Payless Power Review and Ratings
Last updated:
Read our Payless Power Review and Ratings. Payless Power currently holds a Clear Energy Facts Score of 3.0 out of 5, ranking #24 out of 42. We evaluate plan quality, pricing transparency, and customer service.
Payless Power: What we like
- Fixed-rate prepaid contracts: Unlike most prepaid electricity plans that are month-to-month, Payless Power offers prepaid plans with 6- and 12-month contracts that lock in your rate, helping protect you from price spikes during extreme weather or wholesale market volatility; we also have a dedicated page for Payless Power where you can review the pros and cons of prepaid electricity and, most importantly, verify all the plan facts to avoid surprises on your bill.
- No deposit, no credit check: Payless Power does not require a credit check or Social Security Number. Customers fund their account upfront and manage usage on the go; the account balance must remain positive, though we recommend keeping at least $25 available to avoid service interruptions.
- Lowest cancellation fees in the market: Payless Power offers the lowest cancellation fees in the market—typically around $49—compared to $150 or more with many traditional postpaid plans.
- Ideal for renters and low-usage households: Some plans include a $15 bill credit when monthly usage stays below 500 kWh, making them attractive for renters, students, realtors, and customers with low electricity usage or limited credit history who want to avoid large upfront deposits.
- Strong recent customer feedback: Payless Power has received very positive Google reviews recently, currently holding an average rating around 4.7 stars. Over the past year, the ratio of positive to negative reviews has been approximately 10:1. Customers should note that the Google business profile shown in search results may vary by location; the official Payless Power business profile is linked at the bottom of this page.
Payless Power: What we don’t like
- Daily base fees: Although this fee is clearly listed in the EFL and included in the advertised rates (500/1000/2000 kWh), many customers overlook it. A small daily fee applies regardless of whether you consume electricity on a given day.
- Payment fees without AutoPay: For prepaid plans, we strongly recommend enrolling in AutoPay to avoid service interruptions when your balance drops below the minimum threshold. If you choose not to use AutoPay, a $4.95 fee may apply each time you make a payment under $75. Customers should review the Terms of Service for full details.
- Higher-than-average pricing: Rates are generally higher than the Texas market average and more expensive than comparable postpaid True Fixed Rate plans. This is a trade-off for having prepaid electricity with no deposit or credit check requirements.
- High complaint ratio: Payless Power currently holds a PUCT score of 1, which indicates a higher rate of customer complaints compared to many competing providers.
Ratings for Payless Power
Company review breakdown
Compared against 42 Texas electricity companies rated by Clear Energy Facts.
Average score compared with other companies we evaluated.
Cancellation fees
Ranked #1 of 42 companies
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Lower cancellation fees than most other companies.
Plans & rates
Ranked #41 of 42 companies
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Prepaid rates are usually higher than postpaid plans, but for smaller apartments with lower usage, that gap can be relatively small.
Transparency
Ranked #1 of 42 companies
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Good transparencySimilar rates on Power to Choose and the company’s own website.
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Good transparencySimilar rates in Google sponsored ads and on the company’s website.
PUCT complaint record
Ranked #31 of 42 companies
Based on complaint data reported to the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
How We Rate This Company
- PUCT Rating: This is the official scorecard published by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT).
- Plan & Rates: We evaluate each company’s electricity rates by giving more weight to clear True Fixed plans and less weight to other fixed-type plans, using average prices across different contract lengths. Companies with lower average rates score higher, and we exclude complex or gimmicky offers that require special equipment (like smart thermostats, EV devices, seasonal pricing, or “highest usage day” rewards).
- Cancellation Fees: We compare each plan’s early termination fee against similar plans from other providers and normalize the data. Lower cancellation fees per contract term result in better scores.
- Transparency: We check how consistently the provider displays prices across the main shopping channels Texans use: Power to Choose, the company’s own website, and Google Ads. If the prices match across these places, the transparency score goes up. If the company advertises one price but charges something different on its site, the score goes down.
- CEF Score: The overall Clear Energy Facts score is a weighted average of these sub-scores, giving you a single number you can use to compare providers side by side.
Data note: Except for the PUCT Rating (which comes directly from the official PUCT scorecard), all CEF scores are calculated using real, up-to-date plan data from each provider. We recalculate these scores regularly using current Electricity Facts Labels and plan details — we don’t guess or use hidden assumptions.
Clear Energy Facts ratings focus on plan structure, transparency, and pricing. They do not include direct customer service scores. For that, we recommend checking recent Google Reviews and other independent sources, and being cautious with “star ratings” shown on sponsored comparison sites.
Payless Power Non Recurring Fees Analysis
This is a comparison of the non-recurring fees for Payless Power. These charges are detailed within the Terms of Service (TOS) and contain critical information regarding penalties for missed payments or other circumstances. Understanding these fees is essential, as some providers enforce harsh penalties while others are more considerate.
This information is updated at the beginning of every quarter. We pull these figures from Oncor TDU plans via Power to Choose or directly from the provider's website. However, a provider's TOS is generally identical across all plans and TDU zones.
| Fee | Payless Power | Market (Median) |
|---|---|---|
| Late Payment Charge | 5% | 5% |
| Insufficient Funds / Returned Payment Fee | $29 | $30 |
| Disconnection Notice Fee | $0 | $19.95 |
| Disconnection + Reconnection Fee | $30 | $50 |
Understanding the Charges
- Late Payment Charge: A penalty applied when a monthly bill is not paid in full by the due date.
- Insufficient Funds / Returned Payment Fee: A fee charged if your payment method is declined or a check bounces due to non-sufficient funds.
- Disconnection Notice Fee: A charge for sending a formal warning letter of intent to disconnect service due to non-payment. This is distinct from the actual disconnection fee.
- Disconnection + Reconnection Fee: We bundle these two fees together for clarity. Because some providers charge a high disconnection fee but no reconnection fee (or vice versa), viewing them as a combined total provides a clearer picture of the true cost to restore power.
Note: Please use these values strictly as a reference. Providers often use wording such as "up to" in their terms, meaning actual amounts can vary at the company's discretion.
TDU Charges: The fees listed above are exclusive to the retail energy provider. On top of these, you may incur charges by the TDU (e.g., Oncor, CenterPoint) for physical disconnections or reconnections. TDU charges are pass-through costs and remain exactly the same regardless of which energy provider you use.
Payless Power Plans & Current Rates (Apr 2026)
Note: CEF selects plans based on value to the customer. For this review, we aim to avoid redundancy and shorter-term plans. we also generally exclude complex seasonal plans that usually offer poor value, high-rate fixed plans, and high-rate bill credit plans. For a complete list of available plans and terms, always check the provider's website. We display the latest update date for each plan, showing when the EFL and its information were collected. CEF verifies rates twice per week. Always check the provider’s website for the most current EFL and rates.
Enter your ZIP to check Payless Power plans
We’ll use your ZIP only to find the Transmission & Distribution Utility (TDU) for your address.
Does Payless Power have True Fixed rate plans?
Yes — we found 2 True Fixed plans (Check Provider's website for a full list of plans):
Prepaid
Small apartment: Winter months usually use 500 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 750 and 1,000 kWh.
Medium home: Winter months usually use 750 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 1,250 and 2,000 kWh on average.
| 250 kWh | 500 kWh | 750 kWh | 1,000 kWh | 1,250 kWh | 1,500 kWh | 1,750 kWh | 2,000 kWh | 2,250 kWh | 2,500 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $54.03 | $93.32 | $147.62 | $186.91 | $226.21 | $265.50 | $304.80 | $344.10 | $383.39 | $422.69 |
Prepaid
Small apartment: Winter months usually use 500 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 750 and 1,000 kWh.
Medium home: Winter months usually use 750 kWh or less (no electric heater). Summer months are usually between 1,250 and 2,000 kWh on average.
| 250 kWh | 500 kWh | 750 kWh | 1,000 kWh | 1,250 kWh | 1,500 kWh | 1,750 kWh | 2,000 kWh | 2,250 kWh | 2,500 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $54.03 | $93.32 | $147.62 | $186.91 | $226.21 | $265.50 | $304.80 | $344.10 | $383.39 | $422.69 |
Does Payless Power have Fixed - Tiered Plans?
They don’t currently list any Fixed - Tiered plans on their website or on Power to Choose for this TDU.
Does Payless Power have Free Hours plans?
They don’t currently list any Free Nights / Free Hours plans on their website or on Power to Choose for this TDU.
Does Payless Power have Free Weekend plans?
They don’t currently list any Free Weekend plans on their website or on Power to Choose for this TDU.
Does Payless Power have Bill Credit plans?
We don’t currently list any Bill Credit plans for this provider in this TDU.
Payless Power vs. The market
In this section, we compare Payless Power plans directly against other providers in the market. We strive to provide fair, apples-to-apples comparisons by matching companies that offer similar types of plans. Inside each guide, you will find interactive monthly consumption graphs, detailed bill approximations, and complete rate breakdowns to help you make the best, fully-informed decision.
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Payless Power VS Reliant
Compare Payless Power prepaid electricity plans with Reliant fixed rate plans. See real cost differences, fees, and which option works best for Texas households.
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Payless Power VS Ambit Energy
Compare Payless Power prepaid electricity plans with Ambit Energy fixed rate plans. See real cost differences, fees, and which option works best for Texas households.
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Payless Power VS TXU Energy
Compare Payless Power prepaid electricity plans with TXU Energy fixed rate plans. See real cost differences, fees, and which option works best for Texas households.
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Transparency Review in Detail
Transparency
Ranked #1 of 42 companies
Customer Service Review in Detail
PUCT complaint record
Ranked #31 of 42 companies
In this section we focus on the company’s customer service, using the official complaint data from the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT).
1. PUCT scorecard rating. This score shows how this provider compares to other Texas electricity companies based on the number of customer complaints the PUCT receives about them.
2. What the PUCT scorecard means. The PUCT publishes a scorecard that rates Retail Electric Providers based on their complaint history. It compares a company's market share to its share of complaints filed with the state. Companies that resolve issues before customers feel the need to contact the PUCT receive higher ratings (5 Power Circles), while companies that frequently force customers to escalate issues receive lower ratings.
If a company does not have a PUCT rating (or we show “No rating”), it usually means there is not enough historical data for the PUCT to calculate a score. This typically happens when a company is new to the market or has a customer base too small to be statistically compared to larger providers.
Summary of Real Customer Reviews
At Clear Energy Facts we encourage people to leave reviews on platforms where everyone can read them and companies can respond publicly. From all the options available, we’ve found that Google tends to have some of the most consistent review practices and is a widely trusted source for real customer feedback.
The analysis below is based primarily on Google reviews from roughly the last 12 months, so the information reflects recent customer experiences rather than very old history.
The service is described as simple to manage with fast connections and daily usage monitoring, while there are also reports of high rates, billing discrepancies, and inflexible minimum payment policies.
Common questions about Payless Power
- Is Payless Power a good electricity company?
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Based on our independent analysis, Payless Power currently holds a Clear Energy Facts Score of 3.0 out of 5. This places them at rank #24 out of 42 retail electricity providers we track in Texas. This rating reflects a combination of their plan value, customer service history, and pricing transparency.
- Does Payless Power have True Fixed rate plans?
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Yes. Payless Power currently offers True Fixed rate plans. The cheapest True Fixed rate that we have validated is 12 Month - prepaid at about 18.7¢/kWh around 1,000 kWh with a 12-month term in the Dallas service area. Use the ZIP search above to see the latest True Fixed options available for your area.
- Does Payless Power offer Free Nights or Free Hours plans?
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We do not currently find any Free Nights / Free Hours plans from Payless Power.
- Does Payless Power offer Free Weekends plans?
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We do not currently find any Free Weekends plans from Payless Power.