Cheapest keep-alive plans right now
If you only take incoming calls, the only thing your recharge has to do is keep the SIM active. That means the winning plan is simply the one with the lowest cost per day — not the one with the most data or unlimited calling. Here is the cheapest keep-alive plan on each operator today:
| Operator | Cheapest keep-alive plan | Validity | Cost / day |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSNL | ₹397 | 150 days | ₹2.6/day |
| Jio | ₹91 | 23 days | ₹4.0/day |
| Vi | ₹1,699 | 365 days | ₹4.7/day |
| Airtel | ₹1,799 | 365 days | ₹4.9/day |
Not sure which plan fits you?
See minimum recharge options →How to choose an incoming-only plan
Ignore the data and outgoing-minute numbers entirely and look at two things: validity and cost per day. A longer validity almost always lowers your per-day cost, because you recharge less often and pay no premium for daily data you will never use. A plan that looks expensive up front — say an annual pack — is usually the cheapest way to receive calls for a whole year.
Avoid regular monthly data plans for this use. They cost more per day and bundle features an incoming-only user doesn't need.
Operator by operator
BSNL is normally the cheapest for incoming-only numbers — its long-validity packs have the lowest cost per day in India. Jio, Airtel and Vi each offer annual or long-validity plans that keep a number active with unlimited calls, which also cover incoming comfortably; compare their cost-per-day in the table above before deciding.
If your incoming-only SIM is a spare, the cheapest recharge for a second SIM guide covers the same math with second-number specifics.
Edge cases
Incoming calls only work while the SIM is within its validity or the short grace period right after it. If you let a number lapse, incoming stops and the number can eventually be recycled — see the SIM card expiry rules for the exact timeline. To be safe, recharge before validity ends rather than during the grace window.