T-Mobile Essentials Saver: $50 for 1 line
Best for value for a single line
AT&T Value Plus Plan: $50 for 1 line
Runner-up for value on a single line
T-Mobile Essentials Saver for 2 lines, T-Mobile Essentials for 3 or more lines
Best for value (with multiple lines)
Verizon Unlimited Welcome: $65 for 1 line, $120 for 4 lines
Runner-up for value (multiple lines)
Verizon Unlimited Welcome: $75 for 1 line, $130 for 4 lines
Best for perks
It doesn’t matter whether your phone of choice is the latest iPhone or you prefer the newest Galaxy, Pixel or other Android, to get the most out of your device you’ll need a good unlimited data plan. But when it comes to finding the overall “best” unlimited plan, things can get challenging. Unlike with home internet services, where your options are often limited by your location, most people living in the US have their pick of all the major competitors and carriers.
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AT&T
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Pros: Cheaper rate for AT&T service for one line.
Pros: Verizon’s 4G LTE network is a strong backbone, can still get perks, and can “mix and match” plans.
T-Mobile Magenta & Magenta Max for 1 or 2 lines, Go5G and Go5G Plus for 3+
Runner-up for perks
Pros: T-Mobile has a strong 5G network, taxes and fees are included in the sticker price, solid perks like Netflix and international data.
Is unlimited data really unlimited?
It is, but the speeds you get may vary depending on your plan and how much data you use in a given month. Whereas in the past carriers would slow down or “throttle” your speeds if you pass a certain limit (usually over 22GB of data within a month) for the remainder of your billing cycle, today all three major providers say they’ll only do that in special cases.
We’ll keep updating this article as new unlimited plans and better deals emerge. In the meantime, if you know of a better wireless plan deal or have your own favorites, message me on Twitter @eliblumenthal.
Read more: Best Streaming Service Deals
