Affinity Cellular: The ‘Pay As You Go’ Wireless Service

A lot of the time when you’re window shopping for phone plans you will see a fair amount of “set in stone” plans. For example, you might find yourself looking at a plan that is for “50 GBs of data, unlimited talk and text, an unlimited 3G hotspot, and ten more add-ons” that costs over $100 dollars a month. For some, that might be exactly what they are looking for, but for others that isn’t what they need from their phone.

Some people are looking to pay for what they need and not pay for a bunch of benefits that they never actually end up using. 

At Affinity Cellular they have created phone plans perfect for those who want to use their phones but aren’t always on them. Anyone can use Affinity Cellular, but with their flexibility, no contracts, and 30-day money back guarantee- this phone plan is a great fit for seniors as their versatility can fit what older adults need with ease. Perfect for those who want to benefit from connectivity but don’t want to pay super high prices every month. They seek to share the same coverage and inclusivity of other more expensive cell phone plans at a price that won’t break the bank. And with monthly plans starting as low as $10.00 a month, Affinity Cellular’s cell phone plans can save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Today we’re going to be talking all about Affinity Cellular and what you can expect from them as your phone company:

• How does Affinity Cellular work?
• Pricing and plans
• Affinity Cellular pros and cons
• What you can buy
• Reviews from paying customers

How does Affinity Cellular work?

Affinity Cellular is a MVNO, MVNO stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operator which means that they are a wireless company that doesn’t have their own network, they instead will use a major wireless companies data- (in Affinity’s case they use Verizon).

This way they can charge you less money for your phone plans, while you have access to one of America’s top wireless networks.

• Important Note on MNVOs: In general, MVNOs are great, you get low costing plans better suited for your budget, but because they are essentially piggybacking off of their data, you may experience slower data speeds when there’s high traffic, more on that later.

Affinity Cellular is a no-contract, pay as you go, cell phone company that prioritizes flexibility for its customers. The process for how it all works is relatively simple and it only takes ten easy steps:

1. Go onto the Affinity Cellular website.
2. Click on the “Plans” tab at the top of the screen.
3. Choose How Many Lines you need, Affinity Cellular goes up to three lines- (they have a number you can call if you need more than three lines which is 855-320-0368).
4. Select your month plan.
5. Enter your ZIP code which will tell you if they have coverage in your area.
6. Now's the fun part, you can shop for a phone! Select a Smartphone or Flip phone, or choose to “Bring Your Own Phone” which allows you to keep the phone you currently have.

• If you choose the “Bring Your Own Phone” option you will be prompted to enter your device’s MEID/ESN/DEC/IMEI- (don’t worry, they give instructions on how to do this if you’re unsure).

7. Once you select your new phone or choose your own, a mini window will pop up and ask if you want their “Extended Service Plan” which according to their website: “Covers you against accidental damage to your Affinity Cellular phone, cracks, water, shattered whatever damage occurs other than lost or stolen you are covered. Your phone would be repaired or replaced after you pay a small deductible.”
8. Then you will be prompted to review what you want and your total price.
9. If everything looks good at the review, add your shipping and payment information.
10.  Check out!

When we talked about Affinity Cellular being a great option for those who don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for phone service, we meant it as the phone you buy or SIM card you get will be shipped for free, along with no activation fees, and with any discounts automatically added before you pay, you know you’re getting the best deals around.

Pricing and Plans

We’ve talked about how Affinity Cellular is a great budget-friendly option, but what are all of the pricing and plan options available?

Here’s a table of Affinity Cellular's current plans listed on their website:

For ONE Line:

¹The original plan is $12.99/mo this $10 discount plan is only available for the first three months.

For TWO Lines:

For THREE Lines:

If you’re looking for only one line you can get a lot of versatile options. As soon as you add more lines, your monthly plan options begin to dwindle- (as of January 2024). And as for inquiring about extra lines, you will have to call their number, 855-320-0368, and it is also listed on their website.

Affinity Cellular Pros and Cons

When it comes to wireless companies you can expect to see both a number of pros and cons, Affinity Cellular being no different. Let’s start out with the pros first:

Pros:

• Affordable phone service (discounted multi-line rates)
• 30 day money back guarantee 
• No contracts
• AAA membership benefits

Affordable Phone Service (and their Discounted Multi-line Rates)

Affinity Cellular is all about making sure you can afford owning a cell phone in a day and age when it’s important to stay connected. Their service plans are inexpensive compared to a lot of other services- starting as little as $10 a month. 

Plus, as you add on more lines the overall rates will decrease, so this is a huge plus if you’re looking for even more cost beneficial phone plans with multiple lines.

30-day Money Back Guarantee

One of the major perks Affinity Cellular advertises is its “30 Day Guarantee”  which is if you are unsatisfied with your phone and care, you can send your phone back to get your money back. 

• Important Note: Before you go about returning your phone and taking part of the 30 Day Guarantee, they have a stipulation on their website which in part says the following: “100% Satisfaction money back guarantee is void after 30 days from time of purchase or 30 minutes of talk time use collectively incoming and outgoing or 30 text messages collectively incoming and outgoing or 30 MB of data, whichever comes first.” Read in full about their policy rules here.

No Contracts

What makes Affinity Cellular great is their “no contracts” rule. They will not lock you into a contract and you won’t have to ever work about being stuck in a phone plan you no longer want or need.

AAA Membership Benefits

Affinity Cellular has had a partnership with AAA for a while now and members of Affinity can reap the benefits. They have provided both the members of Affinity Cellular and AAA cell phones and roadside services since 1993.

The Cons:

• Few “multi-line” options
• Shared data
• No rollover minutes
• No “Live” chat online

Few Multi-Line Options

As of writing this (January 2024), Affinity Cellular’s plan availability dwindles as soon as you add another line onto your plan. You will lose the benefits of the $10 a Month/Line Plan, the $15 a Month/Line Plan, and the Unlimited Plan which could be a hindrance if you’re looking for a multi-line plan. Though, that could change in the future, for right now you will only have three plan options for multi-plan users and none of those are unlimited.

Shared Data

Data, the ability to use the internet on your phone without being connected to wifi can be a massive selling point to many. It’s not the end-all be-all, but it could be important to you. While Affinity has data in most of their plans, it’s shared. Meaning if you are a multi-plan user you will split the available data between those all on the plan which could be annoying to some.

No Rollover Minutes

Rollover minutes are when any unused minutes from the previous month are then added to the next month and continue to do so over a certain time period- (usually 12 months). For Affinity Cellular, they do not have rollover minutes. They offer a set amount of minutes and if you have extra they will not rollover to the next month which, again, could be a certain perk some are looking for when it comes to finding a phone plan.

No Online “Live-chat”

With most phone companies or websites that sell products nowadays you’ll find that they have a “live-chat” where you can go onto their website and ask a question where you can get a response pretty quickly. They do not have an online chat function, the only way you can get in contact with a representative from Affinity Cellular would be through their phone or email:

For Sales: 855-893-2888

Customer Support: 833-679-1090

Email: [email protected] 

What You can Buy from Affinity Cellular

If this is your first time venturing into the world of cellphones and cellphone plans, then the options may seem a bit overwhelming. Luckily with Affinity Cellular's “Bring Your Own Phone” plan and their fine selection of phones that will make any user happy, they’ve got a little something for everyone.

If you’re looking for a bundle option, Affinity has three to choose from.

Calling Apple fans, you’ll enjoy this one:

The Affinity Wireless iPhone 7 Plus Bundle

• Apple iPhone 7 Plus (32GB)
• 5 months service with: Unlimited Talk, Unlimited Text and 5 GB Data per month
• FREE Case & Screen Protector
• FREE Activation
• FREE Shipping

New Customers Only can get this bundle for $129.99. 

(Certified Pre-Owned - a $378.95 value)

Android loyalists, we’ve got one for you too don’t worry:

The Affinity Wireless Red Hydrogen Bundle

• Red Hydrogen Phone
• 5 months service with: Unlimited Talk, Unlimited Text and 1 GB Data per month
• FREE Activation
• FREE Shipping

New Customers Only can get this bundle for $99.99.

(New phone, valued at $299.99)

Not looking for a Smartphone? No worries:

The Affinity Wireless Flip Phone Bundle

• ZTE 233 Cymbal Flip Phone
• 5 months free service with: 500 minutes and 500 Text messages per month
• FREE USB Car Adapter, Home Charger
• FREE Activation
• FREE Shipping

New Customers Only can get this bundle for $34.99.

(Certified Pre-Owned - A $163.99 value)

Affinity Cellular also sells phones by themselves, they have other Apple models, Samsung Galaxy phones, flip phones, and more. All of their products can be found here.

As Affinity Cellular has partnered with AAA, they offer Belle, a ResponseNow mobile Medical Alert. For seniors, and those who might need it, having a Medical Alert on you at all times that you can use just in case anything goes wrong is a life saver. 

You can find out more information on Belle and call about getting a free month here.

Reviews from Paying Customers

Through research online, you will find that the average Affinity Cellular review leans towards low satisfaction with few positive reviews. Here are a few we’ve found from different sources:

“My wife ordered an iPhone 6s. She received a defective phone. We called to have a replacement phone which has been stuck in the USPS system for over 3 weeks and Affinity won’t help in any way. They give us the runaround. Plus they charged us for the replacement phone without telling us.” -Mandt from Ventura, CA (12/14/2020) via Money SavingPro

“Just about the worst customer service on the planet! Phone never worked correctly from the beginning, after numerous calls to both apple & affinty; I finally found the 1 person who actually fixed the problem; only took 5 1/2 months! If you do change to them pray everything works out of the box or you WILL be disappointed.” -Walter Danger (November 2023) via Google Reviews

“Been a customer for several years now, and they are always easy to reach, knowledgeable, and solve any problem or question I've had. Great price for a tailored phone package.” -Karen from San Diego (01/03/2022) via Money SavingPro

Affinity Cellular seems to be a hit or a miss with some people according to internet reviews. Their low-rates are a big selling point for many who look to just be able to connect through talk and text.

If you want to compare and contrast Affinity Cellular to over 1,200 other phone plans so you know you’re getting the service that’s right for you, then make sure to check out the REALLY compare page which allows you to look at pricing, coverage, what phone plans are available, current deals and steals, and how you can make the most of your phone bill.