A tight budget can make it important to find the cheapest MVNO plans that are suitable for your needs as well as your costs.
If you've not heard of MVNOs, you're not alone. Mobile Virtual Network Operators are powered by the same main US networks; Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T but have a range of phone plans available starting at around $10 per month.
We can help you find the cheapest MVNO plans, and we've broken down the best deals with all low-cost carriers, keep scrolling to find out more.
| Best MVNO prepaid plan | Tello |
| Best MVNO family plan | Mint Mobile |
| Best MVNO 5G plan | US Mobile |
| Best MVNO unlimited plan | Tello |
| Best MVNO 1 line plan | Boost Mobile |
| Best MVNO 2 line plan | Visible |
| Best MVNO senior plan | Twigby |
| Best MVNO student plan | Mint Mobile |
| Best MVNO talk & text plan | Tello |
Best cheap MVNO plan for prepaid
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 1GB
- Price
- $10/mo
Tello 1GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 1GB data for only $10 per month. Tello plans offer wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network. To learn more about why this is one of the best cell phone plans, check out MoneySavingPro's Tello review
Pros
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
Cons
No roaming
Coverage in rural areas
Benefits
Service on the nationwide T-Mobile network
Money-back guarantee on phones (no refunds on plans)
Prepaid - no contract, credit check, or activation fee
Bring your own phone or choose from a modest selection of new or refurbished devices
Keep your current phone number
Use of your plan data as a mobile hotspot through your phone is allowed
Use your minutes to call Canada, China, and Mexico
Minutes to other countries available as add-on
24/7 customer service
Best cheap MVNO plan for families
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 4GB
- Price
- $15/mo** Only $45 for 3 Months Service
Mint Mobile 4GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 4GB data for only $15 per month. Mint Mobile plans offer wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network. To learn more about why this is one of the best cell phone plans, check out MoneySavingPro's Mint Mobile review
Pros
Offers the latest phones with 0% finance
Prepay months in bulk for more savings
Reliable network coverage
Works with most GSM phones
Cons
No family plans
Minimum 3 months
Benefits
Operates on the nationwide T-Mobile network
7-day money-back guarantee
Prepaid - no contract, credit check, or activation fee
Bring your phone or buy a Mint Mobile device
Keep your phone number
Using your phone as a mobile hotspot is permitted
Free calling to Canada & Mexico, affordable rates to 160+ other locations
Flat-rate international roaming available as an add-on feature
Customer service by phone on weekdays and weekends, 24/7 by virtual chat
Best cheap MVNO plan for 5G coverage
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 12GB
- Price
- $20/mo* Free 10 Day Trial
US Mobile 12GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 12GB data for only $20 per month. US Mobile plans offer wireless coverage on the Verizon & T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE networks. To learn more about why this is one of the best cell phone plans, check out MoneySavingPro's US Mobile review
Pros
Flexible, no contract plans
24/7 customer service
5G coverage available
Cons
No international calling
Phone selection
Benefits
Coverage on either the T-Mobile or Verizon network
Risk-free trial: Full refund within 14 days or before 1000 talk, text, or MB's is used
Prepaid - no contract, credit check, or activation fee
Bring your own GSM or CDMA phone or choose from a small selection of phones for sale
Keep your own phone number
Mobile hotspot use available as add-on option with unlimited data plans
International roaming plans available with eSIMs
Add-ons available for talk, text, and data, with rollover
24/7 customer support
Best cheap MVNO plan for unlimited data
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- Unlimited
- Price
- $29/mo
Tello Unlimited plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and unlimited data for only $29 per month. Tello plans offer wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network. To learn more about why this is one of the best cell phone plans, check out MoneySavingPro's Tello review
Pros
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
Cons
No roaming
Coverage in rural areas
Benefits
Service on the nationwide T-Mobile network
Money-back guarantee on phones (no refunds on plans)
Prepaid - no contract, credit check, or activation fee
Bring your own phone or choose from a modest selection of new or refurbished devices
Keep your current phone number
Use of your plan data as a mobile hotspot through your phone is allowed
Use your minutes to call Canada, China, and Mexico
Minutes to other countries available as add-on
24/7 customer service
Best cheap MVNO plan for one person
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 5GB
- Price
- $5/mo** 66% Off for 3 Months
Boost Mobile 5GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 5GB data for only $5 per month. Boost Mobile plans offer wireless coverage on the AT&T & T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE networks. To learn more about why this is one of the best cell phone plans, check out MoneySavingPro's Boost Mobile review
Pros
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
Cons
No data only plans
Benefits
Owned by Dish and runs on T-Mobile's nationwide network
Prepaid service - no contract, credit check, or extra fees
Bring your own phone (GSM compatible) or choose from a wide selection of new phones
Mobile hotspot allowance with all plans
International service and roaming available as add-on packs
Customer support available by phone - 4am - 8pm PST Monday to Friday, 4am - 7pm weekends
Best cheap MVNO plan for two
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- Unlimited
- Price
- $30/mo
Visible Unlimited plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and unlimited data for only $30 per month. Visible plans offer wireless coverage on the Verizon 5G and 4G LTE network. To learn more about why this is one of the best cell phone plans, check out MoneySavingPro's Visible review
Pros
Great pricing
Unlimited talk, text, and data
Taxes and fees included in price
Simple plan
User-friendly website
Cons
Only one plan
Data speed is capped at 5 Mbps
Limited phone compatibility
App-based service
Benefits
Coverage provided by its parent company, Verizon Wireless
Prepaid - no contract, credit check, or activation fee
Bring your own compatible device or buy a Visible phone
Keep your phone number
Mobile hotspot/tethering supported
No international use supported
Customer support available by chat 7am to 12am EST weekdays and 10am to 10pm weekends, and by phone by request
Best cheap MVNO plan for seniors
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 1GB
- Price
- $5/mo** $10 Off for 3 Months
Twigby 1GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 1GB data for only $5 per month. Twigby plans offer wireless coverage on the Verizon 5G and 4G LTE network. To learn more about why this is one of the best cell phone plans, check out MoneySavingPro's Twigby review
| Plan | Data | Price | View plan |
|---|---|---|---|
1GB | $5* * $10 Off for 3 Months | View Plan | |
Twigby Unlimited Talk & Text | 0GB | $5* * $5 Off for 3 Months | View Plan |
4GB | $10* * $10 Off for 3 Months | View Plan | |
7GB | $15* * $10 Off for 3 Months | View Plan | |
10GB | $20* * $10 Off for 3 Months | View Plan | |
Twigby Unlimited Data | Unlimited | $30* * $10 Off for 3 Months | View Plan |
Pros
5G & 4G LTE coverage on Verizon network
No hotspot charges
International calling and texting
30 day money back guarantee
Great new customer discounts
Cons
Limited cell phone selection
Benefits
Runs on the Verizon networks
30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee on phones and plans (under 300 minutes, 300 texts, or 300 MB of data used)
Prepaid - no contracts, credit checks, or activation fees
Bring your CDMA device or choose from a modest selection of Twigby phones
Keep your own phone number
Use your phone and plan data as a mobile hotspot
Use your plan minutes to call Canada, China, and Mexico
Free international texting to over 180 countries
US-based chat support available weekdays 7am to 9pm CST and 10am to 6pm on weekends
Best cheap MVNO plan for students
- Minutes
- 0
- Texts
- 0
- Data
- 10GB
- Price
- $20/mo** Only $60 for 3 Months Service
Mint Mobile 10GB plan includes 0 mins, 0 texts and 10GB data for only $20 per month. Mint Mobile plans offer wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network. To learn more about why this is one of the best cell phone plans, check out MoneySavingPro's Mint Mobile review
Pros
Offers the latest phones with 0% finance
Prepay months in bulk for more savings
Reliable network coverage
Works with most GSM phones
Cons
No family plans
Minimum 3 months
Benefits
Operates on the nationwide T-Mobile network
7-day money-back guarantee
Prepaid - no contract, credit check, or activation fee
Bring your phone or buy a Mint Mobile device
Keep your phone number
Using your phone as a mobile hotspot is permitted
Free calling to Canada & Mexico, affordable rates to 160+ other locations
Flat-rate international roaming available as an add-on feature
Customer service by phone on weekdays and weekends, 24/7 by virtual chat
Best cheap MVNO plan for talk & text
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 0GB
- Price
- $8/mo
Tello 0GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 0GB data for only $8 per month. Tello plans offer wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network. To learn more about why this is one of the best cell phone plans, check out MoneySavingPro's Tello review
Pros
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
Cons
No roaming
Coverage in rural areas
Benefits
Service on the nationwide T-Mobile network
Money-back guarantee on phones (no refunds on plans)
Prepaid - no contract, credit check, or activation fee
Bring your own phone or choose from a modest selection of new or refurbished devices
Keep your current phone number
Use of your plan data as a mobile hotspot through your phone is allowed
Use your minutes to call Canada, China, and Mexico
Minutes to other countries available as add-on
24/7 customer service
Best MVNO plans
Best T-Mobile MVNO plans
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
10GB
4G/5G data
$20/mo*
Powered by: T-Mobile
T-Mobile vs Mint Mobile comparison
Keep your T-Mobile phone, number & coverage: Save $600 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 | 10GB | $20/mo | $240/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $50/mo | $600/yr | |
Compare: T-Mobile MVNO plans
Best Verizon MVNO plans
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
12GB
4G/5G data
$20/mo
Powered by: Verizon & T-Mobile
Verizon vs US Mobile comparison
Keep your Verizon phone, number & coverage: Save $720 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 | 12GB | $20/mo | $240/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $60/mo | $720/yr | |
Compare: Verizon MVNO plans
Best AT&T MVNO plans
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
5GB
4G/5G data
$5/mo*
$15/mo
Powered by: AT&T & T-Mobile
AT&T vs Boost Mobile comparison
Keep your AT&T phone, number & coverage: Save $750 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 | 5GB | $15/mo | $150/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $60/mo | $750/yr | |
Compare: AT&T MVNO plans
MVNO network coverage
| 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
MVNO customer service
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:
| CARRIER | TRUSTPILOT USER RATING |
|---|---|
| Reach Mobile | 4.9 |
| Tello | 4.6 |
| US Mobile | 4.6 |
| T-Mobile | 1.5 |
| Verizon | 1.3 |
| AT&T | 1.2 |
MVNO plan features
- 4G LTE & 5G data speeds: MVNOs operate on the big cellular networks, so you pay less without sacrificing speed. As the big networks roll out 5G, more smaller carriers are able to offer 5G coverage too. So you can expect the same high-speed data.
- Unlimited talk and text messaging: It's never been easier to find a new unlimited plan. Pretty much all no contract carriers include unlimited text and calls as standard with plans. Compare cheap talk and text plans with or without data.
- International calls to Canada and Mexico: Keeping in touch with loved ones around the world has never felt more important, making international calling a must-havefeature. Luckily MVNOs offer some of the best international phone plans, including free calling to countries like Canada and Mexico, plus discounted rates or affordable add ons for other countries.
- Multiline discounts: If you're used to your multi-line plan, low-cost carriers have got you. They offer the cheapest family cell phone plans out there. With many, you'll get a multi-line discount for each line addded.
- Wi-Fi calling: If you're stuck for signal, or out of your service area when out and about, you can still make calls using this feature. With this feature calls are made over the internet instead of your cellular connection.
- Tethering/hotspot data: Many low-cost carriers allow you to turn your phone into a hotspot and get another device online. Pick an MVNO with the best mobile hotspot plans and share your mobile hotspot data with other devices.
- HD video streaming: Just like the big guys, some of these alternative carriers offer HD video streaming and some don't. Our articles cover which features do and don't come with a plan.
MVNO plan types
- 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. Not sure how much data you need? Check out our data usage calculator.
- 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.
- Bring your own phone plans: BYOP plans are the norm with smaller carriers. Compare cell phone prices and get a great deal to go with your cheap cell phone plan!
- Single line plans: Stop paying a premium rate just because you only need one line. Find the best phone plans for individuals.
- Talk and text only plans: Don't need data? No problem - compare cheap talk and text plans. 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.
Cheapest MVNO plans
| Carrier | Data | Network | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tello 1GB plan | 1GB | T-Mobile | $10 |
| Boost Mobile 5GB plan | 5GB | AT&T & T-Mobile | $5** 66% Off for 3 Months |
| Twigby 7GB data plan | 7GB | Verizon | $15** $10 Off for 3 Months |
| Mint Mobile 10GB plan | 10GB | T-Mobile | $20** Only $60 for 3 Months Service |
| Visible unlimited data plan | Unltd | Verizon | $30 |
How to switch to a cheap MVNO plan
It's never been easier to switch. Let's break it down.
- Customize your plan. Whether you're looking for a truly unlimited plan, or in the market for something more basic, choose a plan to suit your cell phone needs.
- Prepare to make the switch. Make sure your old bills are paid up and your phone is unlocked. If you're getting a new device, transferring data from one to another is simple. Even if you're going from an iPhone to Android, and vice versa.
- Set up your new plan. Keep your current carrier account open until your number has ported over. Once you're sure your new plan is up and running, cancel your old account. If you've got a new device with your Tello plan, it should be ready to use when it arrives. If you're bringing your own phone then you'll need to follow the instructions with the new SIM card kit that Tello will send to you in the post.
MVNO carrier list
MVNO plans FAQs
What is the cheapest MVNO plan?
Most MVNOs offer low-cost plans, but Tello provides some of the cheapest prices starting from around $10 a month.
Who has the best MVNO plan?
MVNOs like Tello, Mint Mobile, and US Mobile currently offer the best value cell phone plans ranging from just $10-30 per month.
Recap
Plans direct with Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile can cost you anywhere from $70-90 per month, excluding taxes and fees.
With MVNOs there's no need to be stuck in an expensive contract. You can pay for what you need with their customizable plans and with prices starting as low as $10 a month, you could be saving up to $600 a year.
The best MVNO plan will depend on our needs but whatever you decide, it's going to be at least half the price of buying direct.
| Carrier | Best for... | Mins | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tello | Best MVNO prepaid plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1GB | $10/mo |
 Mint Mobile | Best MVNO family plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 4GB | $15/mo |
 US Mobile | Best MVNO 5G plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 12GB | $20/mo |
| Tello | Best MVNO unlimited plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | $29/mo |
 Boost Mobile | Best MVNO 1 line plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 5GB | $15/mo |
 Visible | Best MVNO 2 line plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | $30/mo |
 Twigby | Best MVNO senior plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1GB | $15/mo |
| Mint Mobile | Best MVNO student plan | 0 | 0 | 10GB | $20/mo |
| Tello | Best MVNO talk & text plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 0GB | $8/mo |
