GSM phone plans in July
Are you looking for a cheap cell phone plan on the GSM network? With T-Mobile and AT&T MVNOs there's something for all budgets.
MVNOs are low cost carriers that are powered by the main US networks, but with plans starting at as little as $11 a month. If you've not heard of MVNOs they're quickly growing in popularity as one of the best ways to cut the cost of cell phone bills.
With such a wide range of options available we've broken it down for you below to help you find your ideal GSM plan.
| GSM prepaid plan | Tello |
| GSM unlimited plan | Mint Mobile |
| GSM family plan | PureTalk |
| Cheap GSM plan | Boost Mobile |
| GSM senior plan | Good2Go Mobile |
| GSM kids plan | Red Pocket |
| GSM Data plan | US Mobile |
Best cheap T-Mobile GSM plan
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
4GB
4G/5G data
$15/mo*
$3.75 per GB
Powered by: T-Mobile
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 | 4GB | $15/mo | $180/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $55/mo | $660/yr | |
Best cheap AT&T GSM plan
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
3GB
4G/5G data
$10/mo*
$20/mo
$6.67 per GB
Powered by: AT&T & T-Mobile
AT&T vs Good2Go Mobile comparison
Keep your AT&T phone, number & coverage: Save $690 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G/5G Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | AT&T 4G & 5G | Unltd* | $75/mo | $900/yr |
| Good2Go Mobile | AT&T 4G & 5G | 3GB | $20/mo | $210/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $55/mo | $690/yr | |
Best GSM carriers
Best prepaid GSM plan
- 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 GSM plan for unlimited data
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- Unlimited
- Price
- $15/mo** Only $45 for 3 Months Service
Mint Mobile Unlimited plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and unlimited 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 GSM plan for families
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 4GB
- Price
- $18.75/mo** 25% Off for 3 Months
PureTalk 4GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 4GB data for only $18.75 per month. PureTalk plans offer wireless coverage on the AT&T 5G and 4G LTE network. To learn more about why this is one of the best cell phone plans, check out MoneySavingPro's PureTalk review
Pros
4G LTE coverage
Multi-month discounts
US based customer service
Cons
No 0% finance plans for new phones
May slow speeds at busy times
Benefits
Service provided on the AT&T network
Prepaid service - no contract, credit check, or activation fee
30-day risk-free guarantee on plans- cancel within your first 30 days or 500 minutes/500 MB of data to receive a refund for your plan charges
Bring your own compatible GSM phone or buy a PureTalk USA phone
Keep your phone number
Mobile hotspot/tethering permitted
International calling available as an add-on calling card
Customer support available by phone 9am - 10pm EST weekdays and 12pm - 9pm weekends
Best cheap GSM plan
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 5GB
- Price
- $25/mo** $0.99 for 1st Month
Boost Mobile 5GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 5GB data for only $25 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
New customers & Online only
No annual contract
Free SIM Kit ($9.99 value)
Free Shipping ($4.99 value)
Works w/ most Unlocked GSM Phones
Cons
Coverage in rural areas
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 GSM plan for seniors
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 1GB
- Price
- $15/mo
Good2Go Mobile 1GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 1GB data for only $15 per month. Good2Go 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 Good2Go Mobile review
Pros
4G LTE coverage
No contract
No credit checks
Cons
No unlimited data options
No app interface
Benefits
Coverage on the nationwide AT&T & T-Mobile networks
Prepaid cell phone plans - no contract, credit check, or activation fee
Bring your own phone or buy a Good2Go Mobile phone
Mobile hotspot/tethering not supported
International calling to over 60 countries available as affordable plan add-on; calling to other countries via add-on calling card
Customer service available by phone 7am - 1am EST every day
Best GSM plan for kids
- Minutes
- 500
- Texts
- 500
- Data
- 500MB
- Price
- $10/mo
Red Pocket 500MB plan includes 500 mins, 500 texts and 500MB data for only $10 per month. Red Pocket plans offer wireless coverage on the AT&T, 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 Red Pocket review
| Plan | Data | Price | View plan |
|---|---|---|---|
Red Pocket 500MB | 500MB | $10 | View Plan |
Red Pocket 3GB - 12 Mths | 3GB | $15* * $180 for 12 Months Service | View Plan |
3GB | $20 | View Plan | |
Red Pocket 10GB - 12 Mths | 10GB | $22.50* * $270 for 12 Months Service | View Plan |
Red Pocket 25GB - 12 Mths | 25GB | $30* * $360 for 12 Months Service | View Plan |
10GB | $30 | View Plan | |
Red Pocket 100GB - 12 Mths | 100GB | $37.50* * $450 for 12 Months Service | View Plan |
25GB | $40 | View Plan | |
100GB | $50 | View Plan |
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
Best GSM carrier for tablet data
- Minutes
- 0
- Texts
- 0
- Data
- 2GB
- Price
- $10/mo* Free 10 Day Trial
US Mobile 2GB plan includes 0 mins, 0 texts and 2GB data for only $10 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
Compare cheap GSM carrier plans
| Carrier | Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tello | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 1GB | $10 |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 4GB | $15** Only $45 for 3 Months Service |
| US Mobile | Verizon & T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 12GB | $20* Free 10 Day Trial |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 15GB | $15** Only $45 for 3 Months Service |
| Tello | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | Unltd | $29 |
T-Mobile GSM carrier list
| Carrier | Network(s) |
|---|---|
| Boost Mobile | AT&T & T-Mobile |
| Boom! Mobile | Verizon & T-Mobile |
| Consumer Cellular | T-Mobile |
| FreeUP Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Metro by T-Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Red Pocket | AT&T, T-Mobile & Verizon |
| Republic Wireless | T-Mobile |
| Simple Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Straight Talk | T-Mobile, AT&T & Verizon |
| Tello | T-Mobile |
| Ting | T-Mobile & Verizon |
| Tracfone | Verizon, AT&T & T-Mobile |
| Ultra Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Unreal Mobile | AT&T & T-Mobile |
| US Mobile | Verizon & T-Mobile |
| Gen Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Wing | AT&T, Verizon & T-Mobile |
| Good2Go Mobile | AT&T & T-Mobile |
| Hello Mobile | T-Mobile |
| GoSmart Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Reach Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Lycamobile | T-Mobile |
| Walmart Family Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Speedtalk Mobile | T-Mobile |
AT&T GSM carrier list
| Carrier | Network(s) |
|---|---|
| Boost Mobile | AT&T & T-Mobile |
| Cricket Wireless | AT&T |
| Freedompop | AT&T |
| H2O Wireless | AT&T |
| PureTalk | AT&T |
| Red Pocket | AT&T, T-Mobile & Verizon |
| Straight Talk | T-Mobile, AT&T & Verizon |
| Tracfone | Verizon, AT&T & T-Mobile |
| Unreal Mobile | AT&T & T-Mobile |
| Wing | AT&T, Verizon & T-Mobile |
| Good2Go Mobile | AT&T & T-Mobile |
| Black Wireless | AT&T |
| easyGO Wireless | AT&T |
| Airvoice Wireless | AT&T |
| Optimum Mobile | AT&T |
Cheap GSM plans FAQs
What's the difference between phone carriers?
MVNOs are low cost carriers that are powered by either T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon. The main difference is the network each carrier uses as Verizon runs on CDMA, whereas T-Mobile and AT&T run on the GSM network.
Which is better CDMA or GSM?
It depends on your cell phone needs, as both technologies offer a similar service. It can be easier to switch phones or SIM cards with a GSM plan, especially when travelling, as GSM is a technology used worldwide whereas CDMA is used mainly in the US. CDMA phones are normally locked to a particular network, however most CDMA phones now work with GSM as well, due to the 4G LTE technology.
Which carrier is GSM?
There's a number of carriers that use GSM technology. T-Mobile MVNOs and AT&T MVNOs operate on the main networks so carriers like Ultra Mobile, Ting, and Mint Mobile use the GSM network.
Recap
MVNOs offer an affordable way to get access to the main US networks, with the same perks and quality coverage.
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is one of two technologies that fills in the gap when 4G is not available. T-Mobile and AT&T both use GSM, along with their MVNOs.
If you're looking to bring your own phone you'll need to check it's compatible with a GSM carrier. You can do this with our IMEI checker. If your phone is a CDMA phone, not to worry, there are plenty of refurbished phones available at a discounted price or you can get a brand new phone from GSM carriers.
