What is the Apples to Apples chart?
It is a comparison chart that PUCO publishes so customers can shop. PUCO says it lists only certified suppliers that are actively enrolling new customers. The offers are a live feed and appear in random order, so the top row is not the best one. Suppliers are responsible for the accuracy of their own offers, and they can change at any time.
There is one residential chart for each of Ohio's six investor-owned utilities. Pick the one on your bill, not the one for your city, because a street can sit in a different utility area than the next one.
| Utility | Price to compare | Offers on the chart | Priced under it |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Ohio (Ohio Power Company) | 10.19¢ | 146 | 32 |
| AES Ohio | 10.86¢ | 116 | 51 |
| Duke Energy Ohio | 10.49¢ | 150 | 43 |
| Ohio Edison | 11.07¢ | 145 | 104 |
| The Illuminating Company (CEI) | 11.24¢ | 128 | 95 |
| Toledo Edison | 11.26¢ | 130 | 100 |
Two things stand out. Prices to compare run from 10.19¢ at AEP Ohio to 11.26¢ at Toledo Edison. And the share of offers under the bar differs a lot: 22% at AEP Ohio against 74% at CEI. Where the price to compare is already low, fewer offers beat it. Our Ohio rates guide tracks when each price resets.
Does this offer really beat my price?
Type the offer's price, its monthly fee and your kWh. A fee that looks small can erase a small price gap. A 9.5¢ offer with a $10 monthly fee, at 900 kWh, really costs about 10.6¢ per kWh. That is more than a 10.19¢ price to compare. The tool does that math for you, for your own utility.
- 1Pick your utility.
It is at the top of your bill.
- 2Type the offer's price.
Use cents per kWh, such as 10.5.
- 3Add the monthly fee.
Type 0 if there is none.
- 4Type your kWh.
Use the "kWh used" line on your bill.
The result is an estimate of the supply price only. It leaves out delivery and taxes and cannot see a price change after the first term. Nothing you type is sent or saved.
How do I read the chart, column by column?
Each row is one offer, and each column answers one question. The price is the one most people read, and it is the least important. The term, the fees and the rate type tell you what the price really costs.
| Column | What it tells you | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Rate type | Fixed stays the same for the term. Variable can change, even by the hour or month, under the seller's terms. | Prefer fixed unless you can live with a surprise. |
| Price | Cents per kWh for the power only. | Compare it to your price to compare, not to a rival's headline. |
| Term | Months the price lasts. Zero means month to month. | Put the end date on your calendar. |
| Monthly fee | Dollars added to every bill. | Divide by your kWh to turn it into cents. |
| Early termination fee | Dollars you pay to leave early. | Ask what a move or a better offer would cost you. |
| Renewable content | Share of the power matched to renewable sources. | Check what the label means before you pay extra. |
| Promotion | A gift card or credit for signing up. | Ask when it arrives and what you give up. |
| Terms and conditions | The contract itself. | Read what happens when the term ends. |
PUCO's own glossary defines a variable price as an all-inclusive price per kWh that can change by the hour, day or month under the supplier's disclosure statement. It defines the price to compare as the price a supplier has to beat for you to save money. Both words matter on every row.
Which number do I compare it to?
Your price to compare, printed on your utility bill. PUCO's steps say to find it on your bill and use it to compare offers. It is built from several parts, so it can change from month to month. PUCO suggests looking at a few recent bills for a better picture. The six prices in the table above are the current ones on the state's chart.
Energy Choice Ohio residential charts as of October 24, 2026. Bars start at zero.
The price to compare is for the power only. Delivery is a separate charge, set by the utility and approved by PUCO, and it is the same whichever seller you choose.
Which traps cost shoppers the most?
Most of the damage comes from four things the headline price hides. The chart shows all of them, but only if you look.
The highest variable price on the six charts on October 24, 2026 was 33.37¢ per kWh. A low variable price is a promise only for the first bill.
152 offers add a monthly fee and 165 add a cancel fee of up to $$200. Add both to the price before you compare.
Ask what price applies when the term ends. Many contracts renew into a variable price unless you act. Our contract ending guide shows the notices a seller owes you.
196 offers say 100% renewable. That usually means credits, not different electrons. Our green plans guide explains the difference.
What the chart cannot tell you
It cannot tell you whether a seller treats customers well. It lists certified suppliers and their offers, but it does not rate them. Check the name first with our supplier guide, and ask the questions PUCO suggests before you sign.
- Are you a PUCO-certified supplier?
- Is the price fixed, and for how long?
- Is there a switching fee, a monthly fee or a cancel fee?
- What happens when my contract expires?
- A seller who will not answer plainly is a warning sign.
- A caller who says they speak for your utility is another one. Hang up and call the number on your bill.
PUCO's four steps are to compare offers, contact suppliers, read the contract and then watch for your utility's confirmation letter. You have seven days from the postmark date of that letter to stop the switch. If the details are wrong, call your utility and ask for the switch to be stopped.
Who cannot use the chart?
Homes served by a city-owned utility or a rural co-op cannot pick a supplier, so their utility is not on the chart at all. PUCO also says customers enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan, known as PIPP Plus, are not eligible to switch to a supplier. If you are unsure, call PUCO at 1-800-686-7826 and ask.
If you live in a town that joined a group buying program, you may already be in one. Our Toledo guide and NOPEC guide show how those group rates compare with the chart.
Find the price to compare on your bill, then test one offer in the tool. An offer is only a deal if its price plus fee beats that number for the whole term.
Compare plans at my ZIPA partner runs the plan finder. If you sign up, it may pay us a fee, and that never moves a rating or a score.
Questions, answered
What is Apples to Apples in Ohio?
It is the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's online chart of electricity offers for homes and businesses, one chart per utility. It lists certified suppliers that are enrolling new customers, with their prices, terms and fees.
Is the Apples to Apples chart reliable?
It is the state's official list, but suppliers are responsible for the accuracy of their own offers, and offers can change at any time. Read the contract before you agree, and check that the supplier is certified.
Why is the offer at the top not the cheapest?
PUCO says the offers appear in random order, as a live feed. Sort or read the whole list, and compare each offer with your price to compare.
What is a good rate in Ohio?
One that beats your utility's price to compare for the whole term after fees. Today that price runs from 10.19¢ at AEP Ohio to 11.26¢ at Toledo Edison, and it is set again on its end date.
Where do I find my price to compare?
It is printed on your electric bill. If you cannot find it, the six current prices are in the table above, and the chart for your utility shows it at the top.
Can I cancel a supplier I just chose?
Yes, for a short time. Your utility must send a letter confirming the switch, and you have seven days from the postmark date to change it. After that, a cancel fee may apply.
Does the chart cover natural gas?
PUCO runs a separate Apples to Apples chart for natural gas. This page covers electricity only.
What do you want to do next?
Sources and updates
Sources (5)
- Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Energy Choice Ohio, Apples to Apples electric charts: The six residential charts, the disclaimer, each price to compare and every offer. The numbers refresh from it.
- Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Steps to switching: PUCO's four steps and the seven-day window after the confirmation letter.
- Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, What to ask suppliers: The questions to ask before you sign.
- Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Glossary of terms: The meaning of price to compare, variable price and standard service offer.
- Ohio Administrative Code, Chapter 4901:1-21: The rules suppliers must follow when they sell to homes.
Changelog · last updated October 25, 2026 · 1 update
- October 25, 2026: Guide published.
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Ohio Apples to Apples: how to read the PUCO chart and pick an offer", updated October 25, 2026, https://theday.company/oh/ohio-apples-to-apples.
The Day Company is not affiliated with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, any Ohio utility or any electric supplier. Offers and prices come from public records as of October 24, 2026, and can change at any time. The offer checker gives an estimate, not a quote, an offer or a promise of savings. Company names are trademarks of their owners. Our plan finder is Power HQ, operated by Blitz Ventures Inc. (doing business as EnergyBot), which holds Public Utilities Commission of Ohio licence 18-1282E.