If you are looking for the best prepaid cell phone plans, there has never been a better time. The prepaid cell phone service industry has certainly come of age, with the best companies offering low rates for talk, texting, data access and more. All with quality network coverage - prepare to enjoy the same quality experience offered by expensive contract plans.

Locating the best prepaid cell phone plans has become tricky as the number of offerings have increased. As consumers choosing prepaid has risen rapidly, cell service companies have responded to this demand by throwing into the marketplace all different plans and options for prepaid services. It is no wonder that someone who is looking to pick out best prepaid cell phone plans often gets drawn into a mass of information and end up feeling more muddled than when they started.

Here are reviews of the top best prepaid cell phone plans available in the market today, based on extensive survey data results and qualitative research on feedback from users. They stand out for the reasons given below. Here you go:

TracFone - Largest prepaid cell phone company in the US, plans start at $6.67 a month

TracFone was rated the #1 best prepaid cell phone carrier Consumer Reports (Jan 2010 issue). TracFone distinguishes itself from other companies by assembling the best prepaid network using the services of Verizon, AT&T and other strong regional networks. It has created a national footprint that covers 99% of all populated areas in the US. The Consumer Reports National Research center reported that people were generally happy with 2009 prepaid service and in particular TracFone was the clear winner, scoring the highest ratings.

TracFone prepaid cell phone plans works very well for people who may not need to use their cell phone a whole lot. You can pay as little as $6.67 a month. Despite that, TracFone has often been criticized for being more expensive on a cost by minute basis, so if you use your phone a lot, it could get expensive. However, smart TracFone users would know the antidote to that…I will share a little seasoned user tip with you here...

If you ever get started using TracFone, just choose a starter prepaid cell phone deal that includes an unlimited Double Minutes for Life benefit. Most of their phone packages now come with that benefit, for FREE! If you do that, then all minutes purchased and added to your phone doubles. A $10 monthly value plan that usually comes with 50 minutes immediately doubles to 100 minutes! That's 10 cents a minute, as great prepaid cell phone rate as any.

TracFone gives users tremendous flexibility. If you do not need to use the cell phone a lot, just pay less than $10 a month, but if you need to make a lot of calls, just load up the phone with economical "half-price" minutes as desired. Texting is available at 3 texts sent/received being equivalent to 1 minute of talk time used up.

Click here is you like to see the TracFone Prepaid Cell Phone Plan website.

Net10 - Always 10 cents a minute, plans start at $15 a month

Net10 was rated the #1 best prepaid cell phone carrier by JD Power and Associates' 2009 Prepaid Wireless survey. Net10 distinguished itself from other companies by making it easy for users to maintain their account and enjoy wireless a seamless experience, straightforward pricing, no restrictive calling areas and access to robust nationwide network coverage. I have close friends who have used Net10 for several years and they are very happy with the cell service.

When you get started, all new cell phone bundles includes for free 300 minutes and 2 months of service. The screen on a Net10 phone will always display the number of minutes and service days left, so you can maintain the prepaid service account easily. Add more airtime before service end date. You can also pick out monthly plans starting at $15 that are billed automatically each month. Texting is available at 5 cents a minute.

For people who do a lot of texting, Net10 recently added a new slider QWERTY keyboard phone to their mix. Besides having a keyboard, this phone gives a cheaper texting rate at 3 cents a minute. The Samsung T401G also features web access and promises a great wireless experience without the high expenses. One excited user wrote,

"I just got this Net10 Samsung phone and ADORE it!! The QWERTY keyboard is fantastic, perfect for texting! I like all these other things: MP3 player, MicroSD Slot, 1.3MP Camera and Video Camcorder! This phone has it all! I rate it 5 stars!!"

Click here to see the Net10 Prepaid Cell Phone Plan website.

So there you have it, the two best prepaid cell phone plans explained. If you use these cell phone service plans or use the standards described for picking the best prepaid service for yourself, you can start enjoying a very satisfying and inexpensive wireless experience in no time.