6 Best Prepaid Phone Plans (2026): Tello, Boost, Google Fi, More
Prepaid cellular service is the handshake deal of the phone world. With a prepaid phone plan, you pay up front for a month of service
Prepaid cellular service is the handshake deal of the phone world. With a prepaid phone plan, you pay up front for a month of service, then you get a month of service—usually up to a specified amount of data. There are no contracts and no obligations to stick around, and even the best prepaid phone plans usually cost less than their postpaid counterparts. All of that being true, the majority of people in the US use postpaid subscription plans from the big three wireless phone networks (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile), which often include a contract for service over a set period of months or years.
These plans are popular in part because most offer large upfront discounts for a new phone, not to mention plenty of perks, like international roaming, bundled streaming services, and emergency satellite services. Prepaid plans are often less expensive overall and more flexible. Unlike postpaid plans, which are a hassle to exit if you’re unhappy with the service, you can leave a prepaid cell plan at any time or change your data amount. You can go for unlimited data if you're a heavy user or snag just a couple of gigabytes per month, depending on your short-term needs. It's great. But prepaid phone services can also feel like the Wild West, with hundreds of carriers to choose from.
Most rent bandwidth from one of the three big carriers, and some prepaid carriers have gotten a bad rap over the years because the big carriers tended to throttle or deprioritize their data, making the phones all but unusable in extremely crowded environments, like concerts and airports. A few years back, the advent of 5G phone service changed that, allowing budget carriers like Tello to thrive by finding room on T-Mobile's large 5G network. Some prepaid networks, like our top pick, US Mobile, can work on multiple networks and grant customers access to premium, unthrottled data—just as the postpaid plans do. I've spent time testing each of these plans, for months in many cases, and can vouch for their service.
These are our favorites. Be sure to check out our other mobile guides, including the Best Unlimited Phone Plans, Best Android Phones, Best iPhones, and Best Cheap Phones. Updated May 2026: We’ve added renewed testing on our budget prepaid phone plan pick, Tello Mobile; removed Helium Mobile after the plan discontinued its free Zero Mobile service; and added additional context about 5G service and MVNOs. We’ve also confirmed links and prices.
The BriefWire