Best Cheap Phone Plans for November 2024
Looking for a good phone plan on a budget? Here are our top picks for the best cheap phone plans, not just those from the Big Three carriers.
Our Experts
Our Picks
No one wants to pay more for something than they feel they should. Cutting expensive streaming subscriptions and resisting the temptation to eat out are a couple of ways to lower your regular costs, but there are a few things you can't compromise on, like cell phone plans. Luckily, you don't need to get rid of your service; you just need to find a cheaper one.
There are plenty of ways to do just that, from prepaid carriers such as Mint Mobile to cable companies' mobile endeavors, like Comcast's Xfinity Mobile and Charter's Spectrum Mobile. All of them could be more affordable than an unlimited plan from AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile, especially after the price hikes. Cheap phone plans now also have many of the features traditional plans offer, including an unlimited option, and they often run on a larger carrier's network.
There are dozens of phone plan options out there, and after covering the wireless industry for over a decade, I've listed a few for you to consider, as well as some other ways to save on your bill. Since there are so many options, things can quickly get unwieldy, so as with some of CNET's other wireless carrier coverage, I'll focus on options for a single line and for those looking for four lines.
Read more: Best Prepaid Phone Plans
Best cheap phone plans of 2024
Single lines with unlimited data
US Mobile, which runs on Verizon's network for its "Warp 5G" service, AT&T's for its "Dark Star" option and T-Mobile's for its "GSM" or "Light Speed" offering, has recently updated its plans again. Now its cheapest Unlimited Flex option starts at $17.50 per line, per month when purchased annually ($210 total). That's significantly cheaper than its Unlimited Starter and Visible's offer, but it comes with some caveats.
Taxes and fees are still included in the sticker price, but you'll now get 10GB of high-speed data and 5GB of hotspot data (unless you want to add it for $30 for the year). You'll need to step up to the carrier's pricier Unlimited Starter or Premium plans to add more high-speed data, international roaming or streaming perks.
If you don't want to prepay for a year, you can get Unlimited Starter for $25 monthly.
It is worth noting that if you want to switch networks, you get two free switches but then it will cost you $2 each time you "teleport."
Runner-up for a single line with unlimited data
Visible for $25 per month ($20 per month with code "SAVE24")
Verizon's Visible has long been competitive in the prepaid space.
The base $25 per month plan ($275 annually) includes unlimited talk, text and data on Verizon 5G and 4G LTE networks but you won't be able to take advantage of Verizon's fastest networks. The Unlimited hotspot is also included, although it's capped at speeds of 5Mbps. Those who want faster data speeds for their regular data and hotspot connections, plus unlimited talk, text and 2GB of data every day in Canada and Mexico need to look at Visible's pricier Visible Plus plan that normally runs $45 per month.
Through Dec. 2 it is offering $5 off the monthly price of its base plan (making it $20 per month instead of its usual $25) for 24 months so long as you use promo code "SAVE24" at checkout.
If you don't need Verizon's fastest possible speeds, don't want to outlay a full year's service in one shot and want to be on Verizon's network, this is a solid deal. Taxes and fees are also included in the cost.
Other options: Cricket Wireless' unlimited plans for single lines start at $55 per month while Metro's cheapest unlimited plan runs $50 per month. Total by Verizon runs $40 per month for unlimited. All are significantly higher than US Mobile or Visible.
The only other unlimited plans worth considering are Mint Mobile ($30 per month) and MobileX's ($24.88 per month). Mint includes 40GB of high-speed data on T-Mobile's network while MobileX offers 30GB of unlimited data on Verizon's. Both are pricier than our other picks especially as neither includes taxes or fees.
Family plans with unlimited data
Best for a family of four: $100 per month for four lines
Google Fi Wireless Simply Unlimited
Google's phone service has adjusted its pricing which makes it a bit less appealing compared to major providers. For a family of four, you can now get its Simply Unlimited plan for $100 per month ($25 per month, per line), which includes not only unlimited talk, text and 35GB of high-speed data but also 5GB of mobile hotspot use. It includes free roaming in Canada and Mexico, although taxes and fees aren't included in the sticker price. This used to be $80 per month ($20 per month, per line) but Google has raised its pricing.
Google Fi Wireless runs largely on T-Mobile's network and its service includes 5G access.
Runner-up: $100 a month for four lines
US Mobile Unlimited Starter
US Mobile, which runs on Verizon's network for its "Warp 5G" service, T-Mobile's for its "GSM" or "Light Speed" offering and AT&T for its "Dark Star" option. Now its cheapest Unlimited Starter option starts at $25 per line, per month, which for a family of four would run $100 per month.
Taxes and fees are included in the sticker price, and (after another recent change) you'll now get 35GB of high-speed data, 10GB of hotspot data and 1GB of international data per line, per month. To add more high-speed data, international roaming or streaming perks, you'll need to step up to the carrier's pricier Unlimited Premium plans.
It is worth noting that if you want to switch networks, you get two free switches but then it will cost you $2 each time "teleport."
Other options: You could do this with Visible's plans as well, although we give US Mobile the edge here because of the variety of networks it works with.
Runner-up: $100 a month for four lines
Cricket Unlimited
AT&T's prepaid brand has a decent deal if you're looking for four lines: $25 a month for unlimited talk, text and data. A single line is $55 a month, but Cricket gives a solid discount if you're willing to add more lines to the account.
Unlike Visible, this is a traditional-style family plan, where one person pays for all the lines, so you may want to do this with people you know and can rely on to pay on time. Although it's nearly identical in price, Visible's plan includes unlimited hotspot data, giving it the edge over Cricket. Like Visible, Cricket includes taxes in the price.
Cricket's T-Mobile rival, Metro, has a similar four lines for $100 a month unlimited deal, but you'll need to go through its Heritage plans and customer support to sign up.
Other options: Beyond the Metro option you could look at Total Wireless (owned and run by Verizon) which has a similar four-line option for $100 per month. Taxes and fees are included here, but Total's data is on Verizon's slower networks compared to the Verizon experience you may get through US Mobile.
Best for no or limited data
Cheapest option without data: As low as $0 a month
TextNow
If you're looking for service for a backup phone that's rarely used, TextNow has a free plan. Running on T-Mobile's network, the service offers free unlimited talk and unlimited texting, although ads are placed in its app that you use to call and text people. There isn't any data included with this option, and removing the ads without adding data would run you $10 a month. If you want to watch YouTube, FaceTime or surf the web, you'll need to connect to Wi-Fi.
Text messages are also done through the company's TextNow app, not through iMessage or WhatsApp, which makes sense because those services require data. A recent change from TextNow lets you get unlimited talk and text (through its app) as well as 1GB of data per month for a handful of apps, like Gmail, Waze, Uber, Lyft, Outlook, Apple Maps and Google Maps. All you need to do is buy a TextNow SIM card, which is a one-time $5 charge.
If you need more data, well, things will get expensive quickly. An unlimited data hour pass runs $1 per hour, a day pass is $5 and a month is $40. If you need data, you're better off going with a different provider than TextNow.
Cheapest option with limited data: 2GB per month for $96 per year
US Mobile Light Plan
If you are largely on Wi-Fi and don't use much data then US Mobile's Light Plan is the go-to pick for low-cost but still with some data service. Buried under its other plans, the Light Plan includes unlimited talk and text as well as 2GB of data. This is better than our previous pick, Boost Mobile's new customer offer which gave you 1GB of data per month for a full year for $100.
At $96 for the year, this is cheaper than Boost's offer and includes taxes and fees in that sticker price. If you don't want to pay annually, it's $10 per month.
US Mobile offers service on all three carriers: Verizon for its "Warp 5G," T-Mobile for its "GSM" and AT&T for its "Dark Star." It is worth noting that if you want to switch networks, you get two free switches but then it will cost you $2 each time "teleport."
Factors to consider
Know your area and which carrier runs on which networks
To get the best deal, you need to make sure you have the coverage that you need. Cutting costs won't help if it means the service won't work for you.
The US' complex geographic variables make it hard for us to give a blanket recommendation of any one carrier. T-Mobile's service in New York may be excellent, but if you're in rural Iowa, Verizon could be more reliable.
Your mileage may vary, but the good news is that these networks are growing and improving all the time, particularly as the three major players continue the race to blanket the US with 5G. It's quite possible that, a decade ago, you left a network complaining about its sparse service, but now it's been beefed up because of that race to acquire customers.
If you know any friends or family in your area that already use the carrier you're considering, ask about their experience. You could also go to a carrier's store and see if they offer any free ways to try out the service before switching over, such as T-Mobile's Network Pass. Verizon offers a similar 30-day program, while AT&T has recently introduced its own 30-day eSIM free trial option for sampling its network.
Read more: Best Unlimited Plans
When it comes to prepaid carriers and mobile options from cable companies you should also check to see which network they are using. Mint Mobile, for instance, runs on T-Mobile's service (and has been acquired by T-Mobile), while Comcast's Xfinity Mobile and Charter's Spectrum Mobile use Verizon. In these cases, downloading either of the two apps above could be a quick and easy way to try out T-Mobile or Verizon's coverage in your area before you switch.
We have a list of a few of the major alternative providers and which networks they run on broken down here.
How we test
Picking a wireless plan and carrier is a very individualized process. What works for you and your family's needs may be vastly different from your friends or neighbors. Even geographically, some areas have better AT&T coverage while others work best on Verizon or T-Mobile (and vice versa). The picks we make are based on over a decade of covering and evaluating wireless carriers, their offerings and overall performance.
In particular, we take into account the following: coverage, price, value and perks.
Network
Since all three major providers blanket most of the country with good 4G LTE or 5G this is largely a toss-up on a macro level and why we recommend a variety of eSIM options for figuring out what works best for you in your particular location so you can best decide what is right for you. Looking at coverage maps on each provider's website will likely show that you get good coverage even if your experience isn't full bars or the fastest speeds.
This is also why with prepaid plans we specify which network each prepaid provider uses as they sometimes make that a bit difficult to figure out.
Price/Value
Value is factoring in the total experience you might get, such as how much high-speed data you get and what's included in the sticker price. We compare this to other similar options to figure out our best picks.
Perks
Perks are add-ons beyond the core components of wireless service (talk, text and data). This could range from bundling in or discounting on streaming services to extra hotspot data or the ability to use your phone internationally.
Cheap phone plans FAQs
What exactly is a prepaid phone plan?
There are two main types of ways to pay for phone service: postpaid, where you pay at the end of the month, and prepaid, where you buy service before you use your phone. The advertisements you see for AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are almost always for postpaid plans, while the plans and carriers we're talking about here are all prepaid plans.
You're buying the data and access to it in advance of using it. Prepaid plan providers let you purchase in various increments -- 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, six months or even a full year -- with prices often varying depending on how long you're willing to commit.
In this story, I'm comparing single-year prepaid cellphone plans.
What about carrier discounts?
If you want to stick with a major carrier such as AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile, one easy way to save is to take advantage of its discounts. All of the carriers offer additional discounts that you could be eligible for, depending on your employer, military status, student status or age.
First responders, military members, veterans, nurses and teachers can get discounts on every major carrier. Verizon has discounts for students, while T-Mobile's Work perk could knock 15% off Go5G Plus plan. AT&T offers a similar program for its Unlimited Elite and Premium plans, called Signature, and has rolled out a promotion for teachers that offers 25% off its latest unlimited plans.
If you're 55 or older, you may also be eligible for a discounted plan: T-Mobile offers discounted plans nationwide for as low as $55 a month for two lines, and Verizon and AT&T offer similar options — but only for Florida residents.
We've also rounded up the best plans at the Big Three.
Will your area get good cell coverage?
As I noted when covering the best unlimited plans, to get the most out of your deal you need to make sure you have the coverage you need. This makes it hard to give a blanket recommendation of any one carrier: T-Mobile's service in New York may be excellent, but if you're in rural Iowa, for example, Verizon is more reliable. ave
Prepaid providers almost always use someone else's service. Before you sign up for one, it's worth checking what the underlying network is. Each offers some version of 5G and I've broken this all down here, but to recap:
- Boost Mobile uses a combination of AT&T, T-Mobile and it's it's own network
- Mint uses T-Mobile (and is now owned by T-Mobile)
- Cricket uses AT&T (and is owned by AT&T)
- Consumer Cellular uses AT&T
- Visible uses Verizon (and is owned by Verizon)
- US Mobile uses AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile
- Google Fi Wireless uses T-Mobile
- TextNow uses T-Mobile
- Metro uses T-Mobile (and is owned by T-Mobile)
- Tracfone uses Verizon (and is owned by Verizon)
- Verizon Prepaid is on Verizon
- Total Wireless uses Verizon (and is owned by Verizon)
- AT&T Prepaid is on AT&T
- MobileX uses Verizon
If you have any friends or family in your area who already use the prepaid carrier you're considering, ask about their experience. As mentioned above, you could also go to a major carrier's store and see if it offers free ways to try out the service before switching over, such as T-Mobile's Network Pass, Cricket's trial program (for AT&T's network) or Verizon's trial program.