Energy contract with a gift: cashback in 2026
By Laurens Arends · updated 05-10-2026
This month's gift offers
| Supplier | Discount | Annual price | Net annual price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 ENGIELowest | € 580 bonus | € 2.836 | € 2.256 | View › |
 Innova Energie | € 450 bonus | € 2.730 | € 2.280 | View › |
 Energiedirect | € 500 discount | € 2.852 | € 2.352 | View › |
 Oxxio | € 425 cashback | € 2.813 | € 2.388 | View › |
 Budget Energie | € 360 cashback | € 2.808 | € 2.448 | View › |
In 2026, an energy contract with a gift de facto means a contract with a cash bonus, cashback or loyalty discount. Article 2.2 of the Energiebesluit (Energy Decree) of 3 November 2025 stipulates that, when an energy contract is taken out, suppliers may only provide benefits that are monetary in nature.
So an iPad, games console or gift voucher is no longer allowed. Before 1 January 2026, offering energy with a gift was permitted. During the energy crisis many gift offers temporarily disappeared, but in 2024 and 2025 several suppliers once again offered electronics and gift vouchers. That is now no longer allowed.
The table is updated daily and shows the bonus and the net annual price for your usage. That is important, because the offers differ per supplier, comparison channel and household. Several suppliers offer a welcome bonus with energy, such as Budget Thuis, Vattenfall and Coolblue Energie.
These welcome bonuses only apply to specific contracts and under certain conditions. You can see which suppliers currently offer a cash bonus in the daily updated table. The amount and conditions may differ per supplier, contract, sales channel and usage profile. It is advisable to read these carefully.
What suppliers used to give as gifts
Suppliers used to go all out to attract new customers. Vattenfall offered, among other things, an iPad with an advertised value of € 409, a Bol.com gift card of € 425 and, during Black Friday, even a PlayStation 5 of € 499.
With UnitedConsumers, with a three-year energy contract you could choose from a PlayStation, iPad or Chromebook. Essent, Eneco, DELTA and Coolblue Energie also worked with electronics, choice vouchers and store credit. People who wanted to switch energy often compared the gift variants and based their switching choice on them.
The government ended that construction to make energy contracts easier to compare. A product with the label ‘worth’ was not necessarily worth that much. The same product could be cheaper elsewhere and a gift voucher limited where you could spend the amount.
Moreover, for your personal calculation a product was worth little if you would never buy it without the offer. If in 2026 you still see a page with a free tablet, television or games console, check the date of the offer. It is probably an expired page and not a valid offer for a new contract.
How to calculate the net annual price
Calculate the net annual price
Choose an offer and enter your usage; we offset the bonus against the annual price.
Start with the full estimated annual costs. Add up the variable and fixed supply charges, feed-in charges, grid operator charges, energy tax and VAT. Then subtract the tax reduction, feed-in fee and cash bonus.
Net annual price = supply charges + fixed supply charges + feed-in charges + grid operator charges + taxes and VAT − any tax reduction − feed-in fee − cash bonus
The highest bonus does not have to be the best deal. That is clear from our check of the offer data on 22 August 2026. We calculated with 2.300 kWh electricity usage, 900 m³ gas and 1.500 kWh feed-in per year. An offer from UnitedConsumers came to € 2.400,84 before discount.
After a bonus of € 435, € 1.965,84 remained. In the same comparison Energiedirect offered a € 270 discount, but started with lower annual costs of € 2.227,02. The net annual price therefore came to € 1.957,02. Despite the € 165 higher bonus, UnitedConsumers was € 8,82 more expensive in the end. That is the classic case of paying for your own present.
A high bonus can sometimes really win, too. ENGIE came to € 2.396,96 before discount and gave a € 460 discount in this example. The net annual price came to € 1.936,96, exactly € 20,06 lower than with Energiedirect. The real added value of the offer was not the € 190 difference between the two bonuses, but € 20,06 on the total annual price.
Rates and offers change daily and differ per contract type. The calculation is always a snapshot. So always consult the most up-to-date offers and do not just choose the first energy contract with a gift or bonus that comes along.
Pros and cons of a contract with a gift
A cash bonus has a clear nominal value. You do not have to look up a retail price and are not tied to a shop or product. If the net annual price really is the lowest, a contract with cashback can be a good choice. Do not just compare all deals, but also the net annual price. Do this for contracts with the same term and the same usage data.
An amount of € 400 stands out more than a few cents' difference per kWh or m³. Yet higher supply rates, fixed costs and feed-in charges can completely swallow up the bonus. That is the typical case of paying for your own present. The comparison site may also spread the discount over twelve months, while your supplier may only settle the amount on the annual bill. Your actual advance payment may therefore be higher than the average monthly price in the overview.
What happens if you leave early?
First check whether the offer is an early welcome bonus or a bonus after the full contract term. A loyalty bonus that is only earned at the end may lapse if you do not see out the contract. If you have already received the cash bonus, stricter rules apply.
According to ACM ConsuWijzer a supplier may only reclaim a cash bonus received if you cancel within six months of the start. The amount reclaimed may not be higher than the bonus. After six months you do not have to repay the bonus. Even if the supplier only paid out the bonus after payment of your second instalment, you do not have to repay it.
If you received a physical gift from an old contract, according to ConsuWijzer you never have to return it. When ending a fixed energy contract early, however, a separate cancellation fee may also apply. So ask for that fee before you switch.
Common mistakes with energy deals with a gift
The first mistake is choosing the biggest gift without checking the total price. Always use the same annual usage and compare the net annual price over the full contract term. Another mistake is not reading the offer conditions. Check whether the discount only applies to new customers, whether you have to take both electricity and gas, when the bonus is paid and which payment conditions apply.
According to many offer conditions, payment arrears can have consequences for a bonus you have not yet earned. Finally, do not forget to check the end date. After the agreed offer or contract period has ended, you will not get the same one-off discount again. With a multi-year contract, however, the bonus may be spread over several contract years according to the conditions. So set a reminder and check in good time whether switching is worthwhile.
Frequently asked questions about an energy contract with a gift
The most important questions are usually not about the gift itself, but about the final costs and conditions. The answers below apply to private energy contracts in 2026.
Is an energy contract with a gift smart?
An energy contract with a cash bonus is smart if the net annual price after deducting that bonus is lower than with comparable contracts. So do not just look at the discount amount, but also at the supply rates, fixed costs, feed-in charges, term and conditions. Use this information when you are going to choose an energy contract.
Do I have to pay tax on a gift with my energy contract?
With an ordinary private energy contract, a cash bonus is normally treated as a discount on your private energy costs and not as taxable income. The bonus is also not a gift, because you receive it in return for entering into an energy contract. According to the Belastingdienst, a gift is precisely something for which the recipient does nothing in return.
When will I get my gift?
In 2026 you no longer get a physical gift with an energy contract, but a cash bonus. An early welcome bonus may be paid during the first months of the contract, while a cashback or loyalty bonus is often only settled on the annual bill or after the term has ended. You can find the exact moment of payment in the conditions. Energy suppliers must state these conditions clearly.
What is better: energy with a gift or with a discount ?
Since 1 January 2026, a supplier can only offer a monetary benefit with a new energy contract. Money is more transparent than a product, but a high discount does not automatically make the contract cheaper. The lowest net annual price determines which deal is financially the best.
Do I keep my energy with a bonus if I move house during the contract?
That depends on the offer conditions and on whether you take the contract with you to the new address. In certain offer conditions, such as those of ENGIE (as consulted on 22 August 2026), the bonus is retained when supply is continued at the new address. Always check this for your own offer, because not every supplier applies the same moving conditions. If you instead cancel the contract early, the bonus may lapse and, with a fixed contract, a cancellation fee may also apply.