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If you're not ready to upgrade your cell phone, a bring your own phone plan could save you up to $600 a year.
MVNOs - Mobile Virtual Network Operators provide low-cost plans across US networks so you'll receive the same quality coverage you're used to at a fraction of the price.
Most carriers encourage you to BYOP, so check out the list below to find the best bring your own phone plan for you.

The cheapest BYOP plans on the AT&T, Verizon & T-Mobile networks
Tello: Cheapest cell phone plan
US Mobile: Cheapest prepaid BYOP plan
Boost Mobile: Cheapest BYOP plan for 5G coverage
Mint Mobile: Cheapest BYOP plan for families
Boost Infinite: Cheapest BYOP for unlimited data

Tello: Cheapest cell phone plan
T-Mobile wireless network coverage
No contract. No bulk buying.
24/7 friendly customer support
4G LTE/5G nationwide coverage
Free Hotspot & Wi-Fi Calling
Free international calls to 60+ countries
No roaming
Coverage in rural areas
Tello 1GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 1GB data for only $10 per month. Tello plans offers wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network. Read Tello review
Tello unlimited talk & text plan: $8/mo
Tello 1GB plan: $10/mo
Tello 2GB plan: $14/mo
Tello 5GB plan: $19/mo
Tello 10GB plan: $24/mo
Tello unlimited data plan: $29/mo

US Mobile: Cheapest prepaid BYOP plan
Verizon & T-Mobile wireless network coverage
* 100 Days FREE Trial
Flexible, no contract plans
24/7 customer service
5G coverage available
No international calling
Phone selection
US Mobile 2GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 2GB data for only $12 per month. US Mobile plans offers wireless coverage on the Verizon & T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE networks. Read US Mobile review
US Mobile 500MB plan: $5/mo
US Mobile unlimited talk & text plan: $8/mo
US Mobile 2GB plan: $12/mo
US Mobile 5GB plan: $15/mo
US Mobile 15GB plan: $20/mo
US Mobile 25GB plan: $25/mo
US Mobile unlimited data plan: $35/mo
US Mobile unlimited data plan: $45/mo

Boost Mobile: Cheapest BYOP plan for 5G coverage
AT&T & T-Mobile wireless network coverage
* $15 for 3 months service
Nationwide coverage on AT&T & T-Mobile
5G & 4G LTE data speeds
Buy online and no credit checks
Bring your own phone
Cheapest unlimited data plan
No data only plans
Boost Mobile 5GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 5GB data for only $5 per month. Boost Mobile plans offers wireless coverage on the AT&T & T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE networks. Read Boost Mobile review
Boost Mobile 5GB plan: $5/mo
Boost Mobile 1GB plan: $8/mo
Boost Mobile 2GB plan: $10/mo
Boost Mobile unlimited data plan: $12.50/mo
Boost Mobile 15GB plan: $20/mo

Mint Mobile: Cheapest BYOP plan for families
T-Mobile wireless network coverage
* Only $60 for 3 Months
Offers the latest phones with 0% finance
Prepay months in bulk for more savings
Reliable network coverage
Works with most GSM phones
No family plans
Minimum 3 months
Mint Mobile 15GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 15GB data for only $20 per month. Mint Mobile plans offers wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network. Read Mint Mobile review
Mint Mobile 5GB plan: $15/mo
Mint Mobile 15GB plan: $20/mo
Mint Mobile 20GB plan: $25/mo
Mint Mobile unlimited data plan: $30/mo

Boost Infinite: Cheapest BYOP for unlimited data
AT&T & T-Mobile wireless network coverage
* $25/mo Forever - No Price Increases
Boost Infinite Unlimited plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and unlimited data for only $25 per month. Boost Infinite plans offers wireless coverage on the AT&T & T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE networks. Read Boost Infinite review
What are the benefits of cheap phone carriers?
Same great nationwide coverage: Operating on the very same networks as the big guys, alternative cell phone carriers give you the coverage you can rely on.
Much lower prices: Save up to $600 per year on your cell phone plan. How come MVNOs are cheaper? They don't have the huge overhead and advertising costs the big guys do.
No contracts: You can forget getting stuck in a two-year agreement. You decide when to switch carriers with a cheap prepaid cell phone plan.
Same cell phone service: You may be paying less, but this doesn't mean you're sacrificing great features. You can find unlimited everything plans easily. Usually, a no contract cell phone plan comes with unlimited talk and text as standard, high-speed data, and mobile hotspot data features.
Keep your phone and number: Bring your own phone, keep your phone number, and cut out pricey device payments.
Customize your plan: There's a huge amount of choice. Decide how much data you need, and opt for unlimited or no data, unlimited data plans come at a much better price with an alternative carrier. Choose to pay as you go, with minimal minutes, or unlimited talk text and data. You can pick a plan to fit your budget and your usage - not one your carrier says you need.
Great customer support: Happy customers are what smaller mobile providers want. And they're known for giving them their full attention. You can forget feeling like an anonymous number, lost in the crowd.
It's always a good idea to compare cell phone plans to ensure that you're getting the best deal.
Cheapest BYOP plan on T-Mobile
Unlimited mins
Unlimited texts
5GB
4G/5G data
$15 /mo*
T-Mobile vs Mint Mobile comparison
Keep your T-Mobile phone, number & coverage: Save $660 per year
Carrier |
Network Coverage |
4G/5G Data |
Price |
Annual Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
T-Mobile |
T-Mobile 4G & 5G | Unltd* |
$70/mo |
$840/yr |
Mint Mobile |
T-Mobile 4G & 5G |
5GB |
$15/mo |
$180/yr |
*Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB |
Savings |
$55/mo |
$660/yr |
Check out our review of the best T-Mobile BYOP plans
Cheapest BYOP plan on Verizon
Unlimited mins
Unlimited texts
5GB
4G/5G data
$15 /mo
Verizon vs US Mobile comparison
Keep your Verizon phone, number & coverage: Save $780 per year
Carrier |
Network Coverage |
4G/5G Data |
Price |
Annual Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
Verizon |
Verizon 4G & 5G | Unltd* |
$80/mo |
$960/yr |
US Mobile |
Verizon 4G & 5G |
5GB |
$15/mo |
$180/yr |
*Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB |
Savings |
$65/mo |
$780/yr |
Check out our review of the best Verizon BYOP plans
Cheapest BYOP plan on AT&T
Unlimited mins
Unlimited texts
Unlimited
4G/5G data
$12.50 /mo*
$25/mo
AT&T vs Boost Mobile comparison
Keep your AT&T phone, number & coverage: Save $612 per year
Carrier |
Network Coverage |
4G/5G Data |
Price |
Annual Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
AT&T |
AT&T 4G & 5G | Unltd* |
$75/mo |
$900/yr |
Boost Mobile |
AT&T 4G & 5G |
Unlimited |
$25/mo |
$288/yr |
*Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB |
Savings |
$50/mo |
$612/yr |
Check out our review of the best AT&T BYOP plans
How to choose the best BYOP plan
4G LTE & 5G data speeds: Since MVNOs operate on the big three cellular networks, you'll pay less without sacrificing speed. More and more are adding 5G coverage all the time so you can expect high-speed data.
Unlimited talk and text messaging: Finding a new unlimited plan has never been easier. Virtually all small carriers include unlimited text and calling in their plan options.
International calls to Canada and Mexico: International calling is a must for many people. Luckily MVNOs offer some of the best international phone plans, with free calling to certain countries like Canada and Mexico and discounted rates on others.
Multiline discounts: Low-cost carriers also offer some of the cheapest family cell phone plans, with multi-line discounts.
Wi-Fi calling: This feature is handy when you're out of your service area, allowing you to make calls over the internet instead of on your cellular connection.
Tethering/hotspot data: Many low-cost carriers allow you to use your phone as a hotspot. Pick an MVNO with the best mobile hotspot plans so you can share your mobile hotspot data with other devices.
HD video streaming: Just like the big guys, some MVNOs offer HD video streaming and some don't.
Compare the cheapest bring your own phone plans
Carrier |
Network | Data |
Price |
---|---|---|---|
T-Mobile | 1GB |
$10/mo |
|
Verizon & T-Mobile | 2GB |
$12/mo |
|
AT&T & T-Mobile | 5GB |
$15/mo |
|
T-Mobile | 15GB |
$20/mo |
|
AT&T & T-Mobile | Unltd |
$25/mo |
To ensure you get the best phone deal, compare BYOP plans from multiple low-cost carriers side by side.
Carrier network coverage comparison
NETWORK |
OVERALL |
RELIABILITY |
SPEED |
DATA |
CALL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verizon Coverage |
95 |
96 |
94 |
96 |
94 |
AT&T Coverage |
94 |
94 |
95 |
96 |
92 |
T-Mobile Coverage |
86 |
88 |
82 |
89 |
82 |
Source: RootMetrics RootScore 2022 report
When it comes to 5G network coverage, T-Mobile scores the highest, according to the J.D. Power 2023 wireless network study.
Find the cheapest phone service in your area
Enter your zip code below to find the best cheap phone service in your area.
Carrier customer service comparison
It's a myth that customer care is worse with an alternative carrier. On average MVNOs score much, much higher for customer satisfaction than big networks. Take a look at the comparison chart here to see what we're getting at.
CARRIER |
TRUSTPILOT USER RATING |
---|---|
4.9 |
|
4.6 |
|
4.6 |
|
1.5 |
|
1.3 |
|
1.2 |
What type of phone plan is right for you?
Unlimited plans: Looking for unlimited talk text and data? Alternative carriers have got you covered. Data-hungry users looking for unlimited plus plans can save serious money by switching to one of the cheapest unlimited data plans.
Basic plans: If you (or a loved one) only use a cell phone to make a few calls, send a couple of messages, and rarely go online then you can opt for a simply prepaid plan. You get basic cell phone functions, an allowance for minutes of talk, and usually around 2GB of data at a great price. Once you run out of your data allotment, speeds slow, but it's usually very easy to add on more.
Family plans: Need four lines or more? Many MVNOs offer group plans. Compare the cheapest family phone plans so you can pick and choose what each family member needs.
Single-line plans: Stop paying a premium rate just because you only need one line. Find the cheapest cell phone plans for one person.
Talk and text plans: Don't need data? Bonus, you'll save a ton of money if you're not paying for data!
Tablet plans: Find the cheapest data plan for your tablet or iPad.
Kids plans: MVNOs offer the best phone plans for kids because you can tailor them to exactly what you want your child to have.
Senior plans: Senior citizens often have different cell phone needs. Compare cheap cell phone plans for seniors for the perfect fit.
Bring your own phone to a cheap carrier
Most, if not all, MVNOs welcome bringing in your phone. In fact, several MVNOs often provide incentives to bring your own phone.
There are several benefits to consider when switching to an MVNO that offers BYOP:
You'll be able to keep your phone number: As mentioned previously, when you switch to another carrier, you'll be able to keep not only your phone number but also your contacts.
It's easy to switch: While the process may be different for each carrier, you should be able to switch carriers by going to the website and activating new SIM card with the carrier. You may also have the option of calling or chatting with the provider to activate your phone.
It's cost-saving: You'll be able to save a lot more with an MVNO compared to the big three. Whereas you could be paying hundreds of dollars for your cell phone bill with any one of the big carriers, you'll be able to save far more with many of the plans offered by MVNOs.
How we picked the best cheap bring your own phone plans
MoneySavingPro reviewed the best cheap BYOP plans available and ranked them based on various factors.
The most important factor we considered was the price of each plan in comparison to other similar plans available in the market. We also evaluated data limits, network coverage, perks, customer feedback, and overall service quality.
We regularly monitor the market to keep track of new products and plan changes offered by carriers. This list is updated at least once a month, or more frequently as necessary.
BYOP plans FAQs
What are the best cheap BYOP plans?
MVNOs are the best value for money, and by operating on the major US networks you'll receive the same coverage with plans starting as low as $10 a month.
What is the cheapest bring your own phone plan?
Alternative carriers like Ting, Tello, and Mint Mobile have the cheapest prepaid phone plans. They operate on the same network as the big three but offer plans at half the price.
Recap: What is the cheapest bring your own phone plan?
Finding the cheapest phone plan is easy with alternative carriers like Mint Mobile, US Mobile, and Tello.
There's a large selection to choose from, offering a variety of affordable plans suitable for whatever your needs.
Deciding on the best plan for you can depend on cell phone coverage in your area and making sure your phone is compatible. You can check if your phone is compatible with our IMEI checker.