- Quick list
- Best plan overall
- Best cheap unlimited plan
- Best prepaid plan
- Best unlimited data plan
- Best bulk data plan
- Best for travelers
- Best family plan
- Most flexible family plan
- Best low-cost plan
- Best alternative
- Best Comcast plan
- How we pick the best plans
- What kind of plan do you need
- MVNOs vs other carriers
Making sure you've got one of the best cell phone plans for your wireless device is a great way to save money. If you haven't compared your current plan to other offerings in a while, you may be surprised at how much things have changed — and how much better a plan you can get for a lower monthly rate.
I've been tracking cell phone plans for nearly a decade, and each month I review what different carriers, large and small, charge for their service. Not only that, I look at the perks available for each plan for a better idea of the added value you can get by signing up for one plan over another. That's what forms the basis of my recommendations for the best cell phone plans, which include options for different-sized budgets.
Below you'll find recommendations for plans from many of the best phone carriers, including some wireless providers who are off the beaten path. We'll tell you how much you'll pay each month, what you'll get in return and what kind of service you can expect.
The quick list
The best cell phone plan overall
With plans starting at $15 per month, Mint is a great way to save money on your cell phone bill. The low rates cover your first three months of service, then you pay for a year of service ahead of time to keep that rate locked in.
Best cheap unlimited plan
Visible has just two plans, both of them with unlimited data. The cheaper of the two lets you enjoy coverage on Verizon's network for just $25 per month, which is less than what you'd pay at Mint.
Best prepaid plan
Our favorite prepaid plan costs just $35 per month when you enroll for automatic payments at Verizon. You'll get 15GB of data, which can also be used as hotspot data. And your coverage includes 5G on Verizon's nationwide network.
Best unlimited plan
T-Mobile has the best unlimited plan among the major carriers, with its Go5G plan. For $75 a month, you get unlimited talk, text and data with 15GB of hotspot data, plus other perks including six free months of Apple TV Plus.
Best bulk data plan
You can't beat AT&T for the huge bucket of data you get by paying for a year up front. That lowers your monthly cost to $25 while giving you unlimited data, with 16GB of that data at high speeds.
Best for travelers
Google Fi's $65 per month Unlimited Plus plan is about what you'd pay for unlimited data with many phone carriers. But the plan pays off when you go overseas and can use your unlimited text and data at no additional cost.
Load the next 5 plans...
Best family plan
The Go5G plan is also a good option for families who need unlimited data. Four lines cost $200 per month, though autopay enrollment lowers that cost by $20. T-Mobile covers the cost of a Netflix subscription with this plan; taxes and fees are included, too.
Most flexible family plan
Verizon's Unlimited Plus plan starts at $80 per month with discounts as you add more lines. You can also mix and match with the cheaper Unlimited Welcome plan. Perks like streaming services are available as add-ons that you can drop at any time.
Lowest cost plans
Tello is great for bargain hunters who just want the lowest-cost plan available. Prices range from $9 per month for 1GB of data all the way to a $25 unlimited plan with multiple stops in between. Tello uses T-Mobile's network.
Best prepaid plan perks
At $60, Cricket's unlimited data plan isn't the cheapest option out there. But it's one of the few prepaid options with extensive perks like a free Max streaming subscription, cloud storage and hotspot data.
Best for Comcast customers
If you get your internet via Comcast's Xfinity service, why not bundle your mobile phone coverage, too? Xfinity Mobile charges $40 for one line of unlimited data, with generous discounts as you add lines. A family of four pays $100/month, or $25/line.
The best cell phone plan overall
Mint Mobile is a great option to turn to if you want to keep your monthly cell phone bill low. In addition to the 5GB plan, the best Mint Mobile plans include 15GB, 20GB and unlimited data tiers. The most you'll pay for any plan is $30 per month for unlimited data.
After your three months of service are up, you need to commit to a full year of service to keep the low monthly rate. That means paying up front, which in the case of the 5GB plan is $180. If you can swing that initial cost, Mint provides a great way to lock in a low rate.
Mint runs a frequent promotion where it cuts the price of every plan to $15 for the first three months of service. (After that, plans revert back to their old rate, and you have to commit to a full year to get the best monthly price.) It pays to check out the Mint site to see if that promotion is active.
The best cheap unlimited data plan
Visible offers just two plans, both of which have unlimited data. For $25 a month, you get coverage on Verizon's nationwide network — Verizon owns Visible — and the ability to make unlimited calls and texts to Canada and Mexico You can use your phone as a mobile hotspot. The biggest downside is that your network can be slowed at any time if Verizon's network gets congested.
The $45 monthly plan at Visible guarantees you 50GB of high-speed data (i.e., no data throttling), and you can connect to Verizon's faster 5G Ultra Wideband network where available. You also enjoy calling and texting to more countries, with Visible now including a Global Pass that allows you to use your plan overseas for one day. (Normally, that costs $10/day.) Visible Plus subscribers can also add a smartwatch to their plan at no extra cost. As of this writing, using promo code "VIP20" saves you $20 off your first month of Visible Plus service.
Additionally, the carrier now lets customers pay for service annually, which comes with even more savings. For example, its $25/month unlimited plan can be paid in full for $275 for the entire year. Existing Visible customers can now switch to annual pricing as well.
The best prepaid cell phone plan
You'll find three prepaid options at Verizon — one that gives you 15GB of data each month, and the other two promising unlimited data. The more expensive of Verizon's prepaid unlimited plans has the most perks, with access to Verizon's fastest 5G coverage. (Verizon's other prepaid plans can connect to the slower nationwide 5G.) You also get more hotspot data and 180 minutes of talk time with a country of your choosing.
Whichever prepaid plan you get at Verizon, be sure to enroll in autopay as it lowers your rate significantly. We recommend the 15GB option as the best prepaid phone plan — it normally costs $45/month, but the price drops to $35 with autopay enrollment.
The best unlimited data plan overall
T-Mobile has retired some of its unlimited data plans, but there's still a number of options out there, starting with a $50 Essentials Saver plan for just one line of data all the way up to the $100 Go5G Next offering that packs in the perks. You'll want to pay careful attention to those perks, as they'll help you determine just how much you should be paying for one of the best unlimited data plans at T-Mobile.
Your current choices at T-Mobile boil down to Go5G, Go5G Plus and Go5G Next plans, though there are cheaper Essentials plans, available, too. (Just be aware that taxes and fees aren't included in Essentials pricing like they are in T-Mobile's other options.) Go5G lets you use 100GB of data before your speeds are slowed; you also get 15GB of hotspot data. Go5G Plus adds streaming and travel perks, plus 50GB of hotspot data. Go5G Next is the most expensive plan, but its streaming service package includes free Apple TV Plus, Netflix and Hulu subscriptions.
The best bulk data plan
AT&T's main prepaid plans provide 5GB of data for $30/month or unlimited data at $50. (That unlimited price reflects a $15 discount for enrolling in autopay.) We'd steer you toward AT&T's bulk plan, though, as it promises unlimited data for as low as $25/month if you pay for a full year upfront. Only 16GB of the data in that plans is high-speed data — hit that amount in a given month, and your speeds slow down to 1.5Mbps for the rest of the billing cycle — but 16GB is more than enough for most people.
As noted, you'll have to pay the full year up front. But if you can swing the $300 upfront cost, this AT&T prepaid plan is a great way to lock in a low rate ahead of time.
The best cell phone plan for travel
With a Google hardware launch in August likely bringing new Pixel flagship phones, it's a good time to consider Google Fi. Service is optimized for Pixel phones — not to mention select models from Samsung and Motorola — but anyone can use the service, even iPhone owners.
You have a choice of three plans. The Flexible plans charges $20 for unlimited talk and text plus $10 for every gigabyte of data you use. There are two unlimited plans — one for $50 per month and the other for $65. The $65 Unlimited Plus plan includes travel benefits that let you use your data for no cost when overseas. Other Unlimited Plus perks include a year of YouTube Premium along with 100GB of Google One cloud storage
The best family plan overall
Those unlimited plans available for individuals T-Mobile can also double as family plans. As a bonus, T-Mobile discounts additional lines as you add them, lowering your overall cost per line with each person.
Even better, a frequent promotion at T-Mobile has the carrier waiving the cost of a third line of data, so families of four can get that fourth line for free. Factor in discounts for enrolling in autopay, and you can save quite a bit of money.
The most flexible plan for families
Like T-Mobile, Verizon adds escalating discounts as you add more lines. Unlike T-Mobile, you can mix and match Verizon's various unlimited plans, so mom and dad can enjoy the more feature-rich Unlimited Plus option, while assigning cheaper Unlimited Welcome plans to the kids.
The $180 price assumes four lines of Unlimited Plus, as it's Verizon's better option if you want faster 5G. As with individual unlimited plans at Verizon, you can add on perks for $10/month, and cancel them at any time.
The best low-cost option
If you want to spend the least amount on data every month, consider Tello, an MVNO that uses T-Mobile's network to provide its coverage. Tello offers six different data plans, which are all priced competitively when compared to other services.
We're highlighting the 1GB plan, which costs $9 a month. But as you can see in our Tello guide, there are also 2GB ($10), 5GB ($14), 10GB ($19), 15GB ($24) and unlimited data ($25) options. Those prices assume unlimited talk and text — you can further reduce your monthly bill by reducing the number of talk minutes you need.
The best alternative cell phone plan
AT&T-owned Cricket Wireless has long since stopped capping data speeds on its service, so if you haven't considered Cricket in a while, it's worth a second look. It's an especially attractive option if you prefer AT&T's network, but want a cheaper plan than what AT&T might offer.
Cricket gives you four different options, ranging in price from $30 a month for 5GB of data to a $60 unlimited data plan that includes hotspot data and a subscription to the ad-supported version of the Max streaming service. If $60 is too much to spend, the 10GB plan ($40/month before an autopay discount) is worth considering, too.
Best cell phone plan for Comcast customers
Xfinity internet customers should consider bundling their mobile phone service with Xfinity Mobile. The Comcast-backed carrier charges $40 for a single line of unlimited data, which isn't as cheap as what Mint, Visible or Tello charge. However, additional lines of unlimited data are just $20 each, so a family of four would pay $100/month or $25 per line. That's a very attractive price.
The Xfinity unlimited plan lets you use 30GB of data each month before your speeds slow down and you get unlimited hotspot data at 3G speeds. For 15GB of faster hotspot data, plus HD video streaming, you can pay $50/month for Unlimited Plus at Xfinity. (Extra lines cost $30 each.) That plan gives you 50GB of data before your speeds are slowed down.
There's also per-gig pricing (1GB costs $20), and you can switch between different plans as your needs change month to month. Whatever plan you use, your coverage is provided by Verizon, which has extensive reach.
How we pick the best cell phone plans
Picking the best cell phone plans requires extensive research on exactly what each carrier offers. That means we're checking the plans available at each of the three major carriers, as you would expect. We also extend that search to lesser know MVNOs, who often offer lower-priced plans.
Once we've gathered all the data on available smartphone plans, we single out the lowest cost options. But because a best cell phone plan isn't a one-size-fits-all choice, we look at the best options from the most popular carriers, as well as compelling values from discount carriers, giving you a wide variety of options to choose the best plan for you. (More on making that decision in a moment.)
Because phone carriers are often changing up their plans, we make it a habit to periodically review what's available. As a result, these rankings get updated at least once a month so that our picks reflect any changes to pricing or perks. When possible, we try to call out promotions that can save you additional money on a new cell phone plan.
How to choose the best cell phone plan for you
Price is a big consideration when looking for the best cell phone plans, especially if you’re getting more than one line for other members of your family. Most carriers offer escalating discounts as you add lines, so you’ll want to compare the total cost of your plan based on the number of lines that require service.
Cell phone plans are about more than just the amount on your bill each month, though. You also need to consider who offers the best coverage in your area and whether they support the phone you’ll want to use. Our guide to the best phone carriers can answer many of those questions, but you’ll also want to ask friends, neighbors and co-workers about how a specific carrier’s coverage is at your home and office if you’re looking to switch wireless providers.
Speaking of switching carriers, the major carriers are all willing to pick up some of the cost to get you to switch. These promotions can vary over time, so we'd suggest keeping an eye on any new carrier deals when you're mulling a switch, as you could find extra ways to save money.
Wireless carriers have spent the past several years building out their 5G coverage, and if you’ve got the right 5G phone, you can benefit from faster speeds if a carrier offers 5G service in your area. T-Mobile includes 5G coverage with all its plans, and that coverage extends to carriers like Metro By-T-Mobile, Mint Mobile and others that use T-Mobile's towers for coverage. AT&T now includes 5G with all its plans, including prepaid options. Verizon does, too, though only some plans include access to that carrier's faster 5G Ultra Wideband network.
What kind of cell phone plan do I need?
As you would expect, there is no simple answer to this and the question is more about what is the best plan for you. This will obviously depend on a wide variety of factors.
For those on a budget and looking for some flexibility, a prepaid cell phone plan will be an excellent way to go. These are often the cheapest options and the lack of contracts is going to be a massive bonus, especially if you like to change up carriers frequently.
If you frequently stream Netflix on the go, like to play games on your phone or just generally drain your data at impressive speeds, an unlimited plan is an excellent way to go — especially as 5G becomes more common.
For more on picking a plan, check out our guide on how much data you need in your cell phone plan.
Family cell phone plans are an excellent way to save money on each phone line, since many carriers drop the per-line cost for each additional line. Some carriers, such as Verizon and AT&T, let you mix and match plans, so parents can get an unlimited line with greater perks, while giving kids a cheaper line of data to save money overall.
If you are simply after the lowest price possible, carriers including Mint Mobile and Tello can offer you really low costs if you don't mind settling for smaller data caps. In some cases, you can also get a lower rate by paying for a full year of service ahead of time, as is the case at Mint Mobile.
MVNOs vs other carriers
MVNOs are a slightly strange concept but they do offer an excellent way to get a cell phone plan on a budget. So what are they and how do they differ from the main carriers.
Firstly, it's important to note the main carriers. These are: AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, which absorbed Sprint in 2020. You can also include US Cellular in that group, though its coverage remains regional compared to the Big Three carriers. These brands use their own technology and run their own regional cellular networks.
MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators), on the other hand, don't own and operate their own technology and instead piggyback off of the services of one of the above brands. This allows them to be far cheaper than the main carriers but does mean they are the first to be restricted during peak usage periods and don't get access to as many additional benefits.
We explain more about this in our MVNO guide, but the main players are:
- Mint Mobile: runs on T-Mobile
- Metro by T-Mobile: runs on T-Mobile
- Cricket Wireless: runs on AT&T
- Visible: runs on Verizon
- Xfinity Mobile runs on Verizon
- Boost Mobile: runs on AT&T
Cell phone plans comparison
