Sick of committing to annual contracts? Enjoy the flexibility of a prepaid wireless plan.

The days of being locked into a lengthy wireless contract are over, as there is a plethora of prepaid options that allow you to pay for your phone service on a month-to-month basis. We’ve taken the liberty of breaking down the top prepaid wireless options for you in this handy guide.

Check your coverage

One of the first things you should consider when deciding on a prepaid carrier is the coverage provided in your area. Prepaid carriers often have a smaller coverage map than postpaid carriers because of their limited roaming agreements, so it’s good to re-check your area, even if you’ve used the carrier before. Here are the coverage maps for the carriers we will be looking at:

• MetroPCS — Map
• AT&T GoPhone — Map (make sure to check the GoPhone map)
• Boost Mobile — Map
• T-Mobile Prepaid — Map
• Straight Talk — Map (requires Zip Code, and preferred phone/carrier)
• Cricket Wireless — Map
• Virgin Mobile — Map
• Simple Mobile — Map
• GoSmart Mobile — Map
• Project Fi — Map

MetroPCS

MetroPCS uses T-Mobile’s HSPA+ and LTE network, as it is owned entirely by the larger carrier. You have the option to purchase a phone through MetroPCS, or bring your own device that’s compatible with the T-Mobile network.

Price

Plan pricing is based on how much high-speed data (LTE) you think you’ll use on a monthly basis. There are no annual contracts, and taxes and fees are included in the price.

• 1GB of high speed data — $ 30/month
• 3GB of high-speed data — $ 40/month
• 5GB of high-speed data — $ 50/month
• Unlimited LTE data — $ 60/month

All plans come with unlimited talk, text, data, LTE mobile hotspot, Wi-Fi calling, caller ID, call waiting, 3-way calling, and Data Maximizer, a feature that helps optimize your high-speed data usage when streaming videos.

Music Unlimited is included on $ 40 and higher-rate plans, which allows you to stream from over 40 streaming music services including Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, and more, without dipping into your monthly high-speed data allotment.

Note that once you’ve burned through your allotted LTE data, you’ll notice your data speeds fall to 2G.

How to reload

Log into the MetroPCS website to make a payment or set up Auto Pay. You also have the option to pay in person at a MetroPCS store.

AT&T GoPhone

AT&T’s prepaid option lets you choose from a selection of phones specifically for their GoPhone plans, or you can purchase a GoPhone SIM card kit if you’d prefer to bring your own device.

Price

AT&T prepaid plans include unlimited talk and text in the U.S., as well as unlimited messaging to Mexico, Canada, and over 100 countries. For data, AT&T offers three types of GoPhone plans:

• Pay-as-you-go ($ 5 per 100MB) LTE data — $ 30/month
• 2GB of LTE data, with rollover data — $ 45/month
• 5GB of LTE data, with rollover data — $ 60/month

The 5GB plan also includes unlimited talk and text within and between U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and allows you to use your high-speed data allotment from your plan when in Mexico or Canada. You can also save $ 5 per month by signing up for Auto Refill.

You can also pay $ 2 per day for unlimited nationwide talk and text or pay $ 0.25 per minute and $ 0.20 per text message. Data is available at $ 2 per MB (based on their stated $ 0.01 per 5KB rate), or you can add on a data package that gives you 100MB for an extra $ 1 a day.

How to reload

Pay online via myAT&T using a credit/debit card or eCheck, buy a Refill card (available online, at AT&T wireless stores, and at more than 200,000 retail locations), or call 611 anytime from your GoPhone (or 1-800-901-9878) and follow the prompts for Refill.

Boost Mobile

Boost Mobile uses Sprint’s nationwide LTE network. You have the option of buying a phone through Boost or bringing your own Sprint-compatible device.

Price

Boost Mobile offers three types of monthly prepaid phone plans featuring LTE high-speed data. Once your plan’s data allotment has been reached, speeds are reduced to 2G for the remainder of the plan cycle.

• 2GB of LTE high-speed data — $ 35/month
• 5GB of LTE high-speed data — $ 45/month
• Unlimited LTE high-speed data — $ 60/month

One neat feature with Boost is the ability to increase your monthly data allotment. You get an additional 500MB of high-speed data per month when you make three on-time payments (up to 3GB after 18 on-time payments). You can also save $ 5 on your plan by signing up for Auto Re-Boost.

All plans come with unlimited domestic talk and text (available even if you haven’t paid for up to 60 days), unlimited music streaming with select music partners, call waiting, voicemail, 3-way calling, as well as the ability to turn your phone into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot (draws from your applicable data allotment). With Unlimited pans, hotspot data is capped at 8GB.

How to reload

Pay online via My Account on the Boost Mobile site or sign up for Auto Re-Boost. Pay by phone by dialing #-A-D-D (#-2-3-3) and following the prompts to pay with your credit, debit, or Re-Boost card, text ADD and the pin on the back of your Re-Boost card to 7225 (ex. ADD 12345678912345), or text “PAY,” the dollar amount, and the last four digits of the credit or debit card associated with the account to 7225 (ex. PAY 50 1234).

Alternatively, you can pay in-store at any Boost Mobile location.

T-Mobile Prepaid

T-Mobile’s prepaid service gives you access to T-Mobile’s nationwide network without signing up for an annual contract. You have the option to buy a prepaid T-Mobile phone, or bring your own device for only the cost of the SIM card.

Price

T-Mobile offers prepaid plans for individuals and families, as well as a pay-as-you-go option.

Individual plans include:

• 3GB of LTE high-speed data — $ 40/month
• 5GB of LTE high-speed data — $ 50/month
• 10GB of LTE high-speed data — $ 60/month

All plans include unlimited talk, text, and data on T-Mobile’s nationwide LTE network, with data speeds slowing to 2G upon reaching your monthly data allotment.

If you’re the type who rarely makes calls with their phone, T-Mobile also offers a text and web prepaid plan that includes unlimited text and data (4G speeds for the first 5GB; speeds reduced thereafter) and just 100 minutes of talk. It’s the perfect plan for those who’d rather tweet or text than talk but only available for first-time T-Mobile customers.

Family plans start at $ 50/month for the first line, an additional $ 30/month for the second line, and $ 10/month for any additional lines. Each line comes standard with 2GB of LTE data with options to upgrade to 6GB for an extra $ 15/month, 10GB for an extra $ 30/month, or unlimited for $ 45/month. Family plans include Unlimited talk, text, and data, unlimited music streaming on select music services, free video streaming via T-Mobile’s Binge On service, and more.

If you’d rather pay as you go, T-Mobile offers a plan that starts at $ 3/month for any combination of 30 minutes of talk or 30 texts, with options to add a high-speed data pass with daily ($ 5/day for up to 500MB of LTE data) and weekly ($ 10/week for up to 1GB of LTE data).

How to reload

To reload your account online, go to T-Mobile’s website, either through one-time payments or by setting up recurring payments. You can also call -A-D-D (-2-3-3) from your T-Mobile phone to reload your account via credit, chequing account or T-Mobile Refill card. Refill cards are available to be purchased online or in-store at a T-Mobile location.

Straight Talk

Straight Talk is a prepaid carrier that doesn’t rely on just one wireless network to provide services to it’s customers. It purchases the right to use other the towers of the four major carriers — AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint.

Straight Talk offers prepaid phones for purchase, and also lets you bring your own device. But just because it offers service from four carriers, that doesn’t mean you get access to all four at the same time — you get to choose between T-Mobile or AT&T if you bring your own phone, or Straight Talk may choose the right carrier based on your location when you buy a phone from it.

Price

Straight Talk has seven tiers of wireless plans available for your smartphone, starting as low as a dollar a day up to a one-year unlimited plan for $ 495.

• All You Need Plan: 1500 minutes of nationwide talk, unlimited texting, and 100 MB of data for 30 days — $ 30
• 30-Day Unlimited Plan (5GB): Unlimited nationwide talk, text, and data (5GB of high-speed data, then 2G) for 30 days — $ 45
• 30-Day Unlimited plan (10GB): Unlimited nationwide talk, text, and data (10GB of high-speed data, then 2G) for 30 days — $ 55
• Unlimited International Plan: Unlimited nationwide talk, text, and data (5G of high speed-data, then 2G), as well as unlimited mobile-to-mobile to Mexico, China, India and canada, as well as unlimited calls to select international landline destinations for 30 days— $ 60
• 3-Month Unlimited Plan: Unlimited talk, text, and data (5GB of high-speed data, then 2G) for 90 days — $ 130
• 6-Month Unlimited Plan: Unlimited talk, text, and data (5GB of high-speed data, then 2G) for 180 days — $ 255
• 1-Year Unlimited Plan: Unlimited talk, text, and data (5GB of high-speed data, then 2G) for 365 days — $ 495

How to reload

Go to the Straight Talk site to reload your account via service card, setting up recurring automatic payments, or downloading the Straight Talk My Account app for Android or iOS.

Cricket Wireless

After being acquired by AT&T, Cricket Wireless has supported devices that use AT&T’s HSPA+ and LTE network. You can purchase a phone from Cricket, or BYOD.

Price

Cricket Wireless offers four plan levels, from Basic to Unlimited.

• Basic Plan: Unlimited nationwide talk, text, and data (2.5GB of high-speed LTE data before speed is reduced) — $ 40/month
• Smart Plan: Unlimited nationwide talk, text, and data (5GB of high-speed LTE data before speed is reduced), unlimited international texting (MMS not included), data access plus unlimited talk and text to and from Mexico, Canada and the U.S. — $ 50/month
• Pro Plan: Unlimited nationwide talk, text, and data (10GB of high-speed LTE data before speed is reduced), unlimited international texting (MMS not included), data access plus unlimited talk and text to and from Mexico, Canada and the U.S. — $ 60/month
• Unlimited Plan: Unlimited nationwide talk, text, and high-speed LTE data, unlimited international texting (MMS not included), data access plus unlimited talk and text to and from Mexico, Canada and the U.S. — $ 70/month

All plans are eligible for a Group Save Discount when you add additional lines to your account. Save $ 10 when adding a second line, $ 20 off your third line, $ 30 off your fourth line, and $ 40 off your fifth line for a total eligible savings of $ 100.

Receive a $ 5 credit on your monthly bill by signing up for Auto Pay (not available with the Group Save Discount).

There’s also a bunch of add-on features available for each plan.

How to reload

Log in to My Account on the Cricket Wireless site to pay your bill or sign up for Auto Pay, or download the My Cricket app for Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile uses Sprint’s CDMA and LTE networks. You have the option of buying a phone through Virgin or bringing your own Sprint-compatible device.

Price

Virgin Mobile features a number of no-contract plans, including unlimited talk, text, and data starting at $ 30/month. All plans come with unlimited music streaming from Pandora, iHeartRadio, Slacker Radio, 8tracks, and Samsung Milk Music without it counting against your high-speed data allotment.

• 500MB of high-speed data, unlimited talk, text, and data (2G after high-speed allotment) — $ 30
• 4GB of high-speed data, unlimited talk, text, and data (2G after high-speed allotment) — $ 40
• 6GB of high-speed data, unlimited talk, text, and data (2G after high-speed allotment) — $ 50

You can add more high-speed data to your account ($ 5 for 1GB, $ 10 for 2GB), and all plans come with international talk, text, and Visual Voicemail

Virgin also features Data Sharing plans for families with up to four lines able to share 16GB of data for $ 110/month.

How to reload

You can top up your Virgin Mobile account by buying a Virgin Mobile Top-Up card and entering it along with your Virgin Mobile number online, or simply pay online with your credit/debit Card or PayPal.

Verizon

Verizon’s prepaid option gives you full-access to Verizon’s nationwide network without locking you into a lengthy contract. You have the option of buying a prepaid phone from Verizon or BYOD.

Price

Verizon offers monthly smartphone plans, featuring no annual contract, no activation fee, and no credit checks.

Unlimited talk and text with no data (Wi-Fi only) — $ 30/month
Unlimited talk and text with 2GB of data — $ 45/month
Unlimited talk and text with 5GB of data — $ 60/month

With no unlimited data plans available, expect to pay overage charges if you go over your data allotment for the month. Sign up for My Verizon Auto Pay for your $ 45-$ 60/month plan and get an extra 1GB of monthly data.

How to reload

Reload your Verizon account online, buy refill cards, or pay in-store at a Verizon Wireless location.

Simple Mobile

Simple Mobile uses T-Mobile’s HSPA+ and LTE network and offers options to purchase a new phone or bring your own T-Mobile-compatible GSM phone (850 and 1900 MHz bands)

Price

Simple Mobile offers five prepaid plans, which all feature no contract or credit check, unlimited talk and text, unlimited international texting, unlimited calling to mobile phones in Mexico, Canada, India, China and 16 other countries and no roaming charges when in Mexico.

• Basic talk and text plan (no data included) — $ 25/month
• 4GB of up to LTE speeds, slows to 2G after data allotment — $ 40/month
• 5GB of up to LTE speeds, slows to 2G after data allotment — $ 50/month
• 10GB of up to LTE speeds (slows to 2G after data allotment) — $ 55/month
• Unlimited LTE speed data — $ 60/month

How to reload

ReUp through the Simple Mobile website via credit card or pin. You also have the option to pay in advance with Stash, allowing you to add money to your plan when you have it, so you don’t have to worry about re-upping when your service runs out.

GoSmart

GoSmart is a subsidiary of T-Mobile and uses their nationwide network. You have the option of purchasing a device from GoSmart or BYOD.

Price

GoSmart offers four no-contract wireless plans to fit your needs. All plans come with unlimited talk and text, unlimited international texting to over 200 countries, unlimited LTE Facebook access and access to a nationwide 3G network.

• Basic talk and text plan (no data included) — $ 25/month
• 4GB of 3G web data per month— $ 35/month, or $ 30/month with auto pay
• 12GB of 3G web data per month — $ 45/month
• 20GB of 3G web data per month — $ 50/month

With the unlimited plans, speeds will slow after you’ve surpassed your 3G data allotment.

How to reload

Refill your account online via the GoSmart website, or pay by phone by dialing -A-D-D (-2-3-3) from your GoSmart phone, or call a GoSmart Mobile Refill Center Specialist at 1-877-569-0321

Project Fi

Google’s first foray as a wireless carrier includes revolutionary pricing and flexible data usage rules. Sounds great, huh? The only unfortunate bit is that the service is currently limited to Google-designed devices — the Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6. You can bring your own phone if you already have one of the approved devices, or you can buy one from Project Fi with some attractive pricing incentives and financing options.

Price

Google’s Project Fi features one flexible pricing plan, which starts with Fi Basics. For $ 20 per month, you get unlimited domestic talk and text, unlimited international texts, the ability to turn your phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot, and coverage in 120+ countries.

You pay for data as you use it. Featuring LTE speeds, you set your own custom data budget at $ 10 for every GB of data you use — but you’re refunded if you don’t reach that limit. So, if you pay for 8GB of data at the beginning of the month but only end up using 5GB, you’ll receive a credit of $ 30 for your unused data. This is calculated down to the megabyte. If you go over your data budget, you pay for the extra used data based on the same $ 10 per GB rate — so 350MB of data overage would only end up costing you $ 3.50.

Set your data budget based on the amount you actually use and never worry about overages or overpaying again.

How to reload

Everything is controlled through the Project Fi app and website.

If you absolutely have to go with Sprint prepaid, then do so. Otherwise, consider Boost Mobile.

You can’t bring your own phone to use on a Sprint prepaid plans, which makes things pretty difficult since Sprint’s selection of prepaid phones is subpar (and that’s putting it very nicely).

If Sprint prepaid is your only option, then we’re able to begrudgingly recommend a couple of their phones to you in the Moto E and the iPhone 5s.

If these choices seem dismal, you’re right. However, Boost Mobile, which is owned by Sprint and runs on Sprint’s network, is a prepaid carrier that offers a much larger selection of phones where you can find current models like the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the iPhone 6s Plus.

So, check out Boost Mobile if you’re tied to Sprint’s network but not necessarily Sprint. Otherwise, we’ve picked out the only two phones that are worth a mention from Sprint’s prepaid phones selection.

• Moto E
• iPhone 5s
• Go with Boost!

Moto E

Motorola actually did a great job of changing the low-cost phone game – they made phones you’d actually want to use. The Moto E may be two steps down from the Moto X, but it still has something to offer those of you that are on a budget.

Running on Android 5.0 Lollipop, the Moto E offers up to 21 hours of talk time, thanks to its decently sized 2,340 mAh battery. It only comes with 4GB of storage, but that can be expanded an extra 32GB with a microSD.

Running Lollipop means you do have access to every app in the Google Play Store; you’ll just have a hard time fitting much on the phone itself.

It’s a great value; it’s just 2 years old at this point and way behind the super phones of today. However, if you must go Sprint prepaid, this is the Android phone to go with.

See at Sprint

iPhone 5s

The only other phone that we can deign to recommend is the iPhone 5s, and that’s only because some folks would rather go the Apple route if they have to go with Sprint.

The 5s offered from Sprint is as bottom-of-the-barrel as it gets, coming only in the 16GB gray version. iPhones have no expandable memory, so be prepared to constantly back up photos and other precious memories because 16GB fills up quickly.

That being said, it does have a few more bells and whistles than the Moto E, with its A7 processor and fingerprint scanner. The camera is also 8MP, which isn’t too shabby for a budget phone (even though it was once Apple’s flagship).

The added benefit of Siri is another boon to the iPhone 5s, since you can make calls and send texts virtually hands-free.

If you have to go with Sprint and you have to go with an iPhone, then this is your best (and only) option.

See at Sprint

Go with Boost!

Once again, if you absolutely have to go with Sprint and prepaid is your only option, then consider Boost Mobile, which is owned by Sprint and runs on their network. Their selection of phones is much more favorable and you may end up spending less too!

Not one for contracts? Go prepaid with Verizon and pick the right phone.

If you’re going prepaid, you can certainly try to bring your own device to Verizon, but it’s pretty strict about which phones it’ll allow (many unlocked phones aren’t even compatible with the network).

Otherwise, Verizon has a selection of prepaid phones that you can purchase directly, which may make for less of a headache in the long run. Here are a few that you should consider first.

• Samsung Galaxy Note 5
• HTC One M9
• LG G4
• iPhone SE
• Bring your own device

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is Verizon’s best prepaid option. You have the option of 32GB for $ 696 or 64GB for $ 792. In the Note 5 you have a BIG phone that’s easy to hold, thanks to its curved edges, and its glass and metal design is both functional and gorgeous.

If you yearn for the days when hand-writing was a thing, then you’ll find solace in the Note 5’s S Pen, which lets you write notes by hand and converts them to text for you, a feature made sweeter by a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED screen that offers a resolution of 2560×1440.

You’ve also got the Exynos 7420 octa-core processor, which makes for a phone that’s nimble and responsive and quite powerful for a prepaid option. The battery is a whopping 3,000 mAh, which will probably last you at least a full day, depending on your habits.

If your battery is running low, you have the advantage of wireless fast-charging, which can bring your phone from 0 to 100% up to 50 minutes faster than standard charging. Verizon’s Note 5 comes only in Black Sapphire, but it will pair well with any case you choose!

The one downside is the Note 5 lacks a microSD card slot, so you’re limited to the 32GB or 64GB.

This is definitely the best prepaid phone you can get from Verizon, so if you can afford it, do it up.

For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, you can check out our review!

See at Verizon

HTC One M9

In Silver Gold, the HTC One M9 isn’t just a pretty face. You’ve got a 5-inch 1920×1080 display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 under the hood, 32GB of storage, and a microSD card that allows for up to 128GB of expansion.

If you’re someone who likes to fill their phone with photos and videos, then expandable storage is a godsend, especially since you’ll be using the M9’s camera all the time.

The front-facing camera is 4MP, while the rear-facing camera offers a whopping 20MP and the ability to shoot 4K video. The HTC One M9’s rear-facing camera using HTC’s “Ultrapixel” technology, which is a five dollar term for larger pixels. That does mean, however, that each pixel is able to let in more light, making for more vivid and accurate photos.

Quick-charge 2.0 will have your 2,840 mAh battery up and running in no time, and it’ll probably last you all day, depending on your usage. You can customize your Home screen with tons of great themes, so your HTC One experience can be truly unique.

Keep in mind that this phone is a generation old at this point, and the newer HTC 10 is a massive improvement, but if you’re stuck with prepaid, then the M9 will do fine.

Check out our review for more!

See at Verizon

LG G4

LG’s 2015 flagship redefined LG smartphones and brought together a beautiful, 5.5-inch Quad HD display, a large, 3,000 mAh battery, and a great camera, which made it one of the best Android phones of 2015. You almost can’t do better for a prepaid phone, and LG G4 is well-worth the $ 456 from Verizon.

Unfortunately, you don’t get the beautiful leather-backed edition from Verizon, so you will have to settle for a Metallic Gray plastic back. This phone isn’t much to look at, but it more than makes up for it in performance.

32GB of internal storage is expandable, thanks to the G4’s microSD slot, which allows for up to 2TB (even though the biggest microSD card on the market is only 200GB). You can fill this puppy up with photos, videos, apps, and more without worrying about running out of space any time soon.

If you’re after a powerful phone with a great camera and virtually endless expandable storage, then pick up the LG G4 for your prepaid plan.

Though the G4 is a generation old and nowhere near the phone that the LG G5 is, it’ll do just nicely is Verizon prepaid is your only option.

Check out our review for more!

See at Verizon

iPhone SE

Of course, you can always go the iPhone route with Verizon’s prepaid plans, and you can actually get the newest iPhone, the SE. At 16GB and with no expandable memory, this is for those of you that want a simple iPhone to be used for no more than making calls and texts, playing games, and taking the odd photo. Otherwise, you’ll have to be backing your photos up constantly, since 16GB fills up quite rapidly.

That being said, the iPhone SE offers the same A9 processor that’s available in the 6s, but in a compact 4-inch package. Yup, 4 inches. Remember when phones were that small 2 years ago? Me neither.

Along with that rockin’ processor, you still have Apple’s great fingerprint sensor, which allows you to easily secure your iPhone SE and truly personalize it. Verizon’s also generous in terms of look for the SE, since the Space Gray, Rose Gold, and silver options are all available to you, for $ 400 each.

Running on the latest version of iOS also means you’ll be up-to-date, so all of your Apple devices will work together in perfect harmony.

If you want a phone that’s compact and easy to use on the go, then consider the iPhone SE. It may be small, but it’s powerful and more than capable to handle your day-to-day.

Check out iMore’s review for more!

See at Verizon

Bring your own device

Verizon does have a fairly limited selection of phones that you can bring to the prepaid fold, but there are a couple rules:

1. The phone must be a Verizon phone.
2. The phone must be compatible. You can check compatibility here.

If it’s compatible, you can just order the SIM activation kit and away you go.

If you do not find your Verizon phone in the list, then you may want to give them a call and they’ll tell you whether or not you can use it with their prepaid plans.

Going prepaid with AT&T and in need of a phone? Check out our favorites.

Sure, you could pick up a prepaid phone straight from AT&T, but if you’ll always have more choice by bringing your own unlocked device. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best phones you can buy outright to use unlocked on the carrier.

• Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge
• LG G5
• Nexus 6P
• HTC 10
• LG Nexus 5X
• iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

A popular pick (and rightfully so) is the Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 edge. All that was awesome about the Galaxy S6 has been enhanced and Samsung keeps giving the people what they want.

The battery life in the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge has been improved and extended considerably; in other words, bring on your busiest day and it will keep up with you. If your day involves rain or possible puddle or pool encounters, worry not; the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are waterproof. Take that, Mother Nature. The fingerprint sensor is conveniently tucked into the Home button and works like such a charm you’ll wonder how you’ve gone without one until now.

If you love photography with your Android phone, these are the phones you need to get your hands on. Photos turn out fabulously in just about any light and the Quad HD SuperAMOLED display on both phones keeps your pictures and streaming videos looking clear and sharp.

Need a little more convincing? Check out our reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.

See at AT&T

LG G5

For something completely different, have a look at the LG G5. The modular design is a new direction for LG and it makes the phone a unique offering in the world of Android.

You want a great camera? LG’s got a great camera – three, in fact. Of course, you have your front-facing camera for those necessary selfies, but you also get two rear-facing cameras: a 16-megapixel main camera (same as the G4) and an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera. The fingerprint sensor is built into the power button on the back of the phone and it boasts impressive accuracy.

The Snapdragon 820 processor will keep you happily multitasking all day and the 5.3-inch Quad HD quantum display keeps your video streaming and app gaming in top form. The feel isn’t as premium as the Galaxy S7 series, but that’s what you’ll trade for the G5’s modular capabilities. The “Friends” ecosystem of add-ons includes items like camera modules that attach to the phone when you remove the base.

Want to know what we think about the LG G5? Check out our review.

See at Amazon

Nexus 6P

The latest Nexus phone has lived up to all the hype, and a long-awaited and well-executed phone from Google could be right up your alley — even as we enter the latter half of the year. You can’t buy the Nexus 6P from a carrier, but you purchase it unlocked and bring it to AT&T.

The camera holds up well next to many current Android phones, offering 8 megapixels for the front-facing camera and 12.3 megapixels for the rear-facing one. It works in bright outdoor light or shadowy indoor environments and features laser-assisted autofocus for accurate focusing in the dark.

The 5.7-inch display and aluminum body look and feel modern, industrial, and comfortable in your hands. The fingerprint sensor uses Nexus Imprint and is located on the back of the phone, which is a departure from the way some manufacturers have been doing it, but 6P owners tend to like this feature having its own space away from the home screen or bezels. The nippy 810 Snapdragon processor and strong battery life round out the reasons the Nexus 6P is a good buy.

There’s more to learn. Check out our review of the Nexus 6P to see what we have to say.

See at Amazon

HTC 10

HTC is back in a big way with the HTC 10, an outstanding 2016 flagship phone for the company that’s been a little quiet lately. Although it’s not offered directly from AT&T, the unlocked HTC 10 is compatible with the network and can be purchased from another retailer.

Crazy about music? Say no more: the HTC 10 features BoomSound Hi-Fi that’s going to make all of your music sound stellar. The front-facing tweeter and bottom-facing woofer give you more volume than you could possibly need (with some help from Dolby, no less), and there’s a dedicated amp in the headphone jack so that you can rock out in crystal clarity. The capacitive fingerprint scanner doubles as the home key; the set up for scanning is straightforward, easy, and secure.

The HTC 10 comes with either 32GB or 64GB of storage that can be expanded upon with a microSD card, which can be used as adoptable storage, so you’ll never run out of space for photos or music. The 5.2-inch Quad HD display can be a little hard to see in bright sunlight, but the 10 makes up for this in other areas.

Need to know more? Get all the details on the HTC 10 from our review.

See at Amazon

LG Nexus 5X

For a solid mid-range phone, look no further than the LG Nexus 5X. You’ll need to purchase it unlocked from another retailer and opt for the bring-your-own-device prepaid plan.

A smaller and lighter offering compared to other phones, the 5.2-inch display is clear and covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. The Snapdragon 808 Processor and dependable battery give you a full day of work and play without much to worry about in terms of bogging down the phone or searching for an outlet to charge up at. The phone is available in 16GB or 32GB, and for the price, you’ll be better investing in the 32GB model.

The camera is one of the phone’s best features, offering a 12.3-megapixel sensor for excellent color and detail capture. The phone also features Nexus Imprint fingerprint scanning, which sets up easily with six simple presses to the sensor.

See more on the LG Nexus 5X in our review.

See at Amazon

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus

Yes, this is Android Central, but no, we’re not going to leave the iPhone off of the list when we’re talking about the best phones to use on AT&T. They have much to offer and are worth considering.

The iPhone 6s has a 4.7-inch Retina HD display and the iPhone 6s Plus tops out at 5.5 inches. Shutterbugs will rejoice at the 12 megapixel camera for still photos and the 4K video capabilities, and they can bring those still shots to life with the Live Photos feature, which animates an image using a second and a half before and after the image was taken. 3D Touch sensors also recognize the pressure your fingertips put on the screen to easily open apps or preview content.

Touch ID keeps your iPhone secure and the storage capacity ranges from the standard 16GB up to as much as 128GB. Not too shabby, iPhone.

Thinking about making the leap to an iPhone? Check out iMore’s reviews of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus.

See at AT&T

More, you say?

If you need to see more options before buying, have a look at some of the best unlocked phones and see how they stack up.

Shopping T-Mobile’s prepaid plans? Get the best phone to match.

What’s awesome about T-Mobile’s prepaid plans is that you can shop their selection of phones or bring your own unlocked phone. We’re running down the best phones you can buy or bring to T-Mobile to use with its prepaid plans.

• Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge
• LG G5
• HTC 10
• OnePlus 3
• iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

Of course, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge top our list of the best T-Mobile prepaid phones. Samsung built on what was already outstanding about the Galaxy S6 and made it even better.

The camera is at the top of the Android phone game, especially when it comes to low-light shots and the Quad HD Super AMOLED displays on both phones show off your photography skills in crystal clarity, which makes video watching a vivid experience.

The battery life has been improved significantly so your phone will keep up with you, no matter how busy your day gets. Samsung still has a way to go with some of their software but overall its Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are tops.

Need to know more? Check out our reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.

See at T-Mobile

LG G5

Another contender in the great camera category is the LG G5. The two rear-facing cameras take excellent shots; one is the 16-megapixel main camera and the other is an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera, though the front facing camera still snaps terrific selfies.

The modular design from LG is unique and the removable battery is an added bonus. The 5.3-inch Quad HD quantum display is ideal for video viewing and game playing and the Snapdragon 820 processor is powerful and makes multitasking a breeze.

Added perk? You’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of LG’s Friends ecosystem, which is set to expand in the near future.

Want to learn more about the LG G5? Have a look at our review to get in the know.

See at T-Mobile

HTC 10

If music is your soul food, you should get your hands on the HTC 10. The BoomSound Hi-Fi set up gives you a front-facing tweeter and a bottom-facing woofer, each with a dedicated amp and the headphone jack has a dedicated amp that makes earphone listening an impressive and powerful experience.

The HTC 10 is powered by a Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM and also supports adoptable storage, which lets you mount your microSD card as a permanent part of your phone.

The 5.2-inch SuperLCD5 screen is well laid-out but a bit challenging in bright, outdoor light. The phone features a fingerprint scanner that doubles as a home button, but watch for the back and recent apps keys surrounding the home button; their order is in reverse compared to Samsung, if that’s a style you’re used to.

Learn more about the HTC 10 by reading our extensive review.

See at T-Mobile

OnePlus 3

The latest phone from upstart manufacturer OnePlus offers superb value, selling for just $ 400 unlocked and SIM-free. And naturally, the U.S. version of the phone will work great on T-Mobile with prepaid service.

So what does your 400 bucks get you? How about the latest Snapdragon 820 processor, a premium metal design, a 5.5-inch 1080p Optic AMOLED display and a 16-megapixel camera with OIS (optical image stabilization.) Meanwhile OnePlus’s proprietary Dash Charge tech lets you charge to 60 percent in just 30 minutes.

So that’s more hardware than is on offer from many rivals around this price point. What’s more, the OnePlus 3 also boasts OnePlus’s OxygenOS software, which closely matches the look of stock Android, while adding useful shortcuts and tweaks throughout.

For even more on the OnePlus 3, check out our full review.

See at OnePlus

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus

We may be on Android Central but we can’t leave out the offerings from Apple when we’re looking at the best phones for T-Mobile’s prepaid plans.

First and foremost, let’s talk size. The iPhone 6s has a 4.7-inch screen and the iPhone 6s Plus screen comes in at 5.5 inches. Both feature the Retina HD display that has become Apple’s calling card.

If you can’t do without photo and video-taking on a daily basis, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are just as much cameras as they are phones. For example, the iPhone 6s shoots in 1080p, which is already outstanding, but the iPhone 6s Plus shoots in 4K and features optical image stabilization to compensate for the subtle movement of your hands when recording.

There’s more to know about both phones. Check out iMore’s reviews of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

See at T-Mobile

The more you know

Still not convinced by any of our selections? Have a look through a few more options suitable for T-Mobile on our list of the best unlocked phones and take your pick.

Yet another reason to consider prepaid from AT&T.

AT&T’s GoPhone prepaid plans just keep getting more enticing, with a free jump this week to higher data allowances on the top two plans. The top-end $ 60 plan ($ 55 with auto pay) will automatically bump to 8GB of data per month, while the $ 45 plan ($ 40 with auto pay) jumps to a respectable 4GB. Both easily land above the average data usage of most people, and are dramatically cheaper than postpaid offerings from AT&T (and the other carriers).

If you’re a higher-than-average data user right now you’ll probably be eyeing the new 8GB plan option, and AT&T has even more incentive for you as it offers free use of calls, texts and data while in Canada and Mexico. With that additional feature and the new data bucket, it makes GoPhone even more enticing for those who don’t want all of the baggage of a postpaid account or aren’t tied into a family plan.

AT&T is also taking this opportunity to promote new deals on its prepaid phone offerings — a couple of super cheap phones for $ 50 that regularly retail for a bit more. But we’ll remind you that you don’t have to buy a phone from AT&T in order to use its GoPhone prepaid plans. Any unlocked GSM/LTE phone that supports AT&T’s network bands (most do) can work just fine with a GoPhone SIM card. Bring your Pixel XL, Galaxy S7 edge or LG V20 — they all work great on these plans.

Get unlimited data for your AT&T GoPhone!

AT&T prepaid GoPhone customers who are sick and tired of having to manage their data usage have a new option. AT&T is now offering an unlimited data GoPhone plan for only $ 60 a month, after you sign up for AutoPay. This unlimited data is available even when you’re travelling to Canada or Mexico, which is pretty great.

However, the unlimited does come with a caveat: data rates are limited to 3Mbps. That’s more than enough speed to surf the web and connect with friends on all your favorite social media apps, but video streaming is limited to standard definition and capped at 1.5Mbps.

If you don’t think you’ll be able to get your full money’s worth out of that unlimited data plan, AT&T is also offering a $ 40 GoPhone plan with 6GB of high-speed data.

The unlimited plan takes over GoPhone’s previous $ 60 plan, which offered 8GB of high-speed data, after which the service was throttled to 128kbps. AT&T says that most customers will be very happy with the two new options, but it’s unclear why the company isn’t offering a slightly more expensive non-unlimited option with more high-speed LTE data, since 3Mbps isn’t exactly speedy in this day and age.

If these plans feel like the right fit for you or your family, you can check out the available phones here, or look into bringing your own phone over to the plan.

More: Which unlimited plan should you buy? AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, or Sprint

Here’s how to make sure your unlocked or pre-owned phone will work with an alternative carrier.

There are a number of things to consider before moving to an alternative carrier. How much data do I really need? Am I looking for better service, or just cheaper service? And if I already have a phone, will it work on the carrier that I choose?

We’re going to delve into this topic, but there are a couple of things we should get out of the way beforehand.

An introduction

Before we talk about whether your phone will work on a particular alternative carrier, we should direct you to a few introductory posts about what exactly these companies offer, and why you should think about switching over.

• What is an alternative carrier?
• What do I need to switch from the Big Four to an alternative carrier?

Once you’ve read through those, there are a few more things you need to know. In the U.S., there are four major carriers with nationwide networks — AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon. All four of them use generally the same technology, but there are some major differences worth noting.

• Sprint and Verizon have 3G networks that use aging (and disappearing) CDMA technology. All phones that run on their networks must have special radios that support CDMA. Thankfully, most phones these days have some sort of CDMA support.
• T-Mobile and AT&T use a more common HSPA+ technology for 3G service. Practically every phone you can buy today — even those designed for Verizon and Sprint — will likely work on AT&T and T-Mobile, as long as the SIM card is unlocked.

Thankfully, the days of poor interoperability between carriers are behind us, but there are some lingering issues. Even though all the major U.S. carriers have adopted what amounts to the same LTE standard as their high-speed mobile internet offering, they all use different wireless spectrum — also known as wireless bands, or frequencies — to deliver calls, text and, most importantly, data, over the air.

Unlocking the phone

Even if your phone is technically compatible with a particular network, the SIM slot still needs to be unlocked to be able to work on carriers both in the U.S. and abroad.

In the U.S., unlocking services are free as long as your account is in good standing and your phone hasn’t been reported lost, stolen or involved in illegal activity. All the Big Four carriers are obligated to unlock your phone, though the process differs between them. All recent Verizon phones are unlocked out of the box.

• Unlock an AT&T phone
• Unlock a Verizon phone
• Unlock a Sprint phone
• Unlock a T-Mobile phone

The carriers

Let’s discuss the individual carriers themselves, and why your phone — perhaps one you bought through your old carrier, or purchased unlocked from, say, Amazon — may or may not work on the network.

Alternative carriers powered by Verizon

There aren’t that many Verizon-powered alternative carriers, or MVNOs, in the U.S., so we’ll start with the easy one. Companies like Total Wireless or Straight Talk, which are powered by Verizon’s network, make it pretty easy to bring your own phone. They ask that you make sure your phone supports CDMA service, and offer network checkers to help you verify that your phone will indeed work on their network.

Quick trick: Open your phone’s dialler and type *#06# to get its MEID number.

As we said above to work on a Verizon-based alternative carrier, your phone needs to support the following frequencies:

• 3G: 800Mhz (BC0), 1900Mhz (BC1) ¹
• LTE: 700Mhz (Band 13), 1700/2100Mhz (Band 4), 1900Mhz (Band 2)

¹ Phone must support bands on CDMA.

Many popular phones today, from the Samsung Galaxy S7 to the Google Pixel to cheaper devices like the OnePlus 3T and Moto G5 Plus, support Verizon’s 3G and LTE networks. As long as you do your homework beforehand, you should be able to bring your phone over to any alternative carrier that runs on Verizon’s network.

Here are the most popular alternative carriers that run on the Verizon network:

• Total Wireless
• Straight Talk

Alternative carriers powered by Sprint

Sprint is, like Verizon, a combination of CDMA-based 3G and modern LTE — though it uses different wireless frequencies. The upside is the same, though: your phone will need to support CDMA service on 3G in order to make calls and texts, and likely to register on the network entirely. Even if your phone supports Sprint’s LTE bands, it won’t be able to connect to Sprint’s core network.

There are many alternative or prepaid carriers in the U.S. that rely on Sprint’s network, including Ting, Straight Talk, and Boost Mobile. Most of these alternative carriers have online services to allow you to check whether your unlocked phone is compatible with its host network, though some — like Sprint-owned Boost Mobile — have explicit restrictions. For example, Boost Mobile customers cannot bring a Sprint-branded or Virgin-branded phone over to its network.

To use a phone on an alternative carrier that connects to the Sprint network, your phone needs to support the following frequencies:

• 3G: 800Mhz (BC10), 1900Mhz (BC1) ¹
• LTE: 850Mhz (Band 26), 1900Mhz (Band 25), 2500Mhz (Band 41)

¹ Phone must support bands on CDMA.

These are the most popular alternative carriers that run on the Sprint network:

• Boost Mobile
• Virgin Mobile
• Google Fi
• Ting
• Republic Wireless
• FreedomPop
• Net10
• Straight Talk
• TextNow

Alternative carriers powered by T-Mobile

Like Sprint, there are many prepaid and alternative carriers that rely on T-Mobile’s network, including Mint SIM, MetroPCS and others.

The good news for those bringing their own phones to one of these networks is that there’s a good chance, if it was bought in the past couple of years, that it will just work. All that you need is a SIM card and service from the new provider and you should be good to go.

That’s because T-Mobile uses a combination of 3G and 4G LTE technologies that have been widely adopted throughout the world, and most phones today, from the Google Pixel to the Galaxy S7, OnePlus 3T and many others, will just work on an MVNO that runs on the T-Mobile network.

To make sure it will work, though, you have to verify your phone supports the following bands:

• 3G: 1700/2100Mhz (Band 4), 1900Mhz (Band 2)
• LTE: 700Mhz (Band 12), 1700/2100Mhz (Band 66), 1900Mhz (Band 2)

These are the most popular alternative carriers that run on the T-Mobile network:

• Mint SIM
• Consumer Cellular
• MetroPCS
• Project Fi
• Ultra Mobile

Alternative carriers powered by AT&T

Like Verizon, AT&T doesn’t power many smaller prepaid or alternative carriers, but it does own one: Cricket Wireless. And like T-Mobile, bringing a phone to an AT&T-powered MVNO is usually no big deal: most phones sold in the past couple of years work with AT&T. Indeed, AT&T’s adoption of the worldwide HSPA+ standard for 3G, plus its standard LTE capabilities, means that even phones purchased overseas should work with Ma Bell.

After you’ve verified that a phone is SIM unlocked, you need to make sure that your phone has the following bands to work with an AT&T-powered alternative carrier:

• 3G: 850Mhz (Band 5), 1900Mhz (Band 2)
• LTE: 700Mhz (Band 12), 1700/2100Mhz (Band 4), 1900Mhz (Band 2)

These are the most popular alternative carriers that run on the AT&T network:

• AT&T GoPhone
• Cricket Wireless
• Net10
• Consumer Cellular
• H2o Wireless
• Straight Talk
• FreedomPop

Alternative carriers with multiple networks

The final piece of the puzzle is a bit complicated, but let’s talk it out. Some of the above providers, like Project Fi, rely on more than one host network to function properly. Others, like Consumer Cellular, connect to either AT&T or T-Mobile. This usually means that the SIM card inside your phone will choose between T-Mobile and Sprint depending on your location and signal strength. You as a user don’t have to make any decisions, but your choice of phone could impact the quality of service.

As long as everything is working properly — your phone supports both networks, and you are in an area that has good coverage on at least one of them — then you don’t need to think about it at all. But it’s a good thing to know, since these kinds of carriers can be to your advantage if you happen to be in an area where both the host networks are strong.

Questions?

Some of this stuff is stupidly complicated, and we’d love to help. If you’re having issues figuring out whether your phone will work on a particular prepaid or alternative carrier, let us know in the comments below!

Being informed is great for us, but big carriers would rather keep you in the dark when shopping for phone service.

There are plenty of reasons to use an MVNO instead of one of the four major network providers here in the U.S. We have talked about many of them and most center on the service to cost ratio and how an MVNO can usually be a better value for most people. We think that value is a big consideration — who doesn’t love paying less without getting less?

There are a few little things that carriers won’t mention about MVNOs that can make using one even more attractive. Here are a few things you won’t hear about when you see a commercial from the Big Four.

These are the cheapest data plans you can buy in the U.S.

They are MVNOs themselves

All four carriers have at least one MVNO that is part of their corporate entity. They can incorporate them individually and appoint someone else as a company CEO, but when you follow the money back to the bank it’s going to the same account in the end.

All four carriers run one or more MVNOs.

They have several reasons for doing this. One is that if they didn’t, they would risk losing more customers to smaller companies that operate independently as MVNOs. For example, Virgin Mobile USA and Boost Mobile are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Sprint Corporation. Together they have about 11 million subscribers. Sprint can’t afford to lose revenue from 11 million accounts, and the revenue from Boost and Virgin USA goes directly to Sprint.

What is an alternative carrier?

Sprint also has its own Sprint-branded prepaid service. It doesn’t try to hide the fact that it owns Boost or Virgin USA, but it lets them act as if they were their own MVNO because they can offer different plans at different prices marketed to all types of customers. You can feel good about saving money on Boost instead of paying more for a Sprint plan, even though you are on a Sprint-owned plan and network.

Sprint counts everyone with a Sprint postpaid plan and one of its MVNO subscribers in its subscriber count every quarter because it’s all the same company. It sees the value in an MVNO for the same reasons we see the value: to get more for less. It’s not just Sprint: AT&T and T-Mobile both run their own MVNOs for the very same reasons. (Verizon offers prepaid service, but only as part of its main brand. It also sells its service to other alternative carriers.)

You are paying for things you don’t need or use

If you have a post-paid account with one of the four major operators in the U.S. you are paying for things you don’t use. You don’t use them because you don’t need them.

Customer service, international “extras” and other plan perks aren’t free. Neither is the cost to develop and maintain extra services the companies offer like live TV broadcasts or cloud storage accounts or NASCAR sponsorships. The cost of all these things, as well as corporate facilities and accountants and lawyers, come from you and me. It’s part of our monthly bill and a big reason why you pay more for a data plan than you would through an MVNO. Many of us make use of some of these services, but think about the ones you don’t use and are still paying for.

An MVNO buys bulk data from these same carriers at a highly discounted rate. It can pass those savings on to you because it isn’t building billion-dollar corporate headquarters or paying millions of dollars to be an internet television service provider. It deals in phone calls and data plans. That’s what it sells you and that’s what you are paying for.

Hardly anyone needs huge data plans

Someone is going to comment that he use hundreds of gigabytes per month on his unlimited data plan. I’m sure that’s true, and it’s great that there’s an option to do it. But the simple fact is that most of us don’t use very much data, and the smaller 1GB or 2GB plans are all we would ever need. We still want to help save you money if you need unlimited data, though.

Which unlimited plan should you buy: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon?

This doesn’t diminish anyone’s need for 100GB of data per month. If you need that much, stick with one of the Big Four and their unlimited plans. But if you don’t need a shared family plan with 10GB of data for your family, you don’t have to pay for it. An alternative carrier usually offers small data packages or services that can be maintained by paying for calls and texts that you can top up with data as you need it. This can mean substantial savings over the course of a year compared to even the smallest “smartphone” data package from a postpaid carrier.

They use the same wires as an MVNO

T-Mobile (for example) has the same network footprint as MetroPCS (which is an MVNO that’s really part of T-Mobile like we talked about earlier) or any other MVNO that uses T-Mobile’s network. It doesn’t split the network into different areas when it sells wholesale data to another company.

A carrier only has one network and it’s the one it also sells to MVNOs.

If it tells you it has a bigger network footprint it’s because is paying another carrier to use its data network in some places. This is more common that you think, and even the U.S. telecom giants that are AT&T and Verizon have agreements with other carriers for places where their networks needs some help. If you are in one of these areas, some features of the plan you pay for aren’t going to work, and your data speeds may be diminished, but it’s still better than a dead spot. And cheaper than network expansion.

This isn’t a bad thing. Plenty of people travel all over the place and need service to follow them, and roaming agreements between companies help make that happen. But for the majority of its network coverage map, the service and data connection is the same as an MVNO that uses its network.

They love MVNOs as much as we do

Selling bulk data to an MVNO is very profitable for a big carrier. It doesn’t need to do anything extra when selling wholesale data to an MVNO so it means it is getting more (money) for less (work).

Alternative carriers have to maintain the network for their own customers. They have to expand the network for their own customers. They have to improve the network for their own customers. These are real costs, and selling data to an MVNO helps the bottom line because there isn’t anything they need to do after they sell it.

They can even make more money by offering things like billing services and in-store sales for an MVNO as an extra service. And after all that, your MVNO can still offer service cheaper than the company it is buying it from. Makes one wonder just how much profit is in every megabyte of data the Big Four sells, doesn’t it?

An MVNO isn’t making deals with hardware companies

At least not as many deals and not the same kinds of deals.

For a long time, AT&T was very interested in getting you to buy an iPhone every year. That’s because it had a special deal with Apple, and for that deal to be profitable it had to sell a whole lot of iPhones. That’s great for Apple and AT&T, but not so great for you and me.

A Galaxy S7 works great on an MVNO, but nobody is pressuring you to buy one.

That hasn’t changed now that everyone can use a Galaxy S7 on any network (it’s awesome on an MVNO, by the way!). Apple, Samsung, LG and everyone else works with the major carriers to find ways to make even more money, and employees are directed to do certain things to help make it happen.

When you sign up for service from an alternative carrier, you might find a deal on an older model phone or a refurbished phone, but nobody is there to steer you towards a specific brand or model. MVNOs are interested in selling you good, cheap phone service. Not the next big thing from Samsung or Apple.

And that next big thing from Samsung or Apple will work just fine if it’s what you really want.

Alternative carriers are businesses and designed to make money. They aren’t out to be our friends or to operate at a loss. But there are plenty of reasons why they can make money by selling the same service for a lot less, and the Big Four carriers don’t really want to talk about them.

Saving money on your mobile bill doesn’t mean losing out on features or service.

TPO (The People’s Operator) is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that leases coverage from Sprint. MVNOs piggyback on the bigger networks in order to bring you great service at a lower price.

Does going with an alternative carrier mean you’ll be getting second class service compared to customers of the Big Four (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon)?

Switch to TPO and save on your mobile bill! Learn more

If I switch to TPO, will I get worse service that proper Sprint customers?

Absolutely not! TPO leases coverage from Sprint’s fast 4G LTE network, meaning that you’re on the Sprint network, but you’re not paying Sprint prices. You’ll still get nationwide calling, texting, and data coverage, and you’ll get full 4G LTE speeds.

Will I really save money?

Absolutely! The Big Four carriers push unlimited plans on you, making you believe you need all the 4G LTE data in the world, when most Americans really only use 3 to 5 gigabytes of 4G LTE per month. That’s a far cry from the 22 to 30GB you’d get — and pay for — on a big carrier’s unlimited plan.

Take a look at your actual data usage and take stock of how much you could actually be using Wi-Fi instead. Then take a look at TPO’s plans!

As you can see, if you’re an average American who uses roughly 3GB of data per month, TPO’s caring plan is more than enough for you. When you consider that Sprint itself no longer offers tiered data plans, and your baseline is $ 60/month for unlimited data, talk, and text, there’s really no reason not to try TPO.

At the end of the day, if you go with TPO’s Noble or Caring plans, you’re paying roughly half of what the big carrier’s charge for unlimited plans, and you’re only paying for data you actually need — not overpaying for data you don’t.

Switch to TPO and save on your mobile bill! Learn more

Great! But how’s customer service?

TPO’s customer service is top-notch. Since TPO isn’t like the big carriers; its customer service reps can offer your personalized care and attention. It’s the difference between shopping at Walmart and shopping at your local mom ‘n’ pop for groceries.

TPO’s U.S.-based customer service center is open seven days a week to make sure you’re taken care of, and if you’re outside of business hours, send a message and a TPO rep will get back to you within 24 hours.

Learn more

What’s the catch?

There isn’t one. TPO is an alternative carrier that saves you money with zero compromise. You don’t have to compromise on data speeds, call quality, customer service, or price.

You don’t have to sign any annual contract; there are no activation fees; there’s no credit check, and there’s no deposit required. You can even bring your existing number.

Switch to TPO and save on your mobile bill! Learn more

Update, June 2017: The entire list has been refreshed to show the best options for someone buying a phone to use on T-Mobile prepaid.

• Best overall
• Best clean experience
• Best for less
• Best inexpensive

Why the Galaxy S8 is the best

Samsung’s Galaxy S brand carries considerable weight in the mobile world, and the Galaxy S8 continues to both leverage that brand while also offering a fantastic overall smartphone experience that today’s consumers want. Once again, Samsung took its core principles of great hardware, a top-end display, waterproofing, solid cameras and mounds of features and updated it all for 2017.

The result is a fresh design that shrinks down the display bezels and really smooths out all of the sharp edges to give you a sleek, thin phone with a really large display that doesn’t feel that large. The extra-tall 18.5:9 aspect ratio comes in at 5.8-inches across on the Galaxy S8 and 6.2-inches on the Galaxy S8+, and in both cases feels quite a bit smaller than the numbers would lead you to believe.

The sleek body still packs in top-end specs, of course, starting with that magnificent Super AMOLED display and backing it up with a Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895, 4GB of RAM, larger 64GB of storage (plus an SD card slot), a new USB-C port and locking it all down with waterproofing. The batteries are no bigger than last year’s models, but battery life hasn’t taken any hit. On the other side of the hardware, there’s one big downside: Samsung moved the fingerprint sensor to an awkward position on the back next to the camera, leaving you with the less-consistent and less-convenient face scanning and iris scanning instead.

Samsung continues to make phones with all of the design and features people are clamoring for.

The camera experience has actually changed more on the front than the back with a new 8MP unit that packs auto focus. But the 12MP rear camera is still no slouch — Samsung has improved its processing to get even more out of this setup, and it remains a competitor for the best overall smartphone camera out there.

The ongoing point of contention when it comes to Samsung phones is the software, and that’s the same once again on the Galaxy S8. Samsung continues to put in a massive number of features without removing any from years prior, leaving you with lots of things to get in the way and confuse you when you’re trying to get the basics done. On the other hand, it’s hard to find someone who can’t get done what they need to get done right out of the box on this phone. It truly is aimed at being relevant to as diverse a set of consumers as possible, and it succeeds on that point.

By putting up with a few of the out-of-the-box quirks and taking some time to set it up how you like it, the Galaxy S8 can do anything you want and get it done at a fast pace while looking great as well.

Conclusion

For most people, the Galaxy S8 will serve as the best possible choice with its excellent design, top-end hardware, great camera and piles of software features. It’s hard to go wrong with this phone, whether you’re choosing the Galaxy S8 or the larger Galaxy S8+.