Ting Review: Slash Mobile Costs and Get a $25 Credit

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This Ting Review was created to help you save money on wireless service. You’ll learn how Ting works, what phones you can use, and how much it costs. We use Ting and love it! We think you will too. Enjoy!

As many of you know, we haven’t paid for full price cell phone service in a couple of years. With all of the different low-cost service providers out there, anyone who does is absolutely bonkers! It makes no sense to pay upwards of $100 per month for cell phone service and a data plan when you can easily cut that bill in half.

We’ve used two low-cost providers for a few years now – Republic Wireless and Ting. While I’m a fan of both discount service providers, today’s review is about Ting and how it works.

(Side Note: If you decide Ting is for you, we’d love for you to use our affiliate links below. We’ll get a small commission and you’ll get a $25 credit to use at Ting! Thanks in advance! XOXOXO)

Ting Mobile Phones: What You Need to Know

Before we get started, here’s a quick run down of Ting’s most important features:

  • Prices based on usage, not plans
  • Talk/Text/Data usage starts as low as $15.00 per month.
  • No contracts
  • Bring your own smartphone or buy one from Ting
  • Calls, text, and data backed by Sprint network
  • $25 credit toward first month’s bill or for purchases in the Ting Shop

Ting Wireless Plans

If you’re looking for ways to save money, Ting can definitely be part of your solution. However, Ting doesn’t offer traditional wireless plans like most other companies. Instead, they use a tiered billing system that only charges you for the minutes, texts, and data that you actually use. Instead of paying for extras, you save money by limiting the amount of minutes, texts, and data you consume.

Think of Ting’s rates like buckets. Each bucket allots you a certain amount of talk, text, or data. Unlike some larger companies that hold you to plans, Ting doesn’t make you upgrade everything just because you go over. Instead, you simply upgrade the bucket for that area. So, if you’re a heavy texter but rarely talk on the phone, you’ll need a larger “Messages” bucket and a smaller “Minutes” bucket. If you go over on your minutes one month, there’s no need to panic. You simply pay the appropriate fee for the amount of minutes you used that month. Use less next month, and you’ll pay less. Make sense?

Behold Ting’s bucket billing method and its awesomeness:

Ting wireless rates review

As you can see, Ting rates generally run as follows:

  • Lines: $6 per line
  • Minutes: $0-$35 a month, depending on usage
  • Text Messages: $0-$11 a month, depending on usage
  • Data: $0-$20 a month, depending on usage

According to Ting, customers pay an average of $23.00 per device. In my own experience, I’d say that is accurate. Over the last few years, my bill typically runs about $30-35 a month before taxes…but I also use a substantial amount of data.

Find Your Ting Plan Here! Get $25 OFF.

How Does Ting Work?

Ting works differently than some other discount mobile providers. While low-cost competitors like Republic Wireless rely heavily on WiFi to lower costs, Ting pulls straight from the Sprint network. Of course, it’s a good idea to use wireless data whenever possible so you stay in a lower tier. However, talk and text work without the aid of a wireless internet connection.

Additionally, because of the way Ting prices their service, your bill will rarely look exactly the same from month to month. Depending on your usage, it can go up and down pretty easily. However, the little surges during months of heavy usage aren’t anything to stress about. Our highest bill over the last 6 months has only reached $40.45, and that’s because I went over my regular data usage. That’s still half of what most people pay, and it isn’t for crappy service on a old, outdated phone either. (See more on phones below.)

However, if you’re someone who wants the exact same bill every month, you may want to look for carriers that bill according to service plans. Other discount carriers, like Republic Wireless, can even out your billing and may be a better fit.

What Phones Are Available at Ting?

Unlike some discount mobile providers who only offer a handful of smartphones to use, Ting is different. In fact, one of my favorite things about Ting is most people can bring their own phone with them! It’s awesome, and it definitely provides a big draw.

Ting offers both GSM and CDMA networks which allows about 80% of all devices to be compatible with Ting. Personally, Holly has a Samsung Galaxy S6 that works wonderfully. I have an iPhone 5S that I bought used for $80 and transferred to Ting. It also works well.

The good thing is you can test your device before switching to Ting. Simply head to Ting.com, click “BYOD” from the main menu, and you’ll see this:

Ting Review

Just follow the prompts, fill in the blank, and check to see if your device is Ting compatible.

Ting Review: The Verdict

So, does Ting actually work? I can answer that question with a resounding “YES!”

Yes, I’m a total tightwad and would try almost anything to save a buck. However, I can’t afford to sacrifice the quality of my cell phone service just because I’m cheap. After all, we’ve got a business to run!

Both Holly have been using Ting for a few years now. We’ve never had problems. In the past, we had a few issues with other companies dropping calls, particularly during the transition from WiFi to cellular. Because Ting’s voice calling is linked directly to the Sprint network and not WiFi, we’ve never had that problem with Ting. On the down side, Sprint doesn’t have the largest coverage area, but it works well most places. Most other discount plans run off of Sprint as well, so that’s just the price you pay for using a low-cost provider.

When it comes to phone selection, Ting is at the top of the discount cell phone heap. With over 80% of devices compatible with Ting, what’s not to like? Holly’s Samsung Galaxy S6 is totally rad while my iPhone is great too. And since you can bring your own device, you’re able to shop around for a great device at a reasonable cost. That’s hard to find other places.

Finally, I absolutely love Ting’s pricing model. Paying for only the service you use isn’t just cheaper, it’s totally smart. Although my bill varies slightly from month to month, at least I’m only paying for what I use. Plus, there aren’t any contracts, so I don’t have to worry about being locked in over the long-term.

I’m thrilled to be able to introduce you to Ting, and I highly recommend you check them out.

Click Here to Join Ting Now and Get a FREE $25 Credit!

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15 Comments

  1. I have only heard good things about Ting. I just wish they didn’t use the Sprint network. While I understand they are not Sprint, my hatred of Sprint runs so deep I don’t want anything to do with them or to help them in any way.

    I also ran the numbers with Ting, and I am basically the only person who wouldn’t save money with them. I have a pretty solid discount with my current provider and I am a heavy data user (like 8-12 gigs a month because there is no wifi at my job).

    All that being said, I like what they do and am a big fan of their business model. If I didn’t hate Sprint so much and wasn’t such a data hog Ting would be right near the top of my list of providers

  2. I’ve heard really good things about Ting. We’re actually FINALLY able to move away from those fools at Verizon next week (just waiting on our phones) and going to start out with Cricket and will be pocketing $100+ per month after the switch. We looked at Ting pretty seriously, but like to know what we’ll be paying each month. That being said, I think they’re a great option to look at.

  3. Great giveaway. I love how all these smaller resellers are coming to market allowing for more choice from the big guys. I hope this trend continues, especially into the cable arena so people have more options.

  4. I’ve always heard good things about Ting, except for the Sprint network business. We have trouble with Sprint here, so Ting wouldn’t be in the question. That being said, I like the concept!

  5. My sister used Ting for a while. Good prices, but as others have noted, she had trouble getting good service w/the Sprint network.

    We’re PTel here…but I think any MNVO is a great option, compared to the big carriers.

  6. I wasn’t aware of this provider. Great pricing structure! I will definitely be trying this out eventually. I’m actually currently testing a provider called Freedompop. They offer for free 200 min talk, 500 texts, and 500mg data for FREE! Very reasonable overage costs and even an unlimited talk, text, and data plan for $19.99. I got a iPhone 4S for $50 on craiglist and I’m currently using it. Will be reviewing in a couple months.

  7. That\’s an amazing bill … I barely use my phone, so I imagine the savings would be even better for me!

  8. I have been using Ting for about a year now! It has been great! It’s a lot cheaper than my previous cell phone bill and I never have any major issues with getting the service that I need.

  9. I like that it doesn’t go between Wi-Fi and Sprint as that seems to be where many people have problems. When I used the Sprint network a few years ago, I was happy for the most part. I was in some rural areas and would rarely lose coverage. Sometimes we need to just “unplug” for a few minutes and not get so worried about a few minutes of downtime. Many of us remember never having a phone in our cars when we traveled…

    1. Yep, that is actually my favorite part as well. There is no call dropped between Wi-Fi and cellular because there isn’t any switch. Overall, I’m really happy with their service.

  10. We”ve been using Ting for almost 2 years for 3 phones and pay anywhere from $65- $70 on an average instead of $200 with At&t. Love it and tell people about it all the time but most people seem to want to stick to what they know, outrageous phone bills! In the meantime, I’m snowballing the savings.

  11. I’ve heard of Republic Wireless but not Ting. Thanks for the review as I think knowing about an arsenal of products to make a better informed decision is great. I recently switched to Sprint because I wanted to take advantage of their 50% off offer but if they raise my rates after 2 years, I’m definitely switching to Republic Wireless or those low-cost providers. Some cell phone bill charges are a ripoff!

    1. Yeah, I think it’s crazy how much people are willing to spend for a smartphone and data. I couldn’t stomach paying that much every month.

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