Top mobile phone companies for students in 2024
The best mobile phone providers for students should be known if you need to know. Rest assured—we've got you covered. Numerous carriers' coverage, data plans, and choices for both contract and pay-as-you-go SIMs have been compared by us. And we've simplified everything as much as we could.
Numerous student phone plans come with extra benefits like memberships and streaming service trials in addition to the standard features that are available with almost every mobile phone plan.Your choice ultimately boils down to whether you would want to get Netflix or Spotify for free—a decision that is, of course, entirely subjective—in light of these alluring bonuses.
Why you can trust our advice ✔ At SmartRead, our experts spend days testing games, phones, tech, and services. We always share honest opinions to help you buy the best. Find out how we test.
AT&T
The most reliable network and lots of data plans.
Today’s best deals
| Network | AT&T |
- Nationwide coverage
- Variable data allowances
- Great deals for switching
- Can be very expensive
If you have some money to spend and just need someone to rely on, AT&T is constantly working to have the best 5G and 4G LTE coverage in the United States. No matter where your studies are based, the chances are that AT&T provides the least dead spots of any network.
AT&T also loves new customers, often offering huge savings when you start a new contract, and even when you bring in your old phones. You can earn plenty of cash by simply swapping your old phone and number for a new contract, so give it some thought if you have some old devices lying around.
The rub, however, is that AT&T isn’t aiming to be cheap. It’s aiming to be the best. Whether it achieves that is debatable, but they do offer a premium service at a premium price. If you can afford to spend the money while you study, then AT&T’s fantastic coverage, data plans, and phone options mean you’ll never miss a message from back home.
Check out our guide to the best AT&T phones here.
Compare AT&T plans here.
Xfinity Mobile
Fantastic data speed and great for sharing with the family.
Today’s best deals
| Network | Verizon |
- Good for family sharing
- Reliable Verizon network
- Free Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots
- Expensive plans
- Slow hotspot speeds
The lesser-known Xfinity Mobile is an up-and-comer, with most consumers learning about the company thanks to its internet and home phone packages. This is what makes a good pick for students, though, as it’s very easy to add a cell phone contract on top. If your parents already use Xfinity Mobile, adding a cell contract to your package is easy.
Plus, using the Verizon network means Xfinity has absolutely fantastic coverage, and with the by-the-gig packages, you can split your data usage between several phones and/or family members. Do your parents have an existing data package? You can add another device and simply make use of their data allowance.
Another plus is the huge array of Xfinity Wi-Fi spots dotted around the US, and you can also set reminders for when data is running low. Xfinity might not be the cheapest package, but if anyone in your family is already connected, it’s a fantastic choice that can save you some money and plenty of time organizing your own separate contract.
Compare Xfinity Mobile plans here.
Mint Mobile
Great savings for new customers.
Today’s best deals
| Network | T-Mobile |
- Cheapest data plans
- Reliable network
- Basic packages
Mint Mobile is quickly becoming one of the most recognizable cell providers in the US, thanks in no small part to the hilarious adverts from owner Ryan Reynolds. It also uses the reliable T-Mobile network, offering 4G LTE and 5G coverage depending on your location.
For students, Mint Mobile plans offer some of the cheapest packages available, especially if you start a new contract or move your number to the network. However, most of the savings rely on getting a yearly contract, so consider if you can afford to keep paying your bills monthly. Being a student is tough, and the price of pizza is only going up.
Mint Mobile offers unlimited data contracts for as low as $30, or $15 for the first three months of service, or the chance to save money with the 5GB/mo data plan that is $15 monthly all year. There’s a huge amount of phones available for contracts, including the latest iPhone, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, and the Google Pixel 7 Pro.
Compare Mint Mobile plans here.
Verizon
A reliable network that offers plenty of perks.
Today’s best deals
| Network | Verizon |
- Added streaming subscriptions
- International call and text
- Roaming add-ons
- Not very flexible
- Expensive
While plenty of smaller companies use the Verizon network, sometimes it’s better to go to the source. Verizon is known for having great coverage and has unlimited data deals starting from as little as $25 – though with very few perks.
If you’re moving somewhere out of the way and need to start your own streaming subscriptions, then this is another area where Verizon is top of the class. It has fantastic packages that pair unlimited data with extra perks, such as a Walmart+ membership, Apple One, or the Disney bundle (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN).
Basically, if you’re starting a new life away from home and need a bit of independence, Verizon just might be the best pick to start looking after your own life. Unlimited data plans start to creep towards $50/mo, and almost all deals depend on a yearly contract, so make sure you can afford these deals before you commit.
Compare Verizon cell plans here.
Tello
A cheap and cheerful service for students on a budget.
Today’s best deals
| Network | T-Mobile |
- Very cheap
- Reliable T-Mobile network
- Online only
If you want to get T-Mobile coverage but cheaper, this might be the best thing for you. Trello uses T-Mobile’s network to offer fantastic 5G coverage across the US, but much cheaper. It also features a lot of customization for data and calls, just in case you need to adjust your budget on the fly.
If you need to be out and about using your phone and data constantly, Tello has unlimited data packages starting from $29/mo. This includes 25GB of 4G LTE/5G data, 5GB of priority hotspot tethering, and then unlimited 2G data afterward. If you’re running around town between classes and constantly need to connect your laptop to your mobile device, Tello is offering a lot for a little.
Tello also allows you to customize family plans, giving everyone their own data and call or text allowance. So, if you want to stay on the same contract as your parents, this is a great way to get some freedom without worrying about doing it all yourself. Plus, if you aren’t as worried about data, Tello has some very cheap packages that are perfect for anyone who just loves to ring home.
Compare Tello cell phone plans here.
How we choose the top student mobile phone providers
In compiling this list, we kept a few important guidelines in mind. For general details on our methodology for compiling these lists, see our how we test page. For this specific list, however, a number of variables guided our recommendations:
- Pricing: Everyone’s budget is different, so we want to include providers with various price ranges, and, indeed, providers with flexible pricing policies.
- Internet allowances: How is the internet connection with a provider? We only want to include options that offer reliable access to the internet and give higher data allowances for those who need them.
- Shared plans: Do you want a service that will cover your whole family? Or perhaps all the students in your dorm? Well, we’ve included options that allow for shared plans, as these will be much more cost-effective for students on a smaller budget.
- Additional bonuses: Many of the best providers offer benefits such as access to streaming services through your cell phone plan. Students need ways to unwind, and these packages are often more cost-effective than simply getting both things separately, so we’ve included providers who offer these little bonuses.
That concludes our list of the top mobile phone carriers for students for now. To cover all your bases, check out our guide to the best cell phone providers if you need even more options.