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Annual phone plans: how paying for the year upfront cuts your bill (and when it doesn't)
Several prepaid carriers sell new-customer annual plans: you pay once for 12 months of service and, in exchange, the effective monthly price drops below what you'd pay month to month. Some of these are first-year deals that renew at a higher price, so the real question is what you save in year one, what happens in year two, and whether you're sure you'll stay. Here are the annual plans in our catalog, with the numbers worked out for you.
Every annual plan we track, side by side
Each saving is measured against the same plan paid monthly (with AutoPay where the carrier offers it, or Mint's shortest term, since Mint has no month-to-month billing) and rounded down — we would rather understate a saving than overstate one. Prices are per line.
| Plan | Pay for the year | Works out to | Saving in year one | After year one |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mint Mobile — Mint 23GB T-Mobile towers · 23GB high-speed data | $300 for the year | $25/mo effective | Save $240 in year one vs paying on Mint's shortest 3-month term ($45/mo) | Mint sells in 3 / 6 / 12-month terms: renewing for another 12 months keeps this same $300/yr rate — shorter renewal terms cost more per month. Taxes & fees extra at Mint. |
| US Mobile — Unlimited Premium Your choice of network · Unlimited data | $299 for the year | $24.92/mo effective | Save $229 in year one vs paying $44/mo × 12 ($528) | First-year price for new customers — renews at $390/yr (still $138 less than monthly) |
| Mint Mobile — Mint 17GB T-Mobile towers · 17GB high-speed data | $240 for the year | $20/mo effective | Save $180 in year one vs paying on Mint's shortest 3-month term ($35/mo) | Mint sells in 3 / 6 / 12-month terms: renewing for another 12 months keeps this same $240/yr rate — shorter renewal terms cost more per month. Taxes & fees extra at Mint. |
| Mint Mobile — Mint Unlimited T-Mobile towers · 50GB high-speed data | $360 for the year | $30/mo effective | Save $120 in year one vs paying on Mint's shortest 3-month term ($40/mo) | Mint sells in 3 / 6 / 12-month terms: renewing for another 12 months keeps this same $360/yr rate — shorter renewal terms cost more per month. Taxes & fees extra at Mint. |
| Mint Mobile — Mint 6GB T-Mobile towers · 6GB high-speed data | $180 for the year | $15/mo effective | Save $120 in year one vs paying on Mint's shortest 3-month term ($25/mo) | Mint sells in 3 / 6 / 12-month terms: renewing for another 12 months keeps this same $180/yr rate — shorter renewal terms cost more per month. Taxes & fees extra at Mint. |
| US Mobile — Unlimited Starter Your choice of network · Unlimited or 70GB high-speed, by network | $199 for the year | $16.58/mo effective | Save $101 in year one vs paying $25/mo × 12 ($300) | First-year price for new customers — renews at $270/yr (still $30 less than monthly) |
| Visible+ Pro — Visible+ Pro Premium Verizon towers · Unlimited data | $450 for the year | $37.50/mo effective | Save $90 in year one vs paying $45/mo × 12 ($540) | Same price when you renew for another 12 months |
| H2O Wireless — H2O Unlimited 60GB AT&T towers · 60GB high-speed data | $480 for the year | $40/mo effective | Save $60 in year one vs paying $45/mo × 12 ($540) | Same price when you renew for another 12 months |
| Visible+ — Visible+ Premium Verizon towers · Unlimited data | $375 for the year | $31.25/mo effective | Save $45 in year one vs paying $35/mo × 12 ($420) | Same price when you renew for another 12 months |
| Red Pocket — Red Pocket Premium Your choice of network · 50GB high-speed data | $330 for the year | $27.50/mo effective | Save $30 in year one vs paying $30/mo × 12 ($360) | Same price when you renew for another 12 months |
| Visible — Visible Unlimited Verizon towers · Unlimited data | $275 for the year | $22.92/mo effective | Save $25 in year one vs paying $25/mo × 12 ($300) | Same price when you renew for another 12 months |
| US Mobile — Unlimited Flex Your choice of network · 10GB high-speed data | $210 for the year | $17.50/mo effective | Sold as an annual plan only | US Mobile lists Unlimited Flex at $210/year with no first-year or promo wording. Confirm the renewal price at signup. |
This table is built from the same catalog as our plan finder, so when a carrier changes an annual price or a first-year promo ends, it updates here too.
Worked examples
- Visible+ Premium: $375 upfront for the year instead of paying $35/mo × 12 = $420 — about $31.25 a month, $45 saved.
- US Mobile Unlimited Premium: $299 upfront for the year instead of paying $44/mo × 12 = $528 — about $24.92 a month, $229 saved in year one. It's a first-year price: it renews at $390/yr, still $138 less than paying monthly.
- US Mobile Unlimited Starter: $199 upfront for the year instead of paying $25/mo × 12 = $300 — about $16.58 a month, $101 saved in year one. It's a first-year price: it renews at $270/yr, still $30 less than paying monthly.
- Mint Unlimited: $360 upfront for the year instead of paying on Mint's shortest 3-month term ($40/mo) — about $30 a month, $120 saved.
Who should pay annually
- You're confident in the network. Annual plans are a commitment to a carrier for 12 months. Before paying, make sure the towers it uses are strong where you live and work — the same towers your current carrier may already use (Visible runs on Verizon, Mint on T-Mobile, US Mobile lets you choose).
- You have the cash today. The saving is real, but it arrives as one upfront payment instead of a monthly bill.
- You're switching anyway. These are new-customer prices. If you're already with the carrier, you usually can't get them — which is why our plan finder leaves your current carrier out of its annual picks.
Watch-outs before you pay for the year
- It's not month-to-month. You're paying for 12 months upfront. Cancellations and refunds follow each carrier's own terms — read them before you buy. If you want to be free to leave any month, choose a no-contract, month-to-month plan instead (our finder has a "No contract — month-to-month only" option).
- First-year prices renew higher. Plans marked "first-year price" in the table renew at the price shown. Put a reminder in your calendar a few weeks before renewal and compare again.
- Prices are per line. Family discounts generally don't stack on annual prices, so a household of four pays the annual price four times. For families, compare against the carriers' multi-line monthly pricing in the plan finder.
- Taxes and fees vary. Some annual prices include taxes and fees (Visible and US Mobile say theirs do); others add them at checkout (Mint does). Check the final total before you pay.
See your own numbers: open the plan finder, enter your current bill and turn on "Pay annually — new-customer deal." Every pick then shows the total due today, the effective monthly price, your yearly saving and, for first-year deals, the renewal price.
Prefer no commitment? Read postpaid vs. prepaid and keep the finder's "No contract" option on.