Common questions

A plan can be missing for three reasons. It may be a type we cannot rank honestly, like time-of-use, variable-rate, or prepaid. Its pricing documents may not be readable. Or its advertised rates may not match its own Electricity Facts Label. In that last case, leaving it out is the point.

The advertised rate is calculated at one exact usage level. That level is usually where the plan looks best. Your true rate is calculated at your real usage, every month. The gap between those two numbers is what this site exists to show you.

The Electricity Facts Label is a one-page document every Texas provider must publish for each plan. It lists the real pricing: the energy rate, any monthly fees, and any bill credits and their conditions. We read the EFL for every plan, because that is where the true cost lives, not in the advertised headline.

Yes. Every total includes your local utility’s delivery charges and the provider’s monthly fees. The number you see is a complete bill, not an energy-only teaser.

Plans and pricing are refreshed daily from the providers’ own filed documents.

A fixed-rate plan keeps the same energy rate for your whole contract term. A variable-rate plan can change month to month, and the provider decides when. We rank only fixed-rate plans, because a variable plan has no honest annual cost to compare. You cannot know today what it will charge you in six months.

Pick a rough household size and we will shape a realistic year of Texas usage for you. Real bills give sharper results. Your last twelve are on your provider’s website or app. The profiles we build are made to be honest, not flattering.

A deposit is usually about credit. Many providers check your credit and ask for a deposit if your score is below their line. A strong score, a letter of good payment history from a past provider, or being 65 or older without late payments can waive it. Prepaid plans skip the deposit, because you pay before you use power.

You go straight to that provider’s own enrollment page. It is the same link PowerToChoose uses. Enrollment, contracts, and billing are entirely between you and the provider.

No. The same wires and the same local utility deliver your power no matter which plan you pick. Switching only changes who bills you for the energy. You will not lose service, and no one needs to visit your home.

It depends on the plan. Most fixed-rate plans charge an early termination fee if you leave before the term ends. The amount is on the plan’s Electricity Facts Label, so check it before you enroll. If you are leaving your current plan to switch, check that plan’s fee too. Texas law lets you cancel without the fee if you are moving.

When your contract ends, most providers move you to a month-to-month rate. That rate is often much higher than what you signed up for. Watch for the renewal notice your provider must send, and shop again before your term is up. A plan that was cheap can get expensive the month it rolls over.

Your power stays on. If a provider fails, Texas moves its customers to a backup provider called a Provider of Last Resort, so service is not interrupted. The backup rate may be higher, so you will want to shop for a new plan soon. You are free to switch as soon as you are moved.

Some parts of Texas are not in the deregulated market. If your power comes from a city-owned utility or an electric co-op, you cannot choose your provider, so there are no plans to compare. This site only covers areas where you get to shop.