Texas lets you choose your electricity provider. But with more than 40 providers and 500 plans on the market at any given time, most Texans turn to a electric rate comparison website to find the right plan
This guide breaks down the major electricity company rate comparison sites in the Texas electricity market. We look at who owns them, how they make money, what they do well, and what they do poorly. We’ve included our own site in the comparison and have tried to be straightforward about where others may have an edge on us.
First up, tackling two major items you should be aware of.
Before You Shop, Know These Two Key Things
Who Owns That Company?
Three of the more widely used comparison shopping sites are owned by electricity providders. That’s right. One was even caught claiming it had “no ties with retail electric providers,” then quietly removed the claim after a Houston Chronicle report. Another says it’s “proudly affiliated with a retail electric provider,” but hides that on their About Us page and in the website footer. The third doesn’t mention anywhere that it shares a parent company with the largest electricity provider in Texas.
Comparison Shopping Sites Affiliated With Providers
EnergyBot is owned by Blitz Ventures, LLC, which is owned by Vistra Corporation. Vistra also owns TXU Energy, 4Change Energy, Veteran Energy and TriEagle Energy
Power Wizard is owned by NextEra Energy, which also owns Gexa Energy, Frontier Utilities and Companion Energy
EnergySavings.com is owned by Interactive Energy Group LLC, a Just Energy Ventures Company. That’s the same company that owns Tara Energy, Amigo Energy and Just Energy
That doesn’t mean that these comparison shopping sites will steer you wrong. But we believe being honest and upfront is the best policy. So these hidden connections just don’t feel Texan to us.
Avoid the Advertised Rate Trap
Most comparison shopping sites show rates based on 1000 kWh per month as the default. But that’s not what your home actually uses. You can shop by 500, 1000 or 2000, or possibly enter your average usage. But your usage can vary dramatically for January vs. August. A site that doesn’t give recommendations based on your actual usage gives you a false sense of what you’ll actually pay. And mistakes like that can add up when you get your bill.
So moving on to the evaluation, keep these two things in mind: who owns the company, and do they let you shop based on usage.
Comparing the Comparison Tools: Best Texas Electricity Rate Comparison Sites
PowertoChoose.org
- Owner: Public Utility Commission of Texas; the OG of electricity comparison sites in Texas
- Business Model: Non-profit
Strengths
- Lists every retail electricity provider in Texas
- No commercial incentive
- Official government source of information
Weaknesses
- Ranks plans based on 500/1000/2000 kWh only
- Limited filtering
- Doesn’t let you shop based on your usage
Bottom Line
The most comprehensive plan database in Texas, with zero commercial conflict. But it doesn’t work well as a shopping tool, with static 500/1000/2000 kWh usage levels and limited filtering. Use it to check complaint ratings or find the newest electricity provider, but don’t make this your final stop for comparison shopping.
Energy Bot
- Owner: Vistra Corporation (parent company of TXU Energy, 4Change Energy, Veteran Energy, TriEagle Energy, Ambit Energy)
- Business Model: Provider Commissions
Strengths
- Clean, modern interface
- Filtering tools
- Does show competitor brands, even though it’s owned by Vistra, parent company to multiple retail electricity providers
- Estimates usage to show real rate, or connect to your utility
Weaknesses
- Undisclosed ownership by Vistra, which controls roughly 30% of the Texas residential market through its various brands
- Not clear why certain plans are recommended
- No disclosed methodology on how providers are evaluated
Bottom Line
EnergyBot was built by Blitz Ventures, LLC but with their ultimate corporate parent is Vistra Energy. That’s fine for electricity shopping, but you’re using a tool built by your potential provider’s parent company. That’s something you should know, and something that remains hidden on their site.
Power Wizard
- Owner: NextEra Energy Resources (also owns Gexa Energy, Frontier Utilities and Companion Energy)
- Business Model: Provider Commissions
Strengths
- Simple shopping experience
- Does show competitor plans, despite having the same parent company as Gexa Energy, Frontier Utilities and Companion Energy
Weaknesses
- Owned by NextEra, which also owns retail electricity providers
- Does not support usage-based shopping
- Lost its main differentiator (membership fee concierge services) in 2024
Bottom Line
When Power Wizard launched, it promoted itself as having no affiliation with retail electricity providers. Those claims came down after the Houston Chronicle pointed out it was owned by NextEra, which also owns Gexa Energy and Frontier Utilities. The site went free in late 2024 and abandoned its concierge model in the process. It’s now a standard comparison marketplace owned by a provider, with limited shopping tools.
Energy Savings
- Owner: Interactive Enrgy Group, owned by Just Energy Corp. (parent company for Amigo Energy, Tara Energy and Just Energy)
- Business Model: Provider Commissions
Strengths
- Strong editorial content and savings tips
- Easy zip-based search tools
Weaknesses
- Just 8 providers, 3 of which belong to parent company Just Energy
- Prominently features parent company brands as the best options
- No real cost tools, basic 500/1000/2000 kWh rates only
Bottom Line
EnergySavings.com’s own About Us page says it is “proudly affiliated with a retail electricity provider” and identifies itself as a subsidiary of Just Energy (U.S.) Corp. That disclosure is buried while the site presents itself as an impartial comparison tool and features Just Energy, Tara Energy and Amigo Energy rates prominently.
ChooseTexasPower.org
- Owner: Red Ventures
- Business Model: Provider Commissions
Strengths
- Clean, easy to use enrollment site
- Not owned by a provider or utility company
- Wizard tools that estimate usage
Weaknesses
- The .org domain name implies a government or non-profit status that simply isn’t true
- Information overload
- Phone agents are highly incentivized to promote specific plans
Bottom Line
Fine for quick enrollment. But the .org domain creates a false impression of public accountability. This is a commercial lead-generation site owned by a large media company in South Carolina that owns sites like The Points Guy, Healthline, Lonely Planet, Bankrate. Nothing wrong with that, but shoppers commonly confuse it with PowertoChoose.org, the official state website. Even AI models have been known to mistakenly refer to it as such. Doesn’t seem truly Texan to us.
Energy Ogre
- Owner: Privately held
- Business Model: Fee-based subscription service, $10/month
Strengths
- Turn-key management for your electricity bill
- Positive reviews and loyal customers
- Claims access to below-market pricing
Weaknesses
- Costs $120/year, on top of your electricity bill
- Unclear how often they actually review your account for savings, except at contract expiration
- Requires SSN, full account access and credit card on file
- Up to 40% savings claim is hard to verify
Bottom Line
Energy Ogre has many enthusiastic customers who want to outsource their electricity shopping. It makes sense if you’re busy. After all, Energy Ogre says they look out for you to find savings opportunities and will switch you mid-contract to maximize savings. But lately some Redditers have questioned that, since they seldom get switched, find better rates shopping on their own, or continue to get placed with the same provider. No one looks out for you better than you.
Electricity Plans
- Owner: Privately held
- Business Model: Provider commission
Strengths
- BillSmart Tools let you shop based on your actual usage
- Plan Score flags plans with the most predictable bills
- Backed by 20+ years of experience in the Texas residential electricity market
- Independent editorial views, not controlled by any provider
- Free contract expiration reminder service
- Comparing electricity rates since 2017
Weaknesses
- Not all providers are represented; select group of 20 providers based on editorial policy
- Less well known than some of the bigger comparison shopping sites
- Limited reviews on Reviews.io and Google
Bottom Line
We’re going to be straightforward here. Other sites have some cooler technology. But ElectricityPlans.com wins on transparency and is closing the gap on features, including new tools that highlight what you’ll actually pay, not just the advertised rate. Sort by BillSmart™ Plan Score to find the most predictable bills, check what you’ll actually pay using the BillSmart Calculator, and get a visual understanding of your actual bills with the CostCurve™. Enter usage information from a single bill and get recommendations for the cheapest option with BillSmart Low Bill Finder. If your priority is understanding what you’ll actually pay, not just the lowest advertised rate, ElectricityPlans.com is the best comparison shopping site in Texas.
Stop guessing. See what you’ll actually pay.
ElectricityPlans.com BillSmart Tools calculate real electricity costs based on how much you actually use, not just the advertised rate at 1000 kwh.
Comparison Shopping Sites at a Glance
Are we crazy to be doing this? Maybe. After all, one of the first rules of marketing is not to talk about your competitor. But we know consumers want to compare electric company rate comparison sites, so here it is.
| Website | Independent? | Shop Based on Usage? | Free to Use? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertochoose.org | Yes, Government Entity | No | Yes | Finding the newest electricity companies; checking complaint ratings |
| Electricity Plans | Yes | Yes - BillSmart Tools | Yes | Those looking for rate and cost transparency, independent ownership, and clear rate explanations |
| Energy Bot | No; owned by Vistra, the same parent company as TXU Energy, 4Change, TriEagle | Yes | Yes | Standard price shoppers who don't mind a potential conflict of interest |
| Power Wizard | No; owned by NextEra, the same parent company as Gexa and Frontier | No | Yes | Unclear |
| ChooseTexasPower.org | Yes | Yes | Yes | Consumers that want fast enrollment (as long as you understand the .org is a smokescreen.) |
| EnergySavings.com | No; owned by Just Energy, the same parent company as Just Energy, Tara Energy and Amigo Energy | No | Yes | Consumers that want to pick from 8 providers instead of 20+ |
| Energy Ogre | Yes | Yes | No - $120/year | Hands off shoppers who want someone to do it for them. |
How to Shop Smart No Matter Which Comparison Site You Use
Even on the best electricity comparison site, finding the right plan takes a few steps that most Texans skip. Going to a shopping site and just scrolling? Waste of time. Asking AI to show you the cheapest plan? Inevitably you’ll get hooked by a bill credit plan that’s the wrong one for you. Go in with intention and a plan.
- Have at least one bill handy. Shop based on usage, using tools like BillSmart Low Bill Finder. Shopping based on your actual usage is the best way to find your best plan.
- Filter based on your preferences. Use a shopping site that makes it easy to filter by type of plan (fixed rate, bill credit, free nights etc) and that makes it clear what the best plans are through a scoring system, like BillSmart Plan Score, a measure of bill predictability found exclusively at ElectricityPlans.
- Ask who benefits when you enroll. Most comparison shopping sites, including ours, earn a commission when you sign up for service. But sites that are owned by providers have a separate source of income and a special interest that may be different than your own. Know who you’re working with.
- Read the fine print. Every plan has an Electricity Facts Label. This shows the rate per kWh at 500, 1000 and 2000 kWh, and the details that go into the plan. At ElectricityPlans, we decipher the EFL for you, and show how the math works. You can calculate your electricity bill at any level of usage using BillSmart Tools.
TIP: If the math on an Electricity Facts Label looks complicated? Your chances at savings are limited and come with gotchas. We recommend basic fixed rate plans (BillSmart Plan Score 5/5 or 4/5) for most consumers.
All brand names mentioned in this article are the property of their respective owners.
About Us
FAQs About ElectricityPlans.com
ElectricityPlans.com is a Texas-based independent electricity marketplace that helps individuals, families, and businesses compare and enroll in energy plans. We provide structured plan information and comparison tools for customers in deregulated markets including Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. We are not affiliated with any utility or provider and are 100% independent.
We work with a select list of licensed Texas electricity providers that fit our editorial guidelines, including brand reputation, management, and uniqueness of offer. We bring on new providers regularly. If you don’t see yours, you can compare all providers at the Texas state-sponsored shopping website, PowerToChoose.org.
Because we make electricity shopping easier, not more confusing. Our goal isn’t to push a specific plan, it’s to help you choose one that actually fits your home or business. We review and standardize supplier information so you can compare plans without gimmicks or hidden surprises. We’ve been doing that since 2017.
We earn compensation from the electricity provider you select when you enroll through our platform. You never pay a fee to use our site, and the fee we receive doesn’t change the price of your plan. Providers cannot pay to be featured on our site.
