Rob has 15+ years experience running price comparison & review websites that empower consumers to find the cheapest cell phone services, cell phone deals, home phone, and internet providers available. He has been published in Forbes, US News, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Inc.
MoneySavingPro independently researches the products & services to bring you our recommendations. We may earn money when you click our links - disclosure policy.
2.5
Pros
Large plan selection
Widely available in retail stores
Unlimited carryover for unused minutes/texts/data
Good value for very light users
Cons
Outdated service model (selling minutes/texts/data piecemeal)
Expensive for moderate to heavy data users
Overly complex plan structure
This Miami, FL-based Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) has been providing prepaid, no-contract cell phone plans since 2006.
Tracfone piggybacks on all of the major US networks so you don't have to sacrifice coverage to save money on your cell phone bill. And unlike most low-cost carriers you can purchase a TracFone plan online or in a store.
Recently brought by Verizon, TracFone also owns a number of other low-cost carriers including Straight Talk, Walmart Family Mobile, and Net10 Wireless.
Want to know more? We've broken it down for you below to help you discover if TracFone is the best MVNO for you.
With no unlimited data options, TracFone is not for the data-hungry. However, we don't believe you need unlimited data and you could save yourself hundreds of dollars a year by only paying for what you need.
Tracfone offers a good selection of plans with low data allowance and most monthly plans offer unlimited talk and text. There's plenty of options to suit all budgets.
Powered by AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, TracFone can offer good coverage. However, other MVNOs provide the same features at a cheaper price.
Savings comparison
Verizon vs Tracfone comparison
Keep your Verizon phone, number & coverage:Save $600 per year
Carrier
Network Coverage
4G/5G Data
Price
Annual Cost
Verizon
Verizon 4G & 5G
Unltd*
$80/mo
$960/yr
Tracfone
Verizon 4G & 5G
3GB
$30/mo
$360/yr
*Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB
Savings
$50/mo
$600/yr
Tracfone benefits
Quality coverage: powered by all three major networks you'll get the same quality coverage at half the price.
Lower cost: save at least $600 a year with low-cost monthly prices.
No commitment: there are no contracts so you can amend your plan or cancel if you're not happy.
Data carryover: if you don't use all of your data it will carry over to the next month.
Available in retail stores: unlike most MVNOs you can get a TracFone plan from one of their retail stores as well as online.
Tracfone coverage
One of the best things about TracFone is the coverage. Operating on all three major networks you don't need to sacrifice the quality.
What network does TracFone use?
Powered by all three major networks AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon you'll get quality nationwide coverage. You can check which network has the best coverage in your area by checking your ZIP code.
Operating on all three telecom networks means TracFone offers 3G data speeds and 4G LTE high-speed data.
Tracfone data plans
Tracfone 1GB plan
T-Mobile, AT&T & Verizon 5G & 4G LTE networks
Unlimited talk and text
1GB data
$20/mo
Tracfone 2GB plan
T-Mobile, AT&T & Verizon 5G & 4G LTE networks
Unlimited talk and text
2GB data
$25/mo
Tracfone 3GB plan
T-Mobile, AT&T & Verizon 5G & 4G LTE networks
Unlimited talk and text
3GB data
$30/mo
Tracfone features
Carrier Features
Tracfone
Networks
Verizon, AT&T & T-Mobile
Data Speed
5G & 4G LTE
3G Network
CDMA & GSM
Mobile Hotspot
Bring Your Phone
Keep Your Number
Contract
No - prepaid
Credit Check
Customer Service
24/7
Money Back Guarantee
Carrier Features
Tracfone
5G
Taxes/fees included
VoLTE
WiFi Calling
Visual Voicemail
Multi-line Discounts
Multi-month Discounts
International Calls
International Roaming
Bring your own phone
Do you need to upgrade to the latest handset? Bringing your own phone could help you get more bang for your buck. Switching over is quick and simple.
Multi-month discounts
If you're happy to commit, you can sign up for 3 or 12 months for a discounted price.
Tracfone Family plans
Plan
1 line
2 lines
3 lines
4 lines
Tracfone 1GB
$20
$40$20/line
$60$20/line
$80$20/line
Tracfone 2GB
$25
$50$25/line
$75$25/line
$100$25/line
Tracfone 3GB
$30
$60$30/line
$90$30/line
$120$30/line
Tracfone 8GB
$40
$80$40/line
$120$40/line
$160$40/line
Tracfone phone deals
You can purchase a phone from Tracfone, although most of their handsets are refurbished. However, they provide a hassle-free switch over if you bring your own phone.
3. When it arrives pop your new SIM card into your phone.
4. Follow the activation process.
Tracfone FAQs
What network does TracFone Wireless use?
TracFone's 4G LTE service is powered by Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
Is there an unlimited plan for TracFone?
Tracfone offers unlimited talk and text with most of their plans, but no unlimited data plans.
How much is TracFone a month?
TracFone's cell phone plans are considerably cheaper than a plan from the big guys. Prices vary depending on the plan, and how many months you sign up for. The most up-to-date pricing can be found on their website.
Where can I buy a TracFone?
You can pick up TracFone at certain Walmart, Dollar General, and Family Dollar stores. Or you can easily purchase online.
Recap
Tracfone offers a good choice of plans, with most plans including unlimited talk and text. If you're looking for unlimited data, unfortunately, you won't find that with Tracfone. But we don't believe you need unlimited data. On average we only use around 3 to 5GB of data a month, why not check your estimated data use with our free tool.
Although they offer discounts when bundling for 3 or 12 months, there are no multi-line discounts. If you're looking for a low-cost carrier family plan you can compare available packages from all MVNOs for a great deal to suit your needs.
If you're not sure if TracFone is right for you, check out our full MVNO list to compare more plans that'll save you money.
