Prepaid Pay As You Go (PAYG) Comparison Chart
Last Update:
06/07/2013 01:18 PM
PAYG is the best value in managing lower cost per month wireless. If you use less than 150 minutes a month, PAYG
can be very attractive. All prepaid plans include voicemail and domestic
long distance. PAYG is attractive if you do not use a lot of minutes or texts.
If you do then there are unlimited prepays you can look at. This chart
does not compare those plans.
This chart contains what I consider the best deals in PAYG. You'll
also find some of the "big guys" so that you can compare them, such as
AT&T
and Virgin Mobile.
Check out any special offers on my special offers
page. Many times you can get refills from 5-12% off!
| Plan | Airvoice PAYG | Boost CDMA | AT&T PAYG | h2o Minute Plan | Net10 | Page Plus Cellular | PTel | Lycamobile | Spot Mobile | Talk For Good | T-Mobile PAYG | Tracfone CDMA | Tracfone GSM | Tru TR1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vendor Website |
Airvoice | Boost | AT&T GoPhone | h2o | Net10 | Page Plus Cellular | PTel | Lycamobile | Spot Mobile | Talk for Good | T-Mo Prepaid |
Tracfone | Tracfone | Tru |
| System | GSM | CDMA | GSM | GSM | GSM | CDMA | GSM | GSM | GSM | CDMA | GSM | CDMA | GSM | GSM |
| Lowest Monthly Cost | $3.33 | $3.33 BO1 | $8.33 | $8.33 | $15.00 | $2.50 | $5.00 | NONE | $1.67 | $6.00 TG1 | $0.83 or $3.33 TM1 | $5.99 TF1 | $5.99 TF1 | NONE |
| Activation fee | $5 for SIM starter kit; can use AT&T SIM to activate for free (zero balance) | part of start-up kit | None with phone kit; SIM typically free if you buy airtime | $10 for SIM starter kit; can use AT&T SIM to activate for free and get $7 free starter balance | NONE | $10 PP1 | NONE | NONE (free SIM via Website) | $20 (includes $5 airtime) | NONE | None with phone kit; SIM-only kit $2 online | NONE | NONE | $30 (including $15 credit) TR2 |
| Monthly Fee | $1 account maint. fee | None | None CG1 | None | None | 50c PP2 | NONE | None if billable event made every 90 days | None | $6.00 TG1 | None | None | None | None if billable event made every 90 days; $3/month otherwise |
| Minimum Use | 1 billable call/text every 60 days | 1 billable call/text every 90 days | 1 billable call/text every 90 days | |||||||||||
| Port Your Number IN? | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES NT1 | YES PP1 | YES | YES (some people have had issues) | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Airtime | 10c | 20c | 10c | 5c | 10c NT2 | 4-10c | 5c | 2c | 10c | 5c | 10-33c | 20-33c TF2 | 20-33c TF2 | 17c TR3 |
| Free Airtime? | No | No | No | No | No | NO | No | No | No | 30 min, 30 text, 5MB | No | No | No | No |
| Local Service Area |
AT&T GSM network |
Sprint PCS network |
AT&T GSM network |
AT&T GSM network |
AT&T or
T-Mobile GSM network |
Verizon Network |
T-Mobile network |
T-Mobile network |
T-Mobile network |
Verizon Postpaid
Voice Network |
T-Mobile network |
various | various | T-Mobile 2G/3G; AT&T 2G networks |
| Voice/Text Roaming Area | N/A | N/A | Very little in USA, CA&MX roams | N/A | USA GSM Networks |
USA Networks |
N/A | T-Mobile USA only; Roams worldwide | N/A | USA CDMA Networks |
USA GSM Networks, CA, MX TM3 |
USA CDMA Networks |
USA GSM Networks |
T-Mobile & AT&T USA; Roams worldwide |
| Roaming Cost | Can't Roam |
Can't Roam |
39c CA 25c MX |
Can't Roam |
Included | 29c (60c CA) |
Can't Roam |
Various outside USA | Can't Roam |
NONE | 59c CA $1.79 MX |
Included TF6 | Included | Various |
| USA Data Roaming | AT&T only | Sprint Only | AT&T only | AT&T Only | Selected provider only | Verizon only | T-Mobile only | T-Mobile only | T-Mobile only | Verizon Only | T-Mobile only | Selected provider only | Selected provider only | T-Mobile (HSPA) & AT&T (EDGE) |
| Double Dialing when Roaming | N/A | NO | N/A | N/A | NO | YES | N/A | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Special Phone Required | NO | YES (limited to select dumb phones only) | NO | NO | YES | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | YES | YES | NO |
| Refill periodAA | 30-365 days | 90 days | 30-365 days CG3 |
30-365 days | 30 - 180 days | 120 days - 1 yr PP3 | 60-365 PT1 | None | 90 days | 30 days TG3 | 90 days - 1 yr TM4 |
90 days - 1 yr TF3 | 90 days - 1 yr TF3 | None |
| Recharge Values | $10/20/ 30/50/100 |
$15-100 BO1 | $15/25/ 50/75/100 |
$10/20/ 30/100 |
$15/30/ 60/100 |
$10/25/ 50/80 PP3 |
$10-100 | $10-$100 | $5/10/ 20/30/50 |
$10/20 | $10/30/ 50/100 |
$20-$140 | $20-$140 | $15/30/45/ 75/150 TR2 |
| Voicemail deposits use airtimeBB | NO | NO | NO CG4 | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Charged for busy/no answers | NO if < 30 sec | NO | NO if < 30 sec | NO if < 30 sec | YES NT3 | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO if < 14 sec | YES TF4 | NO |
| Call Waiting? | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Call Forwarding | YES | NO | YES | YES | NO | YES | NO | YES | YES | NO | NO | NO | NO | |
| SMS rcv/sndCC | 10c | 20c | 20c CG5 | 5c | 5c | 5c | 2c | free/4c | 5c | 1c | 10c TM5 (US&CA) |
TF5 / 0.3 min |
TF5 / 0.3 min |
free/12c TR3 |
| MMS (picture SMS) rcv/sndCC |
10c | 25c | 25c CG5 | 10c | 25c plus 99c/MB | 10c | N/A | 10c | 20c | 25c | ~1.5 min TF7 | ~1.5 min TF7 | N/A | |
| Int'l SMS rcv/snd |
20c | 20c/25c| | 15c | 5c | 20c | 10c | 12c | 5c | 1c | 10c/50c TM5 MX |
N/A | N/A | 12c TR3 | |
| Wireless Internet DD |
33c/MB | 50c/day | $2/MB for dumb
phones; CA/MX is $20/MB CG5 |
30c/MB | NO | 99c/MB | 10c/MB | 6c/MB (200kb minimum) | 5-10c (30 day packs) | 6c/MB | None TM6 |
uses minutes | uses minutes | 17c/MB (100kb minimum) TR3 |
AA The recharge period is the number of days that the airtime is good
for. If you recharge your account within this period your current account
balance will carry over to the new period. Some plans include a grace period before losing minutes and phone
number, but the phone will not work during that period. For example, the
grace period for Virgin Mobile is 60 days.
BB This indicates whether you will be charged airtime when someone calls your cellphone
and leaves a message on voicemail, This also includes retrieving voice mail
deposits from a landline.
CC SMS = Short Message Service (sending & receiving text
messages)
DD WAP = Wireless Application Protocol (surfing the web on the cell
phone)
AV1 A $1 monthly service fee is charged on the 8th of each month.
AV2 For GSM
there is a 20c/day usage fee for any day where the phone is used (voice or text)
AV3 Voicemail is not active by default, you have to call to have it
enabled.
AV4 SMS is not active by default, you have to call to have it
enabled.
BW1 To get the low monthly rate you need to use the $50 one-year refill
(102 minutes @ 50c/minute)
BW2 Some users report being charged for voice mail deposits. If so, you
need to call and get it corrected.
BO1 You need to re-boost from the website using a credit/debit card in
order to re-boost for $10 ($3.33/month minimum).
CG1 AT&T is charging a monthly e911 fee in many
states
CG2 (deleted)
CG3 $15 card expires in 30 days, $100 card expires in 365 days,
all other cards expire in 90 days.
CG4 AT&T should not charge for voice mail deposits or checking from a
landline. However there have been issues over the years.
CG5 Packages available:
Messaging Packs: $4.99/200; $9.99/1000; $19.99/unlimited text
Data Packs: $5/50MB; $15/200MB; $25/1GB (overages 0.2c/KB)
DELETED FOR PAYG
NT1 Although Net10 says they will port your number,
many people have had problems doing so. Beware.
NT2 You get an initial 300 minutes or airtime good for
60 days included with the phone..
NT3 Sometimes you are charged for busy/no answers, sometimes you are
not. It may be market dependant.
PP1 There are some low cost starter kits on eBay
starting around $1.00. If you port your number in then activation is free
(follow the instructions on the webpage or call them directly).
PP2 The monthly fee is deducted on the 25th of each month.
PP3 The $80 card is a great deal (4c airtime), but is not available on the
vendor website. Airtime good for one year.
PT1 PlatinumTel airtime rolls over for only one year. This is different from other prepays. This is not the same thing as airtime expiration. Your airtime can be extended, but any loaded airtime will only roll over for a max of one year.
TF1 For the $5.99/month you keep service active but
get no additional airtime.
TF2 If you buy the pricy double
minute card ($50, zero minutes), future airtime cards are 10c-17c (and if you
use that many minutes you are better off with Tracfone's Net10 plan).
TF3 Every airtime card you add extends the due date that many days. There
is no limit to how far out you can extend the due date!
TF4 Sometimes you are charged for busy/no answers, sometimes you are
not. It may be market dependant.
TF5 Older phone models have different texting rates.
TF6 Some older CDMA phones have a 2x roaming rate (e.g. 2126, 2285, 5180i)
TF7 Only newer model camera phones have picture
messaging (MMS). It's also network dependant.
TG1 $6.00/month fee
includes 30 voice minutes, 30 text and 5MB of data. Usage beyond that is at
specified rates. Balance carries over as long as the $6.00 fee is paid each
month
TG2 Voice coverage appears to be identical to postpaid (free voice
roaming on other providers such as U.S. Cellular and Sprint). Can't confirm text
or data roaming.
TG3 Smartcards roll over month to month but will totally expire after
360 days
TM1 Gold Reward Members airtime is good for one year, making the minimum
monthly cost 83c/month. [you become a gold rewards member with the refill after
you hit $100 or instantly with the $100 card]
TM2 <deleted>
TM3 T-Mobile Prepaid has roaming available in some locations around the USA at no cost. Check the
T-Mobile
Coverage Map Tool for details. Roaming in Canada costs 69c/minute.
TM4 The $100 card expires in
one year. All other cards expire in 90 days, except that for Gold Reward
members, all denominations expire in 365 days.
TM5 Text is 10c to send and receive. Same rates while roaming in
Canada.
TM6 PAYG is limited to the T-Mobile Prepaid WAP Deck which includes
account info, downloads (extra cost), ABC, limited games. There are no data
add-ons to the T-Mobile PAYG plan. You can however switch to the $2/day
plan (unlimited minutes, unlimited text, unlimited 2G data limited to download
of approx 200 kbps on EDGE or 60 kbps on UTMS), or
the $3/day plan (unlimited minutes, unlimited text, 200MB of high speed data
then throttled to 60kbps 2G). These plans are charged on days when voice, text or
data is used. A day is defined as 12:01AM - 11:59PM in the time zone of the city
the phone number is based in. Hard to say what happens for the 59 seconds
before and after midnight.
TR1 Tru is also an international SIM that works
throughout the world. Rates are competitive with other global SIMs but
typically not close to the deal you would get when purchasing a local SIM
in-country. There are several Tru countries where you can pay $15/month to
have great rates in those countries. Tru countries include the UK and Australia
as of 1/2012. You can also add an additional phone number to the SIM by paying
an additional $8/month.
TR2 Tru is a UK company and any purchases are considered an
international sale which will likely incur an additional fee on your credit
card.
TR3 The Tru website now shows a lower rate which does not include
taxes and fees. The total cost rate is as shown here.