- Best overall
- US Mobile Unlimited Starter at $25/mo — no credit check, choose Verizon, T-Mobile, or AT&T, taxes included
- Best on Verizon
- Visible at $25/mo — no credit check, Verizon's network, unlimited hotspot (5 Mbps), taxes included
- Best for light users
- Tello — plans start at $5/mo on T-Mobile's network, no credit check, truly month-to-month
- Credit check?
- None. All three plans are prepaid — you pay before service starts, so your score is generally not checked
Why bad credit doesn't matter for prepaid plans
Postpaid carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile on contract plans — run a credit check because they bill you after service is used. They're extending you a line of credit each month, so they need to know if you'll pay. A low score can mean a deposit of $100–500, or outright denial.
Prepaid carriers work the opposite way: you pay before service starts. There's no credit extended, no bill sent at the end of the month, and no risk to the carrier. Your credit score is simply not part of the equation. Every carrier on this list — US Mobile, Visible, and Tello — operates this way.
No credit check. No deposit.
All three plans on this list activate with a debit or credit card and an unlocked phone. In most cases, no social security number is required and no security deposit is needed. If you've been turned down by Verizon or AT&T due to credit, prepaid carriers will generally approve you — your credit history is not part of the process.
What about getting a new phone?
Device financing through a carrier requires a credit check regardless of plan type — skip it. Instead, bring your own unlocked phone. If you need a new device, Back Market and Swappa sell certified refurbished unlocked phones starting under $100, no credit involved. Best Buy and Amazon also sell unlocked phones outright.
Best plans for bad credit in 2026
★ Top Pick
US Mobile
Unlimited Starter
Verizon, T-Mobile, or AT&T · no credit check · taxes included
$25/mo
📶 70GB priority data (Unlimited on AT&T)
📡 10–20GB hotspot
Pick your network — switch anytime
Taxes incl. · no credit check
US Mobile is the top pick because it gives you something no other carrier at this price does: network choice. At sign-up, you pick Verizon (Warp), T-Mobile (Light Speed), or AT&T (Dark Star) — whichever has the best coverage at your address. And if coverage turns out to be weaker than expected, their Teleport feature lets you switch networks from the app without a new SIM or new plan. For someone who can't afford gaps in service, that flexibility is valuable.
At $25/mo with 70GB of priority data (or unlimited high-speed on AT&T), a 10–20GB hotspot depending on the network, and taxes already included in the price, it's also simply the best value at this price point. No credit check, no deposit, no contract — just an unlocked phone and a debit card.
Best for
Anyone who wants to pick the network with the best signal at their home — especially useful if you're not sure whether T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T is strongest in your area.
Get This Plan →
Visible
Visible
Verizon's network · no credit check · taxes included
$25/mo
📶 Unlimited data
📡 Unlimited hotspot (5 Mbps)
5G · Verizon
Taxes incl. · no credit check
Visible is Verizon's own direct brand — uses Verizon's network with similar nationwide coverage, at a lower price. The base plan is $25/mo with unlimited data, unlimited hotspot (speed-capped at 5 Mbps), and taxes already included. No credit check. No deposit. The activation is entirely online through the Visible app.
The reason Visible earns the second spot is Verizon's network: Verizon is widely regarded for strong suburban and rural coverage, consistently ranking among the top carriers in independent reliability testing. If you know Verizon has strong coverage at your address and want the simplest possible setup, Visible is the cleaner choice over US Mobile — fewer decisions, same price.
Best for
People who want Verizon's network reliability at $25/mo with no paperwork, no store visit, and no credit check — activate entirely from your phone.
Get This Plan →
Tello
Plans from $5/mo
T-Mobile's network · no credit check · taxes extra
$5–25/mo
📶 1GB to unlimited data
📡 10GB hotspot (Unlimited tier)
T-Mobile 5G · change plan anytime
No credit check · truly month-to-month
Tello's strength is flexibility at the low end. Plans start at $5/mo for 1GB data and scale up to $25/mo for 50GB and unlimited data on T-Mobile's network — all no credit check, all month-to-month. If you're on a tight budget but still need a reliable line, Tello's $10 plan (5GB) or $15 plan (10GB) can cover most light-to-moderate users for well under $20/mo.
Tello also includes free outbound calling to 60+ countries on eligible plans — a real perk most budget carriers charge extra for. The only catch: taxes are not included in Tello's advertised price, adding approximately $3–4/mo depending on your state.
Best for
Light users who want to spend as little as possible — or anyone who wants the flexibility to change their data allotment month-to-month without penalties.
See Tello Plans →
One important caveat on "no credit check"
While none of these carriers check your credit score for service activation, they will ask for a valid debit or credit card (or PayPal/Venmo on some). Some may place a temporary authorization hold for verification. No credit check means no inquiry to the credit bureaus — not no payment method required. Prepaid debit cards generally work fine.
Quick comparison
Standard advertised rates per line with AutoPay where applicable. Tello taxes not included — expect ~$3–4/mo additional.
| Plan | Price | Network | Data | Hotspot | Taxes incl. |
| US Mobile Starter |
$25/mo |
VZW / TMO / ATT |
70GB priority (Unl. ATT) |
20GB ATT · 10GB VZ/TMO |
Yes |
| Visible |
$25/mo |
Verizon |
Unlimited |
Unl. (5 Mbps) |
Yes |
| Tello Unlimited |
~$28/mo* |
T-Mobile |
50GB priority |
10GB |
No* |
All plans require no credit check for service activation. Prices shown are standard advertised rates per line with AutoPay where applicable. Visible and US Mobile prices include taxes and fees. Tello taxes are not included — expect approximately $3–4/mo additional. Device financing through any carrier may require a separate credit check — bring your own unlocked phone to avoid this. Always verify current pricing directly with the carrier before signing up.