Compare up to 3 plans at your usage
We loaded two real Houston plans and one made-up bill-credit plan so you can see how it works. Replace them with any plans you're considering.
Find your usage on your last bill, listed in kWh.
$52.20 energy + $70.23 delivery
$4.95 base + $70.44 energy + $70.23 delivery
$165.00 energy + $70.23 delivery − $125.00 credit
Use 999 kWh and you lose the $125.00 credit: this plan would cost $235.01.
Cheapest at 1,000 kWh: Example bill-credit plan (made up).
Plans 1 and 2 use real fact labels: Gexa Eco Choice 12 (CenterPoint, read October 2026) and Direct Energy Auto Pay Texas 12 (CenterPoint, dated September 30, 2026). Plan 3 is made up to show how bill credits work; it isn't a real offer.
Where do I find these numbers on a fact label?
Every plan sold on the Texas competitive market has an Electricity Facts Label, a one-page price sheet. Here's where each calculator box comes from, using Direct Energy's Houston label as the example.
Labels also show average prices at 500, 1,000 and 2,000 kWh. If your usage falls between those, this calculator gives you the real number. Learn more in how to read a facts label.
Where to get real numbers fast: every review we publish lists a company’s plans with links to each fact label. Start with our ranking of 10 Texas companies, or jump to Champion, TXU, Rhythm, Gexa or Frontier. Some plans look cheap only because of a credit that vanishes below 1,000 kWh, and it can feel wierd that using less costs more; the trap section below shows why.
What is the 1,000 kWh bill-credit trap?
Some plans give a big bill credit only if you use at least a set amount, often 1,000 kWh. Use just under it, and the credit disappears. In our made-up example, using 1 kWh less makes the bill $124.78 higher.
Made-up plan: 16.5¢ energy charge and a $125 credit from 1,000 to 2,000 kWh, with CenterPoint delivery. Real bill-credit plans vary, so check each label.
Spring and fall months often fall under 1,000 kWh in Texas, which is exactly when these credits vanish. To test a plan from its three label prices, try the free trap checker in our Power to Choose guide. Prefer a plan with no credits at all? Compare fixed and variable rates.
Five ways to lower the price you see
Which delivery charges does the calculator use?
Your utility's delivery charge is the same no matter which plan you pick, and it's often half your bill. The calculator fills it in for five utilities.
Oncor's rates are temporary rates approved in PUCT Docket 59249. AEP Texas figures are the pass-throughs on September 30, 2026 fact labels; TNMP’s come from a September 17, 2026 label. Another utility? Choose "Other: type charges" and copy the delivery charges from your plan's fact label.
Why might my real bill be a little different?
The calculator matches what fact labels show. Your actual bill adds a few things on top.
- State and local sales taxes, where they apply.
- The gross receipts reimbursement charged inside many cities.
- One-time fees, like late fees, deposits or connection fees.
- Delivery charges, which pass through to your bill when the utility changes them.
- Labels' average prices include a tiny PUC fee, so they can differ from this tool by a fraction of a cent.
Bill already too high? Find the cause in why is my electric bill so high? Behind on a bill? See help paying your electric bill.
Is your estimate high or low for Texas? Compare it with the average Texas bill and a fair price per kWh. Starting service at a new home? See how to skip the deposit.
Plan cost questions, answered
How do I calculate my electric bill in Texas?
Add up four things: the energy charge times your kWh, the base charge, the utility's monthly delivery charge, and its per-kWh delivery charge times your kWh. Then subtract any bill credit you qualify for. Taxes come on top. This calculator does the math for up to 3 plans.
What is a good price per kWh in Texas?
Compare against the Texas average of 15.88¢ per kWh (EIA, July 2026), which includes delivery. The plain plans we've priced in Houston range from 12.2¢ to 17.2¢ at 1,000 kWh. Always compare at your own usage, not just 1,000 kWh.
What is the 1,000 kWh trap?
Some plans give a bill credit only if you use at least 1,000 kWh. Use less and the credit disappears, so the bill jumps. In our made-up example, using 999 kWh instead of 1,000 costs $124.78 more.
Where do I find delivery charges?
On the plan's Electricity Facts Label, listed as delivery or TDU charges, usually a monthly amount plus a per-kWh rate. The calculator fills them in for Oncor, CenterPoint, both AEP Texas areas and TNMP.
What are Oncor's delivery charges?
From October 4, 2026, $4.06 a month plus 6.8673¢ per kWh, or $72.73 at 1,000 kWh. They're temporary rates approved in PUCT Docket 59249.
What are CenterPoint's delivery charges?
From October 1, 2026, $4.90 a month plus 6.5333¢ per kWh, or $70.23 at 1,000 kWh.
Does the calculator include taxes?
No. Like fact labels, it shows prices before state and local sales taxes and the gross receipts reimbursement. Your actual bill will be a little higher.
Does the calculator work for TNMP or a co-op?
Yes for TNMP: its delivery charges are built in. For another utility in the competitive market, choose "Other: type charges" and copy the delivery charges from your plan's fact label. Co-ops and city utilities set their own rates, so check their rate pages instead.
Is my information saved?
No. Everything you type stays in your browser and disappears when you leave the page. There's no sign-up.
What usage should I enter if I don’t know mine?
Check your bill or online account for the last 12 months. Without it, start with 1,096 kWh, the average monthly use of a Texas home in 2024, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Then try a summer month too, since use usually runs higher when the AC works hardest.
Sources and updates
Sources (13)
- Gexa Energy, Electricity Facts Label, Gexa Eco Choice 12, CenterPoint service area, read October 2026: 5.22¢ energy charge and no base charge.
- Direct Energy, Electricity Facts Label, Auto Pay Texas 12, CenterPoint (dated September 30, 2026): 7.0444¢ energy charge, $4.95 base charge, CenterPoint delivery of $4.90 a month plus 6.5333¢ per kWh, and prices before sales taxes and the gross receipts reimbursement.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Oncor temporary tariff, Docket 59249: Oncor delivery charges from October 4, 2026.
- Reliant, Electricity Facts Label, Houston: CenterPoint delivery charges from October 1, 2026.
- Direct Energy, Electricity Facts Label, Auto Pay Texas 12, AEP Texas Central (dated September 30, 2026): AEP Texas Central delivery of $3.24 a month plus 5.6898¢ per kWh.
- Chariot Energy, Electricity Facts Label, AEP Texas North: AEP Texas North delivery of $3.24 a month plus 5.5751¢ per kWh.
- Gexa Energy, Electricity Facts Label, Gexa Eco Choice 12, TNMP (dated September 17, 2026): TNMP delivery of $7.56 a month plus 7.7710¢ per kWh.
- Direct Energy, Texas billing FAQs: the PUC assessment included in average prices.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: Texas average residential price of 15.88¢ per kWh, July 2026.
- Rhythm, Digital Choice 12 fact label, Dallas (October 5, 2026): the $5 monthly autopay and paperless credit included in the price.
- City of Austin, Power Partner thermostat incentives (March 9, 2026): the $75 credit per thermostat and $30 a year.
- CPS Energy, HVAC rebates: $90 to $310 per ton for efficient AC and heat pumps.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price, Table 5A: the 2024 Texas average of 1,096 kWh and $163.72 a month.
Changelog · last updated October 5, 2026 · 2 updates
- October 5, 2026 (update): Added a Texas-average usage button, five ways to lower the price you see, and a new answer on what usage to enter.
- October 5, 2026: Calculator published: compare three plans with bill credits, minimum-use fees and built-in 2026 delivery charges for Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas and TNMP, plus a cost-by-usage chart.
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Texas electricity plan calculator: what will a plan really cost you?", updated October 4, 2026, https://theday.company/tx/electricity-plan-calculator.
Results are estimates before taxes, based on the numbers you enter and the delivery charges listed above. Always confirm a plan’s current Electricity Facts Label before you sign. Example plans are for illustration; Plan 3 is made up. The Day Company is not affiliated with any electric company and earns nothing from plan choices.