Compare Amber vs GloBird Energy for Australian homeowners in 2025

Sydney and wider Australian homeowners are asking the same question in 2025: who’s the better energy provider if you’ve invested in solar and a home battery? Two names come up again and again: Amber Electric (Amber) and GloBird Energy. Both offer innovative plans that appeal to households with rooftop solar, but they take very different approaches.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll compare Amber and GloBird across:

• Electricity pricing & feed-in tariffs
• VPP & battery programs (Amber’s “SmartShift” vs GloBird’s “ZeroHero”)
• Battery compatibility, including Fox ESS
• Apps & features
• Customer support & reputation
• Long-term value

We’ll explore how Amber and GloBird compare, highlighting the strengths of each so you can decide which provider best suits your home and energy goals.

Electricity Pricing & Solar Feed-in Tariffs

Amber runs on a wholesale pricing model. For a flat subscription fee (typically around $25/month) you get access to real-time wholesale rates. Prices can drop very low (even negative) when the grid is flooded with renewables, then spike significantly in the evening peak.

This means that:

• You could pay very little per kWh during low demand/large solar export times.
• But when wholesale prices spike you may pay substantially more. Amber openly states that “when there is reduced capacity, volatility or disruptions in the market, price spikes can occur … we can see the wholesale price reach ~$19/kWh (inc. GST)”.
• In addition, Amber’s price updates happen every 30 minutes, which means your rate can change often.



Key point: Amber’s model gives upside if you actively manage your battery/solar and shift usage, but it comes with price-risk due to volatility and frequent changes.

By contrast, GloBird’s ZeroHero plan keeps things simpler and more predictable. Their model offers fixed time-of-use rates plus specific perks: for example, free grid power from 11 am–2 pm daily for battery charging. GloBird’s solar feed-in tariffs tend to be more modest but stable — typically around 8–10¢/kWh (or under ZeroHero: 0¢ midday, up to 15¢ in the evening peak).

Bottom line: If you prefer predictable bills with minimal variability, GloBird is the friendlier choice. If you’re comfortable managing your usage and willing to tolerate fluctuation for higher upside, Amber may offer more — but with greater risk.

Amber SmartShift vs GloBird ZeroHero VPP

Amber SmartShift™ is a true automated virtual-power-plant (VPP) style program: their platform monitors the market 24/7, charges your battery when electricity is cheap and discharges it when prices spike, allowing you to keep 100 % of the profit (after the subscription).

GloBird’s ZeroHero uses a different tactic: it doesn’t require full automation of your battery, instead it gives clear fixed incentives to manage it more manually:

• “ZeroCharge” — free grid charging 11am–2pm daily.
• A credit (e.g., $1/day) if you use almost no grid power in the evening peak
• FiT up to ~15¢/kWh for the first 10 kWh exported at night
• Optional “ZeroLimits” dispatch payout in rare grid-emergency events

Key difference: Amber hands more control (and more risk) to the household + their battery automation; GloBird keeps control simpler and expects less intervention from the customer — trading off some upside for lower complexity.

Home Battery Compatibility (Fox ESS and Others)

Amber supports a broad list of batteries: Tesla, BYD, Sungrow, AlphaESS — and crucially for many of our customers, Fox ESS is officially compatible with Amber SmartShift in 2025, meaning full automation is possible.

GloBird also supports major brands — including Tesla, Sungrow, AlphaESS and Fox ESS — so if you own a Fox ESS battery you can access GloBird’s ZeroHero incentives.

Verdict: Both providers support the major battery brands relevant to our installations (including Fox ESS), so compatibility is not a differentiator. The difference remains one of automation vs simplicity.

Apps & Features

Amber App features:

• Live wholesale pricing, forecasts, alerts.
• Real-time view of usage, solar generation, battery status.
• Manual override controls (“charge now”, “export now”, “hold reserve”).
• Automation via SmartShift.

GloBird App is more basic:

• Simple account and billing features.
• Usage history and meter reads.
• Battery scheduling is handled through your inverter/app, not GloBird’s central platform.

If you want transparency and full control, Amber’s app is more advanced. If you prefer simplicity and set-and-forget, GloBird’s app covers the basics well.

Customer Support & Reputation

Here is where GloBird shines. GloBird has built a reputation for strong customer service and simplicity. In reviews, many households highlight ease of phone support and responsiveness.

Amber, while innovative and fast-growing, has at times struggled to maintain top-tier response times, especially during rapid growth phases. Example: forums highlight frustration with bill spikes and slower follow-up.

Additional claim: GloBird has a customer base that is 3 to 4 times larger than Amber’s (for solar-battery households) — giving greater scale and support infrastructure. (Note: please verify the exact figure before publishing.)

We know Amber publicly states the wholesale model and volatility risks — which mean the customer must be fairly active to manage costs.

Given the user-friendliness, the support, and the simplicity of plan design, GloBird is increasingly the choice of households who want reliable service and fewer surprises.

Long-Term Value & Flexibility

Amber is perfectly aligned with the renewable future. As more solar floods the grid, midday power will get cheaper, and evening peaks more valuable — meaning more opportunities for SmartShift to save and earn. Add an EV, and Amber can even optimise charging when prices go negative.

However, at the same time, Amber’s value depends heavily on user behaviour (shifting loads, using a battery, monitoring the app). For less active households, the upside may not be realised — and the risk of high spot prices remains.

GloBird offers steady value with fewer moving parts. Its perks (free midday charging, fixed time-of-use etc.) may not scale as dramatically in a deeply renewables-dominated market, but the reduced risk and greater predictability are major advantages.

Important amendment: GloBird’s plan also means fewer unpredictable spikes — especially relevant in a volatile wholesale market where even well-set households can be caught out by unexpected price spikes.

Both providers have no lock-in contracts, so you can switch if your needs change.

So, Which Is Better in 2025?

Both Amber and GloBird bring something valuable to the table.

• Amber is ideal if you’re a proactive solar-battery household, happy to engage actively with the system, and want to maximise ROI. But you must accept the risk of price volatility and more hands-on operation.
• GloBird is an excellent choice for those who prefer a simpler, more reliable model: a provider with a larger customer base (3-4× Amber in this niche), fewer surprises, and top-tier phone support.

Our revised recommendation: For households installing a battery and keen to optimise every dollar, Amber remains compelling. But for the vast majority of solar-battery homes, especially those seeking peace of mind, solid service and predictable savings, GloBird is increasingly the smarter, lower-risk choice we at Aussie Solar Batteries are proud to partner with.

👉 Ready to see what a battery can do for your home? Try our Solar Battery Rebate Calculator, or explore our battery bundles including Fox ESS, now compatible with both Amber and GloBird.