This paper presents comparison of four different control strategies to generate reference current components for shunt active power filter based on a three-level inverter. These strategies are instantaneous reactive power p–q method, modified p–q method, synchronous d–q reference frame method and I d –I q method. The performance of four methods has been evaluated under different source voltages conditions in steady state. For the same operating conditions, the performance of all control laws are analysed and compared in terms of the total harmonic distortion of source currents. Based on this comparative study, it is possible to select the best strategy to meet the required load compensation characteristics for available source voltages.