10 Best Cell Phone Plans for Kids in 2022

How do you choose phone plans for kids, whether it is for a five-year-old or a 17-year-old? A cellphone is an essential tool for almost everyone, and the first smartphone for your kids opens up new doors for them. While they do have some risks, these can be mostly averted by parental control apps like Google’s Family Link for Androids or Apple’s own integrated parental control app for iOS devices.

That said, a smartphone is only as good as its phone plan. We understand that everyone is thinking of their household budget due to rising food costs, fuel prices, and inflation. We also know that children and teens have different phone plan needs depending on their ages. That is why this list of the best phone plans for kids will offer different choices, from fully unlimited post-paid plans to prepaid and flexible pay-as-you-go plans.

Related: 15 Best Budget-Friendly Tablets Suitable For Kids

Best Phone Plans for Kids in 2022

For this list of the best phone plans for kids, we looked at the best phone carriers available. From the big three carriers to smaller networks and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), we compared each of their offers and picked the best for each category. While we do mention prices for each plan, do note that these prices may not include state or federal taxes which may increase its cost. Aside from that, phone carriers may also change their offers and offer occasional deals, so check this list from time to time to know the latest offers.

1. T-Mobile Magenta Max — Best Unlimited Plan

Teens need more data allowance than kids in their preteens and below, that’s why they may need unlimited data plans. These plans include unlimited data usage and unlimited calls and texts as a package. Thus, these plans are among the most expensive on the market. That said, T-Mobile’s $85/month Magenta Max plan offers anything anyone would need in a phone plan with a little extra.

It also offers 40GB of high-speed premium mobile hotspot data and reverts to 3G speeds after that amount. Aside from that, T-Mobile covers Netflix, Apple TV+, and Paramount+ subscriptions.

Get the Magenta Max Plan from T-Mobile

2. Tello Mobile Build Your Own Plan — Best Call and Text Only

The best phone plans for kids who don’t make many calls is Tello Mobile’s offering. Due to their “Build Your Own Plan” program, you can create a plan with no data and unlimited calls and texts for just $8 a month. While it does have a plan activation of just 30 days, you do get the option to upgrade or downgrade your child’s plan at any time. This talk and text-only plan is the best pick for kids who only need their phone for the occasional text or call during emergencies or checkups.

Create the plan on Tello Mobile’s Online Store

3. Visible Wireless Party Pay Plan — Best Two+ Line or Family Plan

A company with a number of good phone plans for kids is Visible Wireless. Compared to other family cell phone plans, Visible Wireless’ $25+ “party pay plans” are not limited just to family members. These plans allow for friends, workmates, or schoolmates to share the savings and nothing else. Starting from $40 for a single line up to just $25 a month for 4 or more lines, it offers a lot without asking for too much from its customers.

While it does offer everything at first glance, there is one flaw with the Visible Wireless plan. They do not offer premium data, and your hotspot speeds are limited to just 5mbps. If you and your kids do not mind some internet throttling, this can be the best plan for your family.

Get the Party Pay plan from Visible Mobile

4. Tracfone $15 Basic Phone Plan — Best Prepaid Phone Plan for Kids

Maybe you are sending your kids to a summer camp and need a temporary mobile plan for them; for that, we suggest getting Tracfone’s prepaid plan. Meant for feature phones, their $15 plan offers 30 days of cellular service with a balanced amount of data, text, and call credits. With 500 minutes of calls, 500 text messages, and 500 MB of data, this plan is a basic one you can refill when you need to.

When it comes to kids’ phone plans, this prepaid plan is perfect for camping trips, outings, and kids who occasionally need a working cellular signal. Do note that TracFone has been acquired by Verizon (November 2021), which may lead to changes to its services and plans.

Get the $15 Basic Phone plan from Tracfone

5. Mint Mobile Unlimited Plan — Best Value Plan

We consider Mint Mobile’s $30 a month unlimited plan to be among the best value phone plans for kids available in the market. This plan offers unlimited calls and text and has nationwide coverage due to using T-Mobile’s network and unlimited data. Its downside though is that it only offers 35GB of unlimited premium 5G or 4G LTE data and requires 3, 6, or 12-month contracts. That said, Mint Mobile’s $30 Unlimited plan is great value for a reasonable price.

Get the Unlimited plan from Mint Mobile

6. Ting Mobile Flexible Plan — Best Flexible Plan for Kids

A flexible plan or “pay-as-you-go” plans usually have a set monthly price with additional charges tacked on as you use their service. When it comes to these types of plans, Ting Mobile’s “Flexible” plan is one of the best phone plans for kids. Not only do you get unlimited texts for the low price of $10 a month, but you also get unlimited calls!

The downside to this plan, though, is its data options. The Flexible plan charges an expensive $5 per GB of data used. Thankfully, it is up to your kid if they want to use data. All in all, if your kid needs a functional phone to use, you can choose smarter with Ting’s Flexible plan.

Get the Flexible plan from Ting Mobile

7. Verizon Smart Family App — Plan with Robust Parental Controls

Among the carriers with parental control app subscriptions, we found Verizon’s Smart Family app to be one of the easier and most comprehensive options out there. You can pair this parental control service with your existing Verizon mobile plan for an additional monthly fee to monitor your kids’ tech use. It offers purchase blocking, screen-time management, content filters, location tracking, and a load of other important parental controls for your kids. We suggest getting the 5G Do More plan that costs $70 for two lines, but you can pick from any of Verizon’s other lines to attach your Smart Family app subscription to as well.

 Get the 5G Do More plan from Verizon

8. Red Pocket $30 Unlimited Plan — Verizon MVNO Plan

One of the best Verizon MVNOs, Red Pocket offers a balanced array of phone plans ranging from $20 to $50 a month. Out of these, we chose the $30 one as one of the best phone plans for kids. Aside from the usual unlimited call and text that you expect from its price range, the $30 option also gives your kid 10GB of premium on the Verizon CDMA network. Sadly, this is on 4G LTE data with 5G soon to come to Red Pocket consumers. Overall, Red Pocket’s offer is a balanced one keeping features and prices on an equal scale.

Get the $30 plan from Red Pocket

9. Consumer Cellular Unlimited Talk Only Plan — AT&T MVNO Plan

Our list of the best AT&T MVNOs ranks Consumer Cellular as the best due to their low cost, 5G coverage, and AARP member discounts. That said, we are picking Consumer Cellular in this list of the best phone plans for kids due to their $15 Unlimited Talk Only Plan. While it is severely limited by not having data or texting, the $15 plan does offer a stable and reliable network with national coverage. We suggest using this plan for younger children after teaching them the speed dial.

Get the Unlimited Talk Only Plan from Consumer Cellular

10. Metro by T-Mobile $40 Unlimited Plan — T-Mobile MVNO Plan

Formerly called MetroPCS, Metro by T-Mobile is a solid T-Mobile MVNO. Considered as their own more “budget-friendly” sub-brand, Metro offers access to T-Mobile’s network for a fraction of the cost. Their $40 Unlimited plan is a good alternative to T-Mobile’s own $85/month Magenta Max plan. The downside is how its data speed will decrease after reaching the monthly 35GB premium data cap. That said, your teenager will appreciate the generous 35GB cap.

Get the $40 Unlimited Plan from Metro by T-Mobile

Picking the Best Phone Plans for Kids

There are a lot of different things to consider when choosing the best phone plans for kids. From the monthly plan costs to your chosen provider’s coverage and data network type, everything depends on what your child needs to have. Below are the things to consider when shopping for the best phone plans for kids and teens.

1. Cost

It’s not easy to make ends meet. That’s why when it comes to cell phone plans for kids, you should pick the most cost-effective according to their tech needs. A smartphone plan with all the bells and whistles like unlimited calls, texts, and premium data will, of course, cost a pretty penny. Parents should pick plans that are appropriate for their child’s age and their budget.

Think about what services your child needs to have accordingly before choosing a phone plan for them. Similar to picking cell phone plans for seniors, younger kids might not need data as much as they need unlimited calls or texts instead. In any case, always balance what they need with what you can afford.

Related: Best Cell Phones For Visually Impaired Seniors

2. Network Type and National Coverage

The reason you are getting a mobile plan for your kids is to let them stay connected when you are away, which is why you should consider the network type and coverage. There are two main networks in the US — the CDMA and GSM. Out of the big three telecom carriers, AT&T and T-Mobile use the GSM network, while Verizon uses the CDMA network. These two networks are generally incompatible with each other and use different cell sites for their customers.

Whether they own their sites or piggyback on one of the big three’s as MVNOs, you should know what network you want to be on. This is an important choice since these networks have different national coverage and signal strength per location. It means your area may have a better signal and connection on either CDMA or GSM connection.

3. Unlimited Talk and Texts or Data?

Another important factor when choosing the best phone plans for kids is the perks of each plan. As we said earlier, different age groups need different things from their phone plans. Aside from prepaid plans, most carriers offer two types — a basic unlimited talk and text plan or an unlimited data plan. There are many differences between each individual carrier’s “unlimited” plans.

Some of these phone plans are pure unlimited talk and text plans, while others also offer a few GB of data per month. Meanwhile, other unlimited data plans charge per text or length of call after use. Whichever one you choose, always let your kids know how much these additional rates would cost when they use their phone plan.

4. Compatible Phones

Before picking the best phone plans for kids, you should first settle on what kind of phone you want your kid to have. When picking the first phones for kids, you should know what features your chosen plan has. Simple feature phones would probably only have 4G capability at best, a good waste if your phone plan offers 5G compatibility. Other factors include freebies like Netflix, HBO Max, or Disney+. Make sure to get appropriate phones for what your chosen plan offers to get the most out of what you pay for.

5. Parental Controls, Tracking, and Emergencies

While choosing your plan and a phone to go along with it for your kid, you should also look into other features either may have. The first of these features is parental controls, a must-have when it comes to gadgets and kids. Verizon has its own special app parental control app called the Verizon Smart Family app that its customers can subscribe to. Meanwhile, there are also other options like Qustodio or the integrated parental control settings for iOS devices.

These apps can be used to limit your child’s screen time, block inappropriate websites or apps, and even track them during emergencies.

Related: How to Set Up Block Pornography on Android and iOS

6. Your Child’s Age

Finally, The most important thing to think about, though, is their age. As we keep saying, different-aged kids need different things from their phone plans.

Aged 10 and Below

A cellphone is a large responsibility for children, especially when it is a smartphone. While most children are “tech-smart” these days, having their own tech is still a big step. Generally, it is good to give your young kids a simple phone plan. Depending on how you usually communicate with them, you can either give them a prepaid data plan or talk and text plan.

If you use Facebook Messenger or other messaging apps to communicate, a data plan is more appropriate. Meanwhile, those who usually text or call should give their kids a talk and text plan instead. Since young children are expected to mostly be at home, the local WiFi should be enough for their data needs.

Preteens

Compared to young kids (1 to 9-year-olds), preteens (10 to 13 year-olds) would need a bit more from their phone plans than the very basic ones. Aside from talk and text allowance, internet access is also important. A bit of TikTok, an hour or two on YouTube, and sometimes streaming music is all they really need. Unlimited talk and text plans with a good bit of data per month let them learn how to be responsible not just with their phones but with their phone use as well.

Teenagers

Finally, teenagers (14 to 19-year-olds) are the pickiest when it comes to phone plans for kids. Usually, parents will give their teens a more generous phone plan as they inch closer to adulthood. A fully unlimited data phone plan with some included call and text credits will help them get to grips with what they’d need as adults. This is a good thing since kids this age would need usually need more data than the call and text features.

Phone Plans for Kids FAQs

Before we end our article, we want to give you a few short FAQs about phone plans for kids. These are some of the questions parents wonder about when looking for a good phone plan.

Conclusion

There you have it — a list of the best phone plans for kids! If you have been looking for a mobile plan that is appropriate for kids, then you should check the providers above. For teenagers who need more data, we suggest getting the unlimited mobile plan from T-Mobile for its unparalleled coverage. Kids below 10, however, don’t always need data, so a basic phone plan like Tracfone’s or Trello will suffice.

After getting a mobile plan for your kids, you should think of ensuring their safety in cyberspace next. You can use parental control apps to limit their access. You can also install kid tracker apps on their device to know their whereabouts when you are away. Lastly, blocking text messages from untrusted numbers will prevent people outside the family from contacting your child.