf behind it: unit cost carries 45% here against 35%, and price guarantee 10% against 20%.
Which tariffs are ruled out for students?
13 of the 26 electricity tariffs in the catalogue carry a hard blocker for this reader. Their score is capped at 1.0, however cheap they are.
- Vattenfall ÖkoStrom12: SEPA account required, documents only in German.
- EnBW EnBW clever strom 12: documents only in German.
- eprimo eprimoStrom PrimaKlima 18: documents only in German.
- Yello Mein Yello Strom Basis: documents only in German.
- EWS Schönau Ökostrom 12: fixed term to 31.10.2027.
- Ostrom Ostrom SimplyDynamic Monthly: smart meter (iMSys) required.
- Tibber Tibber dynamischer Tarif: smart meter or Pulse device required.
- Octopus Energy dynamicOctopus: smart meter (iMSys) required.
- SWM M-Strom Fix 12: documents only in German.
- GASAG Strom Öko: documents only in German.
- enviaM MEIN STROM relax 12 Monate: documents only in German.
- E WIE EINFACH E WIE EINFACH Strom (MeinSmart Tarif): documents only in German.
- MAINGAU Energie MAINGAU StromGarant: documents only in German.
What should a student check before signing?
Three things decide a student tariff more than the unit rate. First, the standing charge: on a small flat it weighs more than a cent per kWh, and the catalogue ranges from about EUR 72 to EUR 217 a year. Second, the term: most fixed tariffs run twelve months, which collides with a semester abroad or a move. Third, the bonus: a first-year figure that includes one is clawed back if you leave early.
Every tariff ranked here debits by SEPA from a bank account and needs a German supply address. If you leave before the term ends, the short-stay ranking is the better list, because the Grundversorgung ends on two weeks notice (§ 20 StromGVV).
The same tariffs, ranked for other readers
Compare every tariff in the catalogueUnit rate, standing charge and term side by sideEach page scores the same electricity catalogue on the same five criteria, only with different weights. For families and for settled residents the weighting returns the same order as the general list, so they have no page of their own: the general ranking is theirs.
How did we compare the tariffs?
We scored the 26 electricity tariffs in the catalogue; gas is ranked separately. Each criterion gets 0 to 5 points from fixed record fields: unit rate under 27 cents = 5, under 30 = 4, under 33 = 3, under 36 = 2, above that 1, no fixed unit rate 3, minus one point for a new-customer bonus. Price guarantee of 24 months or more = 5, 18 = 4, 12 = 3, none = 0. No term, or monthly with up to two weeks notice = 5, twelve months = 2. Grundversorgung = 5 for signing up, smart meter required = 2, otherwise 4. English service = 5, otherwise 1.
A tariff can only be picked when its own persona verdict in the catalogue is at least 3 out of 5 with no blocker. Prices are for each record's reference postcode and consumption profile, because the grid operator at your address sets part of the price. Always re-check the tariff for your own postcode.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest electricity tariff for students in Germany?
On this weighting, Octopus Relax12 at 27.74 cents per kWh with no sign-up bonus. The lowest headline rate in the catalogue is immergrün! Spar Smart FairMax at 24.12 cents in Berlin, but that figure includes a bonus and the record carries Verbraucherzentrale warnings about past price increases.
Why does the standing charge matter so much for students?
Because a small flat uses little electricity, so the fixed Grundpreis is a large share of the bill. Standing charges in this catalogue run from about EUR 72 to EUR 217 a year, a gap worth more than a cent per kWh on low consumption.
Can a student cancel a twelve-month electricity contract early?
Usually only at the end of the term or after a price increase. Bonus tariffs also claw the bonus back on an early exit. If you will leave within the year, a tariff without a minimum term, or the Grundversorgung with its two weeks notice, avoids that.
Do students get a discount on electricity in Germany?
No German student electricity discount is recorded in the catalogue. The saving comes from leaving the Grundversorgung, which averages 42.83 cents per kWh against 30.7 cents for new-customer tariffs (strom-report.com, October 2026).