If you’re looking for ways to save on your cell phone bill, there are several inexpensive providers you can switch to without sacrificing the quality of your service.
I’ve researched more than 70 phone plans to find the absolute best prices on reliable networks. In this article, I’ll share my top picks for cheap cell phone plans.
As you’re shopping around for a new phone plan, be sure that you consider your needs first. While price is clearly an important factor, you’ll also want to find a provider that has good coverage in your area and offers an appropriate amount of mobile data. For this reason, there are a few options to consider when looking for the best cheap cell phone plan.
It’s important that you have reliable phone service but also that you aren’t paying for features you don’t need. Three great ways to get the cheapest cell phone plan include choosing a plan that isn’t unlimited, opting for prepaid service and switching to a low-cost MVNO that runs on one of the three major networks’ towers.
Here are my top picks for the cheapest phone plans available now:
If you’re looking for the absolute lowest cost on a cell phone plan, you can find deals for as low as $10 monthly. For this price, you can get Tello Mobile’s Economy plan including unlimited calls, text and 1GB of high-speed data. For $15 per month, you can get a little more data with Mint Mobile’s 5GB plan.
If you’re willing to pay for a year in advance, Boost Mobile’s annual plan is available for $100 for 12 months ($8.33 per month before taxes and fees), but I recommend trying out Boost Mobile’s service before paying for an annual plan upfront.
In this section, I’ll take a closer look at these three great options for a cheap phone plan:
Cheapest Monthly Cell Phone Plan
Price: $10/month (plus taxes) Multiline Discounts: No Talk and Text: Unlimited Data: Unlimited Data Cap Overage: 1GB Hotspot Data: Free; pulls from monthly data |
If you’re looking for the cheapest phone plan available that you can pay for as you go, you’ll find it with Tello Mobile. Tello Economy includes a plan that gives you unlimited talk, text and 1GB of high-speed data for $10 monthly, which makes it the least expensive pre-built plan available anywhere.
In addition to Tello Economy, Tello Mobile offers additional plans including 2GB for $14 monthly and 5GB for $19 per month.
If you decide to switch to Tello, you may be able to bring your own phone, which will save you even more money. You can check your phone’s eligibility online. For more information on Tello, be sure to read our full review.
Best Value for a Cheap Phone Plan
Price: $15/month (plus taxes & fees) Multiline Discounts: No Talk and Text: Unlimited Data: 5GB Data Cap Overage: None Hotspot Data: Free; pulls from monthly data |
Mint is another great option to consider when looking for a cheap cell phone plan. For $15 monthly, you’ll get unlimited talk and text as well as 5GB of high-speed data. Data speed reduces after 5GB, but data is unlimited with this plan. With this new-customer offer, you will have to pay three months in advance to lock in the price, which means you’ll owe $45 at the time of purchase.
Additional plans from Mint Mobile include 15GB for $20 monthly, 20GB for $25 monthly and 40GB for $30 monthly.
For more information on Mint, check out Team Clark’s review. If you decide to switch to Mint, you may be able to bring your own phone and save additional money. Check your phone’s compatibility here before switching.
Cheapest Prepaid Phone Plan
Price: $100 ($8.33/month) Multiline Discounts: No Talk and Text: Unlimited Data: Unlimited Data Cap Overage: 1GB Hotspot Data: Included; data counts towards mobile data allowance |
Boost Mobile offers several cheap monthly plans, but its new annual plan is tough to beat. The plan costs $100 for 12 months, which works out to be $8.33 per month before taxes and fees. For this price, you’ll get 12 months of unlimited talk, text and 2G data. The plan also includes 1GB of 5G/4G data per month that can be shared via mobile hotspot. After 1GB of high-speed data each month, mobile data and hotspot speeds will reduce.
Other plans from Boost Mobile include 5GB for $15 per month and unlimited plans starting at $25 per month.
If you’re thinking about switching to Boost Mobile, be sure to check out the coverage map online. You may also be able to bring your own phone to save even more; just be prepared for a $25 activation fee. Also, be sure to check your phone’s compatibility in person at your nearest Boost Mobile store before purchasing the plan. To learn more about Boost Mobile before switching, including why I warn against ordering a SIM card from Boost Mobile online, read my full review here.
One of the best ways to save money on a phone plan is by opting for limited data. However, if you don’t have regular access to Wi-Fi, you may truly need an unlimited data plan.
When it comes to unlimited phone plans, there’s a lot of fine print to consider. Many plans advertise unlimited data, but this often includes slower speeds after a certain amount of use each month. While the plans listed here do have a limited amount of high-speed data, they are technically unlimited and come with better prices (around $30 per line).
If you’re looking for a plan that’s completely unlimited with no data cap overage, check out T-Mobile Magenta Max for $85 per line.
If you are looking for a cheap unlimited phone plan, here are my top picks:
Cheapest Unlimited Cell Phone Plan
Price: $30/month (plus taxes & fees) Multiline Discounts: No Talk and Text: Unlimited Data: Unlimited Data Cap Overage: Slower speeds after 40GB Hotspot Data: 10GB |
Mint Mobile offers unlimited talk, text and data for $30 monthly plus taxes and fees. This plan includes 10GB of mobile hotspot data and 40GB of high-speed data. After 40GB, speeds reduce, but you can continue using unlimited data. As with all Mint Mobile plans, you will have to prepay for three months at a time, which makes this plan $90 total at the time of purchase.
Still, you can bring your own phone to Mint Mobile to save money as opposed to purchasing a new one. Simply check your phone’s compatibility online before switching. You can learn more about Mint Mobile in our full review.
Best Cheap Hotspot Plan
Price: $29/month (plus taxes) Multiline Discounts: No Talk and Text: Unlimited Data: Unlimited Data Cap Overage: Speeds will be slowed to 2G after 25GB. Hotspot Data: Unlimited |
In addition to one of the cheapest plans overall, Tello Mobile also offers one of the cheapest unlimited data plans. You can get unlimited talk, text and data for $29 per month. Data speeds slow after 25GB, but you can continue using unlimited data. Additionally, this plan allows you to share your data with mobile hotspot capabilities.
If you decide to switch to Tello, you may also be able to bring your own phone to save even more money. You can check your phone’s eligibility online. Be sure to read our full review of Tello before switching.
Cheapest Unlimited Hotspot Plan
Price: $30/month (taxes & fees included) Multiline Discounts: No Talk and Text: Unlimited Data: Unlimited Data Cap Overage: None, but speeds may slow during congestion. Hotspot Data: Unlimited |
For $30 per month, Visible offers a phone plan with unlimited talk, text and data. This plan includes truly unlimited data with no cap, but know that speeds may be reduced during congestion. You can expect download speeds between 5-12 Mbps. Unlike Mint and Tello, Visible runs on Verizon’s network. The prepaid carrier offers two different phone plans: Visible and Visible+. The standard Visible plan costs $30 per month and includes unlimited mobile hotspot with speeds capped at 5 Mbps.
Additionally, you may be able to bring your own phone to Visible when you switch to save even more. To see if yours is compatible, visit Visible’s website. Check out our full review for more about Visible.
There are many reasons that you may be considering a prepaid phone plan. A prepaid phone plan is one of the top three ways to save money on your phone bill. And unlike traditional post-paid phone plans, prepaid phone plans don’t require a credit check when you sign up for service. Instead, you’ll pay for what you need ahead of time.
Here are my three top picks for the cheapest prepaid phone plans available now:
Boost Mobile Annual Plan | Connect by T-Mobile | Mint 5GB | |
---|---|---|---|
Price | $100 ($8.33/month) | $10 (plus taxes and fees) | $15/month (plus taxes & fees) |
Talk and Text | Unlimited | 1,000 minutes and 1,000 texts | Unlimited |
Network | T-Mobile and AT&T | T-Mobile | T-Mobile |
Data | Unlimited | 1GB | 5GB |
Data Cap Overage | 1GB | None | None |
The Cheapest Prepaid Phone Plans:
Boost Mobile, Mint Mobile and Connect by T-Mobile offer additional prepaid phone plans that you can check out on their respective websites. The plans displayed here are the cheapest plans available from each.
If you’re shopping for a phone plan for two lines, there are a few deals that are worth considering. But some phone plans offer individual lines for cheap enough prices that you may want to simply buy two. For example, Tello Economy offers 1GB of data for $10 per month per line, which means your total phone bill for two would be $20. Connect by T-Mobile also offers the same deal.
Mint offers 5GB for $15 per line while Boost Mobile offers 5GB for the same price, which would still keep your total bill under $30 for two.
If you are looking for a little more data, there are several cheap phone plans available that are specifically designed for two users. Here are my top picks if you’re shopping for two lines:
H2O Wireless | Visible | Xfinity Unlimited | |
---|---|---|---|
Price for Two | $25 per line | $30 per line | $30 per line |
Network | AT&T | Verizon | Verizon |
Talk and Text | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Data | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Data Cap Overage | 6GB | None | 20GB |
The Best Cheap Phone Plans for Two:
Other Plans To Consider:
The more lines you add to a phone plan, the more discounts you’ll likely be eligible for. Still, some cheap phone plans that offer individual lines for low prices are worth considering. Tello offers plans beginning as low as $10 per line while Mint and Boost offer lines beginning at $15. Of course, these plans offer very limited data.
If you’re shopping for phone plans with a little more data, here are my top picks for cheap phone plans for three users:
T-Mobile Essentials | Visible | T-Mobile Magenta Max | |
---|---|---|---|
Price for Three | $30 per line | $30 per line | $47 per line |
Network | T-Mobile | Verizon | T-Mobile |
Talk and Text | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Data | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Data Cap Overage | 50GB | None | None |
The Best Cheap Phone Plans for Three:
Other Plans To Consider:
If you’re shopping for a full family plan, or a plan with four lines on it, you’ll be able to get some of the lowest prices per line. (Of course, some cheap MVNOs offer incredibly low prices per line individually.) Tello Mobile offers plans beginning as low as $10 per line while Mint and Boost offer lines beginning at $15. You should note that these plans include very limited data.
If you’re looking for a more sustainable multiline setup, here are my top picks for cheap phone plans for four:
AT&T Prepaid | Cricket Wireless | T-Mobile Essentials | |
---|---|---|---|
Price for Four | $20 per line | $25 per line | $26.25 per line |
Network | AT&T | AT&T | T-Mobile |
Talk and Text | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Data | 5GB | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Data Cap Overage | None | None | 50GB |
The Best Cheap Phone Plans for Four:
Other Plans To Consider:
Many phone plans offer introductory offers to first-time customers that include some of the lowest prices you can find on cell phone service. While these plans start out extremely cheap, you can expect a price bump at some point during your service. Still, if you’re looking for the absolute cheapest plans available, these limited-time cheap phone plan deals are worth considering.
Provider | Deal | Network |
---|---|---|
Visible (Review) | For a limited time, new customers can get unlimited service for $25 per line per month. Visible+ is also available for $35 per month for a limited time. New lines use code SPRING at checkout. | Verizon |
Boost Mobile (Review) | You can get 10GB of data for $5 (first month only) with Boost Mobile. Boost also offers one month of unlimited data for $12.50. Finally, you can get 5GB for $5 per month for the first three months ($15 total). | AT&T |
Cricket Wireless (Review) | New customers can try Cricket with a 14-day free trial including unlimited talk, text and 3GB of high-speed data. | AT&T |
Twigby (Review) | Ten dollars off for the first three months! Plans include unlimited talk, text and 4GB of data starting at $10 per month. 1GB data plans begin as low as $5 per month. | Verizon |
AT&T Prepaid (Review) | Students can get $10 off unlimited data with this online-only offer. Additionally, anyone can get a year of AT&T Prepaid with 16GB of data per month if you prepay a year in advance. | AT&T |
For the purposes of this review, Team Clark determined that the top three things customers care about when it comes to cell phone carriers are price, network reliability/coverage and overall satisfaction.
Various members of our staff tried out each of these popular cell phone providers to get a feel for their reliability and service. We have individual reviews of those providers available on the website.
I also researched more than 70 phone plans at the time of writing and analyzed the following characteristics when determining the best options for each category:
Switching to a cheaper phone plan can be a great way to save money on your monthly bill. After researching 70+ phone plans, I’ve found the absolute cheapest prices with Tello, Mint and Boost. These low-cost MVNOs run on the same reliable towers that support major phone service providers — for a fraction of the cost.
For the absolute cheapest phone plan, check out Tello Economy for $10 monthly. It includes unlimited talk, text and 1GB of high-speed data. For slightly more data, check out Mint Mobile’s 5GB plan for $15. Boost Mobile offers 5GB of high-speed for the same $15 monthly price, or you can get an annual plan from $100 ($8.33 per month) that includes unlimited text, talk and 1GB of high-speed data. However, I recommend testing out the service for a month first to make sure it works for you before committing to an annual plan.
If you’re looking for unlimited data, Mint Unlimited is a great option at $30 monthly for 40GB of high-speed data before reduced speeds. Tello Mobile also offers a cheap unlimited data plan for $29 per month. If you need unlimited hotspot, consider Visible’s basic plan for $30 per month per line.
For even more options, be sure to read our guide on the best cell phone plans and deals available now. Once you’ve decided on a new phone plan and you’re ready to make the switch, check out this guide that we put together to take you step-by-step through the process.
Is your favorite plan on this list? Did we miss any cheap plans? Share your opinion in our Clark.com community!
This post was last modified on April 28, 2023 9:43 am
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