Reliant Review and Ratings
Last updated:
Read our Reliant Review and Ratings. Reliant currently holds a Clear Energy Facts Score of 2.9 out of 5, ranking #27 out of 42. We evaluate plan quality, pricing transparency, and customer service.
Reliant: What we like
- Customer Service: Reliant is one of the largest electricity providers in Texas, and its customer service infrastructure is difficult to match. They offer 24/7 support via phone and chat, with a large and readily available support staff. For customers who prioritize customer service above all else, Reliant is a strong choice.
- Strong PUCT performance: Reliant’s PUCT score typically stays above 4 on a monthly basis, indicating a lower complaint rate compared to many competing providers.
- Best-in-class mobile app: Reliant’s mobile app is one of the highest-rated in the Texas electricity market, with an average rating of around 4.9 stars across more than 18,000 reviews. Customers can manage payments, monitor usage, link smart devices, sync EV charging, and handle nearly all account functions directly from the app.
- No hidden account management fees: Reliant is one of the few providers that does not include hidden or nuisance fees for standard account management activities in its Terms of Service. This includes no extra fees for opting out of AutoPay, using credit or debit cards, paying by phone, or receiving paper bills (excluding standard late fees).
- Referral program: Reliant offers a referral program where both you and your friend receive a $50 bill credit after signup. Learn more here.
Reliant: What we don’t like
- Higher pricing than most competitors: Reliant is not a low-cost electricity provider. Its rates are consistently among the highest in the Texas market, especially when compared to smaller or more price-focused providers.
- Consistent pricing, but plan availability varies by entry path: Reliant keeps consistent pricing between Google-sponsored ads and the regular Reliant.com shopping flow, but the plan selection can differ depending on how you enter the site, so you can try both routes if you want to see all the plans they have available; they also offer plans through several comparison sites, but those options are usually bill credit plans or are more expensive than the plans listed on Power to Choose or on their own website.
- Above-average cancellation fees: Reliant’s early termination fees are higher than the current market average, which can reduce flexibility for customers who may need to switch plans before the contract ends.
- Minimum usage fees on select fixed plans: Some fixed-rate plans, such as the Secure Advantage plans, include a minimum usage charge if monthly consumption falls below 800 kWh. For apartments and smaller homes, usage often stays below this threshold, resulting in an additional minimum charge of around $9.95 per month.
- Lower ranking driven by pricing, not service quality: Reliant ranks near the bottom of our overall review rankings because the CEF Score places significant weight on affordability and pricing transparency, and less on customer service perks. This lower ranking does not reflect poor customer support. Reliant performs very well in areas such as mobile app quality, rewards programs, and customer service availability. Customers who prioritize service experience and added features over the lowest possible price may still find Reliant to be a good fit.
Ratings for Reliant
Company review breakdown
Compared against 42 Texas electricity companies rated by Clear Energy Facts.
Average score compared with other companies we evaluated.
Cancellation fees
Ranked #32 of 42 companies
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Cancellation fees are higher than most other companies.
Plans & rates
Ranked #39 of 42 companies
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Rates are higher than average compared with other companies.
Transparency
Ranked #21 of 42 companies
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Low transparencyDifferent rate between Power to Choose and the company’s website.
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Good transparencySimilar rates in Google sponsored ads and on the company’s website.
PUCT complaint record
Ranked #7 of 42 companies
Based on complaint data reported to the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
How We Rate This Company
- PUCT Rating: This is the official scorecard published by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT).
- Plan & Rates: We evaluate each company’s electricity rates by giving more weight to clear True Fixed plans and less weight to other fixed-type plans, using average prices across different contract lengths. Companies with lower average rates score higher, and we exclude complex or gimmicky offers that require special equipment (like smart thermostats, EV devices, seasonal pricing, or “highest usage day” rewards).
- Cancellation Fees: We compare each plan’s early termination fee against similar plans from other providers and normalize the data. Lower cancellation fees per contract term result in better scores.
- Transparency: We check how consistently the provider displays prices across the main shopping channels Texans use: Power to Choose, the company’s own website, and Google Ads. If the prices match across these places, the transparency score goes up. If the company advertises one price but charges something different on its site, the score goes down.
- CEF Score: The overall Clear Energy Facts score is a weighted average of these sub-scores, giving you a single number you can use to compare providers side by side.
Data note: Except for the PUCT Rating (which comes directly from the official PUCT scorecard), all CEF scores are calculated using real, up-to-date plan data from each provider. We recalculate these scores regularly using current Electricity Facts Labels and plan details — we don’t guess or use hidden assumptions.
Clear Energy Facts ratings focus on plan structure, transparency, and pricing. They do not include direct customer service scores. For that, we recommend checking recent Google Reviews and other independent sources, and being cautious with “star ratings” shown on sponsored comparison sites.
Reliant Non Recurring Fees Analysis
This is a comparison of the non-recurring fees for Reliant. These charges are detailed within the Terms of Service (TOS) and contain critical information regarding penalties for missed payments or other circumstances. Understanding these fees is essential, as some providers enforce harsh penalties while others are more considerate.
This information is updated at the beginning of every quarter. We pull these figures from Oncor TDU plans via Power to Choose or directly from the provider's website. However, a provider's TOS is generally identical across all plans and TDU zones.
| Fee | Reliant | Market (Median) |
|---|---|---|
| Late Payment Charge | 5% | 5% |
| Insufficient Funds / Returned Payment Fee | $30 | $30 |
| Disconnection Notice Fee | $25 | $19.95 |
| Disconnection + Reconnection Fee | $25 | $50 |
Understanding the Charges
- Late Payment Charge: A penalty applied when a monthly bill is not paid in full by the due date.
- Insufficient Funds / Returned Payment Fee: A fee charged if your payment method is declined or a check bounces due to non-sufficient funds.
- Disconnection Notice Fee: A charge for sending a formal warning letter of intent to disconnect service due to non-payment. This is distinct from the actual disconnection fee.
- Disconnection + Reconnection Fee: We bundle these two fees together for clarity. Because some providers charge a high disconnection fee but no reconnection fee (or vice versa), viewing them as a combined total provides a clearer picture of the true cost to restore power.
Note: Please use these values strictly as a reference. Providers often use wording such as "up to" in their terms, meaning actual amounts can vary at the company's discretion.
TDU Charges: The fees listed above are exclusive to the retail energy provider. On top of these, you may incur charges by the TDU (e.g., Oncor, CenterPoint) for physical disconnections or reconnections. TDU charges are pass-through costs and remain exactly the same regardless of which energy provider you use.
Reliant Plans & Current Rates (Apr 2026)
Note: CEF selects plans based on value to the customer. For this review, we aim to avoid redundancy and shorter-term plans. we also generally exclude complex seasonal plans that usually offer poor value, high-rate fixed plans, and high-rate bill credit plans. For a complete list of available plans and terms, always check the provider's website. We display the latest update date for each plan, showing when the EFL and its information were collected. CEF verifies rates twice per week. Always check the provider’s website for the most current EFL and rates.
Enter your ZIP to check Reliant plans
We’ll use your ZIP only to find the Transmission & Distribution Utility (TDU) for your address.
Does Reliant have True Fixed rate plans?
No active True Fixed plans were found for this provider in our latest data for this TDU.
Does Reliant have Fixed - Tiered Plans?
Yes — we found 2 Fixed - Tiered plans (Check the provider’s website for the full list):
Fixed - Tiered
Small apartment: Winter months usually use 500 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 750 and 1,000 kWh.
Medium home: Winter months usually use 750 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 1,250 and 2,000 kWh on average.
| 250 kWh | 500 kWh | 750 kWh | 1,000 kWh | 1,250 kWh | 1,500 kWh | 1,750 kWh | 2,000 kWh | 2,250 kWh | 2,500 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50.71 | $92.17 | $133.65 | $175.11 | $221.59 | $268.05 | $314.53 | $361.00 | $407.47 | $453.94 |
Fixed - Tiered
Small apartment: Winter months usually use 500 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 750 and 1,000 kWh.
Medium home: Winter months usually use 750 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 1,250 and 2,000 kWh on average.
| 250 kWh | 500 kWh | 750 kWh | 1,000 kWh | 1,250 kWh | 1,500 kWh | 1,750 kWh | 2,000 kWh | 2,250 kWh | 2,500 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $54.91 | $98.63 | $142.36 | $186.09 | $217.37 | $248.59 | $279.82 | $311.05 | $342.27 | $373.51 |
Does Reliant have Free Hours plans?
Yes — we found 1 Free Nights / Free Hours style plan (Check Provider's website for a full list of plans):
Free Hours (Day/Night)
Does Reliant have Free Weekend plans?
Yes — we found 1 weekend-free style plan (Check Provider's website for a full list of plans):
Free Days & Weekends
Does Reliant have Bill Credit plans?
Yes — we found 2 bill-credit style plans (Check Provider's website for a full list of plans):
Usage Credit Plan
Small apartment: Winter months usually use 500 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 750 and 1,000 kWh.
Medium home: Winter months usually use 750 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 1,250 and 2,000 kWh on average.
| 250 kWh | 500 kWh | 750 kWh | 1,000 kWh | 1,250 kWh | 1,500 kWh | 1,750 kWh | 2,000 kWh | 2,250 kWh | 2,500 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $53.53 | $92.87 | $132.22 | $161.61 | $200.96 | $240.31 | $279.65 | $319.00 | $358.34 | $397.69 |
Usage Credit Plan
Small apartment: Winter months usually use 500 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 750 and 1,000 kWh.
Medium home: Winter months usually use 750 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 1,250 and 2,000 kWh on average.
| 250 kWh | 500 kWh | 750 kWh | 1,000 kWh | 1,250 kWh | 1,500 kWh | 1,750 kWh | 2,000 kWh | 2,250 kWh | 2,500 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $55.03 | $95.87 | $136.72 | $167.61 | $208.46 | $249.31 | $290.15 | $331.00 | $371.84 | $412.69 |
Reliant vs. The market
In this section, we compare Reliant plans directly against other providers in the market. We strive to provide fair, apples-to-apples comparisons by matching companies that offer similar types of plans. Inside each guide, you will find interactive monthly consumption graphs, detailed bill approximations, and complete rate breakdowns to help you make the best, fully-informed decision.
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Reliant VS Payless Power
Compare Payless Power prepaid electricity plans with Reliant fixed rate plans. See real cost differences, fees, and which option works best for Texas households.
Read Full Comparison -
Reliant VS Rhythm
Compare Rhythm vs Reliant with detailed graphs and bill comparisons. and find out which provider offers the better fixed rate and bill credit plan
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Transparency Review in Detail
Transparency
Ranked #21 of 42 companies
Customer Service Review in Detail
PUCT complaint record
Ranked #7 of 42 companies
In this section we focus on the company’s customer service, using the official complaint data from the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT).
1. PUCT scorecard rating. This score shows how this provider compares to other Texas electricity companies based on the number of customer complaints the PUCT receives about them.
2. What the PUCT scorecard means. The PUCT publishes a scorecard that rates Retail Electric Providers based on their complaint history. It compares a company's market share to its share of complaints filed with the state. Companies that resolve issues before customers feel the need to contact the PUCT receive higher ratings (5 Power Circles), while companies that frequently force customers to escalate issues receive lower ratings.
If a company does not have a PUCT rating (or we show “No rating”), it usually means there is not enough historical data for the PUCT to calculate a score. This typically happens when a company is new to the market or has a customer base too small to be statistically compared to larger providers.
Summary of Real Customer Reviews
At Clear Energy Facts we encourage people to leave reviews on platforms where everyone can read them and companies can respond publicly. From all the options available, we’ve found that Google tends to have some of the most consistent review practices and is a widely trusted source for real customer feedback.
The analysis below is based primarily on Google reviews from roughly the last 12 months, so the information reflects recent customer experiences rather than very old history.
Customer experiences vary, with reviews citing helpful service representatives, reliable power, and affordable plans, while other reviews describe unexpectedly high bills, deceptive sales tactics, unclear contract terms, and unhelpful support interactions.
Common questions about Reliant
- Is Reliant a good electricity company?
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Based on our independent analysis, Reliant currently holds a Clear Energy Facts Score of 2.9 out of 5. This places them at rank #27 out of 42 retail electricity providers we track in Texas. This rating reflects a combination of their plan value, customer service history, and pricing transparency.
- Does Reliant have True Fixed rate plans?
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Right now we do not show any True Fixed plans from Reliant for this service area. Try another ZIP code above or check again later; our database updates several times per week.
- Does Reliant offer Free Nights or Free Hours plans?
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Yes. Reliant offers Free Nights / Free Hours plans. An example is Truly Free Nights 100% Solar 12.
- Does Reliant offer Free Weekends plans?
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Yes. Reliant offers Free Weekends plans. An example is Truly Free Weekends 100% Solar 12.