Electricity Providers in Austria, User Review Comparison 2026
Updated: | Found helpful by 32 others
Based on in-depth user-review research, the highest-rated electricity provider in Austria is VERBUND at 75.0% positive, the largest Austrian electricity generator with 100% hydropower, ATX-listed financial stability, and nationwide availability. aWATTar (70.0%) follows for tech-forward dynamic pricing tied to the EPEX spot market with strong PV and EV synergy. Wien Energie (65.0%) is the trusted Vienna municipal utility, and Energie Graz and EVN tie at 64.0% as the strongest regional defaults. On Trustpilot the order flips: MAXENERGY scores 4.5 out of 5 from 1,534 reviews, while VERBUND, EVN, Wien Energie and Kelag sit at 1.5 (September 2026).
| # | Provider | Sentiment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | VERBUND | 75.0% |
| 2 | aWATTar | 70.0% |
| 3 | Wien Energie | 65.0% |
| 4 | Energie Graz | 64.0% |
| 5 | EVN | 64.0% |
| 6 | Salzburg AG | 63.0% |
| 7 | TIWAG | 63.0% |
| 8 | KELAG | 62.0% |
| 9 | OMV | 62.0% |
| 10 | Linz AG | 62.0% |
| 11 | Energie AG Oberösterreich | 60.0% |
Source: User review research, July 2026.
The table below ranks the leading electricity providers in Austria by user sentiment score. Green indicates strong positive sentiment (65%+), amber is moderate (55-64%), and red signals below-average perception (<55%).
How Do Austrian Energy Suppliers Score on Trustpilot and Other Review Sites?
| Supplier | Trustpilot (of 5) | Reviews | Other platform or test | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAXENERGY | 4.5 | 1,534 | None | Largest positive sample in Austria; weigh against past VKI lawsuits over bonus and price-rise practice |
| oekostrom AG | 3.5 to 3.9 | 323 | ÖGVS 2026 service test: rank 1 (96.6%) | Best-rated large green supplier |
| go green energy | 3.5 | 215 | ÖGVS 2025 test winner, electricity | Solid for a discount supplier |
| Energie Steiermark | 1.5 to 1.9 | 15 to 20 | stromliste.at 4.37 (1,496 reviews); ÖGVS 2026 overall rank 3 | Platforms disagree; the Trustpilot sample is too small to outweigh 1,496 stromliste reviews |
| Salzburg AG | 1.9 | 72 | stromliste.at 2.2 (218 reviews) | Below average on both platforms |
| Wien Energie | 1.5 | 269 | None | Weakest of the regional utilities online, although its fixed price is among the lowest |
| EVN | 1.5 | 257 | None | Complaints cluster on late annual bills after a system migration and slow credit refunds |
| VERBUND | 1.5 | 170 | None | Complaints cluster on billing errors and credit refunds |
| Kelag | 1.5 | 48 | None | Complaints cluster on wrong meter readings and late feed-in credits |
| Energie Graz | No score | None | stromliste.at 1.69 (52 reviews) | Weak, small sample |
| aWATTar | No score | 8 | ÖGVS 2026 service test: rank 2 | Too few platform reviews to state a score |
Source: User review research, ratings retrieved 21 September 2026 from Trustpilot, stromliste.at and the ÖGVS quality test (qualitaetstest.at). A range means the platform showed different values across its language sites.
Platform ratings and prices point in opposite directions in 2026. Wien Energie sells one of the cheapest fixed prices of any regional utility, 9.99 ct/kWh net, and has the weakest online rating of them, 1.5 out of 5. MAXENERGY (4.5) and oekostrom AG (up to 3.9) rate best without being the dearest. EVN, VERBUND and Kelag share the 1.5 floor.
Independent tests rank differently again. In the ÖGVS 2026 test, EnergieDirect won overall with 93.1% across electricity and gas, ahead of Gutmann (91.9%) and Energie Steiermark (89.1%). oekostrom AG topped service with 96.6%, aWATTar came second on service, and Energie AG scored 100% for online convenience. The environmental group GLOBAL 2000 rated VERBUND "intransparent" in its 2026 check because it did not take part. Small samples, such as aWATTar's 8 Trustpilot reviews or Energie Steiermark's 15 to 20, say little either way.
What Do Users Say Is Good and Bad About Austrian Electricity Providers?
Across the eleven leading electricity providers in Austria, the most consistently surfaced positive and negative characteristics reveal what users associate with each brand for reliability, renewable share, pricing, and customer experience.
What reviewers praise
- Largest Austrian electricity generator (VERBUND)
- 100% hydropower (VERBUND, KELAG, TIWAG)
- ATX-listed and financially stable (VERBUND, OMV)
- Dynamic pricing linked to EPEX spot (aWATTar)
- Strong PV and EV synergy (aWATTar)
- Trusted incumbent and regional default (Wien Energie, EVN, KELAG, TIWAG)
- 100% renewable on default green tariffs (Energie Graz, Salzburg AG, Linz AG, Wien Energie)
- Multi-utility bundling (Wien Energie, Salzburg AG, Linz AG, OMV)
- Trusted city utility (Wien Energie, Linz AG, Energie Graz)
- Strong digital sign-up and portal (VERBUND, aWATTar)
- Combined electricity and gas billing (EVN)
- Smart meter rollout completed (EVN)
What reviewers criticise
- 0% renewable on standard tariff (OMV)
- ESG concerns and oil and gas legacy (OMV)
- Price spikes during winter peak hours (aWATTar)
- Not suitable for households with rigid consumption (aWATTar)
- Reputation hit from 2022 trading loss disclosure (Wien Energie)
- Customer service wait times (VERBUND, Wien Energie)
- Geographic restriction (Energie Graz, Linz AG, Salzburg AG, TIWAG)
- Only 60% renewable on default tariff (EVN)
- Switching incentives modest (Energie AG Oberösterreich, EVN)
- Some controversy over hydro expansion projects (TIWAG)
- Smaller national footprint (KELAG)
What Does Each Electricity Provider Score and Why?
Below is a detailed breakdown of every leading electricity provider in Austria, ordered by sentiment score. Each card shows the positive and negative characteristics users associate with each brand.
VERBUND
75.0% sentimentVERBUND is the highest-sentiment electricity provider in Austria. Users consistently describe it as the largest Austrian electricity generator with 100% hydropower across all tariffs, ATX-listed financial stability, and nationwide availability. The main trade-off is customer service wait times during peak migration weeks.
Top positives
- Largest Austrian electricity generator
- 100% hydropower and certified renewable
- Reliable and trusted brand
- ATX-listed and financially stable
- Nationwide availability across all nine Bundesländer
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Strong digital sign-up and online portal
- Hydropower fleet operating since the 1950s
- Market leader and dominant generator
Top negatives
- Customer service wait times during peak migration weeks
aWATTar
70.0% sentimentaWATTar is the highest-sentiment dynamic electricity provider in Austria. Users describe it as a tech-forward tariff-design innovator with hourly pricing tied to the EPEX spot market, strong PV and EV synergy, and 100% renewable certification. The trade-offs are winter price spikes and unsuitability for households with rigid consumption.
Top positives
- Dynamic pricing linked to EPEX spot market
- Strong PV and EV synergy
- Transparent hourly pricing app
- 100% renewable certified
- Smart-meter native
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Innovator in tariff design
- Tech-forward
Top negatives
- Price spikes during winter peak hours
- Not suitable for households with rigid consumption
- Requires active management to capture savings
Wien Energie
65.0% sentimentWien Energie is the trusted Vienna incumbent and the largest municipal utility in Austria. Users describe it as the Vienna default provider with a strong district heating network and a 100% renewable Optima Entspannt tariff. The trade-offs are customer service wait times and a lingering reputation hit from the 2022 trading loss disclosure.
Top positives
- Largest municipal utility, dominant in Vienna
- Hassle-free setup and reliable supply
- Good customer service and strong local presence
- Green electricity and district-heating options
- High-speed fibre lines bundled in some areas
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Reliable billing with bundled options
Top negatives
- Default tariffs sit above the market average
- Standard tariffs pricier than the cheapest switchers
- Higher base fee and less flexible pricing
- 24-month commitment on some contracts
- Below-average satisfaction on some reviews
Energie Graz
64.0% sentimentEnergie Graz is the Graz municipal utility and the strongest-rated regional default in Styria. Users describe it as a city-owned utility with the Naturstrom 100% certified renewable tariff and strong local-grid ownership. The trade-offs are limited geography and smaller scale than national players.
Top positives
- Graz municipal utility
- Naturstrom 100% certified renewable
- Strong local-grid ownership
- Trusted by Graz residents
- City-owned
Top negatives
- Limited geography
- Smaller scale than national players
EVN
64.0% sentimentEVN is the Lower Austria default supplier and one of the strongest-rated regional brands. Users describe it as an established integrated utility with combined electricity and gas billing and solid customer service. The trade-offs are only 60% renewable on the default tariff and weaker switching incentives than challenger providers.
Top positives
- Highly reliable major Lower Austria supplier
- Bundled and combined package options
Top negatives
- Often not the cheapest
- More expensive than discounters
- Significant grid-fee increases
Salzburg AG
63.0% sentimentSalzburg AG is the Salzburg municipal utility with a 100% renewable Naturstrom default tariff. Users describe it as a trusted local brand with good network reliability and useful bundles across internet and district heating. The main trade-off is the geographic limit to Salzburg.
Top positives
- Salzburg municipal utility
- 100% renewable Naturstrom default
- Good network reliability metrics
- Bundles with internet and district heating
- Trusted local brand
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Regional default
Top negatives
- Geographic limit to Salzburg
TIWAG
63.0% sentimentTIWAG is the Tyrolean default utility and the strongest local-loyalty brand in Tyrol. Users describe it as a regional incumbent with 100% hydropower (TIROLstrom) and a well-funded hydro investment program. The trade-offs are the geographic restriction to Tyrol and some controversy over hydro expansion projects.
Top positives
- Tyrolean utility, default in Tyrol
- 100% hydropower (TIROLstrom)
- Well-funded hydro investment program
- Regional incumbent
- Trusted in Tyrol
Top negatives
- Geographic restriction to Tyrol
- Some controversy over hydro expansion projects
KELAG
62.0% sentimentKELAG is the Carinthian default utility with 100% hydropower. Users describe it as a long-established regional brand with solid customer service and useful district heating bundles in some areas. The main trade-off is a smaller national footprint than VERBUND or OMV.
Top positives
- Carinthian default utility
- 100% hydropower
- Solid customer service
- Bundles with district heating in some areas
- Long-established regional default
Top negatives
- Smaller national footprint
OMV
62.0% sentimentOMV is the ATX-listed integrated oil, gas, and chemicals giant pivoting into electricity. Users describe it as a nationwide-available multi-utility bundling option from a major Austrian corporate. The trade-offs are a 0% renewable standard tariff, persistent ESG concerns, and an oil and gas legacy.
Top positives
- ATX-listed integrated oil, gas, and chemicals giant
- Nationwide availability
- Multi-utility bundling option
- Established brand and major Austrian corporate
- Large utility
Top negatives
- 0% renewable on standard StromGo tariff
- ESG concerns flagged in user reviews
- Oil and gas legacy
Linz AG
62.0% sentimentLinz AG is the Linz municipal utility with 100% renewable Linz Strom. Users describe it as a trusted city utility with strong local public-transport bundling. The main trade-off is the geographic restriction to Linz.
Top positives
- Linz municipal utility
- 100% renewable on Linz Strom
- Strong local public-transport bundling
- Trusted city utility
Top negatives
- Geographic restriction to Linz
Energie AG Oberösterreich
60.0% sentimentEnergie AG Oberösterreich is the Upper Austria default utility. Users describe it as a stable regional brand operating as a multi-utility group across waste, water, electricity, and gas, with 80% renewable on the default tariff. The main trade-off is modest switching incentives.
Top positives
- Upper Austria default utility
- 80% renewable on default tariff
- Multi-utility group covering waste, water, electricity, and gas
- Stable regional brand
Top negatives
- Switching incentives modest
How Should You Pick the Right Electricity Provider in Austria?
- Trusted nationwide green default: choose VERBUND (75.0%) for 100% hydropower, ATX-listed financial stability, and nationwide availability across all nine Bundesländer. The user-review consensus pick.
- Households with PV, EV, or heat pump: choose aWATTar (70.0%) for the dynamic spot-linked tariff with transparent hourly pricing and strong PV and EV synergy. Confirm your meter is a smart meter (intelligenter Messgerät, IME) before signing up.
- Vienna apartment: choose Wien Energie (65.0%) for the trusted Vienna incumbent with the 100% renewable Optima Entspannt tariff and a strong district heating network. VERBUND is the higher-perception nationwide alternative.
- Graz: choose Energie Graz (64.0%) for the city-owned utility with the Naturstrom 100% certified renewable tariff and strong local-grid ownership.
- Lower Austria: choose EVN (64.0%) for the established integrated utility with combined electricity and gas billing, or VERBUND for the higher-perception nationwide alternative if you want 100% renewable on the default tariff.
- Salzburg, Tyrol, Carinthia, Linz, Upper Austria: choose your regional default (Salzburg AG 63.0%, TIWAG 63.0%, KELAG 62.0%, Linz AG 62.0%, Energie AG Oberösterreich 60.0%) for the trusted local brand, or VERBUND for the nationwide alternative with the highest overall sentiment.
- New arrival: you will be auto-assigned to the regional Grundversorger when you set up the contract. The most cited switch in user reviews is to VERBUND (75.0%) for the strongest nationwide brand. The switch is free, takes around three weeks, and has no service interruption.
- Multi-utility bundling and SMB: choose OMV (62.0%) for the nationwide ATX-listed multi-utility option, accepting the 0% renewable standard tariff and ESG-concerns trade-off. For small business with PV, aWATTar (70.0%) is the tech-forward alternative.
What Do Customers Report About Billing, Switching and Support?
Fifteen dated reports from 2024 to 2026 show what sits behind the scores. Billing dominates: a wrong meter reading worth more than €1,000 at Kelag, late annual bills and a €36 meter fee at EVN, a cut-off nine days before the cancellation date at Wien Energie. Positive reports praise smooth, emailed switching steps and English-friendly sign-up at MAXENERGY, whose phone line also draws complaints.
The regulator confirms the pattern. The E-Control Schlichtungsstelle handled 1,037 cases in 2025 and settled more than 70% in 49 days on average. More than a quarter concerned unclear or wrong bills, and 13% smart-meter data. If a bill looks wrong, the Arbeiterkammer checks it for free before you pay.
What residents report
- − Wien Energie cancellation: A customer had cancelled with effect from 25 June 2026, yet Wien Energie switched the power off on 16 June shortly after 1 a.m. The written reply admitted no fault, and the customer called the service very poor. (selectra.at, June 2026)
- + Wien Energie billing: A long-standing Vienna customer wrote that she is very satisfied with Wien Energie, singling out how transparent the billing is and how the customer service has treated her over the years. (Trustpilot, March 2026)
- − Wien Energie EV charging: A verified reviewer advised against Wien Energie's e-mobility arm: support could not be reached, and the charging tariffs were opaque and, by the reviewer's maths, dearer per kilometre than running a petrol car. (Trustpilot, May 2026)
- − EVN annual bill: An EVN customer in Lower Austria said the annual bill arrives late every year with a new explanation, most recently a system migration, and that the agreed payment plan was then replaced by one large debit. (Trustpilot, December 2025)
- − EVN final-bill credit: After moving out, an EVN customer was still waiting seven weeks later for the credit shown on the final bill, with no payment date in sight. (Trustpilot, November 2025)
- − EVN gas meter removal: An EVN customer was charged €36 for removing a gas meter without being told the cost beforehand. The first figure quoted was €24, then raised because EVN said it had miscalculated. (Trustpilot, September 2025)
- − Kelag meter reading: A Kelag customer in Carinthia found that the bill used a wrong meter reading. Only by checking the figures personally did the customer avoid an unjustified back-payment of more than €1,000. (Trustpilot, August 2024)
- − Kelag solar feed-in credit: A Kelag customer with rooftop solar said the feed-in credit was still unpaid five weeks after the statement, and argued that oversized monthly instalments work like an interest-free loan to the supplier. (Trustpilot, May 2025)
- − Kelag disconnection: A Carinthian family said a payment reminder never reached them, the contract was ended without warning and the power was cut at 1 °C. They heard about the cancellation from another utility, not from Kelag. (Trustpilot, November 2024)
- − Smart-meter data delay: Despite opting in, a Kelag customer received quarter-hour smart-meter readings three to six weeks late, which the customer said makes a dynamic, hour-by-hour tariff pointless. (Trustpilot, November 2024)
- + Switching to MAXENERGY: A customer who moved to MAXENERGY described the switch as very smooth and said every step, from the order to the start of supply, was confirmed by email. (Trustpilot, December 2025)
- − MAXENERGY phone support: Another MAXENERGY customer could not get through by phone, was repeatedly dropped from the queue, and advised others to think twice before signing a contract. (Trustpilot, April 2025)
- + Signing up with little German: A newcomer with very little German wrote, in English, that connecting the new flat to MAXENERGY was very easy, which matters for expats who cannot work through German-only forms. (Trustpilot, March 2024)
- ○ oekostrom AG sign-up: One oekostrom AG sign-up failed for over a week and left a flat in Upper Austria without power for a weekend; the grid operator blamed the supplier. A review the same day praised the website and handling. (Trustpilot, August 2024)
- + Salzburg AG Preisfix: Residents on r/Salzburg passed around Salzburg AG's new Preisfix tariff, 9.9 ct/kWh net plus a €5 monthly base fee with the price guaranteed to 2028, as the local money-saving tip. (r/Salzburg, June 2026)
Paraphrased from public posts, each dated and linked. A small sample, not a representative survey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Austrian energy supplier has the best Trustpilot rating?
MAXENERGY, with 4.5 out of 5 from 1,534 reviews when we checked on 21 September 2026, the largest positive sample in the Austrian market. oekostrom AG followed at 3.5 to 3.9 from 323 reviews and go green energy at 3.5 from 215. The large regional utilities Wien Energie, EVN, VERBUND and Kelag all sat at 1.5 out of 5. Read MAXENERGY's score alongside the consumer association VKI's past lawsuits over its bonus and price-rise practice.
Why do big Austrian utilities score so badly on review sites?
Review platforms attract customers with a problem, and the big utilities have the most customers and the most billing events. The complaints cluster on late annual bills, estimated meter readings and credits held for weeks after a move. The regulator sees the same pattern: more than 25 percent of complaints to the E-Control Schlichtungsstelle in 2025 concerned unclear or wrong bills. Test results tell a different story: Energie Steiermark scores 1.5 to 1.9 on Trustpilot from 15 to 20 reviews but 4.37 on stromliste.at from 1,496 reviews and third place overall in the ÖGVS 2026 test.
Which electricity provider in Austria has the best user reviews in 2026?
As of July 2026, VERBUND leads with a 75.0% positive sentiment score, repeatedly described as the largest Austrian electricity generator with 100% hydropower, ATX-listed financial stability, and nationwide availability. aWATTar (70.0%) follows for tech-forward dynamic pricing tied to the EPEX spot market and strong PV and EV synergy. Wien Energie (65.0%) is the trusted Vienna municipal utility, and Energie Graz and EVN tie at 64.0% as the strongest regional defaults.
Which Austrian electricity provider is best for households with rooftop PV or an EV?
aWATTar (70.0%) is the user-review consensus pick for households with rooftop PV, an EV, or a heat pump. Users describe it as the dynamic spot-linked tariff with transparent hourly pricing, strong PV and EV synergy, and a tech-forward brand profile. Confirm your meter is a smart meter (intelligenter Messgerät, IME) before signing up. The trade-offs are price spikes during winter peak hours and that it is not suitable for households with rigid consumption.
Which Austrian providers have the strongest green reputation?
VERBUND (75.0%) leads on green reputation with 100% hydropower across all tariffs, ATX-listed financial stability, and a hydropower fleet operating since the 1950s. KELAG (62.0%) and TIWAG (63.0%) are also tagged 100% hydropower in user reviews. Energie Graz Naturstrom, Salzburg AG Naturstrom, Linz AG Linz Strom, and Wien Energie Optima Entspannt are all 100% renewable on their certified green tariffs. OMV (62.0%) is the main outlier, frequently flagged for ESG concerns and its oil and gas legacy.
How do regional default providers (Grundversorger) compare in user perception?
Across user reviews, regional defaults cluster between 60% and 64% sentiment. Energie Graz (Graz) and EVN (Lower Austria) lead at 64.0% as the strongest-rated regional brands. Wien Energie (65.0%) is the highest-scoring regional thanks to scale and the 100% renewable Optima Entspannt tariff. Salzburg AG and TIWAG sit at 63.0%, mixing trusted-incumbent positives with geographic limits. KELAG, OMV, and Linz AG sit at 62.0%, and Energie AG Oberösterreich is at 60.0% with modest switching incentives as the most cited weakness.
Related Guides
Best Electricity Providers in Austria
Curated Top-7 ranking with bestFor, pros, cons, and CTAs
Electricity and Gas in Austria
How utilities, billing, switching, and Ökostrom work for residents
Cost of Living in Austria
Rent, utilities, transport, food, taxes, plus typical monthly budgets
Best Internet Providers in Austria
Magenta, A1, Drei, and regional ISPs ranked for 2026