Since Texas’s energy deregulation in 2002, many electricity companies have been created looking for a share in the energy market. This has given business owners, renters, and homeowners more options to choose from when selecting the right electric company to supply electricity to their places of business or homes. While there are numerous high-quality and professional companies with excellent customer service, there are also others that simply don’t make the cut.
In this article, we are going to help you separate the ‘wheat from the chaff’ by highlighting the best electricity providers in Texas and the ones with the cheapest electricity rates. You might also want to grab a seat and read through if you are interested in knowing; who is the most reliable energy supplier? And what a good rate per kilowatt-hour in Texas is. Without further ado…
Who is the best electricity provider in Texas?
Texas has one of the most competitive energy markets in the country and choosing the best electricity provider in the state can be a bit overwhelming. However, there are several parameters that you can use to determine the best electricity company in Texas and this include, customer ratings, the electricity rates offered (whether it’s competitive or not), its customer care service, its mechanisms of handling complaints, flexibility of payment, quality of service, among others.
Having considered the above factors, the best electricity provider in Texas specifically when it comes to prepaid electricity, is Payless Power. The company has been offering reliable and affordable prepaid electricity service to Texans for the last 15 years. It is well-known for its flexible prepaid plans that are popularly known as SmarTricity plans. Currently it has two highly rated prepaid electricity plans in SmarTricity Easy choice -which is a monthly, variable rate, prepaid electricity plan – and SmarTricity Premium 12 Plan – which is currently one of the most popular 12 months fixed-rate prepaid plans in Texas.
See below what Melissa has to say;
“ Setting up a new service is extremely easy. All fields were clear to read and easy to understand. They had enough detail to keep me from having questions, and little enough detail to keep me from being lost. I highly recommend this company to any one who is a first timer in living on your own. This makes setting up electricity as easy as a level one on a video game. ”
— Melissa from Cisco
Quality electricity service delivery
When it comes to service delivery, Payless Power is one of the electric companies in Texas with less stringent requirements, as they do not require deposit and have no credit checks. With Payless, everyone qualifies for their services.
They strongly believe that everyone should have access to electricity and this is demonstrated in the way their electricity plans have been structured, its flexibility of payment and lastly and most importantly, its affordable rates. All you have to do if you live in any of the Payless Power zip code areas and choose the plan that best meets your preferences.
Additionally, Payless Power offers you an opportunity to manage your budget and monitor your usage through their daily customized email and text alerts. With these daily alerts you can easily monitor your electricity usage, account balance and electricity cost. In addition to all that, the company will also send you your monthly statement containing details of your previous months payments, saving history and charges.
Best customer service
Turning to customer service, Payless Power has a top-notch bilingual customer care team that serves customers with respect and care. They are always available and willing to answer any questions regarding the electricity plans they offer and any issue concerning your account. In terms of customer ratings and reviews, Payless Power has some of the best reviews and it is highly rated for its daily usage alerts, excellent customer service, and its reasonable electricity rates. See below some of the things clients have to say;
“ Just overall customer satisfactory ”
— Nico Perez from San Angelo
“ It was very easy and simple and quick and fast I loved it ”
— Hr from Magnolia
No deposit and flexible payment option
For the first time customers, Payless Power can get you connected to electricity for as little as $35. Its SmarTricity plans function the same way as a calling card, in that, once you have registered for the service and deposited some funds to your account, you get connected to electricity and charges are dedicated as you use the electricity.
The beauty about SmarTricity plans is that you don’t have to wait until the end of the month when you get the electricity bill for you to pay. You can pay anytime you want – it fully embraces the principles of a pay-as-you electricity plan. There are various ways you can pay for their services including; online payment, you can use Mastercard, Visa or discover, you can also pay through moneygram, or mail money order or check directly to Payless Power.
Best prepaid plans in Texas
As mentioned earlier, Payless Power has some of the best prepaid plans in Texas that gives you options to various options of payment. A number of electricity companies in Texas have folded up shop due to COVID19 and economic concerns. But Payless Power is offering both monthly and fixed rate energy plans to choose from. Both plans have less complicated requirements and have flexible and pocket-friendly rates. It is ranked among the best in Texas because of its numerous benefits which include; instant approval, same day service, free electricity usage alerts, zero deposit and no credit check, just to mention a few.
“ I have had experience with other service providers who have lied about one thing or another. My experience here has been by far the best. ”
— Scott
Payless Power’s SmarTricity Premier 12 plan
This is currently one of the most popular fixed-rate prepaid plans in Texas. You see, most prepaid electricity plans in Texas offer month to month prepaid plans that feature a variable rate. SmarTricity 12 has revolutionized the energy market by offering a unique 12 months fixed-rate plan. With this plan, you no longer have to worry about the ever changing electricity rates, since, regardless of what happens in the electricity market, your electric rate will remain constant for at least 12 months. Since the rate is constant, your electricity bill is dependent on your consumption. The more you use, the higher the bill and vice-versa.
It has a very basic structure;
- A flat rate charge for the first 17 kilowatt-hour/day – which add-up to around 510 kWh per month
- For electricity consumption above 17 kWh you’ll be charged a fixed rate/kWh. This is inclusive of the delivery charges and the electric charge per kilowatt-hour.
If you are subscribing for the first time, you’ll be charged a minimum account activation fee of $75. This may sound a bit expensive but it is worth every penny. Moreover, the activation fee goes towards payment of your electricity usage and not a deposit. It also a termination fee of $40
SmarTricity Easy Choice (month to month plan)
SmarTricity Easy choice is a month to month prepaid plan is the right plan if you are frequently moving from town or if you’re searching for a plan that has no commitment – no cancellation fee. It offers flexibility, convenience and competitive rate. However, it has a minimum activation fee of $49 and just like is the case with SmarTricity 12, the fee goes entirely towards payment of your electric bill.
Its energy rate per kilowatt-hour is slightly higher than SmarTricity Premium 12 and has a variable rate – meaning that electricity rate varies depending on the market forces. Its pricing structure is as follows;
- It charges a daily flat rate fee for the first 17 kilowatt-hour usage
- For consumption above 17 kWh, you will be charged a fixed rate per kilowatt hour that is inclusive of local delivery charges
What is the cheapest electricity company in Texas?
Finding the cheapest electricity company in Texas can be quite challenging. In fact, a process that should be easy and pretty straight-forward can turn out to be complicated. This is because, at face value, electricity rates in most cases don’t give the true picture of what’s displayed. You can go through a list of electricity plans and select the one with the lowest electricity rates but this might not be what you end up paying. Why? Because of the usage. Electricity companies are permitted to charge different rates for different levels of usage.
Let’s take the example of a company that has a plan which offers a rate of 16.9 cents per kilowatt-hour for a monthly usage of 500 kWh and 12.9 cents per kilowatt-hour for a monthly usage of 1000 kWh and lastly, 9.8 cents per kWh for a 2000 kWh monthly usage. Note the difference in prices here, you might see the 9.8 cents per kilowatt-hour and quickly conclude that this is the cheapest rate on the market and you go ahead and purchase the plan. But then, your usage rate is below 2000 kWh meaning that you’ll be charged a rate of 12.9 cents per kWh and not 9.8.
So what does cheap electricity really mean in Texas?
Cheap electricity is a rate or price that offers the lowest price per kWh inclusive of the delivery charges. Delivery charges should be included in an electricity bill and if not, then it should be clearly stipulated how it’s covered. This is because no matter the electricity company you subscribe to, you still have to pay the delivery charges to the utility company.
Some electric companies only display an “all-in” rate or sometimes referred to as a bundle rate where they offer you one price that is inclusive of both the cost of power and delivery. While there are some that display an unbundle rate, which is the cost of power minus the delivery charges. This makes it look like they are offering a good price which in most cases is not true..
These different forms of pricing can be complicated and confusing and hence the reason why the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) recommended that all energy providers should display their average price per kWh for three usage levels i.e., 500 KWh, 1000kWh, and 2000 kWh.
Which electricity provider offers the cheapest electricity rate in Texas?
The cheapest electricity provider in Texas depends on the type of electric plan you want. One of the cheapest prepaid electricity companies in Texas is Payless Power. As earlier mentioned it has two different plans (month to month and fixed rate plan) hence providing you with options to choose from.
“ I have been pleasantly surprised with Payless Power. The sign up process was simple and the daily notifications are great. The prepay plan is a good way to manage your usage. ”
— Regina Staples
What is a good rate per kWh in Texas?
Energy deregulation in Texas has contributed to increased competition among energy providers which in turn has led to fair electricity prices. The average cost of electricity in Texas is 11.74 cents per kWh which is slightly low compared to the country’s average. However, this rate fluctuates as the season changes as it is dependent on the market forces. Note that your rate changes depending on your electricity provider and the plan you are on.
When you are shopping for a new electric plan, you should look out for one that has a lower rate than your current plan. It is also vital that you read through the fine print, because there are some plans that have an attractive rate but it’s linked to a high monthly usage rate or has a hefty early termination fee.
Who is the most reliable energy supplier?
Reliability, security, good customer service, and transparency are some of the qualities of the best electricity supplier. For a company to be considered reliable, it has to have a stable rate and should always offer quality service. Moreover, it should have an exceptional customer care service that is able to handle customer complaints promptly. One of the most reliable prepaid electricity companies is Payless Power with its fairly priced plans and top-notch customer service. See what Celeste had to say below:
“ I love this product. It is affordable and easy to track, though a 2 day lag in account accountability of electricity used it is still as easy to track the usage at my rental property while it is waiting to be re-leased. It has helped me notice that extra lights were left on by mistake when I had not been in the house for about 2 days. A great tool for short term use but I can see using this for long term as well if I needed to monitor my electricity usage more closely. ”
— Celeste
