If your income is limited, check the FCC's Lifeline program first; it takes up to $9.25 a month off phone service. Paying full price, Visible is the best prepaid value at $25 a month on Verizon's network with taxes included, US Mobile has the lowest yearly cost if you prepay a year, and Mint Mobile has the lowest intro price. Choose the network that works where you live, then compare the all-in price, the up-front term and the hotspot limit.
This guide is for anyone who wants a phone plan without a contract or a big carrier bill. Every pick runs on AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon towers, so coverage can match the carriers for far less.
The catch is in the details. Some prices include taxes and some do not, some need a year paid up front, and "unlimited" hotspot often comes with a speed or data cap.
Below are our picks, a price table that shows which plans include taxes, a checklist for choosing, and how to apply for Lifeline. If you want carrier plans with phone deals and perks, see our best cell phone plans guide.
Start here: Lifeline discounts on phone service
If money is tight, check whether you qualify for Lifeline, an FCC program that cuts the monthly bill for phone or internet service from participating providers.
- Discount: up to $9.25 a month, or up to $34.25 on Tribal lands.
- Who qualifies: households at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or households in SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, Veterans Pension benefits or certain Tribal programs.
- Limits: one Lifeline benefit per household.
- How to apply: through the National Verifier at lifelinesupport.org, by mail, or through a participating provider.
Lifeline works with prepaid service from participating companies, so check the provider list before you buy a plan at full price. Paying full price? Compare carrier plans too in our best cell phone plans guide.
What prepaid plans cost, with and without taxes
| Company |
Lowest unlimited price listed |
Taxes and fees |
Hotspot |
| US Mobile |
$199 first year (about $16.58 a month), then $270 |
Included |
20 GB |
| Mint Mobile |
$10 a month for 6 months (intro), $30 a month on 12 months |
Extra |
Up to 20 GB |
| Visible |
$25 a month |
Included |
Unlimited at 5 Mbps |
| Tello Mobile |
$25 a month |
Extra |
10 GB |
| Helium Mobile |
$30 a month |
Extra |
Not published |
| Cricket Wireless |
$35 a month with AutoPay |
Government taxes included |
Add-on |
| Gen Mobile |
$38 a month on 12 months, $50 month to month |
Not stated |
Up to 10 GB |
Prices as listed October 2026. When taxes are extra, expect the total to be higher than the listed price; the amount depends on your state and city.
How to choose a prepaid plan
- Pick the network first. Prepaid brands borrow AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon towers. Choose the one with the best signal where you live and work.
- Compare the all-in price. Visible, US Mobile and Cricket include taxes. Mint, Tello and Helium add them at checkout.
- Check the payment term. The lowest prices from US Mobile, Mint and Gen Mobile need 3 to 12 months paid up front, and renewal prices can be higher.
- Count your data. If you use under 10 GB a month, a capped plan from Tello, Helium or Gen Mobile costs less than unlimited.
- Check hotspot limits. “Unlimited” phone data rarely means unlimited fast hotspot. Look for the GB or speed cap.
- Read the Broadband Facts label. Every mobile broadband plan must show one, with the price, fees, data limits and typical speeds.
What you give up with prepaid
Prepaid brands cost less because they pay the big carriers for network access and spend less on stores and perks. The trade-offs:
- Slower data when towers are busy. Most prepaid plans are deprioritized behind the carrier’s own customers.
- Lower video quality. Visible’s base plan, Mint and Cricket’s Select plan limit video to SD or 480p.
- Online support. Most brands sell online and through apps; Cricket is the main exception with stores.
- Up-front payments. Multi-month plans lock in the price but you pay it all at once.
Red flags when shopping for prepaid
- An intro price with no renewal price shown next to it.
- A plan page that does not name the network or the hotspot limit.
- “Unlimited” plans with no number for when data slows. The Broadband Facts label should say.
- Sites offering a “free government phone” that ask for your Social Security number before you have confirmed they are a Lifeline provider. Use lifelinesupport.org to check.
Terms to know
- Prepaid
- Phone service you pay for before the month or term starts.
- MVNO
- A mobile virtual network operator, a brand that sells service on another company's cell network.
- Lifeline
- An FCC program that discounts phone or internet service for eligible low-income households.
- Deprioritization
- When a carrier slows some customers' data during congestion to keep the network running.
- Hotspot
- Using your phone's data connection to get a laptop or tablet online.
- Broadband Facts label
- An FCC-required label showing a plan's price, fees, data limits and typical speeds.
