Gexa Energy vs Reliant Energy: Cheapest Green vs the Big Brand

At a Glance

Factor	Gexa Energy	Reliant Energy
Parent Company	NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE)	NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG)
Years in Texas	24	24
Typical 12-Month Price	Among the cheapest majors	Brand premium, rarely cheapest
Green Energy	100% renewable (every plan)	Add-on, not standard
Prepaid Available	No	Yes (Reliant Prepaid Power)
Customer Support	Closed Sundays	24/7 + strong mobile app

Bottom Line: These aren’t sister brands—different parents, different bets. Gexa is the cheapest-green value play backed by the world’s largest renewable generator. Reliant is the household name that charges more but sells rewards, prepaid access, and time-of-use plans. You’re choosing between a lower bill and a fuller toolkit.

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The Corporate Reality

Two giants, two strategies.

Gexa Energy runs under NextEra Energy [NYSE: NEE], a $190 billion company and the largest producer of wind and solar power on earth. That generation muscle is why Gexa can put 100% renewable energy on every plan and still undercut most of its competitors.

Reliant Energy belongs to NRG Energy [NYSE: NRG], a Fortune 500 company serving roughly 8 million customers. Reliant is one of the most recognized names in Texas power, and it prices like it. You’re paying partly for the brand, partly for the extras that come with it.

Both companies have sold electricity in Texas for 24 years, since the market opened in 2002. Neither is a fly-by-night reseller. The real question isn’t who’s stable—both are. It’s whether you want to pay less or get more.

The Price Question

This is where Gexa wins, and it isn’t close on comparable plans.

On a standard 12-month fixed plan, Gexa runs roughly 10-15% below Reliant. Same contract length, same fixed structure, meaningfully lower rate. Over a year, that gap is real money—the kind that shows up every single billing cycle.

Reliant almost never posts the cheapest rate in a given market. That’s by design. The company sells on brand trust, a polished app, and perks, not on being the low-cost leader. If your only filter is “cheapest solid provider,” Reliant rarely survives it.

Run both on ComparePower for your ZIP and usage. In most Texas markets, Gexa’s number comes in lower—and it’s 100% green on top of that.

The Green Question

Gexa’s other built-in advantage.

Every Gexa plan is 100% renewable—wind and solar RECs matching all of your usage. There’s no premium tier and no upgrade to buy. Green is the default, not the deluxe option. Gexa also offers solar buyback if you generate your own power.

Reliant treats green as an add-on rather than the baseline. It runs solar buyback too (Solar Payback Plus), but its standard plans aren’t built around 100% renewable content the way Gexa’s are.

So Gexa clears the bar most shoppers can’t: cheaper and fully green. If renewable energy is on your list at all, that combination is hard to argue with.

Rewards, Prepaid, and Flexibility

Here’s where Reliant earns its keep.

Reliant Rewards returns about 5% back at roughly 20 retailers—Amazon, Target, Kroger, and more. If your household already spends there, that cash-back can quietly offset part of the premium you pay on the rate. Gexa has no rewards program.

Reliant Prepaid Power needs no credit check and no deposit. Load money, use power, reload when it runs low. Gexa offers no prepaid option at all—if you can’t pass its soft credit pull, you’re looking at a $400 deposit (waived for good credit, a letter of credit, age 65+, or family-violence victims).

Truly Free Nights and Weekends are Reliant’s time-of-use plans. If you can shift laundry, dishwashing, and EV charging into free windows, these plans genuinely pay off. Gexa has no free-time equivalent.

Add 24/7 customer support and a well-reviewed mobile app, and Reliant becomes the better fit for anyone who values access and tools over the lowest possible rate. Note the contrast: Gexa’s support is closed Sundays.

The Verdict

Choose Gexa if:

• The lowest 12-month fixed rate is your top priority
• You want 100% renewable energy without paying extra for it
• Your credit can clear a soft pull, or you qualify for a deposit waiver
• Solar buyback matters more than rewards points

Choose Reliant if:

• You need prepaid power with no credit check and no deposit
• You shift usage to nights or weekends and want a true free-time plan
• Reliant Rewards cash-back at stores you already use offsets the premium
• 24/7 support and a strong app are worth paying a bit more for

The honest read: Gexa is the cheapest way to go 100% green in Texas, backed by the biggest renewable generator on the planet. Reliant costs more but hands you rewards, prepaid access, free-time plans, and round-the-clock support. If you want a lower bill, Gexa. If you want the fuller toolkit and the brand behind it, Reliant. Both are on ComparePower—check your ZIP and let the actual rates settle it.