Adjust the page to suit you. Your choices are remembered.
← All tariff guides / EDF Energy
EDF FreePhase Dynamic is a smart electricity tariff with three different prices during each day. The rates are linked to the day ahead wholesale electricity market and can change from one day to the next. Customers receive a green overnight price, an amber daytime and evening price, and a red peak price between 4pm and 7pm. The following day's rates are published in advance, allowing households to decide when to charge an electric vehicle, operate appliances, heat water or charge a home battery. FreePhase Dynamic can reduce electricity costs for households able to move demand away from the evening peak. It also creates more price uncertainty than a conventional fixed or price capped tariff. This guide was checked on 11 July 2026.
FreePhase Dynamic divides every day into three pricing periods: Green: 11pm to 6am Amber: 6am to 4pm and 7pm to 11pm Red: 4pm to 7pm The green period is normally the least expensive. The amber price applies during most of the day, while the red rate covers the period when electricity demand is usually highest. EDF calculates a separate price for each period using wholesale electricity purchased for the following day. The three prices may therefore rise or fall every day according to market conditions. ([edfenergy.com](https://www.edfenergy.com/gas-and-electricity/freephase)) This is different from a tariff with 48 individual half hourly prices. Although the wholesale market is divided into half hour settlement periods, EDF averages the relevant wholesale prices within each green, amber and red band. The customer therefore needs to follow only three prices for each day.
EDF uses prices from the Nord Pool day ahead electricity market. A regional formula is then applied to the average wholesale cost for each FreePhase period. The green and amber rate is calculated using a regional coefficient multiplied by the relevant wholesale price, minus the current government policy cost discount. The red price uses the same broad calculation but adds a peak premium. This reflects the higher costs associated with supplying electricity between 4pm and 7pm. The coefficient and peak premium vary across Great Britain. This means a customer in northern Scotland may receive different FreePhase rates from someone in London, Yorkshire or southern England, even when both households are using electricity during the same period. From April 2026, EDF began passing through reductions connected with changes to the Energy Company Obligation and Renewables Obligation. These savings are deducted from the calculated unit prices. ([edfenergy.com](https://www.edfenergy.com/gas-and-electricity/freephase)) The regional coefficient and peak premium can be updated each April to reflect changes in network and other non energy costs. The tariff therefore follows a published calculation rather than guaranteeing one fixed percentage discount against EDF Standard Variable.
FreePhase Dynamic includes a maximum unit price of 75 pence per kilowatt hour, including VAT. No individual green, amber or red rate should exceed this limit, regardless of how high the underlying wholesale market price rises. The maximum applies for the stated twelve month tariff period. ([edfenergy.com](https://www.edfenergy.com/gas-and-electricity/freephase)) The guarantee provides some protection against extreme market movements, but 75 pence remains substantially higher than an ordinary price capped electricity rate. For comparison, the average electricity rate under the Ofgem price cap from 1 July to 30 September 2026 is 26.11 pence per kilowatt hour for a household paying by Direct Debit. A prolonged period near the FreePhase maximum could therefore produce expensive bills, particularly for a household with electric heating or other essential demand that cannot be moved. The price ceiling should be viewed as emergency protection rather than an indication of the amount customers normally pay.
FreePhase Dynamic also has a daily standing charge. It is not fixed at one amount for the entire tariff term. EDF calculates it from the regional Standard Variable electricity standing charge plus a FreePhase service fee. The service fee is currently zero. The underlying standing charge can change every January, April, July and October when EDF updates its Standard Variable rates. The amount applying to an individual household is shown in MyAccount. A customer therefore receives a maximum guarantee for the unit rates, but the daily standing charge may still change during the twelve month term. ([edfenergy.com](https://www.edfenergy.com/gas-and-electricity/freephase))
FreePhase Dynamic can provide periods when electricity is charged at zero pence per kilowatt hour. These periods are normally created when wholesale electricity prices become negative. Negative prices can occur when renewable generation is abundant, national demand is low and the electricity system has more available generation than it immediately needs. EDF sends customers a text notification before a free electricity period. Electricity consumed during a qualifying FreePhase Dynamic period appears on the bill at zero pence rather than being charged and later refunded. ([edfenergy.com](https://www.edfenergy.com/gas-and-electricity/freephase)) Free periods are not guaranteed. Their frequency and duration depend on market conditions, renewable generation, demand and regional pricing. EDF states that customers who held a FreePhase tariff between 3 June 2025 and 17 June 2026 received 238 hours of free electricity. This is historical information and does not guarantee that future customers will receive a similar number of hours. ([edfenergy.com](https://www.edfenergy.com/gas-and-electricity/freephase)) Households should not base their annual budget on an assumed amount of free electricity. It is better treated as an occasional additional benefit.
EDF analysed FreePhase Dynamic customer results for the first three months of 2026. The company reported an average consumption weighted electricity price of 19.67 pence per kilowatt hour, compared with 27.69 pence under the relevant Ofgem price cap. EDF said participating customers saved an average of ยฃ112 during that three month period. ([edfenergy.com](https://www.edfenergy.com/media-centre/Time-of-Use-tariff-could-help-save-100s-against-price-cap)) EDF also reported that the average amber price was 28 per cent below its Standard Variable rate and that the average green rate was 40 per cent lower. These figures describe a particular period of wholesale market conditions. They do not guarantee future savings. The daily prices can move in either direction, and the result for an individual household depends heavily on when electricity is consumed. A customer using substantial electricity during the red period may produce a very different result from someone charging a vehicle and battery overnight.
FreePhase Dynamic requires a working smart electricity meter that can send EDF readings every thirty minutes. Customers must agree to half hourly data collection so EDF can identify how much electricity was used during each green, amber and red period. Monthly Direct Debit is also required. ([edfenergy.com](https://www.edfenergy.com/gas-and-electricity/freephase)) Three phase electricity meters are currently not compatible with FreePhase. This can exclude certain large houses, farms and properties with high capacity electrical connections. A customer joining EDF from another supplier must normally move onto EDF Standard Variable first. EDF then checks the smart meter connection and confirms that half hourly information is available before moving the account to FreePhase. EDF says the meter checks commonly take around five working days. Existing EDF customers with a suitable connected meter may also be moved within approximately five working days.
The normal smart meter in home display may not show FreePhase Dynamic prices correctly. EDF explains that these displays were not designed to process frequently changing smart tariff rates. The display may therefore show an inaccurate cost even when its electricity consumption reading is correct. ([edfenergy.com](https://www.edfenergy.com/gas-and-electricity/freephase)) Customers should use EDF Price Watch to review today's and tomorrow's rates. EDF Energy Hub, MyAccount and the EDF app provide further information about consumption and cost. EDF has also opened its tariff data through an application programming interface, allowing compatible applications, battery controllers and energy management systems to retrieve FreePhase prices automatically. ([edfenergy.com](https://www.edfenergy.com/energywise/edfs-open-tariff-apis)) The tariff remains in beta, and EDF acknowledges temporary limitations in how information appears on bills. The bill may show a weighted average unit rate rather than listing every daily green, amber and red rate.
FreePhase Dynamic is offered as a fixed term tariff, normally for twelve months, but its daily unit prices are not fixed. The fixed term secures the pricing method and 75 pence maximum rate rather than securing the actual daily price. There is no exit fee. A customer can move to another EDF tariff without paying a leaving charge if FreePhase proves unsuitable. EDF also says it will waive an exit fee that would otherwise apply when an existing EDF customer leaves another EDF tariff to join FreePhase. ([edfenergy.com](https://www.edfenergy.com/gas-and-electricity/freephase)) Customers leaving FreePhase may be prevented from joining another FreePhase tariff for nine months. This limits the ability to move away during expensive market conditions and return immediately when prices become cheaper. FreePhase customers cannot take part in EDF Sunday Saver because that programme requires a one rate or two rate tariff. FreePhase already uses three separate electricity rates.
FreePhase Dynamic is likely to work best for households with large amounts of flexible electricity use. An electric vehicle can be charged during the seven hour green period from 11pm to 6am. A 7 kilowatt charger operating throughout that window could theoretically deliver up to 49 kilowatt hours before charging losses. A household battery can also charge overnight or during an inexpensive amber period. It can then supply the property between 4pm and 7pm, reducing exposure to the red rate. Heat pump owners may be able to preheat the building during green or amber periods and reduce demand during the evening peak. This requires suitable controls, insulation and enough thermal storage to maintain comfort. Washing machines, dishwashers, immersion heaters and tumble dryers can also be moved away from the red period where it is safe and practical to do so. Solar panels may reduce daytime imports, while a battery can help bridge the red period after solar output begins to decline.
FreePhase Dynamic may be unsuitable for households with heavy unavoidable demand between 4pm and 7pm. Families who cook, use electric showers, operate direct electric heating and run several appliances during the evening could face a large amount of consumption at the red rate. The tariff may also be unsuitable for people who need predictable unit prices or do not want to check the following day's rates. A conventional fixed tariff may provide greater certainty. FreePhase Static offers the same three daily periods but keeps the rates fixed for the contract term. Customers with traditional storage heaters should compare Economy 7 or another suitable heating arrangement. Electric vehicle owners should also compare EDF GoElectric, which provides a known overnight rate rather than one that changes each day.
A proper FreePhase comparison must divide annual consumption into the three pricing periods. The calculation should multiply green consumption by each day's green rate, amber consumption by the corresponding amber rate and red consumption by the red rate. The annual standing charge is then added. Using today's rate for an entire year would produce an unreliable estimate because tomorrow's prices will be different. Households with half hourly smart meter data can obtain a much stronger comparison by matching their historic consumption with historic FreePhase prices. The most important result is the household's consumption weighted average unit price. This shows the true average amount paid after every unit has been matched with the price applying at the time it was used. FreePhase Dynamic can offer meaningful savings without requiring customers to follow 48 separate prices. Its success still depends on avoiding the red period, making use of green and amber electricity and accepting that the next day's price cannot be known far in advance.
Enter your postcode to see live UK tariffs side by side.
Compare Tariffs Now →