Best cell phone plans in 2024: The best options for your monthly phone service

Making sure you've got the best cell phone plan for your needs is a great way to save money. There are a lot of different options out there, and hiding among could be a plan that offers the exact amount of data you need at a price that's lower than what you're paying now. You might also be able to get better perks as add-ons to your new phone plan.

Sorting through all the different options is a lot of work, but we're regularly checking what's out there from the best phone carriers to see what different carriers are charging and what they offer in return. That way, you can make an informed decision about whether it's time to sign up for a new cell phone plan.

Price is high on the list of what we look at to evaluate the best cell phone plans. But we also look at the extras that wireless providers include in their plans — things like hotspot data, streaming service subscriptions and traveller benefits. Other factors to consider include network performance, particularly for plans offered by low-cost carriers who piggy-back on the cellular towers operated by other wireless services. 

Our picks represent hours of research into what's currently available — not just from the biggest wireless providers but from less well-known entities, too. That way, we can compare what one carrier offers with deals from other providers to make sure we're truly highlighting the best cell phone plans out there. And if you're just interested in price, we've tracked down the best cheap cell phone plans, too, in a separate guide.

The quick list

The best cell phone plan overall

1. Mint Mobile

The best cell phone plan overall

Specifications

Data amount: 5GB
Monthly cost: $15
Parent network: T-Mobile

Reasons to buy

+
 Very affordable
+
Generous data allotments

Reasons to avoid

-
Requires you to pay for a year in advance for best rate

Mint Mobile is a great option to turn to if you want to keep your monthly cell phone bill low. In addition to the 5GB plan, the best Mint Mobile plans include 15GB, 20GB and unlimited data tiers. The most you'll pay for any plan is $30 per month for unlimited data. 

After your three months of service are up, you need to commit to a full year of service to keep the low monthly rate. That means paying up front, which in the case of the 5GB plan is $180. If you can swing that initial cost, Mint provides a great way to lock in a low rate. 

Mint Mobile | 5GB | $15/month - Best overall cheap cell phone plan

Mint Mobile | 5GB | $15/month - <a href="https://mint-mobile.pxf.io/c/221109/444520/7915?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mintmobile.com%2Fplans%2F" data-link-merchant="mintmobile.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Best overall cheap cell phone plan
Mint's 5GB plan is the best cheap plan for most people, as it provides enough data for social media, internet searches and Maps. You'll pay $15 a month for the first three months, before Mint requires you to pay $180 for a full year of service at the same low monthly rate. Coverage is provided on T-Mobile's network and includes 5G on compatible phones.

The best cheap unlimited data plan

2. Visible

The best cheap unlimited data plan

Specifications

Data amount: Unlimited
Monthly cost: $25
Parent network: Verizon

Reasons to buy

+
Low rate
+
Excellent network performance

Reasons to avoid

-
No discounts on additional lines

Visible offers just two plans, both of which have unlimited data. For $25 a month, you get coverage on Verizon's nationwide network — Verizon owns Visible — and the ability to make unlimited calls and texts to Canada and Mexico You can use your phone as a mobile hotspot. The biggest downside is that your network can be slowed at any time if Verizon's network gets congested.

The $45 monthly plan at Visible guarantees you 50GB of high-speed data (i.e., no data throttling), and you can connect to Verizon's faster 5G Ultra Wideband network where available. You can also enjoy calling and texting to more countries. 

Visible | Visible Unlimited | $25/month - Best cheap unlimited data

Visible | Visible Unlimited | $25/month - <a href="https://visible.pxf.io/c/221109/1394244/12909?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.visible.com%2Fplans" data-link-merchant="visible.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Best cheap unlimited data
Even though Visible's $45 Plus plan has the better perks, Visible's $25 unlimited offering is our pick if you want the cheapest unlimited data with no strings attached. It helps that Visible uses Verizon's network for coverage, including 5G coverage.

The best prepaid cell phone plan

3. Verizon

Best prepaid cell phone plan

Specifications

Data amount: 15GB
Monthly cost: $35
Parent network: Verizon

Reasons to buy

+
 Lots of data
+
Great coverage and speeds
+
Nationwide 5G coverage

Reasons to avoid

-
Not the cheapest prepaid option
-
Doesn't use Verizon's faster Ultra Wideband 5G

You'll find three prepaid options at Verizon — one that gives you 15GB of data each month, and the other two promising unlimited data. The more expensive of Verizon's prepaid unlimited plans has the most perks, with access to Verizon's fastest 5G coverage. (Verizon's other prepaid plans can connect to the slower nationwide 5G.) You also get more hotspot data and 180 minutes of talk time with a country of your choosing.

Whichever prepaid plan you get at Verizon, be sure to enroll in autopay as it lowers your rate significantly. We recommend the 15GB option as the best prepaid phone plan — it normally costs $45/month, but the price drops to $35 with autopay enrollment.

Verizon | 15GB prepaid | $35/month - Best prepaid plan

Verizon | 15GB prepaid | $35/month - <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-8900245-15733793?sid=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https://www.verizon.com/plans/prepaid" data-link-merchant="verizon.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Best prepaid plan
Verizon's prepaid plan offers the right mix of price and data. That 15GB per month is more than enough for most users, and autopay discounts bring your monthly rate down to $35. (If you don't enroll in autopay, loyalty discounts eventually drop the rate to $35 if you stick with Verizon for nine months.) Perks are minimal with this plan, but you do get 5G coverage and the ability to use your phone as a mobile hotspot.

The best unlimited data plan overall

4. T-Mobile

Best unlimited data plan overall

Specifications

Data amount: Unlimited data
Monthly cost: $75
Parent network: T-Mobile

Reasons to buy

+
Attractive perks
+
Affordable price

Reasons to avoid

-
Hard to differentiate six unlimited plans

T-Mobile offers half-a-dozen unlimited data plans, starting with a $50 Essentials Saver plan for just one line of data all the way up to the $100 Go5G Next offering that packs in the perks. You'll want to pay careful attention to those perks, as they'll help you determine just how much you should be paying for one of the best unlimited data plans at T-Mobile.

Most customers will find themselves choosing between the Magenta/Magenta Max and Go5G/Go5G Plus/Go5G Next plans. Magenta and Go5G let you use 100GB of data before your speeds are slowed, with Go5G customers getting more hotspot data. Magenta Max and Go5G Plus add streaming and travel perks, plus more hotspot data. Go5G Next is the most expensive plan, but its streaming service package includes free Apple TV Plus, Netflix, MLB.TV and Hulu subscriptions. All T-Mobile plans, save for Essentials, include taxes and fees in their price.

T-Mobile | Go5G unlimited data | $75/month - Best unlimited data plan

T-Mobile | Go5G unlimited data | $75/month - <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X1584493&xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fcell-phone-plans&sref" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - t-mobile.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Best unlimited data plan
We think T-Mobile's Go5G plan is the best option at T-Mobile. You get 15GB of hotspot data to 5GB the less expensive Magenta plan offers; Go5G also sets aside more data to use when you're traveling in Mexico and Canada. With either Go5G or Magenta, you get six months of free Apple TV Plus. For another $15/month, Go5G Plus gives you a full subscription to Apple TV Plus and a Netflix subscription, while boosting travel perks.

The best bulk data plan

5. AT&T

Best bulk data plan

Specifications

Data amount: Unlimited data
Monthly cost: $25
Parent network: AT&T

Reasons to buy

+
Lots of data
+
Low monthly cost

Reasons to avoid

-
Requires big upfront payment
-
Speeds slowed after 16GB of data are used

AT&T's main prepaid plans provide 5GB of data for $30/month or unlimited data at $50. (That unlimited price reflects a $15 discount for enrolling in autopay.) We'd steer you toward AT&T's bulk plan, though, as it promises unlimited data for as low as $25/month if you pay for a full year upfront. Only 16GB of the data in that plans is high-speed data — hit that amount in a given month, and your speeds slow down to 1.5Mbps for the rest of the billing cycle — but 16GB is more than enough for most people.

As noted, you'll have to pay the full year up front.  But if you can swing the $300 upfront cost, this AT&T prepaid plan is a great way to lock in a low rate ahead of time.

AT&amp;T | Unlimited 12-month prepaid | $25/month - Great value on AT&amp;T

AT&T | Unlimited 12-month prepaid | $25/month - <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-8900245-15735111?sid=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https://www.att.com/prepaid/" data-link-merchant="att.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Great value on AT&T
The main carriers rarely offer the best value prepaid plans and these tend to be more common from MVNOs. However, AT&T can be slightly more affordable and flexible than the likes of Sprint or Verizon. While you can pay for one month at a time, the best price is going to come from investing in a 12-month prepaid plan with AT&T by paying $300 upfront. That gives you unlimited data, though speeds will slow down should you use more than 16GB in a month. If you prefer monthly payments, you can get 5GB of data from AT&T for $30 per month.

The best cell phone plan for travel

6. Google Fi

Best cell phone plan for travel

Specifications

Data amount: Unlimited
Monthly cost: $65
Parent network: T-Mobile

Reasons to buy

+
Good for international travel
+
Optimized for Pixel phones

Reasons to avoid

-
There are cheaper options elsewhere

Google has its own wireless carrier, and while Pixel phones are optimized for the network — so are select models from Samsung and Motorola — anyone can use Google Fi.

You have a choice of three plans. The Flexible plans charges $20 for unlimited talk and text plus $10 for every gigabyte of data you use. There are two unlimited plans — one for $50 per month and the other for $65. The $65 Unlimited Plus plan includes travel benefits that let you use your data for no cost when overseas. Other Unlimited Plus perks include a year of YouTube Premium along with 100GB of Google One cloud storage

Google Fi | Unlimited Plus plan | $65/month - Best unlimited plan for travel

Google Fi | Unlimited Plus plan | $65/month - <a href="https://fi.google.com/about/plans/" data-link-merchant="fi.google.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Best unlimited plan for travel
Google Fi's Unlimited Plus plan costs $65/month, with discounts available on additional lines. More importantly, you can use your Google Fi Unlimited Plus plan when you travel to more than 200 other countries with no disruption in service or extra charges; that makes Google Fi Unlimited Plus one of the <a href="https://www.tomsguide.com/us/wireless-carriers-international-travel-plans,review-4327.html" data-link-merchant="tomsguide.com"" data-link-merchant="fi.google.com"">best international phone plans. Unlimited Plus customers now get a year of YouTube Premium, too.

The best family plan overall

7. T-Mobile

Best cell phone plan for families

Specifications

Data amount: Unlimited
Monthly cost: $180(4 lines)
Parent network: T-Mobile

Reasons to buy

+
Free Netflix
+
5G available
+
Data speeds aren't slowed unless you use 100GB

Reasons to avoid

-
Can't mix-and-match T-Mobile unlimited data options

Those six unlimited plans available for individuals T-Mobile can also double as family plans. As a bonus, T-Mobile discounts additional lines as you add them, lowering your overall cost per line with each person.

Even better, a frequent promotion at T-Mobile has the carrier waiving the cost of a third line of data, so families of four can get that fourth line for free.

T-Mobile Go5G | 4-line family plan | $180/month - Best value family plan

T-Mobile Go5G | 4-line family plan | $180/month - <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X1584493&xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fcell-phone-plans&sref" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - t-mobile.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Best value family plan
Go5G also offers more perks than the standard Magenta unlimited data plan, with an extra 10GB of hotspot data and the ability to use more of your data for free when you travel in Canada and Mexico. The perks are even grander with Go5G Plus, but Go5G is the more affordable option — and when T-Mobile waives the cost of a third line, a four-line plan drops to $155/month, instead of the usual $180.

The most flexible plan for families

8. Verizon

Most flexible family plan

Specifications

Data amount: Unlimited
Monthly cost: $180 (4 lines)
Parent network: Verizon

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent coverage with faster 5G service
+
Three-year price guarantee
+
Can mix-and-match plans

Reasons to avoid

-
Perks are $10 add-ons

Like T-Mobile, Verizon adds escalating discounts as you add more lines. Unlike T-Mobile, you can mix and match Verizon's various unlimited plans, so mom and dad can enjoy the more feature-rich Unlimited Plus option, while assigning cheaper Unlimited Welcome plans to the kids.

The $180 price assumes four lines of Unlimited Plus, as it's Verizon's better option if you want faster 5G. As with individual unlimited plans at Verizon, you can add on perks for $10/month, and cancel them at any time.

Verizon Unlimited Plus| 4-line family plan | $180/month -&nbsp;Flexible family plan

Verizon Unlimited Plus| 4-line family plan | $180/month - <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-8900245-15733793?sid=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https://www.verizon.com/plans/unlimited/" data-link-merchant="verizon.com"" target="_blank">Flexible family plan
Unlimited Plus lets you access Ultra Wideband 5G; you also get 30GB of hotspot data, and a three year price-guarantee that your rate will stay the same. For $10/month, you can bundle in add-ons like Disney streaming services, travel passes, and an Apple services bundle. Bring your own device for an additional monthly discount for each phone you have.

The best low-cost option

9. Tello

Best selection of low-cost plans

Specifications

Data amount: 1GB
Monthly cost: $9
Parent network: T-Mobile

Reasons to buy

+
Cheapest cell phone plan
+
Unlimited calls and texts

Reasons to avoid

-
Very limited data at this price

If you want to spend the least amount on data every month, consider Tello, an MVNO that uses T-Mobile's network to provide its coverage. Tello offers six different data plans, which are all priced competitively when compared to other services.

We're highlighting the 1GB plan, which costs $9 a month. But as you can see in our Tello guide, there are also 2GB ($10), 5GB ($14), 10GB ($19), 15GB ($24) and unlimited data ($25) options. Those prices assume unlimited talk and text — you can further reduce your monthly bill by reducing the number of talk minutes you need.

Tello Economy | 1GB | $9/month - Lowest priced cell phone plan

Tello Economy | 1GB | $9/month - <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-8900245-13252628?sid=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https://tello.com/buy/custom_plans" data-link-merchant="tello.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Lowest priced cell phone plan
Tello has added more data to its pricier plans, but the Economy Plan is still the way to go if you want the cheapest possible service. With Tello, you can get a monthly price of $9. You will find yourself limited at 1GB of data in this plan. While you do get unlimited calls and texts, some will find that data cap quite limited so this really is just for those after the lowest monthly cost. Fortunately, jumping up to Tello's 2GB plan costs just $1 more.

The best alternative cell phone plan

10. Cricket Wireless

Alternative plan from overlooked carrier

Specifications

Data amount: 10GB
Monthly cost: $40
Parent network: AT&T

Reasons to buy

+
No more speed caps on Cricket's plans,
+
Autopay discount
+
Includes 5G access

Reasons to avoid

-
Limited perks

AT&T-owned Cricket Wireless has long since stopped capping data speeds on its service, so if you haven't considered Cricket in a while, it's worth a second look. It's an especially attractive option if you prefer AT&T's network, but want a cheaper plan than what AT&T might offer.

Cricket gives you four different options, ranging in price from $30 a month for 5GB of data to a $60 unlimited data plan that includes hotspot data and a subscription to the ad-supported version of the Max streaming service. We'd steer you toward the $40 monthly plan and its 10GB of data because that's a relative value within more monthly budgets.

Cricket Wireless | 10GB | $40/month - A competitive alternative

Cricket Wireless | 10GB | $40/month - <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-8900245-13751603?sid=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https://www.cricketwireless.com/cell-phone-plans" data-link-merchant="cricketwireless.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">A competitive alternative
It used to be easy to dismiss Cricket's prepaid plans because of an 8 Mbps speed cap imposed on downloads. But Cricket's lifted that now and added 5G coverage to all its plans, so this 10GB offering is more compelling than it used to be. You can save $5 per month if you enroll in automatic payments.

The best prepaid plan for families

11. Metro by T-Mobile

Best prepaid cell phone plan for families

Specifications

Data amount: Unlimited
Monthly cost: $100 (4 lines)
Parent network: T-Mobile

Reasons to buy

+
Unlimited data
+
Low-cost per line

Reasons to avoid

-
Very few perks

Prepaid plans typically don't add discounts on additional lines, but Metro by T-Mobile stands out as an exception. All three of Metro's unlimited data options will lower the cost-per-line as you add four lines.

Pricing on unlimited data ranges from $40 to $60 per month for a single line of data, with the three different tiers offering different perks, such as hotspot data and online storage. The $40 plan is probably the most attractive to families, as Metro charges $100 total for four lines.

Metro by T-Mobile | 4-line unlimited data | $100/month - Best prepaid family plan

Metro by T-Mobile | 4-line unlimited data | $100/month - <a href="https://www.metrobyt-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans" data-link-merchant="metrobyt-mobile.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Best prepaid family plan
Take advantage of Metro by T-Mobile's per-line discounts, and you can get four lines of data for $25 each per month on the discount carrier's lowest-cost unlimited data plan. You won't get the hotspot and online storage perks found in other tiers of unlimited data, but you do get to take advantage of T-Mobile's wireless network, including 5G coverage.

How we pick the best cell phone plans

Picking the best cell phone plans requires extensive research on exactly what each carrier offers. That means we're checking the plans available at each of the three major carriers, as you would expect. We also extend that search to lesser know MVNOs, who often offer lower-priced plans.

Once we've gathered all the data on available smartphone plans, we single out the lowest cost options. But because a best cell phone plan isn't a one-size-fits-all choice, we look at the best options from the most popular carriers, as well as compelling values from discount carriers, giving you a wide variety of options to choose the best plan for you. (More on making that decision in a moment.)

Because phone carriers are often changing up their plans, we make it a habit to periodically review what's available. As a result, these rankings get updated at least once a month so that our picks reflect any changes to pricing or perks. When possible, we try to call out promotions that can save you additional money on a new cell phone plan.

How to choose the best cell phone plan for you

Price is a big consideration when looking for the best cell phone plans, especially if you’re getting more than one line for other members of your family. Most carriers offer escalating discounts as you add lines, so you’ll want to compare the total cost of your plan based on the number of lines that require service.

Cell phone plans are about more than just the amount on your bill each month, though. You also need to consider who offers the best coverage in your area and whether they support the phone you’ll want to use. Our guide to the best phone carriers can answer many of those questions, but you’ll also want to ask friends, neighbors and co-workers about how a specific carrier’s coverage is at your home and office if you’re looking to switch wireless providers.

Speaking of switching carriers, the major carriers are all willing to pick up some of the cost to get you to switch. These promotions can vary over time, so we'd suggest keeping an eye on any new carrier deals when you're mulling a switch, as you could find extra ways to save money.

Wireless carriers have spent the past several years building out their 5G coverage, and if you’ve got the right 5G phone, you can benefit from faster speeds if a carrier offers 5G service in your area. T-Mobile includes 5G coverage with all its plans, and that coverage extends to carriers like Metro By-T-Mobile, Mint Mobile and others that use T-Mobile's towers for coverage. AT&T now includes 5G with all its plans, including prepaid options. Verizon does, too, though only some plans include access to that carrier's faster 5G Ultra Wideband network. 

What kind of cell phone plan do I need?

eSIM

(Image credit: AndreyPopov)

As you would expect, there is no simple answer to this and the question is more about what is the best plan for you. This will obviously depend on a wide variety of factors.

For those on a budget and looking for some flexibility, a prepaid cell phone plan will be an excellent way to go. These are often the cheapest options and the lack of contracts is going to be a massive bonus, especially if you like to change up carriers frequently.

If you frequently stream Netflix on the go, like to play games on your phone or just generally drain your data at impressive speeds, an unlimited plan is an excellent way to go — especially as 5G becomes more common.

For more on picking a plan, check out our guide on how much data you need in your cell phone plan.

Family cell phone plans are an excellent way to save money on each phone line, since many carriers drop the per-line cost for each additional line. Some carriers, such as Verizon and AT&T, let you mix and match plans, so parents can get an unlimited line with greater perks, while giving kids a cheaper line of data to save money overall.

If you are simply after the lowest price possible, carriers including Mint Mobile and Tello can offer you really low costs if you don't mind settling for smaller data caps. In some cases, you can also get a lower rate by paying for a full year of service ahead of time, as is the case at Mint Mobile.

MVNOs vs other carriers

MVNOs are a slightly strange concept but they do offer an excellent way to get a cell phone plan on a budget. So what are they and how do they differ from the main carriers.

Firstly, it's important to note the main carriers. These are: AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, which absorbed Sprint in 2020. You can also include US Cellular in that group, though its coverage remains regional compared to the Big Three carriers. These brands use their own technology and run their own regional cellular networks.

MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators), on the other hand, don't own and operate their own technology and instead piggyback off of the services of one of the above brands. This allows them to be far cheaper than the main carriers but does mean they are the first to be restricted during peak usage periods and don't get access to as many additional benefits.

We explain more about this in our MVNO guide, but the main players are:

  • Mint Mobile: runs on T-Mobile
  • Metro by T-Mobile: runs on T-Mobile
  • Cricket Wireless: runs on AT&T
  • Visible: runs on Verizon
  • Xfinity Mobile runs on Verizon
  • Boost Mobile: runs on AT&T

Cell phone plans comparison

Philip Michaels

Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.