Green Mountain vs TXU Energy: Green vs Traditional
The Verdict
- You want 100% renewable and won't compromise
- You're willing to pay $10-20/month extra for real green energy
- Your electricity dollars supporting clean energy matters to you
- You don't need free nights, prepaid, or plan variety
- You want free nights, time-of-use, or prepaid plans
- Price matters more than environmental impact
- You want 15+ plan options to choose from
- You'll take TXU's green add-on instead of Green Mountain's core model
Category Breakdown
Green Mountain is 100% renewable—it's all they do
TXU has free nights, prepaid, indexed, time-of-use
TXU runs $10-20/month cheaper on comparable plans
More Texans have heard of TXU
Overview
Does it even matter?
Same wires. Same grid. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: when you flip the switch, you get the same mix of electrons as everyone else on ERCOT’s grid. Green Mountain’s “100% renewable” and TXU’s “green add-on” don’t change what physically powers your home.
So what are you actually paying for? Accounting and commitment.
Here’s what separates them: Green Mountain has been 100% renewable since 1997—before Texas even deregulated. They’ve never sold a fossil fuel plan. TXU’s parent company (Vistra) operates coal and gas plants. Their green option is a checkbox, not a mission.
Both buy or generate renewable energy to offset your usage. The difference is whether that’s their entire business model or a marketing add-on.
The Core Tradeoff
Green Mountain has sold 100% renewable electricity since 1997. That’s it. No fossil fuel plans, no prepaid, no free nights gimmicks. Wind and solar only. If you sign up, every kilowatt-hour comes from clean sources.
TXU Energy sells electricity. All kinds. Fixed, variable, indexed, prepaid, free nights, free weekends, time-of-use. They have green options too—but it’s a checkbox, not a mission. TXU’s parent company (Vistra) operates coal and gas plants alongside renewables.
Price Comparison
Green Mountain costs more. At 1,000 kWh/month, expect to pay $10-20 more per month than TXU’s baseline plans. That’s $120-240/year for the green premium.
But here’s the thing: TXU’s promotional rates expire. When your 12-month intro rate ends and you roll to month-to-month, Green Mountain’s steady pricing can look better. The gap shrinks when you compare Green Mountain to TXU’s renewal rates, not their teaser rates.
Customer Experience
Both have real customer service teams. Both have been around for decades.
Green Mountain customers tend to be happier—but that’s partly self-selection. People who choose Green Mountain did it for environmental reasons. They’re getting exactly what they signed up for.
TXU has more complaints in raw numbers because they have more customers. Per-customer, they’re fine.
The Verdict
Green Mountain wins for environmentalists. TXU wins for everyone else.
Choose Green Mountain if:
- 100% renewable energy is non-negotiable
- You’re willing to pay $120-240/year more for that commitment
- You want your electricity company’s entire mission to be clean energy
- You don’t need free nights, prepaid, or specialty plans
Choose TXU if:
- You want plan variety and lower baseline prices
- Green energy is nice-to-have, not must-have
- You need free nights, prepaid, or time-of-use options
- You’re okay with a green add-on instead of a green-first company
The honest take: If you’re reading a Green Mountain comparison, you probably care about green energy. The question is whether you care enough to pay the premium. There’s no wrong answer—just different priorities.
Related Pages
Company Profiles
Best-For Categories
- Best Green Energy Companies — Green Mountain ranked #1 for 100% renewable
- Best Customer Service — TXU ranked #1 with 5-minute call times
- Best for High Usage — TXU ranked #2 for Smart Deal bill credits
- Best for Large Homes — TXU ranked #3 for 24/7 support
- Best for Seniors — TXU ranked #4 for budget billing
- Best Same-Day Electricity — Both providers offer same-day activation
- Best Prepaid Electricity — TXU PowerPass ranked #4
Related Comparisons
Company Snapshots
Green Mountain Energy
- Parent Company
- NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG)
- Years in Texas
- 27+
- Headquarters
- Austin, Texas
- Deposit Required
- conditional
TXU Energy
- Parent Company
- Vistra Corp (NYSE: VST)
- Years in Texas
- 24+
- Headquarters
- Irving, Texas
- Deposit Required
- conditional
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Category Rankings
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Why This Page Exists
This page helps you decide between Green Mountain Energy and TXU Energy based on who they are — not just today's prices. Prices change. Company quality doesn't.