Tracfone plans, smartphones and coverage: everything you need to know

Tracfone is a wireless carrier that provides phones, SIM cards and phone plans. There are flexible month-to-month plans with no contracts. You can buy a Tracfone phone or bring your own and get a Tracfone SIM card. 

Tracfone is a prepaid phone carrier, meaning that you pay upfront for your minutes. When your minutes run out, you will need to buy more. You can also choose auto-refill to have Tracfone regularly renew your plan. 

The difference with this phone company is you can stop at any time because there are no contracts. You won’t get binded to Tracfone with a one-year contract like most other phone companies. You can leave whenever you want. The downside is that you won’t get the perks that usually come with this companies like free streaming subscriptions and discounts on the latest smartphones. 

Tracfone smartphones

Tracfone‘s deals are limited to models that are a couple years old

Tracfone currently offers 39 different smartphones with savings of up to 25%. There are 32 Android phones, three iOS phones and four flip phones. Brands offered include Samsung, LG, Motorola, iPhone and even a couple Alcatel flip phones for those of you who just want a device to make phone calls. 

All you have to do to have access to Tracfone’s daily deals is sign up and become a member. Submit a form with your email address and Tracfone will share their deals, promotions, offers and information. You must be at least 13 years old to enter this form. 

Current Tracfone deals

All deals are while supplies last. You can get free shipping on most orders. 

• You can get the Samsung Galaxy A20 for just $169.99, a $60 savings
• Tracfone has an iPhone 7 in rose gold for $239.99, reduced from $274.99 
• There’s a Samsung Galaxy A10e for $119.99 (usually $159.99)
• There are also some refurbished phones available from Tracfone 

Tracfone plans

Tracfone doesn’t offer unlimited data plans, but its plans are affordable and flexible with no contracts

Pricing per month plus taxes. Additional fees and terms may apply. As of 09/04/20.

Tracfone offers three plans with unlimited talk and text and unlimited carryover data starting at an affordable $20/mo. On all three plans, any unused data will roll over into the next month as long as the plan is active. Fees and taxes are not included. As always, with Tracfone, there are no contracts. You can save 10% on a basic plan with auto-refill. 

How do Tracfone’s prices compare?

*Unlimited plans not factored in.
All plans include unlimited talk and text. Pricing per month plus taxes. Additional fees and terms may apply. As of 09/04/20.

Tracfone wireless coverage

Tracfone provides access to all four major networks. Which one you connect to depends on your phone

Tracfone runs on four different networks to bring you the best coverage: T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. If you bring your own phone to Tracfone, the network you’re on will be whichever carrier you bought it from. If you buy a new phone from Tracfone, the network it uses will be determined by the phone. Here’s how the four networks compare according to third-party tests:

Data as reported by Ookla, Root Metrics, Open Signal, Consumer Reports

Does Tracfone have 5G?

Even though Tracfone runs on networks that all have 5G, it doesn’t currently support the technology. The company hasn’t made any announcements on when it will get 5G, but it’s unlikely that it will happen anytime soon. 

How does Tracfone compare to other prepaid phone companies?

The average price per gig for all prepaid plans is $12.60, while Tracfone’s price per gig is $14.17. It comes in a little higher, but you won’t find lower prices anywhere than Tracfone’s 90-day plans. But you’ll barely get any data for that price.

As you can see below, Tracfone scores in the middle for the Consumer Reports Reader Score. It scores the lowest at 825 for the J.D. Power Purchase Experience. Tracfone’s ACSI score comes in at 76, which is higher than Metro by T-Mobile and Boost Mobile.

Sources: Consumer Reports, J.D. Power, ACSI

Tracfone customer service

You can reach Tracfone a few different ways:

• Phone: 800.867.7183
• Online Chat available from 8 a.m. to 11:45 p.m., seven days a week
• Mail: Tracfone Wireless, Inc.
  Attn: Executive Resolution Department
  9700 N.W. 112th Avenue
  Miami, FL 33178

There is no in-person customer service with Tracfone. It’s either online, on the phone or through the mail. If you’re already a customer you can reach them by texting to 611611.

Tracfone FAQs

Who owns Tracfone?

América Móvil owns Tracfone, which also owns Straight Talk, NET10 Wireless, Simple Mobile, Total Wireless, Page Plus Cellular and Telcel America. 

What carriers are compatible with Tracfone?

The following carriers are compatible with Tracfone: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. You can also use a GSM phone with Tracfone.  

What network is Tracfone on?

Tracfone uses four networks: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. Exactly which network your phone runs on will depend on the model of your phone. 

What features does Tracfone have?

Tracfone does not provide mobile hotspots, so that might be a deal breaker for some of you. The video streaming quality is DVD or 480p. Lastly, you can only get Wi-Fi calling if your phone supports it. 

Should you switch to Tracfone?

Tracfone provides ultra-cheap phone plans with no contracts. It runs on four different networks, which offers great network coverage. You can buy a new phone through Tracfone or bring your own phone and get a SIM card. It offers some decent deals on older phone models, as well as discounted refurbished phones. 

If you’re sick of getting stuck in contracts, Tracfone may be of interest to you. Tracfone stands out from other phone plan companies by providing plans with unlimited rollover minutes (Tracfone calls them carryover minutes). However, as mentioned above, Tracfone is not for you if you need a mobile hotspot or HD video streaming. Tracfone does not support either of these features. 

By Nicole LaMarco