Texas Electricity Ratings Bill Calculator

We advise you to read the following to better understand the ins and outs of various electricity plans, but if you're in a hurry, feel free to jump ahead.

Why is my electric bill higher than it should be?

The PUC only requires companies to post their average rates for billing cycles at 500, 1000 and 2000 kWh. What goes on at other usage levels is not required to be disclosed on the web (except on the EFL). That's what allows you to see that 4.9¢ rate that you can't feasibly get on other comparison sites. The rate you see is only at that certain usage amount, and odds are, you aren't going to use 1,000 kWh in every billing cycle.

What do the houses mean?

The houses below represent the plan's rate at the 500, 1000, and 2000 kWh thresholds. The colors show the rate at those usage amounts relative to that plan's lowest rate. All green means the rate is fairly constant, regardless of usage amount. If part of the bar is orange, that means the rate at that amount is somewhat higher than the rate at the lowest usage amount. Red means the rate is significantly higher. Each plan will have at least one green section.
500
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1000
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2000
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Plan Profiles

Below are a few example plans we've created to illustrate how different rate structures work:

Fixed Rate

Regardless of how much energy you use, you will pay 10¢ per kWh. This is because the provider has included the TDSP fees into their price. If you use 500 kwh, you will pay $50. If you use 5,000, you will pay $500. The rates may not look as attractive, but you won't get any surprises on your bill.

Flat Rate

This plan has a fixed "monthly" charge of $75 with no energy charge up to 2,000 kWh. At 1,001 kWh, another fixed charge of $75 kicks in. At 2,001 kWh, an energy charge of 15¢ kicks in per kWh over 2,000. Depending on what the energy rate is, these plans could be ideal for large homes.

Bill Credit

This plan has a bundled energy charge of 15¢ per kWh. At 1,000 kWh, a $75 bill credit kicks in, dropping your average rate to 7.5¢/kWh. This credit is per billing cycle, not per month. If you use 1,100 kWh in January but only 950 in February, your February bill almost doubles!

Bill Credit with Cap

This plan also has a bundled energy charge of 15¢ per kWh and a $75 bill credit at 1,000 kWh. The difference is that the bill credit does not apply if you use more than 2,000 kWh in a billing cycle. Even though the EFL rates may look the same, these plans are very different.

To keep our examples simple, we've bundled the rates. Most plans are un-bundled, meaning the company you select will charge a fixed price per kWh and pass the TDSP (utility) fees on to you. TDSP fees usually include a base charge of $3-10 and an energy charge of 3-5¢/kWh. In bundled rate plans, the TDSP fees are not passed through to you. Your electricity company will absorb these costs and pay them to the utility for you. It is important to remember that TDSP fees are charged by your utility (Centerpoint, Oncor, AEP, TNMP). These are NOT bogus fees added to your bill by your electric company.

Other Factors

Keep in mind that there are other charges that can get added to your bill that may not be included in your rate. Some companies charge you for paying your bill online while others charge for paying by phone. There are also some companies that will charge you a monthly fee for not enrolling in auto-pay.

Read the EFL. Know what you're getting into before you sign a contract.


Get calculating!

Average Usage:
If you don't know your average usage, you can enter previous bill info below:

Note: The average bills shown are based on the average kWh entered extrapolated across an entire year based on aggregate customer usage data. Your yearly profile will differ based on factors like in-ground pools, electric heating, small data-centers in your garage, walk-in freezers, etc.

Company

Avg. Bill		 Profile
Smart Power 12
view EFL
$167
Smart Power 24
view EFL
$168
Smart Power 6
view EFL
$171
Smart Power 9
view EFL
$165
Amigo Web - 24
view EFL
$164
 
Amazing 18
view EFL
$148
Fantastic Fixed 6
view EFL
$156
Fast Fixed 4
view EFL
$172
Nifty 9
view EFL
$144
Terrific 12
view EFL
$147
Tremendous 24
view EFL
$143
Champ Saver-12
view EFL
$130
Champ Saver-24
view EFL
$128
Champ Saver-9
view EFL
$114
Smart Lock 15
view EFL
$153
Smart Lock 24 Online
view EFL
$154
Smart Value 12 Online
view EFL
$135
12 Month Usage Bill Credit
view EFL
$133
12Mo Usage Bill Credit +A/C Protection for 2 Units
view EFL
$150
36 Month Usage Bill Credit
view EFL
$145
9 Month Usage Bill Credit
view EFL
$119
TX Tier Product
view EFL
$137
Free Power Weekends 12
view EFL
$-4
Live Brighter 12
view EFL
$142
Power on Command 24
view EFL
$142
Weekends on Command 24
view EFL
$-5
Entrust 12
view EFL
$117
Entrust 24
view EFL
$143
Texas Refresh 12
view EFL
$118
Texas Refresh 24
view EFL
$149
You Got This 12
view EFL
$140
You Got This 24
view EFL
$140
Beat the Heat 12+
view EFL
$132
Light Saver 12+
view EFL
$140
Light Saver 24+
view EFL
$145
Light Saver 6
view EFL
$143
No Hidden Fees
view EFL
$134
Every Day | Every Night 12
view EFL
$173
Gexa Saver 12
view EFL
$158
Gexa Saver Premium 12
view EFL
$177
Gexa Saver Premium 24
view EFL
$177
Gexa Saver Supreme
view EFL
$147
Gexa Saver Supreme 24
view EFL
$145
Gexa Saver Value
view EFL
$165
Gexa True Saver Green 12
view EFL
$126
Smart Choice Value 12
view EFL
$120
Pollution Free e-Plus 12
view EFL
$164
Pollution Free e-Plus Preferred Month-To-Month
view EFL
$191
12-month Partner Saver
view EFL
$132
18-month Partner Saver
view EFL
$125
24 mo Nest Rate
view EFL
$129
24-month Partner Saver
view EFL
$129
3-month Partner Saver
view EFL
$112
36 mo Nest Rate
view EFL
$127
36-month Partner Saver
view EFL
$127
48 mo Saver
view EFL
$126
60 mo Saver
view EFL
$124
9 Month Smart Plan
view EFL
$110
9-month Partner Saver
view EFL
$110
Just Energy Web - 24
view EFL
$169
 
Wise Buy 12
view EFL
$150
Wise Buy 14
view EFL
$149
Wise Buy Conservative Plus 12
view EFL
$139
#Mandarin12
view EFL
$155
 
#Terrace12
view EFL
$145
 
Clear Flex Plan
view EFL
$149
Secure Advantage 12
view EFL
$154
Truly Free Weekends 12
view EFL
$-22
Price Protect 12
view EFL
$126
Tara Web - 24
view EFL
$164
 
Eagle 12
view EFL
$129
Eagle 24
view EFL
$126
Eagle 36
view EFL
$125
Green Eagle 12
view EFL
$132
Green Eagle 36
view EFL
$129
SMART Energy 12
view EFL
$138
SMART Energy 24
view EFL
$133
SMART Energy 36
view EFL
$130
24 mo Nest Rate
view EFL
$132
 
36 mo Nest Rate
view EFL
$130
 
Secure 12-month
view EFL
$132
 
Secure 18-month
view EFL
$124
 
Secure 24-month
view EFL
$132
 
Secure 36-month
view EFL
$130
 
Secure Green 12-month
view EFL
$135