Written By: David Cosseboom | Updated On: September 26th, 2025
Key Takeaways
- If you want simple and predictable: Start with Constellation, 4Change, or TriEagle.
- If you want training wheels: Start with TXU for the 60-day do-over.
- If you can shift loads: Consider Reliant Truly Free (delivery and energy at $0 in time-of-use window).
- If you have rooftop solar: Shortlist Green Mountain and Rhythm for clearly documented buyback.
- If you’re chasing the lowest teaser: You can make Frontier or Direct work, but read the EFL twice and set renewal reminders.
Choosing an electric provider in Texas can be overwhelming. Between free-nights promises, flat-bill gimmicks, and dozens of names on the Power to Choose site, it’s tough to know which companies actually deliver fair prices and solid service. That’s why we built this Top 10 list: a clear, trustworthy ranking based on BBB ratings, real customer reviews, Reddit and local forum sentiment, plan pricing, fine-print fees, and day-to-day support. Our goal is simple, help you cut through the noise so you can pick a provider (and a plan) that fits your household without surprises on your first bill.
#1 Constellation Energy
4.9/5
Best for: Shoppers who want predictable, no-gimmick fixed rates and EV drivers who prefer flat pricing over TOU windows.
- Rates from: 11.3¢ /kWh
- Renewable Energy: 26%
- Satisfaction Guarantee: 60 days
- Lock in Rates for 3-36 Months
Steady & Simple
Constellation sits at the top because it’s consistently boring in the best way: plain-English fixed plans, clear EFLs, and very few “gotcha” clauses. Its Texas retail arm (Constellation NewEnergy) holds a long-running A+ on multiple BBB files in Texas, which feeds directly into our Reliability & Complaints factor and is a strong indicator of steady operations and dispute handling.
On Price & Value, Constellation isn’t always the single cheapest teaser on a comparison table, but the total cost tends to age well through an entire term because you’re not depending on narrow bill-credit thresholds or fragile time windows. That stability matters when you consider Texas’ three standard usage points (500/1,000/2,000 kWh) that appear on every EFL, Constellation’s totals typically move in line with what you’d expect, not in cliff-like jumps.
Plan Options here are intentionally sensible rather than flashy: 12–36 month fixed rates and green options. That keeps Fees & Fine Print straightforward (base charges are easy to spot; minimum-usage gotchas are rare). In practice, that also boosts Customer Satisfaction because the bill you expect is the bill you get. For many households, especially if your usage varies seasonally, this “no homework” quality is worth a penny.
Texans on local forums routinely recommend Constellation as the “pick it and relax” option, especially for new movers, because the all-in bill (energy + base + TDU) behaves, and service is uneventful. That sentiment aligns with the BBB profile and the brand’s low-drama fixed-rate lineup.
#2 TXU Energy
4.6/5
Best for: First-time Texas shoppers and movers who want an easy do-over if the first plan isn’t a match.
- Rates from: 15.5¢ /kWh
- Renewable Energy: 3%
- Satisfaction Guarantee: 60 days
- Lock in Rates for 0-12 Months
No-Regrets Pick
TXU earns a high slot thanks to a genuinely consumer-friendly policy: the Total Satisfaction Guarantee. You can “test drive” a plan for 60 days and switch (or even leave) without an ETF if things don’t fit, huge for Support and Customer Satisfaction in the real world.
On Price & Value, TXU won’t always be the rock-bottom teaser, but when you price the experience, the 60-day safety net is meaningful. It allows you to start with a reasonable fixed plan, study your actual usage via TXU’s app, then pivot if your first bill says you mis-estimated. That practically eliminates the “I picked wrong and now I’m stuck” fear that derails so many shoppers.
Plan Options are deep (fixed, seasonal, and TOU flavors), which helps flexibility. Fees & Fine Print are clearly documented, and the brand’s infrastructure (app alerts, usage graphs, easy renew/manage) makes ownership simple, one reason we weight TXU favorably on Transparency & Support.
In community threads, opinions about big brands always vary, but even critics acknowledge the 60-day switch policy is the real deal and a smart on-ramp for newcomers. If you’re relocating or you’ve never looked at your kWh before, TXU is a “no-regrets” place to start.
#3 4Change Energy
4.6/5
Best for: Budget-minded families who still want a reputable brand; great if your usage consistently sits near 1,000–2,000 kWh.
- Rates from: 12.3¢ /kWh
- Renewable Energy: 9-100%
- Satisfaction Guarantee: 60 days
- Lock in Rates for 12-24 Months
Value Sweet-Spot
4Change blends aggressive pricing with credible backing and an A+ BBB accreditation, so you’re not trading stability for savings. That combination pushes Price & Value and Reliability up at the same time, a rare pairing in Texas retail.
A lot of the value here comes from fixed plans that are easy to understand, plus some bill-credit options that can be excellent when you consistently land in the target band (e.g., 1,000 kWh). Third-party plan overviews highlight these “Maxx Saver”-style credits; they look fantastic on paper if your usage matches, but can disappoint if you miss the trigger. This is why 4Change scores well on Fees & Fine Print and gets our standard caution to check your historical kWh before clicking “enroll.”
Customer Satisfaction is solid for the category. Independent review aggregators show materially better averages for 4Change than many low-price competitors, which is another reason it lands in the top three, we’re rewarding lived experience, not just headline cents/kWh.
On forums, you’ll see the same advice from veteran shoppers: 4Change is a legit “value without drama” pick if your home reliably sits in the bill-credit band; otherwise, choose one of its non-tiered fixed plans and keep the savings and predictability.
#4 Green Mountain Energy
4.5/5
Best for: Households that want 100% renewable without hoops; solar homes that want transparent, flexible buyback.
- Rates from: 0¢ /kWh
- Renewable Energy: 100%
- Satisfaction Guarantee: None
- Lock in Rates for 0-36 Months
Easy Green
Every Green Mountain plan is renewable, which simplifies Plan Options and makes it easy to choose a clean fixed rate that behaves like a normal bill. Where GME really stands out is solar: Renewable Rewards® includes multiple buyback structures, and Solar Max credits exports at 15-minute real-time wholesale prices with no cap, rare clarity in ERCOT. Those details lift our Transparency & Support and Plan Flexibility subscores.
On Price, you may pay a small green premium at times, but the value is high for customers who want a future-proofed, straightforward experience. The buyback menu (plus plain explanations) also reduces modeling surprises for solar households, fewer “wait, how do credits roll?” headaches after your first bill.
Customer Satisfaction and Reliability benefit from longevity in the green niche; the brand’s communications are unusually explicit about how credits show up on the bill (“Bill credit” line items and real-time pricing language), which we weight positively.
In solar-oriented threads, Texans often call out GME as the easy, document-it-clearly option, making it a frequent short-list pick alongside Rhythm for buyback transparency. If you don’t have panels, you still get the benefit of simple 100% renewable fixed rates with normal billing.
#5 Reliant
4.4/5
Best for: People who can shift big loads (laundry, EV charging, pool pumps) into nights/weekends.
- Rates from: 16.7¢ /kWh
- Renewable Energy: 24%
- Satisfaction Guarantee: 90 days
- Lock in Rates for 0-36 Months
Free-Time Done Right
Lots of “free” plans in Texas still charge delivery during the window; Reliant’s flagship Truly Free offers explicitly waive both energy and delivery in the free period. That single line in the EFL is why the math can actually work, and it’s a major reason Reliant scores strongly on Fees & Fine Print in our weighted model.
If you can move 40–60% of your usage into the free window, the annualized Price & Value can beat many fixed rates. If you can’t shift (daytime A/C dominates), you’ll be happier on a simple fixed rate plan, Reliant sells those too. The brand’s app/tooling nudges you toward “load shifting,” which boosts Customer Satisfaction for people who enjoy optimizing.
Reliability & Complaints for Reliant are “big-brand normal”, we don’t see the clean A+ BBB posture other leaders have, but the actual plan mechanics for Truly Free are clear and consumer-friendly, which matters more for time-of use (TOU) shoppers.
In local threads, Reliant’s plans are the ones people cite when explaining how free nights/weekends should work. Texans also warn that TDU delivery rates change seasonally for everyone, which is another reason the “delivery is $0 in window” design matters so much for true savings.
#6 TriEagle Energy
4.3/5
Best for: Homeowners who want a calm, 24–36-month fixed rate with minimal surprises.
- Rates from: 14.6¢ /kWh
- Renewable Energy: 3-100%
- Satisfaction Guarantee: 60 days
- Lock in Rates for 12-36 Months
All-In Clarity
TriEagle’s “TriParency” approach (fewer add-ons, clean bills) scores highly on Fees & Fine Print and Transparency. Its BBB footprint shows A+ accreditation across Texas profiles, which supports our Reliability & Complaints factor and reflects a long Texas operating history.
Price & Value here aren’t about the cheapest teaser; they’re about lived experience over 2–3 years. If you’ve been burned by tier traps or shifting credits, TriEagle’s steady all-in fixed rates are a relief. That “boring is good” quality also keeps Customer Satisfaction stable.
Third-party review rollups for TriEagle skew mixed (a reminder that no REP is perfect), but the pattern we see is that people who pick the right term and don’t chase teaser structures tend to stick around, another nudge in favor of long fixed terms for homeowners.
The community vibe echoes this: lock in, confirm the all-in price at your typical kWh, and stop fiddling. If you value “set it and forget it,” TriEagle is a top-tier fit.
#7 Rhythm Energy
4.2/5
Best for: Shoppers allergic to hidden fees; solar homes that want buyback rules spelled out.
- Rates from: 10.6¢ /kWh
- Renewable Energy: 100%
- Satisfaction Guarantee: 30 days
- Lock in Rates for 3-36 Months
No-Gotcha Bills
Rhythm’s site reads like humans wrote it: “No hidden fees” up front, plain descriptions of solar buyback (e.g., unlimited rollover, no credit sweep), and an explicit note that credits are bill credits, typical in Texas, but too often buried by others. That transparency lifts our Fees & Fine Print and Support subscores, and the presence of multiple buyback SKUs boosts Plan Flexibility.
On Price, Rhythm is competitive without leaning on gimmicks. That means you’ll sometimes see lower teasers elsewhere, but the bill you expect is the bill you pay, which translates into strong Customer Satisfaction for clarity-seekers. Rhythm also touts “fair-for-all” pricing (renewals and new customers on the same deals), which is a nice, if soft, trust signal.
In forum sentiment, you’ll find a steady chorus of “the rate I expected is the rate I got,” plus solar users praising the documentation that lets them model their payback without spreadsheets of guesswork. If you’ve been burned by minimum-usage traps, Rhythm is a palate cleanser.
We do note that BBB files list Rhythm as Not Rated in Houston as of now; we weight its published mechanics and customer-facing clarity more heavily than accreditation for this ranking tier.
#8 Gexa Energy
3.9/5
Best for: Predictability seekers, if your year-round usage sits comfortably inside the plan’s band.
- Rates from: 12.2¢ /kWh
- Renewable Energy: 100%
- Satisfaction Guarantee: 60 days
- Lock in Rates for 10-24 Months
Flat-Bill Peace
Gexa’s draw is predictability: Truly Flat Bills℠ and “stable-bill” style offerings. If your actual kWh fits the assumed band, monthly budgeting is bliss. But that design means Fees & Fine Print require careful reading, if you swing outside the band or miss a usage credit threshold, your effective rate can jump.
BBB currently lists C for Gexa’s Houston file with a “pattern of complaints” note, which pulls down Reliability & Complaints in our model even as the plan menu is broad (including EV-focused plans). Meanwhile, large review aggregators show mixed Customer Satisfaction, great when the fit is right, frustrating when it isn’t.
Forum/Yelp sentiment mirrors that split: happy flat-bill customers when usage matches; “read the fine print” cautions when it doesn’t. The lesson is simple: check a full year of bills (summer peaks and winter dips) before you enroll, and set a renewal reminder so you don’t slide to pricey month-to-month.
If your usage is band-friendly, Gexa can be a stress reducer. If you’re usage is spiky, or you just don’t want to babysit assumptions, a straightforward fixed from Constellation/4Change/TriEagle will likely make you happier.
#9 Direct Energy
3.7/5
Best for: Experienced comparers willing to trade some polish for a sharper marketplace price (and who read EFLs end-to-end).
- Rates from: 16.7¢ /kWh
- Renewable Energy: 24%
- Satisfaction Guarantee: None
- Lock in Rates for 12-36 Months
Deal Hunter’s Big-Brand
Direct Energy’s size means there are almost always deals floating around, which can deliver good Price & Value for shoppers who compare ruthlessly. But the BBB file currently shows a D+ with a pattern of complaints, and we weight that meaningfully under Reliability & Complaints. Translation: the best outcomes here correlate with how carefully you pick your plan and manage your account.
Fees & Fine Print vary widely across promotions, so you must verify base charges, ETFs, and any usage credit triggers before you click “enroll.” Do that, and you can land a legitimately strong fixed rate; skip that homework, and your effective cost may not match the teaser.
In Texas forums, you’ll see two Direct Energy stories: “got a solid price, no issues” and “billing/support friction.” That split sentiment is exactly why we have them at #9: value exists, but it’s earned with vigilance. Use official plan pages and EFLs, avoid door-to-door pitches, so you can read calmly and save copies.
If you want a low-maintenance relationship, consider the simpler fixed-rate brands above. If you like squeezing the most from marketplaces and don’t mind minding the fine print, Direct can still be a good play.
#10 Frontier Utilities
3.5/5
Best for: Lowest-price hunters who are EFL-fluent and disciplined about thresholds and renewals.
- Rates from: 12.2¢ /kWh
- Renewable Energy: 3-100%
- Satisfaction Guarantee: 60 days
- Lock in Rates for 10-24 Months
Cheapest, If Savvy
Frontier is here because it often advertises the lowest headline prices, true Price appeal for advanced shoppers. But the BBB file is currently Not Rated (file under review), and consumer review averages on some aggregators skew low, which pulls down Reliability & Complaints in our model.
Practically, Frontier can be great if you fit the plan design perfectly (especially tiered credits around 1,000 kWh). Miss that band, say, a mild winter drops you below the trigger, and your effective rate can spike. Those mechanics are why we heavily weight Fees & Fine Print here.
Forum/Yelp sentiment reflects that dichotomy: veterans cite real savings with careful usage management, while newcomers post “never again” stories after missing thresholds or renewal dates. The pro move is to set calendar reminders 45–60 days before term-end and have a backup fixed plan ready in case renewal pricing disappoints.
If you want to squeeze every last cent and you enjoy plan math, Frontier is worth a look. If you want to pick once and breathe easy, use one of the top six.
How to pick the right plan
- Match the structure to your lifestyle. If you can shift loads, Reliant’s free-time plans can win big. If you can’t, go simple: fixed rate from Constellation/4Change/TriEagle.
- Sanity-check the EFL. Look for base charges, minimum-usage fees, and the 500/1,000/2,000 kWh breakpoints. Aim for a plan that still looks good a little above/below your average.
- Solar? Favor buyback-friendly brands: Green Mountain and Rhythm publish the details clearly, so it’s easy to model savings.
One last shopper tip (straight from the threads)
Texans repeat this mantra a lot: compare all-in costs, not just the energy rate. That means scanning the EFL for base charges/minimum-usage, and remembering that TDU delivery charges (CenterPoint, Oncor, AEP, TNMP) apply no matter who supplies your energy, so “free nights” only work if the provider truly waives delivery during the window (Reliant’s plans are often cited as the clean example).
Our Methodology
- Scoring framework: Price & Value 30%, Fees & Fine Print 15%, Reliability & Complaints 20%, Customer Satisfaction 15%, Plan Options & Flexibility 10%, Transparency & Support 10%.
- Sources & corpus: We reviewed ~30 primary sources for this statewide update, including current BBB business profiles/ratings; official provider plan pages and FAQs (TXU’s 60-day guarantee; Reliant “Truly Free” energy and delivery; GME Renewable Rewards/Solar Max; Rhythm “no hidden fees” and buyback pages; Gexa’s Flat Bill FAQs/EV plans); and several large third-party comparison/review sites.
- Consumer sentiment: We incorporated 15+ representative Reddit/local forum threads (roughly 400+ comments sampled) that discuss TOU “free time,” bill-credit tiers, flat-bill experiences, and brand-specific pros/cons across Houston/Dallas/Oncor/CenterPoint territory. Examples include discussions of Reliant’s delivery-included free windows, pitfalls of 1,000-kWh usage credits, and Gexa flat-bill experiences.
- Recency & normalization: Wherever plan mechanics or customer-facing policies can change quickly, we favored 2024–2025 materials and weighted recency in tie-breakers (e.g., current BBB letter grades; today’s plan FAQ pages). All scores are curved to avoid “perfect 5s” and to compress the low end (3.5–4.7 range here).
See our full methodology for ranking electric providers
FAQs About Texas Retail Electric Providers
How do I know which Texas electric provider is best for me?
What’s the difference between a Retail Electric Provider (REP) and my utility company?
How important are BBB ratings and customer reviews?
Are “free nights and weekends” plans worth it?
What are bill-credit or usage-tier plans, and should I avoid them?
How can I avoid surprise fees on my electricity bill?
Do all providers offer renewable energy plans?
What happens if I pick the wrong plan?
What is the rescission period in Texas, and how does it work?
If you change your mind, simply contact the new provider within the 3-day window and tell them you’d like to rescind your enrollment. They’ll cancel the switch and you’ll either stay with your current REP or can shop again. It’s a helpful safety net if you spot a better plan right after signing up or realize the terms aren’t what you expected once you’ve read the fine print.
About the Author
David has been an integral part of some of the biggest utility sites on the internet, including InMyArea.com, HighSpeedInternet.com, BroadbandNow.com, and U.S. News. He brings over 15 years of experience writing about, compiling and analyzing utility data.