Getting a first cell phone is a rite of passage. As a parent, you need to ensure you choose not only the best cell phone for your kids but also the right plan to go along with it.
Our favorite cell phone plans for kids include Visible's basic Unlimited plan, Verizon’s Unlimited Welcome package, and Tello's 2GB tier. These plans range from unlimited data plans to cheaper low-data options. Read on to check out the very best phone plans for kids on the market right now.
Compare the best cell phone plans for kids
| Carrier | Plan | Price | Shop this plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible Wireless | Visible | $25/month | Go to Visible |
| Mint Mobile | Modern Family Plan | $30/month | Go to Mint Mobile |
| Verizon | Unlimited Welcome | $65/month | Go to Verizon |
| US Mobile | Unlimited Starter | $25/month | Go to US Mobile |
| Tello | 2GB Plan | $10/month | Go to Tello |
Best Cell Phone Plans for Kids
We’ve rounded up the top phone plans for kids from Visible Wireless, Mint Mobile, Verizon, Tello, and US Mobile. Read on to discover which one suits your child the best.
Visible Wireless | Visible | $25/month—Best unlimited cell phone plan for kids
With its ultra-competitive unlimited plan pricing as low as $25/month, Visible offers the best unlimited plan for kids. You'll enjoy exceptional 4G LTE coverage backed by Verizon, blazing-fast 5G data, and unlimited talk/text/data. Unlike big carriers—Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile—most smaller carriers lack parental controls. Visible wireless is no different, but thankfully you can use parental control apps instead.
Pros: Affordable unlimited data, excellent 4G LTE coverage, fast 5G data- Cons: No parental controls
Mint Mobile | Modern Family Plan | Price varies—Best family plan
Mint Mobile's family plan discounts start with just two lines of service, whereas most other carriers begin at three lines. For that reason, Mint is our favorite prepaid family plan for kids. With Mint, you'll get the lowest possible pricing by paying in three-month increments instead of shelling out for a year's worth of service upfront.
For instance, to get Mint Mobile's cheapest unlimited plan, you'd normally have to pay $360 at once, which breaks down to $30/month on a single-line plan. Instead, you’ll pay $90 every three months. What's more, its Modern Family Plan lets you mix and match plans, so you can get an unlimited plan for yourself and the 5GB package for your kid. Mint also offers Mint Kids phone plans, giving parents the power to control all account communications and manage data to suit all family members' cell phone needs.
- Pros: Exceptional 5G network, mix-and-match plans, low prices
- Cons: Payment in three-month increments, no parental controls
Verizon | Unlimited Welcome | $65/month—Best parental controls
While Verizon doesn’t offer its Just For Kids package anymore, its robust Verizon Smart Family control center includes parental controls, number blocking capabilities, and call or text limits. For kids, we recommend Verizon’s Unlimited Welcome tier with its unlimited 5G.
Verizon’s Unlimited Welcome with Smart Family plan lacks 5G Ultra-wideband (UWB) for the fastest possible mobile data speeds. Unfortunately, its high price is a bit tough to swallow. However, if you sign up for a family plan, you can lower your bill to as little as $30/line with four lines. That said, any Verizon unlimited or prepaid plan still grants access to Smart Family for $4.99/month or Smart Family Premium for $9.99/month. So if you're going all in on a family plan and want 5G UWB data plus a 30GB monthly mobile hotspot allowance, we recommend stepping up to Verizon's Unlimited Plus plan and signing up for Smart Family for your kiddos. Also, T-Mobile and AT&T both deliver similar parental controls, so it’s worth considering checking out the best T-Mobile or AT&T plans available right now.
- Pros: Great 4G LTE network, reliable 5G support, strong parental controls
- Cons: Lacks 5G UWB, pricey
US Mobile | Unlimited Starter Plan | $25/month—Best value cell phone plan for kid
US Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that stacks up well compared to its network tower carriers—Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. We recommend US Mobile's $25/month Unlimited Starter plan for kids. It's a great plan that doesn't break the bank but provides enough mobile data for streaming Spotify, watching Netflix, and playing some mobile games. In our experience, the average person uses around 12GB of smartphone data monthly, so 70GB of premium data is plenty. After exceeding your premium allowance, US Mobile actually keeps you on priority data but may throttle your speeds to 1Mbps, which is perfectly usable unless you're trying to stream 4K videos on mobile data. Plus, on its Dark Star network, you get unlimited premium data so you never run out. Although it's an unlimited plan, US Mobile's Starter tier is a good middle-of-the-road cell phone plan for children.
- Pros: Choice of three networks, affordable, generous monthly data allocation
- Cons: No parental controls
Tello | 2GB plan | $10/month—Best budget cell phone plan for kids
Tello's 2GB plan is an excellent option for kids who don't use (or aren't allowed) much internet and app time. It features 2GB of mobile data at up to 5G speeds. While there's data deprioritization, Tello doesn't charge any overages for exceeding that allocation. Thankfully, calling and texting remain unlimited—but you can also opt to adjust the calling minutes to 500, 300, 100, or none at all. In our testing, we liked Tello's outstanding 5G performance, friendly customer service, and wallet-friendly prices, all of which made it a compelling alternative to big carriers. Plus, Tello now offers parental controls including Web Guard—a service that blocks inappropriate and harmful content—and Safe Search, which filters explicit or dangerous search results from search engines.
Pros: Low cost, best-in-class 5G footprint, unlimited talk and text- Cons: Only 2GB of monthly data
Check out our guide to the best phones for kids.
Best Family Plans
Family plans, like Sam's Club, reward you for buying in bulk. Typically, the more lines you add, the more you save. Our favorite family plans for multi-line savings are from US Mobile, Mint Mobile, T-Mobile, Simple Mobile, and Verizon. Check out the best family cell phone plans below:
Shared plan with 4 lines
|
#1
|
Twigby Mobile
Multi-Line Plan
$25.00/mo
for the first 3 months
|
|
#2
|
Mint Mobile
Mint Modern Family Plan
$40.00/mo
Intro price per month with a 3-month plan
|
|
#3
|
US Mobile
10GB By the Gig Plan
$44.00/mo
Taxes and fees included
|
|
#4
|
T-Mobile
$15 Connect by TMO 5GB
$60.00/mo
Taxes & Fees NOT included
+ $40 Upfront
|
|
#5
|
PureTalk
Multi-Line Plan
$80.00/mo
+ $12 Upfront
|
|
#6
|
AT&T
Prepaid Multi-line Monthly Plan
$100.00/mo
with AutoPay
+ $3.96 Upfront
|
|
#7
|
Cricket
Select Unlimited Plan (Multi-line)
$100.00/mo
+ $39.96 Upfront
|
|
#8
|
Verizon
Multi-Line Unlimited Plans
$100.00/mo
+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.
+ $160 Upfront
|
Methodology: How we picked the best cell phone plans for kids
We picked the best cell phone plans for kids by comparing dozens of packages from big and small carriers. Then, we selected the best phone plans for children ranging from unlimited data options to budget-priced choices. When ranking plans, we focused mainly on price and mobile data offerings. However, we also considered network performance and perks. Aside from comparing plans to one another, we looked at the most popular mobile plans on the market for a comprehensive market overview.
Choosing a Cell Phone Plan for Kids
When selecting a phone plan for kiddos, there's a lot to consider, including coverage, monthly cost, and data allowances.
Cell phone coverage
Cell phone coverage is crucial when selecting a plan. The best network for you depends on carrier footprints in your area, so consult coverage maps before deciding. Generally, Verizon boasts the best 4G LTE coverage. On the other hand, T-Mobile offers exceptional 5G support with middling rural signal strength. AT&T features a balanced network with great 4G LTE and a decent 5G network.
Data allowances
Consider how much monthly data your child needs, then decide if your child needs an unlimited or limited data plan. Teens and older kids might require (or want) unlimited data for streaming music or videos, mobile gaming, and social media use. Even apps like TikTok can burn a shocking amount of data in a short time. Luckily, tapping into Wi-Fi when it's available conserves mobile data. And even for low data plans, most carriers don't charge overages but rather slow your data down until a new data cycle.
Monthly price
We recommend sticking to budget plans when selecting mobile service for children. Since you typically don't need a generous mobile hotspot allowance or perks like streaming subscriptions, sticking with budget plans lets you keep more money in your wallet. You can always use the cash you conserve to pay for streaming services or cloud storage subscriptions.
Individual vs. family plan
When shopping for a child's cell phone plan, you have two options: An individual or family plan. With an individual plan, you can pick any tier, such as a low data package. Some family plans let you mix and match, while others require everyone sharing a bundle to opt into the same selection.
Parental controls
Some carriers offer parental controls for restricting app or data usage. Alternatively, you can find parental controls in the settings of many phones or even download parental control apps like Bark, FamilyTime, and MMGuardian.
Best phones for kids
The best mobile phones for kids are the Bark Phone, Gabb Phone Plus, Google Pixel 5a with 5G, and iPhone SE third generation. Alternatively, consider picking up a cheap cell phone or unlocked smartphone for your child.
Moe Long
Senior Writer
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