T-Mobile has different types of Prepaid plans to fit your needs. Learn how to get a Prepaid plan and all about plan options.
On this page:
Activate a new account
Check out our current Prepaid plans to compare plans and shop for a device. Once you're ready to activate, follow these steps:
- Gather the items you'll need to activate service:
- If you're bringing your own device, you'll need your device serial number (IMEI): To find it, dial *#06# or locate it through your device settings.
- A new prepaid SIM card. If you're using an iPhone, the SIM card is already in your phone.
- A credit check is not required, and no deposit is needed to activate service.
- Activate your T-Mobile service online. If you need assistance, contact us.
Manage your plan and account
Manage your account online to make payments, change your services, and general account management options.
- Payments
- Set up Autopay.
- Make one-time payments. Electronic check payments are not accepted.
- Set monthly service cycle. Plan buckets replenish at midnight PST. on the date of expiry - no longer according to your local time zone.
- Learn how to refill your Prepaid account.
- Change your Prepaid rate plan
- Log in to T-Mobile.com or contact us.
- If you choose to cancel or change the plan on one or more lines you should consider switching all your lines to another current plan to make sure you are getting the best value.
- You can process upgrade orders and iPad On-device activations.
- If you're already on a Prepaid plan, but want to move to a consumer plan, read about switching to a postpaid plan. Having a consumer account will be a different experience. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Credit check: To get the ball rolling, a credit check is required. Anyone signing up must go through this process.
- Deposit: You may need to make a deposit before your new monthly plan can be activated.
- Phone number: You can transfer (port) your current mobile number to your new account, or you can start fresh with a new number
Pricing and discounts
- Prepaid accounts can have up to 5 lines on the same account.
- You can compare current plans and pricing
- Prepaid accounts can have more than one line on the same account.
- Additional lines on qualifying plans will receive discounted monthly services.
- The discount each line gets will vary based on the order you added them in, and what plan you have.
- Discount applied automatically to your monthly charges.
- You can mix eligible and ineligible plans on the same account, but only eligible plans will receive a discount, and only if you have two or more lines on the same eligible plan.
- For an additional fee, you can add additional features including Stateside International calling which gives you unlimited calling to landlines in 200+ countries from the US, Mexico, and Canada as well as unlimited calling and texting to mobile numbers in many countries from the US, Mexico, and Canada.
- When purchasing downloaded content, you'll need to use a credit or debit card. Learn more about Apps & Content Purchases.
Retired prepaid plans
If you have a retired plan and switch plans, you won't be able to switch back to the retired plan.
Prepaid ONE Plan
- Unlimited nationwide talk.
- Unlimited domestic messaging (SMS/MMS).
- Unlimited 5G & 4G LTE data on our network.
- Unlimited 3G Smartphone Mobile HotSpot (SMHS).
- 200 MB domestic data roaming.
- International roaming and calling is available. Check international rates.
- T-Mobile ONE Domestic Only plan: Coverage only included when within the domestic U.S.
- Prepaid ONE Plan: Mobile Without Borders – use your phone in Mexico and Canada like you do in the US.
Prepaid essentials
These details only apply to the retired Prepaid Essentials (December 12, 2018) plan.
Prepaid Essentials plan includes:
- Unlimited nationwide talk.
- Unlimited domestic and international messaging (SMS/MMS).
- Unlimited 4G LTE smartphone data.
- Unlimited 3G Smartphone Mobile HotSpot (SMHS).
- Call and text in Mexico and Canada as you do in the US, data speeds are limited to 2G.
- 200 MB domestic data roaming.
- International roaming and calling is available. Check international rates.
- For available features, review your plan.
Pay as you Go Legacy Plans
These details only apply to the retired Pay As You Go (August 17, 2014) plan.
The plan includes call waiting and Web Guard.
- No recurring monthly fee
- No data option
- Includes Gold Rewards
- Pay per use
Pay As You Go is based on a 30-day cycle, regardless of how many days are in each month. Therefore, a new cycle may not necessarily start on the same date each month. To quickly check your remaining account balance, time frame, and other information, learn about self-service short codes.
Simply Prepaid 10GB 4 lines for $100
This document is a historical reference for customers who are still on the Simply Prepaid 10GB: 4 lines for $100 plan.
Our Simply Prepaid 4 lines for $100 plan provides 30 days of service in which you get unlimited talk, text, and data, as well as 10 GB of 4G LTE data on your smartphone. Simply Prepaid 4 lines for $100 includes:
- 10 GB of 4G LTE data on your smartphone (amount of data depends on your plan).
- The cost for the 5th line is $30, making it $130 for 5 lines.
- The maximum number of lines is 5 per Prepaid account.
- Unlimited talk and text.
- Wi-Fi Calling.
- Data Maximizer: Provides optimized streaming of detectable video at DVD-quality (480p+) for mobile viewing. This doesn't include the additional benefit of streaming with our participating Binge On video streaming services without using high-speed data. You may disable Data Maximizer at any time, but you'll lose Data Maximizer benefits. Not available on certain BlackBerry devices or plans.
- Domestic data roaming: If you travel outside our network coverage, use wireless data from another carrier at no extra charge. International data roaming charges do apply.
- Smartphone Mobile HotSpot (tethering): Share your phone's Internet connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices.
- Music Freedom streaming, which lets you stream as much music as you want on your smartphone from top streaming services, and it doesn't count against your data (except streaming Napster does deduct from high-speed data).
- Visual Voicemail: Get all your voicemail messages as a list without having to dial into voicemail.
- For available features, check the Manage your plan page.
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