Affordable Recharge Plans -
You can faster 5G coverage on Verizon's network and the ability to make overseas calls. Taxes and fees are included. Best for families. Metro by T-Mobile is one of the few carriers to offer escalating discounts as you add more lines to your plan.
Best low cost plan. It's hard to find a deal much cheaper than the Connect by T-Mobile offering, which currently includes 3. Each year through , T-Mobile adds another MB to the plan, which includes 5G coverage. Best free plan. TextNow doesn't actually charge for its phone service, letting you call and text on T-Mobile's network for free.
Data comes via Wi-Fi connectivity by default, but you can add extra data over cellular for a fee. Best variety of plans. We're focusing on the 5GB plan at Tello, as that's a decent amount of data, but the low-cost carrier has a whole range of offerings whether you need just 1GB or unlimited data.
Tello uses T-Mobile's network for its service. Best low-data plan. You also get MB of 5G and LTE data on T-Mobile's network for when you need data.
Mint slows down your data when you hit your monthly limit, though you can buy extra data. Your service comes from T-Mobile's network and includes 5G coverage. Pros: Very affordable price, free hot spot data Cons: Best prices require longer commitment.
While you get unlimited data, your speeds will slow down to 1. Pros: Outstanding amount of data for price Cons: Requires you to prepay for a full year, speeds slowed significantly after 16GB. Unfortunately, the loyalty discounts Verizon applies when you keep your prepaid account can no longer be combined with the autopay discount — it's either one or the other.
Use up your data before the month is out and Verizon slows your coverage to 2G speeds. Pros: Lots of data, great coverage and speeds, 5G coverage included Cons: Not the cheapest prepaid around; Ultra Wideband 5G requires a more expensive plan. Visible Plus customers also can make calls to more than 30 countries from the U.
at no extra cost and get up to 50GB of data without seeing their speeds slowed by Verizon. Pros: Very affordable, 5G unlimited data Cons: There are cheaper prepaid plans, no more discounts for multiple lines.
With this plan, you get unlimited data though after 35GB of use, your speeds may be slowed as well as 5G coverage from T-Mobile's nationwide network and access to T-Mobile Tuesday giveaways for customers. Pros: Uses T-Mobile's network, includes 5G, big discount right now on multiple lines Cons: Fewest perks of any Metro plan.
T-Mobile Connect 3. Those MB bumps will continue through Just be aware that once you use your data for the month, you have to wait until the next billing cycle for more data; other prepaid plans usually just slow down your speeds when you hit your cap. Pro: Low costs, MB data boosts annually, includes 5G service Con: Out of data once you hit your cap.
TextNow 0GB Free - Free calling and texting It's hard to beat a monthly fee of zero dollars, but that's what you'll pay for unlimited calling and texting with TextNow. You will need to pay 99 cents for a SIM card, and download an app for your iPhone or Android device, but once you do, you'll be able to call or text using T-Mobile's network.
There are some additional caveats — the app features ads, and if you want data, that costs extra. The service won't be for everyone, but bargain hunters can use it to stay connected for cheap. Pros: No charge for unlimited talk and text Cons: App features ads, data costs extra.
Tello uses T-Mobile's network, and slows you down to 2G speeds should you go over your allotted data. Pros: Wide range of plans including the cheapest option, unlimited calls and texts Cons: Limited phone selection.
Need more data? Ultra Mobile has an extensive range of plans, between 3GB and unlimited data, all delivered on T-Mobile's top performing network. Pros: Low monthly cost, coverage through T-Mobile Cons: Low data cap isn't for everyone.
There are two kinds of cell phone plans — prepaid and postpaid. With a prepaid plan, you pay for data at the beginning of the month; that way, you know your precise costs for budgeting purposes. Prepaid plans also don't require credit checks, so it's easier to get service if you've got a low credit score.
Should you use up your allotted data for a month, many carriers will just slow down your data speeds for the rest of the billing cycle. In some cases, you'll need to top off your plan with data. That's why it's important to pick a prepaid phone plan with the right amount of data for your needs.
Many phone carriers prioritize traffic from postpaid customers, so it's possible that data rates can be slowed if you're using a prepaid plan.
That's especially true when you use a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO , such as Mint, Metro or Cricket, where your phone service is piggy-backing on another carrier's network.
When shopping for a prepaid phone plan, price is paramount. That said, some carriers — notably, Metro By T-Mobile — do work in a few perks, so be aware of those when picking your plans. You'll also want to pay attention to discounts and special offers. Metro by T-Mobile has been known to increase discounts for each line of data you add, too, making it a good choice for families.
Besides price, one of the most important things to consider is what carrier offers the best coverage around your home and workplace. Metro subscribers can access T-Mobile's 5G with an eligible phone, as can Mint Mobile customers. Some prepaid carriers offer free trials, in which you can test out their service on your current phone without having to switch carriers first.
It's a convenient way of seeing if a prepaid carrier's coverage is strong in your area. Mint Mobile's free trial lets you sample the service for seven days.
You're given MB of data, minutes of talk time and texts to see what Mint's service is all about. Visible's free trial runs the longest at 15 days. In addition to iPhones, it's now open to Samsung and Google Pixel devices that can support eSIM.
We also research plans from smaller carriers who use the Big Three's cellular towers to provide their coverage. As smaller carriers usually offer their service at a discount, they make up a majority of the candidates that we consider for best prepaid phone plans.
When we pick the best plans, we put a premium on the monthly price, though we also pay attention to how much data comes with that plan.
After all, a carrier may not charge you a lot for data, but it also may not provide enough data for your needs. We're picking plans that offer the best mix of cost and data. We also consider a wide variety of data allotments, since some people can get by very happily using just a couple gigabytes of data each month, while others need an unlimited plan.
As noted previously, prepaid plans don't offer much in the way of perks. Metro actually still has those plans but has hidden them under a " Heritage Plans " section on its website that requires you to call customer support to get them.
This runs for an undisclosed "limited time," but if you're willing to go down this route, it's the best option. Taxes and fees are included in that price, as is 15GB of hotspot data, GB of Google One and a subscription to Amazon Prime. Again, you need to contact Metro's Customer Care team at to get this plan.
More details can be found here. Other options : As for the new main plans, for a single line or two lines Metro's middle plan is still actually a bit cheaper than Cricket's. If price is the biggest factor for you, look at Google Fi's Simply Unlimited plan we mentioned above.
If you need anything less than four lines, Cricket, Total or Metro are a lot pricier than Mint. When it comes to data under 15GB, Mint once again has the best value if T-Mobile's network is solid in your area.
This used to be a 10GB plan, but in April Mint raised the data it offered while keeping the price the same. If you use up the 16GB you will still get unlimited data, but it will slow speeds down to 1. Tracfone doesn't have a 10GB plan but has two other options directly above and below it.
Boost Mobile has a few enticing plans at 5GB or less, particularly if you're a new customer. If you don't have Boost, find yourself largely on Wi-Fi and the price is the biggest driver for you, this is the go-to pick if looking for a new service.
While not as easy to find, you can access this plan by going to Boost's "plans" section, choosing "use my phone" and then selecting the "12 months" option. 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.
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.
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.
Prepaid providers almost always use someone else's service. Before you sign up for one, it's worth checking what the underlying network is.
If you have any friends or family in your area who already use the prepaid carrier you're considering, ask about their experience. Each offers some version of 5G and I've broken this all down here , but to recap:. 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 or Verizon's trial program.
Read more: What to Know Before You Buy a New iPhone or Android. 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. The picks we make are based on over a decade of covering and evaluating wireless carriers, their offerings and their performance.
Since choosing a provider is unique, we focus on larger plans and the value they provide; as well as calling out ways you can test the different networks in your area for yourself so you can make the best pick. Tech Mobile. Written by Eli Blumenthal.
Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement.
Eli Blumenthal Senior Editor. Eli Blumenthal is a senior editor at CNET with a particular focus on covering the latest in the ever-changing worlds of telecom, streaming and sports.
He previously worked as a technology reporter at USA Today. Expertise 5G, mobile networks, wireless carriers, phones, tablets, streaming devices, streaming platforms, mobile and console gaming,.
See full bio. Why You Can Trust CNET. See at US Mobile. Best unlimited prepaid phone plan. See at Tello Mobile. Sponsored - Tello Mobile. See at Mint Mobile.
Runner-up for unlimited prepaid phone plan. See at Google Fi. Best plan for multiple lines. Google Fi Wireless Simply Unlimited. See at Metro by T-Mobile. Best unlimited plans with perks. Metro's Heritage Plan or Cricket. Best for under 15GB of data.
See at Boost Mobile. Best for under 5GB of data. Show less. See at Know the prepaid phone plan promos and deals. Show expert take Show less. Cons Phone data slows to 1Mbps after high-speed data is used up Cheapest rate requires annual purchase.
Networks T-Mobile "GSM" or Verizon "Warp 5G".
Unlimited High-speed data. Affordable Recharge Plans discount is applied the Rechargf Affordable Recharge Plans you enroll. Video streams in SD. Tell Protein intake for vegetarians more. Affordable Recharge Plans a data-only line Rechwrge your Metro Affordaboe Affordable Recharge Plans to stay connected on a tablet, hotspot, or other capable device. Stream your favorite entertainment with unlimited high-speed data at no extra charge. Nationwide 5G coverage, Unlimited local and domestic long distance calling, Three way calling, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Premium Directory Assistance, Text and Picture messaging, voicemail, as well as Visual voicemail and video streaming at p. Domestic use only. Video Affordable Recharge Plans streams in Planx quality. Get full terms. Limited-time offer; subject to change. Plus taxes and fees. Not eligible for AutoPay discount.
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