Low User
Under 600 units / month 4c per unit on imported energy only
No fixed charge
Spot market plans · No fixed terms · No exit fees
Pay the real price of power.
Every retailer buys electricity from the wholesale spot market. Most sell it to you at a padded flat rate and cap what they pay for your exports. We do neither — you buy and sell at the live half-hourly spot price, and our only margin is a small fee you can see on every bill.
- Full spot price for exports — uncapped
- Spot power and lines charges at cost
- Switch out whenever you like
A typical day on the spot market
New price every 30 minutes The spot market
A share market for electricity
Three things to understand — then the rest of this page makes perfect sense.
Generators offer power
New Zealand's electricity is traded on the wholesale spot market — a share market for power. Every 30 minutes, generators offer electricity and a new price is set.
The price follows supply & demand
Windy nights and sunny middays are cheap — sometimes just a few cents. Cold, still winter evenings are expensive, and prices can spike dramatically.
You pay — or earn — the real price
We pass the exact half-hourly price through to you, both ways: for every unit you import, and every unit you export — from solar, a battery, or any other generation. No markup, no capped buy-back.
A typical flat-rate plan
- ✕ You pay one padded rate all day — the retailer's margin is hidden inside it
- ✕ Cheap half-hours are invisible: 3am power costs you the same as the 6pm peak
- ✕ Exported solar is bought back at a capped flat rate, well below peak value
- ✕ Often a fixed-term contract with break fees
The Ecosmart spot plan
- You pay the live half-hourly wholesale price — the same price we pay
- Cheap power is genuinely cheap: shift usage and the savings are yours
- Exports earn the full spot price, uncapped — spikes work for you
- No fixed term, no joining fee, no exit fee — switch out any time
Not just for solar homes
Spot is for anyone who wants to take control
Solar owners were the pioneers, but the market pays anyone who can respond to prices. If one of these sounds like you, spot is worth a serious look.
Solar & other generators
Export at the full wholesale price, uncapped. Solar, micro-hydro, wind — if your meter exports it, you earn whatever the market is paying that half hour.
Battery owners — panels optional
A battery on its own is a trading tool: fill it from the grid in the cheap hours, run your evening from storage, and sell into the spikes.
Load shifters & EV drivers
No generation at all? Charging the car and running hot water and appliances overnight — when spot power is often just a few cents — can beat any flat rate.
Seasonal switchers
No fixed term means you can ride the cheap seasons — full hydro lakes, windy springs — then switch back to a flat rate whenever it stops working for you.
Transparent pricing
Real costs, plus one small fee
Your bill is built from the real charges behind your supply: the spot price, network losses and your lines company's delivery charges are passed straight through at cost. Metering, industry levies, and the national grid (transmission) charge where your network bills it to us separately, are covered by simple flat rates set to cover what they cost us across a range of properties. The only thing Ecosmart adds for itself is a small service fee — and it's on every bill in plain sight.
What makes up your bill
1
Transmission (network)
The network owns the poles, lines and transformers that carry electricity from the national grid to your premises. Most networks include the national grid in their lines charges, which we pass through at cost. Vector bills it to us separately, so on Vector properties it appears as its own line — charged at one flat rate set to cover what Vector charges across its grid exit points.
2
Electricity
The buy or sell price of your electricity is dictated by the wholesale market (spot) price of power, every 30 minutes.
3
Metering
Your meter is owned by a metering company that charges us to lease it and collect your usage data. Every company prices differently, so we charge one flat rate — 43c a day — set to match the average cost.
4
Other
A few small charges that make little difference to your total — a flat levies charge of 0.25c per imported unit covering the Electricity Authority levy and Utilities Disputes scheme.
+ our charges (retailer):
Standard User
Over 600 units / month 2c per unit on imported energy only
50c per day fixed charge
The rates above are Ecosmart's charges only. The two biggest parts of your bill — the wholesale spot price and your network company's (lines) delivery charges — are set by others and passed straight through to you at cost, with no markup. The cost of the national grid (transmission) is included in those lines charges for most networks; where a network bills it to us separately — Vector does — it appears as its own line, and because that network charges us a different amount at each of its grid exit points we set one flat rate to cover the range rather than pass through an exact figure. We review it every three months against what that network actually charges us, and any over-recovery comes back through the next rate. Metering is billed as a flat 43c per day: every metering company prices differently, so rather than pass on a different figure for every property we charge one flat rate set as a fair estimate of the average metering cost across our customers. The Electricity Authority levy and Utilities Disputes scheme costs are recovered the same way, as a small flat charge on imported energy — currently 0.25c per unit. We review both flat rates against what these things actually cost us — neither is a profit line. Our per-unit fee applies to imported energy only; exported energy always earns the full spot price. No joining fee, and you can switch out any time without penalty.
Every charge on your bill
Effective 1 September 2026 for existing accounts; new accounts start on these rates from their first day of supply · previous rates
Set by others — passed through at cost
| Charge | Excl GST | Incl GST | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity (spot price) The wholesale market price, changing every half hour. Set by the market, not by us. | — | — | every half hour |
| Network losses Some electricity is lost as heat in the lines between the national grid and your property. Your lines company publishes the loss factor that sets how much; we buy those extra units at the spot price and pass them through at cost. | — | — | per unit imported |
| Network delivery Your lines company's charge for delivering power to your property. Set by them, and different for every property — we quote yours before you join. | — | — | per property |
Set by others — recovered as a flat rate
| Charge | Excl GST | Incl GST | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network transmission (Vector only) The national grid cost, where your lines company bills it separately from its delivery prices — Vector does; every other network we supply on includes it in the charges above. Vector charges us a different amount at each of its grid exit points, so rather than a different rate for every property we charge one rate set to cover that range. We review it every three months against what Vector actually charges us, and if we have collected more than it cost us, that comes back through the next rate. | 3.4c | 3.91c | per unit imported |
Ecosmart's own charges
| Charge | Excl GST | Incl GST | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metering What the meter owner charges us to lease your meter and collect your half-hourly data. Every metering company prices differently, so this is one flat rate set to match the average. | 43c | 49.45c | per day |
| Regulatory levies The Electricity Authority levy and our Utilities Disputes membership — charged to us in ways that don't map onto your usage, so we recover them as one flat rate. | 0.25c | 0.287c | per unit imported |
| Ecosmart service fee Our only margin. Low User has no daily charge; Standard User has a lower per-unit fee plus a daily charge. | — | — | see plans above |
The pricing on this page applies to new sign-ups. Existing customers stay on their current rates, and we give at least 30 days' notice before changing our charges.
All prices shown exclude GST — GST is added to the amount you actually pay.
Bond: to take you on as an electricity customer we may require a refundable bond — security we hold in case you default on your account. If a bond applies, we'll let you know the amount during sign-up, and we refund it after no more than 12 months of on-time payments.
Take full control
Make the market work for you
On a flat rate, the market's swings belong to your retailer. On spot, they belong to you. Think of it as buy-low, sell-high played in half-hour rounds — the app is your scoreboard, and these are the four main moves.
Shift usage to cheap half-hours
Run the dishwasher, dryer and hot water when prices are low — overnight or in sunny middays. The app shows you the live price, so nothing is a guess.
Charge your battery when power is cheap
Fill your battery from solar — or even from the grid when prices dip — then run your home from it through the expensive evening peak.
Sell into the spikes
When prices spike, exporters win. Your surplus solar and stored battery power earn the full wholesale price at that half hour — uncapped.
Bank network peak export credits
Network companies now credit exports at peak times. Like every network charge, we pass these credits straight through to you on top of the spot price.
Selling surplus power is a genuine investment
At current spot prices, exporting surplus solar has a very good return on investment — which is why we design systems to export more than they import. Oversizing your solar array can earn a real income, not just savings.
Worked examples
The market cuts both ways
The same two homes at a high spot price of 24c per unit (top row) and a low spot price of 2c (bottom row). Same homes, same plan — the spot price and how much each home exports decide who pays and who gets paid.
30-day billing period
Example 1 — high spot prices, exporting more than importing
A customer with a well-sized solar system during a period of high spot prices. Their exports earned 24c per unit — so instead of paying a bill, they banked a credit.
| Charge | Quantity | Avg rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exported energy | 700 kWh | 24.0c | −$168.00 |
| Imported energy | 20 kWh | 24.0c | $4.80 |
| Network fixed | 30 days | 90c/day | $27.00 |
| Network variable | 20 kWh | 9.9c | $1.98 |
| Network export credit | 100 kWh | 6.0c | −$6.00 |
| Metering | 30 days | 43c/day | $12.90 |
| Ecosmart service fee | 20 kWh | 4c | $0.80 |
| Regulatory levies | 20 kWh | 0.25c | $0.05 |
We paid the customer
$126.47 credit
excl GST
30-day billing period
Example 2 — high spot prices, importing more than exporting
The same market, the other way around: this customer imported far more than they exported while prices were high outside sunlight hours — and paid the real cost of that power.
| Charge | Quantity | Avg rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imported energy | 700 kWh | 24.0c | $168.00 |
| Exported energy | 20 kWh | 24.0c | −$4.80 |
| Network fixed | 30 days | 90c/day | $27.00 |
| Network variable | 700 kWh | 9.9c | $69.30 |
| Metering | 30 days | 43c/day | $12.90 |
| Ecosmart service fee | 700 kWh | 4c | $28.00 |
| Regulatory levies | 700 kWh | 0.25c | $1.75 |
The customer paid
$302.15
excl GST
30-day billing period
Example 3 — low spot prices, exporting more than importing
The same well-sized solar home, but during a stretch of low spot prices. Exports now earn just 2c per unit — no longer enough to cover the fixed network and metering charges, so a small credit becomes a small bill.
| Charge | Quantity | Avg rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exported energy | 700 kWh | 2.0c | −$14.00 |
| Imported energy | 20 kWh | 2.0c | $0.40 |
| Network fixed | 30 days | 90c/day | $27.00 |
| Network variable | 20 kWh | 9.9c | $1.98 |
| Network export credit | 100 kWh | 6.0c | −$6.00 |
| Metering | 30 days | 43c/day | $12.90 |
| Ecosmart service fee | 20 kWh | 4c | $0.80 |
| Regulatory levies | 20 kWh | 0.25c | $0.05 |
The customer paid
$23.13
excl GST
30-day billing period
Example 4 — low spot prices, importing more than exporting
The same heavy importer when prices are low. Cheap energy means the imported units cost very little — the bill is now dominated by the fixed network charges rather than the power itself.
| Charge | Quantity | Avg rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imported energy | 700 kWh | 2.0c | $14.00 |
| Exported energy | 20 kWh | 2.0c | −$0.40 |
| Network fixed | 30 days | 90c/day | $27.00 |
| Network variable | 700 kWh | 9.9c | $69.30 |
| Metering | 30 days | 43c/day | $12.90 |
| Ecosmart service fee | 700 kWh | 4c | $28.00 |
| Regulatory levies | 700 kWh | 0.25c | $1.75 |
The customer paid
$152.55
excl GST
Illustrative examples, simplified for readability. They compare a high spot price of 24c per unit with a low spot price of 2c — in reality the price changes every 30 minutes, so your averages will differ. Rates and totals shown exclude GST; GST is added to the amount you actually pay. Low User plans are being phased out industry-wide and end on 1 April 2027.
These examples leave out network energy losses — a small charge that makes little difference to the total but will appear on your actual bill.
The network export credit rewards power fed back to the grid at peak times, when the network needs it most — so a well-timed exporter earns on top of the spot price they're already paid.
Network charges — lines and transmission — are set by third parties, reviewed periodically and usually change annually. Where a network bills transmission separately, the rate we pass on is worked out from what that network actually charges us and is reviewed on the same basis. Our flat metering and regulatory levies rates are reviewed periodically against the underlying costs.
Straight answers
Is a spot plan right for you?
We'll be blunt: spot billing is brilliant for the right home and wrong for others. We'd rather tell you straight than sign you up to a plan that doesn't fit.
Spot suits you if…
Any one of these is enough — solar is a great fit, but it isn't the price of entry.
- You have solar (or any generation) and expect to export more than you import
- You have a home battery — with or without panels
- You can shift big loads — EV charging, hot water, laundry — into cheap hours
- You enjoy actively managing your power, and checking prices feels like a game, not a chore
! Think twice if…
- ✕ You can't shift your usage and have no solar, battery or other way to respond to prices
- ✕ You want a fixed, predictable rate every month
- ✕ A price spike in a cold snap would break the budget
Spot prices are volatile and can spike dramatically. We have no control over them — a spike is a major benefit if you're exporting and an expensive month if you're not. This type of billing is not for everyone, and that's fine.
Independent guidance: the Electricity Authority publishes a plain-English guide to whether a spot price contract is right for you.
Read the EA's guide ↗ The Ecosmart app
Your power, live on screen
Spot billing only works if you can see the market — so every customer gets full visibility, all the time.
-
Live spot price
Watch the wholesale market move every five minutes — a live guide to whether now is a good time to use power, or to sell it. The price you're billed for each half hour is the settled average of those five-minute prices, confirmed the next business day.
-
Forecast prices
See where the market is heading before it gets there: the Prices tab charts the next 36 hours — a day and a half — of forecast prices, and the dashboard zooms into the next 12 hours to flag the cheapest window to run the big stuff.
-
Usage & spend
Track imports, exports, current spend and due payments at a glance — your scoreboard for the month.
-
Analysis tools
Dig into your meter readings and spot price trends to fine-tune when you use and sell power.
No strings attached
No fixed terms. No exit fees. Ever.
Switch in or out as much as you like. Some customers ride the cheap seasons — full hydro lakes, windy springs — then step back to a flat rate for winter. That's allowed; that's the point. We earn your business every single month.
FAQ
Spot market questions, answered straight
Everything customers ask us about buying and selling power at the wholesale spot price.
What is the electricity spot market?
The spot market is the wholesale market where New Zealand's generators sell electricity and retailers buy it. It works like a share market for power: the price changes every 30 minutes based on supply and demand. Windy nights and sunny middays are usually cheap; cold, still winter evenings are expensive.
How does an Ecosmart spot market plan work?
We pass the half-hourly spot price straight through to you — for both the power you import and the power you export — and your network company's lines charges are passed on at cost. Most networks include the national grid (transmission) in those lines charges; Vector bills it to us separately, and on Vector properties we recover it as a flat rate rather than an exact pass-through, because Vector charges a different amount at each of its grid exit points. Metering and industry levies are covered the same way, by flat rates set to match what they cost us on average, because the exact amounts differ for every property. Our only margin is a small transparent service fee: 4c per unit on the Low User plan (no daily fixed charge), or 2c per unit plus 50c per day on the Standard User plan.
Will I be on the Low User or Standard User plan?
That is set by your local network, not by us. Every residential property carries a Low User or Standard User classification on the electricity registry, and you start on whichever your property currently has — Low User has a higher per-unit fee (4c) but no daily fixed charge, while Standard User has a lower per-unit fee (2c) plus a 50c per day fixed charge. Low User generally suits lower-consumption homes (broadly under 600 units a month). Once you have switched to us, if the other option would suit you better we can send a request to your network to change it. Note that Low User plans are being phased out across the industry and end on 1 April 2027.
What do I get paid for exported solar power?
You earn the full wholesale spot price for every unit you export, at the rate for the half hour you export it — there is no capped buy-back rate. Where your local network company offers peak export credits, those are passed straight through to you as well.
What happens when spot prices spike?
Spot prices are volatile and can spike dramatically. It cuts both ways: if you are exporting during a spike you earn a lot, and if you are importing you pay a lot. That is why we recommend spot plans for homes that can respond to prices — by exporting solar or battery power, or by shifting big loads into cheap hours.
Do I need solar to be on a spot plan?
No. Solar exporters do very well, but a home battery alone lets you buy cheap power and sell into expensive periods, and even without any generation you can win by shifting big loads — EV charging, hot water, laundry — into the cheap overnight and midday hours. Any generation that exports, including micro-hydro and wind, earns the full spot price.
Is a spot price plan right for me?
A spot plan suits you if you can respond to prices: you export more than you import (solar or other generation), you have a battery to store cheap power and sell into expensive periods, or you can shift heavy usage into cheap hours. If you can't do any of those and want a fixed, predictable bill, a spot plan is risky. The Electricity Authority publishes independent guidance on whether a spot price contract is right for you.
Am I locked into a contract?
No. There are no fixed-term contracts, no joining fee and no exit fee. You are free to switch in or out whenever you like — we earn your business every month.
Can I switch to spot just for the cheap seasons?
Yes. With no fixed term and no exit fees, some customers join when spot prices run low — for example when hydro lakes are full — and switch back to a flat-rate retailer when conditions change. We would rather you use the market well than keep you on a plan that isn't working for you.
Do you require a bond?
We usually ask new customers for a refundable bond — security we hold in case you default on your account. We work it out as a reasonable estimate of your expected charges for a single billing period (your expected usage, allowing for the higher prices that can hit in a cold or high-priced month on a spot plan), and we tell you the amount and how we worked it out at sign-up. We refund it after no more than 12 months of on-time payments or when your account closes.
How do I see the live spot price?
Every customer can log into the Ecosmart app to see the live spot price, updated every five minutes, along with their usage and spend, meter readings, and spot price trend analysis tools. The live figure is the market's five-minute dispatch price — a guide for deciding when to use or sell power. The price you are actually billed for each half hour is the settled average of those five-minute prices, which the Electricity Authority confirms by 2pm the next business day.
Get in touch
Ready to take control of your power?
Tell us a little about your home — solar, battery, EV, or none of the above — and we'll tell you honestly whether a spot plan will work for you.
+64 7 595 0001
8 Hounsell Road, Burbush, Hamilton 3200, New Zealand
Opening hours
- Monday – Friday
- 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Saturday
- Phone to check
- Sunday
- Closed