Cheapest No Contract Phone Plans of 2021

Best cheap no contract phone plans in April

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No contract phone plan benefits

Searching for a cheap cell phone plan? We love Mobile Virtual Network Operators or MVNOs. They're the best route to go down.

If you want to stay on the same network, keep your phone and number, plus get greater flexibility you can forget the major carriers and go with an MVNO instead. Plans include everything you need, but come at a much better price.

Here are some of the benefits which make them a no-brainer.

• Same great nationwide coverage: These cell phone carriers operate on the very same networks as the big four carriers.

• Much lower prices: Save up to $600 per year on your cell phone plan. Why are MVNOs so much cheaper? They don't have the huge overhead and advertising costs the big guys do.

• No contracts: Don't get trapped into a two-year agreement. Switch carriers when you decide to with a no contract phone plan.

• Same cell phone service: Just because you're paying less, that doesn't mean you have to scrimp on features. Plans with unlimited everything are easy to find from these prepaid carriers. Usually, a low cost carrier plan comes with unlimited talk and text as standard, high speed data, and even mobile hotspot data features.

• Keep your phone and number: You can bring your own phone and keep your phone number. No need to sign up for pricey device payments.

• Customize your plan: You decide how much data you need. Choose to pay as you go, opt for unlimited or no data, minimal minutes, or unlimited talk text and data. Unlimited data plans come at a much better price with an alternative carrier. Pick the plan options that fit your budget - not the one your carrier thinks you need.

• Great customer support: Smaller mobile providers are known for their attention to their customers. Stop feeling like an anonymous number getting lost in the crowd! Check out our carrier user reviews before switching.

No contract cell phone plans comparison

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Cheapest AT&T no contract plans

Pure Talk - 4GB Data* 25% Off for 3 Months

UnlimitedminsUnlimitedtexts

4 GB4G data

$18.75*per month$25/mo

See Deal

Powered by: AT&T

AT&T vs Pure Talk Plan Comparison

Keep your AT&T phone, number & coverage: Save $619 per year

See more of the cheapest AT&T no contract plans

Cheapest Verizon no contract plans

Reach Mobile - 3GB Data* 50% Off for 3 Months

UnlimitedminsUnlimitedtexts

3 GB4G data

$15*per month$30/mo

See Deal

Powered by: Verizon

Verizon vs Reach Mobile Plan Comparison

Keep your Verizon phone, number & coverage: Save $645 per year

See more of the cheapest Verizon no contract plans

Cheapest T-Mobile no contract plans

Tello - 4GB Data

UnlimitedminsUnlimitedtexts

4 GB4G data

$19per month

See Deal

Powered by: T-Mobile

T-Mobile vs Tello Plan Comparison

Keep your T-Mobile phone, number & coverage: Save $492 per year

See more of the cheapest T-Mobile no contract plans

Carrier coverage comparison

Which prepaid carrier is best for you? That depends on which network has the best coverage in your area.

Whether you go with a GSM carrier (T-Mobile and AT&T) or a CDMA carrier (Verizon) you'll enjoy national coverage, just like with the major carriers.

Network performance ratings

Source: Rootmetrics

Find Cheap Cell Phone Plans in Your AreaSee Deals

Carrier customer ratings comparison

Concerned that low-cost carriers won't have good customer service? Don't be, on average MVNOs score much higher customer ratings than the big networks as you'll see in the comparison chart below:

Cheap no contract phone plan types

• Unlimited plans: It's super easy to find unlimited talk text and data plans from alternative carriers. Their unlimited data plans come at a much better price. It's worth checking whether you even need to go unlimited though, as you can save a heap more by opting for a set-data plan. Use our data usage calculator to see how much you need each month.

• Basic plans: Only use a cell phone to make a few calls, send a couple of messages and rarely go online? Go for a simply prepaid plan. You'll get basic cell phone functions, a set amount of minutes of talk, and around 2GB of data. If your data allotment runs out adding more is simple.

• Family plans: You'll find a great number of MVNOs will offer group plans. So if you need four lines or more, compare the cheapest family phone plans and tailor the plan to your family.

• Bring your own phone plans: Smaller carriers make it east for you to bring your own device. In fact, BYOP plans are the norm. Porting your number and data to a new plan is seamless.

• Single line plans: You no longer ned to pay a premium for a single line plan. Here are some of the best phone plans for individuals.

• Talk and text only plans: You or a loved one rarely use data? Get a cheap talk and text plan instead. You'll save a ton of money by opting for no data.

• Tablet plans: Alternative carriers aren't just for cell phone plans. You can find cheap data plans for your tablet or iPad too.

• Kids plans: Pay as you go plans are perfect for kids because you can customize them. We think smaller carriers have the best phone plans for kids. You have control over the features your child has access to.

• Senior plans: Older folk may have different cell phone needs, and there are plans to suit. Find cheap cell phone plans for seniors and discover the perfect fit.

What to look for when comparing no contract phone plans

• Coverage: low-cost carriers we recommend hook onto the major networks; Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. Use our cell phone coverage maps to find the best coverage in your area.

• Budget: prices vary, but one thing is for sure, pay as you go plans are super budget friendly.

• Plans: only pay for what you need. Whether you're a heavy data user, or you just want a couple hundred minutes in case of an emergency, there's a plan to suit you.

• Number of lines: family cell phone plans include multiple lines, and many come with intuitive apps to help you manage your account.

• Features: international coverage and mobile hotspot data are useful features for those often on the move. You can usually find these come as standard, or as a low cost add on, with alternative carrier plans.

• Bring your own phone: save more by bringing your own device. You'll need to check whether your phone is compatible. Use our IMEI checker to figure this out fast.

How to choose the right plan

Still not sure? There's no one size fits all when it comes to finding the best plan or carrier, so here are some questions to ask to check it's the right one for you.

How are you using your phone?

First, you need to know what you need from your cell phone plan. Basic plans are great if you need a phone to make a few calls and don't use your phone to go online, for example.

Do you need international features to keep in touch with loved ones? Do you really need unlimited everything, or could you save more with less talk text and data by going for a set data plan instead?

What's your budget?

Again, knowing how much you want to spend will help narrow down your search. There are MVNOs on the super cheap end of the scale, and those that have pricer plans but one thing is for sure, they're all more affordable than the big guys.

Do you need unlimited data?

It's normal now to be offered unlimited data with your plan from a major carrier. We aren't fans of unlimited data because know it's not usually necessary. Most of us only use 3 to 5GB of data a month. Check your estimated data use with our data calculator and see how much you could save opting to pay only for what you need.

More and more MVNOs are offering unlimited everything plans these days. Ting, Tello, Mint and PureTalk, for example. Make sure to check with the carrier what your unlimited allowance is. Unlimited doesn't always mean unlimited (even with the big guys). Normally it just means you get a large, set amount of data at high speed, but once you burn through that your unlimited data runs at much slower 2G speeds.

Switching to a cheap no contract carrier

Switching has never been simpler. It's easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Customize your plan. Find a plan to suit your cell phone needs.

2. Prepare to make the switch. Pay old bills and get your phone unlocked.

3. Set up your new plan. Keep your current carrier account open until your number has ported over. A new device should be ready to use when it arrives. If you're bringing your own device you'll need to follow instructions that come with the new SIM card kit.

Cheap no contract companies list

Best cheap no contract cell phones

So what if you do want to upgrade your phone? It's all good - with a prepaid carrier you can save a ton of money by choosing one of a couple of great money-saving options:

• Buy a new phone from the carrier: More and more MVNOs are offering a selection of affordable phones. Some even give you the choice of making device payments instead of paying all at once. We've gathered the best cell phone deals for you to compare all in one place.

• Buy a refurbished cell phone: If you'd rather own your phone outright, compare refurbished phone deals to save over 50% on top models in great condition.

Best no contract phone deals

Recap

Finding a new prepaid cell phone service is easier now then it's ever been. With cheap online carriers taking the telecoms world by storm you can find a deal to fit any budget. You don't have to forfeit network coverage and you can customize a plan to suit you.

Without all the shops, salespeople and fancy advertising these low-cost carriers can offer you cheaper deals with the same perks.

MoneySavingPro methodology

We're here to bring transparency to telecoms, putting power back in your hands. This guides everything we do.

• We've got high standards. We use our industry expertise to find carriers that reach these standards. We all deserve the best value for money, choice and customer experience.

• We care about accuracy. MoneySavingPro is run by cell phone geeks and money saving obsessives. Our content team researches everything thoroughly so that information you read here will give you the whole picture. Everything we do is backed up by the data.

• We keep things simple. It's our job to break down what you need to know, so you can make informed choices.

Carrier	Best for...	Mins	Texts	Data	Price
Tello	Budget	Unlimited	Unlimited	1GB	$10/mo
Mint Mobile	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	$30/mo
Reach Mobile	Family	Unlimited	Unlimited	3GB	$30/mo
Boost Mobile	5G	Unlimited	Unlimited	2GB	$10/mo
Ting	Talk & Text	Unlimited	Unlimited	0GB	$10/mo
Twigby	Seniors	300	Unlimited	1GB	$16/mo
Red Pocket	Kids	1000	Unlimited	1GB	$10/mo
Pure Talk	Individuals	Unlimited	Unlimited	4GB	$25/mo
Gen Mobile	International	300	Unlimited	1GB	$9/mo
US Mobile	Data only	0	0	2GB	$10/mo