Bill Detective
Upload your bill. We'll tell you exactly why it's high—and what to do about it.
Your electricity bill is designed to confuse you. We reverse-engineer it, expose every hidden fee, and tell you the truth about whether you're getting screwed.
- Instant bill analysis—results in under 60 seconds
- Every line item explained in plain English
- Hidden fees and overcharges exposed
- Personalized recommendations based on YOUR usage
- Compare your current plan to better options
847K+
Bills Analyzed
$347
Avg Overpayment Found
60 sec
Analysis Time
100%
Free
How Bill Detective Works
Upload. Analyze. Know the truth. It's that simple.
Under 60 secondsUpload Your Bill
Take a photo or upload a PDF. We accept bills from any Texas provider.
Our OCR reads every line—usage, rates, fees, credits, everything.
We Decode It
Our system extracts your 12-month usage history, rate structure, and every fee.
We identify what you can control vs. fixed charges, and flag anything suspicious.
You Get the Truth
Plain-English breakdown of every charge. Plus: "Here's what you should do."
If you're overpaying, we show you exactly how much and which plans would save you.
See What We Find
Click any line item to understand what you're actually paying for—and whether you can do anything about it.
Energy Charge (850 kWh × 8.5¢)
$72.25
This is the actual electricity you used, multiplied by your energy rate. This is the part you can control by choosing a better plan.
Your rate of 8.5¢ is above market average. Current rates start around 7¢ for similar usage.
Base Charge
$9.95
A fixed monthly fee from your provider, regardless of how much electricity you use. Some plans have $0 base charges; others go up to $15.
Many competitive plans have base charges under $5 or waive them entirely.
TDU Delivery Charges
$42.50
Charges from your Transmission and Distribution Utility (like Oncor or Centerpoint) to deliver electricity to your home. These are the same regardless of which provider you choose.
TDU Metering Charge
$3.42
Monthly fee for your smart meter. Regulated by the PUC and identical across all providers.
State & Local Taxes
$8.73
Sales tax on electricity. The rate varies by city but is the same regardless of provider.
Late Payment Fee
$15.00
You paid late last month. This fee is 5% of your bill or a flat rate, depending on provider.
Set up autopay to avoid this. Most providers offer a small discount for autopay too.
Total Bill
$151.85
What Your Bill Isn't Telling You
Bills are designed to show you what you owe, not help you understand it.
"Your bill clearly shows what you're paying"
— Provider customer service
Reality: Bills are designed to be confusing. Energy charges, delivery charges, fees, credits, and taxes are scattered across multiple pages. The "amount due" is clear; how they calculated it is intentionally opaque.
"Your rate is 8.5¢/kWh"
— Bill summary
Reality: That's just the energy rate. Add TDU delivery (~4¢), base charges, and fees—your actual cost is closer to 14¢/kWh. The "rate" and your "cost per kWh" are different numbers.
"Compare this bill to last month"
— Bill comparison chart
Reality: Comparing bills month-to-month is useless without considering: days in billing cycle, weather, rate changes, and fee adjustments. A "lower" bill might actually be a worse rate.
What Bill Detective Reveals
Every Fee Exposed
We identify every charge on your bill—including the ones they hope you won't notice. Nothing hidden.
YOUR Usage, Not Averages
We extract your actual 12-month usage history. No estimates, no "typical household" nonsense.
Rate vs. Cost Clarity
Your "rate" isn't your cost. We calculate what you're actually paying per kWh—the number that matters.
Savings Identified
We compare your current plan to every available alternative. If you can save, we show you exactly how much.
Overcharge Detection
Late fees, incorrect meter reads, billing errors—we flag anything that looks wrong so you can dispute it.
Plain English Explanations
No jargon. No acronyms. Every line item explained like a friend is walking you through it.
What People Discover
"I had no idea I was paying a $15 monthly fee that other plans don't charge. Bill Detective showed me in 30 seconds. Switched and now I save $180/year."
Marcus T.
Houston, TX
"Finally someone explains what all these charges actually mean. I always felt dumb looking at my bill. Now I get it."
Jennifer S.
Dallas, TX
"Found out my "cheap" plan was actually costing me more because of usage credits I never qualified for. Bill Detective caught it."
David L.
Austin, TX
Frequently Asked Questions
Is uploading my bill safe?
Yes. We use bank-level encryption and never share your data with providers or third parties. We extract the data we need, then you can delete the file. We're here to help you, not sell your information.
What if my bill is a photo, not a PDF?
No problem. Our OCR (optical character recognition) reads photos just as well. Just make sure the image is clear and shows the full bill. Even a slightly crooked phone photo usually works.
Why is this free?
Because once you see what you're actually paying, you might want to switch—and when you do, we earn a commission from the provider. But here's the thing: we show you the truth even if the answer is "your current plan is fine." We'd rather earn trust than force a switch.
Can you read bills from any provider?
We support all major Texas electricity providers—TXU, Reliant, Direct Energy, Gexa, Green Mountain, and dozens more. If you have an unusual provider and we can't read it, we'll let you know and suggest alternatives.
What if Bill Detective finds I'm overpaying?
We'll show you exactly how much and why. Then you can see which plans would save you money, compare them using Total Annual Cost, and switch if you want. No pressure—just information.
Ready to Know the Truth?
Upload your bill. In 60 seconds, you'll understand every charge, see if you're overpaying, and know exactly what to do about it. Free. No signup required.
Bill Detective Is Just the Start
Analyze your bill now with Bill Detective. Then connect Live Link for continuous monitoring. Access it all in your Members Portal—smart alerts, bill credit optimization, and the truth about your plan performance.