Nova Energy review

Nova Energy is a mid-sized New Zealand energy retailer that sells electricity, natural gas, broadband and mobile to households. That combination puts it in a small group: most retailers do power and maybe one other thing, and Nova covers the full utility set.

What Nova Energy actually offers

Nova's household proposition is breadth. Alongside electricity it sells natural gas, which immediately makes it relevant to the large number of North Island homes with piped gas for hot water, heating or cooking. It also sells broadband and mobile.

For a household that would rather deal with one company than four, that is the whole pitch, and it is a legitimate one. Consolidating utilities does not automatically save money, but it reliably saves administration, and dual-fuel accounts are frequently better value than splitting power and gas across two retailers.

We were not able to confirm a sign-up credit, a standard contract term or an exit fee from Nova's own site when we checked on 27 July 2026. Rather than print numbers we cannot stand behind, we have left those blank. That is not a criticism of Nova. It reflects what is publicly stated, and it does mean these are the first questions to ask when you enquire.

Who it suits

Nova suits dual-fuel households. If you have mains gas, the shortlist of retailers who can supply both fuels is not long, and Nova is on it.

It suits people who want a single supplier for everything: power, gas, internet and phone on one account.

And it suits anyone who would rather deal with a mid-sized company than one of the big four. A smaller customer base is not automatically better service, but it does tend to mean a company that has to compete on how it treats people.

What to watch

Get the commercial terms in writing. Because we could not verify a contract term or exit fee from public information, treat these as open questions. Ask specifically: is there a fixed term, how long, and what does it cost to leave early. A good answer is easy for a retailer to give.

There is no verified environmental claim. Nova does not appear to make a renewable or carbon-neutral claim about its electricity that we could confirm. If generation source is a deciding factor for you, Meridian and Mercury are the two companies here that make that claim about their own generation.

Brand familiarity is lower. Nova is less visible than the big four, which means fewer people around you will have an opinion about it. That cuts both ways. It is not a reason to avoid them, but it does mean doing your own checking rather than relying on reputation.

How Nova Energy compares

Against Contact and Genesis, Nova competes on the same dual-fuel-plus-telco ground with a smaller footprint. Against Pulse Energy, it is the closest comparison among the companies we list: both are mid-sized, both do power and gas, both are less well known than the big four.

Against Meridian and Mercury, Nova does not make an equivalent renewable-generation claim, so if that is your priority the comparison is straightforward.

As with every company we list, we do not yet show what Nova's power costs. Electricity is priced by network region, user type and meter configuration, and we are collecting rate files from the companies directly rather than estimating. Compare on what is verifiable, and get the terms confirmed by Nova before you commit.