Chariot Energy Review 2026

Ratings, Complaints, Plans & Customer Feedback

Chariot Energy has positioned itself as a tech-forward, future-thinking electricity provider that prioritizes sustainability, but they struggle with a high PUCT complaint volume.

Chariot’s electricity plan lineup is extensive and leans towards the pricier end of the market. This article is an honest look at Chariot Energy’s plans, rates, customer feedback, reviews, complaints, and more — and how it compares to BKV Energy.

Enter your zip code to compare your BKV Energy rate to Chariot Energy.

This article was researched and written by the BKV Energy team. Last updated August 2026.
We source provider ownership, plans, prices, ratings, reviews, fees, and other details from publicly available resources and reputable third parties such as the Public Utility Commission of Texas, PowerToChoose, U.S. Energy Information Association, Texas Electricity Ratings, Wikipedia, Better Business Bureau, Yelp, and Google. All sources are linked at the bottom of this page.

Honest opinion • At a glance • Compare plans • Reviews • Fine print • Chariot vs BKV • FAQs

Our honest opinion

  • Chariot Energy is a tech-savvy electricity provider offering a wide range of plans for Texans to choose from.
  • Homes with solar panels may enjoy their solar buyback program and free nights plans.
  • Customers may be frustrated with the extensive list of charges Chariot includes in their Terms of Service.
  • The company’s online reputation is mixed with a solid rating on Google, but a very weak PUCT complaint score on PowerToChoose.

Chariot Energy at a glance

Established in 2019, Chariot Energy is a Texas retail electricity provider licensed by the Public Utility Commission of Texas under certificate #10260.

The PUCT certification is held by 174 Power Global and also covers the DBA name Tristar Energy.

According to the Energy Information Association, Chariot Energy provides electricity services to about 31,000 customers in Texas.

Chariot Energy’s headquarters are at 5501 Westheimer Rd, Ste 1400, Houston, Texas 77056.

The company provides services to all deregulated utility regions of Texas including Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP North, AEP Central, Texas-New Mexico Power, and Lubbock Power & Light.

Chariot Energy is owned by 174 Power Global, a U.S. renewable energy company. 174 Power Global is a subsidiary of the Hanwha Group, a South Korean industrial conglomerate.

FOUNDED: 2019

CUSTOMERS: Est. 31,000

OWNERSHIP: 174 Power Global

SERVICE AREA: Texas

HEADQUARTERS: Houston, Texas

Chariot Energy vs BKV Energy plans and rates

Chariot Energy offers several types of electricity plans, including fixed-rate plans, bill credit plans, free nights plans, free days plans, free weekends plans, and solar buyback plans.

FIXED-RATE

BILL CREDITS

FREE NIGHTS

FREE DAYS

FREE WEEKENDS

SOLAR BUYBACK

At BKV Energy, we recommend that most Texans avoid plans with bill credits, free nights, free weekends, and free days.

When you use the “wrong” amount of electricity or don’t shift enough consumption to the window of time with “free” energy, you end up paying much more than you would have with a simple fixed-rate plan.

See how Chariot Energy and BKV Energy’s electricity prices stack up.

Plan 2000 KWH Rate 1000 KWH500 KWH Term Renewable

*Electricity rates as of 8/25/26

Customer reviews

Chariot Energy’s customer reviews are mixed, depending on where you look. They receive complaints about billing and customer service issues.

The company has a 1-star PUCT complaint rating from PowerToChoose and ranks among the electricity providers listed on PowerToChoose with the most complaints, behind Reliant Energy, TXU Energy, and Just Energy. Most of the complaints are filed in the Billing category.

The company also has a 2.9-star rating on Trustpilot, a 2.1-star rating on Yelp, a 4.5-star rating from Texas Electricity Ratings, a 4.2-star rating on Google, and an A+ score from the BBB.

PowerToChoose
1 out of 5 stars

Trustpilot
2.9 out of 5 stars

Yelp
2.1 out of 5 stars

Texas Electricity Ratings
4.5 out of 5 stars

Google
4.2 out of 5 stars

Better Business Bureau
A+ (accredited)

Ratings are pulled from third party sources which are linked at the bottom of this page and may have changed since this page was last updated.

Real-life positive reviews:

These are real 5-star rated reviews of Chariot Energy sourced from Google.

“This was one of the easiest processes for signing up. No advertisements and no busy screen layouts. Clear and straight to the point. No distractions, which other sites typically have that do not help me meet my objective. ….and they have some of the best prices. I really like my experience.”

“Just signed up with Chariot energy And it was easy and efficient and I’m keeping my electric bills down with them significantly. So excited to save all that money and to be able to keep my house cool during the hot summers in Texas.”

Real-life negative reviews:

These are real 1-star rated reviews of Chariot Energy sourced from Google.

“Impossible to get them on the phone. When you finally do get them on the phone they don’t even do what they need to. Decided to transfer addresses and had a credit of $387.50 on the previous address plus the deposit of $195. Called them and they said they would transfer the credit of $582.50. That was a month ago. Now I’m getting disconnect notices and additional fees on a $66 bill because they still haven’t transferred my balance over. Waited on hold multiple times and even emailed the customer service team with no response. Currently on hold again.”

“Avoid at all costs! This is a predatory energy company that will lock you into a long term contract with expensive cancellation fees. If you have solar, they buy back your energy at Penny’s on the dollar for what you are charged. Last month I used 220 kwh, sold them 760, and still had a bill. They will quote it as buying your energy at market, but can provide no backup to where that market value comes from. Don’t make the mistake of signing on with them.”

Fees and fine print

We dug into Chariot Energy’s Electricity Facts Label, Your Rights as a Customer, and Terms of Service documents to find the fees below.

Chariot Energy charges a $35 NSF fee for payments returned due to insufficient funds by any method of payment including, but not limited to, bank, personal check, credit card, and debit card.

They may also charge a $35 Disconnect Fee for each disconnection request they send to your regional TDSP. Chariot will also charge an additional $10 Disconnect Notice Fee for each disconnect notice they generate.

The company will also assess a $15 Reconnect Fee for each reconnection request they send to your regional TDSP.

If you are enrolled in a plan that requires autopay, you will be charged a $5 processing fee for each billing period where you are not enrolled in autopay.

Chariot Energy may also charge a 5% Late Payment Penalty on the past-due balance if a customer does not pay the bill by the due date.

If you decide to make a payment over the phone with a Chariot representative, they will add a $4.95 payment transaction fee.

At signup, they may require a deposit to begin service.

To cancel your Chariot Energy electricity plan before the last 14 days of the contract, you may be required to pay an early termination fee of $15 per remaining month on your contract. Check the Electricity Facts Label to verify.

Some Chariot Energy plans have a monthly base charge, ranging between $9.95 and $19.95 per month. Check the EFL before enrolling to determine whether the plan has a base charge.

NSF Fee (Insufficient Funds)$35
Disconnect Notice Fee$35
Reconnect Fee$15
Autopay Failure$5
Late Payment Penalty5%
Phone Transaction Fee$4.95
DepositMay be required at signup
Early Termination Fee$15 per remaining month
Monthly Base Charge$9.95 to $19.95, plan dependent

Chariot Energy vs BKV Energy: Providers compared side-by-side

Chariot Energy is a relatively new brand backed by a massive South Korean industrial conglomerate offering fixed rates, bill credit, free nights, free weekends, free days, and solar buyback electricity plans. The energy company has mixed reviews online with high PUCT complaint volume related to billing. Their TOS document includes a rather long list of fees that can be imposed upon customers, including monthly base charges, phone payment transaction fees, and autopay failure fees.

BKV Energy is a newer electricity provider offering simple fixed-rate plans without base charges, usage fees, or bill credit and time-of-use gimmicks. Our flagship electricity plan, Bluebonnet, comes with loyalty rewards designed to help Texans save big such as a mid-contract rate reduction program, tenure-based annual loyalty payout, and monthly reward points.

Get in touch with Chariot Energy

FAQs about Chariot Energy

Who owns Chariot Energy?

Chariot Energy is owned by 174 Power Global, a United States renewable energy company. 174 Power Global is a subsidiary of the Hanwha Group, a South Korean industrial conglomerate.

Is Chariot Energy a good company?

Chariot Energy is a tech-forward electricity provider offering a wide variety of electricity plans that can often be considered marketing gimmicks, such as free nights, free weekends, and free days. Their electricity plan pricing is on par with or higher than the state average, depending on the plan. They have some good feedback from customers on Google, but they have the worst possible PUCT rating on PowerToChoose as a result of a high volume of customer complaints related to billing.

See how much you can save with BKV Energy

Enter your zip code to shop our simple and affordable fixed-rate electricity plans.

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