Guide

Charging an electric car without a subscription: card, app or RFID card?

You do not need a monthly plan or a card in the post to charge at a public charger. Here is what each way of paying involves, and what changes with Taac!

Three ways to pay at a public charger

With a subscription you pay a monthly fee in exchange for a lower price per kWh: it pays off only if you charge in public often, and only on the operator's own network. With a charging card (RFID) you tap the card on the charger and the operator bills you later, usually with a yearly fee for the card and a surcharge on other networks. With an app or a bank card you pay session by session, at the price shown, with no commitment.

For most drivers, who charge at home or at work and use public chargers on trips and for the occasional top-up, paying per session is the cheapest way: there is no fixed cost to recover.

What "no subscription" means with Taac!

There is no monthly fee, no activation cost, no card to order and no credit to load in advance. You can charge as a guest with your bank card, without creating an account; with an account and a saved card the charge starts with one tap and every receipt stays in your history. The price of the socket is the price you pay, the same for guests and account holders.

The same account works beyond the Taac! network: with the chargers of other operators in twenty-five countries, Ionity included, with the same app, the same payment and the same receipt.

Hidden costs to watch for

When you compare offers, look beyond the price per kWh. A session fee is added to every charge, however small. A fee per minute, sometimes after a grace period, makes a slow car or a long stop expensive. An idle fee runs if the car stays plugged in after charging ends. Taac! shows all of this on the socket's page before you start, so the comparison is honest.

Receipt and invoice without an account manager

At the end of every charge you get a receipt with the kWh received and the price per kWh you read in the app, to the cent. Companies with a verified VAT number get an invoice instead. Nothing is recalculated afterwards, and there is no monthly statement to reconcile.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to register to charge?

No. You can charge as a guest with a bank card. An account is useful if you charge more than once: a saved card, your cars in the Garage, favourites, the history of your charges and notifications when a socket frees up.

Is a subscription ever worth it?

If you charge in public almost every day on a single operator's network, a plan with a lower price per kWh can cover its fee. If you charge at home and use public chargers on trips, paying per session costs less.

Is there a surcharge for paying by card?

With Taac!, no. The price on the socket's page is the price for everyone. An amount is held on the card as a guarantee when you start and the difference is released at the end.

Can I use Taac! on other operators' chargers?

Yes, on the chargers of other operators in twenty-five countries. Each one shows its own price in the app, and the receipt is the same as on the Taac! network.

Other guides

How much does it cost to charge an electric car? · Charging on the motorway and Ionity · Planning a trip in an electric car · Types of chargers, connectors and power · Charging abroad with one app

Charge with Taac!, no subscription

One app for the Taac! network and the chargers of other operators in twenty-five countries. The price is on every socket before you start; you pay the kWh you receive, with a receipt in your history.

⚡ Open Taac! See the price list by country What the app does