Life, Electricity

Everything You Need to Know About 4Change Energy

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If you live in a deregulated part of Texas, there's a good chance you've heard of 4Change Energy. 4Change is a retail electric provider that buys and sells electricity to Texans throughout the state. Their goal is to provide affordable electricity to anyone who's in their service area and to ake life easier for Texans.

Right off the bat, 4Change Energy sounds like a decent electricity option. While they certainly aren't a bad retail electric provider, they might not be the best options for you. This article will examine the pros and cons of 4Change Energy, how they stack up against GoodCharlie Energy, and which option is right for you. If you already know that GoodCharlie is the REP for you, contact us to get started with the enrollment process!

What is 4Change Energy?
What Kinds of Plans Does 4Change Energy Offer?
Is 4Change Energy Available in My Area?
Is 4Change Energy the REP For Me?
Who's a Good Alternative to 4Change Energy?

What is 4Change Energy?

As we mentioned above, 4Change Energy is a retail electric provider that's based in Dallas, Texas. As an REP, 4Change purchases electricity from power plants and power generators and sells it to residential and commercial customers throughout Texas. They first opened their doors in the early 2000s, soon after Texas decided to deregulate its electricity market.

Like most REPs in Texas, 4Change Energy has a parent company that's a multi-billion dollar energy conglomerate. However, despite the fact that 4Change Energy is a for-profit organization, they do their best to give back to the community. They donate roughly 4% of their annual earnings to charities and organizations throughout the Lonestar State, making them one of the most generous REPs in Texas.

What Kinds of Plans Does 4Change Energy Offer?

While 4Change Energy sets themselves apart from other REPs with their generosity, they offer the same types of plans as most other REPs in Texas. 4Change exclusively offers fixed-rate electricity plans, and they currently have seven different options to choose from. Here are some of the different types of fixed-rate plans 4Change offers.

Cash Money Plan

The Cash Money 12 Plan is one of the most popular options that 4Change has on its docket. With this plan, you receive a $100 gift card when you sign up and a $45 bill credit if you use at least 1,000 kWh. These perks make the Cash Money plan a tempting offer, but it's important to read every aspect of the plan to make sure these perks are worth the cost.

12 to 24-Month Plans

Each of 4Change's fixed-rate plans is for 12 or 24-month terms. These term lengths are fairly typical of most REPs in Texas, and the different plan options include the Maxx Saver Select 12, Maxx Saver Select 24, Power Maxx Saver 12, Power Maxx Saver 24, and One Rate 12.

Smart Thermostat Plan

Finally, 4Change also has a Smart Thermostat Plan, where you receive a free smart thermostat when you sign up for this plan. As with the Cash Money plan, a free gift makes this plan a tempting offer. However, as with all plans from any REP, it's important to read the Electricity Facts and Labels Sheet and the Terms and Conditions of the plan so you know exactly what you're getting into.

Is 4Change Energy Available in My Area?

4Change Energy is owned by a billion-dollar energy conglomerate. As such, they have a fairly broad reach and are available in most parts of Texas. Therefore, if you live in a deregulated part of the Lonestar State, there's a good chance that 4Change is available in your area.

Is 4Change Energy the REP For Me?

As you can see, there's a lot to like about 4Change Energy. They're known as a top charitable REP in Texas and they have a wide range of plans to choose from. However, there are a few things you should be aware of if you're thinking about enrolling into a 4Change Energy electricity plan and here they are.

Their Plans Have Wide Pricing Tiers

One of the first things you'll notice about 4Change Energy is that they have incredibly low electricity rates. They're so low, in fact, that they seem too good to be true. That's partially because it is.

Take the Maxx Saver Select 12 plan, for example. The advertised rate for this plan is currently 8.8 cents/kWh, which is significantly lower than the Texas average. However, when you look at the Electricity Facts and Labels Sheet, you'll notice that this rate is based on using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity.

When you use less than 1,000 kWh, your rate skyrockets to 19.2 cents/kWh, and if you use more than 2,000 kWh, your rate jumps to 13.6 cents/kWh. In other words, unless you use between 1,000 and 2,000 kilowatt-hours, you'll be paying more than the average rate in Texas.

Aside from these plans, 4Change does offer plans with less disparity between their pricing tiers. However, the average rate is higher for these than the Texas average, which means that it's possible to save big bucks with 4Change, but it's also possible to overspend.

Potentially Hefty Cancellation Fees

Aside from wide tiered rates, the second thing you'll notice about 4Change Energy is that they have a unique cancellation policy. Rather than charging a flat early termination fee, they charge you $20/month for every month left on your contract when you cancel.

Let's say, for instance, that you find a better electricity plan and you only have two months left on your 4Change contract. This means your cancellation fee will be $40, which isn't too bad. If, however, you want to get out of your contract and you still have a year remaining, your cancellation fee will be $240. For that reason, you should be absolutely certain of your decision when you enroll with 4Change Energy.

Who's a Good Alternative to 4Change Energy?

If you don't think that 4Change Energy is the right REP for you, you should consider choosing GoodCharlie Energy. Like 4Change, GoodCharlie is a charitable organization that gives back to local pet shelters. We also have the mission of making Texas the best place for a dog to live and are advocating for Texas to become a no-kill state. On top of that, we have some of the best rewards and perks in the industry, each of which are geared toward pets and pet owners.

In addition to our outstanding rewards and benefits, GoodCharlie Energy has some of the lowest electricity rates in Texas. Unlike other REPs, however, we don't have wide disparities in our pricing tiers, which means that you don't get penalized for using more or less electricity than you typically do. Contact us to learn more about our outstanding fixed-rate electricity plans or to sign up today!