We compared dozens of prepaid plans in terms of price, performance, data, and family options to determine our recommendations.
Best Prepaid Cell Phone Plans
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Prepaid cell phone plans can get you the same network, coverage, and data as major carriers like AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile, but for way cheaper. We've gathered the best prepaid cell phone plans in terms of price, performance, data, and multi-line options.
For those interested in cheap, unlimited data plans with generous hotspot data, check out Visible Wireless and Mint Mobile. For those who don't use a lot of data, Tello offers the cheapest, most customizable no-data plan, and multi-line shoppers will find the most luck with US Mobile and Cox Mobile.
What to look for in a prepaid cell phone plan
You don't have to sign a long contract and pay a bunch of money for a great cell phone plan. Those days are gone. Now, there are dozens of small prepaid carriers out there scrambling to offer you the best and most affordable deal. Here's how we separate the good from the bad and the ugly.
- Plan pricing: We expect prepaid plans to be affordable and budget-friendly, so we focused on individual plans that were around $40 or less. Our multi-line recommendation is under $100 for three lines. That's the price ballpark we consider fair.
- Contract flexibility: Prepaid plans usually have a pay-as-you-go and quit-when-you-want structure. All the ones we recommend here are no-contract plans.
- Network performance: What network does your carrier use? Prepaid plans can be a great way to get on a top-flight network at an affordable price.
- Data allotment: There are prepaid plans with unlimited data, some data, and no data. Be sure to pick one that matches your actual data use, as overages can be pricey.
- Data speeds: Most prepaid plans have some kind of limitation on data speeds, either in the form of a throttling threshold or low overall download rates. You'll want to consider how that could affect your daily phone use before you sign up.
- Perks: Just know up front that you won't find many perks, like streaming subscriptions or other discounts, with prepaid plans. So when we do find a prepaid plan with perks, we definitely take note.
If you want to know more about prepaid and postpaid plans, check out our comparison of prepaid vs. postpaid cell phone plans.
Visible Wireless: Best value
- Best network coverage
- Truly unlimited data
- Unlimited hotspot data
- Data deprioritization during high traffic
What we like about Visible's prepaid cell phone plans
If you’ve spent much time perusing Reviews.org’s mobile pages, you’ve probably noticed that we’re big fans of Visible Wireless. We’ve named it one of the best cell phone plans overall, best unlimited data plans, and one of the best plans under $40, to name just a few of the honors. What's more, Visible just reduced the price of its basic unlimited plan down to $25/month.
So why do we like this prepaid cell phone plan so much? The short answer is this: it gives you truly unlimited data on Verizon’s expansive network. Oh, and the unlimited hotspot data helps too.
Best network coverage
Remember that classic scene in The Lion King where Mufasa says, “Look Simba, everything the light touches is Verizon’s network”? Well, he’s right. Verizon’s network is the best in the nation. And as a Visible Wireless customer, you’ll be like King Simba: you’ll get it all.
Visible operates using Verizon’s network. While T-Mobile may win the speed test, Verizon is the clear winner when it comes to overall coverage. If you don’t believe me, just take a gander at this coverage map.
This means that a Visible SIM card will get you the best coverage in the nation, whether you’re staying in the city or taking a cross-country road trip!
Truly unlimited data
Almost every cell phone plan has some sort of data cap, and once you exceed that cap, your data speed slows down.
But not with Visible. Visible Wireless’s unlimited data plan comes with truly unlimited data. You can use 5GB, 100GB, or more. So if you’re looking for a plan to replace your home internet, this is a great option (though it’s not the fastest option—more on that below).
Hotspot data and perks
Turning your mobile device into a hotspot can really help you out in a tight spot, whether you’re exploring the world in your RV, stranded in the airport, or your home internet has gone out. And Visible customers can use as much hotspot data as they’d like.
There are a couple of restrictions though. You can only tether one device at a time and your speeds will be capped at 5 Mbps.
Visible offers one other nice perk: right now, you can get a $50 gift card when you switch to Visible with a Samsung device. That’s like the cherry on top of an already delicious pie!
What we don’t like about Visible's prepaid cell phone plans
We’ve only been able to find one serious flaw with Visible Wireless, and it’s a common issue for most prepaid providers and MVNOs: data deprioritization.
Data deprioritization
As we explained before, data deprioritization is when the network owner (in this case Verizon Wireless) decides to slow down your data speeds during times of “congestion.” This means that your data speeds on Visible will probably range between 5–12 Mbps instead of topping out at around 30 Mbps.
Five to 12 Mbps is still plenty of speed for most normal activities, like streaming music and video, playing games, and browsing the web. But if you’re a serious gamer or need your phone for working on the go all the time, then you might want to consider a plan from AT&T or Verizon instead.
Alternative picks
Finally, let’s take a quick look at how Visible stacks up against the Big Three providers—AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Here’s a chart of all of these carriers’ cheapest unlimited data plans.
Mint Mobile: Best data speeds
- Widespread 5G network
- Cheap unlimited plan
- Hotspot data
- Get first 3 months 50% off Unlimited
- $45 upfront cost required
- Data capped at 40GB
What we like about Mint Mobile's prepaid cell phone plans
You may know Mint Mobile for the carrier’s charismatic part-owner, who is none other than Ryan Reynolds (yes, that Ryan Reynolds). But there’s a lot more to this prepaid carrier than a handsome face. Mint offers one of the cheapest unlimited plans in the industry, along with impressive data speeds on T-Mobile's 5G network.
Powered by T-Mobile
Prepaid providers, like Mint Mobile, usually piggyback on a larger company’s network. In this case that company is T-Mobile, which is good news for Mint customers.
T-Mobile may not have the best coverage in the nation (though it is plenty good in most areas), but it does have the best data speeds. T-Mobile leads the pack in both the upload and the download speed categories. Gamers, streamers, influencers, and everyone else who enjoys using the internet on their phone will benefit from these speeds.
Affordable unlimited plan
Mint Mobile used to be the sole owner of the "cheapest unlimited plan" award, but in the past few months, other carriers like Visible and Tello have matched Mint's pricing. Nobody has beat Mint's $30/month unlimited plan yet, but we wouldn't be surprised if Mint drops its price even lower soon. Even though Mint is almost always running a deal on all of its plans.
Take a look at how Mint's unlimited plan compares to other carriers:
Free mobile hotspot data
A lot of prepaid cell phone plans do away with special features and perks, like free hotspot data. But not Mint Mobile.
With a hotspot-capable device and any Mint plan, you’ll be able to turn your phone into a mini mobile hotspot. You can use all of your allotted data (up to 10GB with the Unlimited plan) as hotspot data, which is great news for folks who like to stream a show or work on their laptop while they’re waiting at the airport.
What we don’t like about Mint Mobile's prepaid plans
You don’t end up with one of the cheapest unlimited plan on the market without making a few compromises. So, where does Mint Mobile fall a bit short?
Data slowdowns after 40GB
Let’s talk about data throttling and deprioritization a little bit.
Deprioritization happens when your carrier slows down your data speeds during times of congestion. Pretty much every single prepaid plan on the market comes with risk of deprioritization, including Mint. If you want to always receive the best speeds available, you’ll have to go straight to the network owner (T-Mobile) to buy a plan.
Throttling is when your carrier slows down your speeds once you’ve used a certain amount (called your data cap). On this Mint Mobile plan your data cap is 40GB. Once you go over that, your speeds will go way down to 128 Kbps, which is kind of like going from broadband internet to dial-up. It’s not pretty.
While this may sound pretty bad, it’s actually quite standard. Besides, most folks won’t get even close to using 40GB of data a month.
What's better than cheap service? Even cheaper service. Mint Mobile is almost always offering a great new customer discount. Right now, you can get any plan for $15 when you switch.
Alternative picks
So you want a cheap prepaid unlimited data plan. But you just really don’t like Ryan Reynolds (or something else about Mint Mobile). Here’s a look at your other options for an affordable cell phone plan.
Tello: Best no-data plan
- Amazing price
- Unlimited talk and text
- Uses T-Mobile's network
- No perks or phone deals
What we like about Tello's prepaid cell phone plans
We think Tello's plan structure is pretty darn cool. Every plan comes with free Wi-Fi calling and unlimited texts, and then you choose the amount of data (or lack thereof) and number of minutes. This is why we dubbed it the best value no-data plan on the market. Here are the things we love about the plan.
Amazing price
There are cheap plans and then there are super cheap plans. This prepaid plan is the latter. At just $8 a month, Tello’s phone service could be the cheapest utility you pay. It could be cheaper than your Netflix subscription. It could be cheaper than … you get the idea.
It’s not just Tello. You can read up on all the best super-cheap plans in our review of the most affordable plans out there.
Unlimited talk and text
This section is pretty self-explanatory. We like Tello’s plan because it gives you unlimited minutes and messages. Go ahead, chat with your sister for five hours. Don’t be afraid to text your boo while you’re at work all day.
What we don’t like about US Mobile's prepaid cell phone plans
Look, it’s hard to complain about a $7 plan. But, when there’s a will, there’s a way. Here’s our biggest complaint about US Mobile’s no-data plan.
T-Mobile's network
Like Mint, Tello is powered by T-Mobile. This means you'll get fast data speeds but relatively decent coverage. Tello is available in most states, but customers located on the East side of the US will have the most luck, while rural users might get spotty service.
Check the map below to see if your area is covered.
No perks or deals on new devices
Many other carriers offer free subscriptions, hotspot data, free international calling, and other handy features. Tello is more of a “what you see is what you get” sort of company. You get talk, text, and data (if you want it), but nothing else. Nada. Zilch.
That means you also won’t be seeing any awesome deals on a new iPhone 15 or other device.
Alternative picks
No review is complete without a peek at the competition. Here are the other lowest priced no-data plans on the market.
US Mobile: Best family plan
- Affordable
- Choose Verizon or T-Mobile coverage
- 35GB of high-speed data
- 10GB of hotspot data
- Data throttling
- Perks only available for Unlimited Premium plan
What we like about US Mobile's prepaid cell phone plans
US Mobile is like a more expensive Mint Mobile. Both offer cheap unlimited plans, but with US Mobile, you get multi-line discounts plus way more perks.
Here’s a closer look at everything we like.
Affordable
Broke: saving yourself some money on your individual cell phone plan. Woke: saving your whole family money on a family phone plan
Yep, you can bundle four unlimited data lines together on US Mobile for just $85 a month.
Here’s a look at how similar plans look on Verizon or T-Mobile (which run on the same network as US Mobile).
Clearly, US Mobile gets you more value for a cheaper price.
Decent coverage
US Mobile runs on the Verizon and T-Mobile networks, which is really the best of both worlds. Verizon offers the best coverage, while T-Mobile ranks high for speeds.
US Mobile lets you choose your network, but it isn't listed as Verizon or T-Mobile. Instead, you'll choose between Warp 5G and GSM. US Mobile states that Warp 5G is a more reliable choice for rural areas, but users in busy areas will see the same reliability with GSM and Warp 5G.
If you're still unsure of which network to choose, you can enter your mobile info on US Mobile's site to see which network works best for you.
10 GB of hotspot and other deals and perks
Having a little hotspot data up your sleeve can really come in handy. With US Mobile, you’ll get a full 10GB, which is about enough to stream the latest season of The Great British Baking Show (now that’s “bang on”).
US Mobile also offers a 30-day free trial for those unsure about its service. To qualify, you just have to transfer your number.
What we don’t like about US Mobile's prepaid cell phone plans
With US Mobile, the biggest issue is definitely that your data will be slowed down.
Data throttling
We already talked about how Visible will throttle your data speeds at 5–12 Mbps. Well, US Mobile will do you one better (or one worse, I guess) by throttling your speeds at 1 Mbps.
One Mbps is barely enough for most basic stuff: posting to Instagram, scrolling through Twitter, streaming music, and using Google Maps. But those who want to game or stream video in HD may notice some lag time.
Alternative picks
US Mobile isn’t the only prepaid carrier offering great deals on family plans. Check out these other low-cost unlimited data family plans.
Cox Mobile: Best for Bundling
- Multi-line discounts
- Unlimited data
- Uses Verizon's network
- Bundle-only option for mobile
- Pricey without family plan
What we like about Cox Mobile's prepaid mobile bundle
Cox is a huge provider of cable and internet service, used by millions in over 19 states. While its individual services aren't especially affordable, bundling Cox's services can save you over $150 a year.
Multi-line discounts
The only way to save with Cox Mobile is with multiple lines. And since Cox's mobile service is only available to Cox Internet users, Cox Mobile is not only our top choice for bundling but also our runner-up for best family plans.
Cox Mobile offers two plan options: Gig Unlimited and Pay As You Gig. With at least four lines, get Cox Mobile's Gig Unlimited for $30/month per line or, if you don't need that much data, choose Pay As You Gig for as low as $15/month per line.
Great coverage on Verizon's network
With Cox Mobile, you won't have to worry about coverage. Like Visible and Xfinity Mobile, Cox operates on Verizon's network. This is great news, considering Verizon provides the best coverage in the country.
What we don't like about Cox Mobile's prepaid mobile bundle
Cox Mobile isn't available for anyone, and it's not really worth it for just one line.
Must be a Cox Internet customer
You must have an active Cox Internet plan before you are eligible for Cox Mobile. And since Cox's unlimited plan is $45/month for one line, we think bundling Cox Internet and mobile is mostly worth it for users interested in simplifying their bills or those who have family or friends they can add to their account.
Pricey without multiple lines
As we said earlier, one line on Cox Mobile's Unlimited plan is $45/month. This isn't an outrageous price when you compare it to major carriers like Verizon or AT&T, but when carriers like Visible offer way more for way less, Cox Mobile doesn't compare.
Unless you can get enough lines to whittle your price down to $30/month, we'd suggest going with another prepaid carrier.
Recap: Which prepaid plan is best for you?
We’ve gone over everything you need to know about the best prepaid cell phone plans. But which one is best for you? Maybe a quick recap will help you decide.
- Best value: Visible Wireless’s unlimited data plan offers more than pretty much any other prepaid plan. You’ll get truly unlimited data, free hotspot data, and the best mobile coverage in the nation for just $25/month.
- Best data speeds: Mint Mobile’s $30 unlimited data plan matches Visible's pricing and offers superior data speeds on T-Mobile's network.
- Best no-data plan: Tello's no-data plan comes with everything you need except data, giving you unlimited talk and text for just $8/month.
- Best family plan: US Mobile’s unlimited data family plan is just $85 a month for four lines. You get unlimited data with Verizon's coverage and T-Mobile speeds, plus multi-line discounts. Curious customers can check out its 30-day free trial.
- Best bundle option: Cox Mobile's Gig Unlimited plan is exclusively available for Cox Internet subscribers. Add more than three lines and get this $45/month plan for just $30/month per line.
We hope this review has helped you find the perfect new prepaid plan for your life (and your wallet).
Best Prepaid Cell Phone Plans FAQ
Prepaid cell phones, or burner phones, are cheap cell phones designed for temporary use. Note that you don't have to use a prepaid cell phone to use a prepaid cell phone plan. But if you want an extra phone specifically for your prepaid plan, we recommend going with a cheaper phone option.
The cheapest prepaid unlimited plan currently comes from Mint Mobile. You can get an unlimited talk, text, and data from Mint for $15/month for the first three months of service. Yes, it's only a promotional price for new customers, so make sure to take advantage if you haven't used Mint Mobile yet.
As long as your prepaid phone is a smart phone that connects to the internet, you can technically use it without a data plan. You'll need to connect to Wi-Fi and use call and text apps (like WhatsApp or Skype). But if you want to use your phone on the go, you'll absolutely need a plan.
With a prepaid cell phone plan, there may be a limitation on data speeds, either in the form of throttling, or deprioritization. You also won't find as many perks with a prepaid cell phone plan, like discounts on newer devices and streaming subscriptions.
What makes this article legit?
To prepare the recommendations in this review, we started by comparing all mobile plans that offer a prepaid option. We used online comparison tools from our partners at WhistleOut to identify the following factors in a mobile plan: no contract, data allotment, data speed, network provider, and cost.
We winnowed down our list using our own extensive research into cell phone carriers and their networks. We’ve reviewed cell phone plans from all the major carriers and most of the smaller ones. We’ve conducted our own tests to determine which carrier offers the fastest upload and download speeds. We applied that knowledge base to prepaid cell plans.
This allowed us to determine which carriers offer the best prepaid and no-contract cell phone plans according to each of the key factors.