Compare electricity plans available in Houston from trusted retail providers.
FEATURED PLANS
Featured plans shown for ZIP code 77002 • CenterPoint Energy Service Territory • Rates updated: …
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Power Texas marketplace rates for Houston ZIP codes in the CenterPoint Energy service territory, compared at 1,000 kWh and refreshed daily.
These plans are available to Houston customers in the CenterPoint Energy service territory, with rates shown at 1,000 kWh of monthly usage. A plan's effective rate can rise or fall at other usage levels, so compare each plan at the usage level closest to your home and review its Electricity Facts Label for the full pricing structure before enrolling.
| Electricity Plan | Term | Rate |
|---|---|---|
Your bill is the plan's effective rate times the kilowatt-hours (kWh) your home uses, so one plan can cost very different amounts at different usage levels. Bill credits and minimum-usage fees can push the effective rate sharply between 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh. The figures below are estimates, so comparing plans against your own usage gives the most accurate expected cost.
| Home Type | Typical Monthly Usage | Average Monthly Bill |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment / small home | 500 kWh | — |
| Medium home | 1,000 kWh | — |
| Large home | 2,000 kWh | — |
Actual bills vary based on electricity usage, plan structure, TDU delivery charges, home efficiency, and weather.
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All rates here are compared at 1,000 kWh — a shared benchmark, not a prediction of your bill. The advertised rate alone does not tell you what a plan will cost: check each plan’s Electricity Facts Label for the price at your own usage level and for any bill-credit threshold it depends on. Delivery charges from CenterPoint Energy apply on top of every plan, whichever provider you choose.
What you pay depends on a plan’s pricing structure, not only its advertised rate. Because many plans price electricity differently at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh, the same plan can carry a very different effective rate depending on how much your home uses.
A fixed-rate plan keeps the same energy charge per kWh for the length of your contract, so your rate doesn't change with the market. Because that energy charge is the same at every usage level, a fixed-rate plan's effective rate stays relatively consistent whether you use 500 or 2,000 kWh. This suits shoppers who want predictable monthly bills and protection from seasonal price swings. Leaving before the term ends usually means paying an early termination fee.
Bill-credit plans provide a credit when your monthly electricity usage reaches a specific threshold, commonly 1,000 or 2,000 kWh. They can offer competitive prices when your usage consistently qualifies for the credit, but may cost more in months when it doesn't. Because the credit sharply lowers the effective rate only at qualifying usage, check the plan's Electricity Facts Label to compare the price at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh before enrolling.
These plans make electricity free or heavily discounted during set overnight or weekend hours, while power used at other times is billed at a higher rate. They can work well for households that can shift laundry, EV charging, and other heavy use into the free window. Here the effective rate depends on when you use electricity, not only how much, so if most of your use falls during peak hours the higher daytime rate can outweigh the savings.
A variable plan has a rate that can change from month to month, usually with no long-term contract or early termination fee. That flexibility suits shoppers who are moving, between plans, or waiting to lock in a longer term, though the rate can rise with little notice.
These plans let some customers start service without a traditional upfront deposit, though qualification varies and not every shopper is approved for no-deposit service. Prepaid electricity is one common path: you keep a positive account balance and pay for power as you use it, typically without a credit check. Both can lower the cost of getting connected, but a prepaid balance needs regular monitoring to avoid an interruption in service.
These plans match some or all of your usage with renewable energy or renewable energy certificates, rather than delivering renewable power directly to your home. They appeal to shoppers who want to support cleaner energy while still comparing plans on price and term. Renewable content varies by plan, so it's worth checking the details before enrolling.
The lowest advertised rate is not always the lowest-cost plan for your household. Compare plans on total monthly cost at your own usage level, including the CenterPoint Energy delivery charges that apply to every plan, rather than on the headline rate alone.
Review your electricity usage over the last 12 months when it's available, since usage swings sharply with the long, hot cooling season. Note how many kWh your home uses in a typical month, then compare plans at that level, especially around the 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh benchmarks, because a plan's effective price can change significantly from one usage level to the next.
Don't choose a plan based only on the advertised cents-per-kWh rate. Compare the estimated total bill at your typical usage so you can account for the energy charge, bill credits, base or monthly fees, and the regulated TDU delivery charges that CenterPoint Energy applies to every plan. That total, or effective, price is what you actually pay.
Check whether the plan is a straightforward fixed-rate plan, uses bill credits or usage tiers, offers free electricity during certain hours, or has another pricing structure. A plan that looks inexpensive at one usage level may cost more when your consumption changes.
Every Texas electricity plan comes with an Electricity Facts Label (EFL) that shows the charges and terms behind the advertised price. Review the energy charge, CenterPoint delivery charges, base or minimum-usage fees, and any bill-credit thresholds. The EFL lists the average price at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh, so you can see how the rate changes with usage before you enroll.
Compare the contract length and early termination fee before choosing a plan. A longer contract can provide price stability, while a shorter term may give you more flexibility to shop again sooner.
Houston's deregulated market lets you choose from dozens of competing retail electricity providers (REPs), while CenterPoint Energy delivers your power no matter which provider you pick. Providers differ mainly in their plan structures, pricing, and renewable options, so compare them against how your household uses electricity. Below are some of the major providers serving Houston customers.
| Provider | What They’re Known For |
|---|---|
 | Large, well-known retail provider serving Houston and much of Texas, with a wide range of residential plans. |
 | Long-established Texas retail provider offering fixed-rate and bill-credit plans to Houston customers. |
 | Retail provider known for 100% renewable plans and bill-credit options in the Houston area. |
 | Houston-based retail provider focused on 100% renewable energy plans. |
 | Texas electricity provider focused on competitively priced electricity plans. |
 | Texas-focused electricity provider with a straightforward brand and shopping experience. |
 | Established Texas electricity provider known for straightforward service. |
Most homes and businesses in the Houston area are served by CenterPoint Energy, the regulated transmission and distribution utility (TDU) for the region. CenterPoint owns the poles, wires, and meters, delivers your electricity, and restores power during outages, regardless of which retail electricity provider (REP) you choose.
Your REP sells you an electricity plan and sends your bill, while CenterPoint handles delivery. Your total rate combines the provider's energy charge with CenterPoint's regulated delivery charges. Because CenterPoint is set by your service address, it does not change when you switch providers.
| Utility | Utility Name | Major Service Area |
|---|---|---|
 | CenterPoint Energy | Greater Houston |
CenterPoint Energy charges regulated delivery, or TDU, fees for carrying electricity across the poles and wires to homes and businesses in the Houston area. These charges are set by regulators, are the same no matter which retail provider you choose, and are included in the total electricity rate you pay. See the Texas TDU delivery charges guide for current delivery rates by service territory.
Houston is part of Texas's deregulated retail electricity market, so most residents choose their own retail electricity provider (REP). REPs compete on rates, contract terms, renewable options, and pricing structures. You choose the provider and plan, but not the utility that delivers your power.
That utility is CenterPoint Energy, which maintains the local grid and delivers electricity to every home in the area. Because it is set by your service address, CenterPoint does not change when you switch providers, and its regulated delivery charges apply to every plan.
The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) regulates the state's competitive market, while ERCOT manages the flow of electricity across most of the Texas grid, including Houston.
Switching providers at your current address and setting up service after a move both start the same way in Houston’s deregulated market. Confirm your CenterPoint Energy service territory with your ZIP code, then compare plans at your expected monthly usage.
You can switch retail providers at your Houston address without changing your utility or interrupting delivery. CenterPoint Energy continues to deliver your power throughout the switch. Before you switch, check your current plan's contract end date and any early termination fee, then compare new plans at your typical monthly usage, including CenterPoint delivery charges, rather than on the advertised rate alone.
How to Switch Electricity Providers in Texas →
If you're moving to Houston or to a new address within the area, start with the ZIP code for your new home. Your ZIP confirms your CenterPoint service territory and the electricity plans available there. Compare plans at the usage level you expect for the new home, then choose a provider and schedule service to start on your move-in date.
Texas electricity plans can be difficult to compare. Power Texas brings rates, providers, plan details, and helpful information together so you can understand your options and choose an electricity plan with confidence.
Whether you want to shop on your own or have questions along the way, our goal is to make finding electricity simpler.
Learn more about Power Texas →
Power Texas may receive compensation from electricity providers when customers enroll through our marketplace. However, commissions, advertising relationships, and other commercial arrangements do not determine our editorial content or recommendations.
Our recommendations are based on our independent assessment of the Texas electricity market and the information we believe is most useful to consumers.
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