PUCT Licensed
About Good Charlie
Good Charlie is a Houston-based retail electricity provider that launched in 2022. It was started by people who’d spent their careers in the Texas energy business, and the idea is simple: a standard fixed-rate electricity plan with a set of pet benefits attached. The company’s stated mission is to make Texas a better place for dogs, and its rescue partnerships are the reason it exists rather than a marketing add-on.
Here’s what you actually get.
The plans. Good Charlie sells fixed-rate residential plans in 12-, 24-, and 36-month terms. There are two main lines: GoodEnergy, the standard plan, and GoodGreen, the renewable-backed version, which runs slightly more per kWh. There’s also a 24-month plan listed here as EnergyBot24. They serve all five Texas utility areas — Oncor, CenterPoint, TNMP, AEP Texas Central, and AEP Texas North — so most of deregulated Texas can enroll. Rates differ by utility and change over time; the tables above show today’s numbers. The usual pattern is that the 12-month plan is cheapest and each longer term costs a little more.
The pet benefits. Every plan includes what Good Charlie calls Pack Benefits, at no extra charge:
- 24/7 video access to licensed veterinarians
- A $750 emergency fund toward a life-threatening vet emergency (it was $1,000 when the company launched; it’s $750 under the current terms)
- Bill round-ups, where the difference goes to rescue partners like Houston Pets Alive and Dallas Pets Alive
The emergency fund is the part to understand before you count on it. It covers true emergencies: toxic ingestion, choking, bloat requiring surgery, life-threatening injuries. It doesn’t cover routine visits, vaccines, non-life-threatening broken bones, scheduled surgeries, or follow-up care. In practice, you talk to the video vet first, and they decide whether the situation qualifies. The full terms are linked in the FAQ below.
How to think about it. If you don’t have a pet, the perks are worth nothing to you, and you should compare Good Charlie purely on rate against everyone else. If you do have a pet, the real question is whether you’d otherwise pay for a televet service or carry pet insurance. The benefits are a useful safety net for emergencies, but they aren’t a substitute for insurance — the $750 cap and the emergency-only scope are the gap.
Customer service. You can reach Good Charlie by phone at 800-241-0742, by email at care@goodcharlie.com, or by chat on their site.
What are Good Charlie Pet Perks?
Good Charlie includes free pet perks with every electricity plan. These perks include a $750 emergency fund for your pet and free televet visits. They don't cover all pet health issues.
Examples of what is covered:
- Toxic ingestion
- Choking or difficulty breathing
- Severe blockages or bloat requiring emergency surgery
- Internal and external injuries that are life-threatening
- Pre-existing conditions, like diabetic seizures
Examples of what is not covered:
- Pregnancy or birth-related issues
- Broken bones or injuries that are not life-threatening
- Regular check-ups, wellness visits, vaccines
- Routine procedures, like deworming
- Scheduled surgeries
You can find the full policy here.
Do the pet benefits cover medication?
The Emergency Fund covers immediate, life-threatening emergency vet services required at the time of the emergency. If medications are administered during the emergency vet service and listed on the final invoice, then the Emergency Fund payment will include those medications. The fund does not cover follow-up care or any ongoing medical or prescription needs.
Will my power go out if I switch energy providers?
No, your power will not go out when you switch energy providers. The switch happens behind the scenes and is completely seamless.
