The best cell phone plans for 2024

Best super-cheap plan: Tello Economy | $9pm | 1GB | T-Mobile network
If you're looking for the cheapest, and we mean the cheapest plan (which still has some data), then Tello is a great option that also operates on the wider T-Mobile network. The Tello Economy plan gives you unlimited texts, calls, and 1GB data for just $9 a month, which is exceptional value. While extremely basic, Tello's build-your-own-plan setup allows you to easily upgrade or downgrade your data allowances if need be, which is a real selling point versus the carriers that require you to commit. Check out our Tello promo codes page for more ways to save.

Cheap Verizon alternative: US Mobile | $8pm | 1GB | Verizon & T-Mobile network
US Mobile is a great alternative choice right now to either T-Mobile or Verizon - especially with its new 'Light Plan'. For just $8 per month, you'll get unlimited talk, text, and 1GB of data per month, which is a good starting point if you're really on a budget. As with Mint Mobile's cell phone plans, the US Mobile Light Plan is cheapest when you pay for a full year upfront ($96). If you need more data, US Mobile also operates a number of very competitively-priced unlimited data plans, the cheapest of which is the Unlimited Flex plan for just $17.50 per month. This plan is a little more stripped down in features versus the rival choices from Mint and Visible but it's just about the cheapest unlimited plan you'll find anywhere right now.

Cricket Wireless, Pure Talk, FreeUp Mobile, and H20 Mobile.

Best all around value: Mint Mobile | $20pm |15GB | T-Mobile network
Mint Mobile has a ton of great prepaid options right now including a brand new unlimited data plan for $30 months. However, for best bang for the buck we'd recommend the 15GB data plan. Not only is this one enough data for most people but this plan tier has recently been bumped up from 10GB. Aside from the price, Mint also has plenty of generous perks, free mobile hotspotting, and 5G/4G speeds where applicable. Mint Mobile uses the T-Mobile network, which covers 62% of the country for 4G LTE, slightly behind Verizon and AT&T but still within the reach of most users.

Best value unlimited data plan: Visible | $25 - $45pm | Verizon network
Visible Wireless is a strong contender for best unlimited data plan right now - especially if you're a data-hungry user on a budget. This Verizon subsidiary offers two excellent tiers of unlimited data plan - both of which are much cheaper than the bigger carriers. The basic (or standard) Visible plan comes in at just $25 per month with no contract or upfront yearly payment and offers completely unlimited data plus free mobile hotspot. There is a caveat with this plan in that you may get lower download speeds if the local area is particularly busy (deprioritization). If you want the equivalent of post-paid speeds, then you can opt for the Visible Plus plan for $45 per month, which features 50GB of priority data, faster mobile hotspot speeds, and the option for an additional smartwatch line at no cost.

Best AT&T: AT&T | $25pm | Unlimited data | 12-month prepaid
While the big carriers are normally pretty stingy when it comes to their prepaid options, AT&T leads the way with a ton of very flexible (and competitively priced options). Like Mint Mobile, the best prices here are reserved for those who buy their data in chunks, with the sweet spot for value being the $25 per month unlimited data 12-month plan. For a compelling pay-monthly option with less commitment, we'd also recommend checking out H20 Wireless, which offers an excellent 20GB premium plan for $36 a month.

Cheap Verizon alternative: US Mobile | $15pm | Unlimited data | Verizon & T-Mobile network
US Mobile has emerged in recent months as strong competitor to Visible Wireless. In fact, it's the cheapest prepaid unlimited plan on the market right now with its 'Unlimited Flex' plan sitting at just $17.50 per month ($210 upfront for a year). If you're looking to save cash, this is a strong option, although Visible does include slightly more generous perks such as better hotspot allowance and more 'premium' data. If you go for the Unlimited Flex plan at US Mobile, expect your speeds to get much slower after 10GB of usage. For a like-for-like alternative to Visible, you'll want to check out the Unlimited Premium plan at $32.50/mo.

Best coverage and flexibility: Verizon Unlimited Plus | $65pm
With a 5G network covering more than 175 million people nationwide across the US, Verizon is simply going to be a great option for most users who want to make the most of that unlimited data. While you're paying a premium with Verizon, the carrier has a flexible array of options due to its new 'myPlan' system, which features a simplified line-up and optional additional perks. As of writing, there are three distinct plan tiers with different amounts of unthrottled data and hotspot alliance but we'd recommend the middle 'Unlimited Plus' plan as the best for most users. With this plan, you'll get completely unlimited data on the high-end Verizon 5G Wideband network, 30GB mobile hotspot, and a number of optional perks that you can add on for $10 per month each. These include Disney+ subscriptions, Walmart+ memberships, more hotspot data, and international travel passes.

Best cheap unlimited plan: Visible | $25-$45pm | Verizon network
Visible is a subsidiary of Verizon and offers two distinct tiers of cheap unlimited plans that are perfect for data-hungry users looking to save some cash. With this service, you've got the choice between a 'basic' plan for $25 per month and a 'plus' plan for $45. The basic plan is better value all around but will be subject to de-prioritization if the local area is busy. The Plus plan has 50GB of priority 5G data and includes some brand-new perks for 2024 including speedier mobile hotspot allowance and a free line for a smartwatch. Both are fantastic choices right now - and run on the wider Verizon network so you're getting great coverage nationwide.

Cricket Wireless, Pure Talk, FreeUp Mobile, and H20 Mobile.

Cheap T-Mobile alternative: Boost Infinite| $25pm | T-Mobile network
Boost Mobile has been a strong alternative to the likes of T-Mobile for a while now but the carrier has really upped its game recently. Not only can you get superb unlimited data plans for as little as $25 per month at Boost, but there's also the option for the carrier's relatively new 'Infinite Access' plans - plans that include not just unlimited data but also one of the latest Samsung or Apple devices for as little as $65 per month. For cheaper plans, Mint Mobile is a slightly stronger option right now but Boost's Infinite Access plans are a great budget-friendly all-in-one solution that you won't find anywhere else right now.

Best AT&T: AT&T Unlimited Extra | $75pm
With AT&T you're getting the second-best coverage in the country and their pricing overall tends to be a little bit easier on the wallet than Verizon. Our pick is the mid-tier Unlimited Extra plan, which has unlimited 5G access, 50GB of data prioritization, and 15GB of mobile hotspot data. This is a pretty no-thrills package, focusing on getting you the most amount of prioritized data for your cash. If you're after more perks, you may prefer the top-tier Unlimited Elite plan which will set you back another $10 a month but gets you HD video streaming and a free subscription to HBO Max.

Best high-end family plan: T-Mobile Go5G| $155pm (4 lines)
T-Mobile has a unique pricing feature that allows it to throw in the third line for free on all its multi-line unlimited data plans. That makes its service particularly good for families, offering on average one tier of plan higher than its competitors for the price. Case in point is the 4-line T-Mobile Go5G plan, which offers 100GB of 5G data (unlimited 3G) plus a free subscription to Netflix Basic - a nice little freebie you'd normally pay more for.

Best big carrier value: Verizon Welcome Unlimited | $100pm (4 lines)
Verizon's recently switched up its unlimited data plan lineup with a handy new 'myPlan' system. The perks, data allowances, and prices are essentially similar but there's now a flexible mix-and-match layout that allows you to choose exactly what perks, addons, and lines you want to pay for. For example, Verizon's most basic plan tier, the Welcome Unlimited plan, comes in at just $100 for four lines and offers a good starting point to build on if you want streaming perks or Walmart+ membership for $10 per month each. If you wanted to add a line of the higher-tier Unlimited Plus plan, which includes a quicker 5G connection and 30GB of mobile hotspot, then you can do so. In short, there's a lot of flexibility at Verizon and you get some of the best 5G coverage possible to boot.

Best for budget setups: Mint Mobile | $30 - $60pm (2 lines) | T-Mobile network
It's really hard to fault Mint Mobile if you're looking for a cost-effective family cell phone plan for two or more users. While the prepaid carrier doesn't specifically offer discounts for multiple lines it's pretty damn cheap overall and offers a flexible array of data options. Adding to the flexibility at Mint Mobile is the carrier's new family plan feature, which allows you to mix and match various data allowances under the same overall plan. Again, there are no additional savings here for adding multiple lines but you'll skip out on red tape and automatically enroll each line on the cheapest rate without having to pay for a whole year of data upfront. Another great choice here is Visible Wireless' standard unlimited data plan for $25 per month, although it's not specifically set up for multiple lines (you'll need to set them up separately).

Best AT&T: Cricket Unlimited plan | $100pm (4 lines) | AT&T network
For those who get the best coverage on the AT&T network but want a cheaper option, we recommend the basic Cricket Unlimited plan. At just $100 a month for four lines, this Cricket plan is coming in at much, much cheaper than the equivalent big carrier offerings. That said, your unlimited data is capped out at 8Mbps - much slower than 5G speeds, and you're also not getting any mobile hotspot allowance here, so bear in mind this is a very stripped-down plan indeed.

Best pay as you go: Ultra Mobile | $3pm | T-Mobile network
If you're a senior who doesn't use your phone much and really wants to keep it simple, you can opt to go for Ultra Mobile's pay-as-you-go plan. With 100 minutes, 100 texts, and 100Mb of data, you're only getting the bare essentials here - but enough if you're using your phone sparingly, or making use of WiFi connections primarily. At just $3 a month, this is a very, very cheap plan indeed, although we'd also recommend the Tello economy plan as well if you'd like something a bit less restrictive. That will bump up your cost to $10 a month, but secure you unlimited calls, texts, and 1GB of data a month.

Best for flexibility: Tello | $9 - $25pm | T-Mobile network
Tello is a great option for thrifty seniors who want to tailor a plan around their needs. The carrier operates a flexible 'build your own' plan that enables you to choose exactly how much data you want each month, as well as minutes and texts. Don't want data? You can do that too via Tello and choose to upgrade your plan further down the line if you require. Since there are no contracts and you pay each month, it's easy to make any amendments.

Best no data plan: TextNow| free | T-Mobile network
If you simply don't need any data at all, TextNow is a fantastic service that offers nationwide call and texts for no cost. While you'll need to pay for a SIM card ($5), once you're all set up TextNow will let you call and text freely without any additional contracts or fees. Unlike traditional carriers, TextNow sells "data passes" that let you sign up for data at any time without of the usual commitments. For example, if you only need a day of data, then you can purchase a day pass for $5.99 or even one hour of data for just $0.99. It's flexible system that's gotten even better recently with the addition of maps, rideshare apps, and emails to the baseline TextNow plan. That means you don't even need to pay for a pass to access everyday essentials! Note, however, that things like YouTube, Spotify, and other data intensive apps aren't covered under this new setup.

Cricket Wireless, Pure Talk, FreeUp Mobile, and H20 Mobile.

Header Cell - Column 0	Data usage per hour	How much use per GB
Web browsing	15/mb	68 hours
FaceBook	150/mb	6 hours 48 minutes
Instagram	600/mb	1 hour 42 minutes
TikTok	800/mb	1 hour 16 minutes
Streaming music (normal quality)	51/mb	20 hours
Streaming music (high quality)	150/mb	6 hours 48 minutes
Streaming video (480p)	700/mb	1 hour 24 minutes
Streaming video (1080p)	2500/mb	24 minutes
Streaming video (4K)	5850/mb	10 minutes
Online gaming	12/mb	85 hours

The best cell phone plans for 2024

Best cell phone plans: quick list

Recent updates

Cheap cell phone plans

Prepaid cell phone plans

Unlimited cell phone plans

Family cell phone plans

Phone plans for seniors

Phone plans for kids

Best cell phone plan: FAQ

How does TechRadar choose the best cell phone plans?

How to get the best cell phone plan for you

1. Determine how much data you need

2. Check your coverage

3. Consider any extras you need

4. Our bonus tips for saving cash

Best cell phone plans: quick list

Recent updates

Cheap cell phone plans

Prepaid cell phone plans

Unlimited cell phone plans

Family cell phone plans

Phone plans for seniors

Phone plans for kids

Best cell phone plan: FAQ

How does TechRadar choose the best cell phone plans?

How to get the best cell phone plan for you

1. Determine how much data you need

2. Check your coverage

3. Consider any extras you need

4. Our bonus tips for saving cash

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