How much is a phone bill?

If you’re looking to save money, you may have thought about putting your cell phone bill on a diet. According to JD Power, the average cell phone bill for a single line is $141/month. It'd be nice to shave something off that nearly $1,700 annual expense.  

Of course, averages can be deceiving. Costs vary widely depending on whether you want a data plan, how many lines you need and more.

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How much is a cell phone bill per month?  

Once you get away from averages, you realize a cell phone bill can be nearly any amount — from $0 to more than $200 a month. Here’s what determines the price you pay, followed by some guidelines on price ranges:  

Plan type: The cheapest plans are talk & text only, also called no data plans. Adding mobile data — so you can connect to the internet on the go instead of clinging to Wi-Fi — will cost more, but you can still find some deals on unlimited data plans.  

Number of lines: A single line offers the lowest cost per month overall. But a family plan, while costing more overall, will likely cost less per-line thanks to multiline discounts.  

Type of carrier: Going with one of the “Big 3” providers — AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon — typically costs more, since those companies build and maintain their own cellular networks. Going with a mobile virtual network operator usually means finding cheaper phone plans, because MVNOs don’t maintain their own networks and instead pay to use a Big 3 network. 

Taxes and fees: A phone bill also includes various amounts going to things like state and local taxes, paying for 911 emergency services, and regulatory and administrative charges. Some plans include these in their prices, while others will note “taxes and fees extra.” 

Discounts and deals: Carriers provide various discounts, for example a break if you sign up for AutoPay and/or paperless billing. Check to see whether the price listed already accounts for those discounts. You also might be able to get a deal on a new phone (though it may require signing up for a higher-end plan) or on add-ons like streaming services.  

How much is a phone bill for one person? 

At the very lowest, you could pay $0 per month with TextNow for talk, text and essential data, with the option to buy more data by the hour, day or month. At the other end of the spectrum, a deluxe postpaid plan with a Big 3 carrier can run as high as $105 for T-Mobile's Experience Beyond, while the most expensive MVNO offerings run $65 (plans include Boost Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and GoogleFi).

Let’s assume you want a plan that includes talk, text and at least some mobile data. Here’s how it stacks up, with the low end being a bargain plan with a small amount of data and the high end representing unlimited data plans. (Note: Prices throughout do not include discounts such as AutoPay.) 

Tips for shopping: 

• When choosing a phone plan, keep in mind postpaid plans tend to be more expensive than prepaid, but they give you prioritized network access and may offer more perks. With prepaid plans, your traffic is deprioritized but you’re not locked into a contract.  

• When comparing prepaid plans from the Big 3 and from MVNOs, weigh perks against overall cost. Perks are only worth it if you’ll actually use them. 

• Look over the fine print so you know all the rules governing what you get for your money, including data and network speeds. Find out how to qualify for any discounts and whether you'd face early termination fees to quit a plan, etc.   

What is the average phone bill for two people?  

The price for two lines might be the same as simply purchasing two separate lines of service, or it could represent some savings. For example, the top-of-the-line T-Mobile Experience Beyond plan costs $105 for a single line but $180 for two. Among the MVNO offerings there’s a wide price range, with US Mobile’s By the Gig 2GB plan running only $18 for two lines. But Straight Talk’s Platinum Unlimited plan costs $115 for two. 

Tips for shopping: 

• Check to see if you’re better off having two lines on the same plan with the same carrier or buying two individual plans so you can each choose exactly what you want, from the carrier you want. 

• If you choose a two-line plan, review the details so you know how removing or adding a line could affect your price as your needs change. 

How much is a phone bill for a family plan?  

With family plans, you pay more overall but likely less per line thanks to multiline discounts. On the extreme low end you could pay $34 for four lines on US Mobile’s lowest By the Gig plan, but all would share 2GB of data. At the high end, T-Mobile's Experience Beyond can run $280 unless you meet all the conditions for its current “third line free” offer. 

Tips for shopping:  

• Not every carrier, especially MVNOs, offer family plans on all their options.  

• Read the fine print on how to qualify for and keep a multiline discount. For example, it’s common to require all the lines to be new service. You might also lose a discount if you later remove a line.  

• Balance group plans perks like streaming subscriptions against cost and how much use the group may get out of them.  

• Consider a plan with shared data if you have a mix of light and heavy data users; it might be more cost effective than plans that give each line its own data allotment. Also, some service providers even let you mix and match plans, choosing the right service level for each person in the group. 

How to lower your phone bill 

The best time to cut your phone bill is when shopping for a new provider, like when your current postpaid contract is up. But even if you have some time left on your postpaid contract, you might find a contract buy-out offer from another carrier trying to entice you over to them. Some other tips to help your budget include:  

• Take time to explore whether switching carriers or from post- to prepaid makes sense. Prepaid plans tend to be cheaper — although they may not offer as many perks — and they have the added benefit of not endangering your credit score through late payment.  

• Review your mobile data use, too. You’re probably paying too much if you never get close to using your monthly data amount. 

• Reconsider upgrading your phone frequently. And when it is time to replace a phone, be savvy about financing through a carrier or buying directly from a manufacturer. You can use a phone bill calculator to figure out which is the better deal for you overall.  

• If you’re considering getting off your parents’ phone plan, understand how the added expense will fit your budget. If it’s too costly, consider offering to pay your share of the family plan. 

• Explore whether you might qualify for Lifeline, a federal program that helps low-income households pay for phone and internet service.