For Texas residents, TXU Energy is one of the most recognizable retail energy providers (REPs), with a long history in the Dallas area.
Today, many Texans across the state opt for TXU Energy plans, from free nights and their Season Pass to renewable and apartment-specific options. And just as with any provider, variety means the power to choose, but also requires a fine-tooth comb for comparison shopping. That’s why we’re here.
You’ll hear lots of opinions, some from your neighbors and others you’ll read online in various TXU Energy reviews. But with this review and our suite of comparison shopping tools, we’ll help you determine which is right for you.
In this TXU Energy plans review, we break down the details of each electricity plan and tell you the good and the bad. Once you’ve read these TXU Energy plan reviews, you’ll be ready to pick the best TXU Energy plan for your home.
What Is the Best TXU Energy Plan?
The best TXU Energy plan in Texas is a bill credit plan, TXU Energy Clear Deal. This bill credit plan has a great low rate for usage from 800 to 1500 kWh per month. It’s perfect for most Texans, since the average monthly usage is 1200 kWh.
And, thanks to TXU’s satisfaction guarantee, you can try any plan for 60 days. Decide it’s not for you? Just call them to switch to a different plan.
ElectricityPlans will always show a variety of TXU Energy plans, and the plans listed in this review may not always be available. We select plans to display based on the price offerings, product mix, and what other retailers are offering.
TXU Energy Plans Reviews
- What Is the Best TXU Energy Plan?
- TXU Energy Live Your Free Review
- TXU Energy Free Nights & Solar Days Review
- TXU Season Pass Review
- TXU Energy Plans with Bill Credits – Worth It?
- TXU Energy Month-to-Month Plan Review
- What is the Best TXU Energy Plan?
Shop TXU Energy Plans Near You
TXU Energy Live Your Free Review
You’ve seen and heard all the advertisements. Not just a free nights plan, TXU Live Your Free gives you free power whenever you use it most, whether that’s days, nights or weekends. TXU spends a lot of money on branding and name recognition for this plan. But is it a good choice?
About TXU Live Your Free
- No need to change your usage habits.
- TXU gives you free energy during nights, days or weekends, whichever gives you the maximum amount of free energy.
- TXU’s advertised rate in the electricity facts label assumes you’ll get 40.93% of your energy for free. That’s based on their assessment of thousands of customers’ usage data.
- You pay for 100% of your delivery charges
Is TXU Energy Live Your Free Worth It?
Live Your Free gives the best of everything to the consumer who wants free power. You don’t have to decide if you want free nights, free days or free weekends. TXU will automatically review your usage each month and give you the free electricity choice that give you the maximum amount of free energy.
- TXU Live Your Free – Free Days: Daytime hours from 10am to 4:59pm each day.
- TXU Live Your Free – Free Nights: Nighttime hours from 9:00pm to 4:59am each day.
- TXU Live Your Free – Free Weekends: Weekend time from 7:00pm Frida through 11:59pm Sunday
Sounds amazing. But that comes with a high price for the power you do use. After all, TXU has to make its money somewhere! The average rate per kWh takes your free power into account.
And, this reviewer believes Live Your Free could make consumers less energy conscious. After all, if you can use maximum power all the time, whenever you want it, why bother to conserve power?
The better choice for a consumer who wants to actively manage their power and shift energy usage to less stressed times on the grid is TXU’s Free Nights & Solar Days. But if you just want to use power however and whenever you want? TXU Live Your Free was made for you!
TXU Energy Free Nights & Solar Days Review
TXU Energy Free Nights & Solar Days offers Free Nights electricity from 8 p.m. until 4:59 a.m. That means no charge for your electricity charges or delivery charges per kilowatt hour.
Then you get “solar days,” meaning that the power you get from 5 a.m. until 7:59 p.m. daily is backed by solar power and solar renewable energy credits from Texas solar farms.
TXU also purchases wind renewable energy credits to back up your nighttime power usage, making this plan 100% renewable energy.
About TXU Free Nights & Solar Days Plan
- Free electricity and delivery charges every night from 8 p.m. to 4:59 a.m.
- This is the only TXU free electricity plan with both electricity and delivery free at certain times.
- Average price assumes you use 40% – 42% of your power at night
- 100% renewable energy RECs at night; 100% solar energy during the day.
Is TXU Free Nights & Solar Days Plan Worth It?
Like any free nights electricity plan, the average rate for power makes certain assumptions.
In this case, the average price per kWh in the Electricity Facts Label assumes that you use 40.3% – 42.1% of your power between 8pm and 5am depending on the utility you live in. And that assumption is based on the data TXU has on the typical consumer.
That means if you do little bit to shift your power usage, like run your dish washer and washing machine after 8pm? You’ll have a lower average rate vs. what’s advertised. But if you have someone working from home all day? This is not the plan for you.
Because it’s their highest priced TXU Energy plan, you will have to shift 50% of your power to the free nights to be equivalent to their basic fixed rate plan.
If you can actively move your usage to the free time period, this may be worth it for your home. If not, you are better off with one of TXU’s bill credit plans or the straight-forward priced Simple Rate plan.
Compare TXU Energy Plans With Free Electricity
TXU Season Pass Review
TXU Season Pass usually makes its appearance in advertising every year in the summer and winter. And this year is no exception.
You get 50% off your energy charges for six months of the year including summer months, June-August, and winter months, December – February. But is it worth it?
About TXU Energy Season Pass
- 50% off summer energy charges from June 1 – August 31
- 50% off winter energy charges from December 1 – February 28
- You pay for 100% of your delivery charges
- TXU’s advertised rate in the electricity facts label assumes you use between 53.5% – 58.9% of your electricity when it’s 50% off depending on the utility that serves your residence
Is TXU Energy Season Pass Worth it?
TXU Season Pass gives you 50% off your electricity charges in summer and winter. That’s when you use the most electricity, so this is appealing to many people.
And they price it fairly. TXU has looked at data over the past 3 years and figured out that 55.9% of your electricity usage is during the 50% off time period.
That means the Electricity Facts Label is a good representation of what you will pay.
So unless you use more electricity in winter and summer than the average person? You may want to consider either Ultimate Summer Pass or one of TXU Energy’s bill credit plans. Because otherwise you’re picking a plan that’s more expensive than their other rates
TXU Energy Season Pass was previously referred to as TXU Energy 50 Off Plan.
TXU Energy Plans with Bill Credits – Worth It?
TXU creates electricity plans targeting specific usage levels. These plans have bill credits and tiered rates structures. And these bill credit plans can be worth it if you know your electricity usage.
We’ve identified the “sweet spots” for each of TXU’s bill credit plans by comparing the effective rate vs. TXU’s basic fixed rate electricity plans.
The sweet spot is that usage range where these plans are cheaper than TXU’s basic fixed rate plan.
TXU Energy Clear Deal Review (Best TXU Bill Credit Plan)
- Plan type: Bill Credit, Tiered Rates
- Summary: $30 usage credit when you go over 800 kWh, plus a lower energy rate for usage below 1200 kWh in a month.
- Good for: homes using 500 to 1500 kWh each month
- This is the cheapest TXU Energy plan for most homes in Texas.
- Sign up for TXU Clear Deal
TXU Energy Saver’s Discount Review
- Plan Type: Bill Credit, Tiered Rates
- Summary: $30 bill credit for usage above 1200 kWh a month
- Lower energy rate for usage between 1200 kWh – 2000 kWh per month
- Good for: homes using 1500 kWh – 4000 kWh a month
- Sign up for TXU Saver’s Discount
TXU Energy Solar Saver Review
- Plan Type: Bill Credit, Tiered Rates, 25% Renewable
- Summary: $30 bill credit for usage above 1200 kWh a month, with the bonus of Texas solar power
- Lower energy rate for monthly usage between 1200 kWh – 2000 kWh
- Good for: homes using 1500 kWh – 3000 kWh
- Sign up for TXU Solar Saver
To decide if a bill credit plan is worth it, you have to understand the math and your monthly usage.
Luckily, ElectricityPlans has the tools to decide if these plans with bill credits are for you.
Just enter your zip code, then enter your average monthly usage. We calculate the price per kWh and each plan’s monthly bill for you.
TXU Energy Month-to-Month Plan Review
TXU Energy is one of the few providers that offers a month to month plan. TXU Energy Flex Forward gives you full flexibility with no commitment. But that comes with a price.
TXU’s Flex Forward month to month plan is typically 20% more expensive than their lowest priced offer.
That’s why we only recommend a month to month electricity plan from TXU for one reason. It’s great if you are trying to shift your expiration date from summer or winter to the best times to shop for electricity. It’s our recommendation if your contract expires in July, August or February.
What is the Best TXU Energy Plan?
Free electricity plans are attractive (who doesn’t like free) but you need to pay attention to the math. The amount of free you get is already included in the average rate. Unless you are shifting your habits, these aren’t the best plan from TXU.
If you know what your usage is each month, TXU Energy offers some great bill credit and tiered rate plans. In fact, while we usually recommend sticking with basic fixed rate plans, TXU has really hit a home run with their latest bill credit plan.
That’s why we say the best TXU Energy plan is a bill credit plan, TXU Energy Clear Deal. This bill credit plan has a great low rate for usage from 500 to 1500 kWh per month. Perfect for most Texans.
Recommendation as of 6/19/2024
What About the Best Energy Plans for Apartments?
Many Texans rent apartments or homes, an arrangement that allows for flexibility and often yields lower energy consumption depending on energy efficiency upgrades.
TXU Energy has a reputation as one of the leading energy companies for apartments. Part of that perception comes from the rates and conditions we’ve detailed above, and some of that comes from advertising.
Whether you’re moving into a new apartment, switching your REP or are new to Texas’s energy market, we’ve rounded up the best electricity plans and providers for apartment living.
When considering which TXU Energy plan is the best, always shop based on your electricity usage, not just 500, 1000 or 2000 kWh. That’s the only way to find the cheapest plan they offer.
And don’t forget: TXU has a satisfaction guarantee. Try any plan for 60 days. Decide it’s not for you? Just call them to switch to a different plan.
TXU Energy Rates & Plans (Centerpoint)
Plan Name | Term | Rate/kWh |
---|---|---|
TXU Energy Clear Deal 12 | 12 | 15.5 ¢ |
TXU Energy Clear Deal 24 | 24 | 16.5 ¢ |
TXU Energy Solar Value 12 | 12 | 16.9 ¢ |
TXU Energy Simple Rate 12 | 12 | 18.2 ¢ |
TXU Energy Flex Forward | 1 | 18.6 ¢ |
TXU Energy Season Pass 12 | 12 | 18.7 ¢ |
TXU Energy Free Nights and Solar Days 12 | 12 | 18.9 ¢ |
TXU Energy Live Your Free 12 | 12 | 19.3 ¢ |
TXU Energy Saver's Discount 12 | 12 | 21.0 ¢ |
TXU Energy Solar Saver 12 | 12 | 21.0 ¢ |
TXU Energy Saver's Discount 24 | 24 | 22.2 ¢ |
TXU Energy Rates & Plans (Oncor)
Plan Name | Term | Rate/kWh |
---|---|---|
TXU Energy Clear Deal 12 | 12 | 15.5 ¢ |
TXU Energy Clear Deal 24 | 24 | 16.5 ¢ |
TXU Energy Solar Value 12 | 12 | 16.9 ¢ |
TXU Energy Simple Rate 12 | 12 | 18.2 ¢ |
TXU Energy Flex Forward | 1 | 18.6 ¢ |
TXU Energy Season Pass 12 | 12 | 18.6 ¢ |
TXU Energy Free Nights and Solar Days 12 | 12 | 18.9 ¢ |
TXU Energy Live Your Free 12 | 12 | 19.2 ¢ |
TXU Energy Saver's Discount 12 | 12 | 21.0 ¢ |
TXU Energy Solar Saver 12 | 12 | 21.0 ¢ |
TXU Energy Saver's Discount 24 | 24 | 22.2 ¢ |
Why you can trust our reviews: The ElectricityPlans team has over 30 years of combined experience in the Texas electricity industry. One of our team members worked at a retail electricity provider developing electricity plans. We understand the math behind these plans and the answer to “do free electricity plans really save you money?”
Additional Plan Details
TXU Energy Plans for Seniors. TXU Energy does not offer any special plans for senior citizens. If you are over 64, consider Champion Energy Champ Silver plan. This plan has a discount vs. their standard offer.
Retired TXU Energy Electricity Plans. TXU Energy has offered a number of different electricity plans over the years. Some of these include TXU Energy 50 Off Plan, TXU Free Nights, TXU Energy Free Nights & Weekends, Texas Choice and Flex Rewards. Some other plans are seasonal, like Season Pass and Ultimate Summer Pass.
Retired TXU Energy Electricity Plans
TXU Energy Ultimate Summer Pass Review
TXU Energy Ultimate Summer Pass combined the best of Season Pass (50% off summer and winter energy) and the best of Free Pass (highest usage days free). This TXU electricity plan was introduced in 2023 and is not available in 2024.
With Ultimate Summer Pass, you’ll get 50% off your energy charges from June to September, plus free energy on your 3 hottest days each summer month.
This is the plan that TXU is heavily advertising this year, so you’ve probably heard of it. But is it any good? Yes. It’s our favorite of the TXU free electricity plans.
Note: This plan is offered seasonally from May to September and may not be currently available.
About TXU Energy Ultimate Summer Pass
- 50% off summer energy charges June 1 – September 30
- 3 hottest days free each month from June 1 – September 30
- You pay for 100% of your delivery charges
Is TXU Energy Ultimate Summer Pass Worth it?
Yes, we think TXU Energy Ultimate Summer Pass may be worth it. The reason? Math.
Surprisingly, TXU makes some pretty basic assumptions in calculating their Electricity Facts Label for this plan. That’s because it’s a new plan and they don’t have a lot of data to go off of.
- They assume that 33% of your power (4/12 months or 1/3 of the time) is during summer, at 50% off energy charges.
- And they assume that 10% of your power (3 out of 30 days) is on the 3 hottest days of the month from June to September.
- This means they assume you use the same amount of power every day, and every month.
- The assumptions TXU makes in their electricity facts label aren’t realistic. Therefore, your average price per kWh over the course of the year could be better than what TXU Energy advertises.
You already know that on the hottest days you use more power than on a typical day. You don’t use the same amount every day, which is TXU’s assumption in their average rate calculation.
And you also know you don’t use the same amount of power every month. You use a lot more in the summer. You can see that on this graph.
Based on this analysis, we think your effective electricity rate could be lower than the advertised rate. And that makes TXU Energy Ultimate Summer Pass a winner for consumers.
TXU Energy Free Pass Review
The TXU Energy Free Pass Plan is no longer offered. TXU replaced Free Pass with Ultimate Summer Pass.
TXU Energy Free Pass was one of their most popular plans.
You got your 9 highest usage days (energy + delivery price per kilowatt hour) for free in the summer months: June, July, August, and September. And you got your 7 highest usage days per month for free the rest of the year!
This plan was popular because it didn’t require you to make any changes in your power usage. Use it at night or during the day, use it on the weekends or weekdays, use it however you want. And you got your highest usage days for free.
Since TXU Energy Free Pass is no longer available, we recommend that you look at TXU Energy Ultimate Summer Pass (available May – September) or TXU Energy Season Pass.