The next time you will be shopping for your next cell phone, be it iPhone XS or the soon-to-debut Galaxy Note 10, you might feel the need to select the best cell phone deals no contract. However, getting the right plan can be daunting. Beyond the dollars and cents, you should consider cell phones for sale without plans wireless carriers, coverage plans and data speeds among many other things.
Common cell phone deals such as Virgin Mobile Compatible Phones and Cell Phone Booster for Verizon could be your most preferred choice. However, with specific requirements, you should thoroughly search for a plan that meets your needs.
How to Choose the Best Cell Phone Deals
When searching for the best cell phones to buy without plans, finding the best place to begin your search is difficult. Well, it is important that you check on the following important factors when searching for a new plan.
- Money saving
- Good coverage
- Unlimited data
- Dedicated hotspot data
- International calling features
Just to mention, four popular networks in the US provide cell phone coverage. They include the T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. Verizon covers most of the US regions, followed by T-Mobile, AT&T and finally Sprint. That said, check out our review of the best cell phone deals no contract below.
Top 6 Best Cell Phone Deals Without Contract
1. Verizon Do More Unlimited Plan
Exceptional coverage coupled with excellent speed ratings and other extras makes the Verizon Do More Unlimited Plan the best cell phone deals no contract in our list. As the name suggests, this plan features unlimited data plan, which includes unlimited talk, text, 4G LTE that allows for DVD video streaming. Users can also add up to 10 lines to the account.
Features
- 5G Special Offer Access : Though available for a limited time, the Verizon Do More Unlimited Plan offers unlimited access to 5G, obviously for those using 5G capable phones in 5G coverage area at no extra charge. The offer includes unlimited 5G wideband data for download only, unlimited 4K HD streaming – requires 4K capable device and unlimited 5G wideband hotspot.
- 6 Months Free Apple Music : Subscribers of this plan get 6-months free access to Apple Music. You can then cancel the subscription after the period lapses or pay $9.99 monthly per line.
- HD Streaming : With the current technological age, everyone needs HD streaming over SD quality. Thankfully, the Verizon Do More Unlimited Plan allows for this.
Other features include;
- Capable mobile hotspot
- Up to 500 GB cloud storage
- Unlimited calls to and from Mexico and Canada
- Mix and match plans
- Autopay discounts
- Military discounts
- Call forwarding
- Basic voice mail
- Caller ID – has a monthly fee
- 3-way calling
- Total cost – $80 per month
- HD streaming capability
- Autopay discount
- Free apple music
- Various device options
- Quite pricey
2. T-Mobile Simply Prepaid 10GB Plan
The low premium cost and the huge chunk of data made the T-Mobile Simply Prepaid 10GB Plan our second choice in this list. It is a good choice of monthly cell phone plan for those who want a prepaid plan for use in the US. It features unlimited talk, text and a good amount of G LTE data when on T-Mobile network.
A hotspot is also allowed to full speeds until the data amount is reached. Once the high-speed data allotment is exceeded, the user’s data speed is slowed until the subsequent billing cycle.
Features
- Unlimited calls and messaging – like other best cell phone plans, the T-Mobile Simply Prepaid 10GB Plan offers unlimited talk time and texts for domestic use.
- Free music streaming – once you subscribe to this plan, you can stream freely any music you want from your tablet or phone. With this, you can enjoy music from top services including iTunes Radio, Spotify, Milk Music, Slacker, Pandora, and iHeart Radio.
- Data maximize – to allow the subscribed data last long, the plan optimizes video streaming. Once optimized, video streams at DVD quality but can be switched off any time.
- International options – though not free, subscribers can call or receive calls from Mexico and Canada at only $5 per month. You can as well enjoy the unlimited landline and mobile callings to select countries for only $15 monthly.
- No Overage charges – the T-Mobile Simply Prepaid 10GB Plan doesn’t charge for overages. However, the providers slow down the connection when the full amount is reached within the month.
- WI-FI calling and texting
- Smartphone equality
- The affordable option of $40 monthly
- Good network coverage and speed
- Wanting customer service
3. T-Mobile Essentials Cell Phone Plan
The T-Mobile Essentials Cell Phone Plan is another exciting cell phone deals for many reasons. For starters, this no-contract plan includes unlimited nationwide talk, text and data, unlimited Mexico and Canada talk, text and 2G data, unlimited DVD and video streaming as well as unlimited texting and flat-rate calling as low as $0.25 per minute to select countries.
Family plan : Not all no contract cell phone deals are meant for family. However, the T-Mobile Essentials Plan and Sprint plan come close to what any family would want to save on cost. This plan charges as follows;
- $60 per month for the first line with AutoPay
- $30 per month for the second line with AutoPay
- $15 monthly for three lines with AutoPay
- $5 per month per line without AutoPay
- Phone options
Three phone options come with the T-Mobile Essentials Plan. They include;
- Pay upfront option – you can purchase a new phone in a one-time upfront payment from T-Mobile
- Bring Your Own Phone – if you have to bring yours, it should be compatible with T-Mobile’s GSM network and fully unlocked from its previous carrier.
- Monthly payments – you can pay off the phone in monthly installments for a 24 months period.
- Unlimited 3G Hotspot Data
The T-Mobile Essentials Plan comes with a 3G-speed mobile hotspot. However, for an additional $10, users can add another high-speed 4G LTE hotspot data of 10GB.
Features
- International pass data plans
- Unlimited international calls add-on
- Unlimited DVD video streaming
- WIFI texting and calling
- Access to team of expert support
- Voicemail with a message alert
- Various phone options available
- 24/7 customer care
- International calls and pass
- No roaming charges
- Quite pricey
4. AT&T Prepaid $40 Per Month Plan
The AT&T Prepaid $40 Per Month Plan, as the name suggests, is a 30-day plan with unlimited nationwide talk time, text and data with the first used 8GB in high-speed. Data will be slowed once the initial 8GB of your allotment is used up until the next billing cycle. High-speed can be used in Canada and Mexico at no additional fee but shouldn’t exceed half of the total usage.
Features
- Unlimited Talk and Text : Like other best plans, the AT&T Prepaid $40 Per Month Plan has unlimited talk, text, video, picture and sound messaging within the US, Canada and Mexico. However, remember that Mexico and Canada conditions require that usage shouldn’t exceed 50% of the total allotment. As for the text, the plan offers unlimited usage to more than 100 select countries.
- Stream Saver : Most people would like to use a plan that minds their data usage. Well, this plan has a Stream Saver option that allows subscribers to watch more videos with fewer data.
- Rollover Data : Like the MyData Vault feature found in other plans, subscribers can rollover their unused data from previous billing cycles to the next month’s cycle. The unused and rolled over data, however, expires after one cycle or with a change in plan.
- No roaming charges
- Various phone options available
- Stream saver saves on data
- Unlimited text to several countries
- Rollover feature
- Reduced speed once high-speed allowance is exceeded.
5. Sprint Unlimited Plus Plan
If you are looking for the best cell phone family plans, the Sprint Unlimited Plus Plan should be your option of choice. A family that saves together stays together, and this plan is the perfect pick. The plan features an unlimited talk time, text and high-speed data when on Sprint network, Tidal and Hulu services.
Features
- Affordable pricing : All family dedicated plans are about saving money. With the Sprint Lease, you will need to pay $70 for the first line, $50 for the second lone and $10 per line for three lines as it allows up to 5 lines.
- Flex Lease : Users on this plan can lease their phones for 18 months with monthly payments. During this period, Sprint will own the phone, and you may choose to buy it at the end of the agreement. You can as well opt to upgrade, continue leasing or return the phone.
- Early Upgrade : The plan allows subscribers to upgrade their phones before the end of the 18-month lease period. However, for early upgrades, it requires a minimum of 12 consecutive payments, a new paying agreement, the account should be in good status and subscriber should return the current device in a good, working condition.
Annual upgrade is possible for the latest iPhones and Samsung Galaxy Smartphones. For other devices, however, you will need to include an early upgrade option that goes for $5 per month. The other upgrade option requires users to make all the remaining payments in the lease before opting to upgrade.
- Affordable pricing
- Best family package
- HD streaming available
- Allows up to 5 lines in one account
- Reduced speeds past 50GB data
6. US Cellular Prepaid Family Plan
The US Cellular Prepaid Family Plan is a prepaid customizable family plan that features unlimited talk and text. Subscribers get to save $10 for every additional line in the account, with a maximum of 5 lines. Each of the added lines can opt for 3GB or unlimited data options. Streaming on unlimited data plans gives speeds of 3Mbps with 15GB high-speed data. Data speeds, however, are reduced for the remaining billing cycle once the high-speed allotment is completely used up.
Features
- 3-day Grace Period : If it happens that you miss a due payment, you will be allowed three days to make the payment before being suspended. To join this plan, you should have maintained an active account for six months without suspensions related to missed payments.
- MyData Vault : Subscribers can transfer the remaining unused data to their next billing cycles for only $5 per month.
- Unlimited Talk and Text : Though it might not compare exactly with other cell phone deals, the US Cellular Prepaid Family Plan features unlimited domestic calling minutes and text messaging to people in the US. For Mexico calls and texts, subscribers will need an additional $5 monthly subscription. Note that this only applies to calls made to US cellular licensed market areas.
- Three-way calling
- International dialling and text messaging
- MyData Vault helps prevents data loss
- Nationwide coverage with no roaming charges
- No free Mexico and Canada calls
- Service can be terminated if more than 400MB is used in carriers’ non-licensed areas
FAQs
Some of the commonly asked questions regarding cell phone deals include;
What is the difference between prepaid and postpaid plans?
For prepaid plans, users have to pay before time compared to postpaid, which is paid after a month of using the phone. As for carriers, those who focus on prepaid plans have fewer phone models and most often, not new.
How do I choose a prepaid plan?
To select a prepaid plan, you should assess several things. Among them include;
- Your monthly budget
- How much data you use every month
- The number of texts you send monthly
- The calls you make monthly
The Bottom Line
There are hundreds of cell phone deals available with interesting offers. However, as indicated above, various guiding factors should lead you to select the right option. In most cases, small carriers typically have better offers for prepaid options compared to large carriers. You should also read the fine print of every deal, especially if you are looking for an affordable option. Consider eliminating some elements to make it budget-friendly.
From the options mentioned above, the Verizon Do More Unlimited offers much hype and services compared to other plans. The Sprint Unlimited Plus, on the other hand, is the best choice for those looking for family plans.