Picking an affordable phone plan with unlimited calling, texting, and data can be pretty overwhelming. Each mobile carrier—whether prepaid or contract—offers additional perks from Netflix subscriptions to mobile hotspots.
While unlimited calls and texts are universal, data is more complicated. Most carriers throttle your data after you pass a certain threshold. Let's take a look at different unlimited phone plans and how they compare.
Prepaid Unlimited Plans for iPhone and Android
Prepaid carriers—also known as mobile virtual network operators (MVNO)—rely on major carriers for their networks. But they allow you to get many of the same perks, often at a lower price and without a contract. Here are some of the cheapest phone plans with unlimited everything.
1. Boost
Boost offers an unlimited plan in three tiers, the cheapest of which comes with a 12GB hotspot and 35GB of data at 5G speeds. The more expensive plan gives you 30GB of hotspot instead of 12, and that is the only difference.
For the cheapest unlimited phone plan, the price drops the more lines you add:
- One line: $50 per month.
- Two lines: $80 per month.
- Three lines: $110 per month.
- Four lines: $140 per month.
- Five lines: $170 per month.
Boost's data deprioritization applies during congestion regardless of how much data you use.
2. Metro by T-Mobile
Metro by T-Mobile has three unlimited data plans. The $40/month plan includes unlimited talk, text, and data along with a one-year subscription to VIX+. You also get access to free scam protection from ScanShield, and T-Mobile Tuesdays, which gives you free discounts weekly.
The $50/month plan includes everything previously mentioned, as well as 5GB of hotspot data and a 100GB Google One membership.
The $60/month plan includes 20GB of hotspot data, as well as unlimited texting to 200+ countries and destinations. It also includes all the extras featured in previous plans.
For the cheapest tier, the price will drop as you add lines:
- One line: $40 per month.
- Two lines: $80 per month.
- Three lines: $90 per month.
- Four lines: $100 per month.
- Five lines: $125 per month.
On Metro, exceeding 35GB per month could see your speed throttled during "congestion." In most cases, you can only get discounted additional lines in-store.
3. Mint Mobile
You may have seen commercials for Mint Mobile, one of the newer wireless carriers on the market. Owned by Ryan Reynolds, Mint Mobile is one of the fastest-growing prepaid phone plans.
Mint Mobile is known for having cheap phone plans, but they only have one unlimited plan. However, the data plan is affordable at just $40/month for unlimited talk, text, and data. This plan also includes 5GB of hotspot and free international calls to Mexico and Canada.
However, Mint Mobile gives you the opportunity to save more. If you prepay 12 months in advance, you will only pay $30/month. New customers can also get the $30/month without having to purchase a new plan.
Mint Mobile also offers eSIM, so you don't even have to wait for a SIM card in the mail.
4. Cricket Wireless
Cricket Wireless has two unlimited plans: one that includes a 15GB hotspot and one that doesn't. The plan with the hotspot has the highest speeds while promising not to slow your data. This plan also includes a free HBO Max plan.
The cheaper plan is just a classic unlimited plan. This plan doesn't make any promises about data speeds.
On the cheapest unlimited data plan, the price gets lower as you add more lines:
- One line: $55 per month.
- Two lines: $80 per month.
- Three lines: $90 per month.
- Four lines: $100 per month.
- Five lines: $125 per month.
With the cheaper plan and the premium plan at just a $5 difference, users might upgrade instead. It might also be worth mentioning that the Cricket $60/plan frequently offers free phone deals.
The Best Prepaid Plan for Phones
Looking purely at the cheapest tier, both Mint and Metro give you the best value for money. While Mint gives you more opportunities to save, Metro offers decent perks that could also save you money in the long run.
Contract Unlimited Plans for Phones
With a contract plan, no matter which popular mobile carrier you choose, enrolling in autopay and paperless billing ensures the lowest bill possible. You'll also find that the more lines you add to your plan, the cheaper each line becomes.
5. AT&T
AT&T offers three unlimited plans: AT&T Unlimited Premium, AT&T Unlimited Extra, and AT&T Unlimited Starter. The lower-tier package comes with standard-definition streaming, automatic fraud blocking, as well as unlimited calls and roaming in the US, Mexico, and Canada. This plan also offers 3GB of hotspot data.
The cost depends on how many lines you add to your plan. The prices below include an autopay discount:
- One line: $65 per month.
- Two lines: $120 per month.
- Three lines: $135 per month.
- Four lines: $140 per month.
- Five lines: $150 per month
For the Unlimited Starter plan, AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds when the network is congested. Only the Premium Plan won't slow your speeds. If you're looking for a good family plan, AT&T is one of the best cell phone family plans.
6. T-Mobile
As you'd expect, T-Mobile also has a range of unlimited plans. T-Mobile plans also offer a lot of perks including T-Mobile Tuesdays, where T-Mobile users get a free gift or discount every week.
The Essentials plan is the cheapest T-Mobile plan and it includes 50GB of high-speed 5G or 4G LTE data and unlimited hotspot usage at 3G speeds. This plan also includes Paramount+ for one year for free.
International texting is also included for free as is usage in Canada and Mexico.
The plan prices below are per line with the auto-pay discount included:
- One line: $65 per month.
- Two lines: $90 per month.
- Three lines: $90 per month (3rd line free)
- Four lines: $100 per month.
- Five lines: $125 per month.
If you cross the 50GB threshold, T-Mobile may temporarily slow data speeds when the network is congested.
If you like the idea of extra perks, you can also upgrade to the Magenta plan for $70/month and get 5GB of high-speed hotspot and 100GB of premium data.
7. Spectrum Mobile
If you're looking for an unlimited plan without all the bells and whistles, you might want to consider Spectrum.
With Spectrum, you get an affordable monthly plan that includes talk, text, and data for just $30/month per line. Spectrum Mobile uses Verizon Wireless towers, so, in instances of high data usage, Spectrum might throttle your speed. Still, it's an affordable plan.
However, this affordable plan does have a downside. You need to have a residential or business Spectrum Internet plan to sign up for Spectrum Mobile. Spectrum Internet also isn't available everywhere.
8. Verizon
Verizon offers a diverse set of unlimited plans: 5G Start, 5G Do More, 5G Play More, and 5G Get More.
The basic Verizon plan, 5G Start, is comparable to basic plans on other lines. With this plan, you get unlimited talk, text, and data as well as 5GB of 5G hotspot. While Verizon might throttle your data speed, there is no threshold, so you do have the opportunity to experience 5G unlimited data all month long.
The more expensive Verizon plans do include quite a few perks, but the 5G start plan lets you try these perks out for free. With this plan, you get a 6-month trial to Disney+, Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass, and Apple Music.
- One line: $70 per month.
- Two lines: $120 per month.
- Three lines: $135 per month.
- Four lines: $140 per month.
- Five Lines: $150 per month
The prices above include a $10 discount for enrolling in autopay and paperless billing.
The Best Contract Plan for Phones
Looking purely at the cheap phone plans each carrier offers, there are a couple of winners. If you have Spectrum Internet, the clear winner would be Spectrum Mobile. You can't beat $30/month for an unlimited, one-line plan. While there are no perks, the perks that the other plans offer would still add up to be cheaper with Spectrum Mobile.
If you can't get Spectrum, T-Mobile is the next clear winner. If you're a frequent traveler, T-Mobile will save you money in the long run with its roaming and in-flight perks.
Verizon also offers great perks and would be the choice over AT&T if you were debating one of the two largest carriers.
The Best Cheap Unlimited Phone Plans
In addition to unlimited data and perks, there are other considerations to keep in mind when choosing one of the major carriers, including coverage, travel features, and budget-friendly plans. You'll need to weigh the pros and cons of each service before you commit to a prepaid or contract plan.