Santanna Energy

Santanna has been in business since 1988—37 years and counting. They're 100% employee-owned, which is unusual in this industry. No outside shareholders, and when you call customer service, you're technically talking to a company owner. They hold a BBB A+ rating and have been accredited since 2009. However, their BBB customer reviews tell a different story: 1.44 out of 5 stars. The disconnect comes from their door-to-door sales tactics—multiple BBB complaints describe aggressive salespeople blocking doorways, pressuring quick sign-ups, and misrepresenting themselves as affiliated with local utilities like First Energy or Consumer's Energy. If you sign with Santanna, do it through their website or phone line, not a door-to-door rep. And set calendar reminders before your contract expires—multiple complaints describe renewal rates jumping 200-300% over market rate.

Rates usually fall between 9.65¢ and 11.2¢ per kWh. Competitive but not rock-bottom. One thing to watch: some of their plans have a $9.99 monthly admin fee. That adds up to $120 a year. Check the fine print before you sign. Not all plans have it, but you need to ask. They offer a 90-day trial period on select plans. If you want to test them out, look for those specifically. Otherwise, there's a $100 early termination fee. Pretty standard for the industry.

Phone support Monday through Saturday. As an employee-owned company, the person you're talking to theoretically has some stake in keeping you happy—and many reviews confirm positive phone experiences. The real customer service issues stem from their door-to-door sales channel. BBB complaints describe salespeople blocking doorways, grabbing phones to force sign-ups, and misrepresenting themselves as working for local utilities. One 2024 complaint involved a 19-year-old being physically prevented from leaving until he signed. If you want Santanna's employee-owned customer service without the aggressive sales tactics, sign up online or by phone—never with a door-to-door rep. Their budget billing option is a genuine plus if you want predictable monthly payments.