Compare And Connect
Compare and Connect is a Melbourne-based Australian utility comparison and connection platform owned by Origin Energy, serving residential and SMB customers in NSW, VIC, QLD, and SA with electricity, gas, broadband, insurance, and finance plan comparisons via a free web platform and call centre, monetised through retailer referral commissions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Compare And Connect does
Compare and Connect (legally Residential Connections Pty Ltd, ABN 63 612 925 434) is an Australian consumer utility comparison and connection platform founded in 2014 and headquartered in Melbourne. The platform aggregates plans from 14+ Australian energy retailers alongside broadband, pay TV, life insurance, home loans, personal loans, credit cards, savings accounts, and gas bottle providers, allowing residential and small business customers to compare and switch services in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia — the four states with deregulated electricity and gas markets. The product is a web-based address-matched comparison engine supplemented by a bill-upload feature for usage-based recommendations, with same-day and next-day electricity connection options for moving customers. Distribution is dual-channel: a self-serve website optimised for organic search on city/state-specific queries, and a Melbourne-based phone sales team reachable at 1300 685 001 during AEST business hours.
The business model is a freemium affiliate referral model: the service is free to consumers, with no mark-up on plan prices, and the company earns a commission from the energy retailer (or other provider) when a customer successfully switches through the platform. Customer acquisition is driven by SEO, content marketing (a News & Tips blog covering tariffs and broadband options), earned media coverage (Herald Sun, Financial Review, Seven, SBS, Canberra Times), and referral partnerships with adjacent home-services brands such as Muval (removalists) and ecosystem partners including YourPorter, 1bill, and Fast Connect (NZ). The company is wholly owned by Origin Energy Limited, one of Australia's largest energy retailers, and operates with 51-100 employees. It is a voluntary member of the Energy Comparator Code of Conduct (ECCC) and reports over 500,000 cumulative service outcomes processed since inception. Despite Origin ownership, Compare and Connect presents itself as impartial, listing Origin alongside competitor retailers on its comparison pages.
Compare And Connect firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Compare And Connect
- Legal name
- Residential Connections Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://compareandconnect.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Compare and Connect is a Melbourne-based Australian utility comparison and connection platform owned by Origin Energy, serving residential and SMB customers in NSW, VIC, QLD, and SA with electricity, gas, broadband, insurance, and finance plan comparisons via a free web platform and call centre, monetised through retailer referral commissions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Compare And Connect industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Utility Comparison Services
- SIC
- Electric & Other Services Combined (4931), Gas & Other Services Combined (4932)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auto-Switching & Price Comparison Platforms (EUAGAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Energy Supplier Partner Networks / White-Label Brokerage Programs (EUAGAEAK), Lead Generation, Comparison & Marketplace Platforms (Financial Products) (FSAEAMAM), Comparison Shopping & Price Discovery Portals (BPAMAAAJ), Supplier Tendering / RFP Management & Contract Negotiation Services (EUAGAEAE)
Keywords
Where Compare And Connect is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Compare And Connect business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Referral Commission from Energy Retailers: Compare and Connect earns a commission from the energy provider that the customer selects and switches to. This commission is described as a cost-effective advertising mechanism for partners to acquire new customers. The service is free for customers — no mark-up on plan prices, no subscription fee. Revenue is contingent on a successful provider switch being completed.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free utility comparison and connection service |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Compare And Connect product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Compare and Connect is a free consumer-facing comparison and connection platform that aggregates electricity, gas, broadband, life insurance, home loan, personal loan, credit card, savings account, pay TV and bottled gas plans from multiple Australian providers. Customers enter their address or upload their bill to receive a personalised comparison of available plans and the company handles the entire switching process, including notifying the outgoing provider, on the customer's behalf. The service covers NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia and is monetised through commissions paid by energy retailers upon a successful customer switch.
Product overview
Compare & Connect is a consumer utility comparison and connection platform operated by Residential Connections Pty Ltd and owned by Origin Energy Limited. The platform offers comparison and connection services for electricity, gas, broadband, life insurance, home loans, personal loans, credit cards, savings accounts, pay TV, and gas bottles. The core product is the electricity and gas comparison service available across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia, with state-specific pages for each region. Additional services include a bill upload feature for personalized comparisons, a moving home connection service with same-day/next-day electricity connections, and callback scheduling with expert consultants. The service is free for consumers, monetized through commissions from energy providers after successful connections.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Electricity & Gas Plan Comparison Primary comparison service allowing users to enter their address and view electricity and gas plans from multiple Australian energy retailers, including state-specific variants for NSW (Endeavour Energy, Ausgrid, Essential Energy distributor regions), Victoria (United Energy, Powercor, Ausnet, Jemena, Citipower), Queensland (Energex, Ergon Energy — Brisbane and South East Queensland) and South Australia (SA Power Networks). Customers can compare regular plans and special deals available at their location and connect to a chosen provider through Compare and Connect.
- Broadband Comparison Comparison service for home and business internet plans in Australia, including NBN and home wireless broadband options from multiple providers. Customers can compare plans and arrange connection through Compare and Connect.
- Life Insurance Comparison Comparison service for life insurance policies from multiple Australian providers, enabling customers to review options in one place and connect with a chosen insurer.
- Home Loan Comparison Comparison service for home loan products and mortgage options from various Australian financial institutions, allowing customers to review options and connect with a chosen lender.
- Personal Loan Comparison Comparison service for personal loan products from multiple Australian lenders, enabling customers to review options in one place and connect with a chosen lender.
- Credit Card Comparison Comparison service for credit card products from various Australian financial institutions, allowing customers to review options and connect with a chosen card issuer.
- Savings Account Comparison Comparison service for savings account products from multiple Australian banks and financial institutions, enabling customers to review options and connect with a chosen provider.
- Pay TV Comparison Comparison service for pay TV providers in Australia, including Foxtel, allowing customers to review plans and connect with a chosen provider.
- Gas Bottle Comparison Comparison service for bottled gas/LPG providers, allowing customers to review options and connect with a chosen supplier.
- Moving Home Connection Service End-to-end utility connection assistance for customers moving homes, including same-day and next-day electricity connection options (requests before 11am AEST on business days for same-day, before 4pm AEST the prior business day for next-day), coordination of gas and internet connections and handling of disconnection requests with the outgoing provider.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 500,000 cumulative services processed (electricity, gas, broadband, phone, pay TV, water) since inception
Companies that use Compare And Connect
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Compare And Connect technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Compare And Connect partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- 1st EnergycoreEnergy retailer partner available via both website and call centre in Adelaide and other deregulated markets.
- ActewAGLcoreEnergy retailer partner available via both website and call centre across multiple Australian markets.
- AGLcoreMajor Australian energy retailer partner available via both website and call centre across all deregulated markets.
- Alinta EnergycoreEnergy retailer partner available via both website and call centre.
- Blue NRGcoreEnergy retailer partner available via both website and call centre.
- Dodo Power and GascoreEnergy retailer partner (brand under the Dodo group) available via both website and call centre.
- EnergyAustraliacoreMajor Australian energy retailer partner available via both website and call centre.
- Energy LocalscoreEnergy retailer partner available via both website and call centre.
- Lumo EnergycoreEnergy retailer partner available via both website and call centre.
- Momentum EnergycoreEnergy retailer partner available via both website and call centre.
- OVO EnergycoreEnergy retailer partner available via both website and call centre across multiple markets.
- PowershopcoreEnergy retailer partner (a Meridian brand) available via both website and call centre.
- Red EnergycoreEnergy retailer partner (sister brand to Lumo Energy) available via both website and call centre.
- MuvalminorReferral partnership with Muval (removalist comparison service). Muval refers moving-home customers to Compare and Connect with tracking parameters (ref=compareconnect&utm_source=referral&utm_campaign=affiliate).
- 1billminorPartner site under the same ecosystem (1bill Holdings). Listed as a partner site on the Compare and Connect footer, offering complete bill management tools.
- YourPorterminorPartner site listed in footer. YourPorter connects utility services for customers, part of the same commercial ecosystem.
- Fast Connect (NZ)minorNew Zealand counterpart platform under the same ecosystem. Listed as a partner site for home connections in New Zealand.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Compare And Connect competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Selectra Australia: Selectra operates an Australian energy and telco comparison and switching service targeting residential customers. It directly competes with Compare and Connect in electricity and gas comparison across the same deregulated markets.
- Canstar: Canstar is an Australian financial product research and comparison platform covering energy, banking, insurance, and superannuation. It is comparable as a consumer-facing comparison destination with similar revenue models built on referrals and partnerships.
- Compare the Market Australia: Compare the Market is a major Australian comparison site covering energy, broadband, insurance, and finance. It competes directly for the same residential customer switch intent and operates with a similar retailer-commission revenue model.
- iSelect: iSelect is Australia's largest comparison platform for energy, broadband, insurance, and finance products. It directly competes with Compare and Connect in electricity and gas switching across the same deregulated markets, with a similar panel-driven commission model.
- Mozo: Mozo is an Australian price comparison service covering energy, banking, insurance, and telco. It directly competes with Compare and Connect in electricity and gas comparison while also overlapping in financial product comparison.
- Finder: Finder is a leading Australian comparison and consumer finance platform covering energy, broadband, insurance, and financial products. It overlaps with Compare and Connect across electricity, gas, broadband, and personal finance comparison with similar affiliate revenue mechanics.
Broad incumbents
- AGL Energy: AGL is one of Australia's largest energy retailers and a panel partner on Compare and Connect. While a direct customer rather than peer, AGL's own direct digital acquisition channel competes with third-party comparators for the same switching customers.
- EnergyAustralia: EnergyAustralia is a major Australian energy retailer and a partner on the Compare and Connect panel. Its direct retail channels and bundled offers compete for the same switching customer base that comparators serve.
- Origin Energy: Origin Energy is the parent company of Compare and Connect and one of Australia's largest energy retailers. While not a competitive peer, Origin's direct retail channel is structurally adjacent to and influences the comparator business through ownership and panel dynamics.
Regional players
- 1st Energy: 1st Energy is a smaller Australian energy retailer focused on South Australia and select deregulated markets. It is comparable as a panel partner on the platform but competes at a regional level for customers within its service areas.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Compare And Connect social profiles
Digital presenceCompare And Connect compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Compare And Connect financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Compare And Connect leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Compare And Connect funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Compare And Connect M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Compare And Connect
What does Compare And Connect do?
Compare and Connect is a free consumer-facing comparison and connection platform that aggregates electricity, gas, broadband, life insurance, home loan, personal loan, credit card, savings account, pay TV and bottled gas plans from multiple Australian providers. Customers enter their address or upload their bill to receive a personalised comparison of available plans and the company handles the entire switching process, including notifying the outgoing provider, on the customer's behalf. The service covers NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia and is monetised through commissions paid by energy retailers upon a successful customer switch.
Is Compare And Connect a public or private company?
Compare And Connect is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Compare And Connect founded?
Compare And Connect was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Compare And Connect based?
Compare And Connect is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Compare And Connect make money?
One revenue line is on record: referral Commission from Energy Retailers.
Who are Compare And Connect's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Selectra Australia, Canstar, Compare the Market Australia, iSelect, Mozo and Finder. Broad incumbents are AGL Energy, EnergyAustralia and Origin Energy. 1st Energy is listed as a regional player.
Does Compare And Connect have an API?
No public API is recorded for Compare And Connect.
What industry is Compare And Connect in?
Compare And Connect's product category is Utility Comparison Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAGAEAD, Auto-Switching & Price Comparison Platforms, with a secondary code of EUAGAEAK, Energy Supplier Partner Networks / White-Label Brokerage Programs. Its SIC code is 4931.