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Top 5 Best Prepaid Phones

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If you hate the hassle and cost of traditional cell phone plans, a prepaid phone may be the best way to go. If you’re looking for recommendations for great prepaid phones, the following options are excellent possibilities for you.

1. Best Cheap Tracfone Prepaid Phone: LG 840G

(LG)

Tracfone is one of the most popular prepaid phone options, thanks to a combination of simple phones and ease of adding new minutes. If you’re looking for a touchscreen smartphone experience at a reasonable price, this small LG model from Tracfone ticks all the boxes.

Buy it here.

Pros:

  • Comes with triple minutes for the life of the phone
  • Supports music player, picture messaging, and web browsing
  • Lightweight
  • Inexpensive upfront costs
  • Ideal for those who want a “normal” smartphone experience, but simplified

    • Cons:

  • 3.2-inch screen may be a bit small for some, especially senior citizens
  • Camera is a mere 2MP
  • Battery life is limited (about three hours of talk time)
  • May not provide best coverage in your area (see this page for more info)
  • On-screen control placement makes it easy to hit the wrong button by accident

    • 2. Best Prepaid Cell Phone: Moto G (Verizon Prepaid Phone)

    (Motorola)

    The Moto G is a phone that has passionate followers. It has an attractive design, and a wide array of handy features. This phone is ideal for someone who wants a full Android phone experience, without the hassle of contracts. It will also appeal to people who use Google’s suite of productivity tools and storage systems.

    Buy it here.

    Pros:

  • 4.5-inch screen with 720p display
  • Has both front and rear cameras
  • 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor
  • SplashGuard nano coating
  • 18 hours of talk time on a single charge

    • Cons:

  • 8GB of internal memory may not be enough for some users
  • Some users dislike Verizon’s preloaded “bloatware”
  • Some users have reported issues with call quality
  • Additionally, some users have reported issues with Wi-Fi connectivity
  • No expandable storage (but you can use 15GB of storage on Google Drive)

    • 3. Best Samsung Prepaid Phone: Samsung Galaxy Victory LTE

    (Samsung)

    Love Samsung phones, but hate the price tag on their flagship smartphones? The Galaxy Victory costs a fraction of what you’d pay for a Galaxy S4 or S5, but still has enough power to handle games, video, and music.

    Buy it here.

    Pros:

  • 1.2 GHz dual-core processor
  • 4-inch display
  • 5MP rear camera
  • Capture 720p HD video
  • Impressive battery life

    • Cons:

  • Front camera on this phone isn’t as nice as the one on the Moto G
  • Runs Jelly Bean
  • Limited internal storage
  • Contains some unremovable bloatware
  • Some users have reported issues with streaming music or listening to songs directly on the phone

    • 4. Best Cheap Prepaid Phone: LG 620G

    (LG)

    For the person who wants a no-frills cell phone with limited “smart features” and no touchscreen, this LG phone is a solid choice. With a low price that reflects its bare-bones design, this prepaid cell phone was originally launched back in 2010. It’s a simple phone that is ideal for people who want a cell phone, but who will only use it for emergencies or for a limited amount of time each week.

    Buy it here.

    Pros:

  • Slide-out keyboard
  • No frills, no extra bells and whistles
  • Up to five hours of talk time
  • Pairs easily with Bluetooth devices
  • Plays MP3s or FM radio (requires special headphones)

    • Cons:

  • Tiny 2-inch display may cause eye strain for some
  • Camera is a mere 1.3MP
  • Menu navigation can be complicated
  • Adjusting call volume isn’t as simple as it could be
  • Some features are not user-friendly

    • 5. Best Cheap Prepaid Phone With Windows OS: Nokia Lumia 520 GoPhone

    (Nokia)

    If you’re looking for a Windows phone with a beautiful form factor, Nokia’s Lumia 520 is a great choice. This phone has impressive battery life, a beautiful design, and is quite user-friendly.

    Buy it here.

    Pros:

  • 5MP camera
  • Over nine hours of talk time on a single charge
  • Nokia MixRadio personalizes and customizes music for you
  • Excellent navigation features
  • Screen size is large enough to limit eye strain, without being overly large in the hand

    • Cons:

  • Some popular apps are not available for Windows phones
  • RAM limitations may make it hard to use certain apps or games
  • Display could be crisper
  • Some users have reported a bug where the camera makes two copies of the same photo
  • Additionally, some users have reported issues with the power button

    • Considering getting someone an electronics gift? Check out our Gifts section for tons of great gift recommendations, or visit our ultimate guides to the best gifts for women and best gifts for men.

    We round up cheap prepaid phones and compare some of the best prepaid phones on the market.