A combined electricity and gas tariff (Kombitarif) pays off mainly when it costs less overall than two separate contracts and still leaves you flexible. Its real advantage is convenience: one supplier, often one contract term, one point of contact. But the combination is not automatically cheaper. What matters is the standing charge (Grundpreis), the unit rate (Arbeitspreis) and what happens to a combination discount if you change only one of the two contracts. This guide shows how to compare a combined tariff, what to watch for with bonuses and contract terms, and how switching works in practice.
Key points at a glance
- A combined tariff bundles your electricity and gas supply with one supplier. Legally, it is usually still two supply contracts, just signed together.
- The combination is not automatically cheaper. Work out the annual cost of both options with your own consumption and without any bonus.
- Check whether a combination discount disappears if you later cancel only the electricity or only the gas.
- Before a price increase, the supplier must notify household customers at least one month in advance, and you may cancel without notice.
- The biggest benefit of a combined tariff is order: one contract term, one customer account and one contact person for both energy types.
What is a combined electricity and gas tariff?
A combined electricity and gas tariff is an offer where you take electricity and gas from the same energy supplier, usually in a single ordering process. It is also called a bundle tariff or package deal. The idea is simple: you get electricity and gas from one source and have only one contract partner for the energy in your home.
In practice, combined tariffs vary a lot. Some suppliers sell a fixed package with a joint price or a reduced standing charge. Others let you choose the electricity and gas tariffs separately and give you a discount if you take both. Still others offer no discount at all, only the convenience of managing everything in one customer account.
One point is key to understanding it. Even with a combined tariff, there are normally two meters, two supply points registered with the grid operator and two supply contracts. The bundling happens at the supplier, not in the basement. That is why each energy type keeps its own rules for billing, monthly instalments (Abschlag) and cancellation, even if everything appears on one bill.
Who is this relevant for? Every household that heats or cooks with gas and also has its own electricity contract. If you heat with district heating, oil or a heat pump, you do not need a gas contract, so a combined tariff is not an issue for you.
How does a combined tariff differ from two separate contracts?
The difference lies less in the product than in the administration and the terms. In both cases, electricity and gas arrive through the same lines of the local grid operator, and security of supply is identical. What changes are the price components, the contract terms and the number of people you deal with.
| Feature | Combined tariff (one supplier) | Two separate contracts |
|---|---|---|
| Contact | One customer service for electricity and gas | Two suppliers, two customer accounts |
| Contract term | Often a joint start and joint end date | Terms can be out of sync |
| Price | Sometimes a combination discount or reduced standing charge | Best single tariff can be chosen for each |
| Flexibility | Discount may end if one contract ends | Each energy type can be switched independently |
| Billing | Often bundled, two meter readings | Two annual bills on different dates |
| Effort when switching | One switch, one date | Two switches, two deadlines to track |
The table shows the basic pattern. A combined tariff saves time and keeps things clear, while two separate contracts give you more room on price. Which side wins depends on your consumption and on how willing you are to review tariffs regularly.
When does a combined tariff pay off?
A combined tariff pays off if, at your consumption, it is at least as cheap in the first and second year as the best combination of two single tariffs. Then you get the convenience for free. If it costs more, you are paying extra for order, and you should decide whether that is worth it to you.
Here is an everyday example. A family of four in a three-room flat in Moers uses about 3,500 kWh of electricity a year and, because they heat their flat and water with a gas boiler, around 12,000 kWh of gas. At these volumes, the standing charge is only a small share of the cost and the unit rate is the large share. A combination discount on the standing charge has less effect here than a gas unit rate that is a few cents lower.
The picture is different for a small household, such as one person in a studio flat who uses gas only for cooking. Gas consumption is so low that the standing charge makes up a large part of the gas bill. A joint or reduced standing charge can then make a noticeable difference.
In short, a combined tariff often makes sense if
- you have little time and do not want to review two tariffs every year,
- both of your contracts can be cancelled at the same time anyway, for example after a move,
- the supplier has competitive prices for both electricity and gas, not just one of them,
- a single contact for questions about instalments, meter readings or bills matters to you.
Is a combined tariff always cheaper than two single tariffs?
No. A combined tariff is not automatically cheaper, and sometimes two separate contracts are noticeably cheaper. This happens, for example, when a supplier has very good electricity prices but only average gas prices, and the combination discount does not make up the difference.
To check this, you need to know the two price components. The standing charge (Grundpreis) is a fixed amount per month or year that you pay regardless of how much you use. The unit rate (Arbeitspreis) is the price per kilowatt hour that you pay for every unit you use. Your annual cost is the standing charge plus consumption times the unit rate, calculated separately for electricity and gas.
So always calculate with your real consumption from your last annual bill. Prices in adverts are often based on a sample consumption that has little to do with your household. The North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice centre (Verbraucherzentrale NRW) also recommends hiding bonuses when you compare tariffs and looking for a term of no more than twelve months with a price guarantee. That way you see the price you will also pay in the second year.
Another point is the comparison with your current contract. If you are still on basic supply (Grundversorgung) for electricity or gas, meaning the standard tariff of the local supplier, you often pay more than you would on a special contract. Switching almost always pays off here, whether to a combined tariff or to separate contracts.
How should I weigh a switching bonus and a combination discount?
Treat bonuses and discounts as an extra for the first year, not as a lasting saving. A switching bonus is usually paid once, often only after twelve months of supply. In the second year it is gone, and only the regular price counts.
Many combined offers use two kinds of incentive. A switching bonus (Wechselbonus) is a one-off payment or credit for new customers. A combination discount (Kombirabatt) is a reduction that only applies as long as you get electricity and gas from the same supplier. Both can be worthwhile, but only if the underlying tariff is fair.
Ask these questions before you sign:
- Is the bonus credited immediately, after a few months or only after a full year of supply?
- Do you lose the bonus if you cancel before twelve months are up, for example because you move?
- Does the combination discount last permanently or only during the initial term?
- What happens to the discount if you cancel only the electricity or only the gas contract?
Get the answers confirmed in writing, ideally in the order confirmation. If you choose a bonus tariff, note down your next cancellation date straight away. Otherwise, from the second year on you will often pay a much higher price than necessary.
How do I align the contract terms for electricity and gas?
The easiest way to align the terms is to set up the combined tariff so that each energy type starts only when its old contract ends. Many suppliers allow different supply start dates for electricity and gas. After the first term, you can then renew or cancel both contracts together.
Many households know the problem. The electricity contract runs until March, the gas contract until October. Anyone who wants to switch both at once would have to end one contract early, which is usually not possible. Instead of waiting, sign the new combined tariff now and enter the right start date for each energy type. If you give the supplier power of attorney, it will cancel your old contracts on the right date.
For contracts signed since 1 March 2022, Section 309 No. 9 of the German Civil Code (BGB) makes things easier. If a contract renews automatically after the initial term, it may only do so for an indefinite period, and you can then cancel at any time with one month's notice. Older contracts may still contain longer renewals and notice periods. Your contract documents or your last annual bill will show which notice period applies to you.
Basic supply is a special case. You can cancel it with two weeks' notice (§ 20 StromGVV). So if you are still on basic supply for electricity or gas, you can move to a combined tariff very quickly and do not have to wait for a contract to end.
What are my rights if prices rise on a combined tariff?
If prices rise, you have a special right of cancellation (Sonderkündigungsrecht), separately for each energy type. The supplier must inform household customers no later than one month before the change, and you may cancel without notice with effect from the date of the price change. This is set out in Section 41 of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG).
With a combined tariff, this cuts both ways. If the supplier raises only the gas price, you can cancel the gas contract immediately. The electricity contract continues, however, and a combination discount may lapse as a result. In that case, work out whether switching gas saves you more than you lose on electricity through the lost discount.
Read letters and emails from your energy supplier carefully, even if they look like advertising. A price change is sometimes hidden in an unremarkable letter. Note the date from which the new prices are due to apply, because you must give notice by then.
There is one exception. The supplier does not have to announce separately when it passes on a change in VAT unchanged. All other one-sided price increases trigger the right to cancel, even if the supplier justifies them with higher grid fees or procurement costs.
How do I switch to a combined electricity and gas tariff?
Switching to a combined tariff takes you about half an hour and is free. The new supplier does most of the work, and your supply continues without interruption. According to the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur), switching supplier is free for household customers, and since 6 June 2025 an electricity switch has been processed technically within 24 hours. For gas, the technical part still takes longer.
Follow these steps:
- Get your last annual bills for electricity and gas. They show your annual consumption, meter number, market location ID (Marktlokations-ID) and notice period.
- Check the earliest date your current contracts end and whether you currently have a special right of cancellation.
- Using your consumption, work out the annual cost of at least two options: a combined tariff and the best combination of two single tariffs, both without bonuses.
- Check the contract term, price guarantee and the conditions for the combination discount and switching bonus.
- Sign the new contract and enter the supply start date you want for electricity and for gas.
- Authorise the new supplier to cancel your old contracts. If deadlines are tight, also cancel in writing yourself.
- On the day supply starts, read both meters, take a photo and send the readings to the new supplier.
- Check the final bills from your old suppliers and the first instalments from the new one.
After signing, you normally have a 14-day right of withdrawal. Your old supplier must confirm the cancellation, and your supply is never cut off in the process. The Verbraucherzentrale NRW describes the process in more detail.
A word on safety. The Federal Network Agency warns about phone calls asking for meter numbers. This information is enough to start a supplier switch. Only give out your meter number and market location ID when you are arranging a switch yourself.
How important is one contact for electricity and gas from a single source?
For many households, a fixed contact is the real reason for choosing a combined tariff. If you get electricity and gas from a single source, you only need to call one place about instalments, meter readings or a move, and all your documents are in one customer account.
This shows most when something goes wrong: a large back payment, an estimated rather than actual meter reading, or a move to a new flat. With one supplier, you sort out such cases in one conversation instead of two. This matters especially when you move, because electricity and gas have to be cancelled and registered at the same time. You can read how this works for electricity in our guide registering electricity in a new flat.
You can also get a single contact without a combined tariff. If a local advice service manages your contracts, keeps track of your deadlines and does the comparison when prices rise, you also have one place for all your questions, and you can still choose two separate contracts if that is cheaper. That is exactly what we do in our advice on electricity, gas, internet and mobile contracts.
Customer service in your own language is more than a comfort here. If you cannot fully understand an annual bill, a price change letter or a cancellation confirmation, it is easy to miss a deadline. An explanation in Turkish, Kurdish or Arabic prevents such mistakes before they cost money.
Frequently asked questions about combined electricity and gas tariffs
Can I cancel only the electricity or only the gas on a combined tariff?
Yes, normally these are two supply contracts that you can cancel separately. Check first, however, whether this means losing a combination discount on the remaining contract.
Will I only get one bill on a combined tariff?
Many suppliers put electricity and gas on one bill or in one customer account. Consumption and prices are still shown separately, because there are two meters.
What happens to my combined tariff if I move house?
Both contracts have to be updated to the new address. If the supplier cannot deliver there on the same terms, you have a special right of cancellation. Find out early whether the new flat has a gas connection at all.
Can I get a combined tariff with green electricity?
Yes, many suppliers combine green electricity with conventional gas or with a gas tariff that contains biogas. Here too, look at the annual cost and the contract term, not just the label.
Combined electricity and gas tariffs with Connected Mobile
We compare both routes for you: a combined tariff and the best combination of two single tariffs, each calculated with your real consumption and without bonuses. We then cancel your old contracts, register the new ones and keep track of your deadlines – in our shops in Moers and Duisburg, in German, Turkish, Kurdish or Arabic. You can find out more about our services on our page for private customers, and more guides on the Connected Mobile Blog. Bring your last annual bills for electricity and gas, or send us a photo on WhatsApp – we will work out whether a combined tariff pays off for you.