Fixed or Stock Electricity: Which to Choose?
A simple guide to help you pick the right electricity contract β and save money with smart devices.
What is a Fixed Price Contract?
With a fixed price contract, you pay the same price per kWh for the entire contract period β usually 1 to 3 years. Your electricity seller buys power in advance and locks in the rate for you. The price doesn't change regardless of what happens on the market.
Benefits
- +Predictable monthly bills β no surprises
- +Protection from price spikes during winter
- +Easy to budget β you know exactly what you'll pay
Drawbacks
- -Usually more expensive than the average stock price
- -You can't benefit from cheap hours or negative prices
- -Early termination fees if you want to switch
What is a Stock (Spot) Price Contract?
With a stock price contract, you pay the real-time Nord Pool market price that changes every hour (or every 15 minutes). When there's lots of wind or sun, prices drop β sometimes even to zero or negative. But during cold, windless winter evenings, prices can spike.
Benefits
- +On average 15β30% cheaper than fixed contracts
- +Benefit from cheap hours, negative prices, and weekends
- +With smart devices, you can shift consumption to the cheapest hours automatically
Drawbacks
- -Bills vary month to month β harder to predict
- -Occasional price spikes can cause expensive days
Stock Price + Elewatt = Best of Both Worlds
The main downside of stock pricing is unpredictability. Elewatt solves this by automatically running your biggest consumers β water heaters, heat pumps, EV chargers β only during the cheapest hours. You get stock price savings without manual effort.
How Elewatt works
- Elewatt monitors tomorrow's electricity prices (published daily at 14:00)
- It calculates the cheapest hours for your devices based on your filter settings
- Your Shelly smart relays automatically turn devices on/off at the right times
- You save money without changing your daily routine
Calculate Your Savings
Select which devices you have and see how much you could save with different contract types. The calculator uses average Estonian Nord Pool prices and Elektrilevi grid rates.
With Elewatt you could save ~10 β¬/month (119 β¬/year) compared to a fixed price contract.
Which Grid Package to Choose? (Estonia)
Estonian consumers can choose between different Elektrilevi grid packages. The right choice depends on your consumption pattern and whether you use smart scheduling.
Grid 1
Grid 2
Grid 4
Grid 5
| Package | Day rate | Night rate | Monthly (25A) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grid 1 | 9.57 c/kWh | 9.57 c/kWh | 6.47 β¬ | Low usage, no big consumers |
| Grid 2 | 7.53 c/kWh | 4.35 c/kWh | 10.63 β¬ | Average household, some night usage |
| Grid 4 | 4.58 c/kWh | 2.60 c/kWh | 29.39 β¬ | Very high consumption, lowest per-kWh rates |
| Grid 5 | 6.56 c/kWh | 3.76 c/kWh | 11.58 β¬ | High consumption with smart scheduling |
Rates include VAT (24%) for 25A main fuse. Peak surcharges apply for Grid 5 during NovβMar weekday peaks.
So, Which Should You Choose?
Choose Fixed if...
You have low electricity consumption (under 200 kWh/month), no large devices, and you value predictability above all. Fixed contracts work best for small apartments with minimal usage.
Choose Stock if...
You want to save money and don't mind some variation in your monthly bills. Even without smart devices, stock prices are historically cheaper than fixed contracts on average.
Choose Stock + Elewatt if...
You have large consumers like an electric water heater, heat pump, or EV charger. Elewatt automatically schedules these devices during the cheapest hours. Use the calculator above to find which grid package saves you the most.
Frequently Asked Questions
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