MyConnect Review: The Hidden Cost of ‘Free’ Connection

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MyConnect Review: A Quick Recap

• Service Type: Moving Services: Electricity and Gas Connection
• Cost to Use: ‘Free’ to customers (paid by Commission from energy companies)
• Ownership: Owned by Origin Energy Limited
• Customer Satisfaction: 4.5/5 (ProductReview.com.au), though recent feedback highlights complaints about unsolicited calls.
• The Verdict: While convenient, using MyConnect means overpaying by $300 to $700 per year.

The “Moving Day” Dilemma

Moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do. Between packing boxes, hiring removalists, and chasing bond refunds, the last thing you want to worry about is whether the lights will turn on at your new place.

Enter MyConnect. You’ve likely seen their checkbox on your rental application. It promises a free, “one-click” solution to connect your electricity, gas, and internet.

But is “free” really the best deal?

At Energy Umpire, we believe in total transparency. We crunched the numbers to help you decide if the convenience of MyConnect is worth the price tag, or if there is a smarter way to connect.

MyConnect Review: Company History and Overview

What is MyConnect?

MyConnect is an Australian-based utility connection service designed to help movers connect electricity, gas, internet, and pay TV in one go. They market themselves as a “free” time-saving service, often integrated into the rental application process through real estate agents.

Company Overview

• Ownership: A critical detail often missed is that MyConnect is owned by Origin Energy Limited. While they compare several providers, their ownership structure raises valid questions about impartiality.
• Business Model: The service is free for customers because MyConnect receives a commission from the energy company for every customer they sign up.
• Partners: They partner with “leading service providers,” but they do not cover the entire market. This means the “best deal” they offer you is only the best deal on their list, not necessarily the best deal in Australia.

How We Reviewed MyConnect

We analyzed the energy plans offered by MyConnect against the cheapest publicly available plans in the market for typical households in Victoria, NSW, Queensland, and South Australia.

• Our methodology: We compared the “best offer” provided by MyConnect against the actual lowest market rate available directly from retailers across 17 different location/usage scenarios.
• The goal: To determine if the convenience of a connection service comes at the cost of higher ongoing energy bills.
• The result: In 100% of the cases we analyzed, the plan recommended by MyConnect was more expensive than the best market plan available directly.

Pricing Analysis: MyConnect Offers vs. Market Best Prices

When reviewing MyConnect’s recommended electricity and gas plans, we found consistent opportunities for significant savings by ignoring their recommendation and going direct.

MyConnect customers in Victoria are consistently overpaying. On average, the “best” MyConnect offer was roughly $600 more expensive per year than the market leader for electricity and gas.

Those using MyConnect in NSW would overpay by $200-350 for electricity and $450 for gas.The gap widens when you connect multiple services. A household connecting both electricity and gas through MyConnect could be overpaying by over $700.

Queensland customers would overpay by around $300 on electricity and $89 on gas when using MyConnect.

Those using MyConnect in SA would overpay by $340-440 for electricity and $210 for gas. A household connecting both electricity and gas through MyConnect could be overpaying by around $600.

Critical Finding: In NSW and QLD, the “Best Market Plans” often include generous Welcome Credits (ranging from $100 to $200) that MyConnect partner plans often exclude. By going direct, you benefit from both lower rates and these sign-up bonuses.

Why is there a price difference?

It’s not a scam—it’s just a business model.

MyConnect is a business owned by Origin Energy Limited. They provide a free service to you because they earn a commission from the providers they connect you with. Because they only compare plans from their specific partners, they cannot show you the entire market.

If the cheapest deal in Australia is with a company that doesn’t partner with MyConnect, you won’t hear about it.

Why These Numbers Matter: The Cost of Convenience

The data above tells a clear story: MyConnect is rarely, if ever, the cheapest option.

Because MyConnect works with a limited panel of partners (and is owned by Origin Energy), they cannot offer you the absolute cheapest rates in the market if those rates come from a non-partner provider.

What this means for you:

If you connect via MyConnect, you are paying a “convenience premium.”

• Convenience Savings: 5 minutes of comparing and switching
• Financial Cost: $300 – $700 per year in higher bills.

Service Quality: What Customers Are Actually Experiencing

High prices might be acceptable for a premium “concierge” service, but does MyConnect deliver a stress-free experience?

Customer Service Reality

MyConnect holds a 4.5 Star rating on ProductReview.com.au, which suggests many customers are happy with the simplified process. However, a deeper dive into recent qualitative feedback reveals a polarizing experience:

• The Good: Customers who prioritize speed over price often praise the “set and forget” nature of the service.
• The Bad:
  • “Spam” Complaints: A frequent complaint in recent months involves excessive phone calls and SMS messages immediately after tenants sign a lease—even if they haven’t explicitly requested the service yet.
  • Billing Issues: Some users report confusion where the connected retailer was not the one they expected, or promised credits failing to appear on the first bill.
  • Data Privacy: By ticking the “MyConnect” box on a rental application, you are often consenting to your data being shared for marketing purposes, leading to the aforementioned call volume.

Red Flags: When to Avoid MyConnect

Based on our investigation, you should skip MyConnect if:

• ❌ You are budget-conscious: If saving $300–$700 a year matters to you, the 5 minutes it takes to compare plans yourself is the best hourly wage you’ll earn all year.

Conclusion: Is MyConnect Worth It?

The short answer: For the vast majority of renters and movers, no.

While the service is “free” to use, the hidden cost is embedded in your monthly bills. You are effectively paying a premium for the convenience of avoiding a few administrative tasks.

So, what should you do?

We know you have a million things to do before moving day. The idea of spending hours comparing electricity plans sounds exhausting.

But you don’t have to choose between “Easy” and “Cheap.”

At Energy Umpire, we believe you can have both. You don’t need to default to the expensive option just to save time.

Our Recommendation for Movers:

1. Don’t Auto-Tick the Box: When filling out your rental application, pause before ticking the connection service box. It locks you into a limited pool of providers.
2. Spend 5 Minutes to Save $500: Use a transparent comparison service that looks at the whole market, not just a few partners.
3. Let Us Help: We specialize in finding the actual lowest rate for your specific address, ensuring you start your new lease with more money in your pocket.

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