Finding the Best Cheap Prepaid Phone Plans

Prepaid cell phone plans provide flexible no-contract service. You pay upfront each month for a set allotment of minutes, texts and data. This guide compares the 7 most affordable prepaid options to fit different needs and budgets.

Overview of Prepaid Phone Plans

Prepaid plans offer advantages over long term contract wireless services:

• No credit checks or long term commitments – Prepaid is very easy to qualify for. And you can change carriers anytime without early termination fees.
• No surprise overage charges – Most prepaids slow data speeds when you hit your cap versus expensive overage fees. Some don‘t charge anything extra.
• Basic phones are very affordable – For talk and text focused basic phones, prepaid plans start at just $10/month or even free.
• Savings from prepaying – You can save $5-$15 per month when you pay upfront for 3, 6 or 12 months of service.
• Multi-line discounts – Options like Metro by T-Mobile offer nice per line discounts for family plans.

The best prepaid carriers offer outstanding value with premium network coverage and speeds. This guide outlines the cheapest rate plans from top tier providers.

1. Mint Mobile – Best Overall Value Prepaid Plans

Mint Mobile consisently offers the lowest prepaid prices for individuals. It runs on T-Mobile‘s nationwide 5G/LTE network. Here is a breakdown of Mint‘s cheapest new customer promotional offers:

• 4GB for $15/month the first 3 months (regularly $25/month)
• $20/month 10GB for the first 3 months (regularly $35/month)
• Unlimited for $30/month for your first 3 months (reg. $40/month)

You must prepay for either 3, 6 or 12 months of service. But that locks in the discounted intro rates. All plans have unlimited talk and text. Video streaming is 480p quality unless you pay $5-10 more for HD. Mobile hotspot usage and calls/texts to Mexico & Canada incur extra fees.

Pros

• Access to fast T-Mobile 5G/LTE network
• Very affordable monthly prices
• Free calls to US/Canada on unlimited plan
• No contracts or hidden fees

Cons

• Must prepay upfront for lowest rates
• Speeds may be slower than T-Mobile postpaid in congested areas
• No per line discounts for families

Mint Mobile is my top overall recommendation for individuals wanting premium T-Mobile coverage at the lowest monthly cost. Their plans beat every T-Mobile prepaid competitor on affordability.

2. AT&T Prepaid – Strong Coverage + Yearly Discounts

AT&T Prepaid provides extensive nationwide LTE coverage for a reasonable monthly price. You‘ll save the most by paying for 12 months of service upfront. However 5G access requires upgrading to one of AT&T‘s pricier Unlimited Plus/Max plans.

At an affordable $35/month for 5GB, AT&T Prepaid beats Verizon, T-Mobile and most every other carrier‘s entry prepaid plans. Or get 16GB of LTE data for $50/month. AT&T‘s coverage breadth makes these very solid options if you don‘t need super high speeds.

Prepaid customers can stream video at up to 1.5 Mbps quality – good enough for smooth 480p playback. Calling Mexico landlines and Canada is included while other international calls are extra.

Pros

• No speed restrictions unlike some discounted AT&T MVNOs
• Calling to Mexico & Canada included
• Video streams at 1.5 Mbps cap so quality exceeding 480p
• Discounts for buying bigger data bundles
• Save extra $5-$15/month paying yearly

Cons

• 5G network access requires Unlimited Plus/Max postpaid plans
• Monthly taxes & fees raise prices around $6
• Multi-line family discounts only for 2 people

Paying for a full year drops AT&T Prepaid‘s already low monthly service fee $5-$15 per month. That makes this one of the best network coverage and affordability combos available.

3. Tello – Build Your Own Custom Prepaid Plan

Tello earns its spot on our cheapest cell phone plans list by letting you fully customize prepaid plans on T-Mobile‘s network. Pick just the minutes, texts and 4G LTE or 5G data you need.

Tello plan pricing:

• $5 per month – Up to 1000 texts or 100 minutes
• $6 per month – 1GB high-speed data
• $8 per month – Unlimited US calls & texts with 6GB data

Tello‘s custom plans remove worry about wasting money on unnecessary extras every month. For example, a lightweight calling plan might include:

• 500 Minutes
• Unlimited texts
• 1GB of data

That customizable combo would run you $9/month. Or spec out an unlimited plan with calling, messaging and 6GB of high-speed data for $23/month.

Video streaming with Tello is capped at about 1 Mbps – enough performance for smooth 480p playback. But you can pay $2/month extra to stream at up to 2 Mbps for 720p HD quality.

Pros

• Totally customizable plan builder
• Calling to Canada & Mexico included
• T-Mobile LTE/5G network access
• No overage fees – speeds just get throttled

Cons

• Must build own combos so takes effort
• Maximum 6GB high-speed data cap
• No per line family discounts

Tello keeps costs low by putting you in control of mixing and matching just what‘s needed for the most affordable prepaid cell plan. Definite recommended option.

4. TextNow – Best Free Cell Phone Service

Remarkably TextNow offers a free nationwide talk and text prepaid plan. You simply pay $4.99 one time for the SIM card kit. After that, calls and SMS messages to anywhere in the US and Canada won‘t cost a penny.

Of course most people also want cellular data access when away from Wi-Fi. TextNow uses Sprint‘s network for prepaid plans starting at $19/month for 2GB of high-speed data. Unlimited data bumps the monthly cost to $39.99. Video can stream at up to 480p quality.

Pros

• Totally free US calling and texting
• Low cost data add-ons to free calling plan
• Bring your own phone – just swap SIMs

Cons

• Advertisements display in the app
• Maximum of 5GB high-speed data
• Sprint LTE speeds trail top networks

While richer in ads and slower in mobile data than premium networks, TextNow‘s free talk and text is an incredible prepaid deal that‘s hard to pass up.

5. Metro by T-Mobile – Best Family Prepaid Plans

Metro by T-Mobile utilizes the same full coverage T-Mobile 5G/LTE network at cheaper prepaid prices. Multi-line savings make Metro really stand out for families who can add up to 5 lines.

For example, two lines with unlimited high-speed data costs $80/month. Add a third line for $90/month total and fourth line for $100/month total. By the fifth line your family would pay $140/month for unlimited data on all lines.

Individual plans start at $30/month for 10GB of smartphone data. All options include hotspot usage and Google One cloud backup. Video can be streamed at up to 480p quality or get HD for an extra $5/month per line.

Pros

• Big per line discounts for families
• Full T-Mobile 5G/LTE network access
• 10GB & unlimited data options
• Google One cloud backupstorage

Cons

• Perks like free roaming limited
• Multi-line pricing not as cheap as Mint
• 480p standard video resolution

Metro by T-Mobile lets multi-line families get affordable access to T-Mobile‘s leading national 5G network. If having the extra T-Mobile perks matters, Metro delivers great value.

6. Visible – Unlimited Verizon LTE Data for $40

Visible offers unlimited talk, text and LTE data on Verizon‘s network for just $40/month flat. Taxes and fees included. There‘s also a Party Pay discount dropping the rate to $25/month per line when you sign up with a group.

So getting Visible with 3 friends or family would mean only $100 total per month for 4 lines. That‘s an incredible rate for Verizon-powered coverage. Video streams at 2 Mbps quality – about DVD resolution 480p.

Pros

• Verizon premium network access
• Unlimited high-speed data
• Party plan multi-line discounts
• 5G coverage included

Cons

• Video capped at 480p quality
• Party pay requires joining group plans
• Individual line price stays $40/month

If you want unlimited high-speed Verizon data under $50/month, Visible is a very compelling choice despite some limitations. The savings from Party plans make it a nice family option too.

7. Verizon Prepaid – Reliable Nationwide Coverage

Verizon Prepaid provides the same robust 4G LTE and 5G coverage as Verizon postpaid without contracts or credit checks. Individual plans start at just $30/month for 5GB and unlimited is $65/month.

Taxes and fees are included in the monthly price. Mobile hotspot and calling/texting Mexico and Canada are also included. Video streaming goes up to 480p quality.

Pros

• Get same great Verizon 4G LTE & 5G network
• Mexico & Canada usage included
• Reliable nationwide coverage
• Stream video at up to 480p

Cons

• Pricing not as cheap as some challenger prepaids on this list
• Just 5GB and unlimited data options

Verizon Prepaid works best for individuals wanting excellent coast-to-coast reception and reliability traveling to Mexico & Canada. You pay a bit of a premium over discount prepaids but quality is superb.

Key Takeaways – Cheapest Prepaid Cell Plans

This guide covers the most affordable prepaid cell phone plans across top tier networks. Hopefully it provides useful insight to fit your budget and needs whether you‘re an individual, couple or family. With flexible no contract options this cheap, why not give prepaid a try?

Prepaid Cell Phone Plan FAQs

Q: What is the cheapest overall prepaid phone plan?

A: TextNow has the most affordable basic monthly service starting at free after paying $4.99 for the SIM card kit. Mint Mobile has the cheapest bundled talk, text and LTE data plans from around $15 per month when you prepay for a year.

Q: What prepaid phone plan has the best coverage?

A: AT&T Prepaid and Verizon Prepaid plans provide the most reliable overall nationwide coverage in cities plus rural areas. However you may need to pay extra for 5G data speeds depending on carrier.

Q: Can I use prepaid plans with iPhones or Samsung phones?

A: Yes, most modern iPhones and Galaxy phones work great with prepaid cell networks as long as the device is unlocked. Just swap in the prepaid carrier‘s SIM card to start saving.

Q: Is there a activation fee when signing up for prepaid plans?

A: Most prepaid carriers do not charge activation fees. The exception is AT&T Prepaid at $25 per line activated. But they run frequent free activation promotions.