Buyer's Guides
The Best Cell Phone Plans For Teenagers
2 min read
Getting your teen their first phone plan does not have to be expensive. In 2026, there are excellent plans for teenagers starting at $15–$25 per month, many with built-in parental controls or family plan discounts. Here are the best options.
Best Cell Phone Plans For Teenagers In 2026
Mint Mobile — Best Budget Plan For Teens
Mint Mobile runs on T-Mobile's 5G network and offers 5GB of data for around $15 per month on an annual prepay — the lowest-cost credible option. If your teen mostly uses Wi-Fi at home and school, a 5GB plan is often more than enough. Mint also offers a family plan feature where you can mix plan sizes and pay for multiple lines together.
Visible — Best Cheap Unlimited Plan For Teens
Visible offers unlimited data on Verizon's network for around $25 per month with taxes included and no annual contract. The flat-rate pricing is easy to budget — there are no overages or surprise charges. A great option for teens who stream video or music on cellular data.
Boost Mobile — Best Teen Plan With Parental Controls
Boost Mobile offers family-friendly unlimited plans starting around $25 per line per month for teens, including 30GB of premium-speed data. Boost provides parental control features through its account management tools and works on T-Mobile's network.
T-Mobile (Family Plan) — Best Big-Carrier Option For Teens
If the rest of your family is already on T-Mobile, adding a teen line to a family plan is often the most cost-effective option. T-Mobile's per-line price drops significantly with more lines, and the family plan includes Netflix and Hulu on higher tiers. Verizon's Smart Family add-on provides parental controls including screen time limits, content filtering, and location tracking for families on Verizon.\s network.
What Parental Controls Are Available?
Most smartphones include free built-in parental controls:
- iPhone (iOS 26): Apple Screen Time via Family Sharing — set time limits, filter content, track location at no extra cost.
- Android (Android 16): Google Family Link — manage app access, screen time, location, and content filters at no extra cost.
Carrier-level controls (like Verizon Smart Family or T-Mobile FamilyMode) add network-level filtering that works even when parental control apps are deleted from the device.
Use our plan comparison tool to compare teen and family plan pricing across carriers.
Last verified: April 2026. Pricing may change — verify at carrier site before subscribing.
