Two weeks ago I showed you the prepaid plans from the “Big Four” US wireless carriers and the largest prepaid-only carriers that have nationwide service. But as some readers on that comparison noted in the comments, I didn’t include every provider in the country. That was intentional — I wanted to keep the chart manageable to peruse — but those readers had a good point. Carriers like US Cellular, C Spire and Total Wireless have a wide range of prepaid plans, many of which undercut the big kids on the block.
So, to give you even more options in your search for simple and affordable mobile phone service, here are the plans from a dozen more carriers. Most of the bullet points that I listed in my previous post also apply to these providers, but there are a couple of additional things you need to know.
- Unless otherwise stated, all plans listed below include unlimited calling and texts.
- Many of the below plans also include calls and text to Canada and Mexico. Outside of international service, though, additional features are limited. Check with each carrier for specifics.
- Like with postpaid plans, taxes and fees aren’t typically included in the monthly plan price.
- Though I didn’t list them here, Net10 also has 5 plans for talk and text only.
- Yes, Freedom Pop’s “Free” plan really is free.
How the carrier plans compare
| Plan | Monthly price | Included 4G data allowance |
|---|---|---|
| C Spire Simple Talk & Text | $37.50 | N/A (you can access data at 2G speeds) |
| C Spire 6GB | $50 | 6GB |
| C Spire 12GB | $55 | 12GB |
| C Spire Unlimited | $70 | Unlimited |
| Freedom Pop (includes 200 minutes and 500 texts) | Free | 500MB |
| Freedom Pop 500MB | $13.99 | 500MB |
| Freedom Pop 1GB | $22.99 | 1GB |
| Freedom Pop 2GB | $24.99 | 2GB |
| Freedom Pop 3GB | $29.99 | 3GB |
| Freedom Pop 4GB | $34.99 | 4GB |
| H2O 500MB | $20 | 500MB |
| H2O 2GB | $30 | 2GB |
| H2O 3GB | $35 | 3GB |
| H2O 6GB | $40 | 6GB |
| H2O 8GB | $50 | 8GB |
| H2O 10GB | $60 | 10GB |
| *Lycamobile 500MB International | $19 | 500MB |
| *Lycamobile 1GB International | $23 | 1GB |
| *Lycamobile 4GB International | $29 | 4GB |
| Lycamobile 6GB | $35 | 6GB |
| *Lycamobile 5GB International | $39 | 5GB |
| Lycamobile 7GB | $45 | 7GB |
| Lycamobile Unlimited | $50 | Unlimited |
| Net10 2GB | $35 | 2GB |
| Net10 4GB | $40 | 4GB |
| Net10 8GB | $50 | 8GB |
| Net10 10GB | $60 | 10GB |
| *Net 10 8GB International | $65 | 8GB |
| Pure Talk 500MB | $20 | 500MB |
| Pure Talk 1GB | $25 | 1GB |
| Pure Talk 3GB | $30 | 3GB |
| Pure Talk 5GB | $35 | 5GB |
| Pure Talk 10GB | $45 | 10GB |
| Republic Wireless Talk & Text | $15 | N/A (4G data costs $5 for each 1GB) |
| Straight Talk Basic (Includes 1,500 minutes and unlimited texts) | $30 | 100MB |
| Straight Talk 2GB | $35 | 2GB |
| Straight Talk 10GB | $45 | 10GB |
| Straight Talk Unlimited | $55 | Unlimited |
| *Straight Talk International | $60 | 10GB |
| Total Wireless Talk & Text | $23.70 | N/A |
| Total Wireless 5GB | $33.20 | 5GB |
| US Cellular Talk & Text | $30 | N/A |
| US Cellular 3GB | $40 | 3GB |
| US Cellular Unlimited | $55 | Unlimited |
* Includes calling to select countries
Wait, there’s more
I listed Mint Mobile and Tracfone separately because they have prepaid that last more than just a single month. Also, Tracfone’s plans have different allowances for calling minutes and texts.
Dissecting Mint Mobile’s plans
| Plan length | Monthly price | Included 4G data allowance |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months | $15 | 2GB |
| 3 months | $20 | 5GB |
| 3 months | $25 | 10GB |
| 6 months | $18 | 2GB |
| 6 months | $24 | 5GB |
| 6 months | $30 | 10GB |
| 1 year | $15 | 2GB |
| 1 year | $20 | 5GB |
| 1 year | $25 | 10GB |
Watch this: Best tips for buying a new phone
2:55
Dissecting Tracfone’s plans
| Plan length | Monthly price | Included calling minutes | Included texts | Included 4G data allowance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | $15 | 200 | 500 | 500MB |
| 30 days | $20 | 300 | 1,000 | 1GB |
| 60 days | $25 | 500 | 1,000 | 500MB |
| 60 days | $35 | 750 | 1,000 | 1GB |
| 90 days | $45 | 750 | 1,000 | 1.5GB |
| 90 days | $50 | 750 | 1,500 | 2GB |
| 1 year | 125 | 1,500 | 1,500 | 1.5GB |
