5 Phone Carriers With The Best Cheap Plans

There's no shortage of mobile phone plans. The three major carriers in the United States are Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, with each offering plans with varying features and price points. On top of that, there are mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) that rent one or more of the big three's mobile infrastructure to offer unique, and often cheap, plans for customers (dumping your carrier is one way to save money on your cellphone bill). 

Most standard phone plans offer unlimited talk and text in addition to 5G and 4G LTE data speeds to customers. With that said, your access to 5G depends on your location and network provider, and data speeds are also not created equal. Many plans throttle video streaming speeds, for example. Carriers can also slow down your mobile data speeds when you exceed your monthly data allowance. Some networks even cut off your mobile data completely when you go over your allotment. These are all factors to consider when deciding which plan to pick for your smartphone. Below is a list of the best cheap phone carriers around, accompanied by a short description of their cheapest plans and what they offer. 

Visible offers a $25 unlimited talk, text, and data plan that uses Verizon's 4G LTE and 5G networks. You also get unlimited mobile hotspot use, though speeds are capped at 5Mbps. Another caveat to this plan is that it has video throttling, with streams getting capped at 480p on mobile data. This can be a major turn-off for those who frequently watch movies or TV on their phone via mobile data. The plan does, however, offer free calls to Canada and Mexico. For international roaming in Canada or Mexico, you will be charged $5 a day.

Serial streamers will want to check out the Visible+ plan for $35 a month, which offers premium data and lets you stream in up to 1080p. At $45 a month, a Visible + Pro plan gets you 4K UHD quality video streaming and smartwatch support. Visible frequently runs special promotions for new customers, like the current Switch26 promo code, which can net you $6 off a base plan, $9 off a Visible+ plan, or $45 off a Visible+ Pro plan.

Mint Mobile's claim to fame is its $15-a-month plan for new customers. The plan provides unlimited talk and text and 5GB of data every month. Mint Mobile also offers 15GB for $20, 20GB for $25, or unlimited data for $30 a month. For new customers, an upfront payment is required, so you will pay $45 for a 3-month 5GB plan. After your first three months with Mint Mobile, you can renew for $25 a month on a three-month plan, $20 a month for a six-month plan, or $15 for a 12-month plan. All plans lock your video streaming quality at 480p on mobile data.

With a Mint Mobile plan, you get 5G/4G LTE signal via T-Mobile's infrastructure, which Mint claims covers 98% of the population with 5G and 99% with 4G LTE.  If you use up all your data for a month, you are not cut off but instead slowed down. Mint Mobile lets you keep your old phone and number if you switch, alleviating some of the hassle of changing providers. Instead of a physical SIM card, customers with an eligible smartphone, like the iPhone 17, can opt for a digital eSIM, which lets you activate your phone the same day you switch, making it a solid choice for those looking to ditch their old carrier sooner rather than later.

T-Mobile offers 5GB of data for one line on its $15-a-month Connect plan. For those who need a bit more data each month, T-Mobile offers a $25/month plan with 8GB and a $35/month plan with 12GB. These prepaid plans don't require a contract or a credit check. That, along with no early cancellation fee, makes a T-Mobile Connect plan a solid choice for someone who doesn't want to get tied down to one provider.

The base T-Mobile Connect plan features 5G speeds of 89-418 Mbps, with 4G LTE as a fallback if needed. Video streaming on this plan is limited to 480p quality. Because this is a prepaid plan, when you run out of data, you're cut off completely until the next billing cycle. T-Mobile's Connect notably does not offer new phone promotions, so you must bring your own device or buy a new one without a new customer deal.

All plans offer free domestic calling and texting. For $5 extra every month, you can get unlimited calls and texts to Mexico and Canada. There is also a $15 stateside international add-on, which allows you to connect to landlines in more than 70 countries and mobile lines in 30 countries. 

Tello Mobile is the cheapest carrier on this list, with its "Build Your Own Plan" starting at $6 a month. However, unlimited texting and calling are not included in all plans. For $6 a month, you get 1GB of mobile data in addition to 100 minutes and unlimited texts. If you want unlimited minutes and texting, plus 1GB of data, you will have to pay $9 a month.

Those interested in everything Tello Mobile has to offer can get unlimited data, minutes, and texts for $25 a month with a custom Tello Mobile plan. With it, you get 50 GB of high-speed data before your connection is throttled until the next billing cycle. All plans run on T-Mobile 4G LTE and 5G networks and boast 5G download speeds of around 79-357 Mbps and 13-61 Mbps for 4G LTE. Tello Mobile notably lets you make international calls at no additional cost, though you have to have minutes to spare. This makes it an attractive offer for those with family or friends abroad.

US Mobile's popular Unlimited Starter plan provides unlimited data for $25 a month, though speeds are throttled after you've used 70GB. Data speeds slow once you reach your monthly data limit. With the plan, you also get 20GB of hotspot data to connect your other devices. Video streaming is capped at 720p on mobile data, making it a better option than most on this list for on-the-go video streamers. You can also pick which of the big three networks you want to provide you coverage, so you can get what's best for you based on your location, and you can switch anytime.

There is also an annual Unlimited Flex plan for $17.50 a month that gives you 10GB of high-speed data and 5GB of hotspot data. All plans offer international data add-ons. US Mobile also offers a prepaid "By the Gig" plan that lets customers buy exactly the data they expect to use in a month. You can get 2GB of data for $10 a month, 5GB for $15 a month, 10GB for $20 a month, or 20GB for $35 a month. If you max out on your data during this time, you can top up data for $2 per GB. Unused top-ups roll over to the next pay period.