7 Cheap Cell Phone Plans of 2024 To Save You Money

Most of us can’t imagine life without a phone stuck in our hands most of the day. Yet, when it comes to your cell phone plan, are you making the most of your money?

Cell Phone plans have become incredibly complicated and pricey in this day and age. Nowadays, you need to consider whether you need a prepaid or unlimited plan? How much monthly data is enough? Are you getting the best value? And most importantly, do you understand the fine print?

7 Best Cheap Cell Phone Plans

Switching wireless carriers or contracts to a more affordable wireless plan can free up a substantial amount of money each month, allowing you to save and invest more.

So, if you’re sick of spending half your paycheck on your cell phone service each month, check out these low-cost carriers below. These cheap cell phone plans are our top picks, which include features such as unlimited talk and text, free international calls, and good customer service. You’re bound to find something on this list that suits your needs.

1. Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile has one of the cheapest 4GB plans on the market.

For just $15/month, you get:

• Unlimited talk/text (within the United States)
• 4GB of 5G LTE every month
• Free international unlimited calls to Canada and Mexico
• A free mobile hotspot
• WiFi calling and texting

Mint Mobile is probably the best deal for couples and families, as you can add an extra line for free. In addition, you can keep your current number and use your own phone when you switch to Mint. They also include a free mobile hotspot, which is a great value as many major networks charge extra for this feature

Pros:

• $15 for 4GB of data is super cheap. Finding another plan that offers as much data per dollar will be challenging.
• Setup and activation are both straightforward (you might even qualify for a 3-in-1 SIM card)
• There is a helpful app that comes along with the plan (with good user reviews)
• Free mobile hotspot

Cons:

• If you use a large amount of data (with video streams or large downloads), you may use up to 4GB quickly.
• Mint Mobile does not have a physical location, so you’ll have to contact your service provider online or over the phone with any issues.

📱 SAVE MONEY WHEN YOU SWITCH TO MINT MOBILE 📱

2. Ultra Mobile

Ultra Mobile is unique in that the longer you choose to commit with them, the cheaper your monthly cell phone bill will become. In addition, they offer six different data plans, each with variable pricing depending on the contract term. Plus, Ultra Mobile’s service runs on T-Mobile’s network, so you can be sure you’re getting the best coverage.

Each plan includes:

• Free unlimited nationwide talk, text, & data on the 5G T-Mobile network (with a compatible device)
• Free WiFi calling and text
• A free mobile hotspot
• Unlimited talk to over 80+ international countries
• Unlimited global texting
• A free 3-in-1 SIM card

Ultra Mobile offers a low-cost plan that is perfect if you are willing to commit for a year and don’t require a large amount of data. Their 250MB plan is just $10/month, making this an incredibly affordable option.

On the other hand, if you’re a big phone user, their unlimited mobile data plan is only $40/month (if you commit for a year ahead of time). Even this plan is among the best cell phone plans on the market for an unlimited data plan.

Ultra Mobile also has a lot of service plans that include a new phone. Sign up and get a brand new smartphone at a fraction of the market price. Some of their current listed phones are the iPhone SE, the iPhone 12 Mini, the Pixel 4a, and the Galaxy A71 5G.

Pros:

• If you decide to prepay, Ultra Mobile offers some of the cheapest data on the market.
• Free international talk and text to 80+ countries

Cons:

• To get the best rates, you must prepay.
• Full-speed data is limited.

📱 SWITCH TO ULTRA MOBILE AND SLASH YOUR PHONE BILL 📱

3. Gabb Wireless

If you have kids and are looking for a cell phone plan for them, GABB Wireless is one of the best options, hands-down.

The GABB phone protects kids from the dangers of the internet and social media while still allowing them to connect with family and friends. In addition, it offers parents peace of mind because it doesn’t have distracting games, social media, or the internet available on the phone and does have GPS capability.

GABB Wireless plans include:

• Unlimited talk & text – for phones and watches
• GPS capability for location tracking
• Service on Verizon’s network

GABB offers their own cell phones that are designed to look like a typical smartphone, so your child doesn’t feel left out. Yet, the phone only has the option of sending text messages and making phone calls.

GABB phones are not only very cost-effective but also cheap for your peace of mind as a parent wanting to protect your kids from all the distractions online.

And at only $149.99 for the phone and $17.99 a month (with a two-year contract) or $24.99/month with no contract, it’s a small price to pay to know your child is safe when using their mobile phone. With these critical safeguards in place, GABB is the best choice for a cell phone for kids – and at an affordable price.

Pros:

• The connectivity and call quality on the GABB phone is reportedly very high
• The GABB Wireless phone has GPS, so you can keep tabs on where your child is at all points in time
• The GABB Phone looks and feels like a smartphone, so your child won’t get teased at school

Cons:

• There is no option if you want to stream music on the GABB phone.
• GABB wireless, unfortunately, can not be added to your current family plan.

📱 PROTECT YOUR KIDS WITH GABB WIRELESS 📱

4. Gen Mobile

Gen Mobile is another company that runs on T-Mobile’s network and is also compatible with your T-Mobile or AT&T phone (an unlocked phone would work as well.)

Gen Mobile offers many options where customers can choose from 1-Month or 3-Month plans, with discounts on the 3-Month options.

Plans range anywhere from $10/month with no data ($9/month for the 3-Month option) to $30/month including 5GB of data ($24/month for the 3-Month option)

Each plan includes:

• No annual contract
• Unlimited US + International texts
• 7-Day money back guarantee
• Free mobile hotspot

Pros:

• Free calls to over 100 countries
• Offer a 7-day money-back guarantee
• Gen Mobile waives sales tax on your first month of service
• You get an additional 15 days of free unlimited domestic and international texting after your plan expires

Cons:

• Requires a $39 activation fee on all plans (can be waived with some promotions)

📱 GET 1 MONTH FREE WHEN YOU BUY 1 MONTH OF 1GB + UNLIMITED TALK/TEXT 📱

5. Tello

Hesitant to get locked into a long-term contract with smaller carriers? If you’re worried about leaving the major carriers and you don’t require a large amount of data, Tello’s 1GB plan is a great option for you.

Monthly plans are just $10 a month for 1GB of data, and you can pay as you go. The option to cancel whenever you want is a great way to test out the reliability of the cell service with a new provider – an especially good idea if you live or work in rural areas.

Each plan includes:

• Unlimited text/talk
• 60+ countries where you can do international calling
• Free mobile tethering so you can share your mobile hotspot data
• Free WiFi calling

This is one of the best plans if you are extra frugal or have a tight budget – you can’t do much better than $10 a month for a single line. Unless, of course, you only carry a cell phone for emergencies, in which case you can take advantage of even lower prices with Tello’s “Build Your Own Plan” option starting at only $5.00 per month!

Of course, if you want to stick with the cheaper plans but aren’t against paying an additional cost to have the features you want, upgrade to Tello’s $29 a month plan. When compared to many other wireless providers, this is still a good deal for unlimited data, calls, and texts.

Pros:

• Tello’s plans are all extremely affordable and have fixed data
• There are many international features that you can take advantage of
• Phone customer service is available if you have any complaints or issues with the service

Cons:

• Other carriers may have some better high-speed data.
• The plan renews automatically. While you’re not in a contract, if you want to cancel, you’ll need to do so before the new billing cycle.

6. Boost Mobile

Boost Mobile has made quite a name for itself in the pay-as-you-go cell service space. Plans start at only $10/month when you bring your own phone.

Boost has a large selection of promotions for new customers. They also often run “online only” promotions; if you prefer to sign up in person, check the website beforehand. Don’t have your own phone to bring? No problem. Boost carries a variety of top-tier mobile phones at reasonable prices.

Prepaid plans start under $10/month with the option to mix & match any line to create your own custom family plan.

Each plan includes:

• No annual service contract
• High-speed data
• Unlimited talk & text
• Free mobile hotspot
• 99% nationwide coverage

Pros:

• 5G service in certain areas (with 5G-capable device)
• No credit check required
• Customers can earn credits off their monthly bill by using the Boost Mobile app
• Allows deployed service members to suspend service while keeping account & number active

Cons:

• You must prepay for all plans
• You may experience slow data speeds after you exceed your monthly allotment

7. Visible by Verizon

Smaller companies are not the only ones seeing the value in cheap cell phone plans. Big carriers like Verizon also understand that not everyone has the budget – or the need – for overpriced cell service and expensive family plans.

That’s why Visible was created. Running on Verizon’s network, Visible touts its new brand as “wireless made for the single life .” Fitting, as Visible offers only single-line, pay-in-advance plans with no contracts, no family plans, and no strings attached.

Visible allows you to bring your own phone or get a new phone using their swap and upgrade programs. They also offer a unique savings option called Party Pay, where you can join a party with your friends or family to reduce the cost of your own bill. In doing so, each person will remain on their own account without having to share or split bills or payments.

Plans begin at $40/month but can be discounted to $25/month with Party Pay.

Each plan includes:

• One line only
• Unlimited data, talk & text
• 5G service on Verizon’s network
• Unlimited calling to Mexico & Canada
• Free mobile hotspot
• No annual contract
• Taxes & fees included
• Spam protection to block unwanted calls

Pros:

• One of Visible’s values is to be completely transparent, and their plans and pricing are very straightforward
• $0 activation fee
• Can reduce bills by joining a party with friends or family
• Offers a credit-card-free 15-day free trial to iPhone users
• Offers Apple Watch plans for only $5/month

Cons:

• Not a great option for kids as they would need to have their own account
• Free trial not available for Android phones
• No physical stores; all service must be handled online or over the phone

Kick Expensive Plans to the Curb

While cell phone bills have increased substantially over the past decade, it doesn’t seem as if large providers will be reducing rates anytime soon. Rising costs likely have your budget feeling the pinch, but as a consumer, you have options.

Gone are the days when cell phone plans are only available from a few big companies with comparable prices. Instead, try one of the cheap cell phone plans on this list or research other options. While plans and promotions are constantly changing, possibilities for affordable plans are endless.

Put even more money back in your pocket when you buy your new devices from Amazon Renewed (which even offers a 1-year warranty) or earn money to put towards your phone bill by selling your old devices using Amazon’s Trade-In program.

There’s no denying that switching cell phone carriers can be a pain, but with these cheap cell phone plans, the reward is definitely worth the effort. Lastly, if you’re able, stash the difference in an investment account each month to really boost your savings.

Note: Offers mentioned were accurate at the time of publishing; however, all offers are subject to change.