Best cheap cell phone plans 2023: family plans, unlimited plans, and more (2023)

FAQs

What is average cell phone bill for family of 4? ›

Families of four can expect to pay between $120 to $220 a month for four lines from the major wireless carriers — in fact, four lines for $120 per month seems to be the sweet spot for plans these days.

Do family plans save money? The initial price of a family plan can be shocking because the overall cost will be higher than an individual plan. However, when you look at the cost per line, it is cheaper. And as you add more lines, the cost per line usually decreases, ultimately saving money for everyone on the plan.

2 lines: $60/month (per line) 3 lines: $45/month (per line) 4 lines: $35/month (per line) 5 lines: $30/month (per line)

With an extensive national network, Verizon is the leading wireless provider. It receives top scores for network coverage, speed, and reliability. Verizon's plan and device flexibility, combined with excellent business features, makes it the clear winner in our best overall cell phone provider category.

Verizon Welcomes You

You'll pay as low as $30/line per month with four lines, or $65/month for a single-line plan. Welcome Unlimited includes unlimited talk, text, and data (slowed down at times of heavy network congestion) as well as service in Mexico and Canada.

Several carriers offer free phones through the government's Lifeline program. These carriers include Assist Wireless, Assurance Wireless, enTouch Wireless, and True Wireless, among others. Many other carriers—like Verizon, Metro by T-Mobile, and Cricket—offer free phones to new customers.

What is the cheapest unlimited plan for AT&T? ›

How much is a one-person AT&T plan? A one-person AT&T Wireless plan costs between $50 and $85 per month.

Does AT&T offer a senior discount? AT&T doesn't offer an official senior discount, but AARP members can receive 10 percent off their plan and veterans can get 25 percent off their monthly bill.

Wireless carriers typically discount your phone plan with each line that you add, making family plans cheaper per line than some individual plans. The more lines on your plan, the lower an AT&T family plan price per line gets.

Try 1 month free, only $18.99/month after. Terms and conditions apply. 1 month free not available for users who have already tried Premium. For families who reside at the same address.

For seniors, a single line Unlimited plan is a great place to start, featuring our reliable, fast 5G and the option to choose from a variety of perks for only an additional $10 a month each.

With Verizon Start Unlimited, you can get unlimited text, talk, and data for $35 per month per line. Other perks include free six-month subscriptions to Apple Music and Disney+, so you can listen to your favorite jams and catch up on streaming Disney classics with your grandkids.

Is Verizon unlimited really unlimited? ›

You'll get unlimited calls, texts, and 5G LTE data, but you don't get access to the most premium 5G ultraband network, which has the quickest connection. You'll also have a fairly small mobile hotspot allowance of just 5GB as well as none of the streaming perks associated with the more premium Verizon unlimited plans.

The 55+ plan includes: Unlimited 4G LTE / 5G data* Unlimited domestic Talk & Text.

T-Mobile offers 5G coverage to 53% of the country, but their 4G LTE coverage is only 59% compared to Verizon's 70% coverage. Both providers have a 50GB data cap, with the exception of Verizon's unlimited plans.

One of the most significant advantages of 5G over LTE is that it offers much lower latency and faster download speeds. 5G networks can achieve these speeds because they operate at higher frequency bands than LTE networks. The higher the frequency waves, the more data can be transmitted in a given amount of time.

For most Americans, T-Mobile's coverage is excellent. A mere 8% difference in nationwide area coverage between the first- and third-place networks is very little in terms of population coverage. As mentioned, T-Mobile provides network service to 99% of Americans, offering fast 4G LTE speeds and broad 5G coverage.

It all comes down to what you want out of your software. Android is more customizable and has more features and complex options, while iOS is more straightforward, easy to use and has a higher level of security. Most apps are available on either operating system, but more Android apps are available than iOS apps.

You can have up to 20 connected devices on your family plan account. Adding a connected device is just like adding a phone: on My Verizon, select “Plan”, “Get a new device” or “Bring your own device,” or select “Devices” on the My Verizon app menu.

You can get Verizon Smart Family for your entire account for a single monthly fee. There are 2 versions: Verizon Smart Family is $4.99/month per account (no location services). Verizon Smart Family Premium is $9.99/month per account (includes location services).

There may be a promotional discount applied when you sign up for a contract. Often, these promotions expire, and you may see an increase in your bill. Check your bill for the date your promotion will expire. Promotional Discounts can be viewed on your online bill or on the My Fios app under “Your Discounts”.

Walmart is rolling out a new app for its employees and giving them a new Samsung phone to use it. The retailer is outfitting nearly half of its US workforce, amounting to 740,000 employees, with a free phone by the end of the year for personal and professional use.

Who is giving away free 5G phones? ›

Being on Verizon pays off big - new and current customers get a free 5G phone | About Verizon.

What you'll need to do is pay off your phone before you make the jump to another provider. Depending on whether you're on a contract or a monthly plan, you may be responsible for paying termination fees. However, your new carrier may offer to cover those for you.

Prices for AT&T 2-line plans range from $50 for an 8GB prepaid plan to $150 for the Unlimited Premium plan. What is AT&T's cheapest unlimited plan? AT&T's cheapest unlimited plan is the Unlimited Starter plan at $65/month for a single line and $60/line each month for two lines.

AT&T Unlimited Starter℠ – -At $35/mo. per line for 4 lines, our best price unlimited plan includes unlimited talk, text and data, access to our 5G network, and spam and fraud blocking at no extra charge.

There is no activation fee for a replacement phone or an upgrade. There is however an upgrade fee if you buy a new phone from AT&T.

Senior discounts typically consist of benefits or reduced prices exclusively for those above a certain age (often 55 and up). They're offered by retailers ranging from grocery store chains to luxury hotels and can often result in significant savings for senior citizens.

What is a senior cell phone plan? ›

A senior cell phone plan will give you extra discounts and savings from major wireless carriers if you're over the age of 55. And with an AARP membership, you can also save on phone plans if you're over 50 years old.

If you're shopping for a single line, expect to spend around $70 per month, plus taxes and fees in most cases. For four lines, expect around $140 for your total bill. The quoted prices on carriers' websites also include a discount for signing up for autopay.

When a handset is locked it means it will only work with the provider that you bought it from. If your phone is locked it won't automatically become unlocked when your contract expires with your provider. You'll have to specifically ask your carrier to unlock it.

Gabb Phone

It doesn't have social media, games, or internet access. This phone operates on a 4G LTE network and has its own payment plan options. It can make phone calls, send texts, and has the following apps: radio, music, video, camera, record, calendar, calculator, clock, files, contacts, and settings.

Here's why your first bill can be higher than average: It has one-time activation fees and equipment charges. We bill you for your first full month of service in advance. If you start service in the middle of a bill period, you'll have charges for the days you used the service.

This plan provides unlimited data, talk, and text, along with up to 15GB on your own wireless hotspot and access to our 5G network. You get all this for $40 per month for each line when you buy a family plan with 4 lines and include discounts for AutoPay and paperless billing (taxes and fees are extra).

The average cell phone bill costs Americans $127.37 per month, according to CNBC, which leaves a lot of room for saving. Fortunately, there are a number of ways that you can get a lower cell phone bill.

The average monthly bill for cell phone plans increases every year. In 2012, it was only $71, in 2015 $110, and today it's around $127.27.

How much is a phone bill for T-Mobile? ›

How much should my cell phone bill cost? The nationwide average phone bill totals around $166 per month, so you probably shouldn't be spending more than that. If your phone bill is too high, evaluate all of your options to make sure you're getting the best deal.

The average American cell phone bill is $70 for a single user, according to JD Power. That adds up to $840 per year, which is basically the same as buying a used car. But by taking a few simple steps, you can lower your phone bill significantly. Cell phone plans are bound to be a part of your monthly budget.

Here's why your first bill can be higher than average: It has one-time activation fees and equipment charges. We bill you for your first full month of service in advance. If you start service in the middle of a bill period, you'll have charges for the days you used the service.

Fees and surcharges

Many phone carriers charge fees on top of your regular bill. These may include late payment fees, early termination fees, or restoration of service fees. Some phone carriers also tack on “monthly” or “service” fees or even illegally cram bills to increase revenue.

Verizon is the most expensive wireless carrier, but it offers unparalleled coverage, fast data speeds, and robust perks that are worth the price for many people.

Verizon offers four postpaid unlimited plans that retail for $70/month, $80/month, and $90/month. 5G Start is the cheapest at $70 with 5G Play More and 5G Do More costing $80, followed by the fully-loaded $90/month 5G Get More tier.

So, does buying your cell phone outright save you money? The answer is yes – kind of. It's better if you use the pain of buying the cell phone outright to keep you from buying new phones all the time. And it's better if you use the extra money saved each month from lower cell phone bills to invest.