Free plan
TextNow · 1 line
- 0 GB data
- 1 line
- T-Mobile
- No contract
$0/mo$0first year
Free and cheap phone plans under $10
Every plan at $10 a month or less, ranked by the real 12-month cost.
Prices on this page were last verified on .
11 plans in the catalogue currently match this brief. Monthly prices in this selection run from $0 to $10.
Ranked on the real cost over 24 months, the best option today is the TextNow Free plan: $0.00 a month, or $0.00 a month on average once the promotional period and any activation fee are included ($0.00 over two years).
Matching plans (11)
12 Months of Light Plan
US Mobile · 1 line
- 2 GB data
- 1 line
- Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
- No contract
$8/mo$96first year
Light Plan
US Mobile · 1 line
- 2 GB data
- 1 line
- Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
- No contract
$10/mo$120first year
Starter 2 GB
Tello · 1 line
- 2 GB data
- 1 line
- T-Mobile
- No contract
$10/mo$120first year
Essentials
RedPocket · 1 line
- Unlimited data
- 1 line
- Network not stated
- No contract
$10/mo$120first year
Unlimited International Plan — 5 GB
Lyca Mobile · 1 line
- 5 GB data
- 1 line
- Network not stated
- No contract
$10 for the first 12 months, then $19 · 47% below the standard rate
$10/mo$120first year
Everyday 10 GB
Tello · 1 line
- 10 GB data
- 1 line
- T-Mobile
- No contract
$10 for the first 3 months, then $15 · 33% below the standard rate
$10/mo$165first year
1 GB — 30-day plan
Tracfone · 1 line
- 1 GB data
- 1 line
- Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
- No contract
$10 for the first 2 months, then $15 · 33% below the standard rate
$10/mo$170first year
Unlimited
Boost Mobile · 1 line
- Unlimited data
- 1 line
- AT&T, T-Mobile
- No contract
$10 for the first 6 months, then $25 · 60% below the standard rate
$10/mo$210first year
Plus
RedPocket · 1 line
- Unlimited data
- 1 line
- Network not stated
- No contract
$10 for the first 1 month, then $20 · 50% below the standard rate
$10/mo$230first year
High Data Plan — 18 GB
Lyca Mobile · 1 line
- 18 GB data
- 1 line
- Network not stated
- No contract
$7.50 for the first 6 months, then $33 · 77% below the standard rate
$7.50/mo$243first year
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We are funded by advertising, not by the plans we list. No operator pays for a position in this comparison. How we work.
Frequently asked questions
- Are there really free phone plans in the US?
- A few exist, and one is in this catalogue. Free plans are almost always ad-supported: talk and text are included, and mobile data is either absent or sold as a paid add-on. They work as a backup or first line, not as a data line, and the plan detail page states exactly what is included.
- How can a provider give a plan away for free?
- The cost is covered somewhere else: advertising shown in the provider’s app, add-ons such as data or voicemail, or the sale of a low-cost device. When an offer looks free, look for the condition that pays for it before signing up.
- Is a plan under $10 usable as a main line?
- For calls and messages, yes. For data, check the allowance first: plans in this range usually include 1 to 5 GB, or are promotional rates that rise after a few months. Anyone streaming or using GPS daily will exceed that.
- Why are some of these prices marked as promotional?
- A low headline rate can be an introductory price that reverts to a higher standard rate after a set number of months. The card shows both figures, and the 12-month column already averages the two so a short promotion cannot make a plan look cheaper than it is.
- Does the advertised price include taxes and fees?
- Not always. Most US mobile prices exclude taxes and regulatory fees, which can add roughly 10 to 20 percent depending on the state. Each plan card states whether taxes are included, so compare on that basis rather than on the headline number alone.
- Do cheap plans require a credit check?
- Prepaid plans generally do not, because there is no contract to underwrite: you pay for the month before you use it. That is also why these plans can be started with no contract and no deposit.
Related guides
Best prepaid phone plans under $25
Every 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.