The best prepaid phone plans in 2026 cost a fraction of a postpaid bill, with no contract and no annual commitment. We checked 15 prepaid carriers on their own plan pages. US Mobile took the top slot for the mix of price, network choice and Consumer Reports recognition. US Mobile wrote this comparison; how we did it is in the methodology section.
Consumer Reports does not endorse products or services.
Best Prepaid Phone Plans by Category
Prepaid used to mean “worse plan for less money.” That’s mostly a leftover reputation now. Here’s who wins each category once you look at the actual prices, and if you’d rather see every plan type side by side, our guide to the best cell phone plans covers postpaid too.
| Category | Winner | Why it wins | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Prepaid | US Mobile BEST VALUE | Consumer Reports Top Rated. Access to all three major networks. Unlimited Starter with taxes and fees included. | $25/mo |
| Best Multi-Month Bundles | Mint Mobile | Buy 3, 6 or 12 months up front. 6GB is $15/mo on the 12-month plan ($180). Taxes extra. | $15/mo |
| Best Verizon-Network Prepaid | Visible | Unlimited data and unlimited hotspot (up to 5 Mbps) with taxes and fees included. | $25/mo |
| Best AT&T-Network Prepaid | Cricket Wireless | Taxes and fees included. Select Unlimited is $35/mo with AutoPay ($40 without). | $35/mo with AutoPay |
| Best for International Calling | Lycamobile | Unlimited talk and text to 100 countries on every plan. The 5GB plan is $10/mo for the first 12 months, then $19/mo. | $19/mo |
| Best for a Backup Line | Tello | Build your own plan: 2GB and 300 minutes for $8/mo. Taxes extra. | $8/mo |
Awards reflect our editorial evaluation against the criteria in the methodology section. The “Best Overall” pick is supported by US Mobile’s Consumer Reports Top Rated designation. See the full ratings. Consumer Reports does not endorse products or services.
Why Prepaid Beats Postpaid in 2026
Prepaid used to carry a stigma. You paid less, sure, but the unspoken message was that your credit wasn’t great. That stopped being true a while ago. If you want the mechanics first, here’s how prepaid cell phone plans work.
Same big networks, lower prices
Most prepaid carriers don’t build towers. They buy access from one of the three national networks and resell it, which is why a $25 plan and a $65 plan can light up the same phone in the same spot. You’re paying less because the prepaid carrier skips a lot of what the big postpaid brands spend on: thousands of stores, credit checks and phone subsidies.
You pay first, so there’s no contract
Prepaid means you pay for the month before you use it. US Mobile puts it plainly on its FAQ: it’s a prepaid, no-contract carrier, and you pay for a 30-day plan when the plan starts. Leave whenever you want. Big 3 postpaid plans bill you after the month and usually check your credit first.
Taxes and fees: check before you compare
This is where sticker prices lie. US Mobile (Unlimited and Light plans), Visible, Cricket, Metro and Total Wireless include taxes and fees in the price you see. Mint, Tello, TextNow, Straight Talk, Simple Mobile, TracFone, H2O and Ultra Mobile add them at checkout. Boost’s plan page says taxes and fees apply. Big 3 postpaid adds them too, plus their own monthly fees (T-Mobile’s is $5.49 a line).
The trade-off: data priority
Here’s the honest catch. When a cell site gets busy, many prepaid lines get slowed before postpaid ones, and a lot of “unlimited” prepaid plans slow you down after a set amount of high-speed data each month. Mint Unlimited, for example, includes 50GB of premium data; Boost Unlimited 30GB. Some plans sell priority as a feature: US Mobile’s Unlimited Premium lists unlimited priority data. Our best unlimited data plan roundup goes deeper on the caps.
Paying for a year is where the big savings are
Several prepaid carriers knock the price down if you pay months up front. US Mobile Unlimited Starter drops from $25/mo to $22.50/mo on a yearly plan ($270/yr), and Unlimited Flex is sold yearly only at $210 ($17.50/mo). Visible’s base plan is $275 for the year. Mint sells only 3, 6 and 12-month plans. The trade-off is cash up front, and you’re committed for that term.
Full Comparison: Best Prepaid Phone Plans Side by Side
The cheapest and top plan from each carrier, one line, regular price without AutoPay unless the carrier only sells it another way. For every plan type in one place, see cell phone plans compared.
| Carrier | Entry plan | Entry price | Top plan | Top price | Taxes included? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Mobile | Light (2GB) | $10/mo | Unlimited Premium | $44/mo | Yes |
| Mint Mobile | 6GB (12-month plan) | $15/mo | Unlimited (12-month plan) | $30/mo | No |
| Visible | Visible | $25/mo | Visible+ Pro | $45/mo | Yes |
| Cricket Wireless | Sensible 10GB | $35/mo | Supreme Unlimited | $60/mo | Yes |
| Boost Mobile | Unlimited | $30/mo | Unlimited Premium | $60/mo with AutoPay | Taxes and fees apply |
| Metro by T-Mobile | Unlimited 5G Data (web only) | $40/mo | Unlimited Premium 5G Data | $60/mo | Yes |
| Total Wireless | Total Starter | $40/mo | Total All Access | $65/mo | Yes |
| Straight Talk | Bronze 10GB | $35/mo | Platinum Unlimited | $65/mo | No |
| Tello | Custom: 2GB + 300 min | $8/mo | Unlimited | $25/mo | No |
| TextNow | Free (with ads) | Free | Monthly Unlimited | $35.99/mo | No |
| H2O Wireless | $20 Plan (10GB) | $20/mo | $60 Unlimited | $60/mo | No |
| Ultra Mobile | 4GB | $19/mo | Unlimited+ | $59/mo | No |
| Lycamobile | $19 Unlimited International (5GB) | $19/mo | Unlimited Pro | $59/mo | Carrier does not say |
| Simple Mobile | $25 Plan (15GB) | $25/mo | Unlimited World+ | $60/mo | No |
| TracFone | Basic (1GB) | $15/mo | Unlimited | $50/mo | No |
US Mobile
Consumer Reports Top RatedUS Mobile is the prepaid carrier most likely to make you forget you’re on prepaid. Plans run from Light at $10/mo (2GB) to Unlimited Premium at $44/mo, all prepaid, no contract. If you only need a handful of gigs, the $10 mobile phone plans roundup is the shorter read.
What makes it unusual: every line gets access to all three major US wireless networks, branded as Warp 5G, Dark Star, and Light Speed. Pick one at signup and move your line to a different network later from your account dashboard (US Mobile says it takes about 10 minutes).
The Multi-Network add-on goes a step further and puts more than one network on the same phone and plan. It’s $10/mo per line, or $7.50/mo ($90/yr) on an annual plan.
There are no multi-line discounts. US Mobile’s own FAQ says so: each line costs the same whether you have one or five. Three or more lines on monthly Unlimited Premium do earn one subscription perk worth up to $15/mo.
Need even less? The build-your-own option sells talk, text and data separately: unlimited texts alone are $6/mo and unlimited minutes alone are $8/mo. By the Gig plans share data across lines, from $15/mo for 5GB to $35/mo for 20GB, with each extra line $8.
US Mobile is named a Consumer Reports Top Rated Cell Phone Service Provider. See the full ratings.
Consumer Reports does not endorse products or services.
US Mobile prepaid pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly plan | First-year offer | Hotspot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light (2GB) | $10/mo | $96/yr ($8/mo) | None | Included |
| Unlimited Flex | Yearly only | $210/yr ($17.50/mo) | None | 5GB |
| Unlimited Starter POPULAR | $25/mo | $270/yr ($22.50/mo) | $199 first year, then $270/yr | 20GB |
| Unlimited Premium | $44/mo | $390/yr ($32.50/mo) | $299 first year, then $390/yr | Unlimited |
Taxes and fees are included on the Unlimited and Light plans. First-year offers are for new lines and renew at the regular yearly price. Right now, if you port in your number, code FBF10 makes Starter $10/mo and code FBF20 makes Premium $20/mo for the first 6 months, then $25/mo and $44/mo (limit 5 per household). Flex slows down after 10GB a month.
Pros
- Access to all three major US wireless networks on one plan
- Consumer Reports Top Rated Cell Phone Service Provider
- Multi-Network add-on for more than one network on the same phone
- International calling to 180+ destinations included on yearly plans, By the Gig plans and monthly Premium
- Taxes and fees included on Unlimited and Light plans
- 30-day free trial with 30GB of data for new customers who transfer a number
Cons
- No multi-line discount
- Light’s 2GB is tight if you stream away from Wi-Fi
- Unlimited Flex is sold as a yearly plan only
Mint Mobile
Mint doesn’t sell month to month. You buy 3, 6 or 12 months at once, and the 12-month plan is the cheapest per month: 6GB at $15/mo ($180), 17GB at $20/mo ($240), 23GB at $25/mo ($300) and Unlimited at $30/mo ($360). Taxes aren’t included.
The shorter terms are where the intro pricing hides. New customers get the first 3 or 6 months cheap, then the price jumps. On the 6-month plan, every tier is $10/mo for the first term ($60 up front), then Unlimited renews at $35/mo. Mint Unlimited includes 50GB of premium data and 20GB of hotspot.
| Plan | 3 months (first term) | 6 months (first term) | 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6GB | $15/mo, then $25/mo | $10/mo, then $20/mo | $15/mo ($180) |
| 17GB | $20/mo, then $35/mo | $10/mo, then $25/mo | $20/mo ($240) |
| 23GB | $25/mo, then $45/mo | $10/mo, then $35/mo | $25/mo ($300) |
| Unlimited | $30/mo, then $40/mo | $10/mo, then $35/mo | $30/mo ($360) |
Visible
Visible runs on Verizon’s network. Three tiers: Visible at $25/mo, Visible+ at $35/mo and Visible+ Pro at $45/mo, all with taxes and fees included. Every tier has unlimited hotspot, but speed-capped: 5, 10 and 15 Mbps. The plus tiers add 5G Ultra Wideband, and Pro adds calling to 85+ countries.
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly plan | Hotspot | International |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visible | $25/mo | $275/yr | Unlimited (5 Mbps) | Talk and text to Mexico and Canada |
| Visible+ | $35/mo | $375/yr | Unlimited (10 Mbps) | Adds roaming in Mexico and Canada |
| Visible+ Pro | $45/mo | $450/yr | Unlimited (15 Mbps) | Adds calling to 85+ countries |
With code 5OFF5, Visible+ is $30/mo and Visible+ Pro is $40/mo for 5 years on monthly billing, then the regular price.
Cricket Wireless
Cricket runs on AT&T’s network, with taxes and fees included. AutoPay takes $5 off each plan. The catch on the cheap end: Sensible 10GB drops to 128 Kbps once the 10GB is gone, and Select Unlimited has no hotspot unless you add it. In-store activation costs $25 a line.
| Plan | Regular monthly | With AutoPay | Data | Hotspot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sensible 10GB | $35/mo | $30/mo | 10GB | Not available |
| Select Unlimited | $40/mo | $35/mo | Unlimited | Add-on only |
| Smart Unlimited | $50/mo | $45/mo | Unlimited | 15GB |
| Supreme Unlimited | $60/mo | $55/mo | Unlimited high-speed | 50GB |
Boost Mobile
Boost’s prices step up fast once you leave the base plan. Unlimited is $30/mo ($25 with AutoPay) with 30GB of premium data. Unlimited+ and Global Connection both carry 40GB, and Unlimited Premium 50GB at $60/mo with AutoPay. Boost’s plan page says taxes and fees apply, so budget a little over the sticker.
| Plan | Regular monthly | With AutoPay | Premium data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited | $30/mo | $25/mo | 30GB |
| Global Connection | $45/mo | $40/mo | 40GB |
| Unlimited+ | $55/mo | $50/mo | 40GB |
| Unlimited Premium | Not listed | $60/mo | 50GB |
Global Connection is the one to look at if you call abroad: it includes global talk and text and 1GB of global roaming. See Boost plans.
Metro by T-Mobile
Metro has redone its lineup around three unlimited plans, all with taxes and fees included and a 5-year price guarantee. The cheapest is a web-only Unlimited 5G Data plan at $40/mo. Activation is free online and $25 a line in a store.
| Plan | 1 line | With AutoPay | 4 lines | Hotspot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited 5G Data (web only) | $40/mo | No AutoPay discount listed | $100/mo | Carrier does not say |
| Unlimited 5G Data | $55/mo | $50/mo | $125/mo | 8GB |
| Unlimited Premium 5G Data | $60/mo | $55/mo | $140/mo | 25GB |
4-line prices are before the AutoPay discount.
Other Prepaid Plans Worth Considering
Smaller carriers that earn a spot for one specific reason. If price is your only filter, our cheap phone plans list ranks them that way.
Total Wireless
On Verizon’s network, with taxes and fees included and a 5-year price guarantee. Total Starter is $40/mo, Total MAX 5G $55/mo and Total All Access $65/mo; AutoPay takes $5 off from the second month. Total Wireless plans.
Straight Talk
Four tiers: Bronze 10GB at $35/mo, Silver Unlimited $45/mo, Gold Unlimited $55/mo and Platinum Unlimited $65/mo. The AutoPay discount only lasts the first 3 months, and taxes are extra. Straight Talk plans.
Tello
Build-your-own, and it’s genuinely granular. 2GB with 300 minutes comes to $8/mo; the preset plans are 2GB for $10, 10GB for $15, 20GB for $20 and Unlimited for $25 (50GB at full speed, 10GB of hotspot). Free calls to 60+ countries with any calling plan. Taxes extra. Tello plans.
TextNow
Free is actually free: $0/mo with ads and 550MB of data, plus a $3.99 SIM. Plus Monthly is $18.99/mo and Monthly Unlimited $35.99/mo; both labels show 20GB of high-speed data. TextNow plans.
H2O Wireless
Five tiers from the $20 Plan (10GB) to $60 Unlimited, with 10% off for AutoPay and lower rates if you prepay 12 months (the $20 plan drops to $16/mo). Taxes and a monthly fee are extra. H2O Wireless plans.
Ultra Mobile
Built for international callers: every plan includes unlimited talk to 90+ destinations plus talk and text in Mexico and Canada. 4GB is $19/mo, Unlimited $49/mo and Unlimited+ $59/mo. New customers on the 12-month plan pay $300 for Unlimited ($25/mo) for the first term; the regular 12-month rate is $34/mo. Taxes extra. Ultra Mobile plans.
Lycamobile
Unlimited talk and text to 100 countries on every plan, from $19/mo for 5GB to $59/mo for Unlimited Pro. Watch the headline prices: most are first-term promos. The 5GB plan is $10/mo for 12 months, then $19; Unlimited Plus is $18/mo for 9 months, then $49. Lycamobile plans.
Simple Mobile
Data-bucket plans at $25 (15GB), $30 (20GB) and $40 (30GB), plus Unlimited World at $50/mo and Unlimited World+ at $60/mo. Taxes extra. Simple Mobile plans.
TracFone
The old budget name still has the cheapest small plan here: Basic is $15/mo for 1GB ($10 with AutoPay). Tiers climb through 4GB ($20), 10GB ($30) and 20GB ($40) to Unlimited at $50/mo. Taxes extra. TracFone plans.
Google Fi Unlimited Essentials
Technically postpaid, but Unlimited Essentials at $35/mo prices like prepaid. Taxes and surcharges are extra; Fi says they normally run 10 to 20 percent. Google Fi plans.
How Much You Can Save with US Mobile Prepaid
Same-tier comparisons: entry unlimited against entry unlimited, premium against premium. Big 3 prices are their single-line AutoPay rates, the cheapest price they advertise. US Mobile prices are the regular monthly rate, no promo code.
| Currently on | Their monthly | Switch to | US Mobile monthly | Monthly savings | Yearly savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Unlimited Welcome | $65/mo | Unlimited Starter | $25/mo | $40/mo | $480/yr |
| AT&T Value 2.0 | $50/mo | Unlimited Starter | $25/mo | $25/mo | $300/yr |
| T-Mobile Essentials Saver 2.0 | $50/mo | Unlimited Starter | $25/mo | $25/mo | $300/yr |
| Verizon Unlimited Ultimate | $95/mo | Unlimited Premium | $44/mo | $51/mo | $612/yr |
| T-Mobile Experience Beyond 2.0 | $100/mo | Unlimited Premium | $44/mo | $56/mo | $672/yr |
| AT&T Elite 2.0 | $110/mo | Unlimited Premium | $44/mo | $66/mo | $792/yr |
Which Prepaid Plan Is Right for You?
- Best for most people: US Mobile. Light at $10/mo or Unlimited Starter at $25/mo, taxes included, with three-network choice. Consumer Reports Top Rated.
- You want the cheapest unlimited and can pay for a year: US Mobile Unlimited Flex at $210/yr ($17.50/mo). It slows down after 10GB a month, so it suits light users who want no data cap anxiety. More options in our cheapest unlimited data plans roundup.
- You want Verizon’s network for less: Visible at $25/mo, or Total Wireless from $40/mo with a 5-year price guarantee.
- You want AT&T’s network: Cricket Wireless, from $35/mo ($30 with AutoPay), taxes included.
- You call abroad often: Lycamobile (100 countries on every plan) or Ultra Mobile (90+ destinations, from $19/mo).
- You want a backup line or a first phone for a kid: Tello from $8/mo, or TextNow Free for $0 with ads.
- It’s just you, or the whole family: see best phone plans for one or the best family phone plan.
Still deciding between prepaid and the big carriers? The best phone plans roundup puts them side by side.
How We Evaluated These Prepaid Phone Plans
US Mobile wrote this comparison, and it’s in it. To keep that honest, every price here was read on the carrier’s own plan page or its FCC Broadband Facts label on , and we saved screenshots of those pages. Prices are for one line without AutoPay unless we say otherwise; “/mo” on a yearly plan is the yearly price divided by 12. Where a carrier doesn’t publish something, we say so rather than guess.
For prepaid picks, we weighted: the regular monthly price, what’s actually included (data before slowdowns, hotspot, whether taxes are in the price, international calling), network access and choice, and what happens after any intro price ends.
Savings comparisons match tiers (entry with entry, premium with premium) and are labelled where they cross from prepaid to postpaid. We don’t rate network speed or coverage ourselves. For customer ratings, see Consumer Reports; Consumer Reports does not endorse products or services. For speed and coverage, independent sources include Ookla’s Speedtest reports and Opensignal, and the FCC’s wireless consumer guides explain your rights as a customer.
US Mobile coverage details live on the plans page and the network coverage page. This month’s dated edition is the October 2026 edition; the one before it is the August 2026 edition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best prepaid phone plan in 2026?
For most people, it’s US Mobile. Unlimited Starter is $25/mo with taxes and fees included, or $22.50/mo on a yearly plan ($270/yr). Every line gets access to all three major US wireless networks, and US Mobile is named a Consumer Reports Top Rated Cell Phone Service Provider. See the full ratings. Consumer Reports does not endorse products or services.
Is prepaid worse than postpaid?
Not for most people. Prepaid carriers mostly use the same three national networks, so coverage is often the same. The real difference is data priority: when a site is busy, many prepaid lines slow down first, and many prepaid unlimited plans slow after a monthly high-speed allowance. Prepaid also skips the contract and usually the credit check.
What’s the cheapest prepaid unlimited plan?
Paying monthly, US Mobile Unlimited Starter, Visible and Tello Unlimited all cost $25/mo, but only US Mobile and Visible include taxes. Boost Unlimited is $25/mo with AutoPay. Paying for a year, US Mobile Unlimited Flex is $210 ($17.50/mo), though it slows after 10GB a month. Mint Unlimited is $30/mo on its 12-month plan.
Do prepaid plans require a credit check?
Usually not, because you pay before you use the service. US Mobile, for example, describes itself as a prepaid, no-contract carrier: you pay for a 30-day plan when it starts. Postpaid plans from AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile bill after the month and usually run a credit check at signup.
Can I keep my phone number when switching to a prepaid plan?
Yes. Number transfers (porting) work with prepaid carriers just like postpaid ones. You’ll need your account number and transfer PIN from your current carrier, plus a phone that works on the new network. With an eSIM-capable phone, US Mobile says you can switch in as little as 2 to 3 minutes.
What’s the catch with cheap prepaid plans like Mint at $15/mo?
Mint’s $15/mo price is its 6GB plan, and only on the 12-month term: you pay $180 up front. Mint Unlimited is $30/mo on that term ($360). Shorter terms start cheaper for new customers, then jump: the 6-month plan is $10/mo, then 6GB renews at $20/mo. Taxes are extra on all of them.
Are taxes and fees included in prepaid prices?
Sometimes. US Mobile (Unlimited and Light plans), Visible, Cricket, Metro and Total Wireless include taxes and fees in the price. Mint, Tello, TextNow, Straight Talk, Simple Mobile, TracFone, H2O and Ultra Mobile add them on top. Big 3 postpaid plans add taxes plus their own monthly fees, such as T-Mobile’s $5.49 a line.
Are prepaid phone plans cheaper than postpaid?
Usually, by a lot. Verizon Unlimited Welcome is $65/mo with AutoPay for one line, before taxes; US Mobile Unlimited Starter is $25/mo with taxes included, a $480 difference over a year. At the premium end, Verizon Unlimited Ultimate is $95/mo against $44/mo for US Mobile Unlimited Premium.
Leave a Comment