The best pay as you go phone plans in January
Finding a cheap pay as you go phone plan doesn't have to be a chore, and with low cost carriers like Tello and Ultra Mobile it's made easy.
These low cost carriers - also known as MVNOs, operate on the three main US networks and provide cheaper pay as you go plans without any sacrifice, and with PAYG you're only paying for what you really need.
Keep reading to compare the cheapest pay as you go plans below to find the best deal for you.
Compare Verizon pay as you go plans
| Carrier | Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twigby | Verizon | Unltd | Unltd | 3GB | $10** 50% Off for 6 Months |
| US Mobile | Verizon & T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 5GB | $15Free Starter Kit with code: MSPUSM |
| Ting | T-Mobile & Verizon | Unltd | Unltd | Unltd | $25** $20 Off for 3 Months |
| Twigby | Verizon | Unltd | Unltd | 0GB | $6.50** 50% Off for 6 Months |
| Ting | T-Mobile & Verizon | Unltd | Unltd | 5GB | $20** $5 Off for 6 Months |
Best cheap Verizon pay as you go plan
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/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 | |
Compare the best Verizon pay as you go plans
Compare T-Mobile pay as you go plans
| Carrier | Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tello | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 2GB | $10.50** 25% Off for 6 Months |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 4GB | $15** $45 for 3 Months Service |
| US Mobile | Verizon & T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 12GB | $20Free Starter Kit with code: MSPUSM |
| Ting | T-Mobile & Verizon | Unltd | Unltd | Unltd | $25** $20 Off for 3 Months |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | Unltd | $30** $90 for 3 Months Service |
Best cheap T-Mobile pay as you go plan
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/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 | |
Compare the best T-Mobile pay as you go plans
Compare AT&T pay as you go plans
| Carrier | Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good2Go Mobile | AT&T & T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 1GB | $10** 50% Off for 3 Months |
| Boost Mobile | AT&T & T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 2GB | $15** $0.99 for 1st Month |
| Unreal Mobile | AT&T | Unltd | Unltd | 12GB | $30** Buy 2 Months Get 1 Free |
| Red Pocket | AT&T | Unltd | Unltd | 10GB | $22.50** $270 for 12 Months Service |
| Boost Mobile | AT&T & T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 1GB | $8.33** $100 for 1 year service |
Best cheap AT&T pay as you go plan
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
3 GB
4G/5G data
$12.50/mo*
$25/mo
$8.33 per GB
Powered by: AT&T & T-Mobile
AT&T vs Good2Go Mobile Plan Comparison
Keep your AT&T phone, number & coverage: Save $637 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 | $25/mo | $263/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $50/mo | $637/yr | |
Compare the best AT&T pay as you go plans
Pay as you go phone plans comparison
| Carrier | Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tello | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 2GB | $10.50** 25% Off for 6 Months |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 4GB | $15** $45 for 3 Months Service |
| US Mobile | Verizon & T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | 12GB | $20Free Starter Kit with code: MSPUSM |
| Ting | T-Mobile & Verizon | Unltd | Unltd | Unltd | $25** $20 Off for 3 Months |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile | Unltd | Unltd | Unltd | $30** $90 for 3 Months Service |
Pay as you go plans FAQs
What is the cheapest pay as you go phone plan?
Low cost carriers offer the cheapest PAYG phone plans. You'll find deals as cheap as $10 a month from carriers like Tello.
What are the best pay as you go plans?
It'll depend on what you're looking for from your pay as you go plan. Deciding on your budget and what features you're looking for can help you find the most suitable pay as you go plan for you. MVNOs have a wide variety of plans to choose from so there's something for everyone.
What's the difference between prepaid and pay as you go?
With prepaid you're buying a plan, although you're not tied into a contract, it's still a flexible plan you're paying for. With pay as you go you don't buy a plan, but you're paying for minutes, texts, and data.
Recap
When it comes to a cheap pay as you go cell phone plan, MVNOs offer the best value for money, saving you up to $600 a year.
With a large variety of plans, there's something for everyone and you don't have to give up good coverage or any of your favorite features.
Don't want to upgrade your phone? MVNOs encourage you to bring your own phone with easy switch-over service. But if you do want to change your handset you can find a range of cheap refurbished phones from trusted online sellers.
