Compare 19 prepaid plans
Sort by recurring price, cash due today, data, hotspot, and travel features.
Jump to section →Buy Decoded mobile desk
Keep your phone. Lose the markup.
Compare prepaid plans by recurring price, cash due today, data, hotspot, travel, compatibility, and dated customer-experience evidence—not the teaser number in the ad.
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Context photo only. Carrier fit still depends on address-level coverage, phone compatibility, and checkout terms.
Browse 12 carrier reviews
Read research-based tradeoffs before moving a line.
Jump to section →Run eight phone calculators
Switching, family, hotspot, travel, payoff, and first-year cost worksheets.
Open →Switch without losing money
Check device payoff, bill credits, compatibility, and number transfer.
Open →12 carrier research pages
Start with the carrier’s tradeoffs.
These are research-based assessments, not hands-on network tests. Coverage is personal; always check the exact address and phone.
Verizon
Visible
Online-first unlimited plans with taxes and fees included. Strong simple-price candidate for one-line shoppers; compare hotspot speed and international allowances carefully.
Read carrier review →Choice of major U.S. networks
US Mobile
Flexible monthly and annual plans with network choice. The value depends on payment term, premium-data needs, hotspot use and international roaming.
Consumer Reports survey: 92/100 overall (April 2026).
Read carrier review →AT&T
Cricket Wireless
AT&T-owned prepaid service with retail support and multi-line options. Higher tiers include hotspot and Canada/Mexico use; congestion language still matters.
Read carrier review →AT&T
AT&T Prepaid
Direct prepaid access from AT&T. Compare AutoPay conditions, taxes, premium-data language and hotspot allotments rather than headline price alone.
Read carrier review →T-Mobile
T-Mobile Prepaid
Direct T-Mobile prepaid plans with monthly payment and no credit check. Some advertised prices require AutoPay; hotspot speed and allotment vary.
Read carrier review →Verizon
Verizon Prepaid
Direct Verizon prepaid with AutoPay or loyalty savings on qualifying plans. Compare the price you pay in month one with the mature discounted price.
Read carrier review →T-Mobile
Mint Mobile
Multi-month prepaid plans paid in advance. Low equivalent monthly prices can require a 12-month renewal, so cash due today belongs in every comparison.
Read carrier review →T-Mobile
Metro by T-Mobile
T-Mobile-owned prepaid with stores, device promotions and multi-line offers. BYOD pricing can differ from device-promotion pricing.
Read carrier review →Boost 5G plus partner coverage
Boost Mobile
A low-price unlimited option with a stated premium-data threshold and reduced speeds afterward. Network assignment and device compatibility need confirmation.
Read carrier review →Partner nationwide networks
Consumer Cellular
Plans and support positioned for straightforward service and lighter data use. Multi-line pricing and high-speed reduction thresholds deserve close attention.
Read carrier review →T-Mobile plus roaming partners
Google Fi Wireless
Flexible and unlimited options with unusually clear international use cases. Device features and network switching can vary by phone.
Read carrier review →Verizon-owned; network/SIM dependent
Straight Talk
Walmart-centered prepaid plans with several unlimited tiers. Hotspot, perks and international features vary enough that tier names alone are not useful.
Read carrier review →Independent survey context
Customer ratings are a signal—not a coverage map.
The supplied Consumer Reports reprint lists US Mobile at 92/100 overall, with 5/5 for value, 5/5 for customer support, 5/5 for data service, and 4/5 for reception. Ratings are dated April 2026.
Consumer Reports says the ratings use its Fall 2025 survey of 115,804 U.S. members, including current and recently changed providers, for 123,670 provider ratings.
Important: This is survey evidence, not a coverage guarantee. Consumer Reports says its members may not represent the general U.S. population; the provider-hosted reprint also says it does not imply endorsement or sponsorship. We use this as a separately labeled experience signal; it does not override plan terms, price, phone compatibility, or address-level coverage.
Phone-plan field guides
Do the switching math before moving your number.
These evergreen guides explain the decisions that stay important even when carrier prices and promotions change.
How much phone data do you need?
Build a target from measured usage, Wi-Fi habits, hotspot work, and a realistic cushion.
Open guide →Switch carriers without losing money
Check device payoff, lost bill credits, compatibility, number transfer, and first-bill surprises.
Open guide →Prepaid versus postpaid
Compare first-year service, device financing, family pricing, network management, and flexibility.
Open guide →Phone-plan calculators
Run eight worksheets for switching, family plans, hotspot, travel, annual terms, payoff, data, and first-year cost.
Open guide →19 plan starting points
Compare the bill—not the billboard.
Prices were last reviewed 2026-08-25. Every row links to the carrier’s terms because promotions, AutoPay rules, taxes, and data policies change.
19 of 19 plans shown
| Carrier / plan | Monthly equivalent | Cash due | Data | Hotspot | Taxes | Official terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIMint Mobile5 GB Light data and willing to prepay | $15 | $180 / 12 mo | 5 GB5 GB priority/high-speed | 5 GB | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
| GFGoogle Fi WirelessFlexible Very light data or frequent international travel | $20 | Monthly | 0 GB15 GB priority/high-speed | 15 GB | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
| VIVisibleVisible One line, simple unlimited pricing | $25 | Monthly | Unlimited | UnlimitedUp to 5 Mbps | included | Carrier page ↗ |
| USUS MobileUnlimited Starter Value seekers who want network choice | $25 | Monthly | 70 GB70 GB priority/high-speed | 20 GB | included | Carrier page ↗ |
| MEMetro by T-MobileBYOD Unlimited Bring-your-own-phone value | $25Intro $30 | Monthly | Unlimited | 10 GB | included | Carrier page ↗ |
| BOBoost MobileUnlimited Low monthly price with reduced speed after premium data | $25Intro $10 | Monthly | 30 GB30 GB priority/high-speed | 0 GB | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
| MIMint MobileUnlimited One-year prepay and moderate hotspot | $30Intro $15 | $360 / 12 mo | 50 GB50 GB priority/high-speed | 10 GB | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
| CCConsumer Cellular10 GB Moderate data and phone support | $35 | Monthly | 10 GB10 GB priority/high-speed | 10 GB | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
| USUS MobileUnlimited Premium Heavy data, hotspot and international use | $44 | Monthly | UnlimitedUnlimited priority/high-speed | Unlimited | included | Carrier page ↗ |
| VIVisibleVisible+ Premium data, faster hotspot, travel extras | $45 | Monthly | Unlimited50 GB priority/high-speed | UnlimitedUp to 10 Mbps | included | Carrier page ↗ |
| TMT-Mobile PrepaidUnlimited Monthly Direct T-Mobile, basic unlimited | $45 | Monthly | Unlimited | UnlimitedUp to 0.6 Mbps | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
| STStraight TalkSilver Unlimited Walmart shoppers wanting a simple tier | $45 | Monthly | Unlimited | 10 GB | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
| CRCricket WirelessSmart Unlimited Families wanting AT&T-owned prepaid | $50 | Monthly | Unlimited | 15 GB | included | Carrier page ↗ |
| VZVerizon PrepaidUnlimited Direct Verizon prepaid | $50 | Monthly | Unlimited | 0 GBUp to 0.6 Mbps | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
| GFGoogle Fi WirelessUnlimited Standard Families and moderate travel | $50 | Monthly | 50 GB50 GB priority/high-speed | 25 GB | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
| ATAT&T PrepaidUnlimited Direct AT&T prepaid access | $55 | Monthly | Unlimited | 5 GBUp to 3 Mbps | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
| STStraight TalkUltimate Unlimited Hotspot and plan perks | $55Intro $50 | Monthly | Unlimited | 20 GBUp to 5 Mbps | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
| CRCricket WirelessSupreme Unlimited More hotspot and bundled perks | $60 | Monthly | Unlimited | 50 GB | included | Carrier page ↗ |
| GFGoogle Fi WirelessUnlimited Premium International travelers | $65 | Monthly | 100 GB100 GB priority/high-speed | 50 GB | extra | Carrier page ↗ |
Comparison data is provisional and remains out of search indexing until each plan receives a fresh checkout-level review. Confirm device eligibility, coverage, taxes, and renewal terms directly.
Data warning
Plan terms change faster than ordinary product specs.
Prices and features change. Promotional pricing is separated from normal recurring pricing where known. Confirm all terms with the carrier before switching.
Dataset review: 2026-08-25. Treat the plan table as a dated research starting point and confirm the exact checkout terms before moving any line.