Welcome to Germany. No German? No problem!

Starting life in Germany shouldn't mean fighting bureaucracy or parsing 20-page German utility contracts. Ostrom embraces you with 100% digital & green power in English.

3 simple steps to green energy in Germany

We stripped away the 20-page forms, German bureaucracy, and 2-year contract traps. Never struggle again, because nobody speaks English.

Step 1
Understand the system
Germany's electricity network is managed by local grid operators, while suppliers like Ostrom provide your electricity. Switching suppliers never interrupts your power, and all you need to sign up is your home's meter number (Zählernummer).
Step 2
Pick a tariff
Choose between SimplyFair, with  green electricity at a fair price and monthly cancelation, or SimplyDynamic, which follows hourly market prices.
Step 3
Signup to Ostrom
We’ll take care of cancelling your old provider and setting up your new contract, so there’s nothing you need to do. The entire signup process and our customer support are available in English. Once your switch is complete, you can track your usage, submit meter readings, and manage your bills in the Ostrom App - 100% digital & in English.

Electricity in Germany

Navigating utility bills can be confusing. Here is what to expect of your electricity experience:

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1. Sign up to a provider
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Choose an electricity provider & tariff that fits your plans and budget. At Ostrom we have short-term and long term plans, whatever fits you best. Once you decided on one, we will take care of the registration and contract switch.

2. Pay your monthly deposit
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You pay a fixed monthly amount (Abschlag) based on estimated usage. This acts as a rolling deposit so you don't get hit with a single giant bill.

3. Do meter readings
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Submit your meter reading through our English app once a year, or monthly if you want to keep track on your consumption. If it deviates from your estimation you can adjust your monthly payment any time.

4. Final invoice after 12 Months
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After a year, we compare your actual against your estimated usage. Overpaid? You get money back immediately. Underpaid? You pay the difference. Add regular Meter readings to keep track of your consumption and to prevent a back payment (“Nachzahlung”).

Why expats choose Ostrom

Traditional German energy providers still rely on snail mail and fax machines. We built a modern energy provider fit for the 21st century.

Run by an international team

We know exactly what you are going through. The Ostrom team  comes from 16+ nationalities who faced the exact same language barriers, confusing letters, and rigid system contracts.

All in English

No more copying and pasting confusing German utility letters into Google Translate (or ChatGPT). Manage your deposit, submit meter readings, check bills and chat with our Support - entirely in English.

Flexibility

Stay flexible with Ostrom. Choose one of our monthly tariffs if you don’t want to (or can’t) commit to a 12- or 24-month contract.

100% green energy

Every single kilowatt-hour we supply comes from certified European renewable wind and solar sources. Good for your wallet, good for the planet.

All digital

No fax machines, no paper letters you don't understand. Everything is handled cleanly in our Ostrom App. No more paper waste at your doorstep.

The 4 most asked questions:

#1 Do I need an electricity tariff?
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Yes, when you move into your apartment, you need an electricity contract. If neither you nor your landlord has signed one, you’ll automatically be supplied by the local default provider. However, this is usually the most expensive option, so switching providers is definitely worth it.

#2 What tariff should I choose?
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It’s up to you. At Ostrom, you can choose between flexible monthly plans and fixed-term plans lasting 12 to 24 months. If you’re new to Germany, we recommend starting with our SimplyFair plan, which you can cancel monthly. That way, you’ll stay flexible if your situation changes.

#3 How much energy do I consume a month?
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How much electricity you use depends on a number of factors. The most important one is how many people live in your household. Based on usage data from more than 100,000 Ostrom customers, we estimate average household electricity consumption as follows:

1 person = 1,400 kWh
2 people = 2,300 kWh
3 people = 3,000 kWh
4 people = 3,700 kWh

#4 What information do I need to provide?
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To sign up for an electricity contract, we mainly need your email address and your meter number.

Your email address is especially important because we communicate with you entirely digitally, and you’ll also use it to log in to our app.

Your meter number helps us identify the correct electricity meter so we can register your contract properly. If you can’t find your meter number, you can still sign up with us without it at first. Our support team can help you find the number and add it correctly afterwards.

What Our Customers Are Saying

We take pride in providing excellent customer service. But don’t just take our word for it: Hear it from customers who’ve already made the move to Ostrom.

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Green Energy Made Easy

Switch and save in only 5 minutes

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