Saving Money
08.20.24
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Phone service is essential, but it's not always cheap. According to JD Power, as of 2024, the average (single line) cell phone bill is $144/month. That's almost $2,000 a year. For that amount of money, you can fund a vacation, a car, or simply watch your savings grow.
So we put together a guide to help you determine the best phone plan that can help you reduce your monthly phone bill, and still fit all your needs.
Cheaper phone plans are usually offered by reseller providers, or MVNOs. These carriers don’t own the network themselves (like the big 3 – AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile), but are able to sell their services using one of those networks. They are also usually prepaid plans.
*Fun fact: There are currently over 50 MVNOs operating in the U.S.
If you’re wondering what the difference is between a plan from Verizon versus one from Visible when they’re using the same network, it mostly comes down to:
Less perks (eg. No free 6-months of a Hulu subscription included with the plan).
More limited customer service access.
Network speeds (commonly, the big 3 network customers are prioritized).
If you don’t care too much about these factors, here are our picks for the best cheap phone plans:
Summary: Best Cheap Phone Plans
| Category | Plan | Provider | Starting Price | Data (Plan Details) |
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Best overall cheap phone plan
| Provider | TextNow |
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Best plan for unlimited data:
| Provider | Visible |
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Best plan for talk & text only:
| Provider | TextNow |
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Best plan for seniors:
| Provider | Tello |
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Best plan for families:
| Provider | Cricket Wireless |
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Cheapest Prepaid Phone Plans:
| Provider | Talk & Text Only Plan | Unlimited Data Plan | Our Take |
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Cheapest Phone Plans from the Big 3 (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon):
| Provider | Talk & Text Only Plan | Unlimited Data | Our Take |
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Methodology of Picking a Cheap Phone Plan
If you type in “cheapest phone plan” into a search engine, you’re going to be hit with a mix of articles like this one, but more importantly, you’re going to see a lot of claims – “easy”, “affordable”, “best”, “what you deserve.” Finding what actually works for you in a sea of “cheapest” is overwhelming. In this reddit post alone, I counted 15 recommended carriers before I gave up counting. So let’s break down what you want to look out for.
Data
In today's age, having some access to data is basically a right, not just a privilege. It’s important that you first determine how much data you need. It may be that your school/work situation makes it so that you’re connected to Wi-Fi most of the time anyway, and only need very little. Or it may be that you’re spending a lot of your time outside of Wi-Fi zones, and need steady access to apps, and not just to texts & calls. Figuring that out first will help you narrow down your search filters (unlimited data vs a talk & text only plan).
Network
This goes for any phone plan search, but coverage is key. The big three networks do a pretty good job of covering the continental United States, and if you don’t already know whether your area has issues with coverage from one or more of those carriers, do your research first. The FCC website has a mobile map that can determine what the coverage looks like in your location for each network.
Speed
As mentioned before, reseller networks tend to be deprioritized in comparison to the big networks. This just means that in times of congestion (especially if you live in a metropolitan area), you may experience slower speeds than someone who is on an AT&T plan.
This will mostly be felt if you’re someone who spends a lot of time on their phone streaming (YouTube, Netflix, etc.), and/or uploading content over data (Instagram stories or reels, and TikToks.)
Price
And finally, the factor that probably matters the most – the price. It’s important that before you even set out, you narrow it down to a realistic budget.
You may just be looking for a cheap phone plan that can allow you to save elsewhere monthly, so you can spend it on a new car, a family vacation, or a rental apartment. Even if that’s the case, be sure to be specific in your search and narrow it down to what you’re willing to spend (eg. “phone plan under $10 a month”).
If you don't know where to start, WhistleOut recently narrowed it down to these three:
One last thing: If you’re worried about keeping your number when switching plans, don’t be. Most carriers these days make transferring your number super easy, but be sure to look up where your current carrier keeps your account information, so you can get started.
