Comparisons·9 min read

Ohme Home Pro vs Indra Smart PRO: Smart Tariff King vs British Value Pick

The Smart Tariff Specialist vs the Practical British Underdog

If you're shopping for a smart home charger for your Tesla and you've narrowed it down to the Ohme Home Pro and the Indra Smart PRO, you're comparing two chargers that share a lot of common ground on paper — both deliver 7.4kW on single-phase, both integrate with smart tariffs, and both offer solar diversion. Yet they take distinctly different approaches to winning your money.

The Ohme Home Pro has built its reputation on being the ultimate smart tariff charger, officially recommended by Octopus Energy and beloved by anyone who wants their EV to charge at the absolute cheapest possible rate with zero effort. The Indra Smart PRO, meanwhile, comes from a British manufacturer with genuine vehicle-to-grid (V2G) pedigree and takes a more practical approach — bundling in hardware like a surge protection device and CT clamp that can genuinely reduce your installation bill. Two smart chargers, two different philosophies. Let's dig in.

In a nutshell:

  • Ohme Home Pro (£535): The UK's best charger for automated smart tariff savings, with deep Octopus Energy integration and built-in 4G connectivity.
  • Indra Smart PRO (£599): A practical, British-made charger that includes surge protection and a CT clamp as standard, potentially saving you over £100 on installation.

Spec Comparison

FeatureOhme Home ProIndra Smart PRO
Price£535£599
Power Output7.4kW (single-phase)7.4kW (single-phase)
Cable Length5m (8m optional)6m
TypeTethered (Type 2)Tethered (Type 2)
Smart Tariff IntegrationYes — Octopus, OVO, and othersYes — major UK providers
Solar DiversionYes (built-in)Yes (CT clamp included)
ConnectivityWi-Fi + 4G (3-year SIM included)Wi-Fi + Bluetooth
DisplayColour displayNo on-unit display
SecurityApp-based approve plug-inRFID lock
SPD IncludedNoYes
Dynamic Load BalancingYes (pre-wired)Yes
IP RatingIP65IP54
Warranty3 years3 years
Weight~3.5 kg~5.0 kg
CertificationOZEV approvedOZEV approved

Smart Tariff Integration

This is where the Ohme Home Pro truly shines — and where the gap between these two chargers is most significant. The Ohme is officially recommended by Octopus Energy for their Intelligent Go tariff, which gives you access to electricity at around 7p/kWh during a generous off-peak window. The charger doesn't just let you schedule charging; it actively communicates with your energy provider to find the cheapest half-hour slots and automatically shifts your charging into them. For a Tesla Model 3 with a 60kWh battery, that could mean a full charge for roughly £4.20 — compared to around £16 at the standard variable rate.

The Indra Smart PRO also offers smart tariff integration with major UK providers, so you're not locked out of off-peak savings by any means. However, the integration isn't as deep or as seamlessly automated as the Ohme's. If you're on Octopus Intelligent Go, Octopus Go, or Octopus Agile, the Ohme is purpose-built for these tariffs in a way that no other charger on the market quite matches. If you're on a simpler time-of-use tariff — or you're happy to set a basic schedule — the Indra will do the job perfectly well.

As electriccarguide.co.uk noted in their review, the Ohme's app provides "an intuitive interface with detailed insights and full control over charging," scoring it 9/10 for ease of use and smart features. The Indra's app, by contrast, is acknowledged to be more basic compared to market leaders.

Solar Diversion

Both chargers support solar diversion, which is increasingly important for UK homeowners with rooftop panels looking to maximise self-consumption. The approach differs slightly, though.

The Indra Smart PRO includes a CT clamp in the box as standard. This is the sensor that clips around your mains cable to measure how much surplus solar energy your home is generating, allowing the charger to divert that excess into your Tesla rather than exporting it to the grid. Having this included out of the box is genuinely handy — with some competitors, the CT clamp is an optional extra that adds to your costs.

The Ohme Home Pro also offers solar diverting as a built-in feature, though the data doesn't specify whether a CT clamp is bundled. Both chargers will help you make the most of your solar panels, but the Indra's all-inclusive approach to hardware is a nice touch for solar households.

Connectivity and Build Quality

Here's an area where the Ohme has a clear technical advantage: it comes with built-in 4G connectivity and a 3-year SIM card included. This means your charger stays connected and smart even if your home Wi-Fi doesn't reach your driveway or garage — a surprisingly common problem in UK homes where the charger might be mounted on an external wall far from the router. The Indra Smart PRO relies on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which is fine for most installations but could be a headache if your signal is weak at the charger location.

On weatherproofing, the Ohme edges ahead with an IP65 rating (fully protected against dust and water jets from any direction), compared to the Indra's IP54 rating (protected against splashes but not sustained water jets). For a charger mounted on an exposed exterior wall in the British weather, IP65 offers extra peace of mind. The Ohme is also notably lighter at around 3.5 kg versus the Indra's 5.0 kg, and more compact at 170mm × 200mm × 100mm — though neither is what you'd call bulky.

The Ohme features a colour display on the unit itself, letting you see charging status at a glance without reaching for your phone. The Indra opts for RFID security instead, which is useful if your charger is accessible to passers-by — you can lock it so only authorised RFID cards will start a session. The Ohme uses an app-based "approve plug-in" feature for the same purpose, which works well but requires your phone.

As mcnallyev.uk observed, the Ohme app is "the most powerful option for UK users" when it comes to energy tariff integration and smart scheduling.

Installation Considerations

This is the Indra Smart PRO's secret weapon. It includes a surge protection device (SPD) as standard — something that UK regulations (Amendment 2 of the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations) now require for EV charger installations in most circumstances. If your consumer unit doesn't already have SPD protection, your electrician will need to add one, typically costing £100–£150. With the Indra, that's already built in.

The Ohme Home Pro doesn't include an SPD, so you'll likely need one fitted during installation. This narrows the effective price gap between the two chargers considerably. The Ohme also comes with a standard 5-metre cable, which may be tight for some driveways — an 8-metre version is available but at extra cost. The Indra's 6-metre cable offers a useful extra metre of reach as standard.

Estimated installation costs are similar: £400–£500 for the Ohme and £400–£600 for the Indra, though the Indra's included SPD could push its real-world installation cost towards the lower end of that range.

Price and Value

Ohme Home ProIndra Smart PRO
Unit Price£535£599
Typical Installation£400–£500£400–£600
Total Installed Cost£935–£1,035£999–£1,199
After OZEV Grant (if eligible)£585–£685£649–£849

On sticker price, the Ohme is £64 cheaper. But factor in the Indra's included SPD (saving you £100–£150 on installation) and the real-world cost difference shrinks — the Indra could actually work out cheaper once installed, depending on your existing electrical setup.

Where the Ohme claws back value is in ongoing savings. If you pair it with Octopus Intelligent Go at ~7p/kWh, you could save hundreds of pounds per year compared to charging on a standard tariff. Based on the UK average of 7,400 miles annually and a Tesla Model 3's efficiency of roughly 3.5 miles per kWh, you'd use about 2,114 kWh per year. At 7p/kWh that's roughly £148 — versus around £550 at 26p/kWh on a standard tariff. That £400 annual saving dwarfs any upfront price difference.

Who Should Buy Which?

Buy the Ohme Home Pro if:

  • You're on Octopus Intelligent Go, Octopus Go, or Octopus Agile (or plan to switch)
  • Automated smart tariff charging and maximum savings are your priority
  • Your Wi-Fi doesn't reach your charger location — the built-in 4G is invaluable
  • You want a colour display on the unit for at-a-glance status
  • You value the most polished app experience for energy tracking and scheduling

Buy the Indra Smart PRO if:

  • You want to minimise total installation cost — the included SPD and CT clamp save real money
  • You prefer a British-designed and manufactured product
  • You want a slightly longer 6m cable as standard
  • You like the idea of RFID card security for your charger
  • You're interested in Indra's V2G ecosystem for potential future upgrades (though the Smart PRO itself doesn't support V2G)

Our recommendation: For most Tesla owners in the UK, the Ohme Home Pro is the stronger choice. Its deep smart tariff integration — particularly with Octopus Intelligent Go — delivers savings that will comfortably outweigh the upfront price difference within the first year. The built-in 4G, superior app, and IP65 weatherproofing make it the more polished overall package. However, if you don't have a smart tariff and don't plan to get one, the Indra Smart PRO's included SPD and CT clamp make it a genuinely practical, cost-effective alternative that shouldn't be overlooked. It's an honest charger that doesn't charge you extra for hardware you'll need anyway.

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Read our full Ohme Home Pro review or Indra Smart PRO review.

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