6 New Cell Phone Deals in May

Cell phone service providers frequently offer new deals and plans to try and get new customers. Whether or not you’re looking to move away from your current cell phone service, you may still be able to save money by taking advantage of limited-time deals.

I’ve checked out more than 100 cell phone service plans to determine what to look for in a good deal. In this article, I’ll take a close look at six new deals and plans available this month that could help you lower your monthly bill. 

This article was updated in May 2023 and I review it every month.

6 Great Cell Phone Deals Available This Month

If you’re looking for ways to save on your cell phone bill, be sure to take advantage of new customer offers. This month, you can find deals for cheap and free months of service, online-only deals, student discounts and more.

Before you switch to a new service provider, read the details closely and make sure that your phone is compatible. And make sure you’ll have coverage in your area. 

Keeping these things in mind, here are six of the best new cell phone deals this month:

• Visible: Get Visible Unlimited for $25 or Visible+ for $35 for a limited time.
• Mint Mobile: Get six free months of service with any six-month plan plus a new phone purchase.
• Cricket Wireless: New customers can get 14 days of service with 3GB of data for free.
• T-Mobile: For a limited time, T-Mobile Essentials is available for four lines for $100 monthly.
• Boost Mobile: Two different deals:
  • New customers can get a month of unlimited data (30GB high-speed) for $12.50.
  • New customers can get a month of service for $5 with 10GB of data.
• AT&T Prepaid: Two different deals:
  • Get a 16GB/$25 per month annual plan.
  • Students can save $10 per month on unlimited (online only).

You’ll find more information below on each deal including who’s eligible, how to get the deal and how much you’ll save. 

Visible

Team Clark’s Review Network: Verizon Deal: Get Visible Unlimited for $25 or Visible+ for $35 Savings: $5-$10 per month

Right now, at Visible, new customers (or customers upgrading from Visible Unlimited to Visible+) are eligible for $5-$10 off Visible’s monthly rates. New lines will need to enter code SPRING during checkout. Members who are upgrading to Visible+ from a basic Visible plan will automatically see the discounted rate.

Visible Unlimited includes unlimited talk, text and data with expected download speeds of 5-12Mbps. Right now, new customers can sign up for this plan for $25 per month compared to the regular $30 price. Taxes and fees are included. 

Visible+ also includes unlimited talk, text and data. However, this plan includes 50GB of premium network experience (faster download speeds). After 50GB, data speeds may slow when the network is heavily congested. For a limited time, you can sign up for this plan for $35 per month compared to the regular $45 price. 

Before you switch to Visible, make sure your phone is compatible online. You can also check out our full review to learn more about Visible’s two unlimited plans.

Mint Mobile

Team Clark’s Review Network: T-Mobile Deal: Get six free months of service with any six-month plan plus a new phone purchase. Savings: $120-$210

Mint Mobile is currently offering six months of service for free when you buy a new phone and a six-month plan. You’ll have to purchase an eligible device and sign up for a six-month plan. Then, you’ll get an additional six months of service for free. Eligible devices range from $240-$1189, or $20-$100 per month, for 12 months. You can check out the full selection online.

Here are the prices for the service plans available with this deal:

• 5GB high-speed data monthly: $90 for 12 months of service
• 15GB high-speed data monthly: $120 for 12 months of service
• 20GB high-speed data monthly: $150 for 12 months of service
• 40GB high-speed data monthly: $180 for 12 months of service

Mint Mobile’s plan prices do not include taxes and fees. To learn more about how to sign up for Mint Mobile service, check out our full Mint Mobile review here.

If you aren’t sure about committing to such a long service period with a new provider, you can try Mint Mobile free for seven days. After testing out the service yourself, you can decide whether or not Mint Mobile will work for you before switching.

Cricket Wireless

Team Clark’s Review Network: AT&T Deal: New customers can get 14 days of free cell service and 3GB of data with the new tryCricket app. Savings: ~$15

Cricket Wireless recently launched a new way for potential customers to try out the cell phone service provider with no commitment. New customers with eligible smartphones can try Cricket Wireless for free for 14 days. The free trial includes 14 days of service with unlimited talk and text plus 3GB of data. 

To get the free trial, you’ll have to download the tryCricket app on the App Store or Google Play. Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll be able to enter your phone’s IMEI number to check its compatibility. If your phone is compatible with the free trial, you can easily sign up from the app.

You can choose between a physical SIM card and eSIM, and both options are completely free. If you choose an eSIM, you’ll be able to activate your free trial and service right away. If you choose a physical SIM card, you’ll have to wait for it to come in the mail to complete your activation.

At the end of the 14-day free trial, you can choose to switch to Cricket Wireless (plans begin at $30 per month with 5GB of high-speed data for one line) or continue with your current cell phone provider instead. This is a great way to test out a different low-cost cell phone service provider without having to pay anything or disrupt your current service.

I went through the process of signing up for the free trial on the tryCricket app with my iPhone 13. The process was straightforward and took just a few minutes to complete. To learn more about this deal and how to take advantage of Cricket Wireless’ free trial, visit the company’s website. To learn more about Cricket Wireless before deciding to make the switch, check out my full Cricket review here.

T-Mobile

Team Clark’s Review Network: T-Mobile Deal: For a limited time, T-Mobile Essentials is available for four lines for $100 monthly. Savings: $20 per month

For a limited time, you can get T-Mobile’s most affordable postpaid unlimited plan for an even better price with four lines: $100 per month.

T-Mobile Essentials Savings is a new plan that includes all the same benefits of T-Mobile Essentials for a cheaper price. With T-Mobile Essentials Savings, you’ll get 50GB of premium data followed by unlimited data at slower speeds. The plan also includes unlimited 3G mobile hotspot.

While the Essentials plan costs $105 for four lines, you can sign up for Essentials Savings with four lines to get the same plan for $25 per line ($100 total monthly). However, with this plan, taxes and fees aren’t included in the plan price.

You can check out the full details of T-Mobile Essentials Savings and compare it to other unlimited postpaid plans from T-Mobile on the company’s website.

Boost Mobile

Team Clark’s Review Network: T-Mobile & AT&T Deals: New customers can get a month of service for $5 with 10GB of data or get 50% off one month of unlimited data ($12.50). Savings: $12.50-$30

New customers have the option to switch to Boost Mobile and try out the service for $5 for the first month. For this price, you’ll get 10GB of 5G/4G LTE data per month plus unlimited talk and text. The plan also includes a mobile hotspot. 

The plan typically costs $35 per month, which means you’ll save $30 by trying out the first month for $5 with this deal. After the first month, the plan will automatically renew at full price ($35 per month).

To get this deal, visit Boost Mobile’s website and enter your ZIP code and email to see if your location qualifies. If it does, you can check your phone’s compatibility and order a free SIM kit.

Additionally, new customers can try Boost Mobile’s $25 unlimited plan for 50% off the first month. That makes the plan $12.50. It includes unlimited talk and text, a free SIM kit with free 2-day shipping and 30GB of high-speed data before reduced speeds. The plan renews at $25 per month after the first month. To get this deal, visit Boost Mobile’s website and enter your ZIP code and email to see if your location qualifies.

Boost also offers a free SIM card with the purchase of a $10 2GB plan. Finally, you can get 5GB for $5 per month for the first three months ($15 total).

If you do plan on switching to Boost Mobile, I recommend taking your phone to a Boost Mobile store and checking its compatibility in person before switching. To learn more about why I don’t recommend ordering a SIM card online from Boost Mobile before checking your phone’s compatibility in-store, read my full Boost review here.

AT&T Prepaid

Team Clark’s Review Network: AT&T Deals: Get a 16GB/$25 per month annual plan plus students can save $10 per month on unlimited (online only). Savings: At least $10 per month ($120 per year)

Opting for a prepaid phone plan is a great way to lower your phone bill even if you want to stick with a major carrier. 

Last year, AT&T Prepaid announced a limited-time online-only deal for students. While the deal was initially supposed to end, it’s still available online to students with a valid school email address. Plus, it now includes an additional 5GB of mobile hotspot!

The student discount includes the AT&T Prepaid Unlimited plan for $40 per month. The plan typically costs $65 per month, but you can lower the price to $50 per month with autopay and to $40 per month with AT&T’s student discount.

Here’s what you can expect with the AT&T Prepaid Unlimited Plan: 

• Unlimited talk and text
• Unlimited high-speed data with 5G access
• 5GB of mobile hotspot
• Unlimited texting from the United States to more than 230 countries
• Unlimited talk and text from the U.S. to Canada and Mexico
• Use talk, text and data in Canada and Mexico
• ActiveArmor fraud call blocking and spam alerts

You can check out the full details of AT&T’s student discount online.

If you’re willing to pay for a year of service in advance, you can save even more. For a limited time, AT&T Prepaid is offering a 12-month plan for $300 upfront (plus taxes and fees). That works out to be $25 per month. Recently, this plan doubled in data to include 16GB per month plus unlimited talk and texting. This is an online-only offer that you can get on AT&T’s website.

If you’re thinking about switching to AT&T Prepaid, be sure to check out our full review before making the switch.

Final Thoughts

Switching to a new cell phone service provider is a great way to get a deal and reduce your monthly phone bill. In addition to looking for deals directly from service providers, check cash back offers on your credit card. Last year, I got a month of service from Cricket Wireless for less than $16 with a Chase cash back offer!

Before you make the switch, take the time to make sure your phone is compatible with the carrier you’re switching to. Most cell phone service providers have tools on their websites for you to check your phone’s compatibility by entering its IMEI number. If your phone isn’t compatible, consider whether or not it’s still worth the savings if you have to buy a new phone. 

Also, make sure that you’ll have service in your area with your new company by checking out its coverage map online. In most cases, you can enter your home address or ZIP code to get an idea of whether you’ll be covered.

If you’re switching to take advantage of a limited-time deal, be sure to cancel your service before the plan renews or be prepared to pay normal prices if the deal expires after a few months. You can check out our full list of tips on how to switch cell phone carriers here.

For more great prices on cell phone plans, check out our full list of the best cell phone plans in 2023. Did we miss a plan on our list or did you find a better deal? Let us know in our Clark.com Community or check out the latest conversations around cell phones.