AT&T Prepaid Review

Cheap plans on a great network with tons of data, but you won’t find any perks here

ATT
AT&T
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
  • pro
    Save over 70% compared to post-paid plans
  • pro
    Strong network
  • Fire Emoji

    Get unlimited data for $25 per month for one year

  • con
    Fewer perks
Easton Smith
Mar 17, 2025
Icon Time To Read7 min read

Plenty of discount carriers exist, but few match AT&T’s network reliability and service quality. While AT&T's standard plans are pricey, its prepaid option offers unlimited data for $25/month if you pay $300 upfront, making it a more affordable way to stay on AT&T’s network. 

Boost Mobile, an MVNO using AT&T towers, offers the same price with no annual commitment and more premium data (30GB vs. AT&T’s 16GB), but AT&T includes 10GB of hotspot data, while Boost offers none. If you need flexibility, go with Boost. If you want hotspot data and a reliable network, AT&T is the better deal.

The obvious difference between standard and prepaid phone plans is that you pay upfront with prepaid. But that’s not the only thing—prepaid plans are almost always cheaper. The trade-off? You might lose out on perks like free subscriptions, mobile hotspot data, or HD streaming. Still, when you’re saving over 70% on your phone bill, those extras might not be worth the premium.

If AT&T's Prepaid Unlimited Data plan isn’t enough to convince you, then read our whole AT&T prepaid review to see if it’s right for you.

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Best prepaid plans on AT&T's network

Provider
Plan
Price
Data
Hotspot data
Details
ATTPrepaid Unlimited Data with 5G + 10GB Hotspot Plan
$300/yr
Unlimited
(after 16GB, slowed to max 1.5 Mbps)
10GB
Boost MobileUnlimited Plan
$25/mo
Unlimited
(speeds may slow after 30GB)
None

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Your feedback helps others find the right cell phone plan. Whether your experience was great, frustrating, or somewhere in between, we want to hear about it.

AT&T prepaid plans

AT&T offers up a great spread of powerful data plans
Provider
Plan
Price
Data
Hotspot data
Details
ATTPrepaid Unlimited Data with 5G + 10GB Hotspot Plan$300/yr ($25/mo)Unlimited
(after 16GB, slowed to max 1.5 Mbps)
10GB
ATTPrepaid 5GB Data with 5G Plan$30/mo5GB 5GB
ATTPrepaid 8GB Data with 5G 3-Month Plan$33/mo8GB 8GB
ATTPrepaid Unlimited Basic Plan$45/moUnlimited (speeds may slow after 30GB)None
ATTPrepaid Unlimited Level Up Plan$50.99/moUnlimited (speeds may slow after 30GB)None
ATTPrepaid Unlimited MAX Plus with 5G + 25GB Hotspot Plan$55/moUnlimited (speeds may slow after 50GB)25GB
ATTPrepaid Unlimited MAX Plus with 5G + 35GB Hotspot Plan$65/moUnlimited high-speed data35GB
Pros
  • Plans as low as $25/month
  • Lots of data
  • Strong network performance
Cons
  • Fewer perks
  • Must prepay

What we like

AT&T’s prepaid lineup is pretty robust, with seven separate plans ranging in price from $30 to a whopping $300. Yes, that’s three hundred dollars (the plan lasts a whole year)! These plans offer something for almost every kind of user. Let’s dive into the details.

Affordable

AT&T’s pricing tends to be in the middle of the pack when compared to other major providers. It’s not as pricey as Verizon, but it’s not as cheap as T-Mobile (or discount/MVNO providers, like Visible). While we found eight handy ways to lower your AT&T cell phone bill, it's a good time to consider the carrier’s prepaid plans (because they're a whole other story).

You can get some great deals if you’re willing to forego a few perks and pay your bill upfront.

For example, compare the AT&T Unlimited Starter® SL plan with the AT&T Prepaid Unlimited plan.

Provider
Plan
Price
Data
Hotspot data
Details
ATTPrepaid Unlimited Level Up Plan$50.99/moUnlimited (speeds may slow after 30GB)None
ATTUnlimited Starter$65.99/moUnlimited (speeds may slow during high traffic)5GB

The Unlimited Starter® SL plan costs $66 a month, and your data can be slowed down (deprioritized) at any time. That’s a lot of money to pay for data that could slow to a trickle while you’re trying to stream or game.  

But if you’re willing to go prepaid, you can actually get a robust plan for $50.99 a month. This prepaid plan comes with the same unlimited data as the Unlimited Start Plan but with an additional 30GB of premium data; however, it doesn't offer any hotspot data.

That’s a wildly good deal. But there are other deals from AT&T prepaid, too. You can get an unlimited talk and text plan with 8GB of data for just $33 a month when you pay for three months upfront. Not bad AT&T. Not bad at all.

Lots of data

It can be tough to estimate how much mobile data you need, but with most plans, you likely won’t need to worry about hitting your limit. Most of AT&T’s prepaid plans come with a decent amount of data. Of course, there are unlimited data plans. But there’s also an 8GB plan for $33 per month, which will give you plenty of data for scrolling through Instagram, checking your email, and even streaming a few shows.

Even AT&T’s lowest-priced prepaid plan gives you 5GB of data for $30 per month. It’s a great plan for a kid who is (or isn’t supposed to be) online all day.

Strong network

Verizon takes the gold medal for the best cellular network. But AT&T is right on its heels. It has the second-best nationwide 4G LTE coverage and the fastest data speeds.

AT&T’s fast download speeds make it an ideal carrier for those who use their cellular network for gaming, working, or rigorous social-media posting. Check out our section on coverage below to learn more about AT&T’s network.

What we don’t like

AT&T prepaid offers some awesome deals. But it’s our job to point out the not-so-great features of each carrier, too. So here are the cons you should take into consideration.

Fewer perks

Everyone loves some perks, freebies, extras, bells and whistles, whatever you want to call the free stuff your mobile carrier throws in with your plan. Unfortunately, you’ll miss out on a lot of that with AT&T prepaid.

Some of the things that many normal AT&T plans come with won’t be available on any prepaid plans, like the following:

  • No AT&T Thanks program (which gives you discounts on tickets to concerts and other events)
  • No Max subscription
  • No AT&T Next Up phone upgrade program

Must prepay

Let’s not lose sight of the central difference between “normal” plans and prepaid plans: when you actually pay your bill. With prepaid plans you have to pay at the beginning of each month. If you forget to make a payment, you lose service.

You can enroll in autopay or pay up front for several months. This is a convenient way to keep your service on, and you can score some great discounts.

How do AT&T’s prepaid phone plans compare?

You’re not here to find any deal. You’re here to find the best deal for you. We thought that this comparison chart showing how AT&T’s prepaid unlimited plan compares to similar phone plans from the competition might help with that.

Unlimited prepaid plan comparison

Provider
Plan
Price
Data
Hotspot data
Details
ATTPrepaid Unlimited Data with 5G + 10GB Hotspot Plan
$300/yr
Unlimited
(after 16GB, slowed to max 1.5 Mbps)
10GB
Boost MobileUnlimited
$25/mo
Unlimited
(speeds may slow after 30GB)
None
Visible$25 Visible Plan
$25/mo
Unlimited (speeds may slow during high traffic)Unlimited
T MobileEssentials Saver
$50/mo
Unlimited (speeds may slow after 50GB)None
Unlimited Month Pass Plan
$39.99/mo
Unlimited (10GB full-speed then unlimited 2G speeds) None
Simple MobileTruly Unlimited + 5GB Hotspot Plan
$47.50/mo
Unlimited (speeds may slow after 40GB)5GB

AT&T prepaid family plans

Love your plan? Then add your family members and save money!
Provider
Plan
Price
Data
Hotspot data
Details
ATTPrepaid 5GB Plan (4 lines)$80/mo5GB 5GB
ATTPrepaid 15GB Plan (4 lines)$120/mo15GB 15GB
ATTPrepaid Unlimited MAX (4 lines)$180/moUnlimited high-speed data 35GB
ATTPrepaid Unlimited MAX Plus (4 lines)$220/moUnlimited (speeds may slow after 50GB)25GB
Pros
  • Discounts on additional lines
  • Good network performance
Cons
  • Fewer perks
  • Must prepay

What we like

What’s better than saving money? Saving even more money, obviously. And you can do it by signing up for multiple prepaid lines with AT&T. Here’s everything you need to know about AT&T prepaid family plans.

Discounts on additional lines

You can have up to five lines on your AT&T prepaid account. If you’ve got a Brady Bunch–sized family, then you might need to get a second family account.

When you add two or three lines, you’ll get $10 off your overall bill every month. When you add four lines to max out at five lines, you’ll get $20 off your bill.

That might not seem like that much of a discount, but when you add it to the already cheap price tag on these prepaid plans, it looks pretty good. Take this three-line unlimited plan, for example.

Provider
Plan
Price
Data
Hotspot data
Details
ATTPrepaid Unlimited MAX (3 lines)$145/moUnlimited high-speed data 35GB

In this case you get three lines, each with unlimited talk, text, and data (speeds can be reduced after 22 GB), plus 35GB of hotspot data

Still not sold on AT&T’s prepaid family plan?
Light Bulb

Read our article on the very best family plans for some other options.

Good network performance

As we mentioned above, AT&T’s network has great coverage and the fastest data speeds in the industry. This is as true for family plans as it is for individual plans. That means you, your partner, and the kids will all enjoy an awesome connection while you stream, browse, post, and game.

What we don’t like

We’re not here to sugarcoat things. AT&T’s prepaid family plans have a few issues.

Pay early for fewer perks

As with AT&T’s individual prepaid plans, you have to pay for your family plan bill at the beginning of every month. And you won’t get the same perks that “normal” AT&T unlimited data plans offer.

How do AT&T prepaid family plans compare?

It’s hard to judge cell phone plans in isolation. So let’s take a look at how AT&T’s unlimited data prepaid family plan looks when it’s up against similar plans from other carriers.

AT&T prepaid family plans comparison
Provider
Plan
Price
Data
Hotspot data
Details
VerizonUnlimited Welcome (3 lines)$99/moUnlimited (speeds may slow during traffic)None
Boost MobileUnlimited Plan (3 lines)$90/moUnlimited (speeds may slow after 50GB)None
T MobileEssentials (3 lines)$90/moUnlimited (speeds may slow after 50GB)None
ATTPrepaid Unlimited MAX (3 lines)$145/moUnlimited high-speed data 35GB

Boost Mobile: AT&T's best prepaid carrier

Get mobile service on AT&T's network for half the price with Boost Mobile
Provider
Plan
Price
Data
Hotspot data
Details
Boost MobileUnlimited Plan
$25/mo
Unlimited
(speeds may slow after 30GB)
None
Pros
  • Very affordable
  • Hotspot data
  • $25/mo forever plan
  • No contracts
Cons
  • Data deprioritization
  • Buy in bulk for discounts

What we like

With Boost Mobile, mobile users can enjoy AT&T's network at a discounted rate. Even when compared with AT&T's own prepaid plans, Boost's plans are cheaper. Plus, Boost Mobile offers a few more perks than most MVNOs. 

Boost Mobile's $25/month lifetime price gurantee

Boost Mobile's $25 Unlimited Plan with uncapped talk, text, and data plan is its best offer by far. For just $25 a month, you get unlimited talk, text, and data with 30GB of high-speed data.

Sadly, Boost Mobile's entry-level Unlimited plan doesn't offer hotspot data. Still, it has a pretty unique perk: Boost Mobile's Unlimited plan is $25 a month forever(No hotspot data might be worth never rebudgeting due to a price hike.)

If you're looking for more high-speed data and hotspot access, Boost offers two more unlimited mobile plans: Unlimited+ and Unlimited Premium. Both plans offer unlimited talk, text, and data with hotspot access, but you'll get 40GB of high-speed data with Unlimited+ and 50GB with Unlimited Premium.

What we don't like

Sometimes, discounts come with a catch. For Boost Mobile, you'll have to pay months at a time to get the most discounts. And watch out for two common tenets of MVNO carriers: soft data caps and deprioritization.

Soft data caps and deprioritization

With almost all "unlimited data" phone plans, there's a cap on high-speed data. This is especially true for MVNO carriers, as they don't actually operate their own cell phone towers. With Boost's Unlimited plan, you get 30GB of priority data, after which your speeds will slow big time.

While piggybacking on AT&T's towers is to thank for Boost's discounted prices, it's also the reason customers will experience deprioritization. After 30GB, your speeds are slowed in order to prioritize AT&T customers, and you might even experience a bit of deprioritization even before you run out.

How does Boost Mobile compare to other AT&T carriers?

Of all carriers on AT&T's network, Boost Mobile offers the cheapest unlimited plan.

Unlimited plans on AT&T's network comparison
Provider
Plan
Price
Data
Hotspot data
Details
Boost MobileUnlimited
$25/mo
Unlimited
(speeds may slow after 30GB)
None
Cricket3-Month Unlimited Plan
$15/mo
Unlimited (speeds may slow during traffic)None
Straight Talk$25 StraightSAVINGS! Plan
$25/mo
Unlimited (speeds may slow after 60GB)10GB
Red Pocket MobileUnlimited Premium Monthly Plan (GSMA)
$30/mo
Unlimited (speeds may slow after 60GB)None
H2O WirelessUnlimited + 5GB Hotspot Plan
$45/mo
Unlimited (speeds may slow after 40GB)5GB

AT&T coverage

AT&T’s coverage is good, but its data speeds are even better

We already sang the praises of AT&T’s network, but let’s dive a bit deeper. First of all, take a look at this coverage map.

AT&T offers solid data speeds

AT&T averages a 45.24 Mbps download speed, which places it right between Verizon and T-Mobile, but you can still expect speedy downloads.

45Mbps is actually faster than many people’s home internet. That means AT&T customers will get better video quality when Facetiming with friends during a pandemic. It means you won’t lag during your game of Call of Duty Mobile. It means totally seamless viewing and posting content on Instagram and TikTok.

Impressed with AT&T’s cellular network?
Light Bulb

Well, the company’s home internet isn’t half bad, either. Check out our AT&T internet review to learn more.

AT&T prepaid cell phones and devices

Your phone isn’t retro, it’s just busted

If you really want to take advantage of AT&T’s powerful network—including its 5G technology—then you might need to upgrade your phone.

Luckily, you can nab a great deal on a brand new iPhone 16e, Galaxy S25, or other device when you’re signing up for a new AT&T plan. Here’s a look at some of the most popular devices that the carrier sells.

AT&T customer service

Let’s just say it could be better

Telecommunications companies like AT&T aren’t really known for their awesome customer service. But some are better than others. Here’s a look at how the American Customer Satisfaction Index rates AT&T.

Provider
2023 ACSI rating
2024 ACSI rating
AT&T Wireless7578
T-Mobile7477
Verizon7374

AT&T ranks higher than the two other major carriers—T-Mobile and Verizon. You can find multiple ways to get in touch with AT&T about your prepaid service on the company’s website.

Easton Smith
Written by
Easton has worked as a freelance writer and researcher for several years, reviewing health, lifestyle, and technology products. He has probably read more Terms of Use contracts than any human alive. When he’s not sitting in front of a computer, Easton spends his time camping, climbing, and volunteering with humanitarian aid organizations.

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