12.06.24
Phone service is essential, but it's not always cheap. According to JD Power, as of 2024, the average (single line) cell phone bill is $144/month. That's almost $2,000 a year. For that amount of money, you can fund a vacation, a car, or simply watch your savings grow.
Traditional phone companies don't exactly make it easy to reduce that monthly expense, with a lot of fine print (ahem AutoPay ahem), and promotional discounts that look great at first glance, but require a longer commitment (3-6 month payment up front) to get. The good news is that that there affordable phone plans out there that can still keep you connected with all the things that matter, but without the hefty phone bill.
Summary: Best Cheap Phone Plans
| Category | Plan | Provider | Starting Price | Data ( Plan Details) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Cheap Plan | Free Essential Data | TextNow | $0/month |
|
| Best for Unlimited Data | Visible Unlimited Data Plan | Visible | $25/month | Unlimited – includes mobile hotspot |
| Best for Unlimited Call & Text | Free Essential Data | TextNow | $0/month | Free data for essential apps (email, maps, and rideshare) |
| Best for Seniors | Economy | Tello | $10/month | 2GB of data plan |
| Best for Families | Unlimited Plan | Cricket Wireless | $100/month ( 4 lines) |
|
| Best phone plan for AT&T | Unlimited Starter SL | AT&T | $35.99/month per line (when you get 4 lines) |
|
| Best phone plan for T-Mobile | Essentials | T-Mobile | $90/month for 3 phone lines + taxes and fees | Unlimited 5G data for all lines |
| Best phone plan for Verizon | Unlimited Welcome | Verizon | 30/month per line (4 lines plus taxes and fee) | Unlimited 5G data for all lines |
| Best prepaid for AT&T (single line) | AT&T Prepaid Unlimited | AT&T | $25/month | Unlimited data (high speed data capped at 16GB) |
| Best prepaid for T-Mobile | Prepaid Unlimited | T-Mobile | $50/month | Unlimited data |
| best prepaid for Verizon | Prepaid 15GB | Verizon | $35/month | 15GB (after cap is met, you can still stay connected at slower 2G speeds) |
Cheap phone providers: MVNOs
Cheaper phone plans are usually offered by reseller providers, or MVNOs. These carriers don’t own the network themselves (like the big 3 – AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile), but are able to sell their services using one of those networks. They are also usually prepaid plans.
*Fun fact: There are currently over 50 MVNOs operating in the U.S.
If you’re wondering what the difference is between a plan from Verizon versus one from Visible when they’re using the same network, it mostly comes down to:
Less perks (eg. No free Hulu subscription included with the plan).
More limited customer service access.
Network speeds (commonly, the big 3 network customers are prioritized).
If you don’t care too much about these factors, here are our picks for the best cheap phone plans:
STOP! Paying for phone service
With TextNow, you get unlimited talk & text, plus essential data, for $0/month. Stay connected without paying a penny on your phone bill.
Best overall cheap phone plan
TextNow
Price $0/month
Network Nation's largest 5G network
Phone Plan Free essential data
Data Limit 1GB of data to access essential apps like email, maps, and rideshare
Our Take If you're not a heavy data user, this is a great plan to have to still be connected with your number (and select services) without paying a monthly bill.
Pros & Cons Pros:
- $0 monthly bill Flexible service that won’t cut your service off if you’re unable to make payment (or charge you extra for it) with base Free Essential Data service.
- No contracts or commitments
- Roaming in Canada & Mexico included
- Unlimited calling and texting to Canada & Mexico also included (plus hundreds of other affordable international calling options that also start at $0)
- $Offers exclusive deals and discounts from popular brands in-app
- Have to add on data passes to access other apps (start at $0.99/hour)
- No eSIM support
Best plan for unlimited data
Visible
Price $25/month
Network Verizon
Phone Plan Visible unlimited data plan
Data Limit No data limited
Perk Not included
Our Take If you're a heavy data user who is looking for a plan with unlimited mobile hotspot included, this is a great deal.
Pros & Cons Pros:
- No other hidden fees (taxes already included)
- Truly unlimited data (no hard caps)
- No roaming included
- Network speeds may be deprioritized
Best plan for unlimited talk & text
TextNow
Price $0/month
Network Nation's largest 5G network
Phone Plan Free essential data
Data Limit 1GB of data to access essential apps like email, maps, and rideshare
Our Take If you're only in need of a number to stay connected with calls & texts, you can't beat free.
Pros & Cons Pros:
- Number easily accessible on multiple devices (phone, tablet, computer)
- With your talk & text plan, you also have access to essential apps like email, maps, and rideshare for free
- Have to add on data passes to access other apps (start at $0.99/hour)
- No eSIM support
Best plan for seniors
Tello
Price $10/month
Network T-Mobile
Phone Plan Tello economy plan
Data Limit 2GB data
Perk Not included
Our Take This is an inexpensive plan that will keep you connected with unlimited talk & text, plus give you access to enough data to browse the internet, download photos, and keep up with the news without breaking the bank
Pros & Cons Pros:
- No contracts or hidden fees
- Plans are flexible and customizable
- Free international calling to select countries
- Network speeds may be deprioritized
Best plan for families
Cricket Wireless
Price $100/month (for 4 lines)
Network AT&T
Phone Plan Cricket wireless unlimited plan
Data Limit No data limit
Perk 2GB Cloud Storage with MyPhotoVault app
Our Take $100/month for 4 lines is a great deal, especially when you factor in that each lines gets truly unlimited data access
Pros & Cons Pros:
- Plan includes roaming in Canada & Mexico
- No HD streaming
- $25 in-store activation fee
Cheapest Prepaid Phone Plans
TextNow
Talk & Text Plan $0 (includes essential data for email, maps, and rideshare apps)
Unlimited Data Plan
- $0.99/hour
- $4.99/day
- $39.99/month
Our Take A $0 monthly bill can free up your budget for a lot of things. While the service is ad-supported (in-app), those brand partnerships also benefit their customers by offering weekly deals/discounts from popular brands (Hulu, Walmart, etc.)
Visible
Talk & Text Plan N/A
Unlimited Data Plan $25/month
Our Take To take advantage of their faster network for regular and hotspot data, you would need to opt for the pricier $45/month Visible+ plan.
Mint
Talk & Text Plan N/A
Unlimited Data Plan $15/month
Our Take If you're able to pay in lump sums ($45 up front for 3 months of service), this is a great way to take advantage of their Unlimited Data Plan. Otherwise, there are more affordable options.
US Mobile
Talk & Text Plan N/A
Unlimited Data Plan $25/month
Our Take Note that the Unlimited Starter Plan only comes with 35GB of high speed data, so if you're a heavier data user, opt for a different plan.
Tello
Talk & Text Plan $8/month
Unlimited Data Plan $25/month
Our Take Note that the Unlimited Data Plan only comes with 35GB of high speed data, so if you're a heavier data user, opt for a different plan.
Cheapest Phone Plans from the Big 3 (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon)
Best Phone Plan for AT&T
AT&T
Price $35.99/month per line (when you get 4 lines)
Network AT&T
Phone Plan Unlimited starter SL
Data Limit No data limited
Perk
- AT&T ActiveArmor security
- 5GB hotspot data per line per month
Our Take If you can prepay $300 for 12 months, you can enjoy the same Unlimited Data plan (+10GB of hotspot data) at a $25/month rate.
Best Phone Plan for T-Mobile
T-Mobile
Price $90/month for 3 phone lines + taxes and fees
Network T-Mobile
Phone Plan T-Mobile essentials
Data Limit 50GB of premium data
Perk None
Our Take Upgrading to the Unlimited Promo plan for an extra $5/month will also give you access to texting & calling to Canada, Mexico, and other international destinations. It's a worthwhile upgrade if you have family & friends abroad.
Best Phone Plan for Verizon
Verizon
Price $30/month per line (4 lines plus taxes and fee)
Network Verizon
Phone Plan Unlimited welcome
Data Limit Unlimited 5G
Perk Include autopay
Our Take Verizon is great if network coverage is a concern for you. Otherwise, you can find better price points for these plans.
Methodology
TextNow selects the best cellphone plan based on consumer value and suitability for specific consumers. Factors in our internal evaluation methodology include five categories: price, network, data, speed, and perks.
Beginner’s guide to cell phone plan
Cellphone plans are a big part of our daily lives. Selecting the best phone plan to meet your needs and lifestyle is always a struggle for all of us. The right phone plan will enable you to save hundreds of dollars each month and manage your finances better.
What is a cell phone plan
A cell phone plan is a contract that you select and sign with mobile carriers by paying a monthly fee. It allows you to use their network to call, text, and use cellular data on your mobile devices.
Type of cell phone plan
There are two types of phone plans: Contract and Prepaid.
Contract phone plan: Customers sign a long-term contract with the mobile carrier to use their network. The market has various types of plans, such as free text and call, limited and unlimited data plans, and free roaming.
Prepaid phone plan: Customers pay the phone plan in advance without signing a long-term contract.
How to select the best phone plan
If you type in “cheapest phone plan” into a search engine, you’re going to be hit with a mix of articles like this one, but more importantly, you’re going to see a lot of claims – “easy”, “affordable”, “best”, “what you deserve.” Finding what actually works for you in a sea of “cheapest” is overwhelming. So let’s break down what you want to look out for.
Data
In today's age, having some access to data is basically a right, not just a privilege. It’s important that you first determine how much data you need. It may be that your school/work situation makes it so that you’re connected to Wi-Fi most of the time anyway, and only need very little. Or it may be that you’re spending a lot of your time outside of Wi-Fi zones, and need steady access to apps, and not just to texts & calls. Figuring that out first will help you narrow down your search filters (unlimited data vs a talk & text only plan).
TextNow Tip: If you're looking for unlimited data specifically, we've put together a list of the current best unlimited data plans you can find on the market.
Network
This goes for any phone plan search, but coverage is key. The big three networks (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) do a pretty good job of covering the continental United States, and if you don’t already know whether your area has issues with coverage from one or more of those carriers, do your research first.
Speed
As mentioned before, reseller networks tend to be deprioritized in comparison to the big networks. This just means that in times of congestion (especially if you live in a metropolitan area), you may experience slower speeds than someone who is on an AT&T plan.
This will mostly be felt if you’re someone who spends a lot of time on their phone streaming (YouTube, Netflix, etc.), and/or uploading content over data (Instagram stories or reels, and TikToks.) So be sure to look into the speeds offered by each provider before deciding on that plan.
TextNow Tip: You can use the "broadband fact sheets" available under every data plan (as mandated by the FCC) to find the exact download and upload speeds offered by that provider.
Price
And finally, the factor that probably matters the most – the price. It’s important that before you even set out, you narrow it down to a realistic budget.
You may just be looking for a cheap phone plan that can allow you to save elsewhere monthly, so you can spend it on a new car, a family vacation, or rent. One last thing: If you’re worried about keeping your number when switching plans, don’t be. Most carriers these days make transferring your number super easy, but be sure to look up where your current carrier keeps your account information, so you can get started.
Postpaid or prepaid
After figuring out the data, network, speed, and price, you should ask yourself whether you want to sign a long-term contract with the carriers to pay monthly or upfront without binding a contract. Prepaid plans are typically cheaper, while postpaid plans technically come with the perks and priority data.
MVNOS VS OTHER CARRIERS
