US phone plan
Which US phone plan fits you?
You need a US number in your first week — for your bank, your school or employer, apartment hunting and two-factor codes. Tell us how you use your phone and see which plan types fit, with named plans and today’s listed prices.
1How you use your phone
Mostly on Wi-Fi at home, school and work? Light is usually enough.
Ask neighbours or coworkers which network works best where you live and work.
2Plan types for you
MVNOs (Mint, Visible, Tello, Google Fi…)
Try firstSmaller brands on the big three’s networks. Much cheaper; data can be deprioritized in crowded places; mostly online-only support.
- MVNOs rent the same towers as the big three and usually cost much less; in busy areas their data can be slowed first.
Prepaid (incl. carriers’ own prepaid brands)
Also considerPay before each month, no contract, usually no credit check. Good for your first weeks before you have an SSN or credit.
- Prepaid usually needs no credit check and no SSN — handy in your first weeks.
Big-three postpaid (T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T)
LaterPay monthly after use, often with phone deals and perks. Best value with several lines. A credit check, and sometimes a deposit, is normal.
- Postpaid big-three plans have the most perks (priority data, international roaming, phone deals); per-line prices drop a lot with more lines.
- Without a US credit history or SSN, carriers may ask for a deposit on postpaid.
3Example plans that match
Taxes & fees included. $275/yr annual option. Limited-time promo codes may lower the price.
China: not stated (unlimited talk & text to Mexico & Canada only)
Checked 2026-10-31 · source
$25/mo, no contract. 50 GB at full 5G speed then reduced. Cheaper builds available (e.g. 2 GB + unlimited talk $10/mo). Taxes not stated on page.
China: China is on Tello's list of countries included free in any calling plan (calls/texts, according to minute balance).
Checked 2026-10-31 · source
$30/line/mo after $10/mo AutoPay (ACH or Verizon Visa) & paper-free billing discount AND $15/mo switch discount (requires porting in a smartphone line or uploading an eligible carrier bill dated within 45 days). Same price per line, max 12 lines. Plus taxes & fees.
China: Page lists unlimited calling to Mexico and Canada from the US and texting to 200+ countries; calling China is not stated. A paid 'For Travelers' perk adds Global Calling Plus and 3 TravelPass days.
Checked 2026-10-31 · source
4International & second-number options
Services that add a cheap way to call China or a second number on top of your main plan.
$20/mo for 1 line + $10 per GB of data used. Taxes & gov't fees extra.
China: China is listed among destinations covered while traveling on Flexible (data at the same $10/GB). Calls from the US to China at per-minute rates.
Checked 2026-10-31 · source
Free plan; calls from the US to US & Canada are free in almost all cases. Calls to China $0.30/min (landline and mobile) per Google's rates page on 2026-10-31; rates may change at any time. Number may be reclaimed if unused (no calls/texts) for about 3 months.
China: Google Voice rates page lists China - Landline $0.30/min, China - Mobile $0.30/min, China - Special Services $0.80/min (USD, Free plan, US billing). For comparison, Hong Kong is $0.03/min.
Checked 2026-10-31 · source
CNY pricing, pay-as-you-go roaming in the US (1元区): calls to mainland China / receiving calls / local calls ¥0.99/min; SMS to mainland China ¥0.39; receiving SMS free; data ¥3 per 3MB, capped ¥30/day. Optional add-ons: '漫游99流量语音包' from ¥14.99/day; monthly data packs ¥10–¥598 (500MB–50GB, 30 days); monthly voice packs ¥10–¥50 (20–120 min, 30 days). Mainland US only (excludes Hawaii, Guam). Rates may change; final rate per the SMS received on arrival.
China: Calling mainland China while roaming in the US: ¥0.99/min; texting mainland China ¥0.39/SMS; receiving SMS (e.g. bank/WeChat verification codes) is free.
Checked 2026-10-31 · source
5Tips for your situation
Keep your China number alive
Your Chinese number is how WeChat, Alipay and Chinese banks verify you. Before you leave (or via the operator’s app), switch it to the cheapest monthly package the operator offers and set up automatic top-up through Alipay or WeChat Pay. Use a dual-SIM or eSIM phone so the China SIM can receive texts while your US line handles everything else.
Calling China: use data apps first
WeChat voice/video and FaceTime audio use only data. Dialing a +86 number from a US plan is an international call — Verizon’s Wi-Fi Calling FAQ, for example, says calls to other countries are charged — unless your plan lists China as included. Some prepaid and MVNO plans do (marked “China included” below).
Google Voice as a second number
Google Voice gives you a free US number in its app. Calls to China are not free — Google’s rates page listed $0.30/min to China landlines and mobiles on the date checked — and Google may reclaim a number you do not use for about three months. Some banks and apps do not accept a Google Voice number for verification codes, so keep a carrier number as your main one.
Verification codes need a carrier number
Banks, credit card issuers and many apps send one-time codes by SMS and may reject internet (VoIP) numbers. Any of the carrier or MVNO plans here gives you a regular mobile number. A data-only travel eSIM does not.
Bring an unlocked phone
A phone bought in China works in the US only if it is unlocked and supports US bands — run the carrier’s compatibility check with your IMEI. Many iPhones sold in mainland China take two physical SIMs, while US-market iPhones (iPhone 14 and later) are eSIM-only.
eSIM gets you connected on day one
Many MVNOs and prepaid brands let you buy and activate an eSIM online before you fly, so your US number works when you land. Check that your phone supports eSIM first.
Keep your US number when you switch
Under FCC rules you can take your US number to a new carrier. Get the account number and the transfer / port-out PIN from your old carrier first, and do not cancel the old line before the port finishes.
FAQ
Can I get a US phone number without an SSN?
Yes. Prepaid plans and most MVNOs do not need an SSN or a credit check — you pay up front. Postpaid plans run a credit check; without an SSN or US credit a carrier may ask for a deposit.
Is an MVNO as good as T-Mobile, Verizon or AT&T?
An MVNO uses the same towers as its host network, so coverage is the host’s coverage. The difference is priority: when a tower is congested, MVNO data is usually slowed first. Customer service and phone deals are also more limited.
Will my China number be cancelled if I don’t use it?
If the balance stays negative, Chinese operators can suspend and then reclaim a number. Keeping the account funded on a low-cost package — with automatic top-up from Alipay or WeChat Pay — avoids that. Rules differ by operator and province; check in the operator’s app.
What phone plan should visiting parents use?
For a stay of a few months, a prepaid or MVNO line paid month by month is usually simplest — no credit check and easy to stop. Make sure their phone is unlocked and supports US bands, or buy an inexpensive unlocked phone here.
More guides
- Which first credit card can you actually get?
- Getting a credit card without an SSN
- First credit card for international students
- Keeping your China number while you live in the US
- Building US credit from zero in 12 months
Other free Xaplore tools
- Remittance calculator — Compare Wise, Remitly and bank fees to send money to China.
- Tax helper — Residency test, FBAR and the tax basics for new arrivals.
- H-1B lottery odds — Estimate your H-1B lottery odds under the weighted selection rule.
Official references
- T-Mobile: International roaming in China — T-Mobile confirms coverage in China. Experience Beyond: 15GB high-speed data, unlimited text, calls $0.50/min. Experience More: 5GB. Other plans: data $1.00/MB. Prepaid has no international data roaming. (checked 2026-10-31)
- T-Mobile: International plans (Wi-Fi calls home are free) — Calls in 215+ countries, including over Wi-Fi, are $0.50/min, with no charge for Wi-Fi calls to the US, Mexico and Canada. Essentials gets free texting abroad; International Passes (1, 10 or 30 days) add data and calling. (checked 2026-10-31)
- Verizon: Wi-Fi Calling FAQs — On unlimited talk & text plans, Wi-Fi calls and texts to or from US numbers are free, and calling back to the US from abroad over Wi-Fi is free. Calls to other countries are billed at your international long-distance rates. (checked 2026-10-31)
- Total Wireless: International calling destinations — Lists the countries each plan can call. China (landline and mobile) is on the STARTER 85+ country list and the MAX 5G/ALL ACCESS 200+ list. (checked 2026-10-31)
- AT&T: Unlimited Your Way plans and discount conditions — AT&T's official price table by line count, plus the AutoPay rules: $10/line with a bank account, $5 with a debit card, $0 with other credit cards. Advertised prices also assume a $5/line BYOD credit. (checked 2026-10-31)
- Google Fi international rates & travel coverage — Official Fi list of destinations covered while traveling (China included on Unlimited Premium and Flexible) and per-minute call rates. (checked 2026-10-31)
- Tello free international calling countries — Tello's list of 60+ countries (China included) with free calls in any calling plan. (checked 2026-10-31)
- Ultra Mobile international calling destinations — Ultra Mobile destination list; China marked unlimited to mobile & landline. (checked 2026-10-31)
- FCC: Porting – Keeping Your Phone Number When You Change Providers — If you stay in the same area you can keep your number when switching carriers; don't cancel the old service first, and the old company can't refuse to port even if you owe money. Simple ports must be processed within one business day. (checked 2026-10-31)
- FCC: Cell Phone Unlocking — Explains locked vs. unlocked phones; under the CTIA code carriers unlock postpaid devices once the contract/financing is paid off, and prepaid devices no later than one year after activation, for free for eligible customers. (checked 2026-10-31)
- Google Voice calling rates — Official per-minute rates for international calls from Google Voice; on 2026-10-31 China landline/mobile showed $0.30/min, US $0.00. (checked 2026-10-31)
- Google Voice Acceptable Use Policy (number reclaim on inactivity) — Google may reclaim a Google Voice number if you don't use it (e.g. no calls or texts for about three months) — make a call or send a text periodically to keep it. (checked 2026-10-31)
- Google Voice Help: Set up Google Voice — Official setup guide; states that calls from the US to the US and Canada are almost all free, international calls at listed rates. (checked 2026-10-31)
- 中国移动 国际/中国港澳台漫游 (China Mobile international roaming) — China Mobile's official roaming portal: per-country rates (USA is in the ¥1 zone: ¥0.99/min calls, free incoming SMS), roaming packs, and how to enable roaming before you leave. (checked 2026-10-31)