Pay as you go cell phone plans

Q: What is the difference between a prepaid phone and pay as you go?

With prepaid plans, you pay in advance and once youve used up your plan you get disconnected from the service until youve bought another plan. If you Pay as You Go, you dont buy a plan but rather minutes, texts, and data. Once youve used them, you can add more with physical or electronic refill cards.

Q: Which phone is best for pay as you go?

best pay as you go cell phones.

Q: What cell phone company does not require a credit check?

Prepaid cell phone plans dont require a credit check. Thats because you pay in advance for your service, usually on a monthly basis, so theres no risk for the cell phone provider. The three major carriers — Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T — offer prepaid plans, often for less than their traditional plans.

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Find your perfect plan

DOUBLE DATA
16GB of data. $25/mo. for 12 months.
When you pay $300 online for an entire year in advance.
16GB/mo. (Reg. 8GB). Taxes and fees extra. Excludes upgrades. Other fees, charges & restr’s apply. See offer details
BUDGET CONSCIOUS
Get 5GB of high-speed data for $30/mo.
Our lowest-priced monthly plan.
Unlimited talk, text, and 5GB high-speed data. Taxes and fees extra. See details

Compare our AT&T PREPAIDSM 5G plans

All unlimited plans include AT&T 5G and AT&T ActiveArmor mobile security.

AT&T 5G requires a compatible device and is not available everywhere. See att.com/5Gforyou for details.

AT&T ActiveArmor℠ Mobile Security req’s compatible device/service. Download of ActiveArmor app req. Data charges may apply. Other terms and restr’s apply. Visit att.com/activearmorapp to learn more.

Double data + 5G included

16GB 12-month

$25 /mo. Plus taxes and fees.

when you prepay $300 for 12 months

Reg. 8GB/mo. New line activation required. After high-speed data is used, speed slowed to a max of 128 Kbps for rest of term. Taxes and fees extra. Other fees, charges & restr’s apply See offer details

Here’s what you’ll get:

Unlimited talk, text, & 16GB high-speed data
Unlimited talk, text & data in and between Mexico & Canada
2G offnet data speeds may apply.
AT&T ActiveArmorSM mobile security
Fraud call blocking & more.
Turn your phone into a hotspot. Uses plan data allotment.
4K UHD streaming available
With StreamSaver® turned off.
Unused data rolls over to the next month.

5G included

AT&T PREPAID

5GB

$30 /mo. Plus taxes and fees.

After high-speed data is used, speed slowed to a max of 128 Kbps for rest of term. Taxes & fees extra.

Here’s what you’ll get:

Unlimited talk, text, & 5GB high-speed data
AT&T ActiveArmor mobile security
Fraud call blocking & more.
Turn your phone into a hotspot. Uses plan data allotment.
Standard-definition streaming1
Unused data rolls over to the next month.

5G included

AT&T PREPAID

Unlimited

$65

$50 /mo. Plus taxes and fees.
with AutoPay*

AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy. Taxes & fees extra.

Here’s what you’ll get:

Unlimited talk, text, & high-speed data
Unlimited talk, text & data in and between Mexico & Canada
2G offnet data speeds may apply.
AT&T ActiveArmor mobile security
Fraud call blocking & more.
Mobile Hotspot Add-on available
Standard-definition streaming1

For all plans, see att.com/broadbandinfo for details of AT&T network management policies.
*New activations only.
1 Standard-definition quality plays at 480p (DVD quality; limited to maximum of 1.5Mbps).

Accidents happen

Act now to protect your phone with Asurion. Sign up and get coverage against:

Loss
Theft
Damage
Out of warranty malfunctions

Requires eligible phone. All applicable taxes and surcharges are extra. Not available for New York Customers.

AT&T PREPAID plans with unlimited data

AT&T PREPAIDSM Unlimited1 plan gives you unlimited data, talk, and text to more than 230 countries, plus 5G access2. You can also buy a $10/5GB mobile hotspot as an add-on.

If you are planning to travel abroad soon or stay in touch with loved ones who live abroad, there are plenty of great international service options with AT&T PREPAID.

Find the best AT&T PREPAID plan for you

Not looking for an unlimited plan? We have other monthly plans that offer great value and flexibility. Both the $30/mo. 5GB data plan and the $40/mo. 15GB data plan have some impressive features of their own. For example, with both plans, unused high-speed data will roll over into the next month. You’ll also be able to use your plan data for mobile hotspot, unlimited talk and text in Mexico and Canada on the 8GB plan, and the option to stream HD video with Stream Saver turned off.

No need to buy a new phone

AT&T provides plenty of great deals on phones, but if you already have a phone you like, you can easily activate it on the AT&T network through our bring your own device program (BYOD). View this chart to see if you have a device compatible with our network.

Global calling and texting with AT&T PREPAID

Whether you want a wireless plan while you are traveling or to stay in touch with loved ones who live abroad, there are plenty of great international service options with AT&T PREPAID.

1AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy.

2AT&T 5G req’s compatible plan & device. 5G not available everywhere. Go to att.com/5Gforyou for details.

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of AT&T PREPAID?
With AT&T PREPAID service for your phone, you get: no annual contract, no credit check, easy activation, and great plan and phone choices to fit your needs—all on the nation’s most reliable network.
(AT&T awarded Most Reliable Network by GWS OneScore 2022. GWS conducts paid drive tests for AT&T and uses the data in its analysis.)
Can I bring my own phone to use with a prepaid plan?
Yes. Bring your compatible unlocked device and save on the cost of a new one. You’ll just need to purchase an AT&T PREPAID SIM card.
Who can enroll in AutoPay?
All PREPAID customers can take advantage of the convenience of AutoPay. Plus, customers enrolled in a PREPAID Unlimited plan with AutoPay also receive a monthly discount.

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AT&T PREPAID
Prepaid | Plans

What is the difference between a prepaid phone and pay as you go?

With prepaid plans, you pay in advance and once you've used up your plan you get disconnected from the service until you've bought another plan. If you Pay as You Go, you don't buy a plan but rather minutes, texts, and data. Once you've used them, you can add more with physical or electronic refill cards.

Which phone is best for pay as you go?

"best pay as you go cell phones".

Sony - Xperia 5 IV 128GB (Unlocked) - Black. ... .

Google - Fi SIM Card Kit. ... .

Apple - iPhone 11 64GB - Black (AT&T) ... .

Samsung - Galaxy S21 5G 128GB - Phantom Gray (Verizon) ... .

Apple - iPhone XR 64GB - Black (AT&T) ... .

Apple - iPhone 11 64GB - Black (T-Mobile).

What cell phone company does not require a credit check?

Prepaid cell phone plans don't require a credit check. That's because you pay in advance for your service, usually on a monthly basis, so there's no risk for the cell phone provider. The three major carriers — Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T — offer prepaid plans, often for less than their traditional plans.

What is Verizon's cheapest pay as you go plan?

The cheapest Verizon prepaid option is the 5GB plan, which starts at $40 but over time drops to as low as $25 per month. This plan will get you full 5G access but only a small allowance, which makes it preferable for light-users only.