Most US consumers use the services of the four most popular phone plan providers. These companies are giants like T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. As big and professional these phone service providers are, their offers rarely are the cheapest ones. This is especially true for single users who don’t need family packages.
So, people aiming to save money on their next phone bill should consider going for a low-cost option. The cheapest cell phone plans are found at small players on the market, widely knows as mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs).
MVNOs often don’t have stores and exist in the virtual space only. These carrier’s packages are cheap and among the best on the market in the USA. This makes them perfect for any person hoping to cut expensive surprise cell phone bills.
In this article, you can find the best-rated companies with inexpensive plans for 2020. There are many options to choose from, plus some brands are low-cost options of the industry leaders. Collect further information and start saving funds in no time.
Table of Contents
- 1 Summary of The Cheapest Cell Phone Service Providers
- 2 Cheapest Prepaid Plans with Data
- 3 Best Non-Prepaid Plans with Data
- 4 Best Low-Cost Cell Phone Plans without Data
- 5 Cheapest Pay-As-You-Go Plans
- 6 Best Cheap Phone Plans with Unlimited Everything
- 7 Bring Your Own Phone Plans Explained
- 8 Why You Should Choose Prepaid Cheap Phone Plans?
Summary of The Cheapest Cell Phone Service Providers
Cutting your phone bill starts with switching your expensive supplier with a low-cost one. We, at ProMoneySavings, find a summary of the cheapest cell phone service providers in the USA for 2020. Each of the brands comes with separate benefits and cons. Still, they all guarantee that you’ll save money with any of their monthly plans.
- Mint Mobile – A carrier that operates on the T-Mobile network and offers several data plan options. Enables Americans to buy bulk packages of 3, 6 or 12 months and get serious discounts in return.
- Republic Wireless – The carrier mostly uses Wi-Fi and sometimes Sprint’s towers for ensuring top coverage for consumers. So far, Republic Wireless supports Android smartphone devices only. So, users of Apple devices will have to settle for another option.
- Boost by Sprint – This provider is among the several relying on the network of Sprint. Boost is popular for its numerous unlimited cell phone packages and has a decent range of phones.
- U.S. Cellular – One of the best low-cost mobile plan providers. USA consumers love their new Total Plans, for which the advertised price applies.
- Tracfone – Inexpensive carrier with various packages and a decent reputation. It’s been around for a while and has great coverage in cities. Maybe not the best option if you live in rural areas where the coverage may be weak or non-existent.
- Visible by Verizon – Affordable prepaid mobile phone provider by Verizon. Visible has possibly the best customer care among other low-cost companies. Plus, it has cheap deals on unlimited data plans.
- Google Fi – It comes from Google, so it’s for mainly Americans using Android phones. Newer iPhone versions are supported too. Combines the networks of three providers in addition to Wi-Fi.
- Tello – New kid on the block with some amazing packages and customizable plans. The company currently offers 27 different phones, but consumers can bring their Sprint smartphones too.
- Metro by T-Mobile – With over 18 million users, this is a top choice among Americans. Great options for single-line plans and low cost deals on unlimited LTE data.
- Consumer Cellular – With their cheap cell phone deals, this provider became a hit among senior Americans. The company uses the T-Mobile and AT&T networks, has excellent coverage and a decent selection of phones.
Cheapest Prepaid Plans with Data
One popular option among Americans is prepaid plans with data. This makes sense because social media has become a huge part of our everyday lives.
Mobile data enables not only social media sharing but also watching videos and even using your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. So, let’s go over the best cheapest cell phone plans in 2020 when it comes to packages that allow careless surfing.
Boost and Metro lead the way here. Both options cost $50 monthly and come with limited streaming quality. Boost comes with 12GB data and up to 5 lines on a single account ($30 extra per line). There’s also a boosted option for $60, which includes 30GB. Metro comes with much lower 5GB data, but also with Google One 100GB.
Users with a small budget can also consider Mint’s $15 package that includes 3GB high-speed data. This is a 3-month deal. They also have a $20 per month 3-month package that includes 8GB 4G LTE top-speed data.
Best Non-Prepaid Plans with Data
Low cost cell phone plans are usually offered by low-cost companies. This doesn’t apply to non-prepaid plans because this sector is ruled by the big names. So, here we must stick to giants like Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile.
The respective plans of Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile cost $85, $70 and $70 per month. All three provide high-speed data, but that changes after 50GB. In fact, at Verizon, this happens sooner i.e. after 22GB. You get 15GB LTE hotspot data, while T-Mobile also offers unlimited 3G hotspot data too. In this category, T-Mobile is the best option for travelers because their package covers free data roaming in 200+ countries.
For consumers who love streaming TV, we must mention the AT&T postpaid cell phone plan (also, as an alternative to cable TV). This package comes with WatchTV streaming, DirectTV discounts, 15GB LTE hotspot data, and HD video streaming. Data speed slows down once you reach 22GB.
Best Low-Cost Cell Phone Plans without Data
Some people just don’t need the data as influencers and millennials do. Sometimes the budget is just too tight, or you don’t even know how to play YouTube videos. If you are one of those Americans, go for the cheapest cell phone plans without data.
Here we want to mention one option by Google Fi, even though it has 1GB of data included. The plan costs $30 per month and users pay only for the Internet they use. This is close to no data at all and comes at a great price as well as coverage.
Republic Wireless has a similar offer for $20 per month. They boast with unlimited text and talk. The main con of this package is the low 1GB of data. Of course, this shouldn’t be an issue for those looking for no data plans.
Even the cheapest packages at SpeedTalk, Unreal Mobile and Red Pocket come with some data included. The first provider has an amazing $5 plan, while the other two have got you covered for $10 per month.
You can also tailor your own no data plan with Tello. The no data option with 100 minutes and free text comes for only $5 per month. Spare $11 per month instead and you’ll get unlimited minutes and free texts too.
Cheapest Pay-As-You-Go Plans
Pay-as-you-go cell phone plans enable users to buy minutes and then to use them over the course of several weeks or months. These are popular among those with a fixed budget and often present the cheapest cell phone plans. Carriers in the USA these days have excellent PAYG packages and here are a few top picks for 2020.
Tello has quite good deals for those looking pay-as-you-go low-cost cell phone plans. The respective prices for the US calls, texts and data are ¢3/min, ¢1/SMS, and ¢2/MB.
T-Mobile and AT&T deserve a mention as well. T-Mobile gives you 30 minutes or 30 texts per month for $3. If you go over this limit, you will pay ¢10 per additional minute or text. AT&T’s plan is $2 per day and grants you unlimited minutes and texts.
Best Cheap Phone Plans with Unlimited Everything
If you are a person who wants to have the cheapest mobile plan with unlimited everything, you’ve come to the right place. Keep in mind that unlimited everything options often aren’t quite unlimited. They do have higher limits though. Below are some affordable packages to consider.
Visible is outstanding in the “unlimited everything” category. The company’s motto is “One plan. One price No sweat.” and they mean it. Customers pay $40 per month, with no additional fees. They get great coverage from the Verizon network and unlimited data up to 5 Mbps, messages and minutes.
US Mobile does a good job at unlimited everything packages too. The company lets users pick custom offers. So, for $40 they get unlimited talk, text, and data. After 20GB the LTE speed drops down to 2G. For extra $10, you can add a hotspot service to the plan as well.
For a more expensive and broader unlimited plan, you can go with Sprint. Their basic $60/month plan gets you Hulu, 500MB LTE hotspot and DVD-quality streaming. Plus, you also receive Global Roaming in 200+ countries worldwide.
Bring Your Own Phone Plans Explained
We’d like to highlight that many of these cheap mobile phone plans let you bring your own phone. This is a huge benefit as you won’t have to purchase a new smartphone whenever you want to change the carrier. Mint, Boost, and Tello are some of the leading low-cost companies that allow this option.
Remember, your phone must be unlocked and compatible with the network used by your chosen provider. Also, some additional fees may be applied if you decide to BYOP. Still, this is an attractive option for those who can’t afford a new device.
Why You Should Choose Prepaid Cheap Phone Plans?
The main reason why so many Americans switch to cheap smartphone plans in the USA is to save cash. The same reason is why people are looking for the best places to buy used cell phones.
Affordable packages are now offered by serious providers and come with many benefits for users. Often, consumers can bring their own device to the network or pick a decent phone without spending a fortune.
Other pros of the cheapest cell phone plans are the nice savings that will grow with each passing month. Plus, many of the options come with unlimited data, so you still will be able to post Instagram photos or Facebook updates. Even with cons like slow customer care and lack of stores, cheap cell phone deals make sense.
So, if you’re tired of paying too much on your phone bill and want some changes, make the first step today. You can choose from several reliable carriers and find various plans to suit your needs. Forget about contracts and credit checks. Subscribe for an affordable package now and start saving cash right away.
Subscribe
Google Fi / Mint Mobile / Republic Wireless / T-Mobile / Tello / Verizon
Great info for people who’ve been in my shoes with a phone plan- paying more than I can afford, sometimes for more service than I really need. I remember when Cricket was the only wireless option other than all the major companies, but this is a thorough review of other options that I didn’t even know existed.
You’re always welcome here!
Thank you! Visible by Verizon is really cheapest phone plan!
You’re welcome! 😉
I had to drop one of the “big four” several years ago because I simply could not keep up with my (relatively moderate) plan’s prices. I went with Cricket at the time, but I love how there are so much more options now. This article did a fantastic job of comparing and contrasting every possible mix of services a user might want, and explaining the exact price points for each option. I’m happy with my current carrier, but if I ever need to switch, I’m returning to this article to make a well-informed decision.
Thank you very much, Terry!
I used to pay so much for my cell phone. After struggling to pay every month, I realized it was no longer worth it. Thanks for this list! It helped me find the cheapest cell phone provider in my area! It helped me save enough money to eat out on weekends.
That’s great. Thank you!
I’ve been struggling to find the best cell phone plan for my area for quite some time now. My family plan with Verizon just became too much. Switching cell phone carriers isn’t always as easy as some people may think, but it doesn’t have to be rocket science either. I think the real key is to find the best balance of service and price. When you leave the big cell phone carriers you don’t have to deal with inferior service if you do the right amount of research.
That’s the huge reason why I was able to find the best cell phone carrier for my area. Many thanks for this article! Lots of helpful tips and information!
Thanks for sharing your own experience and thoughts!
Excellent post. I am inspired, extremely helpful information 🙂 I was seeking this particular information about cell phone plans for a long time. Thanks and best of luck.
Thank you too!
I can recommend you Verizon. I got my Disney+ subscription for free with my Verizon service. Can you believe that?
Sure, I can believe that 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experience.
Wow Joseph, this is a really extensive article. I am thankful to you for sharing your research and advice. I’m currently looking at finding the best provider for prepaid plans with data. I think I’ll go with Mint.
Yes, Mint is good. Thank you!
Glad to be one of many visitors on this top site 😀