If you’re looking for ways to save on your cell phone bill, there are several inexpensive providers you can switch to without sacrificing the quality of your service.
I’ve researched more than 70 phone plans to find the absolute best prices on reliable networks. In this article, I’ll share my top picks for cheap cell phone plans.
This article was updated in August 2023 and I review it every three months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.
- Unlimited talk, text and 1GB of high-speed data
- Cheapest pre-built plan available
- 5GB of high-speed data for $15/month
- Prepay three months in advance when you sign up
- Unlimited talk, text and data with 5-12 Mbps speeds
- Unlimited mobile hotspot with 5 Mbps speeds
- The cheapest price for unlimited data
- $100 for 12 months of service ($8.33/month) before taxes and fees.
- Get unlimited talk, text and 1GB of 5G/4G data each month.
- One of the cheapest unlimited phone plans available
- Includes 25GB of mobile hotspot (unlimited but speeds slow after 5GB).
- Unlimited talk, text and data with 5-12 Mbps speeds
- Unlimited mobile hotspot with 5 Mbps speeds
- The cheapest price for unlimited data
Choosing the Best Cheap Phone Plan
As you’re shopping around for a new phone plan, be sure that you consider your needs first. While price is clearly an important factor, you’ll also want to find a provider that has good coverage in your area and offers an appropriate amount of mobile data. For this reason, there are a few options to consider when looking for the best cheap cell phone plan.
It’s important that you have reliable phone service but also that you aren’t paying for features you don’t need. Three great ways to get the cheapest cell phone plan include choosing a plan that isn’t unlimited, opting for prepaid service and switching to a low-cost MVNO that runs on one of the three major networks’ towers.
Here are my top picks for the cheapest phone plans available now:
- Cheapest Phone Plans
- Tello Economy: Cheapest Monthly Cell Phone Plan
- Mint 5GB: Best Value for a Cheap Cell Phone Plan
- Boost Annual Plan: Cheapest Annual Prepaid Phone Plan
- Cheapest Unlimited Data Plans
- Visible: Cheapest Unlimited Cell Phone Plan
- Tello Mobile Data: Best Cheap Hotspot Plan
- Visible: Cheapest Unlimited Hotspot Plan
- Cheapest Prepaid Phone Plans
- Cheap Phone Plans for Two
- Cheap Phone Plans for Three
- Cheap Phone Plans for Four
- Limited-Time Cheap Phone Plans
Cheapest Phone Plans
If you’re looking for the absolute lowest cost on a cell phone plan, you can find deals for as low as $10 monthly. For this price, you can get Tello Mobile’s Economy plan including unlimited calls, text and 1GB of high-speed data. For $15 per month, you can get a little more data with Mint Mobile’s 5GB plan.
If you’re willing to pay for a year in advance, Boost Mobile’s annual plan is available for $100 for 12 months ($8.33 per month before taxes and fees), but I recommend trying out Boost Mobile’s service before paying for an annual plan upfront.
In this section, I’ll take a closer look at these three great options for a cheap phone plan:
- Cheapest Monthly Cell Phone Plan: Tello Economy (Review)
- Best Value for a Cheap Phone Plan: Mint Mobile (Review)
- Cheapest Annual Prepaid Phone Plan: Boost Mobile (Review)
Tello Economy
Cheapest Monthly Cell Phone Plan
|
Price:
$10/month (plus taxes)
Multiline Discounts:
No
Talk and Text:
Unlimited
Data:
Unlimited
Data Cap Overage:
1GB
Hotspot Data:
Free; pulls from monthly data
|
If you’re looking for the cheapest phone plan available that you can pay for as you go, you’ll find it with Tello Mobile. Tello Economy includes a plan that gives you unlimited talk, text and 1GB of high-speed data for $10 monthly, which makes it the least expensive pre-built plan available anywhere.
In addition to Tello Economy, Tello Mobile offers additional plans including 2GB for $14 monthly and 5GB for $19 per month.
If you decide to switch to Tello, you may be able to bring your own phone, which will save you even more money. You can check your phone’s eligibility online. For more information on Tello, be sure to read our full review.
Mint Mobile
Best Value for a Cheap Phone Plan
|
Price:
$15/month (plus taxes & fees)
Multiline Discounts:
No
Talk and Text:
Unlimited
Data:
5GB
Data Cap Overage:
None
Hotspot Data:
Free; pulls from monthly data
|
Mint is another great option to consider when looking for a cheap cell phone plan. For $15 monthly, you’ll get unlimited talk and text as well as 5GB of high-speed data. Data speed reduces after 5GB, but data is unlimited with this plan. With this new-customer offer, you will have to pay three months in advance to lock in the price, which means you’ll owe $45 at the time of purchase.
Additional plans from Mint Mobile include 15GB for $20 monthly, 20GB for $25 monthly and 40GB for $30 monthly.
For a limited time, you can get any Mint Mobile plan for $15 per month for the first three months. That means you can get Mint Mobile’s unlimited plan for half off right now. Visit this link to get the deal.
For more information on Mint, check out Team Clark’s review. If you decide to switch to Mint, you may be able to bring your own phone and save additional money. Check your phone’s compatibility here before switching.
Boost Mobile
Cheapest Prepaid Phone Plan
|
Price:
$100 ($8.33/month)
Multiline Discounts:
No
Talk and Text:
Unlimited
Data:
Unlimited
Data Cap Overage:
1GB
Hotspot Data:
Included; data counts towards mobile data allowance
|
Boost Mobile offers several cheap monthly plans, but its new annual plan is tough to beat. The plan costs $100 for 12 months, which works out to be $8.33 per month before taxes and fees. For this price, you’ll get 12 months of unlimited talk, text and 2G data. The plan also includes 1GB of 5G/4G data per month that can be shared via mobile hotspot. After 1GB of high-speed data each month, mobile data and hotspot speeds will reduce.
Other plans from Boost Mobile include 5GB for $15 per month and unlimited plans starting at $25 per month.
If you’re thinking about switching to Boost Mobile, be sure to check out the coverage map online. You may also be able to bring your own phone to save even more; just be prepared for a $25 activation fee. Also, be sure to check your phone’s compatibility in person at your nearest Boost Mobile store before purchasing the plan. To learn more about Boost Mobile before switching, including why I warn against ordering a SIM card from Boost Mobile online, read my full review here.
Cheapest Unlimited Data Plans
One of the best ways to save money on a phone plan is by opting for limited data. However, if you don’t have regular access to Wi-Fi, you may truly need an unlimited data plan.
When it comes to unlimited phone plans, there’s a lot of fine print to consider. Many plans advertise unlimited data, but this often includes slower speeds after a certain amount of use each month. While the plans listed here do have a limited amount of high-speed data, they are technically unlimited and come with better prices (around $30 per line).
If you’re looking for a plan that’s completely unlimited with no data cap overage, check out T-Mobile Magenta Max for $85 per line.
If you are looking for a cheap unlimited phone plan, here are my top picks:
- Cheapest Unlimited Cell Phone Plan: Visible (Review)
- Best Cheap Hotspot Plan: Tello Mobile Data (Review)
- Cheapest Unlimited Hotspot Plan: Visible (Review)
Visible
Cheapest Unlimited Cell Phone Plan
|
Price:
$25/month (taxes & fees included)
Multiline Discounts:
No
Talk and Text:
Unlimited
Data:
Unlimited
Data Cap Overage:
None, but speeds may slow during congestion.
Hotspot Data:
Unlimited (speeds up to 5Mbps)
|
For $25 per month, Visible offers a phone plan with unlimited talk, text and data on Verizon’s networrk. This plan includes truly unlimited data with no cap, but know that speeds may be reduced during congestion. This plan includes unlimited mobile hotspot with speeds capped at 5 Mbps. The prepaid carrier offers two different phone plans: Visible and Visible+. The standard Visible plan costs $25 per month while Visible+ costs $45 per month and includes 50GB of premium data.
Additionally, you may be able to bring your own phone to Visible when you switch to save even more. To see if yours is compatible, visit Visible’s website. Check out our full review for more about Visible.
Tello Mobile Data
Best Cheap Hotspot Plan
|
Price:
$29/month (plus taxes)
Multiline Discounts:
No
Talk and Text:
Unlimited
Data:
Unlimited
Data Cap Overage:
Speeds will be slowed to 2G after 25GB.
Hotspot Data:
Unlimited
|
In addition to one of the cheapest plans overall, Tello Mobile also offers one of the cheapest unlimited data plans. You can get unlimited talk, text and data for $29 per month. Data speeds slow after 25GB, but you can continue using unlimited data. Additionally, this plan allows you to share your data with mobile hotspot capabilities.
If you decide to switch to Tello, you may also be able to bring your own phone to save even more money. You can check your phone’s eligibility online. Be sure to read our full review of Tello before switching.
Visible
Cheapest Unlimited Hotspot Plan
|
Price:
$25/month (taxes & fees included)
Multiline Discounts:
No
Talk and Text:
Unlimited
Data:
Unlimited
Data Cap Overage:
None, but speeds may slow during congestion.
Hotspot Data:
Unlimited (speeds up to 5Mbps)
|
In addition to being the cheapest unlimited cell phone plan available, Visible also offers the best price for unlimited hotspot. The $25 Visible plan includes unlimited talk, text and data as well as unlimited mobile hotspot (speeds capped at 5 Mbps.) Visible runs on Verizon’s network. The prepaid carrier offers two different phone plans: Visible and Visible+. The standard Visible plan costs $30 per month while Visible+ costs $45 per month and includes 50GB of premium data.
You may be able to bring your own phone to Visible when you switch to save even more. To see if yours is compatible, visit Visible’s website. Check out our full review for more about Visible.
Cheapest Prepaid Phone Plans
There are many reasons that you may be considering a prepaid phone plan. A prepaid phone plan is one of the top three ways to save money on your phone bill. And unlike traditional post-paid phone plans, prepaid phone plans don’t require a credit check when you sign up for service. Instead, you’ll pay for what you need ahead of time.
Here are my three top picks for the cheapest prepaid phone plans available now:
| Boost Mobile Annual Plan | Connect by T-Mobile | Mint 5GB | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
 |
|
|
| Price | $100 ($8.33/month) | $10 (plus taxes and fees) | $15/month (plus taxes & fees) |
| Talk and Text | Unlimited | 1,000 minutes and 1,000 texts | Unlimited |
| Network | T-Mobile and AT&T | T-Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Data | Unlimited | 1GB | 5GB |
| Data Cap Overage | 1GB | None | None |
The Cheapest Prepaid Phone Plans:
- Boost Mobile (Review) offers a 12-month prepaid plan for $100 that includes unlimited talk, text and 1GB of 5G/4G data per month. Additional “carrier crusher” plans also include unlimited data (35GB high-speed per month) for $300 upfront which works out to be $25 per month plus taxes and fees. Boost also offers a 5GB monthly plan for $15.
- Connect by T-Mobile offers plans beginning at $10 for 1GB of data as well as additional plans including $15 for 3GB, $25 for 6GB or $35 for 12GB. You can check out the details here. Tello Mobile’s Economy plan (mentioned above) is another prepaid option that includes 1GB for $10, plus unlimited talk and text. However, if you’re looking for a prepaid plan owned by a major carrier, Connect by T-Mobile is a great option.
- Mint Mobile (Review) offers an affordable plan that has the best overall value with 5GB of high-speed data for only $15 monthly.
Boost Mobile, Connect by T-Mobile and Mint Mobile each offer additional prepaid phone plans that you can check out on their respective websites. The plans displayed here are the cheapest plans available from each.
Cheap Phone Plans for Two
If you’re shopping for a phone plan for two lines, there are a few deals that are worth considering. But some phone plans offer individual lines for cheap enough prices that you may want to simply buy two. For example, Tello Economy offers 1GB of data for $10 per month per line, which means your total phone bill for two would be $20. Connect by T-Mobile also offers the same deal.
Mint offers 5GB for $15 per line while Boost Mobile offers 5GB for the same price, which would still keep your total bill under $30 for two.
If you are looking for a little more data, there are several cheap phone plans available that are specifically designed for two users. Here are my top picks if you’re shopping for two lines:
| H2O Wireless | Visible | Xfinity Unlimited | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price for Two | $25 per line | $25 per line | $30 per line |
| Network | AT&T | Verizon | Verizon |
| Talk and Text | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Data | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Data Cap Overage | 10GB | None | 20GB |
The Best Cheap Phone Plans for Two:
- H2O Wireless offers a plan for $25 per line monthly that includes unlimited talk, text and data. Each line gets 10GB of high-speed data before reduced speeds.
- Visible (Review) offers unlimited talk, text and data for $30 per line monthly for two. While data is completely unlimited, speeds do slow with congestion.
- Xfinity Mobile (Review) offers two lines of unlimited for $30 per line. This deal is exclusively available to Xfinity internet customers. It includes 20GB of high-speed data before deprioritization (slower speeds) kicks in, though data is unlimited.
Other Plans To Consider:
- AT&T Prepaid (Review) offers two lines from $25 each for 5GB per line.
- Straight Talk Wireless (Review) announced a new family plan that includes two lines for $75/month ($37.50/line) with unlimited talk, text and high-speed data on Verizon’s network.
- T-Mobile Essentials Savings (Review) is available for $40 per line monthly and also includes unlimited talk, text and data. Unlike the other plans, you will have access to high-speed data up until 50GB before reduced speeds.
- Cricket Wireless (Review) offers plans for two beginning at $30 per line for 2GB, $35 per line for 10GB or $40 per line for unlimited high-speed data.
- Spectrum Mobile (Review) offers Spectrum Unlimited to Spectrum customers, which was specifically designed for two lines. However, you can now get the same deal with a single line. The plan costs $29.99 per line per month. It includes unlimited talk, text and data (speeds slow after 20GB). It also includes mobile hotspot tethering with reduced speeds after 5GB.
Cheap Phone Plans for Three
The more lines you add to a phone plan, the more discounts you’ll likely be eligible for. Still, some cheap phone plans that offer individual lines for low prices are worth considering. Tello offers plans beginning as low as $10 per line while Mint and Boost offer lines beginning at $15. Of course, these plans offer very limited data.
If you’re shopping for phone plans with a little more data, here are my top picks for cheap phone plans for three users:
| Visible | Google Fi Wireless | T-Mobile Essentials | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price for Three | $25 per line | $27 per line | $30 per line |
| Network | Verizon | T-Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Talk and Text | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Data | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Data Cap Overage | None | 35GB | 50GB |
The Best Cheap Phone Plans for Three:
- Visible (Review) offers a plan for $25 per line monthly. It includes unlimited talk, text and data. While the data is completely unlimited, you can expect download speeds between 5-12 Mbps.
- Google Fi Wireless (Review) offers a Simply Unlimited plan that costs $27 per line for three lines ($80 total per month). It includes 35GB of high-speed data before deprioritization (slower speeds) and 5GB of hotspot tethering per month.
- T-Mobile Essentials (Review) is available for $30 per line for three lines. That works out to be $90 total per month! It includes 50GB of high-speed data before reduced speeds and unlimited access to 3G mobile hotspot.
Other Plans To Consider:
- Straight Talk Wireless (Review) announced a new family plan that includes three lines for $90/month ($30/line) with unlimited talk, text and high-speed data on Verizon’s network.
- Cricket Wireless Unlimited (Review) costs $30 per line monthly, and you’ll get unlimited talk, text and data.
- T-Mobile Magenta Max (Review) includes three lines for $57 each, which makes the total bill $170 per month for three lines. While it’s not the cheapest option available, it does include truly unlimited data with speeds that never slow.
Cheap Phone Plans for Four
If you’re shopping for a full family plan, or a plan with four lines on it, you’ll be able to get some of the lowest prices per line. (Of course, some cheap MVNOs offer incredibly low prices per line individually.) Tello Mobile offers plans beginning as low as $10 per line while Mint and Boost offer lines beginning at $15. You should note that these plans include very limited data.
If you’re looking for a more sustainable multiline setup, here are my top picks for cheap phone plans for four:
| Google Fi Wireless | AT&T Prepaid | Cricket Wireless | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price for Four | $20 per line | $20 per line | $25 per line |
| Network | T-Mobile | AT&T | AT&T |
| Talk and Text | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Data | Unlimited | 5GB | Unlimited |
| Data Cap Overage | 35GB | None | None |
The Best Cheap Phone Plans for Four:
- Google Fi (Review) offers a Simply Unlimited plan that costs $20 per line for four lines ($80 total per month). It includes 35GB of high-speed data before deprioritization (slower speeds) and 5GB of hotspot tethering per month.
- AT&T Prepaid (Review) offers multiline plans for four beginning at $20 per line monthly. For this price, each line gets 5B of data.
- Cricket Wireless Unlimited (Review) offers unlimited talk, text and data for $25 per line monthly.
Other Plans To Consider:
- Visible (Review) offers lines beginning at $25 per month for unlimited talk, text and data with max speeds of 5-12 Mbps.
- Straight Talk Wireless (Review) announced a new family plan that includes four lines for $100/month ($25/line) with unlimited talk, text and high-speed data on Verizon’s network.
- T-Mobile Essentials (Review) is available for $105 per month for four lines. That works out to be $26.25 per line with autopay. It includes 50GB of high-speed data before reduced and unlimited access to 3G mobile hotspot.
- T-Mobile Magenta Max (Review) offers four lines for $50 per line. While this isn’t the cheapest phone plan available, it does include truly unlimited data with speeds that aren’t limited and never slow for $200 total monthly.
Limited-Time Cheap Phone Plans
Many phone plans offer introductory offers to first-time customers that include some of the lowest prices you can find on cell phone service. While these plans start out extremely cheap, you can expect a price bump at some point during your service. Still, if you’re looking for the absolute cheapest plans available, these limited-time cheap phone plan deals are worth considering.
| Provider | Deal | Network |
|---|---|---|
| Visible (Review) | For a limited time, new customers can get the Visible+ plan for $35/month for the first six months ($10 off/month) with promo code 35FOR6 online. | Verizon Wireless |
| Red Pocket (Review) | For a limited time, new customers can get their first month of service for $10 on any unlimited plan. | AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless |
| Boost Infinite | Amazon Prime members get a free month of service + 20% discount on a SIM kit. | AT&T, T-Mobile |
| Boost Mobile (Review) | Boost offers one month of unlimited data for $12.50. You can also get 5GB for $5 per month for the first three months ($15 total). | AT&T |
| Ultra Mobile (Review) | Get 3GB of high-speed data for $10/month when you prepay for at least three months. You can prepay for up to 12 months for the most savings. | T-Mobile |
| Cricket Wireless (Review) | New customers can try Cricket with a 14-day free trial including unlimited talk, text and 3GB of high-speed data. | AT&T |
| Twigby (Review) | Ten dollars off for the first three months! Plans include unlimited talk, text and 5GB of data starting at $10 per month. 2GB data plans begin as low as $5 per month. | Verizon Wireless |
| AT&T Prepaid (Review) | Students can get $10 off unlimited data with this online-only offer. Veterans can get the same unlimited plan for as low as $37/month with a 20% veteran's discount + autopay. | AT&T |
Team Clark’s Methodology
For the purposes of this review, Team Clark determined that the top three things customers care about when it comes to cell phone carriers are price, network reliability/coverage and overall satisfaction.
Various members of our staff tried out each of these popular cell phone providers to get a feel for their reliability and service. We have individual reviews of those providers available on the website.
I also researched more than 70 phone plans at the time of writing and analyzed the following characteristics when determining the best options for each category:
- Price
- Network reliability
- Network coverage
- Monthly data allotments
- “Bring your own device” availability
- Available deals and discounts (loyalty, autopay, additional lines, etc.)
- Online reviews from real customers
Final Thoughts
Switching to a cheaper phone plan can be a great way to save money on your monthly bill. After researching 70+ phone plans, I’ve found the absolute cheapest prices with Tello, Mint, Boost and Visible. These low-cost providers run on the same reliable towers that support major phone service providers — for a fraction of the cost.
For the absolute cheapest phone plan, check out Tello Economy for $10 monthly. It includes unlimited talk, text and 1GB of high-speed data. For slightly more data, check out Mint Mobile’s 5GB plan for $15. Boost Mobile offers 5GB of high-speed for the same $15 monthly price, or you can get an annual plan from $100 ($8.33 per month) that includes unlimited text, talk and 1GB of high-speed data. However, I recommend testing out the service for a month first to make sure it works for you before committing to an annual plan.
If you’re looking for unlimited data (or unlimited mobile hotspot) Vsiible is a great option at $25 per month per line. Tello Mobile also offers a cheap unlimited data plan for $29 per month.
For even more options, be sure to read our guide on the best cell phone plans and deals available now. Once you’ve decided on a new phone plan and you’re ready to make the switch, check out this guide that we put together to take you step-by-step through the process.
Is your favorite plan on this list? Did we miss any cheap plans? Share your opinion in our Clark.com community!
Article Updates
- August 7, 2023: Replaced Mint Mobile with Visible for the cheapest unlimited cell phone plan
- August 7, 2023: Added Straight Talk Wireless’ new family plan under The Best Cheap Phone Plans for Two, Three and Four
- August 7, 2023: Removed T-Mobile Essentials Savers from best cheap phone plans for four (no longer available for four lines)
- July 12, 2023: H2O Wireless’ multi-line plan now includes 10GB of LTE data per line before slower speeds
- July 6, 2023: Visible’s basic unlimited plan is now $30 per month ($25 monthly promo has ended)
- June 5, 2023: Added information regarding Mint Mobile’s limited-time deal: Mint Mobile is currently offering all plans for $15 per month for the first three months
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