FAQ

Arbor only uses your data to help you save on energy. We do not sell your data and we only share it with your permission. The only data we access is data associated with your utility bill and utility account.

When you are on a new rate from a competitive supplier, you keep paying your local utility company as usual. They continue to manage your bill, and deliver the same reliable electricity to your home. You'll just see the new supply rate and the name of your competitive supplier on your bill.

If you switch to a new supply rate through us, one of our energy supply partners gets a new customer and pays us a referral fee from their marketing budget. Because we connect suppliers with so many customers at a low cost, they can pass on those savings to you as lower rates. We never sell your data and we only get paid when you are switched to a new rate.

Our energy supply partners pay us so you don't have to!

Never. Updating your supply rate in competitive electricity markets is seamless. You get the same reliable electricity, pay the same utility bill, all with a better supply rate. No equipment or installation required.

Arbor is a home energy advisor that helps you lower your electric bill on an ongoing basis for free. In states with deregulated electricity markets (13 states in the NE, Midwest, and Texas), you are able to choose an alternative electricity supply plan without changing your utility company. Most people don't know this though, so they stick with the default supply plan provided by their utility company which may not be as low as other competitive supply plans available.

You pay your same usual bill to your utility, but with a lower rate, and it's available to renters and homeowners.

Linking your utility account is a secure and convenient way to share your utility bill data with us, so that we can analyze and stay up to date on how much you are paying for energy, how much energy you use, and where your energy comes from. This allows you to rest easy knowing Arbor is utilizing your current data to find a better rate. We can also share personalized insights and recommendations on more ways to save. In addition to providing your utility credentials, you may upload a recent utility bill copy or provide your utility account number.

The majority of supply plans do not have early termination fees, but occasionally some do. Arbor offers reimbursement on all early termination fees. If you’re on a supply rate plan initiated through Arbor and cancel for any reason before the end of the term, we'll reimburse you for any early termination fee incurred. If a rate plan through Arbor has an early termination fee, this will be noted in the plan details on your Arbor dashboard. All you need to do is send us the early termination fee bill from the supplier and we'll reimburse the full amount.

Once you are submitted on a new rate, you'll receive a confirmation email with the details of your rate (price/term/supplier). From there, you can anticipate the new supply rate to appear on your utility bill in 1-2 billing cycles. The switch time varies for each utility company. When you switch to a new rate plan, your utility stays the same. There's no interruption in your service, you'll get your bill only from your utility, and you'll just see the new supply rate in the supply section of the bill. If we run into any issues submitting you onto a new rate plan, we will notify you of any action that is needed.

When you link your account by entering your credentials, uploading a bill, or providing your utility account information and current supply rate, we are able to compare your current rate to what is available in the market. If there is a rate that is lower than your current rate, we will secure it for you if you are on Autopilot or send you a notification if you are not on Autopilot.

If you were previously on your utility's default supply rate, you can switch back at any time. If you were previously on a competitive supply rate, you may not be able to switch back to the same rate because suppliers change their rates frequently, but you will be able to switch to any competitive rate available at that time or to the utility default supply rate.

This means you’re on a good rate and we do not currently have any rates available from alternative suppliers in your area. Arbor continuously is looking for new rates so when one does show up, we will let you know.

First, create an online account with the utility company in your area by visiting their website. If you encounter any difficulties, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team at support@joinarbor.com. We will be happy to assist you with the account creation process. Alternatively, you can upload a bill or manually enter your utility account information and current electric supply rate.

Check the "supply" or "generation" section of your utility bill to see which company is listed as your supplier. If you have not switched to a competitive supplier before, your supplier will typically be your utility, so you can answer "yes" to this question.

Utility account linking can fail for a number of reasons. The most common reason is that the login credentials provided are invalid. Other reasons include the utility website being down, or the utility having security blockers like multi-factor authentication. If utility linking fails more than once, we recommend you simply upload a bill or manually enter your utility account information. If you still have questions, please reach out to support@joinarbor.com.

Yes! Your referral link is provided in your Arbor dashboard, and you may also contact support@joinarbor.com for your unique referral link to share with friends and family. When you use your unique link, we will reward you and the person you refer $10 when they switch to a new rate.

Typically when you move, you can transfer your current supply rate plan to your new address if you stay within the same utility company territory. If you move out of your utility territory, then you cannot transfer, so you would terminate the rate. When you move, typically suppliers cannot impose early termination fees by law, and where they can, they typically do not seek to enforce them. All that being said, we do provide a backstop guarantee such that if you do indeed have to pay a fee, we will reimburse you.

To transfer your Arbor account to your new address, simply fill out a move request form in your Arbor dashboard.

No, we are your energy advisor. We compare rates from competitive suppliers to find better rates for our users. When you sign up and link your utility account, we will see if a better competitive supply rate is available than what you currently pay. If your electric supply rate is better than competitive rates available, we'll continue to monitor the market and let you know when we've found a better rate.

Typically a fixed rate requires a contract for 6-18 months, but you are not locked in as you can cancel at any time and Arbor will reimburse you for any early termination fees incurred.

Suppliers are required to notify you when your contracted rate plan is coming to the end of the term and they may include a renewal offer as a part of that notification. As an Arbor user, you can safely disregard that notice. If you have activated Autopilot, Arbor will automatically switch you to the best rate available from our energy supply marketplace. In the event that you have Autopilot off, we will inform you of your contract's impending expiration and provide recommendations for alternative plans for you to consider.

No! With Arbor there are no hidden fees. We aim to keep everything as transparent and easy to understand as possible.

If you have multiple properties, please contact support@joinarbor.com and we will assist you. 

If you have questions about Arbor's service, just email us anytime at support@joinarbor.com. If you have questions about your electricity service generally, you should contact your utility. If you have questions about your new rate after you have been enrolled through Arbor, you can contact Arbor or contact your new supplier directly. We will give you their contact information once you are enrolled.

No, Arbor does not impact your energy reliability and your relationship with your energy provider remains unchanged.

We always recommend that you double-check with your utility provider that budget billing is compatible with competitive supply and will not result in a separate supply charge on top of your budget billing amount. Some utility's have their own specific rules and requirements surrounding budget billing and competitive suppliers.

Typically, competitive supply rates will not impact your budget billing, as the supply charges are enveloped into your budget billing amount. A lower supply rate should only help alleviate your budget billing balance.