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Plan type · No deposit

No deposit electricity plans in Texas.

Plans that skip the credit-based deposit (typically $100-$400 for thin or low credit). Some are prepaid; others are postpaid plans where the REP uses alternative qualifiers (recent payment history, employment).

Compare all 2 plans Or call (877) 867-1477
Lowest rate 18.7¢ per kWh at 1,000 kWh
Average 18.7¢ across 2 plans
Highest 18.7¢ per kWh at 1,000 kWh

Top 2 ranked

The 2 no deposit plans we'd shop first.

# Provider & plan Rate Score
1
Payless Power

12 Month - Prepaid - No Deposit & No Credit Check

Payless Power · 4.2/5

18.7¢

/ kWh

 5.2 View deal
2
Payless Power

6 Month - Prepaid -No Deposit & No Credit Check

Payless Power · 4.2/5

18.7¢

/ kWh

 5.2 View deal

Decision frame

Right plan for the right home.

Best for

  • Households with low or thin credit
  • Avoiding deposits that tie up cash for 12 months
  • Quick startup — no bank check, no credit pull delay

Watch out for

  • Per-kWh rates can be 0.5-2¢ higher than deposit-required plans
  • Some require autopay enrollment as the qualifier
  • A few are prepaid in disguise (loaded balance, daily debits)

Providers

1 retailers offering no deposit plans.

Payless Power

Payless Power

4.2/5 · 2 plans

By city

No deposit plans in major Texas cities

No deposit in Houston No deposit in Pasadena No deposit in Sugar Land No deposit in The Woodlands No deposit in Pearland No deposit in League City No deposit in Baytown No deposit in Conroe No deposit in Missouri City No deposit in Beaumont No deposit in Dallas No deposit in Fort Worth No deposit in Arlington No deposit in Plano No deposit in Irving No deposit in Garland

Compare

Prepaid vs. no-deposit postpaid — which one fits?

PrepaidNo-deposit postpaid
Credit check NoneSoft pull (usually)
Deposit NoneWaived (autopay required)
Same-day power Yes, most REPsYes, if before TDU cutoff
Bill cycle Daily debits from balanceMonthly bill
Rate premium vs. best-in-market 1-3¢/kWh higher0.5-2¢/kWh higher
Disconnect risk Zero balance = off, no graceMissed autopay = off with limited notice
Best fit No credit / thin file / crisis start-upSome credit + wants normal bill

How to sign up

From ZIP to power on — what to have ready.

  1. 1

    Have your ID and a Texas service address ready

    Any provider needs to verify you and geolocate your meter to the right TDU (Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Central, AEP North, TNMP).

  2. 2

    Pick between prepaid and no-deposit postpaid

    Prepaid needs zero credit — you load a balance and use it down. No-deposit postpaid still runs a soft check but waives the deposit via autopay enrollment or recent payment history with another REP.

  3. 3

    Enroll online or by phone — typically 5-15 minutes

    You will need to accept the Terms of Service and the Electricity Facts Label (EFL). Read the EFL — the "average price" at 500 kWh, 1,000 kWh, 2,000 kWh is what you will actually pay after fees.

  4. 4

    Same-day activation if requested before the TDU cutoff

    Oncor and CenterPoint typically activate same-day if the request lands by 3-4pm Central weekdays. Weekends and holidays are next business day.

  5. 5

    Set up autopay + low-balance alerts

    Missed autopay on a no-deposit plan can trigger disconnect faster than on a deposit plan. If prepaid, set alerts at $20 / $10 / $5 so the power never goes off unexpectedly.

Common questions

Quick answers on no deposit plans.

Can I get electricity in Texas with no deposit?
Yes. Two paths: prepaid plans (no credit check, no deposit — you load a balance and pay as you go) and no-deposit postpaid plans (a soft credit check, but the deposit is waived when you enroll in autopay). Prepaid runs 1-3¢/kWh above the best-in-market rate; no-deposit postpaid runs 0.5-2¢/kWh above. If you can pass a standard credit check, a regular postpaid plan will cost less than either.
How fast can I get power turned on with a no-deposit plan?
Same day in most cases. Prepaid plans typically activate within a few hours of enrollment. No-deposit postpaid plans depend on your local utility (TDU): Oncor and CenterPoint both process same-day requests submitted before roughly 3-4pm Central on weekdays. Weekend and holiday requests activate the next business day. If it is an emergency (move-in day, disconnect notice), enroll early in the day.
What credit score do I need to skip the deposit?
There is no single cutoff — every REP sets its own threshold, and most do not publish it. Rough guidance from the industry: FICO 600+ usually qualifies for the standard no-deposit postpaid plan. Below that, autopay enrollment often carries the deposit waiver. Below 550 or with no credit file at all, prepaid is typically the only option that gets an approval on the spot.
Are no-deposit plans actually cheaper than a plan with a deposit?
Usually no. A no-deposit plan trades the deposit (refundable, held for 12 months) for a 0.5-2¢/kWh higher rate. On 1,200 kWh/month that is $6-24/month extra, or $72-288/year. A $200 deposit that gets refunded after 12 months is cheaper — if you can float the $200. The no-deposit plan wins when you cannot spare the deposit cash flow, or when you plan to move within 6 months (the deposit refund lags at least 45 days after you close the account).
What happens if I miss a payment on a no-deposit plan?
Faster consequences than on a deposit plan. Because there is no deposit to cover an unpaid bill, the REP has less credit-risk cushion. Prepaid: your balance hits zero and the power shuts off — no grace period, but you can reconnect within minutes by adding funds. No-deposit postpaid: a missed autopay typically triggers a notice within days, and the REP can disconnect faster than the 10-day standard applied to deposit-secured accounts. Set up alerts on both types.
Do prepaid plans really work without a credit check?
Yes — prepaid plans are structurally designed to skip the credit check because the REP holds a positive balance at all times. You cannot fall into debt with a prepaid plan; if the balance runs out, service stops until you refill. That is the trade Texas made in the prepaid framework: consumers who cannot qualify for postpaid get access to electricity at a modest rate premium, and the REP takes zero credit risk. No SSN required for enrollment on many prepaid REPs.
Can I switch from a no-deposit plan to a regular postpaid plan later?
Yes, and you should shop the switch at 6-12 months. Once you have a payment history on your no-deposit plan, a standard postpaid REP will usually approve you without a deposit — and the standard rate will be 0.5-2¢/kWh lower than what you are paying today. This is the single biggest cost lever for long-term no-deposit customers: use the plan as a bridge, not a permanent home.

2026 Texas market context

Whereno deposit sits in the market right now.

No-deposit plans target the segment of Texas households that can't (or don't want to) pass a standard credit check or pay a $100-$400 deposit. The market includes pure prepaid plans (Payless Power, Discount Power Prepaid) and 'no-deposit postpaid' plans where the REP uses alternative qualifiers (recent payment history with another REP, AutoPay enrollment, employment verification). Per-kWh rates run 0.5-2.0¢ above standard postpaid.

Common gotchas

  • Some are prepaid in disguise

    A few 'no-deposit postpaid' plans require you to load a starter balance that effectively functions as a refundable deposit — read the welcome packet carefully.

  • AutoPay enrollment is often required

    Many no-deposit plans require AutoPay as the credit-risk mitigation. If AutoPay fails (insufficient funds, expired card), the REP can disconnect with limited notice.

  • Effective rates can spike for thin credit

    REPs price no-deposit plans 0.5-2.0¢ above the standard rate. On a 1,200 kWh summer bill that's $15-25 extra per month — the deposit-avoidance cost adds up.

  • Customer service capacity is thinner

    Many no-deposit plans are run by smaller REPs with less customer-service capacity than the NRG / Vistra brands. During peak events (winter freeze, summer heat) wait times can be very long.

Best fit

Recent college grad starting a job in Houston, thin credit file, wants utilities on without locking up $300 for the deposit-refund period.

Avoids the deposit hassle, gets power on the same or next day, and the 0.5-1.0¢ rate premium is small relative to the deposit liquidity benefit.

Worst fit

Family with good credit who picked a no-deposit plan because the marketing emphasized 'no deposit' without realizing they were paying 2¢/kWh above-market for an unneeded credit-risk product.

Good credit means a deposit isn't required anyway. Paying the no-deposit premium on a 1,500 kWh average usage is $30/month or $360/year of unnecessary cost.

Practical next step

If you can pass a standard credit check, you don't need a no-deposit plan — apply for a postpaid plan first. If you can't (or don't want to deal with the deposit), filter for postpaid no-deposit, not prepaid.

Ready to pick a no deposit plan?

Enter your ZIP and we'll show every Texas plan available on your meter, sorted by true cost at your home's actual usage.

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How enrollment works

You pick the plan here. Enrollment finishes on our secure checkout — same rate, no markup. If you'd rather skip the ZIP entry, Live Link pulls your real usage from Smart Meter Texas in about 30 seconds. Same plans, same checkout, less typing.