Net10

Bottom Line

Net10 is a spinoff of TracFone (*Est. $10 per month and up), a Best Reviewed prepaid wireless carrier that gets especially high marks for call quality and its nation-spanning network. Net10 offers simple pricing plans and a wide range of phones. The service meets industry averages for expert and user reviews; except when it comes to customer service, where it ranks below average.

Breaking It Down

Plans and Flexibility

Straightforward pricing plans. Net10 uses the same network as TracFone, but oddly enough it gets better ratings for plans in a 2012 roundup of prepaid cell phone services by TopTenReviews.com. Editors at PrepaidReviews.com give Net10 an impressive 4.5-star rating (out of 5), citing its straightforward pricing plan.

A $20 Net10 card has 200 minutes good for 30 days; choices range up to a $100 card with 1,500 minutes good for 180 days. Unlike TracFone, Net10 also offers monthly plans, including a 30-day unlimited talk, text/picture messaging, web/email and 411 plan for $50. If you need less time, consider the $25 monthly plan, which gives you 750 minutes. You can also bring your own phone, as a SIM-card plan costs $50 per month for unlimited talk, text, data and 411.

Performance

Service is just OK. As Net10 uses TracFone's network, its performance is similar. User contributors to Viewpoints.com give TracFone good marks for call quality. TopTenReviews.com gives Net10's performance features average scores. Subscriber comments at PrepaidReviews.com give Net10 mixed reviews and a low average 2-star rating, with subscribers either being very impressed or terribly unimpressed with Net10's call quality and coverage.

Customer service

Below-average customer service. The main drawback to Net10 is its customer service, according to reviews written by frustrated users. On the Viewpoints.com website Net10 comes in at about average in most categories, including call quality and coverage, but falls short for customer service. Contributors to PrepaidReviews.com agree that Net10's customer service is of low quality.

Phone Selection

Wide choice of handsets. TopTenReviews.com states that Net10 has an average selection of phones, but it's actually quite extensive, with a choice of over 40 handsets. Choices range from a Samsung T201G flip phone (*Est. $20) to the LG Optimus Black smartphone (*Est. $330) running Android 2.3.