Midday Saver vs A1: which Synergy tariff actually saves you money?

Most Perth households sit on the A1 flat rate because that's the default, not because anyone chose it. Plenty would do better on Midday Saver. A handful already on Midday Saver would do better back on A1. It comes down to one number: how much of your daily power use happens between 3pm and 9pm.

Broadly, under about 20% peak-hour usage, Midday Saver wins clearly. Above about 28%, A1 tends to be cheaper. In between, it's close. The exact crossover moves a little with how much power you use overall: for a typical household using 15-25 kWh a day, it sits around 26-27%, and only climbs toward 28% for very high daily usage. Work out your own evening share and you'll know which plan suits you.

What are the A1 and Midday Saver rates right now?

Synergy resets these rates every financial year. If you're reading this well after 1 July 2026, check the current numbers at synergy.net.au before you decide.

Look at the spread. Midday Saver's super off-peak rate is 73% cheaper than the A1 flat rate. But its peak rate is 66% dearer. The same kilowatt-hour costs you 8.9c at noon or 55.3c at 6pm: a roughly 6.3-fold difference, and it's the lever the whole tariff turns on.

What's the break-even point between A1 and Midday Saver?

Work out what share of your total grid use happens between 3pm and 9pm. Not sure? Your My Synergy usage data will tell you, or upload your bill to the Savings Planner and we'll read it for you.

• Under 20% peak usage: Midday Saver is the clear win. Switch.
• 20-26% peak usage: Midday Saver still comes out ahead, though the margin narrows as that share climbs.
• Around 26-28% peak usage: close to the crossover. Check your own numbers before switching either way.
• Above about 28% peak usage: A1 is usually cheaper. Stay where you are.

Solar households usually land well inside the range where Midday Saver wins. Panels cover most of the midday demand, so the grid power they still buy skews toward the evening, but at a much lower overall share than a no-solar home would run. If you have solar and you're still on A1, there's a good chance it's quietly costing you.

Should I switch to Midday Saver, or stay on A1?

Stay on A1 if you have no solar and your AC, cooking, and evening screens all land between 3pm and 9pm. Families with kids home through that window can easily push well past the crossover point, and for them A1 is usually simpler and cheaper.

Switch to Midday Saver if you have solar of any size, work from home, run a pool pump or hot water during the day, or have a battery. Retirees who are home in daylight hours with solar on the roof are the textbook Midday Saver household. If you've got solar and want the full walkthrough on making the switch, see Should you switch to Synergy's Midday Saver tariff after getting solar?

What would I actually save? Three worked examples

These are illustrative scenarios built on the published Synergy rates above, not figures from real customers. Each one assumes 20 kWh of total daily use, split across the three Midday Saver time bands, with A1 charged at its flat rate on every one of those kilowatt-hours regardless of when you use them. Your own split will differ: it's the method that matters, not the exact numbers.

Scenario A: evening-heavy household, no solar

• 2 kWh in the 9am-3pm window, 3 kWh overnight, 15 kWh between 3pm and 9pm
• A1 cost: $7.84/day (the flat rate applies to all 20 kWh)
• Midday Saver cost: $10.53/day
• A1 wins, by about $980/year

Scenario B: daytime-heavy household, solar or work-from-home

• 12 kWh in the 9am-3pm window, 4 kWh overnight, 4 kWh between 3pm and 9pm
• A1 cost: $7.84/day
• Midday Saver cost: $5.58/day
• Midday Saver wins, by about $825/year

Scenario C: solar plus battery A battery changes the maths again. You charge from cheap midday power (or straight from excess solar) and discharge through the evening, so the expensive 3pm-9pm rate barely touches your bill. How much that's worth depends on your battery size and how much of your charging you can shift into the cheap window: see Midday Saver + battery: how to use off-peak charging to cut your power bill for the full arbitrage numbers.

How do I switch tariffs?

Moving between Synergy tariffs is free and there are a few ways to do it:

1. Online through your My Synergy account
2. By phone on Synergy's line, 13 13 53
3. Timing: a switch usually takes effect within your next billing cycle

No lock-in contract, no switching fee. You can run Midday Saver for a billing period and move back if it doesn't suit.

How does BillWise work out my best tariff?

Upload your bill and BillWise calculates which tariff costs you less, using your actual usage rather than an average. The analysis weighs:

• your usage broken down by time of day
• your solar generation profile, if you have one
• the seasonal swing in your consumption
• what you'd save by shifting specific appliances

Calculate your optimal tariff now →

How do I get the most out of Midday Saver?

Switched across? Here's how to push more of your usage into the 9am-3pm super off-peak window:

1. set timers on the washing machine and dryer for mid-morning
2. schedule the pool pump for the middle of the day
3. pre-cool the house before 3pm so the evening needs less AC
4. charge the EV during the day where you can, or overnight on a smart charger
5. run the dishwasher after lunch instead of after dinner
6. set the hot water to heat during solar hours (electric boosted)

Every kilowatt-hour you move from peak to super off-peak is worth about 46c, and that adds up quickly across a billing period.

Related reading

• How to Reduce Your Electricity Bill in WA - practical wins beyond tariff switching.
• Your Synergy bill explained - a line-by-line look at what you're actually paying for.

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Want to see exactly how much you'd save? Try the Tariff Planner → to model Midday Saver vs A1 with your actual usage pattern, or analyse your current bill → to see where your money is really going.