If you're exploring prepaid carrier options in the United States, odds are you've gotten a bit overwhelmed. While it's not solely a prepaid carrier, T-Mobile offers great network coverage and low price points for anyone who would like an off-contract smartphone. Even though the options offered directly by T-Mobile for prepaid use are a bit limited, the good news is that there are quite a few unlocked devices that will work with T-Mobile's prepaid plans, which will discuss at the end of this post.
Without any further ado, here are the best T-Mobile prepaid Android phones.
Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
Samsung did a killer job with their 2015 flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Design-wise, many would say those two phones were close to perfect. The company forwent a plastic design and instead included glass front and back panels with an aluminum frame. They weren't without their flaws, though. The S6 and S6 Edge didn't offer expandable storage or removable batteries — two features Samsung has been known to include in all its smartphones for years.
Now the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge have made their way to the masses, and they fix many of the problems the S6 line introduced last year. While they don't offer removable batteries, Samsung included expandable storage on both handsets in case the 32 GB of on-board storage isn't enough. Samsung mostly stuck to the same design this time around, though they did shrink down the camera bumps on the back and made the devices a little thicker to make room for larger batteries.
In terms of specs, these are top-of-the-line smartphones. They come with Quad HD Super AMOLED displays, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processors, 4 GB of RAM, great 12 MP rear-facing cameras and run the latest version of Android. Instead of featuring the same screen sizes this time around though, Samsung kept the S7 at a smaller 5.1 inches, while the S7 Edge has been bumped up to a larger 5.5-inch panel.
Seriously, these are some incredible smartphones. They are a little pricey, but all in all, we think the high asking price is worth it.
Specs
Samsung Galaxy S7
- 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 577 ppi
- Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
- 4 GB of RAM
- 32 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200 GB
- 12 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
- Non-removable 3000 mAh battery
- Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
- 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm, 152 g
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
- 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 534 ppi
- Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
- 4 GB of RAM
- 32 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200 GB
- 12 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
- Non-removable 3600 mAh battery
- Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
- 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm, 157 g
Read more
- Samsung Galaxy S7 review
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review
- Samsung Galaxy S7 unboxing and first 48 hours
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge unboxing and first 48 hours
- Samsung Galaxy S7 camera: feature focus
- Best Galaxy S7 cases
- Best Galaxy S7 Edge cases
Samsung Galaxy J7
The Galaxy J7 packs a 5.5-inch 720p Super AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 615 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of on-board storage, a 13 megapixel rear camera, and a 5 megapixel front-facing camera (complete with LED flash). It ships a removable 3000 mAh battery and Android 6.0 Marshmallow already pre-installed.
Specs
- 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 720 x 1280 resolution, 267 ppi
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor
- 2 GB of RAM
- 16 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 128 GB
- 13 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
- Removable 3000 mAh battery
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- 152.2 x 78.7 x 7.5 mm, 171 g
Read more
Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime
Although this may not be the most spec'd-out device on the market, we'd say Samsung's Galaxy Grand Prime is one heck of a device for the money. It features a nicely-sized 5.0-inch display on the front, a capable Snapdragon 410 processor, 1 GB of RAM and microSD expansion for up to 64 extra gigabytes of storage. The display might not be of the highest resolution, but if you can get past that, this is a good option.
If you're on a budget, this phone is for you.
Specs
- 5.0-inch TFT LCD display with 540 x 960 resolution, 220 ppi
- Quad-core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor
- 1 GB of RAM
- 8 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 64 GB
- 8 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
- Removable 2600 mAh battery
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
- 144.8 x 72.1 x 8.6 mm, 156 g
Read more
ZTE ZMAX Pro
Owning an affordable phone no longer means you're getting a cheap phone, as you'll certainly find out if you give the ZTE ZMAX Pro a shot. For just $99 you get a phablet-sized smartphone that includes what was reserved as a premium smartphone feature not too long ago, a fingerprint scanner.
Before jumping in, there are a few things worth mentioning. First of all, this is strictly a MetroPCS exclusive, so you'll have to settle with that reality if you intend to reap the benefits of its incredible pricing. This is arguably a factor that'll limit its overall reach, as being confined to one carrier means it won't get as much face time from consumers. And secondly, there are still some sub-par qualities with it – such as the inaccuracies with the display and over-sharpening effect with its cameras.
Then again, these compromises can be overlooked due to its price point, which again is the focal point here with the ZTE ZMAX Pro. At the end of the day, it's a worthy recommendation if you're on a tight budget, and the specs are pretty solid – including a Snapdragon 617 processor with 2GB RAM, 32GB storage, and a 1080p 6-inch display.
Specs
- 6.0-inch IPS LCD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 367ppi
- 1.5GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor
- 2GB of RAM
- 32GB of internal storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB
- 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 3,500mAh battery
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- 165.1 x 83.8 x 8.9mm, 175g
Read more
- ZTE ZMAX Pro review
- ZTE ZMAX Pro hands-on
- ZTE reveals 6-inch ZMAX PRO with 13MP camera, for just $99
Other options
Yes, we only listed four phones. The reason for this is that most of T-Mobile's prepaid options are either really low-end, or they are non-Android. Still, T-Mobile offers some extremely impressive plan rates, and so the Un-carrier remains one of the best options out there for those looking for an off-contract, no-credit-check option.
If you aren't impressed by any of the phones listed above, the good news is that a number of unlocked GSM-compatible phones will work on T-Mobile's network. You'll just want to make sure the phone supports T-Mobile's bands, which include 1700MHz and 2100MHZ bands for 3G and HSPA+ services. For more details on bringing an existing phone to T-Mobile, you'll want to check out their network coverage support page.
Looking for a good unlocked phone to bring over to T-Mobile? See below for some other options:
Moto G4 Plus
The Moto G series has always been among the best bang for your buck smartphones around, and things remain the same with Motorola's latest mid-ranger, the Moto G4 Plus. It has everything you'd want in an inexpensive smartphone: a big Full HD display, plenty of RAM and on-board storage, and also a great 16MP rear-facing camera. This G4 Plus model also comes with a fingerprint sensor, which is a first for the Moto G line.
The best part? It's available for just $250 through Moto Maker, so you'll be able to customize the colors, engraving on the back, greeting, and more.
Specs
- 5.5-inch IPS LCD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 401ppi
- Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor
- 2/3/4GB of RAM
- 16/32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
- 16MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 3000mAh battery
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- 153 x 76.6 x 9.8mm, 155g
Read more
- Moto G4 Plus review
- Moto G4 and G4 Plus hands-on
- Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus officially announced
- Moto G4 Plus vs Moto G4 vs Moto G (2015) specs comparison
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