With one of the best cheap cell phone plans for your wireless device, you’ll never be afraid to look at your monthly bill again. We’ve set a cap of $40 per month on wireless service and found some plans that can still give you a big pool of data — even unlimited data in some cases.
You may have to make some sacrifices when opting for one of the best cheap cell phone plans — perks won’t be plentiful. But data isn’t one of those things you have to give up. We’ve found some low-cost plans with only a small pool of data, but other options can give you 8GB of data and up — more than enough, even if you like to stream video, play online games or perform other data-intensive tasks.
As part of our search for the best cell phone plans overall, we’ve kept an eye out for plans like that. Our best cheap cell phone plan search takes into account the merits of prepaid vs. postpaid phone service while also examining whether MVNOs are worth the money. As it turns out, you may be as surprised by what you can get for $40 or less, including some of the best unlimited data cell phone plans we’ve come across.
Whether you’re buying a new phone or just looking for ways to save money this year, we can help you find one of the best cheap cell phone plans that are out there right now.
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What to look for with cheap cell phone plans
Obviously, price is going to be paramount when considering a cheap cell phone plan. After all, if money is no object, there are plenty of pricey plans that will deliver maximum perks and data.
But price isn’t the only criteria to look at. You’ll want to consider who provides the best cell phone coverage in your area and whether the discount carrier you’re considering uses that carrier’s network. With the exception of AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, none of the discount carriers we’ve mentioned here operate their own network. Rather, as mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs, they piggyback on the cellular networks built by one or more of the major carriers. Some carriers, such as Republic Wireless and Google Fi, also offload calls and texts to Wi-Fi when available, as part of their efforts to keep monthly costs low.
You’ll also want to look at the variety of plans each carrier offered and whether you could move to a different plan if your talk, text and data needs change. We’ve focused on plans for individuals, but if you’re searching for the best family cell phone plan, look into whether a carrier offers discounts on multiple lines. While perks generally aren’t included with cheap cell phone plans, look to see if there are some added benefits such as hotspot data.