Is Optiwatt really free?

Yes. No subscription, no upsell. The app is free because utilities pay Optiwatt to shift charging to off-peak hours. Optiwatt is not a freemium app: there is no trial that expires, no paywall, and no premium tier.

What is the catch with Optiwatt?

There is no catch. When everyone plugs in at 6 PM the grid strains, so utilities pay Optiwatt a small fee to move your charging to off-peak hours automatically. You get a smaller bill and the app stays free.

How does Optiwatt make money?

Optiwatt moves your charging to off-peak hours automatically, and the utility pays a small fee for each vehicle shifted. That is how Optiwatt makes money, so the app stays free for you.

For homes with an EV, thermostat, or battery

Save on your bill. Earn from your utility. Optiwatt shifts your EV, thermostat, and home devices to off-peak hours, cutting your bill, earning utility rewards, and supporting your local grid.

Set it once and Optiwatt handles the rest automatically.

Create an account See how it works

Why join?

Charge during the cheapest hours, automatically.

Optiwatt tracks your utility's exact rates in real time and shifts your EV charging to the cheapest, cleanest hours of the day, across 27 supported EV brands. Connect once and it runs in the background, every day.

$91.51 Average rewards earned

Freeforever What the app costs

$13.03 Average savings per device

Optiwatt also tracks your environmental impact. See your gallons of gas saved and pounds of coal avoided with every charge.

How it works

Set up in a few taps. Free forever.

Tell us where you live

Enter your home address so Optiwatt can find the utility rates and energy programs available where you consume energy.

Optiwatt onboarding screen asking where you consume energy, with a home address field and a map.

See if there's a program for you

Optiwatt instantly checks for programs in your area. Many pay cash or bill credits. See what each one offers and apply right from your phone.

Optiwatt screen showing one program found in your area (Whole Home Rewards, earn up to $75 per device enrolled), with an Apply Now button.

Connect your devices and start earning

Connect your EV, charger, thermostat, or Powerwall to enroll. Optiwatt handles charging automatically from there, and you can change or opt out anytime.

Optiwatt Connect devices screen showing two eligible devices already connected with checkmarks — a 2025 Tesla Model 3 and a Nest thermostat — with $100 enrollment and $25 per year participation.

Utility programs

We made friends with your utility so you don't have to.

Optiwatt partners with utilities across North America to bring energy programs right to your phone. Some pay cash or bill credits for shifting charging when the grid's crowded. Others are clean-grid initiatives without a payout. All of them, you can join with a tap.

Available across 36+ utility programs and growing. Rewards (when offered) come from your utility. Optiwatt just makes them easy to find, join, and actually collect.

Cash, credits, or just good karma.

Some programs have paid drivers up to $650 in cash or bill credits for participating. Others let you help the grid stay clean without a payout. Your utility decides. We just show you what's on the table.
Auto-apply to available programs.

Apply to programs one by one, or flip on Support My Local Grid and we'll automatically apply you to every program you qualify for. No portals, no fine-print PDFs.
You're always in control.

Need to charge urgently during a demand response event? Start a charge at any time and we'll simply opt you out of the event. No penalties, no hassle.

Beyond your EV

Save across every device that uses energy.

Optiwatt's Energy Manager controls more than just your EV, so your whole house runs on the cheapest, cleanest energy your utility offers.

Smart thermostats Keeps you comfortable while using less energy when it's most expensive.
Smart chargers No compatible EV? Connect your home charger instead and Optiwatt manages charging directly through it.
Home batteries Optiwatt can power your house from your battery during grid events, so you lean on stored energy when the grid is stressed.

Home battery support is available in select utility programs only.

Optiwatt thermostat cost dashboard showing -$0.06 last adjustment, a savings/costs toggle, and a 30-day total of 263 kWh / $17.62 with a daily energy use bar chart.

Optiwatt home screen showing Rajesh's Hallway Thermostat selected, currently cooling to 78° with the indoor temperature at 79°.

Does what it's designed for, and does it for free. Customer support is next level.

Sean M. · App Store review

So... what's the catch?

Wait, it's actually free?

No subscription. No upsell. The app is free because utilities pay us to shift charging off-peak.

Optiwatt isn't a freemium app. There's no trial that expires, no paywall sneaking in on page four, and no "premium tier" you're nudged toward.

Utility

Has a problem at 6 PM. When everyone gets home and plugs in at once, the grid strains and utilities have to fire up expensive backup plants. They'd really rather you charged at 2 AM.

Optiwatt

Solves it for them. We move charging to off-peak hours automatically. The utility pays us a small fee per car we shift. That's how we make money.

You

Get a smaller bill. Off-peak rates are cheaper, so you spend less on charging, and the app stays free. No trial, no paywall, no upsell. That's actually the whole pitch.

Who is Optiwatt

The consumer-centric energy platform behind the grid.

We are a platform connected to 36+ utilities that allows you to connect your devices, smartly manage those devices, and apply to local energy programs to earn rewards.

We take data privacy seriously. SOC 2 Type II certified, and trusted by utilities and partners across the U.S. and Canada.

Want to dig into the details? Our Help Center covers supported devices, how utility programs work, and more.

Browse our support articles

Get started

Download the app to see if there's a program for you.

Get Optiwatt free, connect your devices, and find out which local utility programs you're eligible for. No credit card, no subscriptions, no gimmicks.