Rhythm Energy vs Cirro Energy: 100% Green vs Green-Included Mid-Tier

At a Glance

Factor	Rhythm Energy	Cirro Energy
Parent Company	Goldman Sachs	NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG)
Years in Texas	5	25
Credit Check	Yes	Yes
Prepaid Available	No	No
Green Plans	100% renewable (all plans)	Green included (unspecified %)
On ComparePower	Yes	Yes

Bottom Line: Both offer green energy on every plan. Rhythm guarantees 100% renewable with a superior app and innovative programs. Cirro includes green at a slightly lower rate with a 25-year track record. The 1-cent rate difference is small—the real question is whether 100% verified renewable and a better digital experience matter to you.

---

The Corporate Reality

A Goldman Sachs-backed disruptor vs an NRG mid-tier brand.

Rhythm Energy is backed by Goldman Sachs. Five years in Texas. 100% renewable by design. Best app in the market. Acquired Inspire Clean Energy in 2025. Growing aggressively with institutional capital.

Cirro Energy is NRG Energy’s [NYSE: NRG] mid-tier brand. Shares a legal entity (US Retailers LLC, PUCT #10177) with Discount Power. In NRG’s five-brand hierarchy: cheaper than Green Mountain (NRG’s premium green brand), greener than Discount Power (NRG’s budget brand). Twenty-five years in Texas.

The NRG context matters: if you want verified 100% renewable from NRG, they charge you Green Mountain prices. Cirro gives you “green included” at mid-tier rates but doesn’t match Green Mountain’s 100% commitment. Rhythm gives you 100% renewable at rates below Green Mountain and barely above Cirro.

What They Actually Sell

Rhythm’s lineup:

• Fixed-rate plans (12, 13, 23 months) at 10.8-19.4 cents/kWh—all 100% renewable
• PowerShift: free smart thermostat + $15/month credit, or $5/month with your own
• Solar buyback with time-of-use pricing and unlimited credit rollover
• Rhythm Rewards points
• 30-day test drive with $0 ETF
• ETF: $10-$20 per remaining month
• $150 ETF reimbursement from previous provider

Cirro’s lineup:

• Bill Bonus plans (12, 24 months) at 9.7-20.2 cents/kWh—credit at 1,000 kWh
• Simple Advantage plans (12, 24 months)—predictable fixed rate
• Variable-rate (periodically available)
• Green energy included in all plans
• $150 ETF on 12-month, $295 on 24-month

At 1,000 kWh: Rhythm at 10.8 cents ($108). Cirro at 9.7 cents ($97). That’s $11/month or $132/year. Not massive, but not trivial. Rhythm’s PowerShift credits ($5-$15/month) can close or eliminate the gap.

Cirro’s Simple Advantage plans deserve credit: clean fixed rate with zero bill credit math. What you see is what you pay. Rhythm’s plans also avoid heavy bill credit gimmicks—both are more transparent than many Texas providers.

The Green Comparison

Rhythm: 100% renewable. Wind and solar RECs matching all customer usage. Every plan. No exceptions. Company has never sold a non-renewable plan.

Cirro: Green energy included in all plans at no premium. But Cirro doesn’t commit to 100%—they say “green energy included” without specifying the percentage. It’s a meaningful distinction for customers who care about verified renewable sourcing.

If you want green energy and don’t care about the exact percentage: Cirro delivers at a lower rate. If 100% renewable verification matters: Rhythm is the only choice between these two.

The Credit & Deposit Question

Rhythm: Standard credit check. Fail = deposit or Deposit Alternative Fee (non-refundable). Waivers for letter of credit, age 65+, family violence, medically indigent. No prepaid.

Cirro: Standard credit check. Good credit = no deposit. Below threshold = $150-$300 deposit. Letter of credit accepted. No prepaid.

Neither offers prepaid. Similar enrollment barriers. If credit is the issue, look at Payless Power or Frontier Utilities.

The Verdict

Choose Rhythm if:

• 100% verified renewable is non-negotiable
• The best app and weekly Smart Alerts are worth $11/month
• PowerShift credits ($5-$15/month) make the rate gap disappear
• Solar buyback fits your setup
• The 30-day test drive eliminates risk

Choose Cirro if:

• Green included at a slightly lower rate is good enough
• Simple Advantage plans with clean, predictable pricing appeal to you
• A 25-year NRG-backed track record matters
• You don’t need solar buyback, demand response, or app innovation

Skip both if:

• You need prepaid—look at Payless Power or Frontier Utilities
• Budget rates are all that matter—look at Discount Power (Cirro’s NRG sibling)
• You want free nights/weekends—look at Chariot or Direct Energy