Pay-As-You-Go Cell Phone Buying Guide

Prepaid cell phones come in handy when starting up in the world of mobile communication. Pay-as-you-go programs help teenagers learn the responsibility that comes with owning a cell phone without the risk of faulting on a contract. Prepaid cell phones are also simple gadgets usually—ideal for senior citizens who are intimidated by technology.

Most prepaid cell phones forego the bells and whistles of smartphone, and focus on the core purpose of cell phones—talking. But prepaid cell phones vary from carrier to carrier, as do their prepaid plans. Read ahead to learn what features are worth talking about, and which ones aren’t.

Features to Talk About

Longer Lasting: Battery Life

Prepaid cell phone battery life is measured in two ways: standby time (when your cell phone is idle) and talk time (when you’re using your phone). Focus on talk time. Pick a prepaid cell phone that will last at least three hours. This should be enough for most days.

Talking Loud: Speakerphone

Handy when trying to multitask, speakerphone lets you talk and work without cramping your neck trying to pin your cell phone between your ear and shoulder. If you work while you talk, pick a prepaid cell phone with this feature.

Shake, Rattle and Roll: Vibrating Alert

This feature vibrates your prepaid cell phone when it rings, letting you know when you receive a call even with the ringer turned off. If you’re regularly someplace where a ringer will disrupt others (like a quiet workplace or library), make sure your prepaid cell phone vibrates.

Crowded Calling: Talking Functions

Without fail, you’ll be interrupted when talking on your cell phone. So pick a prepaid cell phone with features to help you take those interruptions with a grain of salt.

• Call holding puts the person you’re speaking with on hold without disconnecting the line.
• Call waiting lets you take a secondary call while staying connected to the first.
• Conference calling connects multiple people simultaneously, letting you talk with all your friends or coworkers at once.

All the Rage: Cell Phone Style

Most people buy a cell phone based on aesthetics—size, color and style. Prepaid cell phones come in three different styles—candy bar, slider and flip. What you choose comes down to personal preference. While you shouldn’t buy a prepaid cell phone based on style alone, pick one that you like the look of and feel comfortable using.

Features to Mention

Keep in Touch: Phonebook

Your phone book determines how many contacts you can store in your cell phone. Contact capacities vary, but most prepaid cell phones come with at least a 200-contact limit, which should suffice for most people’s needs.

Function vs. Form: Cell Phone Size

Going back to aesthetics—style, color and size—don’t pick a prepaid cell phone for its size. While functions vary from phone to phone, most prepaid cell phone sizes are relatively similar—not extremely thin but not too large to fit in your pocket.

In Conclusion

Remember why you’re buying a prepaid cell phone—you want the versatility of a cell phone without the binding contract or pressure of paying for minutes you don’t use. Service providers offer different prepaid rates and plans. But as for prepaid cell phones, check out our side-by-side comparison chart to see which one’s right for you.