Over 700,000 homes and businesses in Ireland rely on networked gas for their heating needs, a significant energy expense.
While household gas consumption has been falling yearly, it is still a major part of households’ home energy expenditure.
Comparing Gas Prices
The price of you gas bill will largely be determined by the unit price you are paying for the gas, along with the amount which you are using.
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities states that households in Ireland will use an average of 11,000kWh of electricity per year, but this can vary greatly depending on the size of households.
A typical three-bedroom household will pay an average of €1,493 a year on gas based on a standard plan.
This means that you could potentially save up to €300 a year by switching to a better deal now.
Compare Gas Providers in Ireland
There are six energy providers in Ireland that offer individual gas plans, all of which also offer electricity and dual fuel plans.
These providers are:
How to Compare Gas Prices in Ireland
There are a number of charges which go into comparing gas prices in Ireland. This is simpler than comparing electricity prices, as there are few differences in price between plans or between urban and rural customers.
- 1Gas Rate: The first thing to look at is the rates which electricity providers are charging for gas. Each of the six main providers has a single rate for most plans.
- 2Fixed or Variable Rates: The only real variation in gas rates from the same provider is whether the plan has fixed or variable rates. A fixed rate plan will have a lower rate than a variable plan. However, fixed rate plans are rare for gas alone.
- 3Discounts: Gas plans may offer a discount on their basic rates of anywhere from 1% to 20% based on a number of factors.
- 4Billing Method: Whether you choose to go with paperless online billing and direct debit payment may affect the discount which you can receive.
- 5Standing Charge: The standing charge is a daily payment towards the cost of providing your gas infrastructure, taking readings, and other costs associated with your account.
- 6Carbon Tax: The carbon tax is a government tax on carbon emissions. For natural gas, this will appear on bills as 1.013c per kWh (1.104c per kWh incl. VAT).
- 7Welcome Bonus: Gas suppliers may offer a once off cash welcome bonus for customers signing up with them. This can have large potential gains in first year costs.
Cheapest Gas Rates in Ireland
Compared with electricity plans energy prices for gas plans are much simpler to understand as there are no separate tariffs for different times of the day.
Gas providers charge a single rate no matter when or how much households use. The only thing which will affect the price is if there is any discount applied, or if it is a fixed rate plan.
Gas Providers Standard Rates
| Energy Supplier | Gas Rate (Exc VAT) | Gas Rate (Inc VAT) |
| Bord Gais Energy | 10.25c per kWh | 11.17c per kWh |
| Electricity Ireland | 10.68c per kWh | 11.65c per kWh |
| Energia | 10.33c per kWh | 11.26c per kWh |
| Flogas | 10.31c per kWh | 11.24c per kWh |
| Prepay Power | 10.4c per kWh | 11.34c per kWh |
| SSE Airtricity | 9.45c per kWh | 10.30c per kWh |
A fixed rate plan, though not coming with a discount, will likely have lower undiscounted rates than a provider’s standard rates.
Cheapest Gas Plans in Ireland
The best value for gas plans can be determined by the rates which different proviers offer combined with any discounts available at the time. Other factors which will affect the price of your first year estimated annual bill include welcome bonuses, standing charges and if you are a prepaid customer.
| Gas Supplier | Plan | 1st Year Cost |
| SSE Airtricity | Gas 20% Discount (DD + eBill) | €1,180.20 |
| SSE Airtricity | 1 Year Fixed Rate Gas | €1,185 |
| Flogas | Single Gas 22% Discount | €1,186.70 |
| Bord Gais Energy | Gas 17% Discount | €1,223.40 |
| SSE Airtricity | Gas 16% Discount (DD + Post) | €1,225.60 |
| Electric Ireland | Energysaver Gas 22% | €1,276.53 |
Dual Fuel Plans
Gas and & Electricity energy supplies can often come bundled in Dual Fuel plans. These involve getting a single deal for gas & electricity from the same supplier.
The main advantages of a dual fuel plan are:
Home Energy Calculator
Our Home Energy Calculator can help you find the best deals on gas, electricity, or dual fuel plans by comparing estimated costs for the coming year on your current plan with other deals available.
The calculator makes it easy for users to see what they are currently paying, and how much they stand to save in the next year by switching.
Switching Gas Providers
There are many benefits to switching gas providers on a regular basis, and the process is far simpler than you would think.
FAQs
