Osprey vs Fastned: UK Rapid Charging Compared

Osprey and Fastned are two of the UK’s most respected mid-size rapid charging networks, both consistently rated above average for reliability. They differ significantly in footprint, pricing and geographic focus: Osprey has nearly 2,838 chargepoints spread broadly across England and Wales; Fastned has around 226 chargepoints, mostly near motorways and A-roads. The choice between them is largely about whether your routes coincide with Fastned’s locations, and whether the Fastned Gold subscription’s pricing advantage outweighs Osprey’s wider coverage.

Bottom line: If Fastned sites are on your regular routes, the Gold membership at approximately 55p per kWh is better value than Osprey’s 82p per kWh app rate. If Fastned is not consistently available on your routes, Osprey’s breadth and reliability make it the more practical primary network.

Head to head: the key numbers

Factor	Osprey	Fastned
UK chargepoints	~2,838	~226
Locations	~200+ sites	~60 UK stations
Power range	50–150 kW	50–300 kW
PAYG contactless	87p/kWh	~79p/kWh
App rate (no subscription)	82p/kWh	10% off PAYG (~71p/kWh)
Gold/subscription rate	No monthly subscription	£9.99/month; 30% off (~55p/kWh)
Connection fee	No	No
Idle fees	No	No
Connector	CCS (tethered)	CCS (mostly tethered)
Reliability (independent rating)	Very good; >99% claimed	Good to very good; award-winning
Zap-Map awards	Highly rated	Best medium rapid network 2025

Coverage: Osprey is not close on network size

Osprey operates around 2,838 chargepoints at over 200 sites across England and Wales. Locations include supermarkets (Lidl, Morrisons), retail parks, leisure centres, McDonald’s restaurants, Lidl stores and roadside hubs. This distribution means Osprey has a presence at the kinds of locations where drivers stop for practical reasons, shopping, eating, gym sessions, rather than only at dedicated charging destinations.

Fastned has around 226 chargepoints at approximately 60 UK stations. Fastned chooses its locations deliberately: near motorway junctions and A-roads, designed for drivers making a specific charging stop. The yellow canopy architecture makes Fastned stations easy to spot and recognise. Coverage is concentrated in England, with expanding presence in Scotland (the new Aberdeen indoor hub) and Wales.

For a driver asking “where can I charge when I need to on a long journey?”, Osprey’s 2,838 chargepoints give far more options. For a driver asking “where is the best-designed rapid charging station nearest to the M62?”, Fastned’s deliberate motorway-proximity siting may answer that question well.

Winner on coverage: Osprey, by a large margin.

Price: Fastned Gold is cheaper; Osprey is simpler

Osprey’s pricing is:

• Contactless: 87p per kWh
• Via free app: 82p per kWh
• No monthly subscription available

Fastned’s pricing is:

• PAYG contactless: approximately 79p per kWh
• Free app: 10% off (approximately 71p per kWh)
• Gold membership: £9.99 per month for 30% off (approximately 55p per kWh)

At the PAYG level, Fastned is 8p per kWh cheaper than Osprey contactless and 11p cheaper than Osprey app. With a Fastned Gold subscription, the difference grows to 27p per kWh versus Osprey app.

For a 40 kWh session:

• Osprey app: £32.80
• Fastned Gold: £22 + Fastned Gold share of £9.99/month fee

At two Fastned sessions per month of 40 kWh each, Fastned Gold saves approximately £17 in energy cost versus Osprey app, minus the £9.99 fee: a net saving of £7 per month. More sessions mean more saving.

Winner on price: Fastned Gold for subscribers; Fastned PAYG for occasional users. Osprey is simpler but consistently more expensive.

Reliability: both are strong, with different evidence bases

Both Osprey and Fastned position themselves as reliability leaders in the UK public charging market.

Osprey has publicly claimed above 99% network uptime since 2023 and appears in the top tier of Zap-Map driver satisfaction surveys consistently. What Car? rated Osprey in its top four UK charging networks. The network’s wide distribution means that if one Osprey charger has a fault, another is often nearby.

Fastned won the Zap-Map ‘Best EV charging network 2025’ in the medium rapid/ultra-rapid network category and an ‘EV driver recommended’ award for 2026. Its smaller, curated network of purpose-built stations means newer hardware on average and less of the legacy equipment that drives reliability problems at larger networks.

Both networks exceed what BP Pulse and the older Shell Recharge Ubitricity estate deliver. Neither has the fully vertically integrated reliability advantage that Tesla Supercharger holds at the top.

Winner on reliability: Difficult to separate. Fastned’s awards and curated approach suggest excellent hardware quality. Osprey’s wider distribution means it is tested across more situations and maintains its record at scale.

Speed and hardware

Osprey’s chargers run from 50 kW to 150 kW. For the majority of UK EV drivers in 2026, this is sufficient: a 50 kW charger adds 100 miles of range in roughly 45 minutes; a 75 kW unit does the same in about 30 minutes. At Osprey’s maximum of 150 kW, a typical stop for 20% to 80% on a 75 kWh battery takes around 25 minutes.

Fastned’s hardware peaks at 300 kW, significantly higher than Osprey’s ceiling. For owners of high-acceptance-rate EVs (Hyundai Ioniq 6 at 233 kW, Kia EV6 at 235 kW), Fastned’s 300 kW capability means the car, not the charger, is the limiting factor. This gives Fastned a meaningful edge for very fast charging in absolute terms.

Winner on speed ceiling: Fastned (300 kW vs Osprey’s 150 kW), relevant for high-acceptance-rate EVs.

User experience

Osprey’s app-free contactless experience is among the cleanest in the UK market. Tap, charge, go. The 5p per kWh saving from downloading the free Osprey app is modest but takes no ongoing commitment. Osprey sites at established retail locations (supermarkets, McDonald’s, Lidl) have predictable amenities tied to the host venue.

Fastned’s yellow canopy stations are purpose-designed for EV charging. Wide bays, good lighting, visible signage and covered cable management make for a polished experience. The stations are standalone charging destinations rather than adjuncts to retail locations, which means dedicated parking but no automatic access to food or shopping. Some Fastned stations are near enough to retail and food options; others are more basic in their surroundings.

Who should choose which?

Choose Osprey if you:

• Want a reliable network with the widest geographic reach after GRIDSERVE and BP Pulse
• Prefer simple contactless charging without managing a subscription
• Regularly stop at supermarkets, retail parks and leisure venues
• Need a network that is present across England and Wales on A-roads and urban areas

Choose Fastned if you:

• Regularly use motorway corridors where Fastned stations are located
• Will use the Gold membership enough to recover the £9.99/month fee (roughly 2+ sessions per month)
• Drive a high-acceptance-rate EV that benefits from 300 kW+ hardware
• Value recognisable, purpose-built charging stations over retail-adjacent locations

Using both together

Most EV drivers will encounter both networks on different journeys. The practical approach is to download the Fastned app (which gives 10% off without needing the Gold membership) and use it when Fastned is the most convenient option, while defaulting to Osprey contactless or app for the wider network access it provides. Neither network requires a monthly commitment at the entry level.

Where to find more

For a full ranking of UK charging networks by use case, see Best Public EV Charging Networks in the UK.

For networks specifically suited to reliability on long journeys, see Best EV Charging Networks for Reliability in Britain.

For a complete overview of UK public charging, visit our Public Charging guide.