Electricity in Germany: Set Up and Compare Providers

When you move into a new home in Germany, electricity is usually already working. You can turn on the lights and use the sockets immediately.

However, this does not mean electricity is included in your rent or that you already have the best contract. In most apartments, you must choose and register with an electricity provider yourself.

This guide explains how electricity contracts work in Germany and how to compare providers on CHECK24.

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Is electricity included in your rent?

Electricity is usually not included in the Warmmiete.

Your rent may include heating, water, waste collection and other building costs, but normal household electricity is generally paid through a separate contract.

Electricity may already be included if you rent:

A furnished short-term apartment
Student accommodation
A serviced apartment
A room with an all-inclusive price

Check your rental contract or ask your landlord for written confirmation.

If electricity is not included, you need your own Stromvertrag.

What happens if you do not choose a provider?

Your electricity will normally not be disconnected when you move in.

If you use electricity without choosing a provider beforehand, you usually enter the local default supply called Grundversorgung.

The company providing it is called the Grundversorger. It is often the local Stadtwerke.

Grundversorgung is useful because it keeps your electricity running, but it may be more expensive than alternative tariffs.

You can identify the local provider by searching:

“Strom Grundversorger” + your postcode

You can change from Grundversorgung to another provider later, but it is usually better to compare tariffs before moving in.

Choose a provider before your moving date

Since 6 June 2025, the technical process for changing electricity suppliers can be completed within 24 hours on working days.

However, electricity contracts cannot normally be registered retrospectively.

The Bundesnetzagentur advises consumers to conclude a contract before using electricity in a new apartment.

If you start using electricity without a separate contract, a Grundversorgung contract normally begins with the first electricity consumption. A cheaper provider can take over only from a future confirmed date.

Start comparing providers as soon as you know:

Your new address
Your moving date
Your estimated annual electricity consumption

Information you need

To set up an electricity contract, you may need:

Your full name
Your new address
Your moving date
Your bank details
Estimated annual consumption
Electricity meter number
Meter reading
MaLo-ID, if available
Previous provider, if you are changing contracts

You can compare prices before you have all the meter information. However, you will usually need the meter number to complete the registration.

Record the meter on moving day

The electricity meter is called a Stromzähler.

It may be located:

Inside the apartment
In the basement
In a shared meter room
In the hallway
Inside a technical cabinet

Ask the landlord or Hausverwaltung where it is.

Zählernummer

The Zählernummer is the unique number printed on the electricity meter. It is often located near a barcode.

Check this number directly on the meter. Do not rely only on information from the previous tenant.

Using the wrong meter number could connect your contract to a neighbour’s apartment.

Zählerstand

The Zählerstand shows how much electricity has been consumed.

When you receive the keys:

Find the correct electricity meter.
Check the meter number.
Write down the meter reading.
Take a clear photo.
Include the reading in the Übergabeprotokoll.
Send the information to your provider.

The photo can protect you if the provider later charges you for electricity used before you moved in.

The German Consumer Advice Centre recommends recording both the meter number and reading when moving.

MaLo-ID

The Marktlokations-ID, or MaLo-ID, is an eleven-digit number assigned to the electricity supply location.

It is not normally printed on the meter. You may find it on a previous electricity bill or request it from the local network operator.

Providing the MaLo-ID can make it easier to identify the correct apartment and process the contract without confusion.

Estimate your annual consumption

Electricity providers use your expected annual consumption to calculate prices and monthly payments.

A rough estimate for a home without electric heating or electric hot water is:

Household	Estimated annual consumption
One person	1,200–1,800 kWh
Two people	2,000–2,800 kWh
Three people	2,500–3,500 kWh
Four people	3,000–4,500 kWh

Your usage may be higher if you have:

An electric water heater
Electric heating
A tumble dryer
Air conditioning
Several home-office computers
Older appliances
An electric vehicle

If you do not know your consumption, use the number of people in the household as a starting estimate.

If you already live in Germany, check your previous annual electricity bill for the most accurate figure.

How to compare electricity providers on CHECK24

CHECK24 allows you to compare electricity tariffs available at your address.

Start the comparison here:

Compare electricity providers on CHECK24

Step 1: Enter your postcode

Enter the postcode of your new home.

Electricity prices vary by location because network costs and available providers differ across Germany.

Make sure you use the new address, not your current one.

Step 2: Enter your annual consumption

Enter your expected annual consumption in kilowatt-hours.

If you do not know it, select the number of people in your household and CHECK24 will provide an estimate.

Try to use a realistic figure. If you enter a consumption that is too low, the tariff may look cheaper than your actual final cost.

Step 3: Select “moving”

CHECK24 may ask whether you are:

Changing provider at your current address
Moving into a new home

Select Umzug if the contract is for your new apartment.

Enter the date from which you need electricity. Ideally, this should be your official move-in or key-handover date.

Step 4: Use sensible filters

The cheapest result is not automatically the best contract.

For a straightforward household tariff, look for:

Maximum initial contract term of 12 months
Price guarantee covering the contract period
Monthly payments
No advance annual payment
No electricity package with a fixed consumption
Reasonable notice period
Good tariff and provider ratings

CHECK24 provides an Empfehlung filter for tariffs that meet selected consumer-friendly criteria.

You can use it as a starting point, but still read the individual contract conditions yourself.

Step 5: Check the contract period

Look for Vertragslaufzeit.

A contract lasting up to 12 months usually provides a reasonable balance between price stability and flexibility.

A 24-month contract may have a good introductory price, but it also keeps you with the provider for longer.

Consider how long you expect to stay in the apartment.

Step 6: Check the price guarantee

Look for Preisgarantie.

A price guarantee can protect you against certain price increases during the guarantee period. However, not every guarantee covers every part of the electricity price.

CHECK24 distinguishes between different types of price guarantees. Some exclude taxes, government charges or other price components.

Check:

How long the guarantee lasts
Which price components are included
Whether it covers the full initial contract period

A twelve-month contract with only a three-month price guarantee offers limited protection.

Step 7: Compare prices with and without bonuses

Some tariffs include:

Sofortbonus
Neukundenbonus
CHECK24 bonus
Erstwechslerbonus

Bonuses can reduce the first-year cost, but they may make an otherwise expensive tariff appear cheap.

CHECK24 states that a Neukundenbonus is usually paid after the first full year of supply. A Sofortbonus is generally paid earlier, depending on the tariff.

Before choosing a contract, compare:

Total cost in the first year with bonuses
Total cost without bonuses
Expected cost in the second year

If you do not want to change providers every year, the price without bonuses is more important.

Also read the bonus conditions. You may lose a bonus if:

You end the contract before completing twelve months
You have recently been a customer of the same provider or related brand
You do not meet the tariff’s eligibility requirements

Step 8: Compare the real annual cost

Do not choose a provider based only on the monthly Abschlag shown in large text.

Check the total annual cost, including:

Arbeitspreis
Grundpreis
Bonuses
One-time fees
Contract period
Price after the first year

Arbeitspreis

The Arbeitspreis is the amount paid for each kilowatt-hour used.

For example:

30 cents per kWh

Grundpreis

The Grundpreis is the fixed basic fee charged monthly or annually.

For example:

€12 per month

A tariff with a low Arbeitspreis and high Grundpreis may not be suitable for a one-person household with low consumption.

The best tariff depends on your actual usage.

Step 9: Check the provider rating

Look at both the tariff rating and recent customer reviews.

Pay attention to repeated complaints about:

Incorrect bills
Delayed bonuses
Poor customer service
Unexpected price increases
Problems when moving
Difficulty cancelling the contract

Do not reject a provider because of one negative review. Look for patterns across many recent reviews.

A slightly more expensive provider with reliable billing and good service may be the better choice.

Step 10: Choose conventional or green electricity

If you prefer renewable energy, activate the Ökostrom filter.

Look for:

100% renewable electricity
A recognised environmental label
A reasonable price guarantee
Transparent contract conditions

Green electricity is not automatically more expensive. Depending on the region and tariff, it may cost the same as or less than conventional electricity.

Step 11: Complete the application

After choosing a tariff, CHECK24 will ask for information such as:

Personal details
New address
Moving date
Meter number
Previous provider, if applicable
Bank account
Estimated annual consumption

Check all details carefully before submitting the application.

The new provider should send you a confirmation showing:

Confirmed supply start date
Monthly payment
Contract period
Customer number
Price conditions

Your application alone does not always mean that the supply date has been confirmed. Keep the final confirmation from the electricity provider.

Will your electricity be interrupted?

Changing provider does not normally cause a power cut.

The local network operator continues transporting electricity through the same cables and meter. Only the company selling and billing the electricity changes.

Even if the new contract is delayed, the Grundversorgung generally ensures continued supply.

How monthly payments work

Most providers collect a monthly payment called an Abschlag.

The amount is based on:

Estimated annual consumption
Price per kWh
Basic fee

After approximately one year, the provider issues a Jahresabrechnung.

If you used less electricity than estimated, you may receive a refund. If you used more, you may have to make an additional payment.

Check your meter several times during the year so you can identify unexpectedly high consumption early.

If you are moving from another German apartment

Do not forget your old electricity contract.

Before moving:

Check whether the contract can move with you.
Inform the provider about your moving date.
Record the final meter reading in the old apartment.
Take a photo of the old meter.
Provide your new address for the final bill.
Confirm in writing when the old supply ends.

If you do nothing, you may remain responsible for electricity used by the next tenant.

Do not sign a second electricity contract until you understand whether the old contract continues at the new address.

Electricity setup checklist

Check whether electricity is included in the rent
Confirm your moving date
Estimate annual consumption
Compare tariffs using the new postcode
Choose “Umzug” on CHECK24
Check the contract period
Check the price guarantee
Compare prices with and without bonuses
Avoid advance annual payments
Check the second-year price
Record the meter number
Photograph the meter reading
Submit the correct meter information
Wait for written confirmation of the supply date
Cancel or transfer the old contract
Keep all confirmations and meter photos

Final advice

Compare electricity providers before moving into your new apartment. If you wait until after you begin using electricity, you will normally enter the local Grundversorgung first.

CHECK24 can help you compare available tariffs, but do not choose a contract based only on the first-year price. Check the contract period, price guarantee, cost without bonuses and expected second-year price.

On moving day, photograph the meter number and meter reading. This is one of the simplest ways to prevent billing problems later.

For more help with your move, read:

Last updated: August 2026

How to Set Up Electricity in Germany