If you’re looking for an affordable electricity company in Texas, you’re in for a real headache.
Hundreds of large companies have spent billions of dollars on creating intricate marketing schemes designed to get you on their plans. To find the best plan for you, you’ll need to get through a labyrinthian maze of advertisements, blog posts, and review websites – and even then, how can you be sure you actually found the best plan?
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What Is A No Deposit Electricity Plan?
In the past, having bad, little, or no credit meant you had to pay a large deposit in order to get your electricity turned on.
There were no alternatives.
It was a lot of money upfront and you wouldn’t see any of it again until you moved or changed electricity providers.
Thankfully, times have changed.
Now, there are several no-deposit electricity options available.
Most Texas electric companies require a deposit if your credit score doesn’t meet certain thresholds OR if you haven’t established a credit record yet.
If you don’t have good credit, you will most likely have to pay a deposit unless you select a prepaid electricity plan.
Good news, though–If you do have good credit, you can get a no deposit electricity plan a lot easier.
A no-deposit electricity plan essentially means you don’t have to put any money down in order to sign up for and activate an electricity plan.
In today’s day and age, there are a handful of reasons why your credit score could use some improvement.
If you got married young, you may have very little or no credit at all.
A few other factors that could affect or lower your credit score include:
- Higher education
- Immigration
- Divorce
- A medical event
- Job layoff
So, can you get electricity with bad credit?
You’re in luck—you absolutely can.
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Benefits Of A No Deposit Electricity Plan
A lot of Texas electricity plans come with benefits.
Free electricity hours, perks, and contract lengths are all considered to be bonuses.
No-deposit electricity plans are no exception. In fact, there are actually a few benefits:
- There is no deposit required to sign up for or start service
- You don’t need to sign on for any long-term contracts
- There are no monetary penalties for having a low credit score
Another bonus? Usually, those with no-deposit electricity plans are able to start using electricity the same day they sign up.
No Deposit
Trying to avoid paying a deposit? You aren’t alone.
Traditionally, consumers whose credit score does not meet the required threshold usually have to pay a hefty deposit in order to activate electricity.
Prepaid, no credit check, and no-deposit electricity plans allow you to sign up for electricity service for a low upfront price.
Keep in mind that prices for these plans are usually 20-30% higher than conventional plans.
Another thing to consider is that sometimes your consumer credit score may be low, but you pay your utilities (gas, electricity, water) on time.
If that’s the case you can qualify for a deposit waiver from any electricity company simply by providing proof of your good payment history from your current electricity company.
No Long-Term Contracts
Most electric companies offer no deposit electricity plans on a month-to-month basis.
You may also see 6-month or 12-month contracts, but typically nothing longer than that.
Month-to-month plans also provide flexibility.
If you need to change plans or REPs for any reason, you may be able to cancel at any time without facing any fees.
Plans with longer contract terms, however, may require you to pay an early termination fee.
No Monetary Penalties For Having A Low Credit Score
Credit scores are numbers that represent the creditworthiness of a person or the likelihood that a person will pay their debts.
Lenders, like banks and credit card companies, use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk posed by lending you money in an attempt to reduce their losses due to bad debt.
Retail electric companies (REPs) often use credit scores, too.
If you have good credit (above 600) you can apply with confidence that you will be approved for no-deposit electricity from any provider.
But having bad credit often means REPs will require you to pay a deposit before you can sign up for and activate electricity service.
Luckily, not all companies require a credit check or a deposit.
Just because you have bad credit doesn’t mean you need to overpay for your power.
Compare rates from No Deposit Electricity companies in Texas
Luckily, no-deposit electricity companies in Texas aren’t hard to find.
Most REPs will offer no deposit on prepaid electricity plans.
Think of this type of electricity plan just like a prepaid phone. You make a minimum upfront payment of, say, $35.
You load your account with funds on the front end as you use electricity throughout the month, and your balance drops; you’ll continue to replenish the account.
There’s no need to sign a contract and you don’t need a credit check or deposit to get started.
Prepaid electricity is a great choice for individuals and businesses who want to enjoy freedom in how they receive their electricity.
These plans are especially helpful if you:
- Are you in the middle of a move
- Are you looking for a flexible plan
- Want to pay your bill any time of the month
- Have little credit
- Have a lower credit score
- Want to avoid a credit check
- Are you on a fixed income
- Want to save money
With prepaid service, you will not receive a monthly bill because you pay in advance for your electricity.
This allows you to pay any amount at any time on a schedule that works for you.
But, keep in mind:
- The rate might be high
- There may be steep fees and penalties for letting your account drop below a certain threshold.
- You will need to keep track of your account throughout the month
With prepaid service, you can choose from either a fixed, variable, or indexed plan.
But how will you know which is the right one for your unique situation?
Sure, you could take the time to call each of the following six REPs or take hours of your day plugging your information into their websites, but do you really have that kind of spare time?
If you’re like most people, you want this process to be as quick and easy as possible.
No Deposit Electricity Company #1: Reliant
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, is one of the largest Texas electricity providers.
Reliant Energy is one of the many retail electric providers (REPs) that offer no-deposit electricity plans.
Which Reliant Plans Are No Deposit?
You can sign up for Reliant’s Pay as you Go plan without putting a deposit down.
It offers electricity without the hassle of a long-term contract, usage requirements or even a credit check.
You don’t even need an ID to sign up.
How To Sign Up For These Plans
Reliant’s Pay as you Go plan requires a smart meter.
To find out if your address has one, you’ll need to put in your address into their website.
Next, you choose how much electricity you want to purchase (be aware, there is a $50 minimum).
You can pay via Reliant’s app or website or pay in person at one of their store locations.
They offer balance alerts and auto reloads, so your balance never falls below the minimum.
No Deposit Electricity Company #2: Payless Power
Payless Power gives its customers control over their energy bills by offering no credit check, no-deposit electricity plans.
They service customers in more than 400 deregulated communities in Texas.
Payless Power works with principal utilities throughout the state of Texas to provide prepaid electricity.
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Which Payless Power Plans Are No Deposit?
Payless Power’s SmartTricity plans are popular options for prepaid plans.
They offer:
- Premier 12 – Prepaid Plan
- 12-month fixed-rate plan
- $69 minimum connection balance
- Easy Choice – Prepaid Plan
- Month-to-month plan
- $39 minimum connection balance
Customers can choose between weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly payment options and can save up to 20% on their electricity costs by paying ahead.
They also offer:
- Zero-deposit electricity plans
- No credit check
- Universal approval
- Free usage alerts
- Same-day setup
- Up to 20% in savings
How To Sign Up For These Plans
Payless Power offers prepaid electricity plans with instant universal approval.
To sign up, you’ll need to:
- Select your plan
- Enter your contact information
- Enter your account details
- Review your entries
- Make a payment
No Deposit Electricity Company #3: Spark Energy
Spark Energy is a Texas REP that offers some customers no-deposit options for their electricity options.
Something to note is that Spark Energy does do a credit check as part of their signup process.
So, if you don’t want a credit check, Spark Energy may not be the best fit for you.
After they have run your credit check, which includes information from the consumer reporting agency Transunion, they’ll let you know if you need to put down a deposit or not.
But, even if you do have to provide a deposit, you can get it back as a bill credit if you’re a residential customer and you don’t make any late payments for 12 consecutive months.
Which Spark Energy Plans Are No Deposit?
Spark Energy can waive your deposit if you:
- Are you 65 years or older
- Are you a victim of family violence
- Can provide a letter of credit from a previous electric provider
The Sure Saver 3 plan is a 3-month plan that offers a $0 monthly base charge and a $30 monthly service fee credit if your usage is greater than 999 kWh in a monthly billing cycle.
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How To Sign Up For These Plans
To sign up as a new customer with Spark Energy, you’ll need to provide information like your:
- Contact information
- Communication preferences
- Service address
- Billing address
But beware, Spark Energy’s website doesn’t factor in key information that will help you get the best plan and rate for your lifestyle, like:
- Your home’s size
- Your home’s age
- Your lifestyle
- Your home’s location
No Deposit Electricity Company #4: Pogo Energy
Pogo Energy delivers no-deposit electricity in Houston, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Killeen, Corpus Christi, West Texas, East Texas and most points in between.
A no-deposit electricity plan with Pogo Energy offers you the flexibility to:
- Recharge when you want
- Receive daily updates to track usage
- Avoid bill shock
- Pay a $0 deposit
- Not receive a credit check
- Cancel anytime
They also offer 100% renewable energy.
Which Pogo Energy Plans Are No Deposit?
Depending on your Texas zip code, you may have a number of no-deposit electricity plans available to you through Pogo Energy.
One example is the 100% Clean 5 plan.
This plan gets you:
- The first three days free
- Ability to cancel anytime
- No Deposit
- No bill shock
- Pogo rewards
- 100% Clean Energy
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How To Sign Up For These Plans
You can sign up online and can start by filling your account with a minimum of $20.
Once you…
- Enter all your contact information
- Set up your profile
- Provide the address for the service
…you’re able to turn the power on the very same day.
No Deposit Electricity Company #5: Acacia Energy
Have you ever found yourself Googling, “Do you need deposit for electricity?”
With Acacia Energy, the answer to that question is no.
They provide no-deposit electricity plans in many Texas cities, including:
- Houston
- Dallas
- Austin
as well as the
- CenterPoint
- OnCor
- AEP North
- AEP Central
- TNMP
- Sharyland
and Sharyland McAllen areas.
Acacia Energy offers Texas residents low electricity rates and flexible payment options like prepaid and smart meter.
Which Acacia Energy Plans Are No Deposit?
The prepaid, or no-deposit, electricity plans from Acacia Energy offer benefits including:
- No-deposit electricity
- Quick signup
- No credit check needed
- Free nights or free weekends plans
- No ID is required to sign up
- No long-term contracts
Acacia Energy will keep track of your electricity usage and will send you a text message or email when it is time to purchase more prepaid electricity.
Acacia Energy offers the following no-deposit electricity plans:
- Free Night
- Free Weekends
- 2 Months Free
- Valtricity Plan
How To Sign Up For These Plans
You can sign up for a no deposit electricity plan either online or via phone.
Acacia Energy will need your:
- Name
- Contact information
- Security information
But, be aware, in order to be eligible for prepaid service, you will need:
- A smart meter from your local utility
- The ability to receive either text or email notifications
The minimum required payment to establish a connection balance is up to $75.
No Deposit Electricity Company #6: Amigo Energy
Founded in 2003, Amigo Energy is one of the available REPs in Texas.
Amigo Energy is a subsidiary of Just Energy Group Inc. and serves 1.8 million customers across North America.
In Texas, they service:
- Houston
- Corpus Christi
- Waco
- San Angelo
- Dallas
- West Texas
- Irving
Which Amigo Energy Plans Are No Deposit?
Once you qualify, the following no-deposit plans are available to you:
- Green Energy
- Truly Fixed
- Nights Free
Amigo Energy also offers same-day electricity if you call and sign up before 2 p.m. CT.
Once you’ve called, an energy advisor will verify that you have a smart meter.
You’ll then pick your energy plan and can have your lights turned on that very same day.
How To Sign Up For These Plans
In order to qualify for a no deposit electricity plan with Amigo Energy, the following must apply to you:
- You’ve signed up for electric service within the last two years
- Your electric account isn’t currently in delinquent status
- You haven’t made a late payment more than once over the course of the last year
OR
- You’re 65 or older and aren’t currently past due on any electric bill
- You’ve been legally designated a victim of family violence
- You’re medically indigent
- You secure a “letter of guarantee” from a customer currently in good standing with an REP
You can sign up online, or via phone.
If you’re looking to turn on your lights same-day, you will need to call.
There Are Many More Options
Did you know there are over 130+ different REPs in the state of Texas?
While not all of them offer no-deposit electricity, you have many more options to choose from aside from the six listed in this article.
But how will you know which of the no-deposit electricity companies in Texas is the best one for you?
You can try an electricity comparison site like Power Wizard, a comprehensive platform that simplifies the process of finding an affordable electricity plan tailored to your needs.
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