The best no-contract phone plans

Everyone needs a smartphone these days, there's just no getting around it. But a phone isn't much use without some kind of data plan, and not everyone needs a traditional plan from one of the big carriers.

And while most plans from AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint/T-Mobile don't come with a formal contract anymore, they still have arrangements that lock you into a specific plan, at a specific price, for a specific amount of time. They're also "post-paid" plans, in that you agree to be held to specific terms and then pay your bill at the end of the month.

Smaller carriers, MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operators), and other companies offer similar plans—on the same networks—but without the strings attached. That means you can more easily jump from one carrier to another if your situation changes or you need to move to a different plan as your needs develop.

Though it's impossible for us to test every carrier in every location, these are the best no-contract and prepaid plans on the highest-quality networks that we could find. They won't be perfect for everyone, but we think these are the best no-contract phone plans available.

Visible

Cost per month: Starting at $25 Data per month: Unlimited Restrictions: Video limited to 480p, traffic can be de-prioritized if network is congested Best for: Unlimited data, families

Most of the pre-paid carriers here are actually owned by one of the big three network operators (AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile/Sprint). Visible is owned by Verizon, so you're getting unlimited access to the network that has consistently ranked as having the best 4G coverage for years.

Visible sets itself apart from the competition here in a few key ways.

The biggest benefit in our book is that it's among the cheapest unlimited data plans you can get right now at just $25 per month for a single line. For $45 per month, you can opt for Visible's "plus" plan, which includes 50GB of premium data and better international calling and texting.

There are a couple of restrictions to be aware of, but they're the standard stuff: your traffic can be de-prioritized if the network is congested. Also, video streaming on your plan is restricted to 480p (DVD quality), though even the big carriers do this and it's not that noticeable on a small phone screen.

You can use your Visible data to act as a hotspot for another device, though speeds are limited to 5Mbps and you can only tether one device at a time. Otherwise, for both single lines, this is the best prepaid phone plan right now.

Sign up for Visible starting at $25/line

Google Fi

Cost per month: $50 for one line, $80 for four lines (plus fees) Data per month: Unlimited Restrictions: Video limited to 480p Best for: International travel, heavy hotspot users

Google Fi bills itself as "a different kind of phone plan"—though in truth it's more of a pre-paid phone plan that comes with a few extra perks. The most notable ones: unlimited full-speed hotspot usage and unlimited international texts and data. Those aren't all that common on postpaid phone plans, so getting it with absolutely no contract is a nice deal.

The only hitch? Fi is more expensive than competing plans. A single unlimited line costs $50, though that drops to $20/line (plus fees) if you have four people. You can opt for a flexible version, though that costs $20/month (again, plus fees) for one person and $10 for every GB of data you use.

Google Fi's coverage is very good, as your data can ride on the T-Mobile/Sprint network—including 5G if your phone supports T-Mobile's 5G bands. It's a nice plan, but the monthly price really only pays off if you are going to take advantage of the international and hotspot perks.

Sign up for Google Fi starting at $50/line

Tello

Cost per month: $10/line for 1GB of data, $29/line for unlimited data Data per month: Varies, $14 for 2GB, $19 for 5GB, $29 for unlimited Restrictions: Speed is throttled after hitting data limit Best for: People that want the cheapest service possible

There are a ton of cheap prepaid phone plans, but Tello offers a lot for a minimal monthly cost. You can build your own plan, starting with 500 minutes of calls, unlimited texts, and 1GB of data per month for just $10. That's not likely to be enough for most people, but it's a great low-cost option if you only rarely use a phone. You can upgrade to a more manageable 2GB of data and unlimited calls and texts for just $14/mo, or 5GB of data for $19/mo.

Your data moves through the T-Mobile network. You can even opt for "Unlimited" data, though that's just 25GB before it dips to 2G speeds.

The one hangup with this is you'll need a phone that supports T-Mobile GSM network. Tello will sell you plenty of them, though we think an unlocked/GSM-compatible phone like the iPhone 14 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra offers the best value. It'll cost more upfront, but you'll be free to switch to another provider if Tello doesn't suit your fancy.

Sign up for Tello starting at $10/line

Metro by T-Mobile

Cost per month: $40 for one line, $100 for four lines (limited time) Data per month: Unlimited Restrictions: Video limited to 480p Best for: People that want the cheapest service possible

Formerly MetroPCS, this is now the in-house prepaid brand of T-Mobile. The plans are pretty similar to the main T-Mobile plans, using the same network and offering a mix of unlimited data, hotspot features, and significant discounts if you sign up with multiple lines.

A single line of unlimited talk/text/data will run you $50/mo and includes 8GB of hotspot usage. But Metro really begins to pay dividends if you look to the higher-end plans, especially if you're switching over multiple lines. Metro offers a wide range of promotions, phone discounts, and other perks (like included 100GB Google One membership on some plans) to sweeten the pot.

If you find the right mix, you can get a lot for your money. For example, four lines of the top-tier plan get you unlimited everything, 100GB Google One Membership, and 15GB of hotspot usage for just $120/mo. There are even phone discounts for switching after a bunch of confusing discounts and caveats (it's still a phone plan).

Sign up for Metro by T-Mobile starting at $40/line

Boost Mobile

Cost per month: $25 for 1 line, $100 for four lines (limited time) Data per month: Unlimited, depending on plan Restrictions: Video limited to 480p Best for: Groups looking for a discount

Boost (at least in the US) is another T-Mobile-owned carrier—yes, there are a few of them—but that does give you access to one of the best mobile networks. Boost isn't the best in any one area, but it offers an attractive mix that will appeal to anyone that wants unlimited data, an affordable price, and a ton of hotspot data.

Boost starts at $25/mo for a single line of unlimited talk/text/data, which is the same as Visible but cheaper than Google Fi. It also has excellent group discounts right now, including four unlimited data lines for $100, and three lines for just $90/mo. If for some reason you prefer the T-Mobile network to Verizon, then this isn't a bad backup plan.

Sign up for Boost Mobile starting at $25/line