How exactly does T-Mobile's Prepaid Smartphone plans work?

[TREVOR2015]

I really want to get a smartphone but the price on Verizon is holding me back being so expensive. Its not that the phone itself is too expensive, but I don't want to have to pay 70 to 80 dollars per month! I've been missing out on smart phones for all this time and would like to get a Samsung Galaxy Note 2. I know that I need the phone internationally unlocked, but how much will it cost me a month to have this? I don't normally call but I do like to text every once in a while. Do I need to pay for texts? How does this prepaid plan compare to Verizon's contracts?

Thanks!