Connect by T-Mobile: Prepaid Plans From $10 per Month

Earlier this year, T-Mobile launched a selection of prepaid phone plans that begin as low as $10 monthly.

I’ve checked out Connect by T-Mobile to see what’s included with its prepaid phone plans and how they compare to other available plans. Below, you’ll find more information on Connect by T-Mobile including what you’ll get with the prepaid phone plans, how much you can expect to pay and how to switch.

Connect by T-Mobile Offers Prepaid Plans From $10 Monthly

T-Mobile has added a variety of prepaid plans as an expansion of its Connect by T-Mobile service. These plans range from $10 to $35 per month plus tax, and each of them provides access to T-Mobile’s 5G network. 

“T-Mobile has cut rates but not on their unlimited plans,” says money expert Clark Howard. “For people who use a small amount of cell phone service, it’s $10 a month for the basic plan, $15 for a plan that a lot of people can use: unlimited talk and text but only 3GB of data per month.”

Here are the Connect by T-Mobile prepaid plans available now: 

Monthly Price	Talk	Text	High-Speed Data
$10	1,000 minutes	1,000 texts	1GB
$15	Unlimited	Unlimited	3GB
$25	Unlimited	Unlimited	6GB
$35	Unlimited	Unlimited	12GB

In addition to 5G access on enabled devices, each of these prepaid plans also includes Scam Shield protection and free caller ID.

These plans do not include mobile hotspots nor do they offer international service. If you’re looking for an unlimited mobile data experience, check out our list of unlimited hotspot plans here.

It’s also important to know that, once you’ve used your monthly allotment of data, you’ll have to wait until the next billing cycle to use more data.

How To Get Connect by T-Mobile

If you’re thinking about switching to Connect by T-Mobile, there are two things you should do first: Check your phone’s compatibility and look at the T-Mobile coverage map for service in your area.

If you have an unlocked, paid-off phone, you can check to see if it’s compatible by visiting the T-Mobile website. Once you’ve verified that your phone will work with T-Mobile, you can get a SIM starter kit when you purchase your Connect by T-Mobile plan. 

Before you purchase a SIM card and Connect by T-Mobile plan, make sure you’ll have service in your area. You can use the interactive coverage map online to enter your ZIP code and see if your area is covered. 

Once you’ve verified that your phone is compatible with T-Mobile and that you’ll have coverage in your area, you can purchase a Connect by T-Mobile prepaid plan online, at a T-Mobile store or at a multi-carrier retailer near you. 

When you’re ready to make the switch, be sure to read our guide on the #1 mistake people make when switching cell phone carriers.

Connect by T-Mobile vs. Other Prepaid Plans

To see how the Connect by T-Mobile plans compare to similar plans, I looked at a few of the most affordable prepaid phone plans from other major carriers and MVNOs.

I found that, unless you need a mobile hotspot or unlimited access to data once you’ve hit your monthly high-speed allotment, Connect by T-Mobile offers the best prices for a prepaid phone plan.

Here are the cheapest prepaid options from each major carrier, including T-Mobile Simply Prepaid:

• T-Mobile Simply Prepaid: $40 per month for unlimited talk, text and data (10GB high-speed).
• Verizon Prepaid: $40 per month ($25 per month after 9 months) for unlimited talk, text and data (5GB high-speed) plus mobile hotspot
• AT&T Prepaid: $30 per month for unlimited talk, text and data (5GB high-speed; no 5G access) plus mobile hotspot

While Connect by T-Mobile doesn’t offer mobile hotspots or unlimited data (data is cut off after you’ve reached your limit), you’ll still find significantly cheaper plans with more data compared to the major carriers’ other prepaid plans. As an alternative to any of the plans noted above, I’d recommend Connect by T-Mobile’s $35 plan which includes 12GB of high-speed data.

Next, I compared Connect by T-Mobile to a couple of the most affordable prepaid MVNOs: Boost Mobile and Mint Mobile. Below, you’ll see a brief list of each carrier’s monthly prepaid plans.

Boost Mobile

All of the following plans include unlimited talk, text and data (speeds slow after monthly data limit) plus mobile hotspot.

• $15  per month for 2GB
• $25 per month for 5GB
• $35 per month for 10GB
• $50 per month for 35GB

Connect by T-Mobile offers 3GB for $15, 6GB for $25 and 12GB for $35, which means each of the Connect plans includes more data for your money. However, if you need more than 12GB of high-speed data, Boost Mobile’s $50 unlimited plan may be worth considering instead.

Mint Mobile

All of the following plans include unlimited talk, text and data (speeds slow after monthly data limit) plus mobile hotspot.

• $15 per month for 4GB
• $20 per month for 10GB
• $25 per month for 15GB
• $30 per month for 35GB

Mint Mobile does offer slightly more data than Connect by T-Mobile for $15 or $25. Mint Mobile’s $30 per month plan actually offers significantly more data for $5 cheaper than Connect by T-Mobile’s biggest plan. Plus, Mint Mobile also provides access to the same network (T-Mobile).

However, it’s important to know that Mint Mobile requires you to pay for three months of service in advance, and after the first three months, you can expect prices to go up. Once they do, the 10GB plan becomes $35 per month whereas Connect by T-Mobile’s $35 plan offers 12GB. 

Ultimately, Mint Mobile may be cheaper for the first three months, but Connect by T-Mobile will still save you the most money over time. 

Final Thoughts

Connect by T-Mobile offers the cheapest prepaid plans available not only from T-Mobile but from any major carrier. It’ll also be hard to beat these plans with affordable MVNOs. 

Clark Howard recommends the $15 Connect by T-Mobile plan for anyone who has Wi-Fi constantly available. If you’re at a place where you’ve got free Wi-Fi most of the time, you could easily drop your cell phone bill to $15 per month plus tax.

Still, you may be able to get a slightly better price eventually by grabbing a deal or promotion. Below, you’ll see a few current cell phone plan deals. For a full list, check out our list of the best cell phone plan deals available this month.

Provider	Deal	Network
Verizon Wireless (Review)	For a limited time, new customers can get discounted rates on all unlimited postpaid plans when you bring your own phone. Plans start at $60 for one or $25 per line for four lines.	Verizon
Boost Mobile (Review)	You can get 10GB of data for $5 (first month only) with Boost Mobile. Boost also offers an unlimited plan for $0.99 for 30 days. Finally, you can get 5GB for $5 per month for the first three months ($15 total).	AT&T
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 4GB of data starting at $10 per month. 1GB data plans begin as low as $5 per month.	Verizon
AT&T Prepaid (Review)	Students can get $10 off unlimited data with this online-only offer. Additionally, anyone can get a year of AT&T Prepaid with 16GB of data per month if you prepay a year in advance.	AT&T

Tello Mobile (Review) is another cheap service provider to consider. You can get unlimited talk, text and 1GB of high-speed data for $10 per month per line with Tello’s Economy plan.

For more options, be sure to check out all of Team Clark’s top picks for the best cheap phone plans. You can also see more of our choices for the best overall cell phone plans and deals in 2022.

Did we miss a plan on our list or did you find a better deal? Let us know in our Clark.com Community or check out the latest conversations around cell phones.

Clark.com Stories To Help You Save on Phone Service:

• The #1 Mistake People Make When Switching Cell Phone Carriers
• The Best Cell Phone Plans and Deals in 2022
• Why You Should Consider a Prepaid Phone Plan