When shopping for the best cell phone plans for kids under 10, a parent should take the time to make a list of what features your child will really need. You can find a number of cheap cell phone plans for your child with a little planning. However, a point to remember is the cost of a cell phone and the monthly charges can quickly get out of hand if there is no plan.
As our kids spend more and more time away from home, being in contact is a must. But when it comes to family and cell phone plans, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the options.
There are some great benefits of kids this young having their own phone number. They can let you know when they’re home safely, or if they need a ride. You can even find them using programs like Family Locator from Verizon Wireless and others.
The 6 Best Cell Phone Plans For Kids in 2019
Tello Mobile
Tello Mobile cell phone plans are a bit different than the plans you’ll find from other carriers. Tello’s signature “Build Your Own Plan” lets you build your perfect cell phone plan, with exactly the amount of data, minutes, and messages you’ll need.
Tello also has Pay As You Go plans, where you’ll only pay for the minutes, messages, and data you use. Tello’s cell phone plans were designed with the customer in mind. They don’t want to charge you for things you don’t need!
If you already have a device that’s unlocked on Sprint’s network, you can bring it with you to Tello Mobile! This BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program can save you time, money, and headaches if you’re looking to switch carriers quickly.
- $8/month: unlimited talk and text plus, calls to Canada, Mexico & China are included.
- $10/month: unlimited talk, text and 1 GB plus, calls to Canada, Mexico & China are included.
- $14/month: unlimited talk, text and 2 GB plus, calls to Canada, Mexico & China are included.
- $19/month: unlimited talk, text and 4 GB plus, calls to Canada, Mexico & China are included.
- $24/month: unlimited talk, text and 6 GB plus, calls to Canada, Mexico & China are included.
Republic Wireless
Republic Wireless is an MVNO that uses WiFi calling by default but also utilizes both the T-Mobile and Sprint networks. You can purchase a phone from Republic or bring your own phone, provided that it’s unlocked and GSM-compatible.
Republic has some of the simplest pricing around — in fact, there’s just one plan. You pay only for the data you need, maxing out at 15GB a month, and of course, you can increase your data plan mid-cycle if necessary.
Republic’s plan includes mobile hotspot, WiFi calling, and free domestic roaming. There’s no international calling, but you can call back to the U.S., Canada, or “per call countries” (which may cost up to $0.50 per minute) from anywhere in the world over WiFi.
- $15/month: unlimited talk and text
- $20/month: unlimited talk, text, and 1GB of data
- $25/month: unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of data
- $30/month: unlimited talk, text, and 3GB of data
- $65/month: unlimited talk, text, and 10GB of data
View Republic Wireless Plans Details
Mint Mobile
Mint SIM is becoming a popular choice among MVNOs. The company sells its services in blocks of three, six, and 12 months. The plans all include unlimited talk, text, and 2G data; the choice of 2GB, 5GB, or 10GB of LTE data; and tethering. Currently, the three-month plans have been discounted to the 12-month plans’ rates as a teaser offer, making them a better deal than the six-month plans.
Mint SIM doesn’t offer domestic roaming, but it does have international roaming plans. It offers a flat rate of five cents per outbound text (inbound are free) and 25 cents per minute for voice calls in nearly 150 countries. Mexico and Canada’s rates are discounted at two cents per text and six cents per minute of voice calling.
You can’t buy phones through Mint SIM currently, so you must bring your own device or purchase a compatible unlocked phone elsewhere.
- $15/month: unlimited talk, text and 2GB of data. ($45 per 3 months)
- $20/month: unlimited talk, text and 5GB of data. ($60 per 3 months)
- $25/month: unlimited talk, text and 10GB of data. ($75 per 3 months)
View Mint Mobile Plans Details
Ting
Ting is another inexpensive option and according to their site, the average Ting bill is just $23 per phone, per month. Since you only pay for what you use, Ting rolls over unused minutes to your next month.
Because you only pay for what you use each month, the pricing is different each month. They charge $6 per device. They also have a helpful tool to estimate how much it would cost if you used Ting.
You can use your existing phone or buy a phone from them. They offer nationwide coverage and don’t have contracts either.
- $15/month: 100 minutes and 1000 texts plus international calling and texting to 60+ countries
- $24/month: 100 minutes and 1000 texts and 500 MB of data plus international calling and texting to 60+ countries
- $30/month: 500 minutes and 1000 texts and 500 MB of data plus international calling and texting to 60+ countries
- $36/month: 500 minutes and 1000 texts 1 GB of data plus international calling and texting to 60+ countries
Project Fi
Project Fi is Google’s own alternative cell phone carrier option, which works by combining access to T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular’s networks with a SIM card that can actively switch between the three networks without any user intervention.
Plans start with the Fi Basics for just $20 per month which includes unlimited domestic talk and text. Data is bought at $10 per GB, and you’re credited for any data you don’t use at the end of each month making Project Fi one of the most flexible data plans in the country. Group plans are also available for up to five lines, where you’d share the same pool of data.
If you’re coming over from Sprint and want to bring your own device, it would have to be a Nexus 6P or Pixel as Google only supports a limited number of Google devices. You’re also able to buy or finance a new phone through Google if needed.
- $20/month: unlimited talk and text
- $30/month: unlimited talk, text and 1GB of data
- $40/month: unlimited talk, text and 2GB of data
Freedompop
FreedomPop, which runs on the spottier Sprint network, offers a free cell phone plan. Yes, free! What’s the catch? As you probably guessed, you don’t get much — 200 minutes of talk, 500 text messages, and 200MB of data per month.
If you’re a low volume user, it’s a great deal. And FreedomPop’s 1GB and 2GB high-speed data plans are among the cheapest you’ll find (on par with Republic Wireless). But we think Republic Wireless edges out FreedomPop as or winner based on better national coverage.
- Free: 200 minutes, 500 texts, and 500 MB of data
- $10/month: Unlimited talk, text, and 500 MB of data
- $20/month: Unlimited talk, text, and 1 GB of data
- $25/month: Unlimited talk, text, and 2 GB of data
- $30/month: Unlimited talk, text, and 3 GB of data
- $35/month: Unlimited talk, text, and 4 GB of data
There are plenty of choices when it comes to finding the best cell phone plan for your kid. As far as choosing the right phone, remember that kids don’t need the fanciest, most expensive device. There are several Android phones that are cheap yet functional.
The most important thing is choosing a plan you can afford that allows your child the safety and features they need. Once you’ve chosen a cell phone plan, you have the option of bringing your own phone (BYOP) or purchasing a new one. Sometimes, however, a smartphone may not be the best idea for your child’s first cell phone.