Small, no-frills Consumer Cellular was the top-rated provider in Consumer Reports' just-published survey of 58,000 subscribers. Sprint dropped the bottom of the list while Verizon got the highest score among major providers.
Sprint received low marks for value, voice, text and 4G reliability.
Cell phone expenses can add up, but there are some ways to save money.
"The traditional two-year contract may not be the best choice for value," said Consumer Reports' Rosalind Tordesillas. "Initially, you get a big discount on the phone you pick. But moderate users may be paying a lot more for service compared to a prepaid plan."
Consumer Reports' staffer Monique Little cut her monthly bill by more than half by switching to a prepaid plan.
"It saves me about $100 a month," Little said.
In the subscriber survey, prepaid Straight Talk got high marks. The company advertises unlimited talk, text and data for $45 a month.
Even in a traditional contract, a good way to save is to check you bill to make sure you're not paying for more data than you use. And if you usually burn through your data allowance, rein in data hogs like streaming video, music and gaming.
Another tip is to make sure your Wi-Fi connection is activated, which lets you surf and stream for free in Wi-Fi areas. However, never use an insecure connection for sensitive tasks like banking or shopping.
It can also pay to see whether your employer participates in discount plans with any of the big nationwide carriers.