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Prepaid Pay As You Go (PAYG) Comparison Chart
Last Update:
02/27/2016 11:31 AM
PAYG is the best value in managing lower cost per month wireless. With PAYG your
balance rolls over if you refill within the time limit. There is a blur between
true PAYG and very low cost per month plans. So you will see both in the
chart.
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! I better fix
this soon!
Plan |
Airvoice PAYG |
AT&T PAYG |
h2o Minute Plan |
Net10 |
Page
Plus Cellular |
Lycamobile |
RingPlus Mobile
"Free" |
RingPlus Mobile
"Joy" |
T-Mobile PAYG |
Tracfone CDMA |
Tracfone GSM |
Truphone
TR1 |
Vendor
Website |
Airvoice |
AT&T GoPhone |
h2o |
Net10 |
Page
Plus Cellular |
Lycamobile |
RingPlus Mobile |
RingPlus Mobile |
T-Mo
Prepaid |
Tracfone |
Tracfone |
Tru |
System |
GSM |
GSM |
GSM |
GSM |
CDMA |
GSM |
CDMA |
CDMA |
GSM |
CDMA |
GSM |
GSM |
Lowest Monthly Cost |
$3.33 |
$8.33 |
$3.33 |
$15.00 |
$2.50 |
NONE |
$0 + tax
RP1 |
$1.99 + tax
RP1 |
$3
TM1 |
$5.99
TF1 |
$5.99
TF1 |
NONE |
Activation fee |
$5 for SIM starter
kit; ~99c/eBay |
None with phone
kit; SIM typically free if you buy airtime |
$10 for SIM starter
kit; ~99c/ eBay |
NONE |
$10
(free if you call/chat) |
NONE |
NONE |
NONE |
None with phone
kit; SIM-only kit $free-$10 online |
NONE |
NONE |
$30
(including $15 credit) TR2 |
Monthly Fee |
$1
account maint. fee |
None CG1 |
None |
None |
50c
PP1 |
None if billable
event made every 90 days |
$0 |
$1.99 + tax |
$3 |
None |
None |
None if billable
event made every 90 days; $3/month otherwise |
Minimum Use |
|
|
|
|
|
1 billable call/text every 90
days |
|
|
|
|
|
1 billable call/text every 90
days |
Port Your Number IN? |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES
NT1 |
YES
PP1 |
YES (limited areas) |
YES, $8 FEE |
YES, $8 FEE |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
Airtime |
10c |
10c |
5c |
10c
NT2 |
4-10c |
5c |
2c |
2c |
10c |
20-33c
TF2 |
20-33c
TF2 |
9c
(free incoming) |
Free Airtime? |
No |
No |
No |
No |
NO |
No |
No |
No |
Up to 30 min |
No |
No |
No |
Local
Service
Area |
AT&T
GSM
network |
AT&T
GSM
network |
AT&T
GSM
network |
AT&T or
T-Mobile
GSM
network |
Verizon
Network |
T-Mobile
network |
Sprint
network |
Sprint
network |
T-Mobile
network |
various |
various |
AT&T LTE;
T-Mobile 2G/3G; networks |
Voice/Text Roaming Area |
N/A |
Very little in USA,
CA&MX roams |
N/A |
USA
GSM
Networks |
USA
Networks |
T-Mobile USA only; Roams
worldwide |
If
authorized, USA CDMA Networks |
If
authorized, USA CDMA Networks |
USA
GSM
Networks, CA, MX
TM3 |
USA
CDMA
Networks |
USA
GSM
Networks |
AT&T & T-Mobile
USA; Roams worldwide |
Roaming Cost |
Can't
Roam |
39c CA
25c
MX |
Can't
Roam |
Included |
29c
(60c CA) |
Various outside USA |
14c voice, 55c/mb
data, free text |
14c voice, 55c/mb
data, free text |
59c CA
$1.79 MX |
Included
TF6 |
Included |
Various |
USA Data Roaming |
AT&T only |
AT&T only |
AT&T Only |
Selected provider
only |
Verizon only |
T-Mobile only |
USA CDMA Networks |
USA CDMA Networks |
T-Mobile
only |
Selected provider
only |
Selected
provider only |
AT&T (LTE) &
T-Mobile (HSPA) |
Double Dialing when
Roaming |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
NO |
YES |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
Special Phone Required |
NO |
NO |
NO |
YES |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
YES |
YES |
NO |
Refill periodAA |
30-365 days |
30-365 days
CG3 |
90-365 days |
30 - 180 days |
120 days - 1 yr
PP2 |
None |
30
days RP2 |
30
days RP2 |
N/A
TM4 |
90 days -
1 yr
TF3 |
90 days -
1 yr
TF3 |
None |
Recharge Values |
$10/20/
30/50/100 |
$15/25/
50/75/100 |
$10/20/
30/100 |
$15/30/
60/100 |
$10/25/
50/80
PP2 |
$10-$100 |
Min $5 |
Min $5 |
$10/30/
50/100 |
$20-$140 |
$20-$140 |
$15/30/45/
75/150
TR2 |
Voicemail deposits use airtimeBB |
NO |
NO CG4 |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
Charged for busy/no
answers |
NO if < 30 sec |
NO if < 30 sec |
NO if < 30 sec |
YES
NT3 |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO if < 14 sec |
YES
TF4 |
NO |
Call Waiting? |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
NO |
NO |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
Call Forwarding |
YES |
YES |
YES |
NO |
YES |
|
NO
RP3 |
NO
RP3 |
NO |
NO |
NO |
YES |
SMS rcv/sndCC |
10c |
20c CG5 |
5c |
5c |
5c |
free/4c |
2c |
2c |
10c
TM5
(US&CA) |
TF5 /
0.3 min |
TF5 /
0.3 min |
free/9c |
MMS
(picture SMS) rcv/sndCC |
10c |
25c CG5 |
10c |
|
5c plus 10c/MB |
NO |
4c plus data |
4c plus data |
10c |
~1.5 min
TF7 |
~1.5 min
TF7 |
N/A |
Int'l SMS
rcv/snd |
20c |
20c/25c| |
10c |
5c |
20c |
12c |
+3c |
+3c |
10c/50c
TM5 MX |
N/A |
N/A |
9c |
Data
DD |
6c/MB |
NONE
CG5 |
10c/MB |
NO |
10c/MB |
NO |
2c/MB |
2c/MB |
Data
Packs Available |
uses
minutes |
uses
minutes |
9c/MB
(7KB minimum) |
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)
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 No data available on PAYG for Smartphones.
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 The monthly fee is deducted on the 25th of each month.
PP2 The $80 card is a good 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.
RP1 The cheapest RingPlus Plan is the Free
Plan! "Probably" no tax on the free plan, but there likely is on top ups
and overages.
RP2 If you are on a plan the the plan airtime is good for 30 days and
does not roll over. However, if you have a cash balance, that does not
expire.
RP3 RingPlus does not support call forwarding IN or OUT. You can't
forward another number to the RingPlus phone, or at least the ones I have tried.
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.
TM1 You are charged $3 a month
regardless of minimum use. That gives you up to 30 voice and/or texts.
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 Your balance never expires as long as you continue to pay the
$3/month.
TM5 Text is 10c to send and receive. Same rates while roaming in
Canada.
TR1 Truphone 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. You can also add an additional phone number to the SIM by paying
an additional $8/month.
TR2 Truphone is a UK company and any purchases are considered an
international sale which will likely incur an additional fee on your credit
card.
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