Finding the perfect individual cell phone plan can seem like a challenge.
However, when you broaden your search beyond options offered by only the big three networks, you can often find a plan that gives you freedom while saving serious money.
Best cell phone plans for one in 2023
Tello 1GB plan: Best cheap phone plan for one person
Mint Mobile 4GB plan: Best bring your own phone plan for one
US Mobile 15GB plan: Best 5G plan for one person
Mint Mobile Unlimited plan: Best unlimited data plan for one person
Reach Mobile 2GB plan: Best senior phone plan for one person
Best cheap phone plan for one person
- 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.
| Plan | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|
Tello Unlimited Talk & Text | 0GB | $8 |
Tello 1GB | 1GB | $10 |
Tello 2GB | 2GB | $14 |
Tello 5GB | 5GB | $19 |
Tello 10GB | 10GB | $24 |
Tello Unlimited Data | Unlimited | $29 |
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
Best bring your own phone plan for one
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 4GB
- Price
- $15/mo
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.
| Plan | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|
Mint Mobile 4GB | 4GB | $15 |
Mint Mobile 10GB | 10GB | $20 |
Mint Mobile 15GB | 15GB | $25 |
Mint Mobile Unlimited Data | Unlimited | $30 |
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
Best 5G plan for one person
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 15GB
- Price
- $20/mo* FREE 10-Day Trial
US Mobile 15GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 15GB data for only $20 per month. US Mobile plans offer wireless coverage on the Verizon & T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE networks.
| Plan | Data | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
US Mobile 500MB | 500MB | $5 | ||
US Mobile Unlimited Talk & Text | 0GB | $8 | ||
US Mobile 2GB | 2GB | $12 | ||
US Mobile 5GB | 5GB | $15 | ||
US Mobile 15GB | 15GB | $20 | ||
US Mobile 25GB | 25GB | $25 | ||
US Mobile Unlimited Data Basic | Unlimited | $35 | ||
US Mobile Unlimited Data Premium | Unlimited | $45 | ||
* FREE 10-Day Trial | ||||
Pros
Flexible, no contract plans
24/7 customer service
5G coverage available
Cons
No international calling
Phone selection
Best unlimited data plan for one person
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- Unlimited
- Price
- $30/mo
Mint Mobile Unlimited plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and unlimited data for only $30 per month. Mint Mobile plans offer wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network.
| Plan | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|
Mint Mobile 4GB | 4GB | $15 |
Mint Mobile 10GB | 10GB | $20 |
Mint Mobile 15GB | 15GB | $25 |
Mint Mobile Unlimited Data | Unlimited | $30 |
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
Best senior phone plan for one person
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 2GB
- Price
- $10/mo** $10 Off for 3 Months
Reach Mobile 2GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 2GB data for only $10 per month. Reach Mobile plans offer wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network.
| Plan | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|
Reach Mobile 2GB | 2GB | $10* * $10 Off for 3 Months |
Reach Mobile 5GB | 5GB | $20* * $10 Off for 3 Months |
Reach Mobile 10GB | 10GB | $25* * $10 Off for 3 Months |
Reach Mobile 15GB | 15GB | $30* * $10 Off for 3 Months |
Reach Mobile 25GB | 25GB | $35* * $10 Off for 3 Months |
Pros
5G coverage available
24/7 live customer support with helpful humans
No contract, no bulk-order commitment
Hotspot enabled
A socially conscious provider who gives back
Cons
Small selection of handsets
Individual phone plan benefits
Think you're not familiar with Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)? You might be surprised to learn you probably are. Boost Mobile and Cricket Wireless are just two of the many MVNO choices.
MVNOs rent storage and service from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Because MVNOs get bulk rates, they can turn around and sell extremely low-priced prepaid plans to consumers.
Like the idea of keeping more of your hard-earned dollars and cents?
You owe it to yourself to learn more about MVNOs and their advantages:
- They offer the same 4G LTE mobile networks you use now.
- They rarely offer contracts and don't check your credit, which means they won't ding credit scores.
- They are structured to allow you to pay for the services you need, not for ones you don't.
- They make signing up easy.
- They allow you to keep your phone and/or phone number by just replacing your current SIM card.
How are the MVNOs saving enough money to offer shockingly affordable packages and good customer service? In general, they don't spend a fortune on TV advertising, they also don't have storefronts to run. All they need is a robust website to keep customers happily enjoying having a mobile hotspot and unlimited data plans for less.
Ready to start looking for the best MVNO for your needs and learn to save money? Read on for some top picks.
Best T-Mobile plan for 1 line
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 plans for 1 line
Best Verizon plan for 1 line
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
15GB
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 | 15GB | $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 plans for 1 line
Best AT&T plan for 1 line
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 plans for 1 line
Best cell phone plans for 1 line
| Carrier | Data | Network | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tello 1GB plan | 1GB | T-Mobile | $10/mo |
| Mint Mobile 4GB plan | 4GB | T-Mobile | $15/mo |
| Lycamobile 12GB plan | 12GB | T-Mobile | $5/mo** Only $5 for First 3 Months |
| US Mobile 15GB plan | 15GB | Verizon & T-Mobile | $20/mo* FREE 10-Day Trial |
| Mint Mobile Unlimited plan | Unltd | T-Mobile | $30/mo |
Customer service 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:
| 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 |
How to switch to a cheap plan for one
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.
Comparing phone plans for 1 line
As you begin your search for a great individual cell phone plan, be sure to keep some thoughts in mind.
- Coverage Location. To get started, map out where you live or frequently travel for work or during personal time. You'll want to know that the which network has the best coverage in those regions.
- Data Needed. How much data do you plan to use on your phone? Will 1 GB of data do? Need a plan with 10 GB of data usage instead? Not sure? Use a handy online data usage calculator to help decide.
- Phone Desired. Do you already have a phone, or will you be purchasing a new one with your plan? As you might suspect, your answer will affect your carrier choices.
- Budget Preferred. Whether or not this is your first individual phone line, you likely have a budget in mind. Don't worry if your preferred number seems low: There are cheap cell phone plans available if you're willing to go with a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO).
Cheap phone companies list
| AT&T MVNOs | Verizon MVNOs | T-Mobile MVNOs |
|---|---|---|
| Red Pocket | US Mobile | Boost Mobile |
| PureTalk | Red Pocket | US Mobile |
| Good2Go Mobile | Twigby | Ultra Mobile |
| H2O Wireless | Affinity Cellular | Tello |
| Straight Talk | Reach Mobile | Red Pocket |
| Tracfone | Spectrum Mobile | Mint Mobile |
| Black Wireless | Page Plus Cellular | Lycamobile |
| Kroger Wireless | Total by Verizon | Consumer Cellular |
| easyGO Wireless | Lively | GoSmart Mobile |
| Unreal Mobile | Walmart Family Mobile | Republic Wireless |
| Optimum Mobile | Ting | Simple Mobile |
| Freedompop | Gen Mobile | |
| Wing | ||
| easyGO Wireless | ||
| Speedtalk Mobile |
Phone plans for one FAQs
What is the best phone plan for one person?
Low cost carriers that run on the main US networks, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile provide the cheapest plans. With plans starting from as low as $10.
Who has the cheapest unlimited plan for one?
You'll find unlimited plans from MVNOs like Mint Mobile and Tello starting from around $30 a month.
Recap
It's difficult to justify paying $70-80 per month for a cell phone plan when there are so many better options available today.
Compare cheap cell phone plans from numerous low-cost carriers. Switch and save up to $600 per year on your phone bill without sacrificing service quality or coverage.
One thing is for sure, finding a cheaper cell phone plan has never been easier.
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 | Cheapest plan for one | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1GB | $10/mo |
 Mint Mobile | No contract BYOP plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 4GB | $15/mo |
 US Mobile | Best 5G plan for one | Unlimited | Unlimited | 15GB | $20/mo |
| Mint Mobile | Best unlimited plan for one | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | $30/mo |
 Reach Mobile | Best senior plan for one | Unlimited | Unlimited | 2GB | $20/mo |
