4Change Energy

About 4Change Energy

4Change Energy is a sister company to the long-time giant of Texas energy companies, TXU Energy. Both are owned by parent company Vistra Energy, with 4Change Energy marketed as a budget option in Vistra’s portfolio.

4Change Energy Electricity Plans

As far as electricity plans, 4Change Energy offers a similar range to other energy companies in Texas, including variable month-to-month rates and fixed-rate terms. They offer 100 percent green plans and provide electricity plans in all deregulated cities.

Except for a month-to-month plan, all their options are for either 12 or 24 months. The common offerings you might find are:

• Charitable Saver 12: The company’s flagship plan allows you to lock in a rate for a year. It also offers a $20 bill credit after your consumption reaches 1,000 kWh. This plan doesn’t have a base charge.

• Free Energy 12: Just like the Charitable Saver 12, this electricity plan locks in your rates for a full year. It has a $25 bill credit after 1,000 kWh. This plan info says Free Energy for usage 501-1000 kWh which could be a good deal for homeowners that use less electricity than average. This plan doesn’t have a base charge.
• Green Saver 12: This electricity plan locks in your rates for a full year and has 100% Texas wind renewable power. There is a cancellation fee of $20 per month remaining in the contract duration.
• Charitable Saver 24: This 4Change Energy electricity plan allows you to lock in a rate for two years. It also offers a $20 bill credit after your consumption reaches 1,000 kWh. This plan doesn’t have a base charge.
• Charitable Saver Monthly: This energy plan doesn’t lock you into a long-term contract so it doesn’t have a cancellation fee. It offers a $20 bill credit after your consumption reaches 1,000 kWh.

Pros of 4Change Energy

With more than 127 electricity providers in Texas, 4Change Energy has come up with a couple of nice ways to stand out from the crowd.

Where 4Change Energy differs from other providers is its mission of giving back to the community and customers. 4Change Energy donates four percent of profits each year to a slate of four charities choices:

1. – Feeding Texas, American Cancer Society
2. American Red Cross
3. Heroes for Children – or
4. you choose which one you would like to support when you sign up for a plan.

They also offer cash incentives for customer referrals through their 4Friends program. You provide friends, family, and neighbors with a special link to sign up at 4Change Energy. When a referral you make signs up, you each get a $25 Visa reward card.

4Change Energy also has an interesting satisfaction guarantee. Within your first 30 days on a plan, they are committed to solving any issue you have, right down to letting you out of your contract without penalty.

The company first attempts to get you into one of its other plans to find a better fit. But as long as you contact them by phone in that first 30 days, they don’t charge an early cancellation fee if they can’t make a match.

The company has gone paperless, sending all communications, including bills, electronically. They also send a weekly smart energy usage report to help you track your electricity use.

4Change Energy had an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, and 90 percent of their customers say they would recommend the company to others.

Cons of 4Change Energy

Since we just mentioned their BBB rating, it’s important to note that they have a very poor review rating there as well – 1.48 of 5 stars. The BBB rating has to do with responding to complaints registered with the bureau, which they do well. But the overall review of their service is quite poor.

This is also reflected in the customer complaint statistics at the Public Utility Commission. Of the complaints filed, 76 percent have to do with billing issues, a significantly higher percentage than other companies. Most had around 50 percent of complaints related to billing issues.

When you start reading the reviews, two specific complaints around billing pop up repeatedly. These have to do with the slow processing of payments that then resulted in late fees being assessed. The other was that delivery charges were being billed even though the plan description says all fees are rolled into the price.

4Change Energy also charges $19.95 for sending disconnect notices, which begin to add up if slow payment processing consistently shows that you’re late. This is on top of $9.95 fees for late-payments and a $29.95 fee to reconnect service if they do turn your electricity off.

Customers also noted glitches in the renewal process. They would often sign up to renew but be bumped up to a non-contract rate because the renewal didn’t go through.

Choosing the Best Electricity Plan for You

If you’re wondering, “which Texas energy company should I use”? 4Change Energy has probably hit your radar as a likely candidate. Their slate of plans seems to cover most needs, so they might have one that makes the most sense for your situation.

However, remember that you need to consider more than just the advertised price per kilowatt-hour when you make comparisons. Your monthly usage and extra fees have a lot to do with choosing the right plan for you. At EnerWisely, our free Energy MatchMaker tool gives you access to free Smart shopping tools to match you up to the plan that gives you the lowest cost based on your real usage patterns.

4Change Energy Service Areas

4Change Energy covers a wide service area that incorporates much of the lone star state. This includes (but isn’t limited to) the following areas:

• Addison
• Conroe
• Dallas
• Galveston
• Houston
• McKinney
• Odessa
• Plano
• Richardson
• Waco

Notice: Any product, company, or organization names, marks, or logos shown on this page are the property of their respective owners. EnerWisely is an unaffiliated, independent marketplace.

4Change Energy Company Rating

According to the records of the Texas Public Utility Commission and Power to Choose, as of January 27, 2021 4Change Energy has a company rating of 1 starts out of 5.

The company rating indicates the ratio of customer complaints a company has received in the past 6 months compared to other companies. The more stars a company has, the lower the complaint ratio.

This link takes you to the official customer complaint statistics for 4Change Energy as reported by Power to Choose, the official website of the Public Utility Commission of Texas

Notice

Any product, company, or organization names, marks or logos shown on this page are the property of their respective owners. EnerWisely is an unaffiliated, independent marketplace.

EnerWisely finds the electricity plans with the lowest cost based on your usage patterns

With EnerWisely, you are always in control; that is why it offers multiple ways to shop. However, when it comes to finding the best plan, customization based on your real consumption patterns is the key. 

Because you use different appliances during different periods, your electricity consumption changes over time. Once you see your real usage trends, you will understand why using “an average consumption” might lead you to the wrong choices. 

Instead, take advantage of EnerWisely Technology now. Use the FREE TOOL Energy MatchMaker and identify the electricity plan with the lowest cost based on your real usage patterns.

The process is 100% done online, so you get results within minutes. Most Texas homes already have smart meters installed by the utility companies; therefore, there is no need or extra cost for new devices.

Yeap, it complies with DataGuard, the standard for energy data privacy. Your savings don`t come at the cost of your privacy. So unlike other services, with us, your data is never sold or shared! 

EnerWisely is the best free, smart, and easy way to compare energy rates in Texas.

HERE IS HOW IT WORKS:
1- First of all, signup for FREE to access EnerWisely’s powerful analytics. All you need is your address, meter number, and electricity provider name to securely access your home`s electric meter data.
2- Next, instantly see your real consumption patterns including seasonal changes, days vs. nights, and weekdays vs. weekends.
3- Then, evaluate the compatibility  between all the plans in our database and your profile
4- Consequently, cut through the clutter with top recommendations ranked by matching scores based on each plan estimated total cost
5- In conclusion, order confidently to maximize your savings and get extra perks to stay on track.

EnerWisely Keeps Your Data Safe & Private.

Also, use EnerWisely and say goodbye to partial savings! 

EnerWisely is more than an electricity shopping site. It is the only personalized energy management platform free for consumers in Texas. 

Your full savings potential comes from finding the lowest costs electricity plan, and ALSO improving your energy efficiency. Since EnerWisely helps you with both, you finally have a way to stop missing out on savings. 

With EnerWisely, you get the only service capable of analyzing your home features to evaluate your energy leaks and show you where and how to save more. Also, EnerWisely can show you the climate impact of your energy use. 

In conclusion, when it comes to saving money and protecting the planet, there is no reason to compromise. With EnerWisely, your improvements in Energy Efficiency will always mean bigger money savings and lower emissions.