Research: 12 of 26 ERE providers have fees in the small print

When people choose an ERE provider, they mostly look at the commission. But at almost half of the providers, that percentage is not all that comes off your proceeds. That is what our own research found. On 23 September 2026 we read the website, the FAQ and the full terms of 26 providers.

At 12 of the 26 we found costs that reduce your payout but are not shown next to the price. The research is the basis of the trust score that has appeared on every provider page since 23 September 2026. Essent and Eneco eMobility are not included: they only offer a waiting list or pre-registration.

What we found

Finding	Number (of 26)
Extra costs that appear only in the terms or FAQ	12
Extra costs that are shown next to the price	3
No extra costs beyond the headline price	10
Cannot be checked: ERE terms not public	1
Tacit renewal into a new fixed term	10
Terms or price can be changed one-sidedly, with no right to cancel	7
Terms limit what you are still paid after leaving	9
Payout only after the customer approves it	3
Founded or registered in 2024 or later	11

Checked on 23 September 2026 against public sources. The sources for each provider are on its provider page.

The twelve providers with hidden fees are Joulo, Zeres, Inboekdienst.nl, Den Hartog Charging, Xolvere, Laadkompas, PowerD, LaadCash, Vattenfall, 50five, Tibber and Frank Energie. At half of them, these are transaction, verification or administration costs that are (or may be) deducted before your share is calculated. We also found mandatory subscriptions, an exit fee and a clause about charging data.

Four examples from the terms

Zeres. The homepage states a 19% commission and a guaranteed minimum of €0.13 per kWh in 2026. The website and FAQ say private customers pay no costs. Under articles 7.3 and 9.2 of the terms, transaction, verification, audit and admin costs are first deducted from the gross proceeds, before the commission.

Vattenfall. Thuislaadcashback requires an active charging subscription (art. 5f). The product page lists the subscription as a requirement, but its price of €6.95 a month is on a different page. Cancel or move house within the year and you forfeit the cashback built up that year (art. 8c and 8f).

Joulo. The website says “20% servicekosten incl. btw, en verder niets” (20% service fee incl. VAT, and nothing else). Under article 5.13, Joulo may pass on at cost any fees that charger manufacturers charge for access to charging data. It is a possible cost, listed only in the terms. The same applies to Tibber and Frank Energie, which work with Joulo for ERE.

Inboekdienst.nl. The homepage shows a 12% commission (with a partner code) and €0.13 per kWh. Under article 5.10, transaction, administration and sales costs are deducted first, before the commission. And under article 8.4, the right to payment for EREs already registered or traded lapses on termination.

Renewal, changes and leaving

The small print holds more than fees: 10 of the 26 providers renew the contract tacitly into a new fixed term, usually a calendar year. At 7, the provider may change the terms or price one-sidedly without giving you a right to cancel.

Nine sets of terms limit what you still receive after leaving. Five providers stipulate that after termination only proceeds already realised are settled. At Joulo, and so also at Tibber and Frank Energie, you approve each amount in the dashboard before it is paid out.

In addition, 11 of the 26 providers were founded or registered in 2024 or later. Logical for a scheme that only started on 1 January 2026, but it means they lack a long track record.

How the trust score works

The score (0 to 10) is built from 18 checks in four pillars: hidden fees (30%), clear terms (20%), payout and exit (25%) and strong backing (25%). Every check has a source. Anything that is not public earns no points. We show reviews, but they are not scored. The same rules apply to every provider, and nobody pays for placement. Read the full method on how we compare.

On average, the providers score 7.4 (median 7.1). Ten are rated ‘strong’ (8 or higher), ten ‘good’, five ‘fair’ and one ‘limited’. The highest scores go to Laadnet (9.6), Lekkerladen (9.5), Stekker and Voltico (both 9.1). At the bottom are Tap Green Credits (4.8), Inboekdienst.nl (5.3), Xolvere (5.6) and Joulo (5.7). For Tap Green Credits, that is mainly because its ERE terms are not public. Note: the score is about transparency and terms, not about who pays out the most.

How to use the results

You can now filter the comparison on no hidden fees. Of the 26 providers, 13 pass: the 10 with no extra costs and the 3 that show their extra costs next to the price. For more on what to check, read the guide choosing a reliable ERE provider and ERE contracts explained.

When a provider updates its terms, we check again. Providers who spot an error are welcome to tell us via contact.