September 19, 2024

Best Cheap Cell Phone Plans in 2024

Written by Valeria

Saving Money
Searching for the best cheap phone plan? Here is a guide to help you find it!

Phone service is essential, but it's not always cheap. According to JD Power, as of 2024, the average (single line) cell phone bill is $144/month. That's almost $2,000 a year. For that amount of money, you can fund a vacation, a car, or simply watch your savings grow.

So we put together a guide to help you determine the best phone plan that can help you reduce your monthly phone bill, and still fit all your needs.

Cheaper phone plans are usually offered by reseller providers, or MVNOs. These carriers don’t own the network themselves (like the big 3 – AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile), but are able to sell their services using one of those networks. They are also usually prepaid plans.  
*Fun fact: There are currently over 50 MVNOs operating in the U.S.  

If you’re wondering what the difference is between a plan from Verizon versus one from Visible when they’re using the same network, it mostly comes down to:  

  • Less perks (eg. No free 6-months of a Hulu subscription included with the plan). 

  • More limited customer service access. 

  • Network speeds (commonly, the big 3 network customers are prioritized). 

If you don’t care too much about these factors, here are our picks for the best cheap phone plans:

Summary: Best Cheap Phone Plans

CategoryPlanProviderStarting PriceData (Plan Details)
  • Best overall cheap plan
  • Free Essential Data
  • TextNow
  • $0/month
  • ⏺ Up to 1GB of data to access essential apps like email, maps, and rideshare. ⏺ Additional data can be purchased at various prices
  • Best for unlimited data
  • Visible
  • Visible
  • $25/month
  • ⏺ Unlimited – includes mobile hotspot
  • Best for calls & texts only
  • Free Essential Data
  • TextNow
  • $0/month
  • ⏺ Essential data for email, maps, and rideshare services also included
  • Best for seniors
  • Economy
  • Tello
  • $10/month
  • ⏺ 2GB of data
  • Best for family
  • Unlimited Plan
  • Cricket Wireless
  • $100/month (4 lines)
  • ⏺ Unlimited Data for all 4 lines ⏺ 2GB cloud storage included
  • Best for AT&T (single line)
  • AT&T Prepaid Unlimited
  • AT&T
  • $25/month
  • ⏺ Unlimited (high speed data capped at 16GB)
  • Best for T-Mobile
  • Prepaid Unlimited
  • T-Mobile
  • $50/month
  • ⏺ Unlimited
  • Best for Verizon
  • Prepaid 15GB
  • Verizon
  • $35/month
  • ⏺ 15GB (after cap is met, you can still stay connected at slower 2G speeds)

Best overall cheap phone plan

ProviderTextNow
  • Price
  • $0/month
  • Network
  • nation's largest 5G network
  • Plan
  • Free Essential Data
  • Data Limit
  • 1GB of data to access essential apps like email, maps, and rideshare
  • Perks
  • Not included
  • Our take
  • If you're not a heavy data user, this is a great plan to have to still be connected with your number (and select services) without paying a monthly bill.
  • Pros & Cons
  • Pros: ⏺ $0 monthly bill ⏺ Reliable coverage ⏺ Offers exclusive deals and discounts from popular brands in-app Cons: ⏺ Have to add on data passes to access other apps (start at $0.99/hour) ⏺ No eSIM support

Best plan for unlimited data:

ProviderVisible
  • Price
  • $25
  • Network
  • Verizon
  • Plan
  • Visible
  • Data Limit
  • None
  • Perks
  • Not included
  • Our take
  • If you're a heavy data user who is looking for a plan with unlimited mobile hotspot included, this is a great deal
  • Pros & Cons
  • Pros: ⏺ No other hidden fees (taxes already included) ⏺ Truly unlimited data (no hard caps) Cons: ⏺ No roaming included ⏺ Network speeds may be deprioritized

Best plan for talk & text only:

ProviderTextNow
  • Price
  • $0/month
  • Network
  • Nation's largest 5G network
  • Plan
  • Free Essential Data
  • Perks
  • Not included
  • Our take
  • If you're only in need of a number to stay connected with calls & texts, you can't beat free.
  • Pros & Cons
  • Pros: ⏺ Number easily accessible on multiple devices (phone, tablet, computer) ⏺ With your talk & text plan, you also have access to essential apps like email, maps, and rideshare for free Cons: ⏺ No eSIM support

Best plan for seniors:

ProviderTello
  • Price
  • $10/month
  • Network
  • T-Mobile
  • Plan
  • Economy
  • Data Limit
  • 2GB
  • Perks
  • Not included
  • Our take
  • This is an inexpensive plan that will keep you connected with unlimited talk & text, plus give you access to enough data to browse the internet, download photos, and keep up with the news without breaking the bank
  • Pros & Cons
  • Pros: ⏺ No contracts or hidden fees ⏺ Plans are flexible and customizable ⏺ Free international calling to select countries Cons: ⏺ Network speeds may be deprioritized

Best plan for families:

ProviderCricket Wireless
  • Price
  • $100/month (for 4 lines)
  • Network
  • AT&T
  • Plan
  • Unlimited Plan
  • Data limit
  • None
  • Perks
  • 2GB Cloud Storage with MyPhotoVault app
  • Our take
  • $100/month for 4 lines is a great deal, especially when you factor in that each lines gets truly unlimited data access
  • Pros & Cons
  • Pros: ⏺ Plan includes roaming in Canada & Mexico Cons: ⏺ No HD streaming ⏺ $25 in-store activation fee

Cheapest Prepaid Phone Plans:

ProviderTalk & Text Only PlanUnlimited Data PlanOur Take
  • TextNow
  • $0 (includes essential data for email, maps, and rideshare apps)
  • ⏺ $0.99/hour ⏺ $4.99/day ⏺ $49.99/month
  • A $0 monthly bill can free up your budget for a lot of things. While the service is ad-supported (in-app), those brand partnerships also benefit their customers by offering weekly deals/discounts from popular brands (Hulu, Walmart, etc.)
  • Visible
  • N/A
  • $25/month
  • To take advantage of their faster network for regular and hotspot data, you would need to opt for the pricier $45/month Visible+ plan.
  • Mint Mobile
  • N/A
  • $15/month
  • If you're able to pay in lump sums ($45 up front for 3 months of service), this is a great way to take advantage of their Unlimited Data Plan. Otherwise, there are more affordable options.
  • US Mobile
  • N/A
  • $25/month
  • Note that the Unlimited Starter Plan only comes with 35GB of high speed data, so if you're a heavier data user, opt for a different plan.
  • Tello
  • $8/month
  • $25/month
  • Note that the Unlimited Data Plan only comes with 35GB of high speed data, so if you're a heavier data user, opt for a different plan.

Cheapest Phone Plans from the Big 3 (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon):

ProviderTalk & Text Only PlanUnlimited DataOur Take
  • AT&T
  • N/A
  • $40/month
  • If you can prepay $300 for 12 months, you can enjoy the same Unlimited Data plan (+10GB of hotspot data!) at a $25/month rate.
  • T-Mobile
  • N/A
  • $50/month
  • Upgrading to the Unlimited Promo plan for an extra $5/month will also give you access to texting & calling to Canada, Mexico, and other international destinations. It's a worthwhile upgrade if you have family & friends abroad.
  • Verizon
  • $35/month
  • $50/month (with AutoPay)
  • Verizon is great if network coverage is a concern for you. Otherwise, you can find better price points for these plans.

Methodology of Picking a Cheap Phone Plan  

If you type in “cheapest phone plan” into a search engine, you’re going to be hit with a mix of articles like this one, but more importantly, you’re going to see a lot of claims – “easy”, “affordable”, “best”, “what you deserve.” Finding what actually works for you in a sea of “cheapest” is overwhelming. In this reddit post alone, I counted 15 recommended carriers before I gave up counting.  So let’s break down what you want to look out for.  

Data  

In today's age, having some access to data is basically a right, not just a privilege. It’s important that you first determine how much data you need. It may be that your school/work situation makes it so that you’re connected to Wi-Fi most of the time anyway, and only need very little. Or it may be that you’re spending a lot of your time outside of Wi-Fi zones, and need steady access to apps, and not just to texts & calls. Figuring that out first will help you narrow down your search filters (unlimited data vs a talk & text only plan).  

Network  

This goes for any phone plan search, but coverage is key. The big three networks do a pretty good job of covering the continental United States, and if you don’t already know whether your area has issues with coverage from one or more of those carriers, do your research first. The FCC website has a mobile map that can determine what the coverage looks like in your location for each network.  

Speed  

As mentioned before, reseller networks tend to be deprioritized in comparison to the big networks. This just means that in times of congestion (especially if you live in a metropolitan area), you may experience slower speeds than someone who is on an AT&T plan.   

This will mostly be felt if you’re someone who spends a lot of time on their phone streaming (YouTube, Netflix, etc.), and/or uploading content over data (Instagram stories or reels, and TikToks.)  

Price  

And finally, the factor that probably matters the most – the price. It’s important that before you even set out, you narrow it down to a realistic budget.  

You may just be looking for a cheap phone plan that can allow you to save elsewhere monthly, so you can spend it on a new car, a family vacation, or a rental apartment. Even if that’s the case, be sure to be specific in your search and narrow it down to what you’re willing to spend (eg. “phone plan under $10 a month”).  

If you don't know where to start, WhistleOut recently narrowed it down to these three:

One last thing: If you’re worried about keeping your number when switching plans, don’t be. Most carriers these days make transferring your number super easy, but be sure to look up where your current carrier keeps your account information, so you can get started.