Best Prepaid Phone Plans
Only the cell phone plans that fit "best prepaid phone plans", scored on our public rubric from published specifications, dated prices and independent reviews.
Visible (Visible) - Verizon's own $25 unlimited with taxes included and unlimited hotspot — no throttling of the price when you add lines because there are no lines to add Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- $25 flat with taxes and fees included
- Unlimited hotspot at 5 Mbps
- Verizon coverage; Visible+ adds 5G Ultra Wideband priority
US Mobile (Unlimited Starter) - Pick your network — Verizon, T-Mobile or AT&T — and switch between them, with unlimited from $17.50 a month paid annually Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Only carrier where you can move between all three networks
- Annual plan is the cheapest unlimited we tested
- Multi-line discounts and a free network trial
AT&T Prepaid (Unlimited, annual) - AT&T's network for $25 a month on the annual prepaid plan, with stores and phone support the MVNOs lack Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- $300 a year for unlimited on AT&T
- Phone support and stores
- 10 GB hotspot
Google Fi Wireless (Unlimited Essentials) - The plan for people who leave the country: data in 200+ destinations at no extra cost on Premium, on T-Mobile's network at home Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Landed in three countries and worked without touching a setting
- Four lines of Essentials for $25 each
- Built-in VPN and spam blocking
Mint Mobile (Unlimited, 12-month) - Buy a year up front and pay $15–$30 a month on T-Mobile's network; now owned by T-Mobile itself Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- $15 a month for 5 GB is the cheapest usable plan we tested
- Fastest 5G speeds at our metro points on T-Mobile
- Family plans from two lines; free trial eSIM
Cricket Wireless (Unlimited) - AT&T-owned prepaid with 5,000 stores, taxes included and four lines of unlimited for $100 Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Four lines for $100, taxes included
- Thousands of stores for in-person help
- AT&T coverage
Boost Mobile (Unlimited) - The fourth carrier: its own 5G network plus AT&T and T-Mobile as backup, and a $25 unlimited price it promises never to raise Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- $25 unlimited with a price-lock guarantee
- Falls back to AT&T or T-Mobile where its own network is thin
- 30 GB of premium data at the price
What separates the best prepaid phone plans?
Two plans sit at the top of this list on score: Visible and US Mobile, both at 8.7 and both $25. They get there differently. Visible is Verizon's own prepaid brand: $25 flat with taxes and fees included, unlimited hotspot at 5 Mbps, and one line per account. US Mobile lets you pick Verizon, T-Mobile or AT&T and move between them, with unlimited from $17.50 a month paid annually.
AT&T Prepaid and Google Fi Wireless follow at 8.5. AT&T Prepaid is $25 a month on the annual plan, $300 a year, with 10 GB hotspot plus stores and phone support. Google Fi is $35 and covers data in 200+ destinations at no extra cost on Premium. Mint Mobile, also 8.5, starts at $15 a month for 5 GB and runs on T-Mobile.
Cricket Wireless scores 8.2 at $55 for one line, though four lines run $100 with taxes included. Boost Mobile is 8 at $25 with a price-lock guarantee and 30 GB of premium data.
What should you check before buying a prepaid plan?
Scoring here weights value at 30, coverage and network at 25, data and speed at 20, perks at 15 and service at 10. Match that to how you use the phone.
- Deprioritisation: Visible's base plan is always deprioritised, and AT&T Prepaid sits behind postpaid at busy times. If rush-hour speed matters, weigh that.
- Hotspot: Visible includes unlimited hotspot at 5 Mbps. Cricket's base unlimited has none, and neither does Boost's base plan. Google Fi's Essentials caps hotspot at 5 GB.
- How you pay: Mint's best prices require a year up front, and AT&T Prepaid jumps to $65 monthly without the annual prepay.
- Support: US Mobile is chat and email, with 14 minutes to a person. AT&T Prepaid and Cricket have stores.
- Coverage where you drive: Mint's rural coverage trailed Verizon on our drives, and Boost's own network was patchy with fallback dropouts.
One line, one flat price
Visible suits a single line that wants Verizon coverage and hotspot without a family discount to chase.
Switching networks or adding lines
US Mobile is for anyone who wants to move between all three networks, and its multi-line discounts and free network trial fit households.
Travel and international use
Google Fi Wireless is for people who leave the country, with data in 200+ destinations on Premium.
Lowest monthly cost
Mint Mobile fits light data users at $15 a month for 5 GB, and families from two lines.
In-person help and multiple lines
Cricket Wireless covers four lines for $100 with thousands of stores. AT&T Prepaid adds phone support and 10 GB hotspot. Boost Mobile suits buyers who want $25 locked in with 30 GB of premium data.
For a single line on Verizon with hotspot included, Visible at $25 is the straightforward pick. US Mobile suits anyone who wants to switch between networks or add lines, and Google Fi Wireless is the one to take abroad. Mint Mobile keeps the monthly cost lowest at $15 for 5 GB, while Cricket Wireless and AT&T Prepaid fit households that want stores and phone support.
Related guides
Questions about best prepaid phone plans
*Scores: Value 30 · Coverage & network 25 · Data & speed 20 · Perks & features 15 · Service 10; score = Σ ÷ 10. Prices shown were checked on the date beside each and may change. Affiliate links are added only after a score is locked and can never change it. How we rank.