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Best Cell Phone Plans for Kids 2023

Looking to get your child their first cell phone? Check out these affordable options that will get your kid connected without breaking the bank.
Tello 1GB 100 Mins
1 Line
1 Line
T-Mobile
$
7
/mo.
+tax
tax included
1GB
high-speed, then data stops
high-speed
high-speed, then 64Kbps
Deprioritized
Deprioritized
Included Hotspot
No Hotspot
Add-on Hotspot
No hotspot
4K UHD Streaming
100 Minutes
Unlimited Texts
Mint Mobile 5GB
1 Line
1 Line
T-Mobile
$
15
/mo.
+tax
tax included
5GB
high-speed, then data stops
high-speed
high-speed, then 128Kbps
Deprioritized
Deprioritized
Included Hotspot
No Hotspot
Add-on Hotspot
No hotspot
4K UHD Streaming
Unlimited Minutes
Unlimited Texts
US Mobile 5GB
1 Line
1 Line
T-Mobile or Verizon
$
15
/mo.
+tax
tax included
5GB
high-speed, then data stops
high-speed
high-speed, then None
5GB premium
5GB premium
Included Hotspot
No Hotspot
Add-on Hotspot
No hotspot
720p HD Streaming
Unlimited Minutes
Unlimited Texts
Visible Base
1 Line
1 Line
Verizon
$
25
/mo.
+tax
tax included
Unlimited
high-speed, then data stops
high-speed
high-speed, then None
Deprioritized
Deprioritized
Included Hotspot
5Mbps Hotspot
Add-on Hotspot
5Mbps hotspot
480p SD Streaming
Unlimited Minutes
Unlimited Texts

Top Picks for the Best Cell Phone Plans for Kids

Our recommended cell phone plans for children start at just $7 per month. Here are our top picks:

Best budget plan: Tello’s 1GB plan

Tello’s $7 plan is a great option for children. It includes 100 minutes, unlimited texts, and 1GB of LTE or 5G data. This is plenty of minutes, texts, and data to stay in touch with friends or family members.

What we love about Tello is they now support family plans. You can easily add your child’s new line to your account for easy management.

Tello also provides flexible and affordable plans. If you find your child needs more minutes or data, you can easily upgrade their plan for a low cost. You can get 2GB for $14 or 4GB for $16, for example.

Tello uses the T-Mobile network for coverage and has no overage fees or charges.

Tello 1GB 100 Mins
AT&T
Dish
T-Mobile
Verizon
$
7
/mo
+ tax
tax included
1GB
100
Minutes
Unlimited
Texts
Included Hotspot
Add-on
Hotspot
No
Hotspot
No Hotspot
Deprioritized
Deprioritized
Unlimited slow data (
64Kbps
)
Unlimited
slow data
4K UHD
video streaming
International calling
International calling add-on
International calling
International data
International data add-on
International data
Domestic roaming
Domestic roaming
Visual VM
Visual VM
VoLTE
VoLTE
Wi-Fi calling
Wi-Fi calling
MMS
MMS
5G
5G add-on
5G
eSIM
eSIM
$
7
/mo
+ tax
tax included

Best coverage plan: US Mobile’s 5GB plan

US Mobile is great for children because their plans are completely customizable. You can choose exactly how many minutes, texts, or data your child needs. You can even choose to not get cellular data. US Mobile’s unlimited talk & text plan is also just $10 per month.

What we love about US Mobile is that their Super LTE network uses Verizon for coverage. Verizon offers one of the best networks across the United States. You can feel confident knowing your child will have service in more places.

Like with Tello, US Mobile allows you to have multiple lines on one account. You can even give each line its own name. This makes it easy for managing a family of cell phone plans under one account. 

And if your child ever needs more data, they can easily upgrade to US Mobile’s $30 30GB plan or their $45 unlimited plan.

US Mobile 5GB
AT&T
Dish
T-Mobile
Verizon
$
15
/mo
+ tax
tax included
5GB
Unlimited
Minutes
Unlimited
Texts
Included Hotspot
Add-on
Hotspot
No
Hotspot
No Hotspot
5GB premium
5GB premium
Unlimited slow data (
None
)
Unlimited
slow data
720p HD
video streaming
International calling
International calling add-on
International calling
International data
International data add-on
International data
Domestic roaming
Domestic roaming
Visual VM
Visual VM
VoLTE
VoLTE
Wi-Fi calling
Wi-Fi calling
MMS
MMS
5G
5G add-on
5G
eSIM
eSIM
$
15
/mo
+ tax
tax included

Best value plan: Mint Mobile’s 4GB plan

Mint Mobile offers one of the best value cell phone plans currently available. You can get unlimited minutes, texts, and 4GB of high-speed data for just $15 per month

The 4GB of included cellular data is plenty for Google Maps navigation, social media, or web browsing. Having unlimited talk & text is nice too. Your child will never need to worry about running out of minutes when trying to call mom or dad.

We love Mint because they offer a full-featured service. Their plans include visual voicemail, MMS, Wi-Fi calling, VoLTE, and even 5G access on T-Mobile’s 5G network.

Mint Mobile sells their plans in bulk to offer such affordable prices. You choose to sign up for either a 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month plan. The longer you sign up for, the more you save on your cell phone bill.

New customers can get the 3-month 3GB plan for the discounted $15 per month price. Each line on Mint Mobile will need its own separate account when they are first set up, but you can easily manage multiple lines under a single account thanks to Mint Family.

Mint Mobile 5GB
$
15
per month
Network:
T-Mobile
Data:
5GB
Priority:
Deprioritized
priority data
(data speeds may temporarily slow when the network is busy; speeds resume to full speed when the network is not busy)
Hotspot:
Included
Add-on available
,
No
allowance
Minutes:
Unlimited
Texts:
Unlimited
International Calling:
Add-on available
International Data Roaming:
Add-on available
Cost:
$
15
per month
Cost for 4 Lines:
$
15
per line

Best unlimited plan: Visible’s unlimited plan

If you never want to worry or even think about how much cellular data your child needs, Visible may be for you. 

Visible offers a truly unlimited data plan for just $40 flat per month. (Yes, Visible includes all taxes and fees in the cost of their plan).

What makes Visible especially great is their Party Pay group discount

Your child can join a Visible Party to reduce the cost of the unlimited plan to just $25 per month. 

It’s safe for your child to join a Visible Party because each line in a Visible Party is handled as a separate account. 

Watch our video on Party Pay to learn more about how this group discount works.

Visible uses the Verizon network for coverage. 

Considering Visible offers unlimited data for just $25 per month, they are a great option for not only your child but for you, too!

Visible Base
$
25
per month
Network:
Verizon
Data:
Unlimited
Priority:
Deprioritized
priority data
(data speeds may temporarily slow when the network is busy; speeds resume to full speed when the network is not busy)
Hotspot:
Included
Add-on available
,
5Mbps
allowance
Minutes:
Unlimited
Texts:
Unlimited
International Calling:
Included
International Data Roaming:
Not supported
Cost:
$
25
per month
Cost for 4 Lines:
$
30
per line
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.

Tello 1GB 100 Mins

Plan

Tello's 1GB plan is $7 per month.

It includes 100 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB of data per month. After you reach your high-speed data allotment, you get unlimited data at slow speeds (64Kbps). You can use up to up to your entire high-speed data allowance as hotspot data.

Tello uses the T-Mobile networks to provide coverage.

This plan is also deprioritized.

A deprioritized plan means you may notice temporarily slightly slower data speeds during times when the network is busy. This can include being at a sports game, stadium, concert, airport, or other crowded area where a lot of people are on their phones. When the network is no longer busy, you’ll resume getting the fastest speeds available.

Video streams at Full Speed on this plan.

That's fast enough for watching videos at about 4K UHD resolution.

Tello's 1GB plan also supports:

  • VoLTE
  • Wi-Fi calling
  • Visual voicemail
  • Group and picture messaging
  • eSIM
  • 5G access

You cannot add a smartwatch or tablet line to this plan.

Overall, I do not recommend Tello's 1GB plan. I think it’s too expensive for the features and the data you get. I suggest you to consider other options.

Tello 1GB 100 Mins
AT&T
Dish
T-Mobile
Verizon
$
7
/mo
+ tax
tax included
1GB
100
Minutes
Unlimited
Texts
Included Hotspot
Add-on
Hotspot
No
Hotspot
No Hotspot
Deprioritized
Deprioritized
Unlimited slow data (
64Kbps
)
Unlimited
slow data
4K UHD
video streaming
International calling
International calling add-on
International calling
International data
International data add-on
International data
Domestic roaming
Domestic roaming
Visual VM
Visual VM
VoLTE
VoLTE
Wi-Fi calling
Wi-Fi calling
MMS
MMS
5G
5G add-on
5G
eSIM
eSIM
$
7
/mo
+ tax
tax included

US Mobile 5GB

Plan

US Mobile's 5GB plan is $15 per month.

It includes unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and 5GB of data per month. The data is shut off after you reach your high-speed allotment. The mobile hotspot feature is also available as an add-on. You can use up to up to your entire high-speed data allowance as hotspot data.

US Mobile uses the T-Mobile or Verizon networks to provide coverage.

This plan has premium data.

Premium data gives you slightly faster data speeds during times when the network is busy. This includes being at sports games, stadiums, concerts, airports, or other crowded areas where a lot of people are on their phones. Keep in mind that a lot of people using the network at the same time will still slow down data speeds for everyone, regardless if you have premium data or not.

Video streams at full speed on T-Mobile, 4Mbps on Verizon on this plan.

That's fast enough for watching videos at about 720p HD resolution.

US Mobile's 5GB plan also supports:

  • VoLTE
  • Wi-Fi calling
  • Visual voicemail
  • Group and picture messaging
  • Domestic roaming
  • eSIM
  • 5G access

You cannot add a smartwatch or tablet line to this plan.

Overall, I recommend US Mobile's 5GB plan. I think it is a great overall value in terms of its price, its features, and how much high-speed data is included.

US Mobile 5GB
AT&T
Dish
T-Mobile
Verizon
$
15
/mo
+ tax
tax included
5GB
Unlimited
Minutes
Unlimited
Texts
Included Hotspot
Add-on
Hotspot
No
Hotspot
No Hotspot
5GB premium
5GB premium
Unlimited slow data (
None
)
Unlimited
slow data
720p HD
video streaming
International calling
International calling add-on
International calling
International data
International data add-on
International data
Domestic roaming
Domestic roaming
Visual VM
Visual VM
VoLTE
VoLTE
Wi-Fi calling
Wi-Fi calling
MMS
MMS
5G
5G add-on
5G
eSIM
eSIM
$
15
/mo
+ tax
tax included

Mint Mobile 5GB

Plan

Mint Mobile's 5GB plan is $15 per month.

It includes unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and 5GB of data per month. After you reach your high-speed data allotment, you get unlimited data at slow speeds (128Kbps). You can use up to up to your entire high-speed data allowance as hotspot data.

Mint Mobile uses the T-Mobile networks to provide coverage.

This plan is also deprioritized.

A deprioritized plan means you may notice temporarily slightly slower data speeds during times when the network is busy. This can include being at a sports game, stadium, concert, airport, or other crowded area where a lot of people are on their phones. When the network is no longer busy, you’ll resume getting the fastest speeds available.

Video streams at Full Speed on this plan.

That's fast enough for watching videos at about 4K UHD resolution.

Mint Mobile's 5GB plan also supports:

  • VoLTE
  • Wi-Fi calling
  • Visual voicemail
  • Group and picture messaging
  • eSIM
  • 5G access
  • Device financing

You cannot add a smartwatch or tablet line to this plan.

Overall, I recommend Mint Mobile's 5GB plan. I think it is a great overall value in terms of its price, its features, and how much high-speed data is included.

Mint Mobile 5GB
AT&T
Dish
T-Mobile
Verizon
$
15
/mo
+ tax
tax included
5GB
Unlimited
Minutes
Unlimited
Texts
Included Hotspot
Add-on
Hotspot
No
Hotspot
No Hotspot
Deprioritized
Deprioritized
Unlimited slow data (
128Kbps
)
Unlimited
slow data
4K UHD
video streaming
International calling
International calling add-on
International calling
International data
International data add-on
International data
Domestic roaming
Domestic roaming
Visual VM
Visual VM
VoLTE
VoLTE
Wi-Fi calling
Wi-Fi calling
MMS
MMS
5G
5G add-on
5G
eSIM
eSIM
$
15
/mo
+ tax
tax included

Visible Base

Plan

Visible's Unlimited plan is $25 per month.

It includes unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited of data per month. You also get unlimited hotspot data at speeds of 5Mbps.

Visible uses the Verizon networks to provide coverage.

This plan is also deprioritized.

A deprioritized plan means you may notice temporarily slightly slower data speeds during times when the network is busy. This can include being at a sports game, stadium, concert, airport, or other crowded area where a lot of people are on their phones. When the network is no longer busy, you’ll resume getting the fastest speeds available.

Video streams at 2Mbps on this plan.

That's fast enough for watching videos at about 480p SD resolution.

Visible's Unlimited plan also supports:

  • VoLTE
  • Wi-Fi calling
  • Visual voicemail
  • Group and picture messaging
  • Domestic roaming
  • eSIM
  • 5G access
  • Device financing

You can add a smartwatch to this plan for $5 per month.

Overall, I recommend Visible's Unlimited plan. I think it is a great overall value in terms of its price, its features, and how much high-speed data is included.

Visible Base
AT&T
Dish
T-Mobile
Verizon
$
25
/mo
+ tax
tax included
Unlimited
Unlimited
Minutes
Unlimited
Texts
Included Hotspot
Add-on
Hotspot
5Mbps
Hotspot
No Hotspot
Deprioritized
Deprioritized
Unlimited slow data (
None
)
Unlimited
slow data
480p SD
video streaming
International calling
International calling add-on
International calling
International data
International data add-on
International data
Domestic roaming
Domestic roaming
Visual VM
Visual VM
VoLTE
VoLTE
Wi-Fi calling
Wi-Fi calling
MMS
MMS
5G
5G add-on
5G
eSIM
eSIM
$
25
/mo
+ tax
tax included
Table of Contents

Top 4 Best Cell Phone Plans for Kids

Our recommended cell phone plans for children start at just $7 per month. Here are our top picks:

Best budget plan: Tello’s 1GB plan

Tello’s $7 plan is a great option for children. It includes 100 minutes, unlimited texts, and 1GB of LTE or 5G data. This is plenty of minutes, texts, and data to stay in touch with friends or family members.

What we love about Tello is they now support family plans. You can easily add your child’s new line to your account for easy management.

Tello also provides flexible and affordable plans. If you find your child needs more minutes or data, you can easily upgrade their plan for a low cost. You can get 2GB for $14 or 4GB for $16, for example.

Tello uses the T-Mobile network for coverage and has no overage fees or charges. 

Tello 1GB 100 Mins
AT&T
Dish
T-Mobile
Verizon
$
7
/mo
+ tax
tax included
1GB
100
Minutes
Unlimited
Texts
Included Hotspot
Add-on
Hotspot
No
Hotspot
No Hotspot
Deprioritized
Deprioritized
Unlimited slow data (
64Kbps
)
Unlimited
slow data
4K UHD
video streaming
International calling
International calling add-on
International calling
International data
International data add-on
International data
Domestic roaming
Domestic roaming
Visual VM
Visual VM
VoLTE
VoLTE
Wi-Fi calling
Wi-Fi calling
MMS
MMS
5G
5G add-on
5G
eSIM
eSIM
$
7
/mo
+ tax
tax included

Best coverage plan: US Mobile’s 5GB plan

US Mobile is great for children because their plans are completely customizable. You can choose exactly how many minutes, texts, or data your child needs. You can even choose to not get cellular data. US Mobile’s unlimited talk & text plan is also just $10 per month.

What we love about US Mobile is that their Super LTE network uses Verizon for coverage. Verizon offers one of the best networks across the United States. You can feel confident knowing your child will have service in more places.

Like with Tello, US Mobile allows you to have multiple lines on one account. You can even give each line its own name. This makes it easy for managing a family of cell phone plans under one account. 

And if your child ever needs more data, they can easily upgrade to US Mobile’s $30 30GB plan or their $45 unlimited plan.

US Mobile 5GB
AT&T
Dish
T-Mobile
Verizon
$
15
/mo
+ tax
tax included
5GB
Unlimited
Minutes
Unlimited
Texts
Included Hotspot
Add-on
Hotspot
No
Hotspot
No Hotspot
5GB premium
5GB premium
Unlimited slow data (
None
)
Unlimited
slow data
1080p HD
video streaming
International calling
International calling add-on
International calling
International data
International data add-on
International data
Domestic roaming
Domestic roaming
Visual VM
Visual VM
VoLTE
VoLTE
Wi-Fi calling
Wi-Fi calling
MMS
MMS
5G
5G add-on
5G
eSIM
eSIM
$
15
/mo
+ tax
tax included

Best value plan: Mint Mobile’s 4GB plan

Mint Mobile offers one of the best value cell phone plans currently available. You can get unlimited minutes, texts, and 4GB of high-speed data for just $15 per month

The 4GB of included cellular data is plenty for Google Maps navigation, social media, or web browsing. Having unlimited talk & text is nice too. Your child will never need to worry about running out of minutes when trying to call mom or dad.

We love Mint because they offer a full-featured service. Their plans include visual voicemail, MMS, Wi-Fi calling, VoLTE, and even 5G access on T-Mobile’s 5G network.

Mint Mobile sells their plans in bulk to offer such affordable prices. You choose to sign up for either a 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month plan. The longer you sign up for, the more you save on your cell phone bill.

New customers can get the 3-month 3GB plan for the discounted $15 per month price. Each line on Mint Mobile will need its own separate account when they are first set up, but you can easily manage multiple lines under a single account thanks to Mint Family

Mint Mobile 4GB
AT&T
Dish
T-Mobile
Verizon
$
15
/mo
+ tax
tax included
4GB
Unlimited
Minutes
Unlimited
Texts
Included Hotspot
Add-on
Hotspot
No
Hotspot
No Hotspot
Deprioritized
Deprioritized
Unlimited slow data (
128Kbps
)
Unlimited
slow data
4K UHD
video streaming
International calling
International calling add-on
International calling
International data
International data add-on
International data
Domestic roaming
Domestic roaming
Visual VM
Visual VM
VoLTE
VoLTE
Wi-Fi calling
Wi-Fi calling
MMS
MMS
5G
5G add-on
5G
eSIM
eSIM
$
15
/mo
+ tax
tax included

Best unlimited plan: Visible’s unlimited plan

If you never want to worry or even think about how much cellular data your child needs, Visible may be for you. 

Visible offers a truly unlimited data plan for just $40 flat per month. (Yes, Visible includes all taxes and fees in the cost of their plan).

What makes Visible especially great is their Party Pay group discount

Your child can join a Visible Party to reduce the cost of the unlimited plan to just $25 per month. 

It’s safe for your child to join a Visible Party because each line in a Visible Party is handled as a separate account. 

Watch our video on Party Pay to learn more about how this group discount works.

Visible uses the Verizon network for coverage. 

Considering Visible offers unlimited data for just $25 per month, they are a great option for not only your child but for you, too!

Visible Unlimited
AT&T
Dish
T-Mobile
Verizon
$
25
/mo
+ tax
tax included
Unlimited
Unlimited
Minutes
Unlimited
Texts
Included Hotspot
Add-on
Hotspot
5Mbps
Hotspot
No Hotspot
Deprioritized
Deprioritized
Unlimited slow data (
None
)
Unlimited
slow data
480p SD
video streaming
International calling
International calling add-on
International calling
International data
International data add-on
International data
Domestic roaming
Domestic roaming
Visual VM
Visual VM
VoLTE
VoLTE
Wi-Fi calling
Wi-Fi calling
MMS
MMS
5G
5G add-on
5G
eSIM
eSIM
$
25
/mo
+ tax
tax included

Cell Phone Plan Reviews

Read reviews of cell phone plans mentioned in this article.
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