If you’re new to Texas Energy Market or shopping for cheap electricity or think that you might be paying too much for your electric bill, then you’re probably wondering how to find the best energy plan in Texas.
As we’ve suggested before, looking for the cheapest electricity rates in Texas can be complicated.
The good news is that you don’t need to be an expert to find the best energy plan in Texas.
Luckily, there are smart tools like EnerWisely that help you compare energy companies and energy rates based on your electricity usage. It is the quick and easy way to find the right plan for your home.
It is ideal that you know what to look for in choosing which energy plan in Texas is best for you.
Read on to learn how to determine which plan is right for your home. See also some of the best companies and their electricity price. We’ll also explain why EnerWisely is the best tool to compare energy price if you want to avoid surprise bills.
How to Determine Which Texas Energy Plan is Best
There is no easy answer to which energy plan is best. Ultimately, the best plan will come down to what matters most to you.
Most consumers will primarily be interested in comparing electricity rates under different providers, but others may feel they want an electric company that invests heavily in renewable energy.
There is also the reputation of the company to consider: many consumers are happy to spend a little more if they feel their services are good and they don’t need to worry about any surprise bills or hidden fees.
Additionally, some markets have access to time-of-use plans which can vary the cost of electricity based on when it’s used. Then there are energy plans in Texas which give credits to consumers who use a minimum amount of electricity per month, usually 1000 kWh.
EnerWisely Cuts Through the Confusion
We know how much information consumers need access to in order to make truly informed decisions about their energy plans. That’s why we introduced the EnerWisely smart shopping tool. It’s the best free tool available online. EnerWisely uses intelligent analytics to link your home’s energy consumption and compare plans based on that.
It will calculate the matching score of each plan compared in a scale of 1 to 100. EnerWisely matching score is easy to understand, the higher it is, the better a plan works for your consumption.
EnerWisely’s reviews also give you the scoop about the best electric companies in Texas. Read these reviews about Pulse Power, TXU, Gexa, Direct Energy, Cirro, Payless Power, Spark Energy, and many more.
Top Light Plans in Texas
We’ve scoured the internet for all the plans currently available in Texas’ four largest markets. Using a selection criterion detailed below, we chose what we believe to be the best energy plans currently available in these markets.
If your city isn’t mentioned in today’s list, you can always check out EnerWisely’s free plan comparison tool.
Our Evaluation Criteria
We’ve organized our list based on the following factors:
- Price per kWh (as of October 2022): we based this on an expected monthly usage of 1000 kWh (a small house would use about this much)
- Cancellation fees
- Investments in renewable energy and their environmental impact
- Time usage benefits (free nights or weekends)
- Type of plans (fixed rate plans or variable rate plans)
- Star rating on power to choose (based on customer complaint history)
The Best and Most Reliant Energy Plans in Texas
Not every retail electric provider (REP) operates across the state. In addition, every REP offers different rates to different areas –. That’s why most comparison sites start by asking you to enter your zip code. The rates by service area are based on the utility company fees and the cost of generation, which varies greatly depending on the type of fuel used.
The four largest metropolitan areas in the state which allow for competition in the electricity market are Dallas, Houston, Arlington, and Corpus Christi. We’ve further sorted our list to make it easy for you to find the best energy plan in your area.
Oncor Electric and CenterPoint Energy the transmission and distribution service provider, or utilities, responsible for the service areas covered in today’s list.
- Dallas
REP | Plan Name | Price Per kWh | Rate Type | Term | Cost to Cancel | Renewable Output % | Free Times? | Star Rating |
Texpo Energy | Classic Savings 36 | 15.20¢ | Fixed | 36 Months | $175 | 25% | No | 5/5 |
There are currently seven plans in Dallas with a 5-star rating, but Texpo Energy Services is the lowest going rate among all 5-star plans, which makes it our top choice for all plans available in Dallas.
- Houston
REP | Plan Name | Price Per kWh | Rate Type | Term | Cost to Cancel | Renewable Output % | Free Times? | Star Rating |
Chariot Energy | Solarize 36 | 18.1¢ | Fixed | 36 Months | $15 per month | 100% | No | 4/5 |
After comparing electricity rates in Houston, Chariot brings you 100% solar energy without needing to install solar panels. For this reason, Chariot has an edge here even with a slightly lower star rating.
- Arlington
REP | Plan Name | Price Per kWh | Rate Type | Term | Cost to Cancel | Renewable Output % | Free Times? | Star Rating |
Reliant Energy | Truly Free Weekends 12 | 20.1¢ | Fixed | 12 Months | $150 | 100% | Yes | 5/5 |
Reliant Energy combines a high star customer rating with 100% renewable energy output and one of the best reputations in the city.
- Corpus Christi
REP | Plan Name | Price Per kWh | Rate Type | Term | Cost to Cancel | Renewable Output % | Free Times? | Star Rating |
Lone Star Energy | Lone Star
Green 36 |
13.39¢ | Fixed | 36 | $20 per month | 100% | No | 3/5 |
Lone Star Energy is one of the most affordable providers in Texas. They are owned by Shell which gives their customers an impressive backing. This plan is 100% renewable, with a great cost-per-kWh compared to their competitors.
Factors in Comparing Electric Rates
Here is a list of factors that will affect the total reflected on your monthly bill.
Price per kWh
When comparing plans using electricity rates, it’s important to realize that most plans estimate their kWh rate based on a 1000 kWh monthly usage.
Electricity plans cost more or less depending on how much electricity you buy and who you’re buying it from. It also varies based on when you’re using your electricity.
For this reason and more, it’s critically important that you know your real usage and how it changes through the year. A smart tool for comparing electricity rates is EnerWisely. It helps you fetch your electricity consumption data automatically to find the best energy plan in Texas for you.
EnerWisely’s free tool can help you with this to ensure you always get the best rate on your energy plan. In other words, EnerWisely will help you find the best energy plan in Texas.
Time of Use
A time-of-use plan is one that will reward you for shifting your energy usage from peak hours to off-peak hours.
The Texas electrical grid is under heavy strain during the day, especially in the summer months when air conditioning is a priority. Additionally, some power plants are so costly to start and stop that it’s actually cheaper to just leave them running and sell the excess electricity at a discount. To offset this, some Texas electric companies offer free nights and weekends plans to take advantage of the electricity that’s flowing but otherwise might not be used.
Usage Limits
To find the best energy plan in Texas, pay close attention to usage limits which may alter the effective rate of your electricity.
Most plans with usage limits require that customers use at least 1000 kWh/month. They’ll get a credit for meeting this threshold that will lower their total electric bill.
If you’re on a plan with a usage limit, but are living in a small home or apartment, you may struggle to meet this 1000 kWh threshold with regular use. If so, it might be wise to switch to a plan with no usage limit.
Evergreen Metrics to Find the Best Electricity Plan
Keep in mind that the prices listed above will change over time, depending on things like inflation. However, these metrics will always be valuable to compare for the best energy plan in Texas. But using this information in the context of your energy consumption is not always easy or fast.
Are you tired of shopping for plans on your own or are unsure that you’re finding the correct or most up-to-date information? It may be time to let EnerWisely take the stress off your shoulders.
We’ll compare all the metrics on this list based on our consumption. This smart shopping approach will reveal the best energy plan in Texas that really works for you.
EnerWisely’s free plan matchmaker tool is ready to help you save money. Click here to compare plans today.