The best unlimited data plans are more affordable than you might think, especially if it's been a while since you've compared one offering to another. There still are some expensive options out there, but there are just as many plans that provide a near limitless pool of data without costing an arm and leg.
Some of those plans are available at major carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. But if you really want to save on your phone plan without sacrificing data, look at smaller carriers like Mint and Visible. They use the same networks owned by larger operators, but they don't charge nearly as much for their best unlimited data plans.
I know because I've spent most of the last decade writing about what phone carriers charge for data as part of my regular updates to our best cell phone plan guide. I see a lot of different unlimited plans, so I know what each one costs and what perks come with those plans.
Among the bigger names, T-Mobile has the most attractive unlimited plan in the from of its Go5G plan; AT&T can also be surprisingly cheap if you're not averse to paying for a year of service up front. But look at other options, and you'll find that the unlimited plans at Mint, Visible and Tello rank among the best cheap cell phone plans under $40.
If you're in the market for a new phone, the best cell phone deals usually require you to sign up for unlimited data to get a premium discount on your handset. You'll want to make sure that any plan you sign up for is the right one for your needs. And our guide to the best unlimited plans can help you with that decision.
The quick list
Best overall
1. Visible
Unlimited data for $45 at Visible
Visible's best plan costs $45/month and gets you Verizon's 5G network (with international calls included). You can use 50GB of data without seeing your traffic slowed.
Best value
2. Mint Mobile
Unlimited data for $30 at Mint
Mint's $30/month plan lets you consume 40GB of data before your speeds slow down. You get to use T-Mobile's 5G wireless network for coverage. A current deal drops the price to $15 for your first three months of sevice.
Best major carrier value
3. AT&T Value Plus
Unlimited data for $51 at AT&T
AT&T's Value Plus Plan costs $51 a month, and it includes 5G service. Perks are limited, and there's no hotspot data included unlike other AT&T unlimited plans.
Best major carrier perks
4. T-Mobile
Unlimited data for $75 at T-Mobile
T-Mo's Go5G plan ($75/month) gets you unlimited data, with 100GB of priority data. It also includes 15GB of LTE hotspot data with unlimited hotspot data at 3G speeds.
Cheapest unlimited data
Unlimited data for $25 at Tello
For $25/month, you can make free calls to 60-plus countries and use your phone as a hotspot, but Tello slows down your data after 35GB.
Most flexible plan
6. Verizon
Unlimited data for $80 at Verizon
Unlimited Plus ($80/month) gets you faster Ultra Wideband 5G, 30GB of hotspot data, a three-year price lock, and 30GB of data each month before Verizon slows your data speeds.
View more options...
Best for Comcast customers
7. Xfinity Mobile
Unlimited data for $40 at Xfinity
If you're an Xfinity internet customer, you can get unlimited data for $40 a month on a single line, with the per-line cost dropping as you add more people to your plan.
Best for travelers
8. Google Fi
Unlimited data for $65 at Google Fi
A no-brainer if you own a Google Pixel (though Google Fi works with all phones), travelers will like the $65/month Unlimited Plus plan that let you to use your coverage overseas at no additional cost.
Best prepaid perks
9. Cricket Wireless
Unlimited data for $60 at Cricket
While Metro by T-Mobile charges less, Cricket's plan comes with 15GB of hotspot data, 150GB of cloud storage and Max with ads. Autopay enrollment saves you $5 every month.
The best unlimited data plans you can get today
The best unlimited data plan overall
The best unlimited plan value
The best unlimited plan value from a major carrier
The best unlimited plan perks
The cheapest unlimited plan
The most flexible unlimited plan
The best unlimited plan for Comcast customers
Best unlimited data plan for travelers
Best prepaid plan perks
How to pick the best unlimited data plan for you
Besides making sure to choose a carrier that offers good service in your area — check out our guide to the fastest wireless networks in addition to asking friends and family about coverage — consider both price and perks. With the best unlimited data plans from major carriers ranging in price from $60 to $90 per month, pick the plan that fits in your budget or turn to a discount carrier like Mint or Visible. Also consider what benefits each wireless carrier includes with their different tiers of unlimited data.
Wondering if you need unlimited data? Unless you’re streaming video and music fairly regularly, you probably can get away with a tiered data plan, like the ones offered by AT&T and Verizon.
While we have a separate guide to the best family cell phone plan options, most of the unlimited plans featured here allow you to add extra lines, usually at discounted per-line rates. The exceptions are AT&T's Value Plus Plan, Tello's $25 option and the Visible Plus plan. Mint's approach to family plans is to offer the same discounted rate for each line of data, so unlimited plans would cost $30 per line, assuming you commit to the full year of service.
Are unlimited data plans truly unlimited?
That depends. While you do technically get unlimited data on all of these plans, many of them will impose a restriction somewhere in the plan to limit you slightly.
AT&T reserves the right to start throttling data at 50GB for Unlimited Extra; Unlimited Starter customers can be throttled at any time. Unlimited Premium customers don't have to worry about caps, though, as AT&T has removed that limitation from its most expensive plan. Verizon is able to slow data after 30GB are used by Unlimited Plus customers; speeds can slow whenever there's network congestion for the Unlimited Welcome plan. T-Mobile lets you use 100GB of data before throttling can begin, though if you opt for the more expensive Magenta Max plan, there's no cap on data usage at all.
Get your service from a discount carrier, and you run the risk that your speeds will be slowed in favor of other customers on the parent carrier's network. Visible guarantees customers who sign up for its Visible Plus plan 50GB of premium data free of throttling. Xfinity Mobile slows speeds after you use 30GB of data on its standard unlimited plan, but under the Plus plan, that cap rises to 50GB, respectively. Mint caps its unlimited data plan at 40GB while Tello has increased its cap to 35GB.
There could also be limits on the quality of video you can stream — some plans restrict video streaming to 480p, requiring you to pay more for HD video streaming. Many plans also impose limits on hotspot data, only allotting a limited amount of high-speed hotspot data. This isn't really as big of an issue as it sounds. For the average person, hotspotting is simply an added benefit and you won't really lose out too much by being limited on it.
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