US prepaid carriers and MVNOs

Find which network a US prepaid carrier or MVNO runs on, what its plans cost, how to set its APN, and what happened to US Cellular, Sprint and Virgin Mobile.

Verizon, 15 brandsAT&T, 12 brandsT-Mobile, 14 brandsClosed

Find a brand that fits

Four short questions. The list narrows as you answer, and each card shows the cheapest plan that fits.

All Plans

Plan finder

NetworkWhich network do you want?Pick the one with the strongest signal where you live. Not sure? Leave it on any.
BudgetWhat is your monthly budget?For one line. A brand matches when it has a plan that fits at or under the amount.
ExtrasAnything else you need?Pick any that apply. Recent iPhones sold in the United States have no SIM tray, so they need eSIM.
Sort by

  • Gen Mobile

    T-MobileAT&T

    Gen Mobile plans start at $10 a month for 2 GB and reach $50 for unlimited data, with lower rates if you pay for 3, 6 or 12 months. Owner and networks.

    eSIMOwned by EchoStar2 networks

    from$10a month

  • Red Pocket Mobile

    AT&TT-MobileVerizon

    Red Pocket Mobile plans cost $10 to $30 a month, or less by the year, on a choice of three networks it calls GSMA, GSMT and CDMA. What each plan includes.

    eSIM3 networks

    from$10a month

  • Tello

    T-Mobile

    Tello plans start at $10 a month for 2 GB and top out at $25 for unlimited data. What each plan includes, the introductory-price small print, and APN settings.

    eSIM

    from$10a month

  • Ting Mobile

    Verizon

    Ting Mobile plans run from $10 a month plus $5 a gigabyte to $55 for its top unlimited plan. Every plan, what unlimited means on each, eSIM and the network.

    eSIM

    from$10a month

  • Ultra Mobile

    T-Mobile

    Ultra Mobile plans run from $19 to $59 for one month, and less if you pay for 3, 6 or 12 months. Every plan includes calling to 90+ countries.

    eSIMOwned by T-Mobile

    from$10a month

  • US Mobile

    VerizonAT&TT-Mobile

    US Mobile plans cost $10 to $44 a month with taxes and fees included, on a choice of three networks it calls Warp, Dark Star and Light Speed. How it works.

    eSIM3 networks

    from$10a month

  • Page Plus Cellular

    Verizon

    Page Plus Cellular plans cost $12 to $55 a month before taxes, with Auto Refill discounts and pay-as-you-go cards. Page Plus is owned by Verizon.

    Owned by Verizon

    from$12a month

  • Good2Go Mobile

    AT&TT-Mobile

    Good2Go Mobile plans start at $15 a month for 1 GB and run on AT&T's or T-Mobile's network. The current prices, the promotion fine print, and eSIM support.

    eSIM2 networks

    from$15a month

  • Helium Mobile

    T-Mobile

    Helium Mobile has two phone plans: Air at $15 a month for 10 GB and Infinity at $30 for unlimited data. Its free Zero plan was retired in June 2026.

    eSIMOwned by Affiniti Ventures

    from$15a month

  • Mint Mobile

    T-Mobile

    Mint Mobile plans work out to $15 to $40 a month, but you pay for 3, 6 or 12 months up front. The real totals, who owns Mint, and its APN settings.

    eSIMOwned by T-Mobile

    from$15a month

  • T-Mobile

    T-Mobile

    What T-Mobile plans cost for one line: prepaid from $15 a month and four postpaid plans from $55 to $105, with the AutoPay and fee details behind them.

    eSIM

    from$15a month

  • Tracfone

    Verizon

    Tracfone plans run from $15 a month for 1 GB to $50 for unlimited data, plus minute bundles that last 90 days or a year. Prices, Auto-Refill terms and network.

    Owned by Verizon

    from$15a month

  • Twigby

    Verizon

    Twigby plans cost $15 to $35 a month, and new customers pay $10 less for the first three months. What each plan includes, the fees on top, and the network.

    eSIM

    from$15a month

  • Walmart Family Mobile

    Verizon

    Walmart Family Mobile plans cost $19.88 to $49.88 a month, with extra lines at $19.88 each. What each plan includes, the Auto Pay prices, the owner and network.

    eSIMOwned by Verizon

    from$19.88a month

  • Black Wireless

    AT&T

    Black Wireless plans start at $20 a month and include international calling. The current plans, who owns the brand, and what its settings say about its network.

    eSIMOwned by The OLB Group

    from$20a month

  • Consumer Cellular

    AT&T

    Consumer Cellular plans start at $20, with unlimited data for $35 a month if you are over 50. What its site confirms, which network it uses, and APN settings.

    from$20a month

  • H2O Wireless

    AT&T

    H2O Wireless plans start at $20 a month, or $16 a month if you pay for a year. Every plan and term, the AutoPay discount, pay as you go, and the network.

    eSIMOwned by Locus Telecommunications

    from$20a month

  • PureTalk

    AT&T

    PureTalk plans cost $24.99 to $64.99 a month before taxes and fees. What each plan includes, where unlimited data slows down, eSIM and the network it uses.

    eSIM

    from$24.99a month

  • AT&T

    AT&T

    What AT&T plans cost: prepaid from $25 a month for one line, and four postpaid plans that AT&T prices per line for a family of four, discounts included.

    eSIM

    from$25a month

  • Patriot Mobile

    VerizonAT&TT-Mobile

    Patriot Mobile plans cost $25 to $75 a month for one line before taxes, on your choice of three networks. What each plan includes and the multi-line discount.

    eSIM3 networks

    from$25a month

  • Simple Mobile

    Verizon

    Simple Mobile plans run from $25 to $60 a month before taxes. What each plan includes, the Auto Pay prices, who owns the brand and which network it uses.

    Owned by Verizon

    from$25a month

  • Straight Talk

    Verizon

    Straight Talk plans run from $25 to $65 a month and the brand is owned by Verizon. Every current phone plan, the Auto Pay discount and the multi-month prices.

    eSIMOwned by Verizon

    from$25a month

  • Visible

    Verizon

    Visible plans cost $25 to $45 a month with taxes and fees included, on Verizon's network. What separates the three plans, the hotspot speeds and eSIM support.

    eSIMOwned by Verizon

    from$25a month

  • Boost Mobile

    AT&TT-Mobile

    Boost Mobile plans cost $25 to $60 a month with AutoPay. Boost is owned by EchoStar and now connects mainly through AT&T's towers. Plans, eSIM and setup.

    eSIMOwned by EchoStar2 networks

    from$30a month

  • Optimum Mobile

    T-Mobile

    Optimum Mobile's Unlimited plan is $30 a month for one line for 12 months, less per line with more lines, and $20 a line more without Optimum Internet.

    from$30a month

  • Spectrum Mobile

    Verizon

    Spectrum Mobile has three unlimited plans at $30, $40 and $50 a line, with the first line discounted for a year. Spectrum Internet and Auto Pay are required.

    eSIMOwned by Charter Communications

    from$30a month

  • Xfinity Mobile

    Verizon

    Xfinity Mobile has two unlimited plans, $30 and $45 a month after a discounted first year, and is sold only to Xfinity Internet customers. What each includes.

    eSIMOwned by Comcast

    from$30a month

  • Cricket Wireless

    AT&T

    Cricket Wireless plans run from $35 to $60 for one line and use AT&T's network. Each plan's price with and without Auto Pay, and what it leaves out.

    eSIMOwned by AT&T

    from$35a month

  • Google Fi Wireless

    T-Mobile

    Google Fi Wireless plans cost $35 to $65 a month for one line and use T-Mobile's network. Each plan's data limit, the pay-per-gigabyte option and eSIM.

    eSIMOwned by Google

    from$35a month

  • Verizon

    Verizon

    What Verizon plans cost for one line: four prepaid plans from $35 a month and the Simplicity postpaid plan, with the discounts that change each price.

    eSIM

    from$35a month

  • Metro by T-Mobile

    T-Mobile

    Metro by T-Mobile plans cost $40 to $60 for one line with taxes and fees included. The current plans, the AutoPay discount and how Metro differs from T-Mobile.

    eSIMOwned by T-Mobile

    from$40a month

  • Total Wireless

    Verizon

    Total Wireless plans cost $40 to $65 for one line in the first month and run on Verizon's 5G network. Each plan's price, Auto Pay discount and family pricing.

    eSIMOwned by Verizon

    from$40a month

No brand we track matches all of that. Try a higher budget or another network.

A price is the monthly list price for one line on the brand's own site, last checked .

Start with what you are solving

Three networks carry every brand

An MVNO sells phone service on a network it does not own. Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile own the towers, and the brands listed here rent access to them. Each page names the host network, gives the current plans with the month we checked them, and says so if the brand has closed.

All MVNOs

Carriers that closed, and who has their customers

An empty cell is a brand that no longer sells service. The filled cell is the network its customers are on today.

All Carriers

Plans, by what you need

These pages group plans by need across carriers and MVNOs. Each price shows the month we checked it, because prices change without notice.

All Plans

Some of the lowest starting prices

  1. Gen Mobile$10 to $50
  2. Red Pocket Mobile$10 to $30
  3. Tello$10 to $25
  4. Ting Mobile$10 to $55
  5. Ultra Mobile$10 to $59
  6. US Mobile$10 to $44
  7. Page Plus Cellular$12 to $55
  8. Good2Go Mobile$15 to $55

Lowest and highest monthly price for one line, from each brand's own site. Last checked .

Two brands, side by side

Each page puts two brands next to each other and says which one suits which kind of customer. Prices and networks carry the month we checked them.

All 12 comparisons

APN settings, one page per carrier

The APN tells your phone how to reach your carrier's data network. A wrong value is the usual reason mobile data or picture messages stop working after you switch carriers or update your phone. Each page gives the values for Android and iPhone, the steps to enter them, and what to try if they do not work.

What an APN is
Guide, 4 stepsHow to switch carriers and keep your phone and numberHow to switch carriers without losing your number: check the phone is unlocked, pick the network, get a transfer PIN, and let the new carrier do the move.
  1. 1Check your phone is unlocked
  2. 2Choose by network first
  3. 3Get your account number and transfer PIN
  4. 4Sign up and port
Read the guide

Guides

All 8 guides

BuzzMobile is not a carrier and sells no plans

Every current fact carries the date we checked it and the page we read it from. Tell us if one is wrong.

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