Texas is the one state where the answer starts with a law instead of a sale banner. Providers must charge at least $25 for a defensive driving course. That's Education Code 1001.352, and TDLR reminded providers of it in writing last year. So every "cheapest course in Texas" claim collapses into the same $4 window: the courses we track run $25 at I Drive Safely and TicketSchool, $28.95 at Improv, $29 at Aceable. When the state sets the floor, price stops being the decision. Pick on format and hassle instead.
The course is only part of the bill though, and this is where most pages go quiet. When you request the course, the court can charge an administrative fee, capped at $10 by statute. You also have to produce your Texas driving record showing you haven't used this option in the past 12 months. Some courts pull it for you for a fee, otherwise you order it from DPS yourself. And some courts collect court costs at request time. Stack it up and a typical Texas dismissal runs $60 to $90 all-in.
Watch the add-ons at checkout. The statutory floor applies to the course, so the margin games move into extras: audio upgrades, same-day certificate delivery, bundled driving records at a markup. None of them are required. The 6-hour course and a certificate are the whole legal requirement.
Against that $60 to $90, the alternative is a conviction on your record that your insurer prices for three years. Our Texas data puts that exposure well into four figures as a ceiling estimate. This is one of the cheapest problems Texas will ever let you buy your way out of.
Every TDLR-approved online course we track is compared on the Texas page, current prices included.