Top 6 Cheapest Cellphone Plans | 2017 Ranking | Cheapest Mobile Phone Plans

2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING BEST CHEAPEST CELLPHONE PLANS

Finding the Cheapest Cellphone Plans

We are almost always on the go in today’s busy world, which is why finding cheap phone plans has become of paramount importance. Without a cellphone in our pocket, it can be hard for our loved ones to find us or get in touch during an emergency.

In fact, we are so tied to our phones that new research is showing that the vast majority of us can’t live without them.

One study shows that 97% of millennials use their smartphones to consume various types of content online. We’re using them for talk and text, in addition to the more convenient features that some plans have to offer.

What do you do if your budget doesn’t allow for the pricey plans some providers have to offer?

Award Emblem: Top 6 Cheapest Cellphone Plans

It’s time to compare cell phone plans according to what they can offer and what they cost. The cheapest cellphone plans out there have plenty of features that rival some of the top plans. Especially for consumers who don’t use much data, affordable cell phone plans are incredibly simple to find.

AdvisoryHQ noticed that there was a tremendous amount of consumer interest when it came to the cheapest mobile phone plans. We’ve taken an in-depth look at the various providers and their cheapest phone plans to determine what you could save by switching.

Ready to shift some funds around in your monthly budget by switching to the cheapest cellphone plans? Let’s take a closer look at what the top providers in this category have to offer.

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AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 6 Best Cheapest Cellphone Plans

List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the plans below to go directly to the detailed review section for that cheap cell phone plan):

• Boost Mobile with Auto-Pay
• Cricket Wireless 1GB
• MetroPCS Unlimited Talk and Text
• Project Fi
• Republic Wireless
• Ting

Top 6 Best Cheapest Cellphone Plans | Brief Comparison & Ranking

Table: Top 6 Best Cheapest Mobile Phone Plans | Above list is sorted alphabetically

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Key Features When You Compare Cell Phone Plans

When you’re conducting research for a cell phone plan comparison, what are some of the key features that you look for? Consumers who have tried to compare cell phone plans already know how time-consuming it can be to wade through all of the plan details and pricing from providers.

Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules to make decisions quickly when you compare cell phone plans. There are a few guidelines and things you can keep in mind for your next cell phone plan comparison, though:

• Unlimited vs. Prepaid: How often do you really plan to use your cheap cell phone plan? With some of the cheapest cell phone plans, you’ll pay for the number of minutes, messages, or gigabytes of data that you actually use.These may be the cheapest cellphone plans for consumers who don’t use their mobile device on a regular basis.  
• Data: Do you own a smartphone that you really can’t live without? Not all of the cheapest mobile phone plans will include data in their monthly fees.Review your past data usage to uncover how much you’ve used and how much you are likely to use in the future when you switch to these cheapest cell phone plans.
• Available Phones: One often-neglected attribute to mention in cellphone plan reviews is to look at the models available for those plans. They may include only pricey options that are out of your budget, even if the monthly fee qualifies them as one of the cheapest cellphone plans.Take a closer look at the price and options available for devices before you switch to any of the cheapest cellphone plans.
• Coverage: Just because they are the cheapest cellphone plans doesn’t mean that they provide service to your area.Investigate the coverage when you compare cell phone plans to ensure that you’ll be satisfied with your phone long-term.

Not all of the cheapest mobile phone plans are created equal. Some will be better-suited to certain types of consumers, such as those who consume large quantities of data or who make fewer phone calls. The most affordable cell phone plans may vary based on your location, your usage, and the type of phone that you prefer to have.

Image Source: Pixabay

Be sure to do your research on which of these cheapest cellphone plans is popular in your area. By asking around for the cellphone plan reviews of friends and family members, you can ensure that you will receive good coverage and great customer service when you compare cell phone plans.

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AdvisoryHQ’s Selection Methodology

What methodology does AdvisoryHQ use in selecting and finalizing the credit cards, financial products, firms, services, and products that are ranked on its various top rated lists?

Please click here “AdvisoryHQ’s Ranking Methodologies” for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ’s selection methodologies for ranking top rated credit cards, financial accounts, firms, products, and services.

Detailed Review – Top Ranking Cheapest Cellphone Plans

Below, please find the detailed review of each plan on our list of cheapest mobile phone plans. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these cheap cell phone plans to score so highly in our selection ranking.

Boost Mobile with Auto-Pay Review

Consumers who want to compare cell phone plans and want an unlimited number of minutes and texts will want to take a look at Boost Mobile with Auto-Pay. This is one of the cheapest mobile phone plans that includes a reasonable amount of data alongside talk and text capabilities.

These cheapest cell phone plans come in at just $30 per month when you enroll in their autopay program known as Auto Re-Boost^SM. Consumers who prefer to make payments manually each month should note that they will pay an additional $5 per month for these cheap cell phone plans without enrollment.

When you sign up for an individual line with the Boost Mobile provider, you get access to a handful of benefits that should be mentioned in cellphone plan reviews:

• Unlimited music streaming
• 2GB of 4G LTE data
• Unlimited talk and text

Even better, you can enroll your whole family with these cheap mobile phone plans. Each additional family member’s line will cost just $30 per month.

For consumers who need affordable cell phone plans that offer more data, Boost Mobile gives you a flexible payment option. Plans can be adjusted to include one to two extra gigabytes of data for a small fee. Each extra gigabyte of 4G LTE data will cost an additional $5 per month on their basic plans.

Cricket Wireless 1GB Review

Another unlimited version of the cheapest cellphone plans on the market, the Cricket Wireless 1GB plan gives you the ability to talk and text all you want. While it does limit you to nationwide minutes and messages, these affordable cell phone plans certainly have a few features that they can boast about.

For starters, the Cricket Wireless 1GB plan offers a small amount of 4G LTE high-speed data. It may not satisfy the complete needs of an avid smartphone user, but 1GB of data can go a long way. If all you need your data for is occasionally checking your email, these cheap mobile phone plans allow you to do just that.

The base price for these Cricket Wireless 1GB plans is $30 each month, regardless of how you pay. Their upgraded plans (which offer more data) do have a monthly discount for enrolling in an autopay program. For example, if you upgrade their cheapest cellphone plans to one with 3GB of data each month and enroll in autopay, it would cost a mere $5 more each month.

One of the other best features included in these cheap phone plans is the ability to choose what type of phone you want and can afford. There are plenty of smartphones to choose from, including:

• Samsung Galaxy Amp 2
• Samsung Galaxy Core Prime^TM
• LG Risio^TM
• Nokia Lumia 635
• Apple iPhone 7

There is also a basic flip phone that costs just $29.99 with activation. This ensures that there is a phone for every budget with these most affordable cell phone plans. 

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MetroPCS Unlimited Talk and Text Review

The MetroPCS Unlimited Talk and Text is one of a handful of cheap mobile phone plans that features an unlimited choice. In a cell phone plan comparison, it should be noted that this is great for those who want to enjoy very basic and cheap phone plans.

Users can make the most of an unlimited number of minutes and messages nationwide on these cheapest phone plans. Fortunately, you also get a few other benefits that should be included in thorough cellphone plan reviews:

• Voicemail
• Caller ID
• Call waiting
• 3-way calls
• Wi-Fi connectivity

All of these features are included in these cheapest mobile phone plans with no annual contract. If you discover that the MetroPCS provider doesn’t work as well as you hoped, there are no long-term commitments to worry about.

The cost for these cheap mobile phone plans is just $25 per month.

Cellphone plan reviews may also note how affordable the phone itself is. Only one model is compatible with the MetroPCS Unlimited Talk and Text cheapest phone plans: the LG 450. Fortunately, this option is just as inexpensive as their affordable cell phone plans at just $29.

It should be noted that these phones do not have all of the capabilities of a smartphone. A flip phone may seem like a relic of the past, but it is perfect for the basic capabilities of these affordable cell phone plans.

Image Source: MetroPCS

Project Fi Review

Google is now offering a great choice for consumers who are attempting to compare cell phone plans. Project Fi comes with only one plan choice, and it just happens to be one of the most affordable cell phone plans on the market.

One of the most unique features of the Project Fi cheap cellphone plans is the ability to shift among various networks. Google has a partnership with three leading cellphone providers in order to offer better coverage at a lower rate.

When you compare cell phone plans, you should consider the price compared to the services you receive. Plan details note that these cheapest mobile phone plans allow users to make the most of unlimited domestic talk and text. International messaging is also included, a feature that is often not mentioned when you compare cell phone plans in this category.

These cheapest cell phone plans start at just $20 per month. Additional members can be added onto your plan for just $15 per month.

Keep in mind that these rates do not include any data. Consumers who will want data when they compare cell phone plans should prepare for an additional $10 per GB data charge.

Phones can be rather expensive because only certain models are compatible for the Google Project Fi coverage areas. Models that can be used with these cheapest mobile phone plans start at $249 and go up to $649. All phone models are available with monthly financing options as well.

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Republic Wireless Review

Republic Wireless is bound to come up as a top contender for the best and cheapest cellphone plans available on the market today. They offer an unlimited option for consumers who want to enroll in the absolute cheapest mobile phone plans without many frills.

The first thing that users need to take note of with the cheapest mobile phone plans from Republic Wireless is that all calls and messages are first sent over Wi-Fi. The cheap cell phone plans will use your phone’s cellular networks if this option fails. Because of this unique aspect of their cheapest cellphone plan, the phones you can select are rather limited.

The types of cellphones available on any of these cheapest mobile phone plans are something that should be noted when you compare cell phone plans. In this case, you can select several Android options, such as:

• Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
• Moto Z Play
• Samsung Galaxy J3
• Moto G PLAY (4^th generation)

You can see the full selection of phones in the image below to more accurately compare cell phone plans.

Image Source: Republic Wireless

For the low cost of just $15 per month, consumers gain access to one of the cheapest cellphone plans on today’s market. It includes perks such as unlimited talk and text, as well as Wi-Fi data.

For an extra $5 per month, users have the option to upgrade to 1GB of cell data in addition to their Wi-Fi data. Further increases in data are available for more avid smartphone users, but these are by far the two cheapest mobile phone plans.

Ting Review

Ting offers some of the cheapest cellphone plans for those who don’t often use their mobile device. The cheapest mobile phone plans from Ting are ideal for those who need a phone in case of an emergency but rarely use more than a few hundred minutes or texts each month.

Ultimately, Ting makes it a little difficult to compare cell phone plans with other providers that have unlimited talk and text. The fee structure is slightly different, but it is a huge part of what makes this one of the most affordable cell phone plans.

First, consumers should expect to pay a flat fee of $6 for each line they have. This charge applies regardless of how often you plan to use the rest of their cheapest mobile phone plans. No additional charges apply if you don’t use any minutes, messages, or data for the month.

From here, you have to compare cell phone plans based on your personal usage. The lowest tier includes either 100MB of data, 100 minutes, or 100 messages for a $3 charge each.

Image Source: Ting

Consumers who are looking for the cheapest mobile phone plans won’t have much to write home about if they are frequent users. There is no option for an unlimited plan from Ting, and the fees can rack up quickly with each minutes and message you send. See below for the maximum bundled rates for each category:

• 2,100 minutes: $35 or 1.9 cents per minute after
• 4,800 messages: $11 or ¼ cents per message after
• 2GB: $20 or $10 per GB after

Rates for these cheap phone plans add up very quickly, especially for avid smartphone users. Cellphone plan reviews should note that Ting is only one of the most affordable cell phone plans for users who do not need an unlimited talk and text option. In a cell phone plan comparison, Ting does come out ahead for those who only want to pay for the few minutes and messages they actually use.

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Conclusion—Top 6 Best Cheapest Cellphone Plans

The cheapest mobile phone plans are fairly easy to find, but the perfect one will ultimately depend on you. When you compare cell phone plans, you’ll find that one may offer more of the features you’re interested. Another of these cheap phone plans may fit better into your monthly budget during this season.

All of the options included in our list of cellphone plan reviews feature relatively basic plans that have great features for consumers. Plans offer a variety of features based on your individual usage and needs.

Remember to review the coverage included for your area before you purchase a phone or enroll in any of these cheapest mobile phone plans. Doing local research is a critical step prior to making a financial commitment to any of these most affordable cell phone plans.

Evaluate your personal phone usage before enrolling in these cheapest cellphone plans. Many consumers may find that they could increase their monthly savings significantly by making the switch to one of these cheapest mobile phone plans.