Which Texas electricity company is best?
By overall score, Champion Energy leads, and it isn’t close: 96 out of 100, 14 points ahead of BKV Energy. But “best” depends on what you care about most. Tap a button to re-rank all 25 companies by price, complaints, contract fairness or fines.
Overall score out of 100. Bands: 90+ Excellent, 80–89 Very good, 70–79 Good, 60–69 Fair, under 60 Poor.
Partner toolWe may earn a fee if you sign up. It never changes our scores.
Which Texas electricity company is best for me?
It depends on what you want most. Here are our picks by category, straight from the scores.
Shopping for something specific? See free nights plans, fixed vs. variable rates, no-deposit electricity, and our bill-credit trap checker before you sign.
Which company had the cheapest plan?
For a plain one-rate plan, APG&E, at 12.0¢, with Veteran Energy, Frontier, Gexa and Rhythm close behind. Amigo, Just Energy and Tara scored 10.85¢, but only on bill-credit plans that need 1,000 kWh or more. Here’s the price we scored for each company at 1,000 kWh, next to the Texas average.
Bars start at zero. Each company’s scored price: its simplest 12-month plan averaged across Dallas and Houston, or the Houston price where that’s what its review scored (Direct Energy, Green Mountain and Base Power, whose plans run 36 months). Amigo, Just Energy and Tara list no plain 12-month plan, so their 12-month bill-credit plans are scored; at 999 kWh those plans cost about 22¢ to 24¢. Atlantex sells no 12-month plan, so its 9-month Luminous 9 is scored, and Acacia sells no fixed plan we could score, so its prepaid variable Valtricity plan is scored. Chariot’s plain plan and all of Ambit’s plans are on their own sites, not Power to Choose. Constellation has no simple 12-month plan, so its 12-month A/C Protect Plus plan is shown. Texas average from EIA, July 2026. Prices change often; check the current label.
Price is only 20 of the 100 points. Frontier and Gexa have some of the lowest prices, yet both force arbitration in thier contracts, and a long complaint record can still cost you in headaches. Price any plan at your own usage with our plan cost calculator. Is your price fair? See Texas electricity rates and the average Texas bill.
Found a company you like? Check the plan before you sign
A good score narrows the field. The plan decides your bill. Check what your address can get at your own usage before you lock in for a year or more.
Enter your ZIP to see plans at your address. You can sign up right here.
Partner toolPlans and sign-up in this tool are provided by our partner, Blitz Ventures Inc., a broker registered with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (BR200046). If you sign up, it pays us. You don’t pay more, and it never changes our scores.
Compare every plan on the state’s own site, or start with our checked lists.
Want every company in your area first? See all the companies selling power in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and McAllen and the Valley, each with its state complaint rating. Elsewhere? We also list every company selling power in Killeen, Waco, Midland and Odessa, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Irving, Katy, Lewisville and Wichita Falls, or see all Texas electricity companies in one place.
What are each company's strengths and catches?
The short version of each review. Tap a name for the full evidence behind every point.
Strengths: the state’s best complaint rating (5 of 5), an A+ at the BBB, no state penalties and no arbitration clause. Catches: a $168 non-refundable Fast Track fee to skip a deposit, and only 25% to 26% renewable power.
Strengths: the state’s best complaint rating (5 of 5), no state penalties, no arbitration clause and flat Daisy prices with no base charge. Catches: a C- at the BBB, $20 for each month left if you leave early, and a month-to-month rollover price of 19.6¢ to 20.9¢ in October 2026.
Strengths: a perfect complaint rating, an A+ at the BBB and 60 days to cancel free. Catches: its simple plan scored 16.9¢, the fourth-highest of the 25, plus forced arbitration and one $91,500 state penalty.
Strengths: 5 of 5 on complaints, an A+ at the BBB and no arbitration clause. Catches: a $160,000 state penalty in 2024, four extra fees and no simple 12-month plan.
Strengths: 100% renewable plans, a 12.4¢ simple plan, 30 days to cancel free and no state penalties. Catches: a 3-of-5 complaint rating, no BBB grade and four extra fees.
Strengths: a 12.3¢ simple plan and 100% renewable power. Catches: forced arbitration with a class-action waiver, a C at the BBB and two state penalties.
Strengths: a 4-of-5 complaint rating, an A+ at the BBB and 23 years licensed. Catches: forced arbitration with a class-action waiver, six extra fees and a $74,725 state penalty in 2025 for 427 missed credits and refunds.
Strengths: a below-average 14.6¢ simple plan in Houston and no arbitration clause. Catches: two state penalties since 2017, an F at the BBB and four extra fees in its terms.
Strengths: 100% renewable on every plan, an A+ at the BBB and no arbitration clause. Catches: a middle complaint rating (3 of 5) and a 2016 state penalty.
Strengths: the lowest one-rate price we scored, 12.0¢, an A+ at the BBB and no forced arbitration. Catches: the state’s lowest complaint rating (1 of 5), a $75,000 state penalty in 2018, and SimpleSaver plans that need 1,000 kWh a month to earn their $125 credit.
Strengths: no state penalties, an A+ at the BBB, no arbitration clause and 100% renewable plans. Catches: the state’s lowest complaint rating (1 of 5) after complaints jumped in summer 2026, and its plain one-rate plan, Blaze 12, isn’t on Power to Choose.
Strengths: no state penalties, no arbitration clause in its power contract and 30 days to cancel free. Catches: a 2-of-5 complaint rating, 36-month plans only, and a separate 10-year battery agreement with arbitration, $695 to install and $19 a month.
Strengths: the second-lowest one-rate price we scored, 12.15¢, an A+ at the BBB and almost 25 years licensed. Catches: an arbitration clause (small claims allowed), 12 extra fees, a $20-per-month-left cancel fee and two 2024 state penalties on the license it shares with 4Change.
Strengths: a slightly below-average 15.5¢ simple plan and a solid complaint rating (4 of 5). Catches: four state penalties totaling $1.15 million and a D+ at the BBB. See TXU vs. Reliant.
Strengths: the third-lowest one-rate price we scored, 12.25¢. Catches: forced arbitration, six extra fees and two state penalties.
Strengths: a 10.85¢ price at 1,000 kWh or more, a 3-of-5 complaint rating, one step above Amigo and Just Energy, and licensed since 2002. Catches: that price needs a bill credit, so a 999 kWh bill in Dallas costs $124.76 more than a 1,000 kWh bill (our math), plus a $175 cancel fee, forced arbitration and a share of a $475,000 state penalty in 2019.
Strengths: prepaid plans with no deposit or credit check, an A+ at the BBB and no arbitration clause. Catches: a 1-of-5 complaint rating, a $100,000 state penalty in 2024 and pricier prepaid: about $300 a year more than its postpaid plan at 1,000 kWh in Dallas.
Strengths: a 13.9¢ simple plan, an A+ at the BBB and no arbitration clause. Catches: a 2-of-5 complaint rating and two state penalties, including $1.59 million in 2024 refunds.
Strengths: no state penalties, no arbitration clause and a 14.35¢ nine-month plan, Luminous 9, under the 15.88¢ Texas average. Catches: an F on a BBB profile named “Atlantic Energy” (Oct 16, 2026), a 2-of-5 complaint rating, a $20-per-month-left cancel fee and a rollover rate our review prices $194 a month above Luminous 9 at 1,000 kWh in Dallas.
Strengths: a 13.8¢ simple plan, Saver 12, and no arbitration clause. Catches: a 2-of-5 complaint rating, two state penalties on the license it shares with Cirro and no BBB grade.
Strengths: a 10.85¢ price at 1,000 kWh or more and a bill-help fund in its terms. Catches: that price needs a $125 bill credit you lose below 1,000 kWh, plus a $175 cancel fee, forced arbitration and a 2-of-5 complaint rating.
Strengths: an A+ at the BBB, an average complaint rating (3 of 5) and more than 20 years licensed. Catches: forced arbitration, 12 extra fees, two state penalties in 2024 and a 17.85¢ simple plan, the third-highest we scored.
Strengths: a 10.85¢ price at 1,000 kWh or more. Catches: that price needs the $125 bill credit, every plan it lists has a $175 cancel fee, and it has forced arbitration, a 2-of-5 complaint rating and two state penalties since 2019.
Strengths: no cancel fee, no arbitration clause and almost 20 years licensed. Catches: an F at the BBB, a $0.95 fee for each day under 16 kWh, an 18.0¢ variable price and a $210,000 state penalty in 2023.
Strengths: an A+ at the BBB and more than 20 years licensed. Catches: four state penalty settlements since 2019 totaling $804,350, a $199 cancel fee on every fixed plan, forced arbitration, no plans on Power to Choose and the highest price we scored, 19.15¢.
Bars start at zero. Texas penalties from the last 10 years: each one under $100,000 costs 4 points, $100,000 to $499,999 costs 8, and $500,000 or more costs 12. Evidence for every penalty is in each review.
Are these really different companies?
Not always. Five of these 25 brands, Reliant, Direct Energy, Green Mountain, Cirro and Discount Power, belong to NRG Energy. Vistra owns five: TXU, TriEagle, 4Change, Veteran Energy and Ambit. Constellation owns Champion as well as its own brand, NextEra owns Gexa and Frontier, and IGS Energy owns Just Energy, Amigo and Tara. BKV Energy’s parent, BKV Corp., is mostly owned by Thailand’s Banpu, and Chariot belongs to South Korea’s Hanwha. Atlantex calls itself a Texas brand of Atlantic Energy, an investment of the private equity firm Gainline Capital Partners, and Acacia lists no parent company in its state filings. Rhythm, APG&E, Base Power and Payless Power are independent.
How do you score electricity companies?
Six categories worth 100 points, all from public records. No customer surveys, no star ratings, and no company can pay for its score.
Prices are scored against the Texas average of 15.88¢ (EIA, July 2026). Full rules on how we review companies.
How should I pick an electricity company?
Use the score to narrow the field, then let the plan decide.
- 1Start with a good record
A higher score means fewer complaints, fewer fines and fairer fine print.
- 2Compare plans at your usage
Find the company’s plans on Power to Choose and check the price closest to your monthly kWh. Moving? See how to set up electricity.
- 3Read the contract terms
Look for arbitration clauses, cancel fees and extra fees. Our fact label guide shows where they hide.
- 4Skip the traps
Avoid bill-credit plans unless your usage is steady, and test any plan with our trap checker.
Best electricity company questions, answered
What is the best electricity company in Texas?
By our public-records score, Champion Energy ranks first of 25 at 96 out of 100, with the state’s best complaint rating, an A+ at the BBB, no state penalties and no arbitration clause. BKV Energy (82) and TXU Energy (80) follow. The best choice for you also depends on price and contract terms.
Which Texas electricity company is cheapest?
Of the 25 we’ve scored, APG&E had the lowest one-rate 12-month plan, 12.0 cents per kWh at 1,000 kWh. Veteran Energy came next at 12.15 cents, then Frontier Utilities at 12.25 and Gexa Energy at 12.3, with Rhythm close behind at 12.4 cents. Amigo, Just Energy and Tara scored 10.85 cents, but only on bill-credit plans that need 1,000 kWh or more. APG&E has a 1-of-5 complaint rating, and Veteran, Frontier and Gexa have arbitration clauses. Prices change often, so compare current plans at your address.
How do you score electricity companies?
Six categories worth 100 points: complaints to the state (25), fines and penalties (20), contract fairness (20), price (20), time in business (10) and BBB rating (5). Every point comes from public records, and every company gets the same formula.
Do companies pay to be ranked?
No. No company can pay to be listed, ranked or scored. Ads and any partner referral fees help fund the site, but neither has any say in our scores.
Is Champion Energy better than TXU?
By our scores, yes: Champion 96, TXU 80. Both have the state’s best complaint rating and an A+ at the BBB, but Champion’s simple plan costs less, 13.3 cents versus 16.6 in Dallas, it has no state penalties and its contract has no arbitration clause. TXU gives you 60 days to cancel free.
Is the best company the same in Houston and Dallas?
Yes. Our scores are statewide, so Champion Energy leads at 96 out of 100 in both cities. Plan prices do differ by city, though. See the cheapest plans we found in our Houston and Dallas rate guides, or every company selling there in our Houston and Dallas company lists.
Which electricity companies have the same owner?
NRG Energy owns Reliant, Direct Energy, Green Mountain, Cirro and Discount Power. Vistra owns TXU, TriEagle, 4Change, Veteran Energy and Ambit. Constellation owns Champion and its own brand, NextEra owns Gexa and Frontier, and IGS Energy owns Just Energy, Amigo and Tara. BKV Energy belongs to BKV Corp., and Chariot to Hanwha. Atlantex calls itself a Texas brand of Atlantic Energy, backed by the private equity firm Gainline Capital Partners, and Acacia lists no parent company in its state filings. Rhythm, APG&E, Base Power and Payless Power are independent. We score each brand on its own. Cirro and Discount Power share one license, so they also share a complaint rating and penalty record. Veteran Energy and 4Change share one too.
What is forced arbitration in an electricity contract?
It’s a clause that makes you settle disputes with a private arbitrator instead of in court, often with a waiver of class-action lawsuits. Of the 25 we’ve scored, ten have one in their power contract: TXU, TriEagle, Gexa, Frontier, Veteran, Tara, 4Change, Amigo, Just Energy and Ambit. The other 15 don’t, which earned them points in our contract score. Base Power’s separate battery agreement does have one.
Which electricity company has the fewest complaints?
Champion, BKV Energy, TXU and Constellation all earn the state’s best complaint rating, 5 of 5, for March to August 2026. Of the 25 we’ve scored, BKV had the fewest complaints filed with the state from April to September 2026, just 6. Tara had 10 and Champion had 19. Raw counts don’t adjust for company size.
Does a high score mean the cheapest bill?
No. TXU scored third overall but had the fourth-highest scored price of the 25, and APG&E had the lowest one-rate price but scored 67. The score rewards a clean record and fair contracts too. Use it to narrow the field, then pick the best plan at your usage.
Will any scores change soon?
Yes. On December 16, 2026, a 2016 penalty leaves our 10-year window. That lifts Cirro from 58 to 70, Green Mountain from 70 to 82 and Discount Power from 55 to 67, and we’ll re-score Reliant, which was also named. Frontier rises from 62 to 70 on March 9, 2027. We also re-score whenever new state data comes out.
What should I check before I switch companies?
Check four things: the company’s score, the plan’s price at your own monthly use on its fact label, the cancel fee, and when your current contract ends. You can leave with no cancel fee in the last 14 days of a contract. Our switching guide walks through each step.
Which Texas electricity company is best for solar panels?
TXU, if you want the most for your extra power. Its System Flex plan credits 1:1, 15.3¢ per kWh as of October 5, 2026, the only 1:1 plan among the 10 companies whose solar plans we compared on October 5, 2026. It’s month to month with a $19.95 base charge. Most others pay a flat 3¢ to 6.3¢, a time-of-day rate or a wholesale rate that averaged about 2¢ to 3¢ from July to September 2026. Constellation doesn’t buy extra solar power.
What do you want to do next?
Every Texas guide, by topic
Browse every guide on the Texas hub. Or see every state's average price on our price map.
Sources and updates
Sources (30)
- The Day Company, Champion Energy review: 96/100: complaints 25, BBB 5, fines 20, contract 16, price 20 (13.65¢), time in business 10.
- The Day Company, Constellation review: 77/100: complaints 25, BBB 5, fines 12, contract 9, price 16 (15.55¢), time in business 10.
- The Day Company, Rhythm Energy review: 73/100: complaints 15, BBB 2, fines 20, contract 12, price 20 (12.4¢), time in business 4.
- The Day Company, Frontier Utilities review: 62/100: complaints 15, BBB 2, fines 8, contract 9, price 20 (12.25¢), time in business 8.
- The Day Company, Cirro Energy review: 58/100: complaints 10, BBB 5, fines 0, contract 15, price 20 (13.9¢), time in business 8.
- The Day Company, TXU Energy review: 80/100: complaints 25, BBB 5, fines 16, contract 12, price 12 (16.9¢), time in business 10.
- The Day Company, Direct Energy review: 70/100: complaints 20, BBB 0, fines 8, contract 13, price 19 (14.6¢ in Houston), time in business 10.
- The Day Company, Gexa Energy review: 74/100: complaints 20, BBB 2, fines 12, contract 10, price 20 (12.2¢ in Houston), time in business 8.
- The Day Company, Green Mountain Energy review: 70/100: complaints 15, BBB 5, fines 8, contract 15, price 17 (15.1¢ in Houston), time in business 8.
- The Day Company, Reliant Energy review: 62/100: complaints 20, BBB 1, fines 0, contract 15, price 16 (15.5¢), time in business 10.
- The Day Company, APG&E review: 67/100: complaints 5, BBB 5, fines 16, contract 15, price 20 (12.0¢), time in business 6.
- The Day Company, Payless Power review: 60/100: complaints 5, BBB 5, fines 12, contract 12, price 18 (14.85¢), time in business 8. Its October 4, 2026 fact labels say it doesn’t buy extra solar power.
- The Day Company, Discount Power review: 55/100: complaints 10, BBB 2, fines 0, contract 15, price 20 (13.8¢), time in business 8.
- The Day Company, 4Change Energy review: 52/100: complaints 15, BBB 5, fines 8, contract 5, price 9 (17.85¢), time in business 10. Its October 14, 2026 fact labels say it doesn’t buy extra solar power.
- The Day Company, BKV Energy review: 82/100: complaints 25, BBB 2, fines 20, contract 11, price 20 (13.95¢), time in business 4.
- The Day Company, TriEagle Energy review: 74/100: complaints 20, BBB 5, fines 16, contract 5, price 18 (14.7¢), time in business 10.
- The Day Company, Chariot Energy review: 64/100: complaints 5, BBB 5, fines 20, contract 11, price 17 (15.2¢, Blaze 12 on its own site), time in business 6.
- The Day Company, Base Power review: 63/100: complaints 10, BBB 3, fines 20, contract 9, price 19 (14.6¢, 36-month plan in Houston), time in business 2.
- The Day Company, Amigo Energy review: 54/100: complaints 10, BBB 2, fines 12, contract 4, price 20 (10.85¢, bill-credit plan), time in business 6.
- The Day Company, Just Energy review: 52/100: complaints 10, BBB 2, fines 8, contract 4, price 20 (10.85¢, bill-credit plan), time in business 8.
- The Day Company, Ambit Energy review: 41/100: complaints 15, BBB 5, fines 0, contract 7, price 4 (19.15¢, from its own fact labels), time in business 10.
- The Day Company, Veteran Energy review: 63/100: complaints 15, BBB 5, fines 8, contract 5, price 20 (12.15¢), time in business 10.
- The Day Company, Tara Energy review: 61/100: complaints 15, BBB 2, fines 12, contract 4, price 20 (10.85¢, bill-credit plan), time in business 8. Its October 16, 2026 fact labels say it buys back extra solar power; its website-only Solar Power Rewards plan lists a 6¢ per kWh credit.
- The Day Company, Atlantex Power review: 57/100: complaints 10, BBB 0, fines 20, contract 5, price 20 (14.35¢, Luminous 9, a 9-month plan), time in business 2.
- The Day Company, Acacia Energy review: 48/100: complaints 15 (not on the state scorecard, so our default), BBB 0, fines 12, contract 7, price 8 (18.0¢, prepaid variable plan), time in business 6.
- The Day Company, How we review companies: the six-category, 100-point public-records formula and score bands.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Power to Choose: the state complaint scorecard and plan fact labels.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: Texas average residential price of 15.88¢ per kWh, July 2026.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Electricity FAQs: cancel fees and switching in the last 14 days of a contract.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Docket 51277: the $250,000 Direct Energy settlement, approved December 2020, that lowered its score from 78 to 70.
Changelog · last updated October 16, 2026 · 9 updates
- October 16, 2026 (update): Added four more companies scored with the same formula: Veteran Energy (63, tied with Base Power), Tara Energy (61), Atlantex Power (57) and Acacia Energy (48). Updated the re-ranker, scorecard, price and penalty charts, company notes, owners table, sources and answers to match. APG&E keeps the lowest one-rate price; Veteran Energy now has the second-lowest at 12.15¢, and Tara joins Amigo and Just Energy with a lower price only on a bill-credit plan. Added links to our new city company lists, the all-companies list and the Smart Meter Texas guide. No other company’s score changed.
- October 16, 2026: Added seven companies scored with the same formula: BKV Energy (82, now second), TriEagle Energy (74), Chariot Energy (64), Base Power (63), Amigo Energy (54), Just Energy (52) and Ambit Energy (41, now last). Updated the re-ranker, scorecard, price and penalty charts, company notes, owners table and answers to match. APG&E keeps the lowest one-rate price; Amigo and Just Energy scored lower prices only on bill-credit plans. Added a plan finder from our partner and links to our new city company lists. No other company’s score changed.
- October 14, 2026: Added four companies scored with the same formula: APG&E (67), Payless Power (60), Discount Power (55) and 4Change Energy (52). APG&E now has the lowest price we scored, 12.0¢, and 4Change the lowest score. Updated the re-ranker, scorecard, price and penalty charts, company notes, owners table and answers to match, and added Discount Power to the December 16, 2026 score changes. Reworded three trust lines so they stay true if we add partner links. No other company’s score changed.
- October 13, 2026: Added a quick decision box, a date alert, yearly money-at-stake lines in the tools and next-step links. Added the score changes due December 16, 2026, when a 2016 penalty leaves our 10-year window: Green Mountain rises to 82 along with Cirro to 70, and Reliant will be re-scored. Reworded our trust notes so they stay true if we add partner links, and linked our city rate, TXU vs. Reliant and switching guides. No current scores changed.
- October 12, 2026: Moved to theday.company/tx/best-electricity-providers; 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 column to the scorecard, a “best for solar homes” pick (TXU’s System Flex, the only 1:1 credit among the 10) and a new answer on the best company for solar panels. Scores are unchanged.
- October 5, 2026 (update): Gexa rose from 72 to 74 and Green Mountain from 68 to 70 after we confirmed each company’s terms describe a bill-help fund. Gexa moves to fourth, ahead of Rhythm, and Green Mountain ties Direct Energy for sixth.
- October 5, 2026 (update): Added five more companies scored with the same formula: Champion (96, now first), Constellation (77), Rhythm (73), Frontier (62) and Cirro (58). Updated the re-ranker, picks, price and penalty charts, and added who owns each brand and the two scores set to rise.
- October 5, 2026: Ranking published: five Texas electricity companies scored with one public-records formula, with a re-ranker by price, complaints, contract and fines.
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Best electricity companies in Texas, ranked by public records", updated October 16, 2026, https://theday.company/tx/best-electricity-providers.
Scores come from The Day Company’s published reviews, each built from public records with the same formula, as of October 2026. Plan prices are point-in-time examples from fact labels, not recommendations. No company pays to be listed or ranked. The Day Company is not affiliated with any electric company named here.