Compare charging providers without trusting headline rate

Choose energy amount and expected fee exposure that resemble your routine. Use identical values for every provider. Changing session assumptions while changing tariff makes comparison meaningless.

Record energy rate, session charge, time or idle rule, any other component, location, payment route, and date checked. Keep units. A number without £/kWh, £/minute, or £/session cannot be normalized safely.

IONITY notes that kWh price can depend on tariff, subscription status, country, and specific station, and can vary within one country. This is why comparison should point back to exact station and payment route rather than a brand-wide assumed price.

For each provider, calculate session total first. Then calculate effective £/kWh and cost/100 miles. Headline energy rate can remain visible, but it should not decide winner by itself.

Run small top-up and routine full session separately. Fixed fee hurts small top-up more. Time fee can change ranking when slow charging or long parking increases billable duration.

If provider wins only under one narrow assumption, record that condition rather than calling it cheapest overall.

Prices and payment paths change. Confirm tariff at station or provider channel before charging, especially after changing subscription, roaming card, or location. ChargeWindow deliberately does not claim live prices; it calculates evidence you enter.