Explore Payless Power Plans
PROVIDER REVIEW
Payless Power Review 2026
Payless Power has built its reputation as Texas’s prepaid electricity specialist since launching in Fort Worth in 2005. Founded by three brothers, this family-owned company serves customers who need flexible payment options without deposits or credit checks. Customer sentiment is notably strong, with a 4.8-star rating and an impressive NPS of 81, indicating high satisfaction among users. The company’s regulatory track record is also solid, with just 29 PUC complaints over the past 12 months—well below the industry average of 120.
PAYLESS POWER
Complete Provider Analysis
While Payless Power excels in customer satisfaction and accessibility, there’s room for improvement in billing transparency, reflected in a billing clarity score of 66/100. The company’s prepaid model includes daily balance notifications, which helps customers monitor usage but may require adjustment for those accustomed to traditional monthly billing. Their Texas-based, bilingual customer service team earned a respectable 75/100 service score, supporting their commitment to serving diverse communities across 400+ Texas markets.
2TIO NPS REVIEW
Customer Satisfaction Analysis
Our NPS (Net Promoter Score) methodology filters out incentivized reviews, bot-generated feedback, and competitor manipulation to give you an accurate picture of real customer satisfaction.
Score Breakdown
How We Calculate NPS Scores
Our proprietary algorithm analyzes thousands of customer reviews from multiple sources including Google, BBB, and the PUC. We filter out reviews that show signs of manipulation, including incentivized feedback, review bombing, and bot-generated content. The resulting score reflects genuine customer sentiment based on real experiences.
PUC COMPLAINT HISTORY
Public Utility Commission Data
The Texas Public Utility Commission tracks complaints filed against retail electricity providers. Below is Payless Power’s complaint history from the PUC database.
Total Complaints (12 mo)
29
Complaints per 10K Customers
0.50
Industry Average
1.20
Billing Complaints
14
Slamming/Cramming
2
Service Quality
0
Monthly Complaint Trends (Jan 2022 – Mar 2026)
Complaint Categories Explained
Issues related to incorrect charges, unexpected fees, meter reading disputes, and payment processing problems. This is the most common category of complaints across all providers.
Slamming: Switching a customer’s electricity provider without proper authorization or consent.
Cramming: Adding unauthorized charges or services to a customer’s electricity bill.
Issues with customer service responsiveness, account management, communication quality, and overall service experience.
Complaints about improper service disconnection, insufficient notice before disconnection, or issues with reconnection after payment.
VERIFIED CUSTOMER REVIEWS
What Customers Are Saying
Real reviews from verified Payless Power customers. We display a balanced selection of positive and critical feedback to give you the complete picture.
Positive Experiences
Verified
“Never knew about Payless Power. My nephew told me about it. It’s amazing. And NO DEPOSIT! I use central AC and heat, kids don’t leave it alone (bought a lock for it), but before the lock we were running $5.82 a day. That’s amazing! Just wish I could load less than $20 though. Should go by $5. But I still give it a 5 stars.”
Verified
“I’ve been with this company for about a year and never had a problem. Customer service is amazing. When Texas was going through the hard freeze cold weather, they didn’t shut us off – they helped us. I’ve tried other prepaid companies and none of them would help like Payless does. They give you until 8 PM to put money in your account, and since I work a lot, that helps me. Thank you so much, I appreciate your service and customer service.”
Verified
“Awesome electric company, so convenient to pay as you go so you’re only paying for the power you’re actually using. Simple, easy to top up, and this month we have saved $40 to $60 compared to last month with Zoom Electric.”
Verified
“I love the ability to pay as you go, no contracts, and it’s a lot cheaper than I thought. I’m saving more money with Payless Power. I also love that if my money is tight, I can put $20 to help keep lights on until I can add more. As times are hard, being able to do this makes one less bill to worry about. Thank you Payless Power.”
Verified
“The amazing flexibility of pre-paying as I go is so easy to use and budget with. No surprise fees or anything. I love this service. By far the best company I have ever dealt with for electricity.”
Critical Feedback
Verified
“I am having a lot of problems with the online account. One moment I have a credit refunded to my account and the next minute, I am not able to log in and have a sufficient negative balance. None of it makes sense. I can’t ever get through to customer service.”
Verified
“Good company. Just my rates are a little high. I’m paying almost $11 dollars a day.”
Verified
“Been with Payless Power for about 2 years and love them, other than the fact I referred a friend and got nothing for that.”
FINAL VERDICT
Our Recommendation
Payless Power: Recommended
Top choice for flexible, no-deposit prepaid electricity
Payless Power earns our recommendation as a standout option in the prepaid electricity market. With an exceptional 4.8-star rating and a True NPS Score of 81, customer satisfaction runs remarkably high for this Fort Worth-based provider. Their customer service score of 75/100 reflects responsive support, though the billing clarity score of 66/100 suggests some customers find prepaid billing statements less straightforward than traditional plans. On the regulatory front, Payless Power’s 29 PUC complaints over the past 12 months sits well below the industry average of 120, indicating solid operational practices. Since 2005, they’ve carved out a niche serving customers who need electricity without credit checks or deposits—a genuine lifeline for many Texans. While prepaid plans require more active account management, Payless Power delivers reliable service with flexibility that traditional providers simply don’t offer.
Pros
- Exceptional 4.8/5.0 star rating indicates excellent overall performance
- Outstanding customer loyalty with NPS score of 81
- Strong customer service rating at 75/100
- Only 29 PUC complaints versus 120 industry average
- Zero service quality complaints filed in 12 months
- Minimal slamming/cramming issues with just 2 complaints
Cons
- Billing transparency score of 66/100 has room for improvement
- 14 billing-related complaints suggest some statement confusion
- Bill notifications and credit explanations could be clearer
- Customer service score below the excellent 80+ threshold
Best For
- Customers who cannot pass traditional credit checks
- Renters or movers needing quick service without deposits
- Budget-conscious households who prefer pay-as-you-go control
- Anyone rebuilding credit while maintaining utility service
- Short-term residents or those with temporary housing situations
PRICE COMPARISON
How Payless Power Compares
See how Payless Power’s electricity rates compare to other Texas providers. Prices shown are averages based on the selected monthly usage level.
Payless Power Avg Price
19.0¢/kWh
Market Rank
#18 of 17
vs Market Average
19.1% above
Market Average
15.9¢/kWh
All Texas Providers (1000 kWh/month)
| Rank | Provider | Avg ¢/kWh | Lowest | Highest | # Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Rhythm Energy | 12.31¢ | 7.00¢ | 17.24¢ | 24 |
| #2 | 4Change Energy | 13.80¢ | 6.94¢ | 19.21¢ | 35 |
| #3 | Energy Texas | 13.83¢ | 7.00¢ | 17.24¢ | 24 |
| #4 | Constellation | 13.98¢ | 12.72¢ | 15.02¢ | 11 |
| #5 | Atlantex Power | 14.11¢ | 12.63¢ | 15.70¢ | 10 |
| #6 | APGE | 14.97¢ | 6.40¢ | 23.40¢ | 94 |
| #7 | Cirro Energy | 15.57¢ | 6.99¢ | 22.21¢ | 31 |
| #8 | Discount Power | 15.61¢ | 6.99¢ | 22.21¢ | 31 |
| #9 | Just Energy | 15.86¢ | 6.24¢ | 23.51¢ | 69 |
| #10 | Reliant | 16.23¢ | 11.95¢ | 20.61¢ | 39 |
| #11 | Frontier Utilities | 16.30¢ | 6.94¢ | 21.82¢ | 30 |
| #12 | Gexa Energy | 16.33¢ | 6.94¢ | 21.82¢ | 30 |
| #13 | Amigo Energy | 16.54¢ | 15.40¢ | 17.83¢ | 24 |
| #14 | Tara Energy | 16.82¢ | 16.49¢ | 17.20¢ | 5 |
| #15 | Direct Energy | 17.78¢ | 14.50¢ | 23.58¢ | 25 |
| #16 | TXU Energy | 18.62¢ | 13.53¢ | 24.59¢ | 39 |
| #17 | Green Mountain | 18.94¢ | 16.95¢ | 23.61¢ | 20 |
| #18 | Payless Power This Provider | 18.96¢ | 18.73¢ | 19.28¢ | 8 |
No 100% Renewable Plans
Payless Power does not currently offer any 100% renewable energy plans. If green energy is a priority, consider providers like Green Mountain, Gexa Energy, or Rhythm Energy.
Our Methodology
How We Calculate NPS Scores
Our proprietary scoring system analyzes thousands of customer reviews to provide an unbiased assessment of each electricity provider.
- Data Source: Online Reviews from verified customers
- AI Analysis: We analyze each review to distill sentiment and filter out incentivized reviews, bot-generated content, and review bombing attempts
- True NPS Calculation: We calculate Net Promoter Score as (% Promoters) – (% Detractors), where Promoters rate 9-10 and Detractors rate 1-6
- Star Rating: NPS scores are mapped to a 3.0-5.0 star scale for intuitive comparison
About “Billing Clarity” Scores
This score measures how clearly a provider communicates billing to customers—not billing accuracy. Texas electricity providers have robust, audited billing systems that are highly accurate.
- What we measure: Clarity of bill statements, proactive notifications, explanation of credits and charges, time-of-use rate communication
- Why it matters: Customers often report confusion about bills even when charges are correct—this score reflects how well providers help customers understand their bills
- PUC “billing complaints”: Most are about confusing statements or unexpected (but legitimate) charges, not actual billing errors
Pricing Data Collection
We collect electricity plan pricing directly from official sources to ensure accuracy.
- Data Source: ComparePower, the original Texas electricity consumer advocate
- Update Frequency: Prices are synced daily from all 5 TDSP territories
- Usage Levels: We display pricing at 500, 1000, and 2000 kWh/month to show how rates vary by consumption
- Coverage: All 17 retail electricity providers in the Texas deregulated market
PUC Complaint Data
Complaint data provides insight into provider accountability and customer issues.
- Data Source: Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) official complaint records
- History: 46+ months of historical complaint data (January 2022 – Present)
- Categories: Billing, Slamming/Cramming, Quality of Service, Disconnection, and Other
- Update Frequency: Monthly updates as new PUC data becomes available
Questions about our methodology? Contact our team.
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