Staying connected is very important. Gone are the days when having a mobile phone and connection to the internet are considered a luxury. To help us stay connected, many mobile carriers have created prepaid plans that will give us the essential call and text functions that we need. However, AT&T prepaid plans take their offerings to the next level.
To date, AT&T prepaid plans remain as some of the best plans for mobile users for their flexibility and money-saving factors. The network is one of the largest mobile carriers in the United States and offers a wide array of products from home internet to smart technology.
If you’re planning to enroll in a prepaid plan, this article will give you an overview of everything that you need to know about AT&T prepaid plans.
AT&T Prepaid Plans: What Are They?
The network offers a variety of plans for your mobiles including wireless plans, home internet plans, AT&T TV, and of course, prepaid plans.
AT&T prepaid plans are budget-friendly and will surely give you your money’s worth. Their plans start at $25 and can go up to $75 — depending on what you need and what you’re looking for in a plan.
Many plans are offering the same inclusions at almost the same prices. Hence, it’s essential to take a look at all your available options before settling with the ideal plan for you.
AT&T Prepaid Plans Options
When choosing a plan that will be perfect for you, you will have to consider the pricing and the inclusions. AT&T has plans that will help you save money while still having the best out of your chosen plan.
All AT&T prepaid plans come with the essentials such as unlimited talk & text and high-speed data. Adding to that, you’ll have free network use in Canada and Mexico as well as international texts.
Here’s a quick overview of AT&T’s prepaid plans, prices, and inclusions. Keep in mind that the prices of the plans may differ if you decide to avail them with AT&T Autopay.
AT&T Autopay is a payment feature by the network that allows you to set up your bank account or credit/debit card to automatically pay for your monthly bills when the due date rolls by.
It’s important to note that the $25 Plan is a 12-month arrangement that requires users to pay $300 upfront. You can also opt to avail of their 3-Month Plan, which costs $33/month when you pay $99 in advance.
The 3-Month plan includes 8 GB of data, unlimited calls & texts within the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and unlimited texts to other countries.
AT&T Prepaid Plans: 5G and Add-Ons
For those looking to get 5G access, note that you will have to purchase a compatible plan and phone. You must also be within the 5G coverage area before you can get their plans.
You can refer to the map below to check if you’re in a 5G-ready area. For more details on coverages, you can check our guide on how to check network coverage.
If you want to add more data to your prepaid plans, you can do so by purchasing their data add-ons. These start at $2 for daily add-ons and can go up to $75 for monthly plans.
Note that monthly plan add-ons are good for 30 days while daily add-ons are only good for 24 hours.
How to Get AT&T Prepaid Plans?
Now that you have chosen your preferred plan, all that’s left to do is enroll for AT&T’s Prepaid Plans.
You have two options for when you decide to get a plan, both of which you can do at your nearest AT&T store or through AT&T’s website.
It’s advisable that you shop at home to save time. You can also skip the activation fee and be eligible for free shipping and free returns if you shop through the AT&T website.
How to Get Prepaid Plans for AT&T Phones?
The easiest way to get an AT&T prepaid plan is to use an AT&T phone. AT&T easily has some of the best phone units available from Samsung to Apple and are guaranteed to be budget-friendly.
After choosing your phone, you can now proceed to choose your desired plan and go through the necessary processes before you can use your new phone with an AT&T Prepaid Plan.
Also, AT&T usually has deals for phones and prepaid plans. If you purchase them in a bundle, you’ll be getting the best deals possible.
How to Get Prepaid Plans for Non-AT&T Phones?
AT&T prepaid plans can also be used on non-AT&T phones, but there are two things that you need to consider before you pick your plans.
First, if you purchased your phone from another network, you will need to unlock your phone before you can use AT&T. What is an unlocked phone‘s edge over a network-provided phone is that you can easily change your carrier when you want to.
Second, you will need to purchase an AT&T SIM Card. Don’t worry, you can transfer your existing mobile number to AT&T provided that it is eligible for transfer.
Note that it might take anywhere from three to five business days to complete your number transfer. Rest assured that you’ll still be able to use your number during the process.
If you need more help with transferring numbers, AT&T has a helpful guide on it if you need more information.
After you’ve made sure that your phone and SIM card meets all the required conditions, you can now choose your preferred AT&T prepaid plan and enjoy its inclusions.
Alternatives to AT&T
If you find that there are no plans that will suit your needs at AT&T, you can always consider other mobile networks as an alternative. Should you need help in deciding, you can check out our guide on the best mobile carriers to help you in choosing one for you.
In general, you have a lot of choices to pick from, however, not all mobile carriers are at par with the services that are offered by AT&T.
To give you an idea of the possible alternatives to AT&T, here are some of the best mobile networks with great prepaid plans that you can get today.
Verizon
Verizon prepaid plans are similar plans to AT&T prepaid plans but lauded for the coverage that spreads throughout the country and some parts of Latin America.
Verizon’s prepaid plans, however, are more expensive compared to that of AT&T as their prepaid plans start at $35 contrary to AT&T’s $25 offer. But Verizon has a lot more to offer with their plan inclusions as they include more add-ons that are not included in any AT&T prepaid plan.
Getting Verizon’s prepaid plans is ideal if you’re looking to score access to their add-ons such as Apple Music and Disney+ as most of their plans will include access to these services.
In retrospect, Verizon has a lot of features but the downside of it is the price. You might want to skip out on Verizon if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly mobile carrier.
T-Mobile
Prepaid plans with T-Mobile are very straightforward and offer you what you need for great prices. Plan prices start at $40 and include access to data with a data cap of 50 GB and unlimited domestic calls and texts.
With T-Mobile, it’s a case of you’ll have access to essential services without having to shell out too much. It’s ideal for students or even travelers who are only looking to stay connected during their visit.
Compared to its competitors, T-Mobile does not have good coverage and is not available in some parts of the States. The network is more suited for those in the city than those living in rural areas because of this.
If you’re looking for an affordable and functional plan, T-Mobile might be the one for you.
Google Fi
Google Fi was first released as a Google-exclusive network that was only accessible on Google Phones. At present, smartphones and even Apple devices can have access to the network.
Prepaid plans from Google Fi are relatively simple. Google Fi plans start at $20/month and include access to unlimited talk & text including texts to other countries. You will, however, have to pay for data separately, which will cost you $10 for each GB of data. If you have leftover data, you won’t get charged for it as you are only charged for what you use.
It might be a new player, but Google Fi is shaking things up in the telecom industry. If you’re looking to know more about the network, we recommend checking our guide on what is Google Fi.
Wrap Up
These days, it’s very important to stay connected, hence the prepaid plan that we have must be worth the investment.
While AT&T is not the only mobile carrier with affordable prepaid plans, it’s easy to see why many people prefer it over others. Apart from being budget-friendly, the flexibility of AT&T prepaid plans is what sets it apart from other mobile carriers.
In all, AT&T prepaid plans are the best ones to consider if you’re looking to save cash. Their plans are functional, flexible, and won’t burn a hole in your wallets.
Prepaid plans aren’t for everyone — especially professionals and those who travel frequently. If you’re looking for plans that will suit such a lifestyle, you might want to consider getting an unlimited plan instead.
At the end of the day, there is a plan for every type of person and AT&T prepaid plans might just have the best options out there.
