Modern life is all about choices and individual lifestyles. Nowhere does this apply more dearly than to cell phone plans. While unlimited calling may be critical for someone in the sales field, unlimited data is what a teenager would build their life around. Smart companies seem to have only recently understood this.
Larger players still can’t be bothered to tailor their plans according to user requirements. So, let us stick with the companies that listen to their customers. Many times these are smaller companies that have tie-ups and ride the coattails of larger networks. That being said, here are some of the best and cheap cell phone plans for families in 2020.
1. SMARTY
This company bills itself as simple and honest. Taking a quick look at their trust pilot ratings reveals the customers agree. Smarty is well appreciated, and for a valid reason. They cut straight to the chase. Their plans are clearly defined and anyone can understand exactly what they’re getting. In three bits of information, you can instantly figure out what is being offered. The only thing that could make it more straightforward is if the taxes are clarified upfront.
Here are some of the things we love about SMARTY:
- Calls and texts are unlimited with every single plan offered.
- You only pay upwards based on how much data you are going to get. Plans start at £10 for 30GB every month and go up to £20 for unlimited data. There is no throttling of data, so you don’t have to worry about speeds going down after enough usage.
- “Data discount plans” are available. These plans are cheaper and worth checking into if you don’t use too much data. In the entry-level data discount plan, you only get 1GB of data, and you can get up to £1 back each month. The best part is that this plan starts at only £6.
- Unlimited tethering is included. This means you can attach your cell phone to your computer and share the Internet.
- This is the best part– there’s no contract! In other words, you have freedom. Just go month to month, or not. You can get the plan for as long as you need it without getting locked in or having to pay contract cancellation fees.
SMARTY is definitely worth checking out since everything is straightforward. Plus, they go out of their way to reward you for your abstinence from data.
2. Three
Three is another company that is trying to simplify cell phone plans with data. One of their main features is allowing you to keep your phone and providing you with a cheap sim card. You have the freedom to choose between a monthly or pay-as-you-go sim card. It’s important to note that with Three there is a distinction between mobile phone and tablet sim cards.
Here are some of the things we love about Three:
- They have monthly and pay-as-you-go plans. However, you have to watch out as they offer plans with contracts as well. Plans start at £10 a month if you will enter into a two-year contract. Otherwise, plans start at £25 a month.
- You get unlimited data, minutes, and texts with all plans, including pay-as-you-go plans.
- GoRoam lets you use your phone in 71 destinations around the world at no extra costs.
While there are clear benefits with Three, we didn’t find the plans to be simple. Each plan is likely to have a different contractual period, which can make things a bit confusing. If you decide to go with Three just be sure to read through everything before you sign.
3. EE
EE is another coverage provider that is affordable for families. Like others in the market, they have numerous plans available. They give you the freedom to choose a pay-as-you-go plan or a monthly contract. EE also offers 5G plans for monthly SIM contract. It’s also important to note that with EE there is a distinction between phone and tablet sim cards. EE also gives you the opt
Here are some of the things we love about EE:
- Plans of all sizes are available. Cost depends on how much data you need with monthly plans started at £20 a month. Unlimited data starts at £34 a month.
- Cheaper plans are available if you are willing to lock yourself into a contract with less data. These plans start at 250MB data at £13 a month with a 12-month contract.
- Unlimited minutes and texts are offered with most contract sizes.
One negative we found with EE is that data speed is capped at 60 Mbps. However, data tends to be slower than this. This can mean poor loading times, which could make streaming video a bit frustrating. Also, given the numerous types of contracts available you again want to read everything carefully to make sure you are getting exactly the plan you need for your family.
4. Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile also offers family plans that can be affordable if certain conditions are met. The company mainly advertises their big-ticket, lengthy contracts, but you can score a good deal with their family plans.
Here are some of the things you love about Virgin Mobile’s offerings:
- Unlimited data is available. However, this offer is only available to their TV or broadband customers.
- Plans start at low as £7 a month with a 12-month contract, no unlimited minutes, and a data cap of 3GB. It does have unlimited texting though!
One thing that was disappointing with Virgin Mobile is the cost for what you are getting. The most expensive plan without getting into the TV or broadband situation costs £23 a month, with a cap of 5,000 minutes and 120GB of data. For this cost, you can go with another provider and get a lot more bang for your buck.
Shop Around
Keep in mind, though, that many name brand companies also depend upon the smaller, rather unknown players for much-needed revenue. In other words, going with a smaller provider does not mean you’ll experience bad reception, frequent call drops, etc. This is because many of these smaller providers share towers with the big guys. If you’re looking for a cheap phone plan for your family there are options out there. Don’t just go with one of the main providers because of their name. Shop around and find the deal that’s best for you!
