Top Cheap Alternatives to Tracfone Prepaid Service
These are the best low-cost alternatives to Tracfone service. Most of these options are a little more expensive than the lowest-cost Tracfone options, but generally offer more for the money with unlimited talk and text, and a some with unlimited data.
Many Tracfone users have been with the company for a long time. The extremely low cost and ability to control airtime usage has made it popular for years.
But there have always been a handful of issues (mostly poor customer service), and with Verizon acquiring Tracfone, the problems only seem to have multiplied. Issues range from a lack of basic functionality of the Tracfone website, to some users accounts getting disconnected. Tracfone promo codes have also become much more restricted, and Tracfone really has not been handling 3G network closures very well, leaving customers looking for answers.
We're hoping Tracfone straightens the issues out soon, and most Tracfone users are unlikely to leave, but for those who are ready to jump ship to greener grass, here are some of the best alternatives available.
One thing to remember is that most of these use T-Mobile's network. So if you don't have T-Mobile coverage in your area, your main option in this list is Visible Wireless.
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Mint MobileFounded in 2016, Mint Mobile is a relative newcomer to the wireless industry, but they have quickly become a popular option for the simple, affordable, no-nonsense plans.
Mint runs on T-Mobile's network, and only offers 3, 6 or 12 month prepaid plans. All their plans come with unlimited talk and text, and varying amounts of data. Their cheapest plan is $15 a month for the first 3 months and comes with 5 GB data per month. After that, to keep the $15 a month rate, you will have to commit to 12 months at $180 upfront. This is not unlike Tracfone's 1 year airtime cards that are a popular, and inexpensive option.
Other plans from Mint offer more data, with their $20 plan featuring 10 GB data per month, their $25 plan offering 15 GB, and their $30 plan coming with unlimited data. Just remember that to get those monthly rates you have to pay for 12 months upfront. If you opt to pay for only 3 months, it will end up at $25 for their cheapest, 5 GB plan.
Tracfone's most comparable plan is $199 for 365 service days, unlimited talk and text, and 24 GB data. But that comes out to over $16 per month with only 24 GB data for all 12 months. If you do need more data, it can be purchased at $10 for 1 GB.
For those that use a lot of data, and prefer unlimited talk and text, Mint is a cheaper option to Tracfone. However, Tracfone does offer other plans without unlimited talk and text that come out to about $10 per month for 12 months.
Because Mint uses T-Mobile's network, you should check for coverage in your area, and for compatibility with your device, before switching.
Learn more about Mint Mobile on their website.
Google Fi
For certain users (mostly those ready to sign up 4+ lines), Google Fi might be a great unlimited option.All of their plans offer data, calls and texts within the US, Canada and Mexico at no additional cost, and their Unlimited Plus plan offers data in more than 200 countries, and free international calling from the US to 50+ international destinations. For people who travel a lot, or have family or friends abroad, this could be a big money saver.
Google Fi's plans only become economical, however, when you add multiple lines in a 'family' plan. With 4 lines, their Simply Unlimited plan is just $20 per month per line and includes unlimited talk, text and data.
They also offer a flexible plan, which is just $20 for one line, and includes unlimited talk and text. But you have to pay $10 per GB for data on top of the $20. Tracfone offers a similar $20 unlimited talk/text card, but it also includes 1 GB data and additional data can be purchased at $10/GB.
Google Fi doesn't make sense for everyone, but for some users, and especially those looking to add a family plan of 4 lines or more, it offers a lot of great features and can be very affordable.
Fi uses combination of T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular's networks and only a handful of phones (such as Google Pixel devices) are designed to fully make use of all of Google Fi's features. But many other phones are still compatible. Check the full list here, and learn more about Google Fi on their website.
Tello Mobile
For just $10/mo, Tello gives customers unlimited talk and text, and 1 GB 2 GB data. Increase the data to 5 GB at just $14 per month. They also offer an unlimited data plan for just $25. (Tello recently updated their pricing, reducing the cost and increasing data for many of their plans!)
Plans can be upgraded or downgraded anytime with no extra fees. The change is instant, and your remaining balance will roll over for the next 30 days. Plans renew automatically each month, but can be cancelled at any time with no fees.
Tello also offers International calling to over 60 locations free with every plan. And they currently have 50% off your first month of service.
Compared to Tracfone, Tello offers similar amounts of data, but at a lower monthly cost. Tracfone's cheapest unlimited talk/text plan is $15 for 1 GB (with auto-refill). And their top option is $35 for 8 GB (with auto-refill). With Tello, their 10 GB data plan with unlimited talk and text is $19.
One of the drawbacks for Tello is they don't currently offer any data-only add-ons. Whereas with Tracfone, if you need more data it is just $10 per GB. And also, Tracfone offers data carryover, so your unused data is added to the next month. We couldn't find anything mentioned about data carryover for Tello.
Head over to the Tello website to learn more, and check for compatibility.
Visible
Simple and affordable are the two words we would use to describe Visible. They have moved away from their 'party plan' pricing which required users to 'partner' with other users to get the lowest price on Visible service. Now, all users can get the lowest price without the need for a 'party plan'.Visible is owned by Verizon, and operates on Verizon's network, but still maintain an independent headquarters in Colorado where they were founded.
Visible's main plan is $25 a month for unlimited talk, text and data, however, they are offering a discount to $20 a month using code Visible24, which may not last long. Refer a friend, and you each get $20 off your next bill.
Visible also comes with unlimited mobile hotspot and users can make calls to Canada, Mexico, the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico at no additional cost.
But the biggest plus is that taxes and fees are all included. And many of you know how quickly the fees and taxes can drive the price up on a 'cheap' plan.
Data on Visible is capped to certain speeds. 4G LTE data is capped to around 12 Mbps, and 5G data is capped to about 200 Mbps. These aren't the fastest speeds, but more than enough for most users. In several speed tests we conducted for Tracfone's service (on Verizon), our 4G lTE speeds averaged only 7 Mbps.
If a simple, unlimited plan with Verizon service is what you want, and you don't mind finding a party plan to join, Visible is a good option. Head over to the Visible website to learn more.
Tracfone has several other brands under it, including Straight Talk and Net10 which each offer unlimited talk/text plans with 10 GB data per month for $35-$40. But users would be better off opting for Visible's unlimited plan and joining a party to get it all for $25 on the same network (Verizon).
Which Plan is Best for You?
Tracfone offers cheap service and a lot of flexibility with different plans. However, they are not the cheapest option for people who use a lot of data, or want an unlimited plan. And Tracfone's other brands (Straight Talk and Net10) are also more expensive than many other options.For an unlimited plan, Visible and Tello are the cheapest options at $25 (with Visible requiring you to join a party plan). If you are going to have a family plan with 4+ lines, Google Fi is the cheapest unlimited plan. And if you don't want to deal with party plans or family lines, Mint Mobile is another option and has a $30/mo unlimited plan.
For the cheapest options, Tracfone is one of the better contenders, with a $125 year card that includes some airtime. But unless you are not using your phone much, you will have to spend more to get additional talk, text and data. Mint Mobile and Tello each offer plans for $10-$15 which include unlimited talk and text, and 1-5 GB data.
Tracfone does offer network coverage on all the major networks, which is very convenient. However, they do plan to migrate everyone to Verizon service in the future. Many of the other carriers in this list use T-Mobile, which may not have service in some rural areas.
The bottom line is, there are a lot of different options available and the best one is the one that fits your budget and needs best.
There are a number of other carriers that we did not include in this list, and some of them may offer great prices for certain options. But we found the list above to be the cheapest and best at this time.
If you have questions or want to share additional info, be sure to check the comments below or head over and Follow us on Facebook!
If you're shopping for a smartphone, be sure to check out our List of the Best Tracfone Smartphones, which includes some of best current smartphones available from Tracfone. And for cost-conscious people, we just published the Best Tracfone Smartphones under $100 list.
You can also Bring Your Own Phone to Tracfone, including devices like the Moto G Stylus, iPhone, and more
See our Latest list of Deals and Discounts on Tracfone cell phones, but be careful, you might find a deal too good to pass up!
Thanks for visiting and leave a comment if you have thoughts or questions to share.
Tello.com offers simplicity and value--just like the "old days" of Tracfone. I am considering leaving Tracfone once I use up my Tracfone service.
ReplyDeleteWith Tracfone (so far) I have usually been able to get a bundle each year (new phone plus 1500 minutes/text etc. for 365 days) for really cheap! I looked at Tello. Pricing looks good, but there are no "deals" that include a phone, is that right?
ReplyDeleteI prefer US Mobile
ReplyDeleteI always get the 90 day ($20) card. Makes it just $80 a year.
ReplyDeleteIt is possible to have carryover data on Tello if you renew your plan a day before it expires. They also have a very good referral program for Tello Dollars that can be used for the second month and beyond after signing up and using the program.
ReplyDeletehttps://tello.com/account/register?_referral=P3P1KD52
I have found that Tracfone is a perfect and cheap solution for my wireless use. I mostly use my phone to read Kindle books, but also want the ability to make an occasional phone call, monitor my emails, get a text from CVS, use Google Maps and do Internet searches. I use very little Tracfone data because I take advantage of free wifi most of the time.
ReplyDeleteFor years, I have been buying my Tracfone phones from either QVC or HSN. As someone else mentioned, those Tracfone bundles they sell are far better buys than any other means of using Tracfone. Instead of buying a phone and then adding a $125 1 year card, I get a new smartphone with a 1 year 1500 plan included for as little as $50. Thanks to carry over, those credits add up over the years to far more than I will ever use. I buy those bottom of the line phones just to get the 1 year service that comes with each and keep my expiration date out several years at any given time. Occasionally, I buy a better phone and actually use it for several years. Currently, I have a nice Samsung A53 5G and my Tracfone account is prepaid to August 2026. With service this cheap, I have no problem prepaying that far ahead.
Verizon bought out Tracfone. Since that happened you don't get any more free bonus minutes. I used to buy a 60 min card and get 30 minutes free. Also you used to be able to get double minutes free for the life of the phone you use. That is all gone. I used to have over 2500 minutes on my phone. since Verizon bought them out my minutes have been disappearing rapidly. I am now down to 320 minutes. That is a big change.
ReplyDeleteVerizon's acquisition of Tracfone was designed to ELIMINATE Tracfone customers. Tracfone was one of the best and most affordable services around until Verizon got their greedy little paws on them. Verizon estimated that with their acquisition of Tracfone they could convert 63 to 65% of Tracfone customers over to Version. With the rest going to other carriers. Verizon charges $240 every 3 months where Tracfone only charged $20 per month. WOW WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! Even if you go to Visible which is also owned by Verizon you are paying $75 per month instead of $20.
I told Verizon that I will go without a phone before paying such high rates to them or any other carrier.