Self-employed and freelancers
An office, studio or small shop with electricity and possibly gas. A standard contract with clear terms is often enough.
Business · Electricity and gas · As of October 2026
Electricity and gas for your business: calculated to fit
Whether you run a practice, a restaurant, a shop or an office: energy is a fixed cost for many businesses. Contracts for businesses partly follow different rules from contracts for private households. MB Finance checks your consumption, explains the differences and compares suitable offers from the suppliers MB Finance works with.
- Self-employed and small businesses
- SLP and RLM
- Net prices
- Negotiable contract terms
What is different for businesses
Many consumer protection rules do not apply to businesses. This mainly concerns the right of withdrawal (Widerrufsrecht): the 14-day right of withdrawal for contracts made by phone, online or away from business premises is only for consumers (§ 312g BGB). If you sign as a business owner, you are usually bound immediately.
Businesses can agree the contract term, notice period and pricing model largely as they wish. Options include, for example, fixed prices for several years or prices based on the electricity exchange. So read the terms especially carefully, above all the rules on automatic renewal.
Offers for business customers are usually shown as net prices without VAT (Mehrwertsteuer). If you compare a business offer with a household tariff, add the VAT first.
Small businesses that use no more than 10,000 kWh a year for professional or commercial purposes count as household customers (Haushaltskunden) under the Energy Industry Act (§ 3 No. 57 EnWG). For example, the rules on basic supply (Grundversorgung) apply to them.
SLP or RLM: how your consumption is measured
How the network operator (Netzbetreiber) records your consumption depends mainly on your annual volume. This affects network charges (Netzentgelte) and the type of offers you get.
Standard load profile (Standardlastprofil, SLP)
- Electricity: usually below 100,000 kWh a year and a connection to the low-voltage grid.
- Gas: usually up to 1.5 million kWh a year and up to 500 kWh per hour of offtake capacity (Ausspeiseleistung).
- The network operator works with a typical consumption pattern instead of values measured over the day.
- Billing is usually based on a unit price (Arbeitspreis) and a standing charge (Grundpreis), similar to private households.
Interval metering (registrierende Leistungsmessung, RLM)
- Applies to larger consumption above these limits.
- The meter records consumption continuously, for electricity in 15-minute intervals.
- Besides the amount of energy, the highest load in kW also counts, for example through a capacity charge (Leistungspreis) in the network charges.
- Offers are usually calculated individually based on your load profile (Lastgang).
Which businesses we get quotes for
Medical and therapy practices
Equipment, air conditioning and opening hours shape consumption. Predictable costs through a price guarantee (Preisgarantie) are often important here.
Restaurants and catering
The kitchen, refrigeration and often gas for cooking or heating mean large volumes. The unit price and the contract term deserve a close look.
Shops and offices
Lighting, tills, IT and air conditioning run for many hours a day. We calculate with your actual consumption data.
Trades and manufacturing
In addition to the supply contract, your business may be able to get relief on electricity tax (Stromsteuer). You can read more about this in the next section.
Electricity tax 2026: relief for manufacturing businesses
The standard electricity tax rate is 2.05 ct/kWh. Since 1 January 2026, companies in the manufacturing sector (produzierendes Gewerbe) and in agriculture and forestry can permanently receive relief down to the EU minimum rate of 0.05 ct/kWh. The Bundestag decided this in November 2025.
You only get the relief if you apply to the customs administration (Zoll). It is only granted to the extent that the relief amount exceeds €250 in a calendar year (§ 9b StromStG): the first €250 each year is not refunded. Retail, restaurants, pure service providers and offices without production do not benefit from it.
Please check with your tax adviser or with customs whether your business counts as part of the manufacturing sector. MB Finance does not offer tax advice.
This information helps us prepare your quote
- Your last annual bill for electricity and, if you have it, for gas
- Annual consumption in kWh, for RLM also the load profile or the highest load
- Meter number and market location ID (Marktlokations-ID, MaLo-ID) for each supply point
- Contract term and notice period of your current contract
- Company name, legal form and supply address
- Preferred start of supply and how long you would like the price to be fixed
How it works with MB Finance
There is no live tariff comparison on this website. You can get specific quotes through “Request a quote” or in a consultation.
- 01
Send a request
You contact us by phone, WhatsApp, email or through the request form. The consultation takes place by phone or on Microsoft Teams.
- 02
Check consumption and contract
We look at the consumption, type of metering (SLP or RLM), contract term and notice period of your current contracts. If you have several sites, we record each supply point.
- 03
Compare offers
We compare suitable offers from the suppliers MB Finance works with. We pay attention to net prices, contract term, fixed-price period (Preisbindung) and renewal rules.
- 04
Receive your quote as a PDF
You receive the quote as a PDF in German and, if you wish, also in Persian or English.
- 05
Sign the order
If you agree, you sign the order directly on the screen or through a link. Please remember: as a business, you have no statutory right of withdrawal.
- 06
Switch without interruption
The new supplier usually cancels your old contract and registers you with the network operator. Your business continues to be supplied without interruption.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have a right of withdrawal as a business customer?
Usually not. The statutory 14-day right of withdrawal only applies to consumers. So take your time to check a quote before you sign. We are happy to take the time for this with you.
Does basic supply apply to my business?
If your business uses no more than 10,000 kWh a year for professional or commercial purposes, it counts as a household customer. Then the rules of basic supply apply. Larger businesses should sign their own supply contract in good time.
Why are the prices in the quote lower than for household tariffs?
Business offers usually show net prices without VAT. For a fair comparison, you need to add the VAT. Please check with your tax adviser whether you can deduct it as input tax (Vorsteuer).
Can I choose the contract term and fixed-price period myself?
For businesses, contract terms and notice periods are largely open to negotiation. Which options are possible depends on the supplier and on your consumption. We show you the differences in the quote.
Does MB Finance also advise on insurance for my business?
Yes. MB Finance is also an insurance broker and advises, for example, on professional and business liability insurance. You can find more about this on mitblick-finance.com.
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Open the calculatorSources
- Gesetze im Internet: § 3 EnWG (definitions, No. 57 household customers)
- Gesetze im Internet: § 312g BGB (right of withdrawal)
- Gesetze im Internet: § 9b StromStG (tax relief for companies)
- Deutscher Bundestag: Electricity tax cut for producers and farmers made permanent (13 November 2025)
- Stromnetz Berlin: Information on standard load profiles
- Example from a gas network operator: standard load profile procedure under KoV XV (valid from 1 October 2026)
Get personal advice
Call us, send us a message on WhatsApp or by email, or request a quote directly. We give advice by phone or Microsoft Teams – in German, Persian and English.