Whether you’re a social media doomscroller or a frequent video caller, unlimited data is definitely an enticing perk for most smartphone users. Forget jumping on shoddy airport WiFi or rationing monthly allowances — the right carrier can grant you limitless data, eliminating the need to worry about any of that. With that in mind, we’ve
Whether you’re a social media doomscroller or a frequent video caller, unlimited data is definitely an enticing perk for most smartphone users. Forget jumping on shoddy airport WiFi or rationing monthly allowances — the right carrier can grant you limitless data, eliminating the need to worry about any of that. With that in mind, we’ve gathered the best unlimited data plans for your cell phone below, based on our extensive testing and research.
As the particular coverage area of a carrier should be your primary consideration, we’ve selected the best unlimited data plans from each major carrier in the US: Verizon’s Unlimited Plus plan, T-Mobile’s Experience More 2.0 plan, and AT&T’s Extra 2.0 plan. These tiers are not the carriers’ cheapest or most expensive options; they’re happy mediums offering the best value for most people with full network access and still liberal mobile hot spot data.
We’ve also listed Mint Mobile’s Unlimited 12-month plan and Visible’s Plus Pro annual plan as budget options. While both offer unrivaled long-term value at especially low cost, especially for fewer lines, note that premium unlimited data plans from major carriers can still be surprisingly affordable, and perhaps easier to manage, with multiple lines.
Our top picks for the best unlimited data plans
Best from Verizon: Unlimited Plus Plan – See at Verizon
Best from T-Mobile: Experience More 2.0 Plan – See at T-Mobile
Best from AT&T: Extra 2.0 Plan – See at AT&T
Best budget: Mint Mobile Unlimited 12-Month Plan – See at Mint Mobile
Best budget alternative: Visible Plus Pro 12-Month plan – See at Visible
Best Verizon unlimited data plan
Verizon Unlimited Plus Plan
Verizon’s Unlimited Plus plan offers unlimited “premium data,” so you don’t have to worry about data caps or slower speeds when the network is congested. Other carriers also offer this in some of their plans, but Verizon has the best overall coverage, includes excellent perks, and it’s not even the carrier’s most expensive option.
Verizon’s Unlimited Plus plan offers the best balance of features, data connectivity, and value. We like the Unlimited Plus plan’s truly unlimited premium data, with no data caps and speeds not artificially reduced by network traffic. It also offers access to Verizon’s fastest 5G network.
The Unlimited Plus plan is pricey, starting at $80/month for a single line with the auto-pay discount. However, the monthly cost per line decreases as you add more lines, making it more affordable to add friends and family to the plan. For four lines, it can go as low as $42.50/month, and Verizon is, accordingly, our top choice among the best family cell phone plans.
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For the high-end price, however, the Unlimited Plus plan gives you the peace of mind that you’ll always get the fastest speeds available in your coverage area.
To be sure, Verizon’s cheaper Unlimited Welcome plan, which starts at $65/month for a single line (with an auto-pay discount), also includes truly unlimited data. With four lines, the monthly cost per line lowers to $27.50. However, you don’t have access to Verizon’s fastest 5G network, and your line is subject to deprioritization, meaning data speeds can be artificially throttled when the network is congested. It also doesn’t include the features below.
The Unlimited Plus plan includes 30GB of mobile hot spot data monthly. That’s plenty of data to connect a laptop or tablet to browse the web, send emails, watch videos, or scroll through social media.
Assess Verizon’s coverage map and check with local friends, neighbors, or social media like Nextdoor to ensure adequate coverage.
Best T-Mobile unlimited data plan
T-Mobile Experience More 2.0 Plan
T-Mobile’s Experience More plan is an excellent for most people with good T-Mobile coverage, as it comes with unlimited premium data, a generous 60GB of mobile hotspot data, tempting discounts on popular streaming services like Netflix and Apple TV Plus, and comprehensive international features.
T-Mobile’s Experience More 2.0 offers an excellent balance of features, data connectivity, and value. We like the plan’s truly unlimited premium data without hidden data caps or deprioritization. However, speeds can still be naturally affected if the network is bandwidth-constrained. The plan also offers access to T-Mobile’s fastest 5G data speeds.
Starting at $85/month for a single line (with an auto-pay discount), the Experience More plan is very pricey for one or two lines. Yet, it’s well-suited for those who can add friends and family to their plan. The total monthly cost for three lines is $140, which translates to about $47 per line. Add a fourth line, and the monthly cost reduces to $42.50 a month per line, which is an excellent value.
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However, thanks to T-Mobile’s premium data plan, single-line users can rest assured they’ll get unlimited data at the fastest speeds available in their coverage area. There’s no data deprioritization here.
T-Mobile’s cheaper Essentials Saver 2.0 plan costs $50/month for a single line. It includes a generous 50GB of premium data with access to T-Mobile’s fastest 5G network. Lines that use over 50GB of data are then deprioritized. Essentials customers may also notice slower speeds than other customers during periods of congestion, per T-Mobile, and the plan doesn’t include the features listed below.
The plan includes 50GB of mobile hot spot data, which easily suffices for web browsing and sending emails on laptops and tablets, and even allows plenty of headroom for video streaming.
Texting and WiFi connectivity on flights are also included, and video streaming is possible when it’s available, depending on the airline and flight. T-Mobile also lets you upgrade phones every two years, compared to the typical three-year upgrade window.
T-Mobile also offers a partial discount on Apple TV Plus and a free ad-supported Netflix Standard plan with the Experience More 2.0 plan.
To ensure coverage in your area, check T-Mobile’s coverage map and survey local sources like friends, neighbors, and online forums.
Best AT&T unlimited data plan
AT&T Extra 2.0 Plan
AT&T’s Extra 2.0 plan offers truly unlimited data, 100GB of which is “premium data,” which is limited compared to competing plans but still more than enough for most people.
AT&T’s Extra 2.0 Plan offers a great balance of features, data connectivity, and value. The plan includes 100GB of premium data before deprioritization, which is less generous than the truly unlimited premium data you get with Verizon and T-Mobile’s comparable plans. However, 100GB should easily suffice for most people, and you still get unlimited data after 100GB, though it’s subject to speed throttling when the network is congested.
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Starting at $70/month for a single line with the auto-pay discount, the Extra 2.0 plan is slightly more affordable than Verizon and T-Mobile’s equivalent offerings. The plan becomes more affordable with each additional line, with the monthly price per line dropping to $40 at four lines.
AT&T’s Extra 2.0 plan comes with 50GB of mobile hot spot data, which is more than enough data to browse the web and send emails from a laptop, with even some headroom for video streaming.
Check AT&T’s coverage map and local sources to ensure coverage.
Best budget unlimited data plan
Mint Mobile Unlimited 12-Month Plan
Mint Mobile’s Unlimited plans include unlimited data subject to deprioritization. Running on T-Mobile’s network, Mint Mobile’s 12-month prepaid plan offers exceptional long-term value, especially for single and double line accounts.
Mint Mobile’s Unlimited 12-month plan for $30/month (or $15/month with a limited-time discount) offers incredible value for truly unlimited data. As a budget-friendly mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), Mint Mobile is understandably lighter on extra features than the premium plans from major carriers. Still, it may offer all that most people need in an unlimited plan.
Mint Mobile runs on the network of its parent company, T-Mobile, and its data is subject to deprioritization behind T-Mobile’s higher-paying customers. While Mint Mobile’s unlimited plan is truly unlimited, going beyond 35GB of monthly data can deprioritize speeds for users on the carrier’s lower data tiers, but only during periods of congestion.
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The Unlimited plan from Mint Mobile includes 10GB of mobile hot spot data, which should be plenty for browsing the web and sending emails from a laptop, and even the occasional video stream, with an emphasis on occasional.
Mint Mobile doesn’t include access to high-band 5G networks, also known as mmWave 5G networks, but most people may not notice. The carrier advertises typical speeds between 79 and 357 Mbps, which is more than fast enough for most common phone activities.
Mint Mobile’s plans are prepaid in three-, six-, or 12-month increments, with lower monthly prices for longer intervals. Thanks to its contract-free, subscription-style format, it’s easy to avoid unnecessary fees and add-ons. It’s our top pick among the best cheap cell phone plans for eligible users.
Mint Mobile runs on T-Mobile’s network, so consider its coverage map and local T-Mobile sources to determine whether the network works in your area. For further assessment, see our Mint Mobile review and Mint Mobile vs. T-Mobile guide. If you’re already looking to join, check out our guide to the best Mint Mobile deals to get the best discount on your membership.
Best budget alternative
If T-Mobile’s service doesn’t perform well in your area, then our other favorite budget MVNO option is Visible, which uses Verizon towers instead. It offers truly unlimited, prioritized data on all of its plans, the top tier being Visible Plus Pro, which costs $45 a month (or $39 a month with the promo code SAVE6). It’s on sale sporadically throughout the year, making deals like the current 50% off annual plan promotion a good time to sign up.
Owned by our top pick, Verizon, it uses the provider’s towers to provide similarly reliable service at a considerably lower price, in exchange for fewer bells and whistles.
That doesn’t mean that Visible Plus Pro doesn’t come with sweet perks, though. For that $45 monthly starting price, it comes with truly unlimited premium data, automatic high-risk spam call blocking, included smartwatch service, limitless hotspot data, and more.
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One of the best features of Visible Plus Pro is its built-in travel accommodations. The provider’s Global Pass is the equivalent of a travel eSIM, allowing users to use data, make calls, and send texts while abroad without racking up a hefty bill. Plus Pro automatically grants customers 24 Global Pass days every year, free to use immediately. It’s a simple in-app setting to toggle it on and off.
If you don’t travel as much, or don’t care too much about “premium” data, the MVNO’s two cheaper plans, Visible and Visible Plus, start at $25 and $25 a month, respectively.
The main limitation of Visible as an overall provider is its lack of family or group plans. Each user needs their own account and to sign in; there are no multi-user plans. This may not be a major problem for couples or friend groups, but for families with kids, it makes account management and payment unnecessarily difficult.
If that’s not a problem for you, check out Visible’s coverage map to ensure your region has reliable service available. You can also learn more about our experiences testing it in our Visible review and Mint Mobile vs. Visible guide. Also, keep tabs on our guide to the best Visible deals to find the right sign-up discount.
How we test unlimited data plans
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We test unlimited data plans at scale as part of our broader testing for the best cell phone plans, using standard criteria and special considerations.
With preset data limits for nominal unlimited plans, or the lack thereof on truly unlimited plans, our primary focus is testing data speeds on a carrier’s 5G and LTE networks. We also perform tests with varying LTE signal strengths across low-, mid-, and high-band 5G networks.
We test for and note deprioritized data speeds to see how they affect the experience of data-intensive tasks like video streaming. While our testing is often specific to particular locations, coverage varies widely across the US and even within a single ZIP code. As noted above and below, we direct readers to review coverage maps and consult local sources to determine which carrier will work best in their area.
Overall, we consider our test results, combined with our general experience with the plan in daily use, and assess its value accordingly. We also consider mobile hot spot data allotment and perks, like discounts to streaming services.
What to look for in unlimited data plans
Sarah Saril/Business Insider
The first thing you need to know is which carrier has the coverage you need in the area where you’ll be using an unlimited plan, whether it’s your hometown, a place you often visit, or a combination of both. Without adequate coverage, a plan is useless. Check the coverage maps from Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Mint Mobile, Visible, and crowdsource locally to confirm coverage and inform your selection.
You can also assess whether you need premium features, like access to high-band 5G networks, prioritized top-speed data, and generous mobile hot spot data. If you don’t, you can opt for a cheaper plan, which, like Mint Mobile’s plans, can still feature truly unlimited data, though at deprioritized speeds during congestion.
For major carriers with premium plans, look for the price-per-line for the plan you’ve selected and see if you can get as many lines on the plan as possible to get the best possible value. Also, look out for extra perks, like discounts on streaming channels and other services, which can notably lower your total monthly expenditures.
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