There are quite a few prepaid phone companies out there these days–and if you’ve been looking for a new phone, then you’ve probably been inundated with information from different companies telling you all the things you want to hear. Two of the biggest prepaid providers in the world are Sprint (although you may not know it) and Straight Talk (a company owned by TracFone, perhaps the most known pay as you go phone provider).
The reason you might not know Sprint is one of the top prepaid providers is because its prepaid business goes by other names. You’ve most likely heard about Virgin Mobile, Boost Mobile, and maybe even Common Cents (a phone brand sold exclusively at WalMart). These three brands comprise Sprint’s prepaid plans and have some interesting things to offer to consumers.
Head to Head: Straight Talk and Sprint
Let’s do a quick comparison of Straight Talk vs Sprint prepaid phones. While Sprint prepaid plans and phones are divided up into different brands, Straight Talk only has two plans to choose from. One of them is a basic thirty dollar plan that gives you, the user, 1,000 minutes of talk time and texting. The second plan, which retails at $45, gives you unlimited access to web, talk, text, and even 411 (which is a nice addition). Comparing this to the Common Cents plans, there is no comparison really. Common Cents doesn’t compete with either plan really unless you’re a very frugal phone user. So in terms of competition, Common Cents is out of this fight. Let’s move on to Boost Mobile. Boost’s $50 Monthly Unlimited plan is not a bad priced plan, and with the new Shrinkage plan, after being with the company for six months, your bill will go down $5 a month down to a monthly payment of $35.
Does Boost Mobile Best Straight Talk?
This may seem like a better deal than Straight Talk prepaid because it results in a $35 monthly payment, but this also means you would have to commit to the company and stay with it for at least 6 months before you could start to reap the rewards of the Boost Mobile Shrinkage plan. This may not be a bad deal for you if Boost Mobile has great coverage for you in your area, if you use a lot of talk time, and if you find a phone you like in its lineup. But keep in mind that if you don’t need unlimited talk time, and only need somewhere around 400 to 1000 minutes, then Straight Talk’s All You Need ($30 Plan) may be all you need. Another factor in comparing these two companies is coverage. Take a good hard look at the coverage maps for each of these plans and see which one is better in your area. If you can find one that is better in your area, it might be a smarter option to take advantage of. Then there is the $5 discrepancy between Straight Talk and Boost Mobile Unlimited plans, another factor to consider.
Local Reviews. Get as many reviews as possible from local people, like friends and relatives, if you can since this can be the most useful information. After all, you want to know how service from Straight Talk or Boost Mobile is in your area.
Phone Selection. Look at the phones offered by the plans you are looking at. Maybe Straight Talk has a free phone offer going or maybe there’s a great deal on a Boost Mobile phone. Consider phone models as you move forward trying to select your plan.
Your Phone Needs. How much talk time do you really need? If you are only going to use 300 minutes of talk time a month, run away as fast as you can from an Unlimited plan. Go for something more sensible like a plan from Net10 or Tracfone, two companies that specialize in affordable plans for frugal people.
