In 2002, deregulation of the Texas electricity market created a robust, but at times complicated marketplace. Between 2013 and 2019, concierge services such as Power Wizard and Energy Ogre emerged to help customers looking for an electricity plan, “outsource” the buying process by comparing hundreds of plans and matching you with one that aligns with their electricity usage.
Our original 2022 article compared these services when both offered paid memberships. Since then Power Wizard has radically changed its business model and believe our new direction gives customers flexibility and transparency to shop for a plan themselves without the additional fee. This update explains what changed and re‑evaluates the pros and cons of each service using current data (as of September 2025).
What Energy Ogre does. Energy Ogre creates a usage profile from your past electricity bills and monitors plans in the market to find the lowest cost plan for your home. The service handles enrollment, contract management, and can switch your plan when your contract is up for renewal. The company states that it is an independent advocate because it is paid by its members rather than by retail electricity providers. It aims to match you with a plan suited to your usage; however, actual savings and plan suitability will vary.
Cost. Energy Ogre still operates as a subscription service. The membership fee is $10 per month or $120 per year, and there are no additional brokerage fees. For this price the company delivers the electricity‑buying experience, continues to monitor the market, handles enrollment and renewal on your behalf, and sends monthly usage reports.
When our first article was published, Power Wizard operated similarly to Energy Ogre but offered two membership tiers. The Silver DIY plan cost a one‑time fee of US $14.95 and included access to the company’s algorithm, which compared hundreds of electricity plans for you and provided market monitoring for 60 days. The customer still had to enroll for a plan. The Gold VIP plan cost $10 per month or a one-time fee of $110 per year (cost savings of $10 when paid annually). This added the “hands‑off” shopping and enrollment, automatic contract reminders, and renewal management.
Power Wizard has discontinued its membership‑based concierge service. As of November 2024, Power Wizard no longer offers the electricity concierge services and now operates as an electricity comparison site. The new model, while it is more hands-on for the customer, enables you to compare competitively priced plans that fit your needs and to consider other preferences as well. The highlights of the new website are:
Power Wizard’s service is free. The site now makes money by receiving referral fees from retail energy providers when you enroll in one of their plans through our service. This allows Power Wizard to provide our service to you at no additional cost. Power Wizard has expanded its offerings to include electricity plans for businesses and a home concierge service. The latter helps people moving to a new house connect services like internet, home security, home warranty, and more all from one place.
| Feature | Energy Ogre (concierge) | Power Wizard (marketplace) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of service | Subscription-based concierge. Their algorithm matches you to an electricity plan and the company handles enrollment and future switching. |
Free comparison tool. Users enter a ZIP code to view and compare plans; they enroll and manage contracts themselves. |
| Cost | US $10 per month or US $120 per year. | No membership fee. Free to all users. |
| Market monitoring | Continuously monitors rates and switches members to better plans when savings outweigh penalties. |
None; users monitor rates and decide when to switch. |
| Plan enrollment & contract management | Handles enrollment, renewal, cancellation and contract reminders, but you lose control of the choice of plan when renewal comes. | Users complete enrollment and must track contract expiration dates themselves. |
The Texas electricity market remains complex, and services like Energy Ogre and Power Wizard aim to make plan selection easier. Energy Ogre still provides a concierge experience with market monitoring and plan management for a monthly fee. Power Wizard has shifted from a concierge model to a free marketplace where you shop for yourself. Understanding these differences will help you choose the approach that fits your budget, level of involvement and trust in the provider.
