The best cell phone plans mean different things to different people. For some, it is one offering a lot of minutes, while for others, it must provide unlimited mobile data. No matter what it means to you, finding the right cell phone plan is no easy task.
We have done our research and analyzed layers of data to save you all the trouble, and arrived at the following mobile phone plans that will give you the best deal for your money’s worth!
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Best Plan for the Average User
Reports have it that a phone owner uses between 2GB and 5GB mobile data per month, on average. Virgin Mobile and Verizon’s 5GB plans are the two plans that best meet these data needs at minimal prices. Priced at $35 every month, this Virgin Mobile plan offers unlimited minutes, text messages and 5GB data. It is aligned to Sprint and makes uses of Sprint’s network.
This plan found its way to the list due to its unbeatable price and exclusive deals users get on suits, car-sharing services, and flowers. You need to know that mobile hotspots access is not included in the 5GB plan, so you will have to pay an extra fee to add it.
Verizon’s 5GB plan also offers the same data benefit, unlimited text messages and minutes, but comes at a higher price ($60). Of all the traditional plans reviewed, this plan is the cheapest considering the data benefit it provides. It includes carryover mobile data with 30-days validity.
You can save up to $5 per month if you go for auto-payment and paperless billing. In the same vein, switching on the safety mode can help reduce your charges. This is the ideal plan for people who aren’t ready to go prepaid.
Best Cell Phone Plan for International Travel
If you are bitten by the travel bug, T-Mobile One and Project F1 are the options to consider. These plans allow you to use your smartphone abroad without paying the usually expensive international roaming fees. The T-Mobile offer costs $75 every month and guarantees easy data access and texting, and unlimited talk time in more than 210 countries worldwide. With an extra $15, you can upgrade to One Plus for complementary in-flight wireless and faster internet speed.
Google-owned Project F1 costs $20 per month and can be used in over 170 countries. Users get unlimited SMS while overseas, and unlimited talk only when in the United States. The high-speed data is sold at a flat rate of $10 for 1GB, whether you are roaming or not. Project F1 runs on wireless, using mobile networks from T-Mobile and sprint as backups.
Best Cellular Phone Plans for Family
Families often get more for each spend when they stick together. And this applies when it comes to cell phone plans. The recommended family plans are Boost mobile unlimited and Sprint unlimited basic. The former gives subscribers unlimited data, text, and talk as well as 30 gigabytes of mobile hotspot data. It is priced at $120 monthly and is available to both new and existing users.
As for the Sprint unlimited basic, users are allowed to talk, text and browse as much as they want – no limit whatsoever. It costs $160 and comes with bonuses and promotions like Hulu and an offer of 500 megabytes of mobile hotspot access. As a plus, new customers can also enjoy special discounts on some goods.
Best Plan for Unlimited Data
Figuring out the best cell phone plans for unlimited data is a tough call. However, after careful considerations, Boost unlimited and Sprint unlimited basic are those that catch our fancy. Boost unlimited comes at a price of $50 monthly and gives users unlimited ultra-speed data, text and talk. It is the cheapest of all the plans available and gives 8GB of hotspot data.
For Sprint unlimited, however, the price is pegged at $65 every month. It also offers unlimited data, talk, and text and includes 500MB of mobile hotspot data. This is an affordable, entry-level plan for those who love to browse and stream videos.
Best Basic Cell Phone Plans
Remember the good old days when phones had no smart tag? Tracfone 30-minute airtime card and Republic wireless no-data plans are the go-to options if you are looking for pretty simple phone plans.
Unlike carriers that rely solely on cell towers, Republic uses a combination of cellular network and wireless for data, calling and texting. The no-data plan is very cheap at $15 per month. Users can text and make calls at ridiculously low rates while relying on Wi-Fi for Internet access. Its limitation is that it not available on all smartphones i.e. iPhone.
In the case of Tracfone 30-minute airtime card, subscribers pay just $9.99 every month. This basic plan offers 30 wireless units with 60-days validity. A text (received or sent) and local calls use a unit each. The simple affordable plan is available on various networks.
Best Prepaid Cell Phone Plans
The two best plans for value-seeking prepaid users are Virgin Mobile 5GB plan and Straight talk 10GB plans. At a quick glance, the former is priced at $35 every month and offers subscribers unlimited talk time, SMS and 5GB data. The cheap cost and special deals on items like suits, flowers, etc. make the plan a darling of many prepaid users.
Straight talk is also a good prepaid cell phone you can consider. It comes with 10GB mobile data, unlimited text and minutes and has a validity of 30 days. Straight talk is in partnership with the four leading network carriers in the country (AT &T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint). So the network to use depends on your location and phone type. What we like about this plan it that it is inexpensive, unlike other prepaid plans which offer approximately half the amount of data for the same price.
Conclusion
Getting the best deals on cell phone plans is made easy with reviews like this. Now that you have the needed info at your fingertips, you can go for the most suitable deal for your circumstance and budget!
Disclaimer: Our service is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as financial advice. We help our readers make informed decisions via impartial information and guides. Where appropriate, we may introduce partner companies who can provide services relating to financial products.