Mobile plan guides
38 guides, each built on the same catalogue and the same cost model. No page is generated by simply swapping a state name or a budget: every guide answers a specific question and shows the plans that actually match it.
Choosing a plan1
Cheap plans and low budgets12
Best prepaid phone plans under $25Every plan we track at $25/month or less, ranked by the real 12-month cost.Best phone plans under $20 a monthThe cheapest plans in the catalogue, with the 24-month cost for each.Best phone plans for light data usersPlans with 5 GB or less, for people who mostly use Wi-Fi.Cheapest 5 GB phone plansPlans offering exactly 5 GB of data, compared on real cost.Best 15 GB phone plansPlans with exactly 15 GB of data, ranked by real cost.Best 10 GB phone plansPlans offering 10 GB of data, compared on the real 24-month cost.Best phone plans for a single lineThe best value single-line plans, ranked by real cost.No credit check phone plansPrepaid plans with no contract and no credit application, ranked by real cost.Talk and text only plansPlans with 2 GB or less, for a phone that is mainly used for calls and messages.Annual and multi-month prepaid plansPlans paid 12 months upfront, ranked by the average monthly cost they actually deliver.Best phone plans for college studentsPlans between $15 and $35 with enough data for campus life, ranked by real cost.Free and cheap phone plans under $10Every plan at $10 a month or less, ranked by the real 12-month cost.
Unlimited data3
Cheapest unlimited phone plansUnlimited plans ranked by what you pay over 24 months, not the headline rate.Best unlimited plans under $40 a monthUnlimited plans capped at $40/month, ranked by 24-month cost.Cheapest unlimited plans under $30Unlimited plans at $30/month or less, ranked by the real 24-month cost.
Families and multiple lines4
Four-line family plansFour-line plans compared on the total monthly bill, not on the per-line headline.Two-line plans comparedTwo-line plans ranked on the total monthly bill and the 24-month cost.Leaving a family plan: what a single line costsWhat one line costs on its own, compared with the per-line price of a shared account.Best phone plans for kids and teensTwo-line packages under $65 a month, priced for a child’s first phone.
Networks and coverage3
Specific features7
Best phone plans with mobile hotspotPlans that include hotspot data, compared on real cost.Best phone plans for international calling and roamingPlans that include international minutes or roaming data.Best no-contract phone plansPlans with no fixed term, ranked by real cost.Phone plans with taxes includedPlans where the advertised price already includes taxes and fees.Phone plans that can replace home internetUnlimited plans with enough hotspot data to run a household, ranked by 24-month cost.Best unlimited plans with international roamingUnlimited plans that include international minutes or roaming, ranked by real cost.Cheap phone plans with mobile hotspot under $40Plans under $40 that include hotspot data, ranked by the real 24-month cost.
Provider comparisons8
Best phone plans for seniorsPlans from providers that focus on simple, low-usage packages.US Mobile vs TelloTwo network-flexible prepaid carriers compared plan by plan.US Mobile vs Mint MobileA network-flexible carrier against a multi-month bundle carrier.Mint Mobile vs VisibleA bundle-priced carrier against a flat-rate unlimited carrier.Tello vs Mint MobileTwo T-Mobile MVNOs compared on flexibility and upfront pricing.Cricket Wireless vs Metro by T-MobileThe two largest prepaid brands of AT&T and T-Mobile compared.RedPocket plans comparedEvery RedPocket plan we track, on any of the three networks it resells.Cheaper alternatives to Verizon, AT&T and T-MobilePrepaid plans under $30 on the same three networks, ranked by real 24-month cost.
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