Agile Octopus vs the price cap: October 2026 in numbers
Agile Octopus cost more than the price cap rate on average in October 2026. In London, the Agile unit price averaged 27.35p/kWh across the month, against the cap's 26.32p/kWh. Every region was above the cap rate on a simple average, but anyone who avoided 4pm to 7pm came in below it in several regions.
The two prices being compared
Ofgem's price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026 sets an average electricity unit rate of 26.32p/kWh. That is a Great Britain average for Direct Debit customers, and it carries no VAT this quarter. The cap rate in your own region will differ a little.
Agile works differently. Octopus sets a new price for every half-hour, tied to wholesale prices, and publishes each day's prices the afternoon before. The figures here are simple averages of every half-hour in October, which also carried no VAT.
A simple average is not your bill. What you pay depends on when you use power, and this post leaves standing charges aside.
October by region
| Region | Monthly average | 4pm to 7pm | Rest of day | Half-hours below 26.32p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 27.35p | 46.62p | 24.60p | 43% |
| Yorkshire | 27.48p | 47.62p | 24.60p | 43% |
| East Midlands | 27.60p | 48.62p | 24.60p | 43% |
| West Midlands, North East, North West, Southern England | 28.81p | 48.52p | 26.00p | 37% |
| Eastern England, Southern Scotland | 28.94p | 49.52p | 26.00p | 36% |
| South East England, South Wales | 30.27p | 50.42p | 27.40p | 31% |
| Merseyside and North Wales | 30.39p | 51.42p | 27.40p | 31% |
| South Western England | 31.60p | 51.32p | 28.79p | 27% |
| Northern Scotland | 33.19p | 54.22p | 30.19p | 24% |
All prices are p/kWh for 1 to 31 October 2026. The rest-of-day average was below the cap rate in nine of the 14 regions, though only just in some. You can compare today's Agile prices across all 14 regions.
How the month unfolded in London
October started cheaper than it finished. London averaged 25.72p/kWh from 1 to 15 October and 28.88p/kWh from 16 to 31 October. Only 10 of the 31 days averaged below the cap rate.
The cheapest day was 25 October, at 3.01p/kWh, when 31 of its 50 half-hours were below zero, from midnight to 2:30pm. The dearest was 31 October, at 40.83p/kWh. Prices went negative on 10, 24 and 25 October, 54 half-hours in all.
The month was also dearer than September before tax. September averaged 24.93p/kWh in London without VAT, so October was about 2.4p/kWh higher.
What shifting usage was worth
The time of day made the difference between beating the cap rate and not.
| London, October 2026 | Average price |
|---|---|
| Midnight to 4am | 20.75p/kWh |
| 12pm to 4pm | 22.00p/kWh |
| 4am to 8am | 25.35p/kWh |
| 8am to 12pm | 25.49p/kWh |
| 7pm to midnight | 28.48p/kWh |
| 4pm to 7pm | 46.62p/kWh |
Someone who could use all their flexible power in each day's cheapest 6 hours paid an average of 18.45p/kWh. That is about 30% below the cap rate. The cheapest times to run an appliance today are worked out from each day's prices.
You can follow each month's average in the Agile price history charts.
FAQ
Was Agile cheaper than the price cap in October 2026? Not on a simple average. London's Agile price averaged 27.35p/kWh, against a cap rate of 26.32p/kWh, and every region was higher.
Can you beat the price cap on Agile? In October 2026, yes, if you avoided the peak. London's average outside 4pm to 7pm was 24.60p/kWh, and the cheapest 6 hours each day averaged 18.45p/kWh.
What was the cheapest time on Agile in October 2026? Midnight to 4am, at 20.75p/kWh in London, followed by 12pm to 4pm at 22.00p/kWh.
Which region had the cheapest Agile prices in October 2026? London, at 27.35p/kWh on average. Northern Scotland was the dearest, at 33.19p/kWh.