What's a good cheap cell phone provider...

I've been using Mint for about a year. I was originally on the 15/mo plan, but upgraded to unlimited data for $30 a month ($360 a year, prepaid.) Just check the coverage maps for T-Mobile (that's the network Mint runs on.)

Also, get last year's phone, you may be able to get it new. With the iPhone 17 release, there will be a bunch of people dumping iPhone 15/16s onto certified resale sites like Gazelle as well. The company inspects the phones they buy before the accept them, it's pretty risk free. I'd stay away from ebay, though. I won't sell anything to anyone internationally, for a reason. So I sold an old phone to a company in New Jersey, and five or six days after it was delivered, I start getting text messages from someone in Russia that they couldn't use the phone I'd sold them (I'd forgotten one step in the wipe process re: iCloud I think). Point being I didn't want to deal with international buyers and the massive fraud risk, and the Russians figured out a way to buy my phone anyway.

Since you have Verizon, you’ll want to go with cricket(ATT). They’ll give you a decent phone for $0-100 as long as you aren’t coming from ATT. Always have some special going on for new people.

After 3 years when phone is old, go to Visible(Verizon) and repeat.

My teens use tello. It's $6 month for unlimited texts, 1gb data and 100 minutes. I think my older is on the $7 plan for 2gb of data.

My wife uses redpocket which was 15gb data and unlimited everything for $11/month

I do the visible unlimited for $19 month.

several good recommendation, but I'll add Consumer Cellular (they use ATT and T-Mobile towers). Very affordable and great service. We had them for several years before a new employer provided our cell service

I use tello for my kids. You can completely customize your price based on your usage. We pay $10/mo per line for unlimited talk, unlimited text and 2GB of data. Even if you run out of data they dont disable data, it just gets slowed down so everything will still work. No contracts. It uses the Tmobile network.

Prepaid is the biggest factor. There is the upfront cost of purchasing a new phone outright but the plans are a lot cheaper than post paid. Doesn't really matter if it's an MVNO or one of the majors.

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MVNO - look in to it

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Everyone has been mentioning MVNOs to look in to.

Buy a mint condition unlocked phone from swappa.com. Pick one from a vendor with over 1,000 reviews and you'll be good.

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This is a question that maybe I should ask the cell phone service provider... But is there a difference between a cell phone that is used for pre-paid and regular service?

With some of the comments about getting a new phone and staying with Verizon I think I should know the answer before I purchase a new phone...

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You can use an Iphone 17 pro for both. You don't need to ask the cell phone service provider you just need to buy an unlocked phone for any carrier and you're golden. I had an MVNO like Total Wireless. They "lock" their phones for 90 days... after that I can take the phone and use it for any carrier (prepaid or postpaid) if paid off wherever. Most carriers unlock phones when they are paid for if you chose to finance a $900 phone for 36 months, lets say.

Pure Talk or Spectrum.... Have had both since Verizon and and have not seen a drop in coverage while traveling out west and other areas...Kinda have played one against the other...Right now you can get an unlimited line bring your own phone 30 bucks and another line free for two years guaranteed. unlimited