Free Nights and Weekends Electricity Plans: Are They Worth It?
An electricity supplier advertises "Free Nights and Weekends!" promising zero charges between 9 PM and 7 AM on weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday. The headline sounds appealing—potentially 40%+ of the week free. But the daytime weekday rate is 18¢/kWh instead of the 12¢/kWh offered by competitors. You're trading lower off-peak rates for higher peak rates. Whether this benefits you depends entirely on when you use electricity. A shift worker using most electricity at night saves substantially. A typical household with peak daytime usage (AC, laundry, cooking) overpays significantly.
This guide explains how free nights and weekends plans work, which customers benefit, and how to calculate whether they save you money.
How Free Nights and Weekends Plans Work
These promotional plans divide the week into peak and off-peak periods with dramatically different rates:
Free Off-Peak: 0¢/kWh (nights/weekends) | Premium Peak: Higher ¢/kWh (daytime weekdays)
Real Example: Free Nights Plan Structure
Plan: "Complete Freedom 12"
- Daytime (7 AM - 9 PM, Mon-Fri): 18¢/kWh
- Nighttime (9 PM - 7 AM, Mon-Fri): FREE (0¢/kWh)
- Saturday & Sunday: FREE all day (0¢/kWh)
- Base charge: $12/month
Weekly breakdown (assuming consistent daily usage):
- Daytime weekdays: 5 days × 10 hours = 50 hours at 18¢/kWh
- Nighttime weekdays: 5 days × 14 hours = 70 hours at FREE
- Weekends: 2 days × 24 hours = 48 hours at FREE
- Total free hours per week: 118 of 168 hours (70%)
But hours alone don't determine savings—power consumption during those hours matters far more.
Free Plans vs. Standard Plans: Cost Comparison
Scenario: Same household, 1,000 kWh/month usage, comparing three plans
| Usage Pattern | Standard 12¢/kWh | Free Nights (18¢ day) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario A: Night Shift (70% off-peak use) | $120 | $54 | SAVES $66/mo ($792/yr) |
| Scenario B: Balanced (50% off-peak use) | $120 | $90 | SAVES $30/mo ($360/yr) |
| Scenario C: Day Usage (30% off-peak use) | $120 | $147 | COSTS $27/mo MORE |
Key insight: The same household with identical total usage pays vastly different amounts depending on WHEN they use electricity. A night shift worker saves $792/year. A daytime household loses $324/year.
Who Benefits from Free Nights Plans?
Ideal Candidates (Strong Fit)
- Night shift workers: Sleep during day, work at night. Use AC/heating 9 AM-5 PM when occupying home rarely.
- EV owners charging overnight: Charging 8-10 hours nightly (4-8 kWh/night) all FREE adds up to $20-40/month savings.
- Data centers, 24-hour facilities: Run heavy loads nights when rates are free; minimal daytime load.
- Crypto mining operations: Deliberately shift compute loads to free periods for 70%+ cost reduction.
- Industrial pre-cooling: Run HVAC heavily 9 PM-7 AM when free, maintain cooled building during expensive daytime.
Poor Candidates (Weak Fit)
- Typical residential households: Peak usage 2-8 PM (AC, cooking, laundry) when rates are highest.
- Home offices (9-5): Computer, lighting, HVAC running during expensive peak hours.
- Families with children: Laundry loads, cooking, homework (evening) all during peak periods.
- Retirees: Daytime TV, daytime cooking, daytime AC usage hits peak pricing.
The Hidden Cost: Premium Peak Rates
Free nights plans achieve their promotional appeal by charging premium daytime rates. Suppliers offer "free" off-peak hours because they make up losses with inflated peak pricing.
Real rate breakdown comparison (Pennsylvania market, 2025):
- Standard flat-rate plan: 12¢/kWh all day
- Free nights plan: 0¢ nights/weekends, 18¢ daytime weekdays = 50% premium on peak hours
- True time-of-use plan: 14¢ peak, 8¢ off-peak = more balanced rate spread
The "free" hours subsidize the 50% rate increase during peak. Unless you use predominantly during free periods, you're overpaying.
Calculating If a Free Plan Saves You Money
Step 1: Determine Your Usage Pattern
Review last 3 months of bills and estimate what percentage of usage falls during off-peak hours (nights/weekends). Methods:
- Ask your supplier: Request hourly usage data (some utilities provide online) showing breakdown by time period
- Smart meter data: If available, download 15-minute interval data to calculate exact percentages
- Estimate manually: List major appliances and when they run (AC all day vs. evening laundry)
Step 2: Calculate Cost Under Both Plans
Example calculation (1,000 kWh/month, 60% off-peak use):
- Standard plan (12¢/kWh): 1,000 × 0.12 = $120
- Free nights plan: 400 kWh × 18¢ (peak) + 600 kWh × 0¢ (off-peak) = $72
- Savings: $120 - $72 = $48/month = $576/year
Step 3: Check Contract Terms
Ensure the plan doesn't have:
- Hidden "free hours" limits (some plans cap free usage at 500 kWh/month, then charge regular rates beyond)
- Minimum usage commitments (penalties if you don't use enough off-peak)
- Rate adjustment clauses (allowing daytime rate to increase mid-contract)
When Free Plans DON'T Make Sense
Example: Typical household, 40% off-peak usage (realistic for family with AC)
- Standard 12¢ plan: 1,000 kWh × $0.12 = $120/month
- Free nights 18¢ peak: (600 × $0.18) + (400 × $0.00) = $108/month
- Savings: $12/month = $144/year (only 12% savings)
This 12% savings barely compensates for the inflexibility of being locked into peak-hour rates. If rates drop market-wide, you're stuck at 18¢ peak while others enjoy 10¢.
Alternative Option: True Time-of-Use (TOU) Plans
Some suppliers offer graduated TOU plans instead of binary free/expensive:
Example TOU plan (more flexible than free nights):
- Peak (2-8 PM weekdays): 14¢/kWh
- Shoulder (7-2 AM, 8 PM-midnight weekdays): 11¢/kWh
- Off-peak (midnight-7 AM, weekends): 8¢/kWh
Advantage: More balanced rate spread means you're not penalized as heavily if usage shifts slightly. Typical household still saves 5-15% vs. flat rates without 50% peak surcharge.
Disadvantage: Less dramatic "free electricity" headline, so less aggressively marketed.
Strategy: When to Choose Free Plans
DO Choose Free Nights If:
- You work night shifts OR your household naturally uses 60%+ of electricity during off-peak periods
- You're installing EV charger and plan to charge exclusively at night
- You can shift major loads (laundry, pool pump, etc.) to free periods
- The plan allows you to switch back to flat-rate if it's not working within 6-12 months (no early termination fee)
DON'T Choose Free Nights If:
- Your household runs AC heavily during 2-8 PM summer months
- You work traditional 9-5 and use laundry/cooking after work (peak hours)
- You can't identify 60%+ of usage falling in free periods
- The contract has early termination fees preventing switches if plan doesn't work
Key Takeaway
Free nights and weekends plans can save $500-800/year for customers with 60%+ off-peak usage (shift workers, EV owners, industrial loads) but cost $200-400/year more for typical households with daytime usage. The "free" off-peak hours are financed by 50% premium peak rates. Always calculate your actual usage distribution before signing. If unsure, request a trial period or ensure you can switch without penalties. True time-of-use plans with more gradual rate variation often provide better value for typical households.
Next Steps
- Get hourly usage data: Contact your utility or check online portal for detailed time-of-use breakdown (if available).
- Calculate your off-peak percentage: Estimate what % of your usage falls during nights/weekends using your typical schedule.
- Run the math: Use the formulas above to calculate exact savings (current rate vs. free plan) for your usage pattern.
- Check contract terms: Before signing, verify no early termination fees if you need to switch back within 6-12 months.
- Compare alternatives: Ask supplier if they offer true TOU plans with graduated rates instead of binary free/expensive split.