When evaluating the best cell phone plans of 2024, we compared everything from the big ticket items—price and coverage—to more granular details including premium data allowances, hotspot access, and the relative value of included perks.
We think the current best cell phone plans are:
- Visible's $45 unlimited plan for its incredible value.
- Mint Mobile's $30 unlimited plan for its awesomely cheap price and 5G coverage.
- US Mobile's Unlimited Premium plan for the best family bundle discounts and perks.
Most of the best-priced plans come from Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). These are smaller carriers that rent access to the major networks. While the plans are often low on perks, they are high on savings.
We've also included alternatives that are just on the cusp of being the best plan for that category. Read on to figure out which is the best cell phone plan for you.
Compare Cell Phone Plans
| Our Plan Pick | Price | Network | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Visible Visible+ plan |
$45/Month | Verizon | View Plan |
|
Mint Mobile Unlimited plan |
$30/Month | T-Mobile | View Plan |
|
US Mobile Unlimited Premium plan |
$90-160/Month (2-4 lines) |
Verizon, T-Mobile | View Plan |
|
T-Mobile Go5G Plus plan |
$90/Month | T-Mobile | View Plan |
| Twigby Unlimited Talk, Text + 20GB Data | $25/Month | Verizon | View Plan |
How to pick the best cell phone plan
Not all phone plans are created equal. Use these factors to find the best phone plan to meet your needs:
- Price & value
Make sure that you’re getting the most bang for your buck without sacrificing on the essentials to keep you connected. - High-speed data
Look at the allotment of guaranteed “premium” data to see if you're paying for data you don’t need. Most customers only use 10-15GB of high-speed data per month. - Coverage & network reliability
Your carrier’s nationwide 4G LTE and 5G coverage is vital to predict your service quality. Some networks may offer larger 5G networks or faster speeds in your area. - Plan extras and perks
If you get free Netflix or a hefty hotspot, factor those in relative to the cost of the plan. Don't get fooled into buying a more expensive plan just to get a streaming perk. - Solo plans vs. family plans
Some plans are designed for single customers while other carriers offer multi-line discounts for family plans. - International perks
Travel frequently? Select a plan that has international perks included or available at a low-cost.
Jump down to our methodology below for more detail on how we evaluate phone plans.
Mint Mobile deals: All plans for $15 and free Paramount+
Mint Mobile's best deal of the year is back. For a limited time, all of Mint's 3-month plan packages are just $15/month—that's a full 50% off its Unlimited plan. Pay $45 upfront and get unlimited talk, text, and 5G data for a full three months.
New customers can score even more value by snagging a free 6-month subscription to Paramount+ with their plan.
These deals are only available for a limited time, so take advantage while you can.
Best cell phone plan overall
Visible | Visible+ plan | $45/month
- Pros: Excellent price for unlimited data; 50GB guaranteed premium allowance; access to Verizon's awesome 4G LTE and fastest 5G networks; international roaming included; unlimited 5Mbps hotspot data
- Cons: No dedicated high-speed hotspot; no options for add-on perks like streaming or storage
We've loved Visible's original unlimited plan for what feels like forever. We've been testing speeds and coverage aboard Visible, and indeed the carrier delivers. Now the deal just got a whole lot sweeter since the Verizon-backed carrier introduced a brand new unlimited plan that's just $5 more than its previous pricing but offers a WHOLE lot more in terms of value.
As a subsidiary of Verizon, Visible offers access to the most formidable 4G LTE network in the country without having to pay an arm and a leg. The enhanced $45 Visible+ plan offers 50GB of premium full-speed data, which means you have a full 50GB of 4G LTE or 5G speeds before any chance of experiencing slower data. For comparison, the original plan offered no guaranteed high-speed data at all, and the only other MVNO carrier in Visible's class to offer premium data this robust is US Mobile. The Visible+ plan also offers access to Verizon's lightning-fast ultra-wideband 5G network, rather than just its standard 5G nationwide network.
While there's no dedicated high-speed hotspot allowance, Visible does allow for unlimited hotspot usage at 5Mbps speeds. You also get enhanced roaming benefits on Visible+, including unlimited talk, text and data roaming in Mexico and Canada, plus calling from the U.S. to 30+ international locations and texting to 200+ countries. Lastly, you can save $10/month on a Verizon Home Internet plan when you sign up for Visible+, helping you lower your phone and internet budget even more when you bundle them together.
We'd be remiss not to note that Visible's original best-in-class unlimited talk, text, data, and hotspot plan is still around, and is now $15 cheaper than its original price, at just $25/month, so you have the option to save even more if you want to skip the extras included in Visible+. Just note that on this base plan, your data can still be deprioritized at any time in favor of Verizon subscribers (though this hasn't been much of an issue for us as we've been testing the service).
View PlanCheck out our other favorite single-line phone plans to explore even more options that fit your budget.
Best cheap phone plans
If you're looking for the best cell phone plan but don't want to spend a lot of money, you've come to the right place. Below are the best cheap cell phone plans from Mint Mobile and Boost Infinite.
Mint Mobile | Unlimited plan | $30/month—Best overall
- Pros: Super cheap price for unlimited talk, text, and data; access to T-Mobile network; unlimited hotspot included (10GB high-speed)
- Cons: No entertainment perks
Visible isn't the only small carrier to offer unlimited data at an ultra-cheap price. There's also Mint Mobile, the Ryan Reynolds-owned brand that sells its plans in multi-month blocks.
Mint Mobile's Unlimited plan is the best prepaid phone plan for customers on a budget. It costs just $30/month for the first three months, and $40/month thereafter if you stay with a 3- or 6-month plan block. However, you can lock in that cheap $30/month price by signing up for a full year of service.
As with Visible, Mint runs on a major carrier's national network—in this case, T-Mobile—so rest assured you'll have solid 4G LTE and 5G coverage. The plan includes unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada, and the ability to use your data as a hotspot. You can check out our full review of Mint's service, as well as our head-to-head comparison of how Mint and Visible measure up.
View Plan
Tello | Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data | $25/month—Runner-up
- Pros: Great 5G coverage, 35GB premium data, excellent price
- Cons: 5G hotspot is smaller than some other options
If you're not into all of the extras and add-ons that jack up the price of most phone plans, the Tello Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data plan from Tello will be right up your alley. For just $25/month, you get 35GB of premium data, a 5GB mobile hotspot, text, and data with robust coverage on T-Mobile's 4G LTE and 5G networks.
As part of our Tello review, we tested the Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data plan for one month to see how well it worked. Our reviewer was unable to run out of data over the course of a month, so average users should have plenty of data from this plan.
View PlanPeruse our picks for the best cheap cell phone plans to see even more inexpensive options.
Best major carrier phone plans
While the smaller carriers are making huge gains in offering seriously competitive phone plans, there remain several reasons to opt for a plan from one of "the Big Three". By owning and operating their own networks, they offer guaranteed priority over MVNO customers during times of heavy network activity. You also can visit brick-and-mortar retail stores for both shopping and customer service needs. And each carrier consistently offers deep cell phone deals on the latest phones.
T-Mobile | Go5G Plus | $90/month
- Pros: High-speed data all the time; 50GB of mobile hotspot data; free Netflix; nation's best 5G network
- Cons: Expensive compared to similar plans from carriers like US Mobile; sketchy 4G LTE coverage in rural America
T-Mobile has long been a front-runner when it comes to unlimited data plans thanks to all of the perks packaged with them. Go5G Plus includes everything you'd want from a major carrier unlimited data plan—and more. This includes (deep breath): a huge 50GB of dedicated mobile hotspot data, a free Netflix subscription for 1 screen, unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi on Gogo-enabled U.S. flights, usable data speeds in 210+ countries, and zero data deprioritization thresholds (i.e., high-speed data all the time regardless of how much you use).
Go5G Plus mirrors the price of AT&T's top-tier unlimited plan but with several additional inclusions. The downside: T-Mobile's 4G LTE network coverage falls last compared to AT&T and Verizon, and its reliability is especially patchy in rural areas of the country. But if you're in an urban or suburban area—especially where T-Mobile's nation-best 5G network is strong—we firmly recommend Go5G Plus.
Go to SiteIf you know you want truly unlimited data but don't want to go with T-Mobile, there are plenty of other unlimited plans available right now.
Best family phone plans
Signing up with your family or friends for a multi-line family cell phone plan can significantly decrease your monthly costs—in some cases, down to nearly half of what you'd otherwise pay. Plus, many family plans come bundled with attractive entertainment perks. Here are some of the best cell phone plans for families and groups.
US Mobile | Unlimited Premium | $50/month—Best cheap family plan
- Pros: Incredibly cheap price for unlimited data; access to Verizon or T-Mobile network, huge premium data allowance, hotspot and international data included, multi-line entertainment perks
- Cons: Must choose between carrier networks (can't use both based on coverage area)
US Mobile is a serious contender for one of the best phone carriers, with its Unlimited Premium, Unlimited Starter, Kosher, and Light plans giving major carriers a run for their money. We love Unlimited Premium because it's chock-full of desirable features for incredible value, backed by either of two excellent networks—Verizon or T-Mobile. At just $50/month, you enjoy unlimited talk, text, and data, including 100GB of premium Warp Speed 5G speeds if available in your area. You also get 50GB of hotspot data, 5-10GB of international roaming data (depending on your destination), and calling/texting within over 100 countries.
If you decide to turn this into a multi-line family plan, you also get to choose from extra perks like access to Apple TV+, HBO Max, Spotify, Audible, and more. Rivals like Visible and Mint Mobile don't offer nearly this level of value with their unlimited options.
New annual pricing for US Mobile plans
US Mobile now offers an even cheaper option for all of its plans: annual pricing. When you pay for a full year of service upfront, you can save 25-40% on the single-line plan price (family plans aren't eligible for the discount). Unlimited Premium, for example, will cost you $450 for a full year, which breaks down to $37.50/month.
The annual pricing breaks down as follows:
- Light plan: $72/year ($6/month, 40% off)
- Kosher plan: $90/year ($7.50/month, 40% off)
- Unlimited Starter: $276/year ($23/month, 25% off)
- Unlimited Premium: $450/year ($37.50/month, 25% off)
T-Mobile | Go5G Plus 3-line family plan | $150/month—Best family plan for perks
- Pros: Truly free high-speed unlimited data for all; solid network coverage; big hotspot data allowances (50GB/month per line); just $50/line
- Cons: Cheaper family plan options on MVNO carrier market
We realize we've listed Go5G Plus twice in this list, but with good reason. As mentioned previously, T-Mobile's Go5G Plus plan includes truly unlimited high-speed data—i.e. no potential data deprioritization, ever—in addition to a dedicated 50GB of mobile hotspot data per month and free Netflix for all. It doesn't end there, though: you also get unlimited calling to and from Mexico and Canada, plus 5GB of high-speed data in those countries, unlimited texting and data in 210+ countries and destinations, and unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi on U.S.-based flights with Gogo.
Go5G Plus's price for three lines: $150/month with all taxes and fees included. That breaks down to just $50/month per line, which is marginally more than some of the cheaper MVNOs. It pays to go family-style!
Go to SiteWant to check out more family plans? Head over to our best family plans guide or our guide to the best phone plans for two.
Best prepaid phone plans
We've already listed some great prepaid phone plans to go with—but there are plenty more that are worth considering. Here's one of our favorites.
Twiggy | Unlimited Talk, Text + 20GB Data | $25/month
- Pros: 20GB of guaranteed high-speed data; mobile hotspot; low price
- Cons: We can't think of any!
Not everyone needs an unlimited plan. Here's an excellent limited-data plan with more than enough high-speed data to meet the average customer's needs for just $25/month. Twigby operates on the Verizon network, so you'll have access to the largest 4G LTE network in the nation.
This plan offers 20GB of high-speed data. Since the average customer only uses 10-15GB of data in a given month, that's more than enough for most people. Plus, you can use part of your data for mobile hotspot capability if you wish. While this is a no-frills plan, it offers the exact features that most customers need for a price you'll love.
View PlanIf you're looking for a plan that offers 55+ perks we've found the best plans for seniors.
How we picked the best phone plans
WhistleOut evaluates phone plans based on the following criteria:
- Price & value: Not all cheap plans are “bad,” and not all expensive plans are worth it. We look at everything a plan includes and compare it both to other plans from the same carrier, as well as similar plans from competitors in the market, to determine whether the value is consistent with the price.
- High-speed data: Also called “premium” data, this is how much data you get at full 4G/5G speeds before they can or will slow down. The more guaranteed high-speed data the plan includes, the better experience you’ll generally have—but there’s also usually a limit to how much you actually need, and we ensure that you’re not overpaying for data that will go unused.
- Coverage & network reliability: The breadth of each carrier’s 4G LTE and 5G networks determines your reception and service. Particularly in the case of 5G, some carriers offer far more robust coverage than others, which affects how their phone plans perform in different parts of the country.
- Plan extras & perks: In addition to the basics—talk, text, and data—some plans throw in freebies like hotspot allowances, cloud storage, entertainment subscriptions, or service discounts.
Our mobile experts leveraged proprietary data and real-world customer feedback to evaluate plan options, analyzing their coverage, cost, and inclusions. We considered plan-specific elements, including perks, premium data allowances, and mobile hotspot allocations. After performing hands-on testing and extensive research, we picked the best plans we feel meet the needs of most people.
Visit our guide to choosing a phone plan to dive deeper into how we evaluate plans and carriers, and how to pick the right plan for yourself or your family.
Lauren Hannula
Lauren is WhistleOut's Managing Editor. In her 14 years of digital writing and publishing experience, she's developed a passion for breaking down overly complicated topics to make them accessible to the Average Joe or Josephine. At WhistleOut, that means demystifying the tech industry and offering solutions that are easy, affordable, and help make the most of the tech you already have in your pocket. She also now knows far too many phone plans by heart.
Lauren's work has appeared in industry stalwarts such as CNET, Forbes, and Yahoo! Finance. When not perfecting her iPhone photography, Lauren spends her time marathon training, baking and eating her emotions, and chauffeuring her dog around.
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