There’s a lot to consider when you’re heading back to school or off to college, from the subjects you take to the place you choose to live. But moving away from home – especially to a new city – comes with some serious life decisions and one of those that should be at the top of your list, should be your phone contract.
Unless you’re lucky enough to remain on your family’s plan, you’ll need to get our own contract and unless you can go in with friends that can be expensive. Luckily, there are deals out there and some of especially for students. So, if you can prove you’re still studying, you can get an even better deal on your bill – and maybe even on a new handset.
To help make your choice easier, and maybe give you a few new ones, we’ve put together some of the best options in the US right now to save you some money.
- Back to School deals 2021: student discounts for college or study
- Best student laptops 2021: top laptops for school work, college students and more
- Best cheap phones 2021: the best budget-friendly phones, reviewed and ranked
Best phone plans for students
Save up to $25/mo on Verizon Unlimited plans
Start unlimited plans for students are $60 for one line or $95 for two lines, plus taxes and fees with AutoPay. Packages also include a Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ bundle, discovery+ for 12 months and Google Play Pass for 12 months, 6 months of Apple Music, 12 months of Apple Arcade and $75 of World of Tanks content.
Save up to $25/mo on AT&T Unlimited Plus
AT&T's prepaid Unlimited Plus includes unlimited data, 5G access and 10GB hotspot. The $75 per month plan is $25 off when you enroll online and use AutoPay. There are also deals on the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S21 5G and Apple iPhone 11.
Free pre-paid SIM card starter kits
US Mobile works with the student services offices at some of the top universities across the US to provide free prepaid SIM card starter kits for students. These cover 4G and 5G networks with talk and text plans from $10 per month and unlimited plans from $25 per line (3 lines). You can also build your own plan from $4 per month.
3-month plans from $15 per month
Mint mobile, the Ryan Reynold's owned network, aims to shake up the mobile industry with its affordable offerings. And with packages as low as $15 per month – or $30 unlimited – it's certainly appealing. The deals are based on an introductory three-month contract but after that, you can switch to a 12-month contract for the same price, or a six-month one for just $5 more.
Plans from $25 per month or less when you bring a friend
Visible encourages you to bring your friends onto their network by reducing your bill when you do. Your first month is $25 but goes up to $40 per month. However, if you bring friends into your Party Pay, you can reduce your bill back down to $25. You can also get a month for just $5 each time a friend joins. So, if you're persuasive, you could pay $5 every month.
Upgrade to smarter living
Get the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products straight to your inbox.
As T3's Editor-in-Chief, Mat Gallagher has his finger on the pulse for the latest advances in technology. He has written about technology since 2003 and after stints in Beijing, Hong Kong and Chicago is now based in the UK. He’s a true lover of gadgets, but especially anything that involves cameras, Apple, electric cars, musical instruments or travel.