The best cheap cell phone plans offer reliable coverage, fast speeds, and enough data for your needs at affordable prices. Budget phone plans typically come from carriers known as mobile virtual network operators (or MVNOs), and selecting the right option will depend on your location, budget, and particular use case.
Among the best cheap cell phone plans in 2025, our top pick from extensive testing is Mint Mobile's introductory three-month plans. The promotion discounts each of the MVNO's three-month prepaid tiers for new customers, from 5GB to unlimited monthly data on T-Mobile's network, starting at $15/month. The cheapest cell phone plan we recommend is Tello Mobile's Build Your Own plan, which lets you customize lines for limited data and minutes and can cost as low as $5/month.
Our top picks for the best cheap cell phone plans
Best overall: Mint Mobile Introductory 3-Month Plans - See at Mint Mobile
Best overall alternative: US Mobile Unlimited Starter Plan - See at US Mobile
Best true budget plan: Tello Mobile Build Your Own Plan - See at Tello Mobile
Best unlimited plan: Visible Wireless Visible Plus Plan - See at Visible Wireless
Best international plan: US Mobile Unlimited Premium Plan - See at US Mobile
Best overall
All of Mint Mobile's three-month plans are discounted for new customers. Starting at just $15/month, you can get discounted rates on plans from 5GB up to unlimited monthly data and gain access to T-Mobile's network for unlimited calls and texts from our favorite MVNO.
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Mint Mobile's new customer offer is an affordable entry point to dependable service from a carrier that can offer serious savings in the long term. It's our top recommendation for most people looking to try out their first MVNO, as long as T-Mobile's network in the US adequately covers your area.
The introductory promotion sets each of Mint Mobile's three-month prepaid plans at low prices. You can get 5GB, 15GB, 20GB, or unlimited monthly data at discounted rates, which start at $15/month. Those switching from Verizon or AT&T can also add a second three-month line to the promotion for free.
Mint Mobile's prepaid plans for three, six, or 12 months offer affordable high-speed data on T-Mobile's network and streamlined plan management. T-Mobile owns Mint Mobile, and the MVNO's plans include high-speed data on the major carrier's 4G LTE and 5G networks, with slower 3G speeds after you've reached your data cap.
However, as with most MVNOs, data speeds are subject to deprioritization behind T-Mobile customers during network congestion. In our testing, the effects of deprioritization can vary widely depending on your location and may not even meaningfully affect service in areas without high population density. Even in the congestion of New York City, we've found data speeds are, for the most part, consistently fast, apart from some occasional slowness with data-intensive apps.
Mint Mobile's annual plans provide the best value after the introductory three-month period, as the monthly prices and data tiers typically remain the same as the introductory three-month offer. The carrier's 15GB ($20/month) plan offers exceptional value relative to the MVNO competition and comparable options from major carriers, as detailed in our guides to Mint Mobile vs. T-Mobile and Mint Mobile vs. Verizon.
Notably, a limited-time discount on Mint Mobile's 12-month unlimited plan also brings its rate to $20/month from $30/month, making one of the best unlimited data plans even more attainable with an annual savings of $120.
Like most MVNOs, Mint Mobile does not provide multi-line discounts for families or groups. However, its Modern Family plan allows you to add varying data lines to a single account, and the MVNO's pricing over longer-term payments places it among the best family cell phone plans for budget value.
The overall user experience makes Mint Mobile stand out among phone service providers broadly. Its user-friendly setup and app, readily accessible customer support and FAQs, and easy-to-understand language throughout its materials, in addition to its accessible price points, make the MVNO an easy recommendation for those covered by T-Mobile.
While Mint Mobile's introductory three-month plans are our top pick for applicable users, several options below may provide better short- or long-term value, depending on your specific use case and coverage area.
Read our full Mint Mobile review.
Best overall alternative
US Mobile's Unlimited Starter plan includes up to 70GB of high-speed monthly data. Unique to US Mobile is the option to run on Verizon's (Warp), T-Mobile's (Light Speed), or AT&T's (Dark Star) networks. Speeds are reduced to 1Mbps after the monthly data limit, which is decent compared to other budget-friendly carriers that reduce data to frankly unusable speeds.
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US Mobile's Unlimited Starter plan, with its standard price of $25/month (or $19/month with an annual upfront payment of $228), is a remarkable option among plans from budget carriers for its value and unique flexibility.
Like many MVNOs, US Mobile operates on major carrier networks. However, US Mobile is distinct in that it offers the choice between Verizon's, AT&T's, and T-Mobile's full networks, including their fast high-band 5G networks. You can even switch networks twice for free or periodically for a small fee, so you can try out which network works best for your use case, whether for coverage, data speeds, or a particular scenario, like traveling.
US Mobile's names for Verizon's, T-Mobile's, and AT&T's networks are "Warp," "Light Speed," and "Dark Star," respectively. Only the Verizon-backed Warp network has 35GB of premium prioritized data (labeled "QCI 8") for 5G phones. In contrast, the base Light Speed and Dark Star networks include high-speed data subject to deprioritization. However, the Dark Star network offers prioritized data for an additional monthly or annual fee and includes 70GB of deprioritized data by default, compared to Light Speed's 35GB limit.
In our testing, even Light Speed, the T-Mobile-backed network without a prioritized data option, didn't see a meaningful impact from chance deprioritization. Whichever network you pick, US Mobile's Unlimited Starter monthly plan price stays the same even if you "network transfer," or switch between networks, which the MNVO lets you do twice without an additional fee (and for only $2/transfer afterward), up to eight times every month.
The Unlimited Starter plan's 35GB of monthly data (or 70GB on Dark Star) should be more than enough for most users. If you use more than your monthly data limit, US Mobile reduces your data speeds to 1Mbps until the end of the billing cycle. However, 1Mbps is significantly faster and more usable than the throttled speeds on other carriers, which vary between dubiously slow 40 and 256Kbps speeds.
To be sure, some budget carriers, like Visible Wireless (as detailed below), don't include any data caps for speed. Instead, their standard plans offer deprioritized data that can potentially slow down without warning when the host network is experiencing congestion. That's a great proposition, but US Mobile's option to switch between networks at any time, along with the other benefits listed above for the Unlimited Starter plan, makes it a better overall value for most people.
Read our full US Mobile review.
Best true budget plan
Backed by T-Mobile's network, Tello's unique Build Your Own plan allows you to customize your data and voice minutes to your specific needs and offers a low base price of $5/month.
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Tello Mobile offers the least expensive (and most flexible) phone plans we can recommend, with its monthly payment structure and customization option for uniquely low prices.
With Tello's Build Your Own plan, you can customize minutes and data allotments for as low as $5/month. It's a convenient option for covering the service basics for kids, grandparents, students, or anyone who uses a limited amount of monthly data or is on a strict budget, making it one of the best cell phone plans for seniors.
Like a cheaper and more flexible version of Mint Mobile, Tello is an MVNO that runs on T-Mobile's US network. However, it's prepaid monthly rather than in multi-month intervals. Its data speeds are likewise subject to deprioritization at any time behind the major carrier's higher-paying customers.
(While Tello offers lower costs for limited data, Mint Mobile is a better value for higher data tiers, especially in the long run. See our Mint Mobile vs. Tello guide for a comparative analysis of the two budget carriers backed by T-Mobile.)
As you build a plan on Tello, you choose your monthly data amount (from no data to 1GB, 2GB, 5GB, 10GB, 15GB, or unlimited) and your monthly minutes (none, 100, 300, 500, or unlimited), the combination of which can add up to $5/month at the cheapest and $25/month at the high end.
The Build Your Own plan is particularly worthwhile if you want to specify a data allotment on a per-line basis, such as setting low data limits for kids who just got their first phone while allowing them unlimited minutes to stay in contact.
Read our full Tello Mobile review.
Best unlimited plan
If you're looking for a large amount of high-speed monthly data at a reasonable price, the Visible Plus plan from Visible Wireless stands alone among budget (and major) carriers in guaranteeing unlimited data without deprioritization.
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Verizon's budget-friendly carrier, Visible Wireless, offers an exceptional option for truly unlimited prioritized data and extensive coverage with its Visible Plus plan.
While the unlimited Visible Plus plan previously guaranteed 50GB of prioritized data at a standard rate of $45/month, it now includes unlimited prioritized data and costs just $30/month with a current discount.
More than ever, the Visible Plus plan provides the best allotment of high-speed monthly data and the closest approximation to the high-end unlimited plans from major carriers for a relatively budget-friendly price. It allows unlimited access to Verizon's 5G and 4G LTE networks without artificial data deprioritization.
Visible Plus is an enticing proposition for those who routinely use massive amounts of data and warrant a truly unlimited plan. Most unlimited plans from MVNOs and budget-friendly carriers are either subject to deprioritization at any time or are nominally "unlimited" in that they feature a data cap that dramatically reduces speeds to unusable speeds until the next billing cycle if you exceed your plan's allotted data.
The Visible Plus plan extends coverage with Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband areas for top-tier speeds. However, Verizon's standard 4G LTE and 5G coverage (included on the Visible base plan) are already very good and wide-reaching. Before signing up, check Visible's coverage map and local sources to ensure that Verizon has adequate coverage in the areas you frequent. See our Visible vs. Verizon guide for a comprehensive comparison of the MVNO and its parent company.
If you aren't covered well by Verizon or could tolerate the occasional data lag from deprioritization, you might be better served by the comparatively inexpensive, T-Mobile-backed unlimited plans from Mint Mobile or Tello Mobile. See our guides to Mint Mobile vs. Visible and Tello vs. Visible for comparative breakdowns of the MVNOs.
As of April 2025, the MVNO now offers a third tier called Visible Plus Pro. For $40/month with a current discount (or $450/year with an annual payment), Visible Plus Pro features all the facets of the current Visible Plus iteration but adds included smartwatch service, faster unlimited hot spot data, and various international features that Visible Plus lacks. It may be worth the added price for those who need wearable connectivity or travel frequently and can slightly stretch their budget.
Read our full Visible Wireless review.
Best international plan
US Mobile's Unlimited Premium plan includes either unlimited or 100GB of monthly data and up to 100GB of mobile hot spot data. You can switch between Verizon's (Warp), AT&T's (Dark Star), and T-Mobile's (Light Speed) networks to take advantage of US Mobile's enticing international options, which vary by country and network.
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Surprisingly, many budget-oriented carriers offer international features, some of which are worthwhile and included, or optional for additional costs. However, none are as comprehensive and inclusive as US Mobile's Unlimited Premium plan.
In addition to an expansive domestic offering of either unlimited or 100GB of monthly data and up to 100GB of mobile hot spot data, the US Mobile Unlimited Premium plan offers unlimited calling and texting from the US to more than 200 countries. If you're traveling abroad to one of the more than 180 supported countries, you can get up to 20GB of data and various allotments of minutes and texts, depending on the country and which of US Mobile's major carrier-backed networks you plan to use.
Check the MVNO's supported countries list to see whether its "Light Speed" (T-Mobile), "Dark Star" (AT&T), or "Warp" (Verizon) network offers the best assortment of benefits for a particular destination, and choose a network before you travel. Notably, the Unlimited Premium plan allows you to "network transfer" or switch between networks for free. In contrast, all other US Mobile plans are limited to two all-time network transfers without additional fees.
At its typical cost of $44/month, US Mobile's Unlimited Premium plan is on the pricier side when considering "cheap" phone plans. However, the monthly plan is currently discounted to $35/month, and an annual payment option cuts its rate down to $29/month ($348/year up front).
If the premium price tag is still out of reach, US Mobile's Unlimited Starter plan offers a minimalist international data package with 1GB of monthly data through its annual payment option.
Alternatively, if you don't need as much domestic data as the Unlimited Premium plan offers in a typical month, you can sign up for US Mobile's Unlimited Starter plan on a monthly basis, so you pay less when you're at home and only upgrade to the Unlimited Premium plan for the times you're traveling.
Read our full US Mobile review.
How we test cheap cell phone plans
As with our testing for the best cell phone plans overall, we test budget phone carriers routinely through long-term use and primarily assess the quality of the carrier and the worth of specific plans by the following criteria:
- Plan offerings and flexibility: We consider the pricing and features included in a carrier's range of plans and assess its flexibility in allowing you to switch out or between plans.
- Coverage area: For MVNOs, we note the approximate coverage area provided by the network or networks backing a budget carrier and evaluate whether particular locations consistently match their purported coverage type (e.g., 5G or 4G LTE). We can also make general assessments for coverage based on our extensive experience with the major carriers that back the services.
- Service reliability and speeds: In consistent testing locations, we assess the reliability of phone and video calls, note how fast videos and apps load over cellular data, and, with MVNOs, mark any apparent effects of deprioritization on service speeds in various locations.
- Customer support: We holistically assess a carrier's customer support system and online (or in-person) user experience for setup, use, and troubleshooting.
We also consider and detail secondary aspects such as ongoing discounts and other notable perks or outstanding features.
What to look for in a cheap cell phone plan
If you aren't in the market for expensive postpaid plans from major carriers, you have no shortage of options for spending less on a phone plan, as offerings from affordable carriers have expanded significantly in recent years.
The best cheap cell phone plan for you will primarily reflect your needs for monthly data and minutes, the constraints of your budget, and the coverage of your local area by the network or networks backing a particular plan.
We set a few baseline criteria in choosing plans for this guide, in that all the plans listed above cost no more than $50/month and, as with most MVNO plans, are prepaid without requiring a contract.
Before signing up for a service, take a granular look at the coverage map that an MVNO should make readily accessible on its website, marking the US network range of its backing carrier. Through the map's approximation and anecdotal evidence from local crowdsourcing of friends, neighbors, or online forums, thoroughly appraise the major carrier's coverage of your location to ensure dependable service.
If you're transferring your current phone and number rather than purchasing a new phone through an MVNO, you'll need to ensure that your phone is compatible with the service. Carrier websites include phone compatibility checkers, and as of last year, most MVNOs now offer eSIM setup for newer phones in addition to the standard SIM card option for older devices.
FAQs
What is the cheapest cell phone plan?
Tello Mobile's Build Your Own plan is the cheapest cell phone plan we recommend. The customizable plan allows you to choose limited monthly data and minutes for as low as $5/month, with high-speed data on T-Mobile's network, subject to deprioritization.
Are prepaid phone plans cheaper than postpaid plans?
For an account with one or two lines, prepaid phone plans, which require upfront payment for a month or multiple-month interval, have almost universally cheaper rates than the high-end postpaid plans from major carriers, which you pay for at the end of each month.
Prepaid plans from major carriers and MVNOs tend to forgo premium, prioritized data and rarely include multi-line discounts — a potential value advantage of major carriers' postpaid plans for groups who need unlimited premium data and can get at least four lines on an account for discounted pricing.
At the same time, despite lacking multi-line discounts, most MVNO plans offer a lower total price for groups than major carriers' postpaid plans, typically at the expense of the latter's high-end features and perks.
Are prepaid plans from major carriers worthwhile?
Major carriers' prepaid plans are rarely worthwhile. In contrast, prepaid plans from MVNOs — including the so-called "sub-brands" of major carriers like Mint Mobile (from T-Mobile) and Visible Wireless (from Verizon), and independent budget carriers like US Mobile that resell network services — tend to offer substantially lower prices and better value than the comparable name-brand prepaid offerings from major carriers.
For instance, our guide to the best prepaid phone plans recommends three MVNO options ahead of our lone prepaid recommendation from a major carrier, AT&T's Unlimited + 10GB Hot Spot Data plan. The mid-tier prepaid plan from AT&T offers a decent 16GB of high-speed monthly data for $25/month but requires an upfront annual payment of $300. We only recommend it for those who particularly want a major carrier's backing, as many MVNO plans outperform it from a value standpoint.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@jkmperu.com.
