Net10 No Contract Prepaid Phone

Net10 (a brand of TracFone) is another wireless phone provider that offers no contract, no fee, no credit check, and pay-as-you-go cell service. One of the attractive features of Net10 is they use multiple networks to provide service. Their networks include At&t, Sprint, T Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon. As such, they provide stellar nationwide coverage including Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Selecting a Phone to use with Net10 Wireless

The first thing you need to decide is whether to purchase a phone from Net10 or to use a phone you already have. If you choose to use your existing phone, visit their Compatibility Checker to ensure your phone will work on the Net10 network. If it’s compatible, all you’ll need to order is the Net10 SIM card and decide whether to either keep your old phone number or get a new one.

If you decide to get a new phone, visit their site, insert your zip code, and begin shopping. Phones will vary depending on where you live. Some areas such as the Virgin Islands and Alaska do not have as wide of a selection of phones as you’ll find in places like New York or California. For example, as of this writing (2022), larger cities have a selection of 18 phones to choose from while places like Alaska, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico may have fewer than 1 or none.

Phones range in price and Net10 offers monthly payment plans for 24 months.

NOTE: Check the site for deals. Net10 runs specials and deals such as Deals of the Week where phones are deeply discounted.

Selecting a Net10 Monthly Plan

Net10 offers both smartphone and basic phone plans. The monthly smartphone plans range in price from $20 up to $65. While the basic phone plans range from $20 to $100 as follows:

Smartphone Plans:

All of the following 30-day Smartphone plans come with unlimited talk and unlimited text. In addition to the unlimited talk/text, you can purchase data at the following amounts/prices:

2GB for $20

5GB for $35 (price drops to $31 with auto refill)

10GB for $40 (price drops to $36 with auto refill)

Unlimited includes 5GB Hotspot Data, Unlimited International Calling for $50

40GB for $60

$10 GB for $50 (price drops $45 with auto refill)

Unlimited includes 10GB Hotspot Data Unlimited International Calling for $65

All data plans are high-speed. However, if you go over your purchased amount, the plan speed drops to 2G. For example, if you buy the 5GB plan, the first 5GB of data is at high speed but anything over 5GB is at 2G speed.

Pay as You Go Plans:

200 Minutes Talk/Text/Web for 30 days$20

300 Minutes Talk/Text/Web for 60 days S$30

600 Minutes Talk/TextWeb for 60 days $45

900 Minutes Talk/Text/Web for 90 days $60

1500 Minutes Talk/Text/Web for 180 days $100

The above plans carry over unused time to the next month.

1000 Minutes Talk/Text/Web for 30 days $25

The last plan listed above does not carry over unused time. However, if you use auto refill, you get an extra 250 minutes and an additional 30 days.

As plans are subject to change, please check with Net10 to review their most current plans and deals.

Add-On Plans

If you need additional data, there Net10 offers two plans. There's the $500 MB for $5 plan and the 1GB for $10 plan. These plans kick in after all active plan data has been consumed. Any extra is carried over as long as your service is active.

They also have a $10 Global Calling Card. If you don’t use all of the time, it carries over. The site is silent as to the international calling rates. Apparently, you have to text the country code + city code + phone number to 64372 to find out if the destination is available. Maybe then you’ll find out what the calling rate is.

The Net10 Rewards Program

There’s a free Rewards Program for Net10 customers. The points you earn can be applied to service plans, additional data, and more. Some points are earned without having to do anything. Other points require some action on your part. It might be taking a survey or playing a game. The more points you accumulate, the more “free” products you can redeem them for.

Tracking Your New Phone Order

After you order your phone and select your plan, Net10 makes it easy to track your phone order. All you need to do is go to the Track Order page and insert your Order ID and email address. You can access the Order Status page by scrolling down to the bottom of the Net10 home page and clicking the “Track My Order” link.

Activating your Net10 Phone

If you ordered a new phone, make sure to keep the red activation card that came with it. That card has the IMEI/MEID/Serial number needed to activate the phone. If you’re bringing your own phone you’ll need the SIM card number written on the red card that accompanied your SIM card. Once you have the number, visit the Net10 site and click on the Activation link and insert your IMEI/MEID/Serial or SIM number.

Things to Note:

Net10 Return Policy: Phones purchased at a retail store are subject to the return policy of the store. If purchased from the Net10 online store, 30 days from receipt. Keep all original packaging along with all of the accessories and a copy of your receipt. You bear the shipping cost of returning the phone. Net10 will not accept returns suffering from liquid or physical damage. If the returned phone meets the refund policy requirements, it takes up to 30 business days to process the credit to your account. The credit will show in one to two billing cycles.

Phone Warranties: All refurbished or reconditioned Net10 phones are covered under a 90-day warranty. This does not apply to iPhones. New iPhones have a one-year warranty as offered by Apple. You’ll have to visit the Apple website for warranty service. For reconditioned Net10 phone warranties, call their Customer Care team at 1-877-836-2368. Please refer to the Net10 website for additional information regarding warranties and phone returns.

Extras: Don’t forget to check out the Extras page where you can find information about entertainment, protecting your phone, blocking phone numbers, and more. Just scroll down to the bottom of the Net10 page and click on the Net10 Extras link.

Refer a Friend: One of the ways to earn points in the Rewards Program is to refer a friend. Both you and your referral will earn points. The more people you refer, the more points you earn. They can come in handy. For example, you can purchase the $65 Super Unlimited Plan with 6,500 points.

Related reading: How to Send SMS Email to Net10 Phones

Did you know?: If you meet the Lifeline and/or Affordable Connectivity Program criteria, you qualify to receive a free device (smartphone or tablet) along with discounted or free wireless service (plans vary by state).

About the Author: LaForey is a person who was fed up with contract phone plans and opted for something more practical.

Last Modified: 10 November 2022