How does Cirro Energy score?
Cirro earns 58 out of 100, which we rate "poor." It gets full marks for price and its BBB grade. It loses every penalty point and most of its complaint points.
- October 5, 2026: 58 at launch.
- December 16, 2026 (scheduled): 70. The 2016 shared penalty (Docket 46597) leaves our 10-year window, if nothing else changes.
We re-check prices every month. We re-score when the state posts new complaint data or a penalty order, or the BBB grade changes.
90–100 Excellent80–89 Very good70–79 Good60–69 FairUnder 60 Poor
Scores out of 100, from public records only, with the same formula for every company, as of October 13 to 16, 2026. Cirro is 18th of 25, though its score rises to 70 when a 2016 penalty ages out on December 16, 2026. See all 25 ranked side by side.
See the evidence behind every point
| Category | Points | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints to the state | 10 / 25 | 2 of 5 on the PUCT complaint scorecard, March 1 to August 31, 2026. The PUCT lists Cirro under its legal name, US Retailers LLC. |
| BBB rating | 5 / 5 | A+, not accredited, checked October 5, 2026 |
| Fines and penalties | 0 / 20 | Two PUCT penalties in 10 years against US Retailers LLC, which does business as Cirro: a shared $900,000 penalty in 2016 (Docket 46597, −12) and $255,462 in 2024 (Docket 56637, −8). The deductions add up to 20. |
| Contract fairness | 15 / 20 | $150 cancel fee on Smart Simple 12 (5 of 5); no arbitration clause or class-action waiver (4 of 4); two extra fees: the disconnect notice fee and disconnect recovery charge (2 of 4); a simple fixed plan (4 of 4); no free-cancel window beyond the 3-day legal minimum (0 of 3). Cirro’s site promises a free switch to another Cirro plan in the first 90 days, but its fine print isn’t published and it doesn’t let you leave Cirro, so we count none. |
| Price | 20 / 20 | Smart Simple 12 averages 13.25¢ at 1,000 kWh across Dallas (13.4¢) and Houston (13.1¢), 83% of EIA's 15.88¢ Texas average for July 2026 |
| Time in business | 8 / 10 | Licensed October 27, 2008 (4); its terms describe a customer-funded energy assistance program (2); parent NRG Energy publishes audited financials (2) |
What this score rests on
Every category is worked out from public records. Where a record does not exist, a fixed default number of points is given, and the label says so. A default is not a finding about the company.
- Complaints to the state 10 of 25 points Record foundPUCT complaint scorecard rating.
- BBB rating 5 of 5 points Record foundBBB grade.
- Fines and penalties 0 of 20 points Record foundPenalties found in the sources searched.
- Contract fairness 15 of 20 points Record found
- Price 20 of 20 points Record found
- Time in business 8 of 10 points Record found
All six categories rest on a record we found or a search that found nothing. No default points were given.
This is one score built from six records, and price is one of them. It is not a measure of complaints or legal history alone. How the points are given
By simple fixed plan, we mean one energy rate with no bill credits, usage tiers or time-of-use pricing. Every Cirro plan fits that. Full method: how we score.
Cirro Energy quick facts
What is Cirro's phone number?
Reach Cirro at 1-800-MY-CIRRO (1-800-692-4776), 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Central, every day, according to its terms of service. For outages, skip Cirro and call your utility, since Cirro has no lines or crews.
Power out? Call the company that owns your lines
Cirro's plan listings say card payments with Visa, Discover or Mastercard carry no fee. Its terms also list email and fax support around the clock.
How many complaints does Cirro Energy get?
The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) logged 172 complaints from April to September 2026. They were filed against US Retailers LLC, the company behind Cirro. Adjusted for size, that puts the company in the state’s second-worst group: 2 of 5.
Categories as the PUCT names them: billing, discontinuance, provision of service, slamming (an unapproved provider switch), cramming (unapproved charges) and all other. Figures from PUCT Customer Complaint Statistics, retrieved October 19, 2026.
The state compares complaints per 1,000 customers across a six-month window and divides providers into five equal groups. Cirro landed one group above the bottom. The PUCT lists it under its legal name, US Retailers LLC.
The BBB shows 62 complaints over three years and no alerts. Its 17 reviews average 1.47 out of 5, but the BBB doesn’t grade on reviews.
What does Cirro Energy charge in 2026?
Cirro offers 5 home plans in Dallas and Houston, all Smart Simple fixed-rate plans. Prices run 12.4¢ to 14.1¢ per kWh at 1,000 kWh, with delivery. The cheapest is the 8-month plan, roughly $128 a month in Dallas and $124 in Houston before taxes. The 12-month plan we score is about $134 and $131.
Each bar is a fact-label average for ZIP 75201 (Dallas) or 77002 (Houston). Power to Choose listed it on October 26, 2026. Delivery is included and taxes are left out. Green marks the plan we score.
Which Cirro plan is cheapest for my usage?
Set your city and the kWh closest to your last bill. The finder sorts every Cirro plan sold there by its rough monthly cost. To compare Cirro with other companies, open our Houston or Dallas rate guide.
Partner toolWe may earn a fee if you sign up. It never changes our scores.
Which Cirro plan length is the best deal?
Cirro’s cheapest plan is also its shortest: the 8-month plan costs 12.8¢ per kWh in Dallas and 12.4¢ in Houston at 1,000 kWh. The 36-month plan costs the most in Dallas (14.1¢), and its cancel fee is $395, more than five times the 8-month plan’s $75. The odd one is the 10-month plan: it costs more than the 12-month plan.
Cirro fact labels on Power to Choose, checked October 26, 2026.
- Smart Simple 8 has the lowest price and the lowest cancel fee ($75). It lasts 8 months, so plan to shop again.
- Smart Simple 12 is the plan we score. It costs about $134 a month in Dallas and $131 in Houston, with a $150 cancel fee.
- Smart Simple 10 costs more than Smart Simple 12 for a shorter term. Its one edge is a $55 lower cancel fee.
- Smart Simple 24 costs about $4 a month more than the 12-month plan, with a $295 cancel fee.
- Smart Simple 36 costs the most in Dallas. In Houston it costs the same as Smart Simple 24, for 12 more months and a $100 higher fee.
Rule of thumb: divide a plan’s cancel fee by what it saves you each month. That is how many months you must stay to come out ahead. Smart Simple 8 costs $6 a month less than Smart Simple 12 in Dallas, about $48 over its 8 months. When a plan ends, Cirro moves you to a month-to-month plan with a variable price. You see that price only in your last expiration notice. Set a reminder to shop again before then.
What fees does Cirro Energy charge, and how do I cancel?
Cirro charges a flat fee to cancel early. It is $75 on its 8-month plan, $95 on 10 months, $150 on 12 months, $295 on 24 months and $395 on 36 months. Its documents don’t say the fee shrinks as your term runs down. Moving? Leave a forwarding address and the fee is waived.
- No arbitration clause or class-action waiver
- Fee waived when you move and leave a forwarding address
- No cancel fee in the last 14 days of your term, by state rule
- A 90-day promise to switch to another Cirro plan with no early termination fee, though its fine print isn't published
- Service isn't denied over a credit score, and there are five ways to skip a deposit
- If your income is low, a deposit over $50 can be paid in two parts
- Only the legal 3 business days to cancel free after you enroll
- A disconnect notice fee of up to $30 each time
- Cirro's terms say the last expiration notice comes 14 days before your contract ends. The state rule says 30 days for plans over four months
- After that, you roll onto a variable-price plan
When you don’t owe the cancel fee
These are the exceptions we found in Cirro’s documents and the state’s rules, read October 19, 2026. Ask Cirro to confirm in writing before you rely on one.
No deposit at all is possible too: see the six ways. When your contract nears its end, read what to do before it ends and how a variable rate works.
Behind on a bill? Ask Cirro about its customer-funded energy assistance program, or call 211 for local help.
Keep readingBill still too high? Find out why, step by stepHas Cirro Energy been fined?
Yes, twice since 2016. In 2024 the PUCT approved a $255,462 penalty against US Retailers LLC, Cirro's legal name. It also approved $1,592,565 in refunds to customers and a $110,515 donation to bill-help groups. In 2016 it shared a $900,000 penalty with three other companies.
- US Retailers LLC, which does business as Cirro Energy, is licensed as a retail electric provider.
- US Retailers, Reliant, Everything Energy and Green Mountain took too long to lift switch-holds after customers finished payment plans. The penalty was shared.
- The PUCT approves a settlement. From September 2021 to August 2023, Cirro charged a $20 disconnect-notice fee on 109,973 occasions while its fact label listed $10. US Retailers refunded current customers $1,592,565. It is donating $110,515 to bill-help groups, the amount owed to former customers it couldn't find.
- The PUCT's complaint scorecard rates Cirro 2 of 5 for March to August 2026.
How we checked: we searched the PUCT's enforcement cases filed since October 2016 for Cirro and its legal name, US Retailers LLC. We also checked shared cases from late 2016. Two cases named US Retailers.
Coming up: the 2016 case leaves our 10-year window on December 16, 2026. That adds 12 points, raising Cirro to 70 if nothing else changes.
What do Cirro's records actually say?
We combed through Cirro’s terms of service and every fact label on its Power to Choose listings. here are the key figures, with a link to each document.
Terms of service: December 2025, form C1FT002A
| Topic | What it says |
|---|---|
| Returned payment | Up to $30 per returned payment |
| Disconnect notice | Up to $30 each time a disconnection notice is sent |
| Disconnect recovery | $25 if the past-due amount isn't paid by the notice deadline |
| Late payment | 5% of the prior month's past-due amount |
| Collections | Reasonable fees and expenses, including attorney fees, with no amount listed |
| Moving | No cancel fee if you move and give a forwarding address |
| Contract end | Three notices, the last at least 14 days before the end (the state rule says 30 days for plans over four months); then a month-to-month variable plan |
| Deposits | No more than the greater of two months of estimated bills or one-fifth of a year's estimated billing; low-income customers can pay a deposit over $50 in two parts |
| Disputes | No arbitration clause or class-action waiver; Texas law governs |
| Contact | 1-800-MY-CIRRO (1-800-692-4776), 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Central, 7 days a week |
Source: Cirro Energy terms of service, December 2025 (PDF). Cancel fee amounts are on each plan's fact label.
PUCT enforcement orders: two cases, 2016 and 2024
| Docket | What the order found | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 46597 Dec 16, 2016 | US Retailers, Reliant, Everything Energy and Green Mountain Energy waited 5 to 10 business days after customers finished payment plans before asking utilities to lift switch-holds. | $900,000 combined penalty, with no per-company split, plus $600,000 to bill-help programs |
| 56637 Oct 24, 2024 | From September 2021 to August 2023, US Retailers charged a $20 disconnect-notice fee on 109,973 occasions while the fact label listed $10. The order finds unfair or misleading practices. | $255,462 penalty, $1,592,565 in customer refunds and a $110,515 donation to bill-payment assistance agencies |
Fact labels: every plan, October 2026
| Plan | Dallas, 1,000 kWh | Houston, 1,000 kWh | Term | Cancel fee | Renewable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Simple 8 | 12.8¢ | 12.4¢ | 8 mo | $75 | 22% |
| Smart Simple 12 | 13.4¢ | 13.1¢ | 12 mo | $150 | 22% |
| Smart Simple 10 | 13.6¢ | 13.3¢ | 10 mo | $95 | 22% |
| Smart Simple 24 | 13.8¢ | 13.5¢ | 24 mo | $295 | 22% |
| Smart Simple 36 | 14.1¢ | 13.5¢ | 36 mo | $395 | 22% |
Every price opens the matching official fact label. We read all ten, and each is dated October 4, 2026.
Cirro vs. Reliant: which NRG brand is better?
Reliant scores a little higher, 62 to 58, and NRG owns both. Reliant wins on complaints. Cirro has an A+ from the BBB, two fewer state penalties, and a 12-month plan that costs less in both cities.
Reliant figures are from our Reliant review, updated October 5, 2026. Both brands share the 2016 $900,000 penalty. Raw complaint numbers don’t factor in size; the PUCT rating does. The PUCT counts complaints by company license, so Cirro’s 172 covers all five brands US Retailers LLC sells under.
Keep readingRead our full Reliant Energy review Keep readingSee the 9 companies that outscored CirroDoes Cirro Energy buy back solar power?
Yes, as an add-on to some plans. Cirro’s Smart Solar Credit pays a fixed rate below the energy charge. But Cirro doesn’t print the rate on its fact labels or in its terms. Call 1-855-829-7826 and ask for it in writing before you sign.
From Cirro’s Smart Solar Credit page, its fact labels dated October 4, 2026, and its terms of service. Credit amounts can change, so check the latest label first.
- Cirro’s solar page says there’s no cap, extra credits carry forward, and you get a refund for any balance when you leave.
- Its terms of service only promise the refund.
- Systems under 50 kW, an interconnection agreement and a meter that tracks power in and out.
- Credits can take up to 3 billing cycles to start, and they can’t pay delivery, base charges or taxes.
Cirro Energy questions, answered
Is Cirro Energy a good electricity provider?
Not by our numbers. Cirro scores 58 out of 100 on our public-records scorecard, 18th of the 25 Texas companies we've rated. Its plans cost less than the Texas average and it has an A+ from the BBB. But it has a 2-of-5 complaint rating and two state penalties.
What is Cirro Energy's phone number?
Call 1-800-MY-CIRRO (1-800-692-4776), 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Central, every day, per its terms of service. Outages are your utility’s job: Oncor (1-888-313-4747) or CenterPoint (713-207-2222).
Who owns Cirro Energy?
Cirro is owned by NRG Energy, which also owns Reliant, Direct Energy and Green Mountain. Its legal name is US Retailers LLC, which NRG’s 2025 annual report lists as a subsidiary. That’s the name the PUCT uses on its complaint lists and orders. The same company also sells as Discount Power.
Is Cirro the same company as Discount Power?
Yes. Cirro Energy and Discount Power are two brand names of US Retailers LLC, an NRG Energy company, under one state license. The same license also covers Compassion Energy, Pennywise and Pennywise Power. Complaint counts and penalties belong to the license, so they apply to every brand.
Has Cirro Energy been fined?
Yes, twice since 2016. In 2024 the PUCT approved a $255,462 penalty. It also approved $1,592,565 in customer refunds and a $110,515 donation. Cirro had charged a $20 disconnect-notice fee while its fact label said $10. In 2016 Cirro’s company shared a $900,000 penalty with Reliant and two others.
How much does Cirro charge to cancel?
Cirro charges a flat fee that depends on the plan. It is $75 on Smart Simple 8, $95 on Smart Simple 10, $150 on Smart Simple 12, $295 on Smart Simple 24 and $395 on Smart Simple 36. You owe nothing if you move and give Cirro a forwarding address, or in the last 14 days of your term.
Does Cirro have a 90-day guarantee?
Cirro’s website promises a 90 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. You can switch to another Cirro plan in the first 90 days with no early termination fee. It doesn’t let you leave Cirro for free. The fine print behind it isn’t published, so call 1-800-692-4776 before you rely on it.
What is Cirro's cheapest plan?
At 1,000 kWh, Smart Simple 8 is the cheapest: 12.8¢ in Dallas and 12.4¢ in Houston, with the lowest cancel fee ($75). It lasts only 8 months. The 12-month Smart Simple 12 costs 13.4¢ and 13.1¢.
Does Cirro have bill credits or an autopay discount?
No. None of the ten Cirro plans we read has a bill credit, a minimum-usage fee, or an autopay or paperless discount. One flat energy charge applies to every kWh, plus delivery charges passed through from your utility.
How many complaints does Cirro get?
The PUCT logged 172 complaints against US Retailers LLC, the company behind Cirro, from April through September 2026, and 108 were about billing. The count covers all of the company’s brands, including Discount Power. For its size, the company earns a 2 of 5 complaint rating, the second-worst group.
Will Cirro's score change soon?
Yes. The 2016 shared penalty leaves our 10-year window on December 16, 2026. If nothing else changes, Cirro's score rises from 58 to 70 that day.
What happens when my Cirro contract ends?
Cirro sends three notices, the last at least 14 days before your contract ends, according to its terms. The state rule says 30 days for plans longer than four months. If you don't pick a new plan, you move to a month-to-month plan with a variable price. You can leave that plan with no fee.
Does Cirro charge a deposit?
Cirro’s terms say it doesn’t deny service over a credit score. It can ask for a deposit if you can’t show satisfactory credit. The deposit can’t be more than the greater of two months of estimated bills or one-fifth of a year’s estimated billing. Low-income customers can pay a deposit over $50 in two parts.
Is Cirro better than Reliant?
On our scorecard, Reliant scores 62 and Cirro 58, and NRG owns both. Cirro's 12-month plan costs less: 13.4¢ in Dallas versus Reliant’s 15.2¢ on October 5. It also has an A+ BBB grade, but Reliant has a much better complaint rating.
Does Cirro Energy have a solar buyback plan?
Yes, as an add-on called Smart Solar Credit. It pays a fixed rate below the energy charge. Cirro doesn’t publish the rate in its fact labels or terms, so call 1-855-829-7826 and ask if your plan qualifies. This isn’t part of our score.
What do you want to do next?
Browse every guide on the Texas hub. Or see every state's average price on our price map.
Every Texas guide, by topic
Sources and updates
Sources (17)
- Cirro Energy, Terms of service (December 2025, form C1FT002A): fees, deposits, moving and contract-end notices.
- Cirro Energy fact labels for Dallas (Oncor), Smart Simple 8, 10, 12, 24, 36 months, each dated October 4, 2026.
- Cirro Energy fact labels for Houston (CenterPoint), Smart Simple 8, 10, 12, 24, 36 months, each dated October 4, 2026.
- Cirro Energy, TDSP delivery charges: the Oncor and CenterPoint pass-through rates behind the fact-label averages, as of October 4, 2026.
- Cirro Energy, General FAQ: the 90 Day Satisfaction Guarantee, read October 19, 2026.
- Power to Choose (PUCT), plan listings and fact labels: every plan for ZIP 75201 and 77002, captured October 19, 2026.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Customer Complaint Statistics: complaint counts, April 1 to September 30, 2026.
- Power to Choose (PUCT), Retail Electric Provider Complaint Scorecard: the September 2026 size-adjusted complaint ratings and license dates.
- Better Business Bureau, Cirro Energy profile, checked October 5, 2026.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Docket 46597 final order (December 16, 2016): the shared $900,000 penalty.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Docket 56637 order (October 24, 2024): the $255,462 penalty, the $10 and $20 disconnect-notice fees, the refunds and the donation.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, 16 TAC §25.475: the rules for contract-expiration notices, renewal plans and early-cancellation fees.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Docket 59249, Item 105: Oncor’s temporary delivery rates that took effect October 4, 2026.
- NRG Energy, Exhibit 21.1, Subsidiaries of NRG Energy, Inc. (SEC, filed February 24, 2026): lists US Retailers LLC, Cirro Group, Inc. and Cirro Energy Services, Inc.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: the Texas average residential price of 15.88¢ per kWh, July 2026.
- Cirro Energy, Smart Solar Credit, read October 19, 2026.
- Cirro Energy, Residential terms of service: sell-back terms.
Changelog · last updated October 26, 2026 · 10 updates
- October 26, 2026: Data refresh. Plan prices re-checked against the Power to Choose plan list, none changed; Cirro Energy check date: Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 26, 2026. Source: Power to Choose plan list (powertochoose.org, run by the Public Utility Commission of Texas).
- October 20, 2026: Constellation’s score changed from 77 to 72, so its row in the score chart moved down to seventh of 25. No other scores changed.
- October 19, 2026: Rewrote the plans, contract lengths, cancel fees and questions for Cirro’s new lineup (Smart Simple 8, 10, 12, 24 and 36), using the fact labels Cirro dated October 4, 2026. Added when the cancel fee does not apply, Cirro’s 90-day plan-switch promise and what we could not confirm about it, who owns Cirro, and a note that the state’s complaint count covers all of the company’s brands, not Cirro alone. The 58/100 score did not change.
- October 19, 2026: Added a short note at the bottom of the page about how the plan prices are read and updated.
- October 16, 2026: Updated the chart and every count to the 25 companies we now score. Cirro is now 18th of 25, no longer last. The solar note now covers the 10 companies whose solar plans we compared on October 5. An old link now goes straight to its current address. Cirro’s score is unchanged. We also added our new city guides, four new company reviews and the Smart Meter Texas guide to the guide map.
- October 13, 2026: Added a quick decision box, a date alert, yearly money-at-stake lines in the tools and next-step links. Added a score history box, including the change due December 16, 2026. Rewrote parts of the review in our own words, reworded our trust note so it stays true if we add partner links, and linked our city rate and contract-ending guides plus a full list of Texas guides. No figures or scores changed.
- October 12, 2026: Moved to theday.company/tx/cirro-energy-reviews; the old address forwards here. Updated links to our renamed Texas guides. No figures or scores changed.
- October 5, 2026 (solar update): Added a solar buyback section: every Cirro solar plan and its credit in Dallas and Houston, a calculator for what your extra power earns, and a chart comparing credits with what you pay. Each company in the 10-company chart now links to its review. Cirro’s score is unchanged.
- October 5, 2026 (update): Gexa rose from 72 to 74 and Green Mountain from 68 to 70 after we confirmed their terms describe a bill-help fund, so we updated the 10-company chart. Cirro’s score is unchanged.
- October 5, 2026: Review published. Score: 58 out of 100. Prices from Power to Choose fact labels for ZIP 75201 and 77002, captured October 5, 2026.
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Is Cirro Energy any good? Our 2026 review", updated October 26, 2026, https://theday.company/tx/cirro-energy-reviews.
Scores use public records only and the same formula for every company; see how we score. Prices are Cirro's own fact-label averages for the ZIP codes shown and change often; your price depends on your address and plan. The Day Company is not affiliated with Cirro Energy, NRG Energy or any retail electric provider. No company can pay for placement or a better score.
About the plan prices on this page. Cirro’s plan prices here come from the Power to Choose list, as of October 26, 2026. A computer program checks the list and updates them, so a price can change between visits and can be out of date or wrong. They are not offers. Your rate depends on your address and usage, and the Electricity Facts Label for your plan has the final word, so read it before you sign. See section 8.2 of our Terms of Service.