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.
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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
Generous Saver 12
view EFL
$140
Generous Saver 36
view EFL
$145
Helpful Saver 24
view EFL
$152
Amigo Web - 24
view EFL
$169
Amazing 18
view EFL
$132
Fantastic Fixed 6
view EFL
$108
Fast Fixed 4
view EFL
$108
Nifty 9
view EFL
$113
Terrific 12
view EFL
$138
Tremendous 24
view EFL
$138
Champ Saver-12
view EFL
$148
Champ Saver-24
view EFL
$144
Smart Lock 15
view EFL
$155
Smart Lock 24 Online
view EFL
$157
Smart Value 12 Online
view EFL
$126
12 Month Usage Bill Credit
view EFL
$140
12Mo Usage Bill Credit + A/C Protection for 2 Units
view EFL
$151
18 Month Usage Bill Credit
view EFL
$122
36 Month Usage Bill Credit
view EFL
$146
9 Month Usage Bill Credit
view EFL
$119
Bright Choice
view EFL
$142
Free Power Weekends 12
view EFL
$145
Live Brighter 12
view EFL
$141
Power on Command 24
view EFL
$141
Weekends on Command 24
view EFL
$147
Entrust 12
view EFL
$129
Entrust 18
view EFL
$124
Entrust 24
view EFL
$127
Entrust 6
view EFL
$110
Texas Refresh 12
view EFL
$130
Texas Refresh 24
view EFL
$127
Monthly Freedom Plan
view EFL
$142
You Got This 12
view EFL
$138
You Got This 24
view EFL
$138
Light Saver 12+
view EFL
$145
Light Saver 24+
view EFL
$150
Light Saver 6
view EFL
$147
No Hidden Fees
view EFL
$138
Gexa Saver 12
view EFL
$148
Gexa Saver Freedom 9
view EFL
$126
Gexa Saver Select 12
view EFL
$142
Gexa Steady Saver 9
view EFL
$123
Pollution Free e-Plus 12
view EFL
$160
Pollution Free e-Plus Preferred Month-To-Month
view EFL
$179
18-month Partner Saver
view EFL
$136
3-month Partner Saver
view EFL
$112
60 mo Saver
view EFL
$136
9-month Partner Saver
view EFL
$117
Just Energy Web - 12
view EFL
$172
Just Energy Web - 24
view EFL
$169
MyLife 500
view EFL
$121
Wise Buy 12
view EFL
$126
Wise Buy 14
view EFL
$151
Wise Buy Conservative Plus 12
view EFL
$129
#Terrace12
view EFL
$137
Clear Flex Plan
view EFL
$143
Reliant Truly Free Weekends 18 plan
view EFL
$144
Secure Advantage 12
view EFL
$143
Choice 24
view EFL
$132
Price Protect 12
view EFL
$128
Price Protect 24
view EFL
$145
Price Protect 6
view EFL
$123
Sure Saver 12
view EFL
$137
Tara Web - 24
view EFL
$169
Texans 12
view EFL
$133
Texans 24
view EFL
$133
Eagle 12
view EFL
$135
Eagle 24
view EFL
$132
Eagle 36
view EFL
$130
Green Eagle 12
view EFL
$137
Green Eagle 36
view EFL
$133
SMART Energy 12
view EFL
$144
SMART Energy 24
view EFL
$139
SMART Energy 36
view EFL
$135
24 mo Nest Rate
view EFL
$144
36 mo Nest Rate
view EFL
$141
Secure 12-month
view EFL
$143
Secure 18-month
view EFL
$133
Secure 24-month
view EFL
$144
Secure 36-month
view EFL
$141
Secure Green 12-month
view EFL
$146