Boost Mobile buyer’s guide - pricing, plans, and more - Android
For a long time, Boost Mobile was the go-to Sprint MVNO for budget-friendly service. Now, Sprint has merged with T-Mobile and Boost has joined the Dish Network family. However, there are still plenty of reasons to leave your current carrier behind and make the switch. If you have a long list of carrier-based questions, this handy guide should help to put your mind at ease with a look at the best Boost Mobile plans.
See also: Best Boost Mobile deals
Like other MVNOs, Boost doesn’t offer post-paid service, but we’ll walk you through all of your pre-paid options. A network is nothing without the right device though, so we’ve covered some of your best bets there too. Finally, we’ve added options for some other cost-saving MVNOs for you to consider.
Boost began its journey as an Australian carrier in 2000 before coming to the United States in 2001. It was acquired by Sprint Nextel in 2005 and began launching unlimited plans in 2006. As a Sprint MVNO, the T-Mobile merger has played a key role in the future of Boost Mobile. The carrier is now part of the Dish Network family and all previous customers will slowly transition to the T-Mobile network while new customers will use T-Mobile service automatically.
The T-Mobile merger is likely to prove beneficial for the MVNO as new customers will be on the massive nationwide network without any extra hoops to jump through. You can check out the entire coverage map right here.
As mentioned before, there are no post-paid plans available through Boost Mobile, but there are a number of prepaid options and add-ons available. Although none of the plans include baked-in international access, you can add calls and texts for as little as $5 per month. All of the available plans include Boost Perks for giveaways, deals, and more. Since its move to Dish Network, Boost has even added more affordable low-capacity data plans.
You have seven plans to choose from, so get the quick facts from the table below:
| 1GB Plan | 2GB Plan | 5GB Plan | 10GB Plan | Shrink It! | Go Unlimited | Go Unlimited Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $10 per month | $15 per month | $25 per month | $35 per month | $45 per month $40 after three on-time payments $35 after six on-time payments | $50 for one line $80 for two lines $110 for three lines $140 for four lines | $60 for one line $100 for two lines $140 for three lines $180 for four lines |
| Talk and Text | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Data | 1GB 4G LTE | 2GB 4G LTE | 5GB 4G LTE | 10GB 4G LTE per month | 15GB 4G LTE per month Can add data at any time | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Hotspot | Included up to data cap | Included up to data cap | Included up to data cap | Included up to data cap | Included up to data cap | 12GB included | 30GB included |
| International | Todo Mexico Plus available for $5 per month International Connect Plus available for $10 per month | Todo Mexico Plus available for $5 per month International Connect Plus available for $10 per month | Todo Mexico Plus available for $5 per month International Connect Plus available for $10 per month | Todo Mexico Plus available for $5 per month International Connect Plus available for $10 per month | Todo Mexico Plus available for $5 per month International Connect Plus available for $10 per month | Todo Mexico Plus available for $5 per month International Connect Plus available for $10 per month | Todo Mexico Plus available for $5 per month International Connect Plus available for $10 per month |
| Extras | Available to new in-store customers only | Available to new in-store customers only | Available to new customers only | Standard Definition streaming | Standard Definition streaming | Tidal for 6 months Standard Definition streaming | Tidal for 6 months High Definition streaming |
The most affordable way to make the switch is to get one of the limited data plans. You get unlimited talk and text along with up to 10GB of data to do whatever you want with. It’s a great plan as long as you know you can stay below the cap, but your data access cuts off entirely when you hit that limit. The available limits include 1GB, 2GB, 5GB, and 10GB and each of the first three options costs around $5 per gig.
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When you’re great at paying on time, you deserve to get rewarded for it. At least, that’s the idea behind Boost’s Shrink It! plan. Access starts at $45 per line per month, but after just three on-time payments it drops to $40. Three more on-time payments will knock another $5 per month off so you pay just $35. Even better, your on-time payments don’t have to be in a row so one late month doesn’t mean starting over.
Outside of the great price, the Shrink It! plan offers 15GB of high-speed data access as well as unlimited talk and text. You can use that data to feed a mobile hotspot and even add data packages as recurring monthly bonuses. However, those add-ons cannot be used as hotspot fodder according to the fine print.
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If you want truly unlimited access but you may not be as worried about top-end speeds, the Go Unlimited plan is the way to go. You’ll get as much talk and text as you could want, and unlimited access to the 4G LTE network. The only reason we point out the lack of top-end speeds is that music is limited to 500Kbps and gaming sticks to 2Mbps.
Starting at just $50 per month you’ll also have access to 12GB of high-speed hotspot data and six months of Tidal streaming.
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All of you speed demons who are considering a switch to Boost Mobile should head right for the Go Unlimited Plus plan. You can use your unlimited talk, text, and data however you please, and each line comes with 30GB of high-speed hotspot access. Six months of Tidal access are on par with the other options, but the streaming speeds really set Go Unlimited Plus apart.
If you’re itching for some music, you’ll be able to stream at 1.5Mbps. Gaming streams at an impressive 8Mbps and video is available in high definition 1080p resolution. It’s really the media lover’s mobile plan.
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Basic service just might not be enough for all users, so Boost Mobile has a variety of options you can add to your service. Add-ons range from an HD boost to safe tracking for your family. The prices will vary though, so be careful how many you add.
Check out the table for prices:
| Perk | Cost |
|---|---|
| International Services | $5 per month for Todo Mexico Plus $10 per month for International Connect Plus |
| Boost Shield | $7 per month |
| Secure Wi-Fi | Free app plus $2 per month subscription |
| HD Buy Up | $10 per month |
| Safe and Found | $7 per month |
| Call Screener Plus | $3 per month |
| Visual Voicemail | Basic is free Ad-free is $0.50 per month Premium is $2.99 per month |
| AirG | Free app $5 per month for VIP |
| 50GB Hotspot Plan | $50 per month |
One of the only drawbacks to Boost Mobile’s plans is the lack of international access. If you want to call Canada, Mexico, or any other country it will cost you. The Todo Mexico Plus add-on offers unlimited talk and text both to and from Mexico, and unlimited calls to Canada. You can also take 8GB on the road with you for a trip south of the border.
The more expensive International Connect Plus plan swaps that roaming access for unlimited landline calls to 70 countries and 200 minutes for mobile calls in 50 of those countries. If you want to call other countries or you burn through your minutes, International Connect Plus slashes rates for 200 or more destinations.
Let’s face it — drops happen. Even with a heavy-duty case on your phone, it’s important to have a little extra protection. Boost Shield adds insurance for physical damage and McAfee software for a layer of digital protection. At just $7 per month, it’s more affordable than having to replace a screen or pick up a brand-new phone.
Going along with the added security of Boost Shield, Secure Wi-Fi offers protection while you browse online. Whether you’re on a private network or at a public coffee shop, Secure Wi-Fi works somewhat like a VPN and protects your passwords as well as your sites.
Since you’ve already gone through each and every one of the plans Boost has to offer, you’ve probably noticed a lack of high definition options. HD Buy Up can change that though and turns your standard definition quality into luxurious 1080p content. This add-on kicks music streaming up to 1.5Mbps levels and gaming up to 8Mbps levels too.
The COVID-19 lockdowns have made it pretty easy to keep track of your family members, but they — probably — won’t last forever. Once your family can venture back out into the world, it might offer some peace of mind to know where they are and receive emergency alerts. Safe and Found also adds parental control functionality to other devices on your account.
Before you answer any phone call, you probably look to see who’s calling. Unfortunately, the answer is often spam. Call Screener Plus helps to save some of that wasted time by analyzing numbers and eliminating likely spam options for you. You might be able to screen your mother-in-law too, but we can’t advocate for family chaos.
If you skip on Call Screener Plus or you get a high volume of voicemails, you may want a visual option to keep track of them. After all, it can be hard to understand the messages you receive sometimes. The Visual Voicemail takes each phone message and converts it into text so you can read it for all of the right details.
AirG is another add-on that’s perfect for the COVID-19 age. It’s an app that lets you connect with people both near and far to play games and write in forums. Don’t worry though, there’s a kid-friendly version where your little ones can play educational games with no ads or in-app purchases.
One last add-on you might consider when you join Boost Mobile is a 50GB hotspot plan. Sure, all of the plans offer a built-in hotspot, but none of them comes close to a 50GB capacity. You can work from anywhere or stream movies on long car rides to keep your kids calm in the back seat. Boost also has a Coolpad Surf hotspot device in case you need a way to host your data.
The easiest way to pick a Boost Mobile plan is to sit down and look at your needs. If you plan to use mountains of data wherever you are, go for an unlimited option. However, if you use little data and you always pay on time, then the Shrink It plan will pay you back.
If you can swing it, the Shrink It plan beats even the Everything You Need plan thanks to the 5GB of extra data. As long as you make your on-time payments, the prices will even out after a while. Music lovers might do best with the 3GB of 4G LTE data plan though because Spotify and other top options don’t count against the total usage.
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