No deposit electricity in Texas
Texas electricity companies can ask for a deposit, but some plans don’t need one. These are the ones we found in Power to Choose, checked October 22, 2026, with their real prices.
Plans with no deposit or prepaid, from 2 providers.
Lowest price per kWh among these plans, at 1,000 kWh a month.
More per kWh than the cheapest regular fixed-rate plan in Texas today.
Prepaid plans: no deposit
With prepaid service you pay for electricity before you use it, so there is no deposit and no monthly bill. The Public Utility Commission lists this as an option for people who prefer not to pay a deposit. The catch: if your balance runs low your service can be disconnected with little notice, so keep an eye on it.
| Provider | How it works | Plans | Areas | Lowest price per kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronto Power Prepaid: you pay in advance, no deposit | 15 | 6 | 15.9¢ CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, 1 months | |
| Payless Power Prepaid, no credit check, no deposit | 10 | 5 | 16.0¢ AEP Texas Central, 6 months |
Regular plans that say “no deposit”
These plans are billed monthly after you use electricity, and the company says there is no deposit if your credit is approved. It will still check your credit before it starts service.
| Provider | How it works | Plans | Areas | Lowest price per kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payless Power No deposit if your credit is approved | 15 | 5 | 10.3¢ AEP Texas North, 3 months |
How electricity deposits work in Texas
- A retail electric provider may require a home customer to show satisfactory credit before starting service. If you don’t, it can ask for a deposit.
- The deposit can be up to one fifth of your estimated annual bill, or the sum of your estimated bills for the next two months.
- Victims of family violence can have the deposit waived with a certification letter from the Texas Council on Family Violence, sent to the provider.
- Most providers decide at sign-up, after a credit check. Power to Choose doesn’t show who will ask for a deposit, so ask before you enroll, or choose a prepaid plan.
Source: Public Utility Commission of Texas, electricity FAQ and prepaid service FAQ. Plans and prices: Power to Choose. How we compare plans
Questions people ask
Can I get electricity in Texas without a deposit?
Yes. Prepaid plans don’t need a deposit, and some regular plans say there is no deposit if your credit is approved. Today we list 40 such plans from 2 providers.
How much can an electricity deposit be?
Up to one fifth of your estimated annual bill, or the sum of your estimated bills for the next two months, according to the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
Do I need a credit check for no-deposit electricity?
It depends on the plan. Prepaid plans don’t require a deposit, and some providers say they also don’t check credit. Regular plans that say “no deposit” still check your credit first. Ask the provider before you enroll.
Is prepaid electricity more expensive?
In our data the cheapest no-deposit plan costs about 6.4¢ per kWh more than the cheapest regular fixed-rate plan in Texas today (15.9¢ against 9.5¢, at 1,000 kWh a month). Check each plan’s fees on its Electricity Facts Label.