You can let a charging network run your chargers, or you can own them outright and run them yourself. Going independent means you set the price and keep the revenue, but you also take on uptime, payments and driver support. Here’s how the options compare for Texas site hosts, and who each one fits.
Three ways to run a charging site
| Model | Who owns the chargers | Who runs them | Who keeps the revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host the land | The network | The network | The network, with a lease or revenue share to you |
| Join a network as an owner | You | The network’s software, support and often maintenance | You, minus network fees |
| Go independent | You | You, with charging software you choose | You |
Our guide to becoming a road-trip charging stop covers the host-the-land and network options in more detail. This guide is about the third option.
What going independent really means
Independent doesn’t mean doing without software. Every paid charger still needs a back end that starts sessions, takes payment and reports problems. The difference is that you pick and pay for those pieces yourself instead of getting them bundled with a network.
- Hardware you choose: any charger brand that supports the open OCPP standard. Many fast chargers on the market are built by a handful of manufacturers and sold under different brand names, so you can often buy the same power hardware the big networks use.
- Charging software: an OCPP management platform that runs pricing, access, monitoring and reports. Because OCPP is an open standard, you can switch platforms later without replacing the chargers.
- Payment: a card reader or contactless payment on the charger, so drivers don’t need an app, plus a payment processor.
- Visibility: listing your site on the maps and apps drivers use, since you won’t get traffic from a network’s own app.
- Support and maintenance: a 24/7 phone number for drivers who get stuck, and a service plan to fix chargers fast.
Pros and cons
Independent: the upside
You set your own prices and keep the revenue. You choose the hardware, put your own brand on the site and can switch software platforms without tearing anything out. No long network contract.
Independent: the downside
Uptime is your problem. So are payment processing, driver support at 2 a.m., software fees, warranty claims and staying compliant with state rules. And drivers won’t find you through a network’s app.
Network: the upside
Drivers find you through the network’s app and in-car navigation. Support, monitoring and often maintenance are handled for you. Less to manage day to day.
Network: the downside
Fees or a revenue share, less control over pricing, hardware locked to that network and contract terms that can run for years.
Texas rules if you sell charging
Since 2025, Texas has regulated public chargers that sell electricity. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) runs the program, and it applies whether you’re on a network or independent.
- Registration: each paid public charging port has to be registered with TDLR. The fee is $30 per port, with a $25 renewal.
- Price disclosure: drivers must see how fees are calculated, the rate for their session and any surcharges before they charge, and get a summary afterward.
- Inspections and records: TDLR can inspect and test chargers, and owners keep installation, maintenance and calibration records for three years.
- Exemptions: chargers at a private home, chargers reserved for employees, tenants or residents, and chargers a business offers for free are exempt.
Grant money adds its own rules. Stations funded through NEVI, for example, must use open standards, take contactless payment and stay up at least 97% of the time, whoever runs them.
The real question is uptime
A broken charger loses money and reputation fast. Before going independent, decide who gets the alert when a charger faults, who answers the driver’s call and how quickly a technician can be on site. If you don’t have good answers, a network or a managed service contract may be worth the fee.
Who it fits
| Usually a good fit for independent | Usually better on a network |
|---|---|
| Fleet depots and dealerships charging their own vehicles | A first public fast-charging site with no staff to manage it |
| Hotels, offices and apartments with private or free charging | Highway sites that need traffic from network apps |
| Operators with several sites and in-house technical staff | Owners who want someone else to handle support and repairs |
| Businesses that want their own brand and pricing | Sites where a network will fund or share the build cost |
Before you go independent
- Pick OCPP-compliant hardware. It keeps your software options open for the life of the chargers.
- Choose your software platform. Compare pricing tools, reporting, roaming options and what it costs per port.
- Set up payment. Card readers or contactless payment on the charger, plus a processor.
- Plan support and maintenance. A 24/7 driver line, remote monitoring and a service contract with response times.
- Register and disclose. Register paid public ports with TDLR and display your pricing the way the rules require.
- Get listed. Make sure drivers can find you on the maps and charging apps they already use.
How we help
We install any charger brand, from Level 2 to DC fast charging, and commission it with the network or software platform you choose. We’re ChargePoint Certified and work with OCPP hardware, so whether you join a network or run your own, the site is built right and ready to grow. Our commercial EV charging page and our guide to how a fast-charging project works have more.
Weighing network vs independent?
Tell us about your site and who will charge there. We’ll help you think through the options and build whichever one you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Can I own EV chargers without joining a network?
Yes. You can buy OCPP-compliant chargers and run them on a charging software platform you choose, with your own pricing, payment and branding. You take on uptime, support and compliance yourself.
Is it worth running chargers independently?
It can be, especially for fleets, dealerships, multi-site operators and businesses with private or free charging. For a first public site with no staff to manage it, a network often makes more sense.
What is OCPP?
The Open Charge Point Protocol is an open standard that lets chargers talk to charging software from different companies. With OCPP hardware, you can switch software platforms without replacing the chargers.
Do I have to register my chargers in Texas?
If they’re public and you charge drivers for electricity, yes. Texas requires paid public charging ports to be registered with TDLR, at $30 per port. Chargers at homes, chargers reserved for employees or residents, and free chargers are exempt.
Can I switch from a network to independent later?
Sometimes. It depends on the hardware and the contract. OCPP-compliant chargers can usually move to a new platform, while chargers locked to one network may not. Check the contract terms before you sign.