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Compare Energy Plans & Electricity Rates

In deregulated markets you choose who sells your electricity — your local utility just delivers it. Compare plans by rate per kWh, contract length, and renewable content for your ZIP.

How Switching Electricity Providers Works

In a deregulated market the poles, wires, and meters belong to your local utility, but the energy itself is sold by competing retail providers. When you switch, only the selling company changes: the new provider notifies the utility, your meter keeps running, and the next bill simply comes from the new company at the new rate. There is no service interruption and nothing to install.

The comparison above is ZIP-specific — enter your ZIP code to see only the plans actually sold at your address, including fixed-rate, variable, and 100% renewable options.

Compare the Real Rate, Not the Teaser

Electricity plans are quoted at three usage levels — 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh per month. Tiered plans can look cheap at exactly 1,000 kWh and jump sharply above or below it, so compare at the level closest to your real usage (it is printed on your current bill). Watch three other fields: whether the rate is fixed or variable, the contract length, and the early-termination fee. A fixed-rate plan that matches your usage profile beats a teaser rate nearly every time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can choose their electricity provider?
Residents of deregulated energy markets. The largest is Texas — about 85% of the state, including Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, and Corpus Christi — where you pick a Retail Electric Provider while your local utility keeps delivering the power. Other states with retail energy choice include Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, and Connecticut. If your area is served by a single municipal utility or co-op (for example San Antonio’s CPS Energy or Austin Energy), there is no plan to shop for.
Does switching electricity plans interrupt my service?
No. The wires, meter, and outage response stay with your local utility no matter which supplier you choose. Switching only changes the company that bills you for the energy itself. The new provider handles the transfer — there is no technician visit and no gap in service.
How do I compare electricity rates fairly?
Check the price per kWh at your actual monthly usage — plans are quoted at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh, and tiered plans can jump sharply between those brackets. Also compare contract length, early-termination fees, and whether the rate is fixed or variable. A fixed-rate 12-month plan is the safest baseline for most households.
When is the best time to switch energy plans?
Before your current contract auto-renews onto a month-to-month holdover rate, which is usually the most expensive rate a provider offers. Set a reminder for 30 days before your contract end date. Moving to a new address is the other natural switching point — you can start a fresh plan instead of transferring an old one.

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