Explore Payless Power Plans
PROVIDER REVIEW
Payless Power Review 2026
Payless Power has carved out a distinct niche in Texas electricity since 2005, specializing in prepaid plans that require no deposit or credit check. Founded in Fort Worth by three brothers, this family-owned company earns a 4.8-star rating from customers and a strong NPS of 79, reflecting solid overall satisfaction. Their customer service score of 75/100 indicates generally positive interactions, though their billing clarity score of 64/100 suggests some customers find statements less straightforward. With just 37 PUC complaints over the past year—well below the industry average of 120—Payless Power maintains a clean regulatory record.
PAYLESS POWER
Complete Provider Analysis
The company serves over 400 Texas communities with same-day connection options and daily balance notifications via text or email. Their bilingual, Texas-based customer service team supports the prepaid model, which appeals particularly to customers facing credit challenges or seeking flexible payment structures. CEO Brandon Young’s founding of the consumer advocacy group Texans for Fair Energy Billing reflects the company’s stated commitment to transparent energy practices in the deregulated Texas market.
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)
37
Complaints per 10K Customers
0.50
Industry Average
1.20
Billing Complaints
17
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
“This is perfect for families who live paycheck-to-paycheck. Probably like 80% of the USA. Not having that huge bill at the end of the month has allowed a lot of financial freedom for me and my family. Can’t say thank you enough.”
Verified
“I’ve used Payless Power for almost ten years! Love them. My account travels with me when I move, making the service super easy to use! And my cost is less than others I have found. Highly recommend!”
Verified
“You are the greatest electric company I’ve ever had. I have been so happy and so pleased with you. All your customer service reps are very helpful. In four years with y’all, I had a deferral payment due to extreme weather, and y’all were very understanding and helped a lot. I appreciate everything y’all do.”
Verified
“Like that I can see my balance daily and now know what it’s going to cost me before the month occurs. Wish I knew about this company long before now. It’s a great way to keep up with and see what you use monthly in kWh. Try them, give it a few months before you make your decision so you can compare your usage. I really like PLP and I think you will too!”
Verified
“Out of every company I’ve been with, this one is the only one who hasn’t had any hidden fees, charges, or increases without telling me. I pray they continue to do business the way they have been with me. I’ve been a customer for 3 years now.”
Critical Feedback
Verified
“It was good when I first signed up with this company. When it was time for me to move and close my account, I couldn’t close it on the last day at my old place. My account stayed active 5 more days after I moved out, and PaylessPower charged me for those days even though I didn’t have money on my account. After talking to customer service, they told me there’s nothing they can do. Please think carefully about signing up. All because it’s pay as you go.”
Verified
“They charge almost double what other companies do. They also charge a $49 cancellation fee. They also said I used 82 kWh in a day but I usually use 7 or 8 kWh. 82 isn’t even possible for what I use. Single person household. I would have to run 3 microwaves for 24 hours. Check the Yelp reviews of 1.6 stars.”
Verified
“I don’t like the minimum of $75 or having to pay a $4.95 service fee. It should be lowered to $50 minimum. I’ve only contacted customer service once and it was a bit difficult to get through the busy lines. But the rep was swift and effective. Since my 2-year contract ended, the fluctuations in pricing have been concerning.”
FINAL VERDICT
Our Recommendation
Payless Power: Recommended
Excellent choice for no-deposit prepaid electricity
Payless Power earns our recommendation as a standout option in the prepaid electricity market. With an impressive 4.8-star rating and a True NPS Score of 79, customer sentiment is overwhelmingly positive—particularly notable for a prepaid provider where satisfaction can be challenging to maintain. Their customer service score of 75/100 reflects responsive support, though the billing clarity score of 64/100 suggests some customers find the prepaid billing structure takes adjustment. On the regulatory front, Payless Power performs well with just 37 PUC complaints over 12 months—significantly below the industry average of 120. Since 2005, they’ve carved out a niche serving customers who need flexibility without credit checks or deposits. While prepaid electricity requires more active account management, Payless Power executes this model better than most competitors.
Pros
- Exceptional 4.8/5.0 star rating indicates high customer satisfaction
- Strong NPS score of 79 shows customers recommend provider
- Excellent customer service score of 75/100
- Only 37 PUC complaints versus 120 industry average
- Zero service quality complaints in past 12 months
- Minimal slamming/cramming issues with only 2 complaints
Cons
- Billing transparency score of 64/100 leaves room for improvement
- 17 billing-related complaints suggest occasional statement confusion
- Bill communications could be clearer for customers
- Some customers may find billing notifications inadequate
Best For
- Customers who cannot pass a credit check or pay large deposits
- Renters and those in temporary housing situations
- Budget-conscious customers who prefer pay-as-you-go flexibility
- Those rebuilding credit who want to avoid hard inquiries
- Customers who appreciate real-time usage monitoring
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
17.6% above
Market Average
16.2¢/kWh
All Texas Providers (1000 kWh/month)
| Rank | Provider | Avg ¢/kWh | Lowest | Highest | # Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 4Change Energy | 13.86¢ | 7.16¢ | 19.31¢ | 35 |
| #2 | Energy Texas | 14.54¢ | 8.30¢ | 20.60¢ | 24 |
| #3 | Cirro Energy | 15.07¢ | 7.35¢ | 22.21¢ | 26 |
| #4 | Rhythm Energy | 15.09¢ | 8.30¢ | 20.60¢ | 16 |
| #5 | Discount Power | 15.12¢ | 7.35¢ | 22.21¢ | 26 |
| #6 | Constellation | 15.30¢ | 13.92¢ | 16.52¢ | 9 |
| #7 | APGE | 15.39¢ | 7.18¢ | 23.60¢ | 95 |
| #8 | Atlantex Power | 15.48¢ | 13.98¢ | 17.30¢ | 15 |
| #9 | Just Energy | 15.66¢ | 7.29¢ | 21.71¢ | 69 |
| #10 | Amigo Energy | 15.97¢ | 14.60¢ | 17.56¢ | 24 |
| #11 | Tara Energy | 16.31¢ | 15.84¢ | 16.88¢ | 5 |
| #12 | Frontier Utilities | 16.35¢ | 7.35¢ | 21.82¢ | 30 |
| #13 | Gexa Energy | 16.37¢ | 7.35¢ | 21.82¢ | 30 |
| #14 | Reliant | 16.72¢ | 11.91¢ | 23.21¢ | 46 |
| #15 | Direct Energy | 17.58¢ | 13.87¢ | 23.57¢ | 20 |
| #16 | Green Mountain | 18.80¢ | 16.92¢ | 23.61¢ | 20 |
| #17 | TXU Energy | 18.83¢ | 13.46¢ | 24.59¢ | 44 |
| #18 | Payless Power This Provider | 19.04¢ | 18.55¢ | 19.43¢ | 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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