Which light company in Texas has no deposit?

Payless Power, Now Power, and Pogo Energy all offer no-deposit prepaid plans with no credit check. For traditional plans, companies like 4Change Energy and Ambit Energy have lower credit thresholds and may waive deposits at 600-620 credit scores.

Can I get lights in Texas with no deposit and no credit check?

Yes. Prepaid light companies like Payless Power don't check credit at all. You pay $40-75 upfront to start, but that money goes toward your usage. It's not a deposit.

What's the cheapest light company with no deposit?

Payless Power has the lowest startup cost at around $40. But the cheapest to start isn't always the cheapest to run. Prepaid rates run 30-50% higher than traditional plans. If you can qualify for a traditional plan with no deposit, that saves about $80-100/month.

Do all prepaid light companies have no deposit?

Yes. Under Texas PUCT rules, prepaid plans cannot require a traditional security deposit. The $40-75 you pay upfront goes directly toward your power usage.

Light Companies With No Deposit in Texas (2026)

You typed “light companies no deposit” because you need your lights on and you don’t have $300 to hand over to a company that might hold it for a year. Fair. Here’s exactly which light companies in Texas let you skip the deposit and what the trade-offs are for each one.

Two categories of light companies offer no-deposit service in Texas: prepaid companies (guaranteed no deposit, no credit check) and traditional companies (may waive the deposit depending on your credit). Knowing which type fits your situation is the difference between paying fair rates and overpaying for months.

Prepaid Light Companies: Guaranteed No Deposit

These companies never require a deposit. Period. No credit check, no background check, no surprises. You pay upfront for your power usage and they turn your lights on.

Here’s who’s available in 2026:

Payless Power

To start: $40-75
Credit check: None
Same-day service: Yes (before 2PM, 7 days a week)
Serving Texas since: 2005

Payless Power is the biggest name in no-deposit lights. They’ve been in Texas for over 20 years and have the lowest startup cost. The $40-75 you put down isn’t a deposit. It goes straight to your power usage, like putting gas in the car.

Now Power

To start: $50-75
Credit check: None
Same-day service: Yes (before 2PM weekdays)
Serving Texas since: 2015

Now Power runs a straightforward prepaid operation. Slightly higher startup cost than Payless, but competitive rates once you’re on.

Pogo Energy

To start: $30-50
Credit check: None
Same-day service: Yes (before 1PM weekdays)
Serving Texas since: 2018

Pogo has the lowest possible startup if you catch their minimums. They focus on transparency with their pricing. Newer company, but they’ve built a decent track record.

The Catch With Prepaid

Prepaid light companies cost more per month. About 30-50% more than traditional plans. On a typical 1,000-unit month, you’re looking at $145-180 with prepaid versus $80-120 on a traditional fixed rate.

That’s $60-100 per month more. Over a year, prepaid costs roughly $720-1,200 extra compared to traditional.

If prepaid is your only option right now, take it. Get your lights on. But know that traditional plans with no deposit exist, and they save serious money if you can qualify.

For a deeper breakdown of these companies, check our ranked list of the best no-deposit light companies.

Traditional Light Companies That Waive Deposits

Traditional light companies all run credit checks. But “credit check” doesn’t automatically mean “deposit required.” Every company sets its own threshold. One might want $400 from you while another approves you at $0.

Here’s what we’ve seen from major traditional light companies in Texas:

More Likely to Waive (Lower Thresholds)

Company	Approximate Credit Threshold	Notes
4Change Energy	~600	Lower thresholds, community-focused
Ambit Energy	~620	Flexible policies
Veteran Energy	Varies	Extra flexibility for military/veterans

Moderate Thresholds

Company	Approximate Credit Threshold	Notes
Green Mountain Energy	~625	Renewable energy plans
Cirro Energy	~625	Consistent approval rates

Stricter Requirements

Company	Approximate Credit Threshold	Notes
TXU Energy	~650	Large company, strict rules
Reliant	~650	Higher deposit amounts when required
Direct Energy	~650+	Strict credit requirements

These numbers shift. Companies adjust their thresholds based on how many customers they want and how much risk they’re willing to take. A company that required 650 last month might drop to 600 next month if they need more sign-ups.

That’s why comparing matters. You won’t know who’ll approve you until you check.

Want to see which light companies approve you with $0 deposit?

We check multiple companies at once. Different thresholds, different results. Many people find at least one traditional company that says yes. If nobody does, prepaid is always there. Enter your ZIP code and see your options.

How to Pick the Right Light Company

Your choice depends on your situation right now:

Need lights TODAY, no time to wait: Go prepaid. Payless Power, Now Power, or Pogo Energy. $40-75 to start, lights on in hours.

Can wait 1-2 days and want to save money long-term: Try traditional first. Enter your ZIP and see if any company approves you with no deposit. If one does, you’ll save $80-100/month compared to prepaid. That’s $960-1,200/year.

Got denied for traditional, but have documentation: Check if you qualify for a deposit waiver. Seniors (65+), disability recipients, and people on SNAP/Medicaid can skip the deposit by law. You can also use a letter of credit from a previous light company.

No options working: Start with prepaid. After 12 months of on-time usage, you can get a letter of credit and switch to traditional. Prepaid is the bridge, not the destination.

How Credit Thresholds Actually Work

Every traditional light company in Texas uses some version of this process: you apply, they pull a soft credit check, and their system spits out a deposit amount (or $0) based on your score and their internal rules.

What most people don’t realize is that these thresholds aren’t fixed. Companies adjust them based on:

Business demand. Need more customers? Lower the threshold. Too much risk? Raise it.
Season. Summer brings more move-ins and higher demand. Some companies loosen requirements to capture volume.
Market competition. When a competitor drops their deposit requirements, others sometimes follow.
Portfolio risk. If a company has too many customers defaulting, they tighten up across the board.

This means the exact same credit score can get you $0 deposit at one company and $400 at another. And a company that rejected you three months ago might approve you today.

The only way to know is to check. That’s why comparing multiple companies at the same time matters more than anything else on this list.

Prepaid Startup Costs Are Not Deposits

This trips people up constantly. When Payless Power asks for $40 to start, that’s not a deposit. It’s your first power payment. You’re pre-buying power that gets used up as you consume it.

A deposit is money the company holds as insurance. You get it back after 12 months. A prepaid startup payment gets spent immediately on your actual power usage.

Under PUCT Rule 25.498, prepaid plans in Texas cannot require a traditional security deposit.

What About “No Deposit” Promos?

Some traditional light companies run promotional no-deposit offers from time to time. These are real but temporary. The company is betting they can attract enough customers to offset the risk of skipping credit checks.

Be careful with these:

Read the fine print. Some “no deposit” promos just shift the deposit to a monthly surcharge.
Check the rate. The plan rate on a promo might be higher than what you’d pay with a deposit on a regular plan.
Ask about contract length. Some promos lock you into 12-24 month contracts.

How We Compare Light Companies

We’re not a light company. We’re a comparison tool powered by Compare Power (PUCT License BR190020, serving Texas since 2009). When you enter your ZIP, we show you plans from multiple companies. Traditional plans show the deposit amount (if any). Prepaid plans show startup costs.

We also run a process where we check whether multiple traditional companies will approve you with $0 deposit. Every company has different rules. Some will say no, some might say yes. It takes two minutes and might save you $1,000+ over the next year.

Ready to find your no-deposit option?

Enter your ZIP code to see every light company available at your address. We’ll show you who needs a deposit and who doesn’t. Also check our guide to finding electric companies that skip deposits and our full light company list with qualification details.