Where to Find the Cheapest Data Plan for Smartphones

You’ve got the phone. Now you need to keep it going. Whether you have a tendency to burn through your monthly data quickly or plan out your usage, having a phone data plan that matches your habits is important. 

The type of plan you choose is highly dependent on how you use your phone and who you want to include in your plan. For example, it’s common to bundle family’s phone usage together to save money and streamline their billing. 

Different plans carry specific features and limitations that can fit in well with your intentions with your phone usage. Whether you’re more of a texter or always jump on the phone call, you can discover a plan that meets your needs without breaking the bank. 

With a little bit of searching, you can find a cheap data plan for smartphones that works for you. To help you get started, here we share a few helpful hints as you explore your cheapest data plan for your smartphone. 

Opt for Prepaid 

If you aren’t one to drain through your data very quickly, look into prepaid plan options to meet your smartphone’s needs. Plans from providers like Ting or Republic Wireless provide calling minutes and texts in addition to a lower amount of data for just $15-20 per month. If you’re just looking for a little bit of data to get you by when you’re not on Wi-Fi, check if a prepaid plan could work for you. 

Another great feature of prepaid plans is that you’re not locked into a contract for your usage. Most often, you can switch freely after a month if you discover that a prepaid plan isn’t for you or would like to explore other options. 

Find a Pay-As-You-Go Plan 

Pay for the data you actually use each month with a pay-as-you-go method. These plans often have a low monthly rate of just a couple dollars and charge you based on the amount of data you use for that month. T-Mobile’s PayGo or AT&T’s GoPhone plans have great rates and allow you to pay for just what you use. Just remember to continue to add money to your account in order to keep it active. 

Look at Top Carriers 

When it comes to data providers, there’s no shortage of competitors in the market. From Sprint to Verizon to T-Mobile to U.S. Cellular to AT&T and many more, each market player may offer special deals and opportunities for you to save money or have a better experience with one carrier over another. These carriers often offer a wide range of plans, including prepaid, that allows you to choose the method that works best with you, sometimes without even needing to switch providers. 

Here are some of the most affordable plans from top carriers: 

• AT&T – Find data plans that start at $50 per month with unlimited talk, text and 3GB of data. You can increase to unlimited data for just $70/month. 
• Boost Mobile – Pair your data with talk and text with an affordable plan. 
• Sprint – Choose from a wide selection of plans depending on how you use your phone. 
• Straight Talk – This Tracfone service offers unlimited talk and text with two options of data. 
• T-Mobile – Find prepaid plans with unlimited data. 
• Total Wireless – Find this Tracfone brand online and at WalMart for a $35/mo plan that includes unlimited talk, text and 5 GB of data. 
• Verizon – Choose from different prepaid data plan options or an unlimited plan that works best for you and your family’s needs.
• Virgin Mobile – Offers a range of data options to best meet your needs. 
• Xfinity Mobile – Only for Xfinity Internet customers, this plan provides unlimited text and 100MB of data per month with a $0 monthly account fee. You can also choose to upgrade plans based on GB or a flat unlimited rate. 

Find the plan that works for you and see how much you can save. 

Use Unlimited with Caution

If you go through a lot of data in a month, you may consider joining an unlimited plan for your phone usage. This approach is great for those who do go through quite a bit of data and require a higher threshold. However, before you use your data up freely, know the limitations of an unlimited plan, such as limiting streaming or slowing service. Even with unlimited, you may end up spending more if you reach beyond certain limits. 

Find the Plan that Works For You

The way you use your phone is unique to you. Find a plan that matches your smartphone needs with a plan that is both affordable and keeps you connected. Determine your most important factors in choosing a data plan provider and discover the range of opportunities available to you.