Red Pocket Mobile Review

Red Pocket Mobile is a carrier for those who’d rather buy the cheaper, store-brand cereal than the expensive brand-name stuff that has the same ingredients (Cocoa Nuggets and Honey Nut O’s, anyone?). It may not be the most prestigious company around, but it gets the job done.

Red Pocket’s most affordable plan is just $10 a month.

This dirt-cheap (or at least cappuccino-cheap) plan has no activation fee and gets you unlimited minutes and texts plus 1GB of data. That might not sound like much, but it’s plenty for many young kids or older adults who aren’t on their phones 24/7.

Red Pocket has tons of other plans. You can see the most popular ones in the chart at the top of this section. As a rule, the plans are affordable and come with talk, text, and mobile data. But, the higher-data plans from Red Pocket tend to be less of a great deal than the cheaper plans.

Red Pocket Mobile doesn’t just piggyback on a single network, like most MVNOs. Instead, it uses all four major networks: Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.. This is awesome for those who know what network works best where they live and travel.

You can learn more about how these networks compare when it comes to data speeds and coverage, check out our network review.

If you’re looking for a cheap way to stay in touch with your tia in Argentina or your babushka in Russia? Lucky for you, Red Pocket will give you free international calling to those countries and about 80 others.

When you buy a discount product, you know there will probably be a few drawbacks. The question is, are these drawbacks you can live with? Let’s review the less-than-great parts of Red Pocket Mobile.

We're not entirely shocked that Red Pocket doesn't offer any perks; that's part of the reason why prepaid providers are able to offer such affordable cell phone plans. However, US Mobile offers free entertainment subscriptions with its top-tier unlimited plan, so we know it's not impossible.

Red Pocket's plans include 1GB–30GB of mobile hotspot data, but since this isn't designated hotspot data, it will pull from your regular data allotment. As we mentioned about the lack of perks, this isn't uncommon for MVNOs. However, carriers like Mint Mobile and Tello offer at least 5GB–10GB of additional, dedicated hotspot data with their unlimited packages.

For many cell phone users, unlimited data is a must. For those folks, Red Pocket Mobile may not be the best option. While Red Pocket offers an unlimited data plan priced at $40 a month, which is still reasonable compared to major carriers, there are providers that offer more high-speed data for less.

Red Pocket's $40 plan includes 30GB of priority data, whereas Mint Mobile's $30 Unlimited Plan offers 40GB, and Tello's $25 unlimited data package offers 35GB. 

Red Pocket Mobile offers up some great deals for those who don’t need a ton of mobile data or perks. But it’s not the only company. There are plenty of discount MVNOs out there. We've listed our favorites in the table below.

Red Pocket isn't just known for its super cheap individual plans; it also offers a great unlimited data family plan. While we criticized Red Pocket's Unlimited plan for its price and low level of high-speed data, we think it's a really great deal when combined with Red Pocket's family plan discount.

The price reflected in the chart at the top of this shows that an unlimited family plan with four lines costs $30 a month for the first line and $20 per additional line. That means your monthly bill will be $90 a month for four lines.

Four lines for $90 a month can be a pretty sweet deal if you're splitting it with 3 roommates or family members. That comes down to about $22 a month per line.

While it’s somewhat frustrating to choose between GSM and CDMA networks, the fact that Red Pocket allows you to use whatever network you want is great. And it’s even better when you’re on a family plan, because you can mix and match networks.

Yep, you can be on Verizon’s network, while your spouse who’s on your same family plan can be on AT&T’s network because the data speeds are faster. Meanwhile, your kids can be on T-Mobile’s network, if it has better coverage at their school.

There’s really just one problem with this affordable family plan, and it has to do with your mobile data.

When you sign up for an unlimited data plan, you probably want unlimited fast data, not unlimited slow data. Red Pocket Mobile’s family plan will give you a bit of both. You’ll get 20GB of very fast data. After that, your data will be throttled at slower speeds.

20GB of data will be enough for many average users (to learn more about how much data you actually need, read our article on mobile data). But 20GB is not unlimited. And once your plan kicks down to 3G and even 2G speeds you’ll probably notice issues with online gaming and streaming.

Red Pocket’s family plan is one of the cheapest ways to get unlimited data for your whole family. But it’s not necessarily one of the best for you and your loved ones. Here’s a look at some other discount family plans with unlimited data.

As we mentioned above, Red Mobile lets you choose which network you want to use. If you’re having a hard time deciding, check out these coverage maps to see what network has the best coverage in your area.

If you’re planning to bring your own phone to Red Pocket, you might be forced to use a certain set of networks, depending on the technology in your device. GSM phones will only work on AT&T and T-Mobile, while CDMA phones will only work on Verizon.

You can learn more about GSM and CDMA phones in our guide.

You can always sign up for Red Mobile Mobile online, get your new SIM card in the mail, and pop it into your existing phone. But what if your existing phone is an iPhone X with a broken screen? Maybe it’s time for an upgrade.

Here’s a look at some of the most popular devices that you buy directly from Red Pocket when you sign up.

Small MVNOs like Red Pocket generally don’t have the budget for a huge customer service department. This, and the fact that there are fewer customers leaving reviews, makes it hard to evaluate the company’s customer service record.

Still, some online reviews on reputable sites suggest Red Pocket’s customer service is mostly good, with Red Pocket rating 4.4 stars on Trustpilot.

Many reviewers praise the ease of ordering a SIM card from Red Pocket online. Others love the simple and cheap plans. But negative reviews suggest that it’s hard to get an operator from Red Pocket on the phone, and when you do, they might not be too helpful.

We have no idea what the name Red Pocket means. But we do have a pretty good idea of what the company offers. Here’s the recap.

• Plans: Red Pocket Mobile offers a variety of super-affordable plans with talk, text, and cellular data. Their $20/month unlimited family plan provides the most value; just know you won't get any perks or dedicated hotspot data. 
• Family plans: Red Pocket offers one affordable family plan that gives you unlimited talk, text, and data. However, data hogs should know that their data will be slowed down after using 20GB.
• Overall performance: Red Pocket lets you choose your network (as long as you have the correct phone for the network), which is pretty awesome. Plus, its customer service is mostly positive.

If you’re ready to save some cash on your phone bill, then you can sign up for Red Pocket Mobile now.