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Best Tracfone Cell Phones for Texting

What is the Best Tracfone for Texting?

This is a great question many people have when considering Tracfone because texting is one of the best ways to make your minutes last longer.

Each text costs just .3 unites, so you can send or receive 3 texts per minute used. While texting can add up if you are sending and receiving hundreds a month, it is generally the cheapest way to communicate using a prepaid cell phone from Tracfone.

So here Tracfone Reviewer brings you three different Tracfone cell phones that are great for texting.

You might also be interested in our post about How to Make your Minutes Last Longer

Top 3 Cell Phones for Texting from Tracfone

These three phones from Tracfone are similar in one important aspect, they all have QWERTY keyboards. For most people, texting using a QWERTY keyboard is fastest and easiest, but everyone has their preference. So you may prefer a touchscreen or a flipphone, but most people will find a QWERTY phone fastest for texting.

3. LG 500G

This phone is great for texting because it is simple, and inexpensive to buy.

The LG 500G comes with a variety of features, like MP3 player, games, and other basic functions. It covers the basic cell phone needs well, and the QWERTY keyboard is also easy to use, and fast for texting.

The one drawback for the LG 500G is that it only comes with Double Minutes for Life, while the other two phones in this list have Triple Minutes for Life. However, this phone's cheap price, usually $20 or less from places like Amazon, make it a bargain phone.

2. Samsung S390G

This phone comes with several great features that make it a popular choice.

Two of the most impressive features for the Samsung S390G are Triple Minutes for Life, and WiFi capability.

With WiFi, you can surf the internet for free anytime you are connected to a wireless internet network. So if you like to check your email, or the weather, from you phone, this is a great choice.

This phone has had some problems, including a number of customers reporting that this phone will randomly dial 911 and other numbers. So be aware of that, and get a replacement if that happens to you.

1. LG 530G

And Tracfone Reviewers choice for the best phone for texting from Tracfone is the LG 530G.

This phone is durable, has a long battery life, comes with lots of nice features, and is fast and easy to text with.

The LG 530G is at the top of our list because it solid phone for those who like to text often. And the included Triple Minutes for Life makes it so you can text even more!

This phone's QWERTY keyboard is quick and responsive, and the phone is a big step up from the LG 500G.

While the price can sometimes be a little high for this phone, we have seen it for under $30 at several places, including Amazon.

Hopefully this helps you choose the right phone for you if you like to text often. Also check out the rest of our Cell Phone Reviews to see what Tracfone Reviewer has to say about these phones, and many others available from Tracfone.

A List of Tracfone Mobile Phones that Come with WiFi Internet

wireless internet WiFI old clip art phone

Upgrade to WiFi -MS

A WiFi enabled device is able to connect to the internet through WiFi networks for free without charging the user any units/minutes.

Thus using a phone with WiFi capability allows the user to surf the web, email, and much more without spending any money!

This can be a great feature for many people who like to use their phone for more than just calling and texting.

So below is a list of several phones from Tracfone that have WiFi Capability! Leave a comment if you know of other phones offered by Tracfone with WiFi.

Update - Tracfone Android Smartphones have WiFi!

We are excited to update this slightly outdated post with information on the Android powered smartphones that Tracfone has begun to provide to consumers.

These phones all come with WiFi, along with many other great features.

So check out our List of Android Tracfone Smartphones or learn more about Android by viewing our 6 Key Differences between Android and Other Mobile Devices.

WiFi Enabled Tracfone Devices:

Here is a list of the current Tracfone mobile devices that come with WiFi capability. Click the link to view our full review of each phone.

LG 840G - This touchscreen phone comes with lots of features, but most importantly Triple Minutes for Life, and WiFi. If you like touchscreen phones or want a modern device with decent sized screen for surfing the web, the LG 840G is a great choice. Check out our review of the LG 840G for full feature list and specs.

Samsung S390G - This phone comes with a compact full QWERTY keyboard making texting and typing fast. In our experience, full qwerty keypads are easy to get accustomed to and make for easy texting. Learn more about this phone by reading our full Samsung S390G Review.

$10 on Amazon!

LG 440G - A flip phone that offers another option to touchscreen and qwerty keyboards for those who like more traditional style phone. Another great thing about this phone is the low price - typically $20 but often on Amazon for $10! Get more infor about this phone by reading our LG 440G Review.

*Note: Initially Tracfone posted that the LG 440G would have WiFi, but it turns out it does not. However, it does use 3G networks, making surfing the web via the mobile browser faster than most other Tracfone Cell Phones, but you will be charged for it.

Bonus - LG 306G - This phone was recently released by Tracfone and has many similarities to the LG 840G with a handful of differences as well. View our full review of the LG 306G for the details.

Let us know in the comments if there are more Tracfone mobile phones with free WiFi so we can add them to this list!

Visit our Cell Phone Reviews page to see all of our Tracfone reviews and don't forget about our Tracfone Promo Codes for getting free bonus minutes whenever you add minutes to your phone!

What Makes Tracfone a Good Prepaid Mobile Phone Company?

There are plenty of prepaid cell phone service providers in the US to choose from. Companies like MetroPCS and Straight Talk. But what is it that sets Tracfone apart, and makes them the most popular?

1. Tracfone Was One of the First

Tracfone has been around since 1996, although under a different name, and since 2000 under their current name. While this might not seem like much time, only 13 years, it is longer than most other prepaid mobile phone companies.

In fact, Tracfone has been around long enough to create its own spin off companies, such as Net10 and Straight Talk.

In the end, Tracfone's relatively long life gives it an edge on the competition both in the way that consumers are more aware of the brand, and in experience gained over the last decade.

2. Tracfone Offers Flexibility

When buying airtime for a Tracfone cell phone, there are plenty of options to suit the majority of consumers. Need only a small number of minutes and 90 days of service? They've got that covered for $20. Want a lot more airtime? Options are available.

Don't want to be worried about buying airtime for your phone each time you run low? Sign up for their monthly value plan.

As you can see, there are more than enough options for customers to choose from. This has made Tracfone stand out to a very wide variety of people, from the average cell phone user, to those who just need a backup phone.

With this flexibility, Tracfone still manages to keep costs low.

3. Tracfone Keeps Their Prices Very Low

One of the biggest reasons, if not the biggest reason, why Tracfone is one of the best prepaid cell phone companies, is its very low costs.

If you were to buy a cell phone and service contract from a major cell phone provider it would not only cost you hundreds initially, it would cost you close to a hundred dollars every month!

Not so with Tracfone. A cell phone and airtime card can be purchased for around $30 total, and better phones only cost as much as $50.

Airtime prices tend to give you more for your money the higher value you buy. For example, Buying a 450 minute card is cheaper per minute compared to a 60 minute card,

And the Family Value Plan is one of the cheapest options by far!

So, what can be learned from Tracfone's success in this? They are a company that understand what customers want, and they try to give it to them.

Go check out our reviews of Tracfone cell phones to learn more about the options available.

Got a Difficult Question about your Prepaid Phone from Tracfone?

With many of Tracfone's newer phones coming with features such as WiFi, the opportunity for challenging technical questions arises. With that in mind then, I want to share some resources for getting answers to questions about Tracfone cell phones and service.

Resources for getting answers

By far, the best way might be to just call the Tracfone customer help line.

While some people complain about Tracfone's customer service, for the majority of users, it works just fine. It might take 20 minutes and you might be talking with a non native English speaker, but they are working hard to improve their customer service rating.

To get the contact information for Tracfone, simply visit their website, Tracfone.com.

And, if you don't want to talk on the phone, submitting a question or complaint through their website's form is easy to do, and results in a response within a few days.

3 Reasons Why People Like Using Tracfone

A lot of people use Tracfone for a lot of different reasons. But what are the top three reasons why consumers use Tracfone, making it one of the fastest growing cell phone companies in America?

Many tech-savvy gadget heavy Americans wonder why anyone would want a prepaid cell phone with basic features and limited minutes. But apparently, there are a lot of consumers who are looking for just that, because of several key reasons. Below are the top three, with the biggest reason at the end.

3. Ease of Use

While the phones from Tracfone are not always simple and intuitive to use, it is very simple to buy a Tracfone, activate it and add minutes. In just an hour or two anyone can have a mobile phone with no further monetary obligations.

Although contract phones don't take very long to set up either, they do require a bit more ink.

Thus many people are choosing a prepaid carrier such as Tracfone, simply because it is easy to deal with, and there are no strings attached as far as keeping up with payments or upgrades.

2. Convenience

Along the same lines of ease of use, Tracfones and other prepaid mobile phones tend to be very convenient in that when you need them, you can add minutes and they are ready to use. If you don't need it for a few months, then no need to waste money on it, you can just not buy any minutes for it.

This convenience of choosing when you want to have a cell phone is another significant reason for consumers picking Tracfone. However, the biggest reason is next.

1. Cost

By a large margin, consumers choose no contract prepaid cell phones like the ones from Tracfone because of the low cost and no fees.

With Tracfone, a family of four can each have a cell phone with minutes and service, for $30 a month with the Tracfone Family Value Plan (read our review of it to learn more!). Yes, that is $30 total, per month, or less than $1 a day for 4 phones!

Along with low cost minutes and service bundles, Tracfone also keeps the cost of phones very low, typically under $60 for their best phones like the LG 840G or Samsung S390G

What about people who need to use their phone a lot for talking or texting? Plenty of prepaid cell phone companies (but not Tracfone) offer monthly unlimited plans for less than what the major contract companies offer.

In a time when economic conditions have made many people more money-conscious, the low cost of prepaid cell phones is getting noticed.

Many people choose Tracfone for a variety of other reasons as well, perhaps as a back up or emergency phone, or just for a short time while they look into other mobile phone options.

So why do you use Tracfone? Leave a comment with your top 3 reasons for using Tracfone.

Affordable and Easy, TracFones Make for Great Gifts

Do you know someone who doesn't own a cell phone? Maybe a son or daughter, niece or nephew, grandfather or grandmother, or other friends. If you are looking for a gift idea, a TracFone might be it!

Nothing says 'I want to talk with you more often' than giving someone a cell phone. And prepaid phones make it easy to manage costs and avoid the hassle of contract phones.

How Easy is it to Give a Cell Phone?

It is actually quite easy. There are two general decisions to make when buying a TracFone. The first is which phone to buy, and the second is what airtime cards or plans to get.

We will cover both below, starting with cell phone buying options.

Buying a TracFone

TracFones are available in many locations and are easy to find. Retail stores such as Walmart and Target sell a few varieties of the phones and you can also buy directly from TracFone.com. Amazon is another internet location where you can often find TracFones on sale for less.

What can be challenging is choosing which phone to get. So we will provide a few options below to help give you some ideas. If you want to view more phone options, just visit TracFone.com and browse their phone selection.

LG 500G

LG 500g - One of the least expensive but most dependable phones from TracFone, this cell phone has a full QWERTY keyboard which makes texting easy and simple. This is a great phone for people of all ages, especially younger people. The small keys may make it hard for older people to use, but it is easy to get accustomed to and there is no bothering with learning to use T-9 or something else.

Financially, this phone makes a lot of sense typically priced at $20, and sometimes even less from Amazon.

LG 840G

LG 840g - This is one of TracFones top of the line options. It is a touchscreen with a sleek appearance and great functionality. It includes 2GB of memory, and is 3G/Wifi enabled. It also comes with Triple Minutes for life, making this a great choice for those who might use their phone more often.

This phone is typically priced well under $100, and can be purchased through Amazon with minutes included for a good deal. This is another option that almost anyone can enjoy and use.

For more phones and reviews by us, visit our Cell Phone Reviews page!

Buying Minutes for your TracFone

Getting minutes for a TracFone is quite simple to do. There are two prepaid options: pay as you go minute cards or monthly installment plan.

Pay as you go means you buy minute cards and load them onto the phone, giving you anywhere between 60-800 minutes and 90-365 days of service, depending on which card you buy.

Monthly Installment plan means that you pay each month for 30 days of service, and a certain number of minutes to use that month.

The monthly installment plan offers simplicity, and is very financially enticing. Plans can be as low as $10 a month for 50 minutes.

1 Year and 400 Minutes

The pay as you go option simply means you buy airtime cards whenever you need them. Talking on the phone more this month than you usually do? Just buy an extra card and load the minutes on your phone.

Pay as you go is convenient because you can get a 1 year/400 minutes of service card for less than $100 and not need to worry about the phone for the whole year! If at any time the phone starts to run low on minutes, you can just get more from many stores and even online.

What about Activation and other Quesitons?

Activating a new TracFone follows simple steps and can be completed in less than an hour! For those who might want to use an existing phone number, that can also usually be done at no extra cost.

For other questions, feel free to ask in the comments section.

Interested in more information? Visit our Overview of TracFone page for more info.

What is the Cheapest Prepaid Cell Phone?

While many people buy a cell phone based on the features, coverage, ability to surf the web and other things, some people just want a cheap cell phone for backup, emergencies or because they want to save money.

Save A Big stack of coins with Prepaid

If you buy a cell phone from one of the major service providers such as Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile or any of the others, you will typically pay a few hundred dollars just for the phone, pay around $70 per month for service, and sign a contract that lasts 2 years.

You could be paying around $1000 a year just to use a cell phone.

While this does usually include unlimited talking, texting and web browsing, not everyone needs that.

Lets look at the extreme opposite end of the cell phone spectrum. What about a cell phone plan that costs less than $10 a month?

Cheapest Prepaid Plan - Less Than $10 a Month

Imagine paying $10 a month, or $120 a year for your cell phone. You could be saving $880 a year, or $1760 with a standard 2 year contract phone.

What would you do with $1760? We can think of lots of things! Like a new computer or TV.

So what is this prepaid plan? Well, it is very simple, and many of the major prepaid cell phone companies have plans that cost less than $10 per month. Some of the prepaid companies are Net 10, Straight Talk, Cricket, and Tracfone.

But Here at TracfoneReviewer, we are going to look at the options from Tracfone.

How to Pay Less Than $10 a Month for a Prepaid Plan:

If you are looking for a way to save money, but still have a cell phone, here is how to do it.

LG500g from Amazon

Tracfone offers several phones for $9.99. The 376g (click to read our review) is a simple but durable flip phone. It is an older model, so it might not be available everywhere. The Samsung S125G is another phone option from Tracfone that is a little newer.

Another option is the LG500g (click for our review!) with full QWERTY keypad, and many other impressive features. It is currently on sale from Amazon for $9.99! It usually sells for $29.99 from Tracfone.

After you choose which cell phone, (and make sure it comes with Double Minutes) buy a 60 minute phone card for $20 from Tracfone.

Thus, you get a cell phone, 3 months of service, and 120 minutes (with double minutes) plus bonus minutes from a promo code, all for $30, which works out to $10 a month for the first three months, and about $6.65 for every month after that.

If 40 minutes a month is not enough, you can always purchase another minutes card, or even get the 120 minute card which costs $30 and comes with 3 months of service. With double minutes for life, that's 240 minutes for 3 months, or about 80 minutes a month, (20 per week) for $10 per month.

Tracfone offers some even better options with their Tracfone Family Value Plan. You can get 50 minutes a month and 30 days of service for $10 for the first person, and 40 minutes/30 days of service for only $6 a month for each additional person! To learn more, read our full Tracfone Family Value Plan review.

The Bottom Line - How Much Can You Save?

While some people do need to use their cell phones a lot for work or to keep in touch with needy friends or family, not everyone needs an unlimited plan from a major cell phone provider.

The $10 a month plan described here works great for those who only make a few calls or texts a week.

For those who use their phone a little more often, there are plenty of prepaid options.

For example, a 200 minute phone card from Tracfone is $40. With a double minutes, that is instantly turned into 400 minutes for 3 months, or about $13 per month, for 133 minutes per month!

Perhaps it is time to start saving money, by looking at your prepaid cell phone options. Just think about what you could do with the money saved?

Interested in more money saving tips? Check out our article on How to Make your Minutes Last Longer!

What is the Cheapest Cell Phone Plan?

Many people need a simple cell phone that can do basic calling and texting without the high price of the major cell phone carriers of AT&T, Verizon and Sprint.

There are many different options for choosing a cheap cell phone plan, and a few different factors one should be familier with.

Questions to ask When Buying the Cheapest Cell Phone Plan:

How much talk/text do you need?
Do you want any extra features like internet access or phone book.
Do you want the cheapest phone, or good value for your money?

How Much Talk Time and Texting do you Need?

This is an important question to ask, how many minutes do you need each month? If you don't plan to use your phone very much; a few texts and phone calls a week, then the cheapest plan could be right for you.

Cheap Cell Phones Are Available, but Which One?

But if you want to make several longer calls a month, and 100 or more texts a month, then consider looking for the ability to buy minutes as you go or from a minutes card.

Tracfone sells minutes cards that range from 60 to 450 minutes for 3 months of service. This allows you to buy more or less minutes depending on how many you use in three months.

Also included on most Tracfone prepaid cell phones are double minutes for life, which doubles all minutes you add to the phone!

So if you add the 60 minute card, you will get 120 minutes total!

An average cell phone user who makes several phone calls a week will need about 100 minutes a month. A 120 minute prepaid minutes card ($30) from Tracfone with Double Minutes for Life, will provide 240 minutes every 3 months. If you add a promo code, you can get an extra 30-60 bonus minutes.

Check out our free promo codes to get bonus minutes every time you add a new minutes card!

This is the cheapest cell phone plan that Tracfone Reviewer has found, at about $10 or less a month. Obviously, if you use the phone only as a backup, you can get the 60 minute card and save even more.

Do You Want Extra Features on your Prepaid Cell Phone?

Do you want a plain flip phone that is bare bones or something with a few features to make using the cell phone easier?

If you are just looking for a prepaid cell phone that will be a backup phone or emergency phone, than the cheapest cell phone will be best for you.

Tracfone sells several phones for $10 that have text messaging, simple features like a phone book and even cameras. But they won't have many features, and will look like a phone from 10 years ago.

But, for another $20, one can find several different cheap cell phones that have a variety of features. The LG 500G (Usually $30, sometimes on sale for $20 or less!) Has voice recording, MP3 playback, video and camera functions.

Read the full review of the LG 500G to learn more about all the features.

Tracfone Reviewer suggest spending a little extra to get a better phone. We have found that while the cheapest cell phones are adequate for a backup phone, a better phone will make life much easier and at only $10 to $20 more, you can have a faster, newer phone.

Also be sure that whatever Tracfone you choose has Double Minutes for Life (which most do).

Do You Want the Cheapest Cell Phone, or a Good Value Cell Phone Plan?

Many people think they want to get just the cheapest cell phone plan they can find, but this has serious drawbacks.

Tracfone Reviewer has found that there are several different cheap cell phones and plans that are also a good value for your money.

Tracfone prepaid cell phones can be the cheapest cell phone option if used only a few times a month. The price per month will be less than $10 for service and minutes.

If you want to use your prepaid cell phone a little more often, but still want to keep prices low, a nice phone can be purchased for $30 or less and a 120 minute card with 3 months of service will average out to about $20 for the first three months, and $10 after that.

Consider the Tracfone Family Value plan (and read our review of it) where you can add several phone onto one plan, with the first phone costing $10 a month for 50 minutes, and all additional phones costing $6 per month for 40 minutes. All minutes are automatically added each month, and if you have a phone with double or triple minutes, then you get 100 to 150 minutes!

There are cheap cell phone plans available, and almost anyone can afford $10 a month especially for the security and comfort a cell phone can offer.

Got Questions? Leave a comment!

Now check out Tracfone Reviewer's pick of the Best Cell Phones from Tracfone for Texting!

AbnanDroid