Energy certificate cost: 10 online providers compared

Joost Jansky

Energieberater, Blogger

Transparency: This article was commissioned by energyausweis.de. We have nevertheless aimed to keep the assessment as objective as possible. We cannot hide that we are particularly convinced by energyausweis.de. By showing the pros and cons of other providers, we enable you to make an informed decision.

We only included providers that meet our minimum standards for quality and transparency. We then present the 3 best providers in short profiles and highlight what makes them stand out.

How large do you think the price range between providers is? Are the more expensive offers better? We answer these questions and more in this comparison so you can choose an affordable certificate that fits your needs.

Energy certificate cost: Products for residential buildings

Before we present the price analysis, a few words on the products. For residential buildings there are two types: the cheaper consumption-based certificate, based on actual consumption, and the demand-based certificate, which is more complex to calculate and therefore more expensive.

We describe which type applies to you in our energy certificate guide. In short: the consumption-based certificate uses real consumption over the last three years, weatheradjusted and normalised. The demand-based certificate is based on a simulation of theoretical demand, taking building geometry and technical systems into account. One provider also offers the Energyausweis Smart™, which combines both and shows the better efficiency class (€129). You can read more about it later in the article.

Selection criteria and minimum standards

We selected providers in several steps. First we searched for as many energy certificate providers as possible and kept those offering certificates nationwide. From over 30 candidates we filtered out many local providers (e.g. municipal utilities). That left 17 issuers.

In a second step we checked minimum standards: SSL-secured website, proper legal notice, clear terms, a company based in Germany and a consistent privacy policy. We also checked for major complaints. Not all sites passed. We were left with the 10 online providers in this comparison. All of them meet a quality standard you can expect for a legally valid certificate.

Overview of online energy certificate providers

The market for online energy certificate providers has grown strongly. With our broad criteria, only 10 issuers remained. These providers specialise in energy certificates and use modern technology for a smooth process. The following online providers are included:

Average energy certificate cost in Germany

Prices are not set by law. Despite strong competition, the range between providers is large. Consumption-based certificates currently vary between €40 and €120; demand-based certificates vary even more (from about €60 to €600). The chart below shows the differences. Circle size reflects the gap between each provider’s consumption-based and demand-based price.

On the left you see providers with the lowest average prices (average of consumption-based and demand-based). Three groups emerge: the cheapest under €80 (4 providers), a middle group around €80–100 (2 providers) and the most expensive well over €100 (4 providers). The overall average across all compared providers is €133.

Consumption-based certificate cost in Germany

Consumption-based prices in detail:

The picture is similar: the cheapest group is under €50, the middle group around €70, the most expensive charge over €100 for a consumption-based certificate. Average price for consumption-based certificates is €70.

Demand-based certificate cost in Germany

Demand-based prices are on average higher than consumption-based. The order of providers is similar. Cheapest group under €100, middle around €125, most expensive over €200. Average for demand-based certificates is €195.

Tip: If you are not yet sure which type you need, look at providers that offer both at good prices. The price ranking in the first chart is a good indicator.

Online vs on-site service

This comparison only covers online prices. Some providers also offer on-site service; expect significantly higher prices (from about €300 to €800). If you are willing to provide building data yourself, you can save a lot. The table below compares online and on-site service.

You do not need to worry about legal validity: digitally produced certificates are legally valid and accepted by authorities and banks.

Tips for choosing the right provider

There are many providers at low prices. Besides cost, consider quality, mobile data entry, data protection and innovation. We rated each of the 10 providers in five categories on a 1–5 star scale. Only one provider received 5 stars in all categories.

Note: Some providers offer a non-binding “preview” of the result. In our view it is dispensable, as the result often changes when the consultant has follow-up questions or checks consistency. A preview cannot properly account for free-text entries.

Certificate quality

We rated quality by: personal review of results by a certified energy consultant, and use of software with the Gütegemeinschaft Gebäudebilanzierung e.V. certification. Only 2 issuers state they use certified software; 4 state that an energy consultant personally checks results. Issuers get at least 2 stars (minimum standards); extra stars for consultant review and certified software. Full criteria = 5 stars.

Mobile data entry

Mobile data entry lets you capture data from different parts of the building (e.g. measuring a wall, photographing the heating system). We tested display and speed on smartphone and tablet, and photo upload over Wi‑Fi. Optimisation for smartphone and tablet each gives stars; fast upload of photos and documents gives another. All criteria = 5 stars.

Protection of personal data

You provide a lot of personal data. We looked at: clear privacy policy, whether data stays with the company and is used only for the certificate, and whether providers avoid heavy tracking (e.g. Google, Facebook). Stars are awarded for a consistent policy, explicit data retention and purpose, and use of privacy-friendly analytics.

Product innovation

The market is evolving. A notable innovation is the Energyausweis Smart™ from energyausweis.de: both certificate types are calculated and the better efficiency class is issued. Another option is data capture via video call (offered by energieausweis48.de; this variant costs around €280). Practical extras (e.g. printed certificate, callback service, chat, phone advice) also count. Unique innovations = 5 stars; practical extras = 3 stars; regular website updates = 1 star.

Rating of the 10 providers in this comparison

Together with average price we show the rating in the 5 categories. Price and quality count double in the overall score; the other categories count once.

Portraits of the top 3 providers

1st: energyausweis.de

energyausweis.de is the best provider in this comparison. It offers not only good prices but high certificate quality, the best mobile data entry, strong data protection and innovative products such as the Energyausweis Smart™ (both types calculated, better efficiency class issued). Extras like a callback service are included. We recommend this provider.

2nd: engiwo.de

engiwo.de is the cheapest provider. There are some trade-offs on quality (no certified software) and mobile data entry is not as good as energyausweis.de. Still, engiwo.de is a solid choice, especially for price and free extras. Worth considering if you want a very low-cost option.

3rd: energieausweis-vorschau.de

energieausweis-vorschau.de made the top 3 despite higher prices. It scores on certificate quality and data protection. Mobile data entry is better than engiwo.de but not as good as energyausweis.de. It stands out on extras. A good option if you want an established provider.

Conclusion

All providers in this comparison can issue legally valid certificates. Prices vary considerably, so comparison pays off. Do not look only at price — also consider quality, mobile data entry, data protection and innovation.

Our rating shows clear differences. The best in our comparison are energyausweis.de, engiwo.de and energieausweis-vorschau.de. They offer good prices plus quality, user-friendly data entry, data protection and innovative products or extras. If you are looking for a good, affordable provider, look at these three first.

To save more on cost, see also: Free energy certificate: how to avoid the cost and Energy certificate costs tax-deductible.