Prepaid used to mean a cheap phone from a gas station and patchy service. In 2026 it mostly means the same Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile towers for a fraction of the price, with no contract and no credit check. The hard part is that there are dozens of brands and hundreds of price points, many of them intro offers that change after a few months.
We checked 53 prepaid plans on the carriers' own websites and grouped the best ones by what people actually need. All prices are for one line unless we say otherwise. Where a plan starts cheaper and then goes up, we show both prices and rank by the Pickr Price: the average monthly cost over the first year.
Cheapest unlimited data
The lowest first-year prices for unlimited data all come with a condition: a year paid up front, an intro price that rises later, or both. That is fine if you know what you are signing up for.
| Plan | Network | Pickr Price /mo | Price | High-speed data | Taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyca Mobile Unlimited Plus (12 months) | T-Mobile | $17 | $17/mo | 50 GB, then reduced speed | Extra |
| Boost Mobile Unlimited | AT&T and T-Mobile networks | $17.50 | $10/mo for 6 months, then $25/mo | 30 GB, then up to 512 Kbps | Extra |
| Mint Mobile Unlimited (6-month intro offer) | T-Mobile | $22.50 | $10/mo for 6 months, then $35/mo | unlimited, may be slowed after 50 GB when busy | Extra |
| Visible | Verizon | $25 | $25/mo | no premium data: unlimited, may be slowed when busy | Included |
| Total Wireless MAX 5G BYO | Verizon | $25 | $25/mo | unlimited data (priority not disclosed) | Included |
| Tello Max Unlimited | T-Mobile | $25 | $25/mo | 50 GB high-speed, then slowed | Extra |
- Lyca Mobile Unlimited Plus (12 months): $204 paid up front for 12 months, then $49/mo. A 5% fee and taxes come on top. You get 50 GB, then reduced speed and up to 15 GB of hotspot, plus unlimited calls and texts to 100+ countries. The best value here if you call abroad and can pay a year at once.
- Boost Mobile Unlimited: $10/mo for 6 months, then $25/mo on the AT&T and T-Mobile networks. High-speed data is 30 GB, then up to 512 Kbps. After the intro you pay the same $25 as the cheapest month-to-month plans, so it stays competitive.
- Mint Mobile Unlimited (6-month intro offer): $60 for the first 6 months for new customers, then $35 a month on 6-month terms. A good first year; check the renewal price before the six months are up. Our Mint vs. Visible comparison works out the two-year cost.
Prefer to pay monthly at one steady price? These unlimited plans cost $25 a month with no intro period and no prepaying: Visible (Verizon, no premium data: unlimited, may be slowed when busy, taxes included); Total Wireless MAX 5G BYO (Verizon, unlimited data (priority not disclosed), taxes included); Tello Max Unlimited (T-Mobile, 50 GB high-speed, then slowed, plus taxes and fees); Metro by T-Mobile $25 Unlimited (T-Mobile, 35 GB, then may be slowed when busy, taxes included); US Mobile Unlimited Starter (the network of your choice, no priority: may be slowed when busy, taxes included).
Best for light users
If you are on Wi-Fi most of the day, unlimited data is money wasted. These plans cost $10 to $15 a month:
- Gen Mobile 2GB: $10/mo for 2 GB on T-Mobile and AT&T networks, plus taxes and fees.
- Tello Starter 2GB: $10/mo for 2 GB on T-Mobile, plus taxes and fees.
- US Mobile Light 2GB: $10/mo for 2 GB on the network of your choice, taxes included.
- Mint Mobile 6GB (12 months): $15/mo for 6 GB on T-Mobile ($180 per year), plus taxes and fees.
- Tello Everyday 10GB: $15/mo for 10 GB on T-Mobile, plus taxes and fees.
To find out how much data you really use, look at your phone's cellular data statistics (in Settings) or your current carrier's app for the last few months. If you never come close to the limit of a small plan, there is no reason to pay for unlimited. If you are unsure, start one size up: running out of data mid-month is more annoying than paying a few dollars extra.
Best pick on each network
Coverage beats price. A plan is only cheap if it works at your home and on your daily routes, so start with the network that is strongest where you are. These are the cheapest unlimited prepaid plans that run on a single network:
Verizon network
Visible and Total Wireless MAX 5G BYO both cost $25 a month with taxes included. Visible has no premium data: unlimited, may be slowed when busy, plus a hotspot that is unlimited at up to 5 Mbps. Total Wireless's plan is for your own phone, needs autopay and includes roaming in 140+ countries. If you can spend $35, Visible+ adds priority data on Verizon's fastest 5G network.
T-Mobile network
Lyca Mobile Unlimited Plus (12 months) is the cheapest over the first year at $17 a month ($204 for the first 12 months). For month-to-month billing, look at Tello Max Unlimited ($25, 50 GB high-speed, then slowed, 10 GB hotspot, plus taxes and fees) and Metro by T-Mobile $25 Unlimited ($25, 35 GB, then may be slowed when busy, taxes included; bring your own phone, online only, with autopay).
AT&T network
AT&T's towers carry several prepaid brands, including PureTalk, Gen Mobile, Boost Mobile (which also uses T-Mobile) and AT&T's own Cricket. See each brand's page for current prices, or filter by network in our phone plan comparison.
Not sure which network?
US Mobile lets you choose Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile for each line and switch later, with taxes and fees included. Its Unlimited Starter plan costs $25 a month.
Best for families
Most prepaid brands simply multiply the single-line price: four lines of a $25 plan cost $100. That is already less than Verizon's and T-Mobile's own four-line unlimited plans, which start at $120 a month. A few things to know:
- Straight Talk Silver Unlimited on Verizon is one of the few prepaid plans with a real family discount: $45 for one line, $75 for two, $90 for three and $100 for four, plus taxes. Note: family prices for 2 to 4 lines cannot be combined with the Auto Pay discount.
- Visible, Metro and US Mobile cost $100 for four unlimited lines with taxes and fees included, so the price on the page is what you pay. Total Wireless's MAX 5G BYO plan does the same on Verizon.
Best with priority data
Almost every prepaid plan gets lower priority than the big carriers' premium plans when a tower is busy. If you use your phone a lot at concerts, stadiums, airports or downtown at rush hour, priority data is worth paying for. Our guide MVNO vs. major carrier explains when it matters.
- Visible+: $35/mo, unlimited premium data, 5G Ultra Wideband, unlimited at up to 10 Mbps hotspot, taxes included. The cheapest priority data on Verizon.
- US Mobile Unlimited Premium: $44/mo on the network of your choice, unlimited priority data, 20 GB roaming in 180+ countries, taxes included. Promo code FBF20: $20/mo for the first 6 months (check the US Mobile site).
- Visible+ Pro: $45/mo, adds 4K video, a 15 Mbps hotspot and a smartwatch line.
Before you switch
- Check coverage at your address on the carrier's map, not just the network name.
- Check your phone: it must be unlocked and compatible. Every carrier has a checker on its website that uses your IMEI (dial *#06# to see it).
- Read the price after the intro. Set a reminder for the month the price goes up, so you can decide in time whether to stay.
- Keep your number with your account number and transfer PIN. Do not cancel your old plan yourself; see our switching guide.
Prices change often. Every plan here, plus postpaid plans and multi-line totals, is in our phone plan comparison, sorted by what you will actually pay.
Frequently asked questions
What is a prepaid phone plan?
You pay before you use the service, usually monthly and sometimes for several months at once, instead of getting a bill afterward. There is no credit check and no contract, and you can leave at any time. Most prepaid brands run on the Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile networks.
Is prepaid worse than postpaid?
Not necessarily. You use the same towers as the big carriers' own customers. The usual trade-offs are lower priority on busy towers, fewer phone deals and online-only support. For many people those trade-offs are worth a much lower bill.
Why do some prepaid plans list taxes as included?
Some brands, such as Visible, US Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile, quote prices with taxes and fees already in them. Others add them at checkout, which can add a few dollars a month depending on your state. We label which is which on every plan.
Are the intro prices worth it?
They can be, as long as you know the regular price that follows. We rank by the average price over the first 12 months (the Pickr Price), so a plan that is cheap for three months and expensive after that does not jump to the top.
Can I keep my number on a prepaid plan?
Yes. Every prepaid carrier lets you transfer your number from your current carrier. You need your account number and a transfer PIN; our switching guide shows where to find them.
Facts checked against carrier and provider websites, FCC publications and independent network tests on October 31, 2026. Found something out of date? Let us know.