Prepaid phone carriers are constantly touting deals and promotions on cellphone plans. Most prepaid phone operators are owned by or closely affiliated with AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon. This means that the best phones that work on postpaid plans generally also work on prepaid plans. For instance, T-Mobile is the owner of Mint Mobile, AT&T owns Cricket and Visible is owned by Verizon Wireless. Other prepaid phone carriers like Boost Mobile and Google Fi give you access to those same networks along with competitive pricing and perks. This allows for a lot of flexibility when you sign up for a prepaid plan because nearly any unlocked phone can be brought over.
Most prepaid phone carriers also sell devices, and while their promotions aren’t necessarily anywhere close to a “free iPhone,” you can still get smaller discounts when switching to a prepaid phone carrier. For this list, we took into account phones that are available directly from prepaid carriers, alongside value-filled phones you can buy unlocked.
Read more: Best Prepaid Phone Plans
What is the best prepaid phone of 2024?
Like with any phone choice, the best device is going to depend on what you value the most from your phone as a communication device and as a camera. If device cost is the most sensitive issue alongside getting a cheaper prepaid phone plan, then the $200 Samsung Galaxy A15 5G is the option I can most recommend.
Prepaid phone carriers sometimes offer even cheaper options than the Galaxy A15, this Samsung phone is the lowest-cost way to get a device that includes 5G compatibility and NFC for contactless payments. Samsung provides the A15 with four major software updates along with five years of security updates, making it a secure phone to use for several years. The device is a little sluggish in performance and the camera isn’t great, but if cost is the highest priority then the A15 is otherwise a great entry-level option for a prepaid phone plan.
Best prepaid phones of 2024
Samsung’s $200 Galaxy A15 5G is an easy choice for someone looking to buy a phone that will last for years. Samsung provides it with four years of software updates and five years of security support, which in this price range is unparalleled. Plus the phone supports 25-watt wired charging that in my testing was able to charge half of its big 5,000-mAh battery from empty in 30 minutes. I also like the eye-catching light blue option.
A $200 phone has to have some compromises. The Galaxy A15 5G feels sluggish compared to competing phones like Motorola’s $200 Moto G 5G and as an entertainment machine falls short with its single audio speaker that is blocked by accident when you hold the phone sideways for games and video. Photography, which is typically a weak point on phones in this price range, is similarly mixed with decent photography in outdoor environments while struggling to photograph lowlight spaces. This makes the Galaxy A15 5G an easy choice for when you just need a phone that can handle the basics, but you may want to consider other options if you are looking for the best pocket YouTube player in this price range.
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