Being a broke college student is tough and making sure you can afford your phone plan is essential, so here are the best ones to take advantage of!

Main image courtesy of Faculty Focus.

Going to college is a great life accomplishment to better yourself and put you in the right direction towards a great career path, but there are a lot of ups and downs when it comes to attending a university. From challenging classes, to making new friends, the stresses of midterms and finals, and even just living the typical broke college lifestyle, there’s a lot to experience in this chapter of your life.

While you’re attending a college or university, it can be challenging to keep up with cell phone payments and paying for a plan all by yourself. While a part-time job is enough to help you keep up with basic necessities, such as eating and keeping a roof over your head, a cell phone is also considered essential for most college students. 

If you are interested in getting a cell phone plan before college, or even switching to a more affordable plan, then you should consider some of the best cell phone plans for students for 2023!
If you are looking to switch cell phone carriers, then consider looking into Really to help you with all of your phone services needs! At Really, you can compare phone plans to get more bang for your buck, and you can see what carriers and plans are in your area, sort by price, best value and more, and even click on the plan you wish to learn more about in an instant.

What College Students Should Look For in a Cell Phone Plan

Finding the best cell phone plan is important, but making sure that it suits college students is another story!

Cell phone plans can be tricky to afford as a college student, so it’s important to get to know what kind of features you need beforehand. Image courtesy of Payment Week.  

Being a broke college student is never a fun feeling, but almost everyone who has gone to college has dealt with it at some point. If you are trying to afford a cell phone plan, it’s important to get to know the features that you will need so you’re not paying for unnecessary ones.

Let’s get to know some of the best features college students will need!

Unlimited Talk and Text

A feature that is available on almost every single cell phone plan, whether it’s through a big carrier or an MVNO is unlimited talk and text. If you are a college student who is studying away from home, it’s important to stay in contact with loved ones. 

A Set Data Allotment or Unlimited Data

It’s important to get a cell phone plan  that either has a set monthly data allotment, or unlimited data. Depending on what you can afford, having some data on your cell phone plan is essential so you can do things like  check your school email on-the-go, look at social media in between classes, or even just text or talk in group chats about assignments with other classmates.

International Calling and Texting

If you are someone who enjoys traveling and plans on studying abroad for a semester or two in college, one of the most essential features to have is international calling and texting features. It may cost a little bit extra, but this feature is  essential to have in order to keep in touch with loved ones in your home country and for emergencies.

Hotspot Availability

For some students, getting a hotspot is a necessity, especially when you’re on-the-go and not able to access your own Wi-Fi, or the school Wi-Fi. If you are somewhere off or on-campus where you can’t access any Wi-Fi, a hotspot can help you to get your work done . While using a hotspot can also run up your data, as long as you’re aware of your data limit, it can be a great backup if you need it.

Subscriptions Included in Cell Phone Plan

While this feature isn’t something that every college student desperately needs, it is something that many of them will enjoy having, which are streaming subscriptions. Netflix, Spotify, Apple Music, Hulu, HBO Max, and many other services are sometimes included on cell phone plans, which can not only help you save money, but can help keep you relaxed after a long day of classes. 

Built-In Security

Built-in security is a must when it comes to getting a plan. Even as a college student who may simply be using it to talk and text with loved ones and occasionally check and update social media, it is important to know that your phone won’t get broken into and scammed.

A Good Camera

Most smartphones nowadays come with excellent cameras that are built into the phone, giving it the best quality possible. This may not be something that you desperately need as a college student, but who doesn’t want to take pictures and remember the moments you wished would never end for years to come? A great way to do this is by making sure that you get a phone that also has a great camera on it to look and laugh at pictures and memories years down the road. 

The Best Cell Phone Plans For Students in 2023

Get to know the best and most affordable cell phone plans for students this year!

Making sure to get an affordable cell phone plan that best fits a college student’s budget and includes the features they need is important. Image courtesy of Easy Wireless.

If you are a college student who is on a tight budget looking to get a cell phone plan that has all of the essentials you’ll need, then it’s time to look for a cell phone plan that works best for you. 

Let’s take a look at some of the best cell phone plans to get for college students for 2023!

US Mobile Student Plan

The best thing about being a college student looking for a cell phone plan is that there are plenty of carriers that offer student discounts. US Mobile’s student plans are one of the many kinds of cell phone plans that can help students save money, but also have features  they need to get through college.

US Mobile offers a ton of different options that are perfect for every student’s needs. Some of the features that are on their plans include the following:

  • Monthly prepaid plans
  • Set data allotment plans or unlimited plans offered
  • Unlimited talk and text
  • Wi-Fi talk and text
  • 5G high-speed data
  • Up to 50GB of a mobile hotspot
  • eSIM international data to purchase
  • Subscriptions for music, video, and gaming services
  • Build-your-own plan options

It is also important to go over the different kinds of cell phone plans that they exclusively offer for students, where after a ten-day trial, students can get 20% off their plan per month. There are six main plans for students to choose from and they include the ones mentioned below:

  • $9.60 per month for unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of data 
  • $12 per month for unlimited talk, text, and 5GB of data
  • $16 per month for unlimited talk, text, and 15GB of data
  • $20 per month for unlimited talk, text, and 25GB of data
  • $28 per month for unlimited talk, text, and data
  • $36 per month for unlimited talk, text, data, and a mobile hotspot

Mint Mobile Cell Phone Plans

One of the most affordable cell phone plans for college students is through Mint Mobile. Everyone who has a Mint Mobile cell phone plan loves the incredible offers that they have and just how affordable it really is. With the option to choose how long you want your cell phone plan for, such as three months, six months, or even a year-long plan, this carrier offers plans that are a hit among college students. 

With a Mint Mobile cell phone plan comes a ton of different perks that you can take advantage of as well. It’s important to go over some of these features included in their plans and they can include:

  • Unlimited talk and text
  • Set data allotment plans or unlimited plans offered
  • T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G coverage
  • High-speed 5G data 
  • Free calling to Mexico and Canada
  • Free 3-in-1 SIM card included when you sign up
  • Free mobile hotspot included in all plans
  • Wi-Fi calling and texting
  • Keep your current phone or buy a new one
  • Keep your current phone number or get a new one
  • Keep your contacts, photos, and apps when you switch plans
  • Mint Mobile app available to make payments and more

There are also a few different Mint Mobile plans to discuss before signing up and selecting a plan. Keep in mind that you can pick their three month, six month, or year-long options and you can choose one of the following plans:

  • $15 per month for unlimited talk, text, and 4GB of data
  • $20 per month for unlimited talk, text, and 10GB of data
  • $25 per month for unlimited talk, text, and 15GB of data
  • $30 per month for unlimited talk, text, and data

Verizon Wireless Phone Plans

While many people think that getting an MVNO is the only way to save money on your cell phone plan, especially in college, there are many big carriers that offer student discounts on cell phone plans. One of these cell phone carriers include Verizon Wireless that have options for unlimited plans or prepaid plans.

Some of the features of one of their plans can include:

  • Unlimited talk and text
  • Set data allotment plans and unlimited data plans available
  • Verizon Wireless 5G nationwide coverage
  • Plans built for iPhones
  • At least 480p or 720p video streaming
  • At least 15GB of a mobile hotspot
  • Apple Music free for first 6 months
  • Disney+ free for 1 year
  • 500GB of Verizon Cloud storage with select plans

There are also a lot of cell phone plans to consider looking into that include unlimited plans and even prepaid plans as well. Some of the plans that they have to offer include the following:

  • 5G Start Plan – $25 per month for unlimited talk, text, data, and 5GB of a mobile hotspot
  • 5G Do More – $31.11 per month for unlimited talk, text, data, 50GB high-speed 5G data, and 25GB of a mobile hotspot
  • 5G Play More  – $31.11 per month for unlimited talk, text, data, 50GB high-speed 5G data, and 25GB of a mobile hotspot
  • 5G Get More – $41.11 per month for unlimited talk, text, high-speed 5G data, and 50GB of a mobile hotspot
  • $35 per month prepaid plan for unlimited talk, text, and 15GB of data
  • $50 per month prepaid plan for unlimited talk, text, and data
  • $60 per month prepaid plan for unlimited talk, text, data, and 25GB of a mobile hotspot

AT&T Phone Plans

Another big carrier that is known for their incredible prices and cell phone plans for college students is AT&T. With this amazing 5G nationwide coverage, unlimited plans, and much more, students can put a little bit more in their pockets every month and get the best out of their cell phone plan.

There are a ton of features that come from getting an AT&T cell phone plan that are also important to mention as well. Some of these features are included below:

  • Unlimited talk and text
  • Unlimited 4G LTE and 5G data with compatible devices
  • Unlimited talk and text in Mexico and Canada
  • No roaming charges in Mexico and Canada
  • 5GB to 100GB of a mobile hotspot
  • 480p video streaming
  • Unlimited texting up to 200 countries
  • AT&T ActiveArmor that for device security, fraud blocking, and spam risk alerts

It’s also essential to go over what kinds of plans are offered through AT&T to not only see if they have the features that you’ll need, but to also see if their plans are within your price range. Listed below are some of the most popular AT&T cell phone plans to check out:

  • AT&T Unlimited Starter Plan – $65 per month for unlimited talk, text, data, and 3GB of a mobile hotspot
  • AT&T Unlimited Extra Plan – $75 per month for unlimited talk, text, 50GB of premium data, and 15GB of a mobile hotspot
  • AT&T Unlimited Premium Plan – $85 for unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data no matter how much you use, and 50GB of a mobile hotspot

The Importance in Having a Cell Phone in College

While this may be self-explanatory, getting a cell phone plan is a requirement for any college student!

Having a cell phone in college is necessary for your safety but it can also be used as a learning tool. Image courtesy of Resilient Educator.

If you are not sure if you can afford getting a cell phone plan while in college, know that it is important to do so. There are a couple reasons we can think of as to why having one is a must  for college students.

Safety 

It is important for both men and women on a college campus to stay safe, no matter if it’s during the day or night. Having a cell phone is great for emergency situations, and to also keep up with loved ones to let them know that you’re doing okay.

A Great Learning Tool

You may not think it, but many people enjoy having cell phones while in college to use as a learning tool. Whether it’s an app that helps you to focus and study for your exams, to conduct research on, to record videos for class assignments, or even to use for classroom polling questions, cell phones can be beneficial to your learning experience.

A Distraction From Stress

College can be stressful and a cell phone can also be a way to avoid the stress that classes, grades, professors, and exams have on you. You can check social media, stream videos, play games, or even just catch up with loved ones as a way to destress and get away from your books for a while. 

Cell phones are essential to have for college students, but knowing how to go about getting a plan, what features you need, what prices to pay for one, and what carriers to choose from can be confusing.

Consider the top cell phone plans of 2023 that we mentioned above to stay safe during college, distract yourself from the stress, and even catch up with friends and family.