3-Year Fixed-Rate Energy Contract + Lowest-Priced Option (2026)

A 3-year fixed-rate contract isn't a smart choice right now due to high gas prices

Gas prices are currently much higher than usual due to the unrest in the Middle East. Energy suppliers are passing those higher purchase prices directly on to new fixed-term contracts. A 3-year contract is therefore a less wise choice right now: you’re locking in a high gas price for a very long time, even if the market drops again later.

A one-year contract is a wiser choice right now. Not only are these contracts cheaper on an annual basis and provide you with price certainty in the medium term, but you also avoid being locked into excessively high rates for a very long time.

Geert Wirken Energy expert

Which energy supplier offers the cheapest 3-year fixed-rate plan?

The energy supplier currently offering the cheapest 3-year energy contract is ENGIE. You’ll pay €182.85 per month for 2,500 kWh of electricity and 1,000 m³ of gas. This includes a welcome discount of €700.00.

Here are the top 10 cheapest energy suppliers with 3-year fixed-rate plans:

Supplier	Discount	Monthly price
ENGIE	€ 700.00	€ 182.85	View
Innova Energie	€ 355.00	€ 183.19	View
Energiedirect	€ 400.00	€ 184.50	View
UnitedConsumers	€ 600.00	€ 185.01	View
Budget Thuis	€ 450.00	€ 185.87	View
Vattenfall	€ 450.00	€ 192.64	View
Vandebron	€ 420.00	€ 192.99	View
Eneco	€ 350.00	€ 193.41	View
Essent	€ 350.00	€ 199.94	View
Delta	Low fixed price	€ 200.36	View

Last updated on July 24, 2026.

The cheapest supplier may vary depending on your situation. This depends on your electricity and gas usage and whether you have solar panels.

So use the energy comparison tool to find the cheapest supplier for a 3-year fixed-rate plan, based on your postal code and energy usage.

Compare 3-year contracts

Which is better: 3 years or 1 year?

Is it a good idea to sign a 3-year energy contract? Yes, if you want price certainty for the long term and don’t want to have to worry about your energy contract every year.

However, a 1-year energy contract is usually a better choice because these contracts are cheaper. Currently, a 3-year contract in July is, on average, €168 more expensive per year than a 1-year contract.

Still unsure? Learn more about when it’s better to choose a 3-year or 1-year fixed-term contract.

Benefits of a 3-year fixed-term contract

Always a fixed rate with no price increases
Longer-term security and no need to worry about your energy

Benefits of a 1-year fixed-term contract

Lower rates
Enjoy a cashback every year

3-Year Fixed-Rate Energy Contract with Solar Panels

Our advice: We recommend opting for a one-year contract rather than a three-year one for solar panels right now, as we expect feed-in costs to decrease starting next year. It would be a shame to lock in rates that are too high right now.

Also, not all suppliers have yet announced their new terms for 2027 without net metering, such as feed-in costs and feed-in tariffs. As long as you can’t compare all suppliers on the same terms for the long term, we recommend a one-year contract so you’ll be free to compare and switch sooner.