Our guide to the best phone plans for every type of user - Android
You’re spoilt for choice with cellphone plans the US, and choosing the right one really depends on your needs. If you looked at the data you use and the service you receive, it’s very possible you could get much better value for money from another provider. One thing that stops us from optimizing our wireless experience is the hassle of having to consider everything that’s on offer. We’ve made life easier by summarizing the best cell phone plans available right now.
See also: The best Android phones
Best doesn’t mean the most data or frills, it means best for you. That might be the cheapest limited-data plan or the one which most suits your jet-setting lifestyle. We’ll start by explaining what to look for when you’re comparing plans, then we’ll summarize the best plans for different users. Whether you’re looking for a plan to cover your entire family or the most budget-friendly way of joining the 5G revolution, you’ll find the answers here.
There are many factors to consider when looking for the best cell phone plans. Price might be the biggest factor for many people, but finding a plan that matches your budget doesn’t mean you’re getting a good deal. You’ll want to consider what coverage is like in your area from each provider, what perks come with the plan, whether your existing phone supports the carrier, and much more. Let’s look at some examples of how your usage may fit well with particular plans.
Average user plans — Many of us fit into this category, going through a few gigs of data each month plus a modest amount of calls and the odd text here and there. If so, the likes of the 5GB Verizon Wireless data plan might suit you. It has unlimited talk and text, plus 5GB of data and some perks, all for $55 per month.
Basic phone plans — If you’re never checking out YouTube on the go and just want a bare-bones plan that’s easy on the wallet, there are many basic phone plans available. A nice example is the flexible US Mobile plan, which lets you build your own package. You can tailor the plan to your usage, including a limited amount of talk, text, and data for $10 per month or even less.
Family plans — One of the best ways to get value for money is to get a plan that covers the whole family, and many carriers offer family or multi-line plans for that very reason. For example, the T-Mobile Unlimited Essentials plan lets you pick up five lines of unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data for a total of $135 per month.
Unlimited plans — Unlimited data plans are all the rage these days, with some carriers offering several tiers of unlimited plans. They are the more expensive options, but if your phone is always streaming something or other then an unlimited plan offers you the comfort of ensuring you’re never shy of data. One of the most popular unlimited plans is the T-Mobile Magenta Plus plan. Not only do you get Netflix and Quibi included, but you can also get three lines for the price of two right now.
5G plans — The unlimited plans above are the best cell phone plans you can find, so in terms of getting the most out of your 5G, those plans might be the best place to start. However, there are alternatives available, and some are significantly more affordable. They range from the $50 or $60 per month unlimited plans on offer from T-Mobile, to the top Mint Mobile plan. It may be capped at 12GB per month, but for an introductory prepaid plan of just $25 per month, you’ll struggle to find a cheaper way to enjoy 5G speeds while having a decent chunk of data to play with.
International traveler plans — One of the most overlooked factors in choosing a cell phone plan is the roaming charges if you’re out of the country, but no one likes getting fleeced while they’re away. There are several good solutions for travelers, none more so than Google Fi. You’re free to use your text and data for no extra charge while abroad, and calls are just $0.20 per minute. You can sign up here.
Prepaid plans — If you have your own device and don’t want to get locked into a long contract, a prepaid plan is probably your best bet. Most carriers offer prepaid plans, with some of the best cell phone plans from the MVNOs such as Visible. It offers one single phone plan for $40 per month ($25 in your first month) and offers unlimited talk, text, and data.
Now that you’ve worked out what type of user you are, let’s look closer at what’s on offer to suit your needs.
We’re all special in our own way, but statistically, you probably fit into the category of an average phone plan user. I know I do. I stream music and short videos when I’m on the go, but realistically I only get through a few gigs of data per month. I like to have hotspot as an option for friends or my laptop, but it’s only used occasionally. Texts are pretty much a thing of the past, but I get through a few hours of calls every week. Sound familiar?
To be honest, the average user will almost certainly get better value from a prepaid plan (see the best prepaid plans section below), but there are benefits to a limited-data contract. You may well get better perks and easier customer service. Here are a couple of the best cell phone plans for average users like me.
| Verizon Wireless data plan | AT&T Mobile Share Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $55 for one line $40 for two lines $35 for three lines $32.50 for four lines $$31 for five lines | $60 for one line $50 for two lines $40 for three lines $35 for four lines |
| Unlimited talk and text | Yes | Yes |
| Data | 5GB | 9GB |
| Other features | Carry over data Safety Mode to avoid data overuse Verizon Up Rewards | Rollover data Unlimited texts from the US to over 120 countries |
5GB Verizon Wireless data plan
The 5GB plan costs $55 per month for a single user. If you add a second line, the price of each plan increases by just $25. These prices don’t include taxes and fees.
This plan includes unlimited voice and texting to numbers in the US. It also offers carry-over data, so if you don’t use all of your high-speed data before the end of your monthly billing cycle, it will be added to your next monthly period. If you need more high-speed data before the end of the billing period, you can add more data in 1GB chunks for $15 each.
Perks of the plan include Safety Mode. Basically, if you run out of your high-speed data allotment before the end of your billing period, you can still keep using your phone; it will just access Verizon’s network at a much slower speed. You also get access to the Verizon Up Rewards scheme.
AT&T Mobile Share Plus
The Mobile Share Plus plan is $60 per month, though you can bring that down to as little as $35 per line if you add four lines of service.
This plan includes unlimited talk and text plus 9GB of data, all of which can be used in the US or Mexico. It offers mobile hotspot data for your high-speed allotment. Like the Verizon plan, you get rollover data so that you can carry over any unused high-speed data into the next month. Streaming on this plan is SD-quality, and you can send unlimited texts from the US to over 120 countries.
Unlimited plans and $90-per-month two-year contracts will look ridiculous to some of you. You’ve got a phone you like already and you get all your streaming on Wi-Fi, so you just want the cheapest plan that gets you connected. No frills, no fuss. There are plenty of options out there that can tick these boxes, and they tend to be prepaid plans. We’ve looked more at the best prepaid plans below, but in this section, we’ll look at a few of the best cell phone plans that can suit the lowest of budgets.
| US Mobile | Mint Mobile | Google Fi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per month | $10 (or lower!) | $15 ($25 after three months) | $20 |
| Talk and text | 150 minutes 100 texts | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Data | 500MB | 3GB (slowed thereafter) | $10 per GB |
| Other perks | Build your own plan | Free calling to Mexico and Canada | Same data and text rates abroad |
US Mobile
US Mobile lets you choose your own combination of talk, text, and data, so theoretically you could get a plan without data for around $4 per month. In reality, a bit of data is always handy, so the example above we’ve chosen 150 minutes of talk, 100 texts, and 500MB of data, which all comes to $10 per month.
Not only are the plans flexible, but the carrier even lets you pause a line for $2 a month — perfect for those that travel to the US and want to maintain a number there, or simply for those times when you’re tight on money but don’t want to risk losing your number.
Mint Mobile
Mint Mobile has three simple plans, the most affordable of which is just $15 per month for the first three months. This is an introductory rate so the price goes up to $25 per month thereafter, but that’s only if you choose to renew. That’s the beauty of prepaid plans. This plan includes unlimited talk and text, plus 3GB of 4G LTE data. After you use this allocation you don’t get cut off, you’re just slowed down to minimal data speeds. The plan also includes free calling to Mexico and Canada.
The affordable prices might make you think that you’re sacrificing a level of coverage, but that’s not the case. Mint Mobile relies on T-Mobile’s nationwide network, which is only getting stronger thanks to the Sprint merger. This is a GSM network, so you should check that the phone you’re bringing is GSM compatible.
Google Fi
If data isn’t a big deal for you, the basic Google Fi plan is one of the best cell phone plans out there. It’s only $20 per month for unlimited calls and texts. You can choose to use data, but it’s an extra $10 per GB of usage. All your usage and plan changes can be managed from your phone.
Whether or not you choose to use data on the flexible Google Fi plan, It’s a handy carrier for international use. It charges data and text at the same rate when abroad — free in the case of texts. If you’re in the US and calling internationally, there are affordable rates starting at $0.01 per minute
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