Charge card comparison:
Is Vattenfall charge card good value?
Both Tap Electric and Vattenfall InCharge apps show actual operator prices. For this review, we chose Tap Light as a representative plan as there are no monthly fees just as with Vattenfall.
Monthly cost
€0,00
€0,00
Price structure per session
Charger prices set by operator
+ €0,35 transaction cost*
Charger price set by operator
+ 5% transaction cost
Additional costs
€0,00
€0,00
*If you use a charging station from another provider, Vattenfall with charge you a €0.35 transaction fee per session.
If you use charging station from many providers you may be better off using a different provider like Tap. For Vattenfall operated chargers, using their app or charge card likely gets you the best price.
If you plan to charge regularly, Tap’s Roamer is the cheaper option in between the two.
Monthly cost
-
€2,50
Price structure per session
-
Charger price set by operator only
Additional cost
-
€0,00
Other important details
What kind of coverage do these charge cards have?
- Vattenfall operates in Sweden, Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
- Tap charge cards can be used in Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
- Both providers have comparable coverage in the Netherlands.
Do I need a charge card to start a session?
- With Vattenfall you can start a session with or without a charge card.
- With the Tap app, you can start charging right away via the app. You don’t need to order or activate a charge card to start your first session.
Can I have more than one charge card on my account?
- Vattenfall supports extra charge cards.
- With Tap Electric, you can have two charge cards (Tapkeys) tied to one account on a family subscription.
Want to compare more charge cards? See how ANWB charge card or Shell Recharge compares to Tap or check out our full charge card comparison.
App comparison: Vattefall charge card app vs Tap Electric app
A charging app is just as important as a charge card. A good charging app should show you where your money is going every time you charge and help you make informed decisions about where to charge.
Our experts have rated the Shell apps and the Tap app on 4 criteria.
- User experience
- Functionality and features
- Customer support and resources
- User reviews and ratings
For the best Tap app experience, enable location services to see relevant, nearby chargers.
Best app overall: Tap Electric
Both apps meet the basic criteria, but the Tap app offers EV drivers much more detailed charger pricing and has in-built charger comparison tools like Price Intel and Map Intel. Tap is the best option if you want the flexibility to access multiple networks, prefer transparent pricing, and value detailed charging insights and price comparison tools.
Tap overall: 4.5
Vattenfall overall: 2.8
User experience
User-friendliness, navigation and updates
Tap app experience: 4.5/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
No need to sign up to explore the app or even charge your vehicle
Multiple sign-in options: Google, Apple, email, and guest mode
If you’re new to Tap, the "For You" section guides you on how to charge and explains how Tap prices work
One-Tap charging from the home page when you are in front of the charger
Push notifications for charger availability, when an idle price kicks in, and progress updates on your charging sessions
Unique charger comparison toolsike Price intel and Map Intel for drivers
Regular updates bring new improvements and features
First-time users might need a moment to discover all features
Some advanced features take time to learn
Vattenfall InCharge app experience: 3/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Can start charging and using app as a guest
Very basic functionality, but simple to use
No option to set up account in app, only desktop
Not easy to compare charger prices
Functionality and features
Charger map, search and map filters
Tap charger map: 4.5/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Advanced Map Intel feature analyses which charger network is the cheapest in the area
Only shows chargers on the map that have complete pricing information
Choose between showing charger prices or session costs right on the map
Filters for availability and charging power
Remembers your map settings and filters
No filter based on connector type or price
Vatenfall map: 3.5/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Map shows charger locations and number of available chargers directly on the map
Simple filtering by connector type, charging power, availability, Vattenfall operated chargers and chargers where you can start a session via the app.
Charger availability status on the map
No charger prices or session costs directly on map
No price comparison tools
Cannot filter by price
No option to save filters
Charger information
Tap charger information: 5/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Comprehensive charger details with reliability star rating
Price Intel shows detailed pricing information for each charger, estimated session costs via cost calculator, and charge card comparison.
Shows if there is a cheaper and nearby charger
Community reviews help you assess charger condition
Shows energy source if available
Opens up navigation app to how to get to the charger
Need to go into Price Intel to see more detailed pricing information
Vattenfall charger information: 4/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Charger details like operator, power, connector types, availability
Clear display of charging costs
Option to set up notification and save charger to favourites
Opens up navigation app to how to get to the charger
Doesn’t show if charger has variable pricing clearly
No additional charger information like energy source
Charging
Tap charge session: 4.5/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Start charging with and without a charge card
Option to Auto-stop session based on cost, energy, or time
Live updates on your charging session
Get battery insights when your car is connected to the app
In-app support is available if you're experiencing problems starting your session
Vattenfall charge session: 2.5/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Start session with and without a charge card
Track duration and energy consumption
No auto-stop capability based on energy, time or cost.
Can't track your costs clearly during a charge session
Not able to stop session in-app if your session is started with a charge card
Payment methods
Tap payment methods: 5/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
iDeal, Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, direct debit, Apple Pay and Google Pay
Easily manage multiple payment methods in the app
Easily manage multiple payment methods in the app
Vattenfall payment methods: 2.5/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Direct card payment with credit/debit cards (Direct payment - IBAN, Visa, Mastercard, Amex)
No Apple Pay, Google Pay, iDeal
Connected cars
Tap connected cars: 3/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Ability to link your Kia, Hyundai, and Tesla accounts for live battery insights in the app
Not many car brands are on the list yet, but it is possible to manually link any car
Vattenfall connected cars: 1/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
No option to connect any car
Customer support and resources
Support
Tap self-service and support: 4.5/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
24/7 email and call support
Comprehensive help center with detailed guides
Must contact customer support to deactivate the charge card
Vattenfall self-service and support: 2/5
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
You can report an issue
Only FAQ in-app
Unique features
Tap app
- Easily compare charger costs right from the Tap map.
- The Price Intel feature is the most complete pricing tool on the market, allowing you to compare which charge card offers the best price on Equans, Totalenergies, Vattenfall and Fastned chargers.
- Map Intel shows you which network is the cheapest to use on any area in the Tap map.
- The charging location page includes recommendations for cheaper chargers in the area.
- Share charger feedback with the Tap community to help drivers can find a dependable charger.
- Quickly go to your favourite chargers and see your charging history from the home page.
- Tap provides a free option for managing your home charger.
Summary
- Pricing: While both providers use operator prices for their pricing model, Vattenfall charges €0.35 per transaction at non-Vattenfall chargers. In comparison, you can pay between 0 to 10% transaction fees depending on the type of subscription you take with Tap.
- App experience: Tap shows you detailed information about chargers, including price comparisons and real-time updates. Vattenfall provides a simpler experience focused on basic charger locations
- Payment options: Tap supports more payment methods including Apple Pay and Google Pay, while Vattenfall offers basic card payments
- Customer service: Tap provides 24/7 support with in-app chat, while Vattenfall relies mainly on FAQ
- Connected cars: Tap offers integration with some car brands (Kia, Hyundai, Tesla), while Vattenfall has no car connectivity
Both apps will get you charging, but they serve different needs. Vattenfall focuses on simplicity, while Tap offers more tools to optimize your charging experience.
Resources and expertise:
the methodology behind our data
Our experts fact checked and last updated this research on 12 December 2024.
Sources:
- Vattenfall website
- Vattenfall Incharge app
- Tap Electric app
Details:
- Vattenfall charge card data was checked on the Vattefall website on December 15, 2024.
- The Vattenfall Incharge app is evaluated based on the live functions on v5.4.0 on an iPhone 14 on January 16 2025, using this methodology.
- Tap Electric app was rated based on the live features on v.1.108.0 iPhone 14 on January 16 2025, using this methodology.