Compare AGL gas rates and plans

AGL gas plans need the same treatment as any other gas retailer. The useful comparison is total annual gas cost after supply charge, MJ rate, winter demand and any concession support are included.

Quick answer

Compare gas plans by daily supply charge, usage rate in cents per MJ, bill frequency, exit terms and your winter consumption. Victoria does not use a gas default offer benchmark, so the plan document and annual usage history matter more than headline discounts.

Melbourne gas facts to anchor the comparison

Use a full year of MJ usage and compare the daily supply charge with the usage rate. In Victoria, the Winter Gas Concession sits at 17.5% for eligible households and the Excess Gas Concession threshold is $2,598.58. In New South Wales, the NSW Gas Rebate can be worth up to $110, or $121 in an embedded network. These facts matter more than a vague gas-review paragraph.

Retailer and contract checks

Check whether the plan is offered in your postcode, read the current gas fact sheet and compare at least three retailers on the same annual MJ assumption. If the account also includes electricity, compare the gas bill separately so a dual-fuel bundle does not hide a weak gas rate behind an electricity discount.

Supply charge, usage rate and seasonal demand

The supply charge matters most for cooking-only homes and small apartments. The usage rate matters more for households with ducted gas heating or high winter hot-water demand. Never compare one winter month against a low summer bill and call the result annual value.

Concessions and payment support

Confirm any rebate or concession is applied before and after a switch. If the household is on a tight budget, also check payment-plan options and late-fee rules because gas demand often spikes during winter when bills are largest.

What to do before you switch

Use /gas and the relevant state gas page to compare current offers, then test the annual impact with /calculators/gas-cost. Keep annual MJ usage, postcode and concession assumptions consistent across every quote.

Gas bill maths example

A gas quote should be tested with simple annual maths. If a plan is 1 c/MJ cheaper and the home uses 25,000 MJ a year, that is about $250 saved before GST and concessions. If the same plan charges 15 c/day more in fixed supply charge, that adds about $54.75 a year. High-heating households should therefore focus on the MJ rate, while cooking-only homes should focus more on the daily charge.

Melbourne households with gas heating should also think seasonally. Winter bills can be several times larger than summer bills, so a plan that looks fine in February can become expensive in July. A proper comparison uses one full year of usage if possible, not a single mild-weather bill.

Checks for the first bill after switching

The first bill should show the right meter number, bill dates, annualised usage pattern and concession status. If the household receives the Winter Gas Concession or another support payment, make sure it appears. If the daily supply charge or usage rate differs from the fact sheet, raise that immediately rather than waiting for the next winter bill.

Questions worth asking the gas retailer

Ask whether the quote assumes the same annual MJ usage as your recent bills, whether the daily supply charge is fixed for the current benefit period, whether there are direct debit or payment-processing conditions and how quickly the plan can change after a move or meter update. If the household heats with gas, ask how the plan performs on a heavy winter profile rather than a mild-weather estimate.

If the home is all-electric except for cooking, ask the retailer to explain the fixed supply charge in annual dollars so you can judge whether keeping gas connected still makes financial sense. That practical question often matters more than a minor difference in the MJ rate.

Sources and methodology

This guide uses CompareUs gas references, state concession details and practical household gas-usage scenarios. It avoids a static cheapest claim because retailer pricing and usage patterns vary by address.