Choosing the right export tariff is a crucial step towards making the most of your solar & battery system.

When you’re considering your options, Octopus Energy should feature highly on your list, as it’s one of the best, most prolific export tariff providers – and the largest UK supplier, with 7.7 million domestic customers.

In this guide, we’ll go through the ins and outs of Octopus’s five export tariffs, analyse their rates, eligibility criteria, and sign-up processes – and recommend an import tariff for each of them.

And if you’re wondering how much you could save with a solar & battery system, enter a few details below and we’ll provide an estimate.

What export tariffs does Octopus Energy offer?

Octopus offers five export tariffs:

1. Octopus SEG
2. Outgoing Octopus
3. Outgoing Agile
4. Octopus Flux
5. Intelligent Octopus Flux

All of these are Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariffs, meaning they fall under a UK government scheme that replaced the export segment of the Feed-in Tariff in 2020.

All energy companies with at least 150,000 domestic electricity customers must provide homes with an export rate above zero for all the electricity they send to the grid.

The fact that Octopus has created four other options in addition to its compulsory offering shows the growing popularity of export tariffs, and the supplier’s enthusiasm for them.

Most of the biggest energy companies present customers with a choice of export tariffs, but none offer as many as Octopus – and it’s paid off.

191,631 households registered with one of Octopus’s export tariffs between April 2024 and March 2025, which was 71% of all SEG registrations.

The next biggest supplier recorded just 24,744 installations, which – as Ofgem said in its report – “underscores Octopus’s dominant role in the SEG market”.

Apart from Octopus SEG, all of these tariffs are variable, meaning they can go up and down over the course of a year.

1. Octopus SEG

Export rate: 4.1p/kWh

This was one of the first export tariffs to hit the market after the SEG launched in January 2020, along with Outgoing Octopus and Outgoing Agile.

In all that time, the tariff has only changed once: in February 2022, its price rose from 3p to 4.1p per kWh – and it’s stayed the same ever since.

This is what’s known as an ‘unbundled’ tariff, meaning it comes with no strings at all. Therefore, any household with solar panels and a smart meter can sign up, regardless of their electricity supplier or solar installer.

The downside is its low price, but suppliers will usually provide a less competitive rate that’s open to all homes, in addition to better offerings for their own customers.

For more information, check out our guide to the best SEG rates.

How much can you earn with Octopus SEG?

You can make £93.78 per year by signing up to Octopus SEG.

This is based on a household that uses the UK domestic average of 3,400kWh per year , has a solar irradiance of 850kWh per kWp, and owns a 4.6 kilowatt-peak (kWp) system – also the UK average – and a 5.2kWh battery, which is a standard size.

We’ve also assumed the home will export 65% of its solar electricity, which is normal for a household that uses a time-of-use tariff to get its grid electricity. More on that below.

Which import tariff should you use?

As you’re free to use any import tariff with Octopus SEG, you should pick Good Energy EV Charge.

This is a time-of-use tariff, so it comes with a cheap, off-peak period as well as a more expensive peak period.

Between 12am to 5am every day, you can charge your battery and power your home for the low cost of 8p per kWh, which should allow you to save hundreds of pounds across a year.

The peak rate is roughly 32.7p per kWh – depending on your location – but if you schedule high-energy appliances like your dishwasher to only run during off-peak hours, you can massively reduce your energy bills.

And unlike most of the best EV tariffs, it’s open to all households, regardless of whether you have an electric car or not.

What are the eligibility requirements?

To sign up for Octopus SEG, you just need a smart meter and a system that produces renewable electricity, like a solar & battery system.

Your installation must also be certified by either Flexi-Orb or Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which is the case with any export tariff.

Who is this tariff best for?

Octopus SEG isn’t the best choice for anyone. It’s a decent option for solar homes that want complete freedom to choose their import tariff – but higher rates are available.

You can earn slightly more (6p per kWh) by switching to the lowest export tariff supplied by either E.ON or Scottish Power, and still pick whichever import rate you like.

Other companies like Pozitive Energy and So Energy also offer higher export rates, so there’s no good reason to sign up for Octopus SEG.

2. Outgoing Octopus

Export rate: 15p/kWh

Outgoing Octopus was one of the first export tariffs to launch in January 2020, with a 5.5p per kWh rate.

It took two years for Octopus to raise this to 7.5p per kWh, but only a further seven months for the company to double it to the current 15p per kWh rate.

The tariff hasn’t changed since September 2022, and is still one of the most generous bundled rates that a supplier offers its own customers.

Households have responded extremely positively to this high rate, with Outgoing Octopus attracting 48.1% of all export tariff registrations between April 2024 and March 2025 – making it the most popular by far.

To learn more, read our guide to Outgoing Octopus.

How much can you earn with Outgoing Octopus?

You can earn £179.47 per year with Outgoing Octopus, based on the same home we’ve used above.

This time though, the household is only exporting 34% of its solar electricity. Outgoing customers have to stick with Octopus for import, so they can save more by self-consuming as much solar electricity as possible.

We’ve picked Octopus’s standard fixed tariff, but you could earn more on Agile Octopus, which changes rates every half-hour, in line with wholesale price shifts. 

It does depend on your ability to shift your own consumption, though. More on that below.

Which import tariff should you use?

Since you have to use an Octopus import tariff, you should either pick the supplier’s fixed tariff or Agile Octopus.

Octopus 12m Fixed will reduce your bills compared to the price cap, but you could potentially save even more with Agile Octopus.

This variable tariff usually offers lots of half-hour periods when you’ll pay a lower rate than you would on Octopus’s fixed tariff.

The question is whether you can consistently shift large chunks of your electricity consumption to these times, and adapt to unit rates that are only revealed around 4pm the day before.

If you can be flexible about when you use most of your electricity, Agile Octopus may be the import tariff for you.

What are the eligibility requirements?

To sign up for Outgoing Octopus, you must have a smart meter, be signed up to an Octopus import tariff, and have a system that produces renewable electricity – like solar panels.

Octopus will also ask you for a document that shows your installation was carried out by a company that’s been certified by Flexi-Orb or MCS.

You don’t need a battery to qualify, but it’ll certainly improve your earnings potential.

Who is this tariff best for?

If you’d like to stick with Octopus but don’t want to get a battery, Outgoing Octopus is a good choice.

It allows you to earn a good amount for your exported electricity, and you can boost your savings by pairing it with Agile Octopus.

However, if you have a battery or want to get one, it’s worth looking at other options.

Octopus Flux and Intelligent Octopus Flux both provide significantly higher rates (see more below), while other suppliers offer export tariffs with higher rates and similar eligibility requirements.

If you’re wondering how much you could save with a solar & battery system and the right export tariff, enter a few details below and we’ll provide an estimate.

3. Outgoing Agile

Export rate: 9.8p/kWh

Outgoing Agile was one of the UK’s first export tariffs. It came out on 1 April 2019 – the day after the Feed-in Tariff stopped accepting new registrations.

Its rate changes every half-hour, in line with wholesale prices, but you’ll receive some warning: households always find out the next day’s prices around 4pm.

We’ve calculated the average amount it paid between 10 December 2024 and 9 December 2025, which was 9.8p per kWh.

There was a massive range across these 12 months, though. Prices went as high as 94p per kWh, and as low as zero.

If you have a battery, you can make sure you only export electricity in the most profitable 30-minute periods each day.

This is a bundled tariff, but only because you have to be on an Octopus import tariff to qualify. There are no other major requirements.

With 4.1% of all registrations, Outgoing Agile was nowhere near as popular as Outgoing Octopus in the 2024-25 period – perhaps because it comes with more risk. However, it still came sixth overall.

How much can you earn with Outgoing Agile?

You can make £117.25 per year with Outgoing Agile.

This assumes that you’re on a standard fixed tariff, and therefore only exporting 34% of your solar electricity.

Which import tariff should you use?

You have to use an Octopus import tariff, and the supplier’s fixed offering is a decent option – but you could potentially boost your earnings by signing up to Agile Octopus.

Taking on both of Octopus’s Agile tariffs may seem like an intimidating prospect, but with a couple of simple calculations, you can quickly decide when to charge your battery and export to the grid every day.

What are the eligibility requirements?

To be eligible for Outgoing Agile, you must be on an Octopus import tariff, have a smart meter, and possess a system that generates renewable energy.

Make sure you have your Flexi-Orb or MCS certificate too, as you’ll need it to complete the online application form.

It’s not part of the eligibility requirements, but we’d strongly recommend getting a battery if you’re considering this tariff.

Who is this tariff best for?

Outgoing Agile is best for people who are prepared to do a bit of admin in order to benefit from excellent rates.

By pairing this tariff with Agile Octopus, you can save hundreds of pounds per year, but doing so requires consistency and attention to detail.

You may well be able to earn more than you would on Outgoing Octopus, and could even exceed your potential returns on most other export tariffs – but it all depends on your actions and the prices Octopus provides each day.

4. Octopus Flux

Export rate: 4.99p/kWh (2am-5am), 29.32p/kWh (4pm-7pm), 10.11p/kWh (other times)

Octopus Flux launched in March 2023 as the supplier’s first time-of-use import and export tariff.

This means its an import and export tariff in one, and that its rates change depending on the time of day.

It comes with a three-hour peak period when its import and export rates are higher, a three-hour off-peak phase when these rates are lower, and a day rate for all other times that’s somewhere in between.

Unlike Outgoing Agile or Agile Octopus though, its prices don’t change from day to day, and usually only shift when a new price cap comes out.

This bundled tariff, which requires you to use an Octopus import tariff and have a solar & battery system, had the second-highest share of all SEG registrations in 2024-25, at 16.1%.

For more information, read our guide to Octopus Flux.

How much can you earn with Octopus Flux?

You can earn £377.70 per year for exporting your electricity through Octopus Flux.

We’ve assumed that you’ll export 65% of your solar electricity, as it’s usually better to sell a greater chunk of your solar panels’ output to the grid if your import tariff comes with a cheap off-peak period.

You can charge your battery during the off-peak period, and use that supply to help power your home throughout the day.

Then at the end of the day, you can sell whatever’s left in your battery, ready to charge up on off-peak electricity all over again.

Which import tariff should you use?

Octopus Flux is both an import and export tariff, so you won’t have a choice to make here.

If you want to export through Octopus Flux, you’ll also have to import through it.

This means your import rates will be substantially higher than your export rates, which is the case with most import-export tariff combinations. The only notable exception is Intelligent Octopus Flux, which we discuss below.

As of February 2026, its import rates are 16.4p per kWh during the 2am-5am off-peak period, 38.26p per kWh from 4pm to 7pm, and 27.33p per kWh at all other times.

What are the eligibility requirements?

You’ll need a smart meter, solar panels, and a battery to be eligible for Octopus Flux.

Your solar & battery system must also be fitted by an installer who’s been certified by Flexi-Orb or MCS, and you’ll need a document that proves it.

Who is this tariff best for?

This tariff is great for anyone who enjoys being with Octopus, but doesn’t have a battery that allows them to join Intelligent Octopus Flux.

Octopus Flux offers inferior rates to Intelligent Octopus Flux, but if you don’t have – or don’t want to get – a battery made by one of a list of approved manufacturers, it’s still a top-tier option.

5. Intelligent Octopus Flux

Export rate: 32.17p/kWh (4pm-7pm), 24.13p/kWh (other times)

Intelligent Octopus Flux is a time-of-use tariff with peak and off-peak periods, in which the import and export prices always match.

Octopus controls your battery for you, ensuring that it charges up to full on off-peak and solar electricity, then sells all of it to the grid during the 4pm-7pm peak period.

The company’s software uses data including weather forecasts to work out roughly how much electricity your system will generate each day, and how much of it your home should use to maximise your savings.

Your battery will then use grid electricity to charge up to full, so that it can export its entire contents when 4pm rolls around.

By using this technique, called ‘energy arbitrage’, Octopus guarantees that you’ll make a profit on your daily electricity purchasing, no matter how productive your panels are.

Octopus launched this groundbreaking bundled tariff in July 2023. It’s only available to households with solar panels and a qualifying battery, though the list of eligible battery manufacturers is now pretty long.

The tariff offered the second-highest rate across the 2024-25 period , and currently tops the charts.

If you’d like to find out more, read our comprehensive guide to Intelligent Octopus Flux.

How much can you earn with Intelligent Octopus Flux?

You can earn £870.15 per year by exporting your electricity with Intelligent Octopus Flux.

We’ve based this figure on a household that exports 65% of its solar electricity, to take advantage of the highest export rate on the market.

The home also charges its battery to full during the off-peak period, then during peak hours, it uses half of this electricity to power the property, and sells half to the grid.

Which import tariff should you use?

You don’t need to pick another tariff to go with Intelligent Octopus Flux, since it’s an import and export tariff.

Its import rates are the exact same as its export rates, so you won’t have a low off-peak rate like you would with Octopus Flux or an EV tariff like Good Energy EV Charge.

Instead, you’ll always pay – and be paid – an amount that sits somewhere around the energy price cap.

That means it’s the gap between the two rates that matters, and the 33% difference is large enough for you to earn and save plenty of money – especially as Octopus will control your battery.

What are the eligibility requirements?

Octopus requires you to have a smart meter, solar panels, and a battery made by one of several eligible manufacturers.  

These include AlphaESS, EcoFlow, Enphase, GivEnergy, Hanchu ESS, Huawei, Sigenergy, SolarEdge, SunPower, and Tesla.

Who is this tariff best for?

This tariff is one of the best around for homes with a solar & battery system.

If you have an eligible battery – or don’t mind getting one – it’s a great option.

You won’t have to worry about scheduling your battery or whether you’re maximising your savings and earnings – Octopus will deal with all of that.

You can just sit back and enjoy the lower energy bills.

How can you sign up for an Octopus export tariff?

To sign up for an Octopus export tariff, you’ll first have to join one of the supplier’s import tariffs – unless you’re applying for Octopus SEG, in which case you can skip this step.

You’ll need your system’s MCS or Flexi-Orb certificate to complete the online form, as well as your G98 or G99 certificate.

Octopus should process your form in around two days, then apply for an export MPAN from your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) – that is, the company that runs the hardware supplying your part of the UK with electricity.

It can take one to four weeks for your DNO to supply this unique series of 13 digits that identifies your smart meter as yours.

Once Octopus has this number, it’ll spend about five days enrolling you in your chosen tariff. The supplier will then take an initial meter reading, and you’ll start generating export income.

What’s the best Octopus export tariff?

Intelligent Octopus Flux is the best Octopus export tariff, as it can earn and save you significantly more than any of its other options.

And unlike most suppliers’ top rates, it doesn’t come with any requirement to get your system installed by the same company.

In addition to solar panels and a smart meter, you just need an eligible battery to qualify – but if that’s not appealing – or if you already have a different battery – Octopus Flux is an excellent alternative.

The rates aren’t as good, and you’ll have to control the battery yourself, but you’ll have the freedom to pick any battery.

You could also opt for Outgoing Agile, then pair it with Agile Octopus to give yourself the chance to make the highest returns possible.

This would require your attention every day, making it the exact opposite of Intelligent Octopus Flux – but if you import and export at the right times, you could potentially save more than you would on Octopus Flux.

If you’re wondering how much you could save with a solar & battery system and the best export tariff for your home, enter a few details below and we’ll provide an estimate.

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