Best cheap MVNOs in October
Choosing a cheap MVNO doesn't have to mean giving up quality, but it does mean you could save up to $600 per year on your cell phone bill.
Mobile Virtual Network Operators are becoming the most popular way to get cheaper deals on a cell phone plan. Powered by the big three networks, plans with these low cost carriers receive the same quality coverage at a fraction of the cost.
At MoneySavingPro we've done the hard work and selected some of the best cheapest MVNOs below to help you find your perfect fit.
Cheapest T-Mobile MVNO
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
4 GB
4G/5G data
$15/mo*
$3.75 per GB
Powered by: T-Mobile
T-Mobile vs Mint Mobile Plan Comparison
Keep your T-Mobile phone, number & coverage: Save $660 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | T-Mobile 4G LTE | Unltd* | $70/mo | $840/yr |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile 4G LTE | 4GB | $15/mo | $180/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $55/mo | $660/yr | |
Compare: Cheapest T-Mobile MVNOs
Cheapest Verizon MVNO
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
5 GB
4G/5G data
$15/mo
$3.00 per GB
Powered by: Verizon & T-Mobile
Verizon vs US Mobile Plan Comparison
Keep your Verizon phone, number & coverage: Save $780 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | Verizon 4G LTE | Unltd* | $80/mo | $960/yr |
| US Mobile | Verizon 4G LTE | 5GB | $15/mo | $180/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $65/mo | $780/yr | |
Compare: Cheapest Verizon MVNOs
Cheapest AT&T MVNO
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
3 GB
4G/5G data
$10/mo*
$20/mo
$6.67 per GB
Powered by: AT&T & T-Mobile
AT&T vs Good2Go Mobile Plan Comparison
Keep your AT&T phone, number & coverage: Save $690 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | AT&T 4G LTE | Unltd* | $75/mo | $900/yr |
| Good2Go Mobile | AT&T 4G LTE | 3GB | $20/mo | $210/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $55/mo | $690/yr | |
Compare: Cheapest AT&T MVNOs
MVNO coverage
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
| 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
Best cheap MVNOs
Best cheap MVNO - Tello
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 1 GB
- Price
- $10/mo
| Plan | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unlimited | Unlimited | 0GB | $8 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 1GB | $10 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 2GB | $14 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 4GB | $19 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 6GB | $24 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 8GB | $29 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | $39 |
Pros
24/7 customer support
No contracts
Budget friendly family plans
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
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- Unlimited
- Price
- $30/mo** $90 for 3 months Service
| Plan | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unlimited | Unlimited | 4GB | $15* * $45 for 3 Months Service | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 10GB | $20* * $60 for 3 Months Service | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 15GB | $25* * $75 for 3 months Service | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | $30* * $90 for 3 months Service |
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
Cheapest MVNO for talk & text plans - Ting
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 0 GB
- Price
- $10/mo** $5 extra per GB
| Plan | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unlimited | Unlimited | 0GB | $10* * $5 extra per GB | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 1GB | $15 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 5GB | $20* * $5 Off for 6 Months | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | $25* * $20 Off for 3 Months | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 12GB | $30* * $5 Off for 6 Months |
Pros
Simple plans for light phone users
Customer service
Nationwide LTE and 5G coverage
Good selection of handsets
Cons
Not for the data hungry user
Benefits
Offers coverage on both Verizon and T-Mobile
Prepaid service - no contract, credit check, or start-up fees
Bring your GSM or CDMA phone - most devices are compatible - or buy one from Ting
Keep your current number
Tethering/mobile hotspot allowed, speeds limited to 3G for GSM tethering
Use your plan minutes to call 60+ international locations
International roaming capability (at surcharged rates)
Extensive customer service hours by phone, chat, or email
Cheapest MVNO for seniors - Twigby
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 1 GB
- Price
- $8/mo** 50% Off for 6 Months
| Plan | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unlimited | Unlimited | 0GB | $6.50* * 50% Off for 6 Months | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 1GB | $8* * 50% Off for 6 Months | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 3GB | $10* * 50% Off for 6 Months | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 5GB | $12.50* * 50% Off for 6 Months | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 10GB | $17.50* * 50% Off for 6 Months |
Pros
No hotspot/tethering charges
International calling and texting
4G LTE coverage
Exclusive deals and discounts as a Twigby customer
Cons
Limited handset selection
Not for the data hungry
Benefits
Runs on both the Verizon and Sprint 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
Cheapest MVNO for kid plans - Red Pocket
- Minutes
- 500
- Texts
- 500
- Data
- 0.5 GB
- Price
- $10/mo
| Plan | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unlimited | Unlimited | 3GB | $10* * 50% Off First Month | |
500 | 500 | 0.5GB | $10 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 10GB | $15* * 50% Off First Month | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 22GB | $20* * 50% Off First Month | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 50GB | $25* * 50% Off First Month |
Pros
Nationwide coverage
No contracts
Latest selection of phones
Cons
Account dashboard needs work
No 0% financing options on latest phones
Customer service
Benefits
Operates on all four networks - AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon
Prepaid cell phone plans - no contract, credit check, or activation fees
Bring your own GSM or CDMA device and keep your phone number
Mobile hotspot/tethering allowed with your plan data
Free international calling to 70+ countries
Customer service available in English, Chinese, Filipino, and Spanish via chat or phone
- Minutes
- 0
- Texts
- 0
- Data
- 2 GB
- Price
- $10/moFree Starter Kit with code: MSPUSM
| Plan | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unlimited | Unlimited | 0GB | $8 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 1GB | $12 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 5GB | $15 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 12GB | $20 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 18GB | $25 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 30GB | $30 | |
Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | $45 | |
Free Starter Kit with code: MSPUSM | ||||
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
Cheapest MVNO plans
| Carrier | Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tello | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 1GB | $10 |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 4GB | $15** $45 for 3 Months Service |
| Twigby | Verizon | Unltd | Unltd | 5GB | $12.50** 50% Off for 6 Months |
| Ting | T-Mobile & Verizon | Unltd | Unltd | Unltd | $25** $20 Off for 3 Months |
| US Mobile | Verizon & T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 30GB | $30Free Starter Kit with code: MSPUSM |
MVNO list
Cheapest MVNOs FAQs
What is the cheapest MVNO?
Most MVNOs offer low cost plans, but Tello provides some of the cheapest prices starting from around $10 a month.
What's the cheapest cell phone plan with unlimited everything?
If you really need unlimited calls, texts, and data then an MVNO is the best way to save money on an unlimited plan. Ting, Tello, Mint Mobile, and Boost Mobile are just some of the low cost carriers providing unlimited everything plans. Make sure to check the small print for unlimited data, as unlimited never really means unlimited.
Who has the best no contract cell phone plan?
As the best is different for everyone, it comes down to cell phone coverage in your area, what you're looking for from your cell phone plan, what features you need and affordability. With MVNOs there's something for everyone.
Recap
MVNOs like Tello, Mint Mobile, and Twigby offer cheap cell phone plans while still providing access to the same quality coverage with AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile.
With all the same options available like international calling, mobile hotspot, unlimited data, but with no contract, you only pay for what you need and you're free to amend or cancel your plan at any time.
Also if you don't want to spend the extra money upgrading your phone, you don't have to, MVNOs encourage you to bring your own phone, as long as it's unlocked and compatible the switch over is quick and easy.
Deal of the Month: Ting - Unlimited Data for $25/mo