The Best Individual and Family Cell Phone Plans in 2021

Best Individual Plan

For those looking for an individual plan, we think the T-Mobile “10 GB” plan is ideal.

$50 T-Mobile “10 GB”

For individuals, the best single line plan is the T-Mobile “10 GB” plan for $50/month. Taxes and fees are included as well!

You’ll get 10 GB of LTE data and unlimited minutes and text messages. After 10 GB, there won’t be any overage charges, but you may have a slower data speed when your area has heavy network usage.

For two lines, this plan is $80/month, which is pretty good. Although this plan supports up to 5 lines, we have better family plan suggestions.

Best Family Plan

The easiest way to lower your cell phone bill is to put your entire family on a shared plan.

$35 / line T-Mobile “One”

The best family plan is the T-Mobile “One” plan for as low as $35/line. Taxes and fees are included as well!

You’ll get 50 GB of LTE data to share among all users and unlimited minutes and text messages. After 50 GB, there won’t be any overage charges, but you may have a slower data speed when your area has heavy network usage.

For example, for 4 lines on the T-Mobile “One” plan costs the total cost is $140 ($35/line).

Cheaper Family Plan

While we think T-Mobile is has the best family plan, Sprint is currently cheaper.

$20 / lineSprint “Unlimited”

The Sprint “Unlimited” plan has a promo offer that makes it as low as $20/line, but doesn’t include taxes and fees.

For example, 4 lines on Sprint “Unlimited” costs just $100/month (and a 5^th line is free). However, this promotional pricing lasts for one year, then it goes to $160/month (or $190 if you added a 5^th line).

“Big Four” Carriers

AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon are collectively called the Big Four. These are the largest and most established carriers in the United States.

Because most readers will either have or are thinking of switching to another one, we’ve focus most information on them.

MVNO Carriers

When relevant, we also highlight some of our favorite MVNO carriers, such as Mint, Straight Talk, and Virgin Mobile.

These Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) carriers essentially rent the networks of the Big Four but can pass savings onto you.

Voice & Text

Nearly every plan included unlimited minutes for calls and every plan includes unlimited text messages. There’s no longer a need to worry about “nights and weekends” or rollover minutes.

Because calls and texts are included, you should focus on more on differences on included data. Apps and services such as iMessage, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, and Skype all use data, not voice and text messages.

Network Quality

Network quality varies greatly by location and sometimes by carrier. Generally speaking, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile have good enough quality, with some performing better in some locations than others.

You should check a carrier’s coverage map to ensure your area has good service:

Over the past year few years, all carriers have introduced or brought back “unlimited” data plans. However, all plans put some kind of limitation on how much data you can use (“data cap”). Some plans also have speed restrictions that prevent you from getting full 4G LTE speeds.

If you’re not sure how much data you need, you should check you current bill for average usage from the past few months. On average, most people use less than 4 GB of data per month. If have multiple lines, you should add up the usage from all of the lines.

AT&T and Verizon plans give you up to 22 GB before throttling; Sprint gives up to 23 GB; and T-Mobile gives up to a generous 50 GB. (Some cheaper plans from these carriers give less data.)

Pooled Data: If you choose to have a family plan, all of the lines will share the same pool of data.

Here’s some good news: while there is a data cap on your “unlimited” data, there is no penalty or surcharge for exceeding them. Once you go over your data cap, you’ll usually just have reduced speed until the next billing cycle.

Although Straight Talk doesn’t throttle you after 60 GB, but your account may be reviewed for potential terms of service violations.

Tethering

If you’re in an area without Wi-Fi and want to share you’re phone’s data connection, most plans will allow you to tether your devices.

Sprint and T-Mobile plans allow tethering. The “Unlimited” plans from AT&T and Verizon also allow tethering.

Additional Devices

Most plans allow you to add cellular-enabled tablets, wearables (such as smartwatches), mobile hotspots, or vehicles. Most wearables cost $10/month while Tablets, Hotspots, and Cars cost $20/month.

International Calls

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon include free calling to Canada and Mexico from the United States. Sprint charges at least $0.49/minute, but you can add a $5 add-on that includes unlimited calls to Canada and Mexico.

Every carrier has different rates for calls to countries outside of North America and can vary for mobile phones and landlines.

Canada & Mexico Roaming

If you’re traveling to Canada or Mexico, you’ll be happy to know that most plans include roaming across all of North America.

Most AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon plans include calls, text, and data while you’re in Canada or Mexico. Sprint includes texting and data, but not calls. The data speeds you’ll get while traveling will vary by carrier and plan.

AT&T gives you LTE-speed data, assuming less than 50% of your usage is outside of the United States for two consecutive months.

T-Mobile gives you up to 5 GB/month of LTE-speed data, while Verizon gives you 512 MB/day of LTE-speed data.

Sprint only gives you 2G-speed data, but you can buy daily add-ons for higher speeds.

Worldwide Roaming

For travel to the rest of the world, both Sprint and T-Mobile offer unlimited text and slow-speed data in nearly 150 countries.

For more full-featured roaming, you’ll have to buy add-ons or get a SIM card from a local carrier.

AT&T Perks

Choose one of the following seven music, movie, or entertainment perks HBO, Cinemax, SHOWTIME, Starz, Amazon Music Unlimited, or Pandora Premium.

Includes 31 channels from 6 networks with WatchTV.

$15 off DIRECTV or DIRECTV NOW.

Sprint Perks

Includes Hulu Limited Commercials.

T-Mobile Perks

Includes Netflix 2-screen with 2 or more T-Mobile “One” lines.

Access to T-Mobile Tuesdays app that has weekly rewards and offers.

Verizon Perks

Can stream go90 content without counting against data.

Access to the VerizonUp that has special access to show tickets and other events.

Sign Up

Cell phone carriers have mostly eliminated contracts, but they still want to keep you loyal to their service. One way carriers try to get you to stay is with discounted or “free” device offers.

You do get a discounted/free phone, but it’s often financed over a period of 24 months. It works like this: you get a free phone; each month they charge a portion for the cost of the device and instantly credit you for that charge. If you decide to leave that carrier before the finance term, you’ll owe the remaining balance for that device.

AT&T

AT&T is offering $350 off an iPhone X, iPhone 8, or iPhone 8 Plus if you have DIRECTV or add it to your account.

Sprint

Sprint is offering the iPhone X at a 50% discount. They also offer a free iPhone 8 with a purchase of an iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus. You can also get a free Samsung S9 when you buy a Samsung S9 or S9+.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile is offering 2-for-1 (or heavily discounted second device) deals for many smartphones.

Verizon

Verizon currently offers device discounts if you trade in your current device.

Device Promos

* Get $350 in AT&T bill credits when you have DIRECTV or add to your account.

To AT&T

Up to $650 per line of which up to $345 can be used for early termination fees and the remainder for device payments.

To Sprint

They’ll cover your switching costs up to $650. The eligible costs include the Bill Balance for your previous phone and Early Termination Fees.

To T-Mobile

Get a new phone and they’ll pay off your current phone balance and your service contracts – up to $650 per line or $350 in early termination fees, via prepaid card.

To Verizon

Get up to $349 off the purchase of a new phone $850 and up and a $150 prepaid visa card for switching to Verizon.