Just because you’re getting a lower monthly rate, don’t think you have to make do with skimpy amounts of data. Yes, a number of low-cost plans do offer small data allotments (and small prices to match), but we’ve found a few that deliver huge pools of data — including unlimited data — for $40 or less. The best cheap cell phone plans give you plenty of choices. Instead of data, the biggest sacrifice you’ll have to make are perks. You won’t find many of the best cheap cell phone plans with either streaming subscriptions or hotspot data. But those are small trade-offs to make when a lower monthly bill awaits you. As part of our search for the best cell phone plans overall, we’ve kept an eye out for low-cost plans with all sorts of data allotments. 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. (You can look at our methodology for making picks just below our rankings of the best cheap plans.) With some of our cheap plan picks including the best unlimited data cell phone plans, you may surprised with what $40 per month buys you these days. Whether you’re buying a new phone as a holiday gift or just looking for ways to save money on your cell phone bill, we can help you find one of the best cheap cell phone plans that are out there right now.
The best cheap cell phone plans
The best overall cheap cell phone plan
The lowest priced cell phone plan
Best cheap plan with extensive coverage
The best value on unlimited data
An excellent price from one of the major carriers
Best overlooked value
Best cheap plan for Google Pixel phones
The best cheap AT&T cell phone plan
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.
How we pick the best cheap cell phone plans
We are constantly looking at what phone carriers offer, as part of our research into the best cell phone plans. That includes looking at what’s available from the major carriers — AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon — as well as from discount carriers. We check prices monthly, comparing what different services have to offer. For our best cheap cell phone plans guide, we set a limit of $40 per month, only looking at plans that fall under this threshold. Price is paramount in our rankings, though we do make note of how much data each plan provides as well as any perks to keep in mind. That can help distinguish two equally priced plans — or even make a slightly more expensive plan a better value overall. Because cell phone coverage can differ from area to area, we try to include a wide variety of cell phone plans priced at $40 or less, so that you can find the best rate for the wireless service with the strongest coverage in your area. Next: You can also check out our guide to cheap unlimited data plans from the major carriers.
title: “Best Cheap Cell Phone Plans Under 40” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-04” author: “Dorothy Ward”
Just because you’re getting a lower monthly rate, don’t think you have to make do with skimpy amounts of data. Yes, a number of low-cost plans do offer small data allotments (and small prices to match), but we’ve found a few that deliver huge pools of data — including unlimited data — for $40 or less. The best cheap cell phone plans give you plenty of choices. Instead of data, the biggest sacrifice you’ll have to make are perks. You won’t find many of the best cheap cell phone plans with either streaming subscriptions or hotspot data. But those are small trade-offs to make when a lower monthly bill awaits you. As part of our search for the best cell phone plans overall, we’ve kept an eye out for low-cost plans with all sorts of data allotments. 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. (You can look at our methodology for making picks just below our rankings of the best cheap plans.) With some of our cheap plan picks including the best unlimited data cell phone plans, you may surprised with what $40 per month buys you these days. Whether you’re buying a new phone as a holiday gift or just looking for ways to save money on your cell phone bill, we can help you find one of the best cheap cell phone plans that are out there right now.
The best cheap cell phone plans
The best overall cheap cell phone plan
The lowest priced cell phone plan
Best cheap plan with extensive coverage
The best value on unlimited data
An excellent price from one of the major carriers
Best overlooked value
Best cheap plan for Google Pixel phones
The best cheap AT&T cell phone plan
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.
How we pick the best cheap cell phone plans
We are constantly looking at what phone carriers offer, as part of our research into the best cell phone plans. That includes looking at what’s available from the major carriers — AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon — as well as from discount carriers. We check prices monthly, comparing what different services have to offer. For our best cheap cell phone plans guide, we set a limit of $40 per month, only looking at plans that fall under this threshold. Price is paramount in our rankings, though we do make note of how much data each plan provides as well as any perks to keep in mind. That can help distinguish two equally priced plans — or even make a slightly more expensive plan a better value overall. Because cell phone coverage can differ from area to area, we try to include a wide variety of cell phone plans priced at $40 or less, so that you can find the best rate for the wireless service with the strongest coverage in your area. Next: You can also check out our guide to cheap unlimited data plans from the major carriers.
