How we calculate your estimated bill

TrueBill uses a deterministic formula based on publicly available plan data. We don't use estimations or heuristics—every calculation is based on the actual pricing fields from the provider's Electricity Facts Label (EFL).

The formula

Your estimated monthly bill is calculated as:

Every component comes directly from the plan data. We never estimate TDSP charges using split ratios—we use the exact monthly and per-kWh charges published by your utility company.

Interpolation for non-standard usage

Electricity Facts Labels are required to show pricing at three usage levels: 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh. But what if you use 1,200 kWh?

For usage between these standard tiers, we interpolate the total cost. When this happens, you'll see a notice in the bill breakdown that says "Total is interpolated for X kWh."

The line items in the breakdown are shown at the nearest standard tier so you can see the actual pricing structure. The total is interpolated, but the components are real.

Bill credits and threshold logic

Bill credits have a threshold—you must use at least X kWh to receive the credit. Our calculation logic:

• If your usage ≥ threshold → credit applied
• If your usage < threshold → no credit

This means the comparison you see reflects whether you'd actually get the credit at your specific usage level.

Minimum usage fees

Some plans charge a fee if your usage falls below a certain amount. The logic:

• If your usage < threshold → fee added to bill
• If your usage ≥ threshold → no fee

How we rank plans

Plans are ranked by one thing only: estimated bill at your usage level.

We don't use:

• Subjective "value" scores
• Provider preference weighting
• Commission relationships
• "Featured" or "sponsored" boosts

The cheapest plan at your usage is ranked #1. The second-cheapest is #2. And so on.

Data quality and validation

We parse pricing data from EFLs using automated tools. When our parser can't confidently extract a field (like bill credit amount or minimum usage fee), we:

• Flag the plan with a validation warning
• Show you the confidence level
• Encourage you to verify details in the EFL

We'd rather show you uncertainty than pretend to know something we don't.