Best value smartphone data plans for single lines and families in 2024

The easiest mistake to make when signing up for a new smartphone data plan is overbuying. Carriers are happy to push new customers toward their biggest and most fully-featured plans with phone deals and promotions, but you will likely end up spending way more than necessary in the long run.

Luckily, prepaid carriers have been getting much more competitive, offering a large amount of data on the same networks as the big guys. If you’re looking to save money on your wireless bill, you have quite a few options now. And with the right plan, you may not even notice a difference in service at all.

Get the best value plan without giving up the features or data you need

Unlimited data can make smartphones feel even smarter with information that’s always up-to-date, immediate cloud backups, and the freedom to download large files. US Mobile’s Unlimited Starter plan is on the cheap side for an unlimited plan, and it only gets 35GB of high-speed data, but for average users, it’s a great plan. It also comes with 10GB of high-speed hotspot data, so you can share your connection with other devices like a tablet or a laptop.

This plan comes in at just $25 per month when paid monthly, or $270 for 12 months, which works out to $22.50 per month. Taxes and fees are included, so the price you see is the price you pay. Included with the price, you get usage in Mexico and Canada included, and one international eSIM per year.

US Mobile customers can choose from the AT&T network (Dark Star), T-Mobile (Light Speed), or Verizon (Warp) with the option to increase priority on AT&T for an extra fee. Customers will need to choose one of these networks upfront, but they can change twice to make sure they’re on the best network with a feature called Teleport. No matter which network is best for you, you can save with the US Mobile plan.

Verizon recently relaunched its prepaid brand, Total Wireless, and it’s off to a strong start with competitive prices, solid features, and plenty of high-speed data. Total Wireless has three unlimited phone plans with the middle plan, Total 5G Unlimited, offering a strong value for multi-line accounts. While it’s $50 for the first line, the plan comes down to $27.50 per line with four lines with taxes and fees included.

Total 5G Unlimited supports Ultra Wideband 5G speeds with no high-speed data cap. It comes with 15GB of hotspot data to share with other devices as well. International support includes calling to 85+ designations, texting to 200+ destinations, and usage in Mexico and Canada. It also comes with roaming in 15 other countries in Central and South America.

Interestingly, this plan comes with up to $200 savings on a new device after 12 months of service. This works by adding a $100 upgrade bonus to your account with six consecutive plan renewals, and then again after 12 months. After that, you’ll have six months to get your upgrade. There’s a solid array of phones to choose from now, with the Galaxy S24 series and iPhone 16 series, so you’ll likely be able to find a phone that’s a good fit for you once you get the discount.

MobileX is a prepaid carrier running on the Verizon LTE and 5G network, but what really sets it apart is its plans, or lack of plans. For most customers, MobileX’s custom plans are the way to go with cheap data for users that typically use less than 5GB in a month. While this can seem low, it’s worth keeping in mind that data used on Wi-Fi doesn’t count towards your plan, so if you’ve got Wi-Fi at work and at home, you may not be using as much as you think.

When you download the MobileX app, you’ll be able to start a 10-day prediction period where your usage is analyzed to recommend a plan specifically for you. If you haven’t used Verizon’s network in a while, this will also give you some time to see if MobileX has the coverage and speeds you need. The app allows you to see your plan and usage information at a glance. Video streams are set to 480p to preserve data, but you can set them to HD in the app in just a few taps, which I love.

You’ll pay around $2 to get connected and then $2.10 per gigabyte after that. For a limited time, MobileX is also matching the data you buy, so you’re essentially getting 2GB for the price of 1GB. Talk and text are extra on top of that, at $1.50 for 50 texts and 50 minutes, $2.50 for 150 texts and minutes, and $4.50 for unlimited texts and minutes. If you use messaging apps for most of your communication, this could be a good way to save a few bucks. If you’re a heavier user, MobileX’s has an Unlimited 10 plan with 10GB of high-speed data and a truly unlimited plan for just $24.88.

If your phone supports eSIM, all you need is the MobileX app to get started. If you want a physical SIM, you can order a kit directly from MobileX, or at Walmart.

Visible has endured a lot of copycat plans from carriers on other networks, as well as other Verizon-owned brands. Visible has been able to stay one step ahead in some ways, however, and its current Visible+ plan is its best yet. Visible+ comes in at $45 per month if paid monthly, or $395 per year, which works out to a savings of $145. Taxes and fees are included.

Visible+ comes with 50GB of premium data and access to Verizon’s full 5G speeds with Ultra Wideband 5G. Visible’s signature unlimited hotspot is also present, but the speed has been doubled to 10Mbps. International support is also upgraded with unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada, unlimited usage in Mexico and Canada with 2GB of data per day, calling to 30+ countries, and texting to 200+ countries.

Visible+ includes smartwatch service for free, as long as you have an Apple Watch at lease. Visible doesn’t have multi-line discounts, so if you want to bring the whole family, you’ll be paying the full amount for each plan.

If you’re looking for a new phone and a new phone plan at the same time, you’ll be spoiled for choice with postpaid carriers and prepaid carriers alike offering discounts on new devices. The Boost Mobile name has been around for a couple of decades now, but it’s now owned by Dish Wireless, which is willing to offer some steep discounts to bring customers in.

Boost Mobile has two phone plans called Infinite Access that come with a new phone: Infinite Access for iPhone or Infinite Access for Galaxy. These plans also come with international calling and texting, usage in Mexico and Canada with 5GB of data, and 30GB of high-speed domestic data. Remember that taxes and fees are extra with these plans, and you’ll need to pay taxes on the new phone.

This plan works by giving customers bill credits to offset the cost of a new phone with the option to get a new model every year. On the iPhone plan, the discount is enough to get an iPhone 16 Pro 128GB or a Galaxy S24 128GB; that’s $1000 off a new iPhone and $800 off a new Galaxy. If you want one of the larger models, you can get it by paying the difference in price.

You’ll also get to upgrade every year with a new model device by trading in your old one. Keep in mind that this is a 36-month payment plan, so you will need to pay the phone off if you want to leave Boost Mobile.

When it comes to coverage, Boost is working to build its own nationwide 5G network. While its progress has been admirable in many cities, the carrier is still a long way from covering the country’s small towns or rural areas. For that, Boost is using AT&T, which has some of the best nationwide coverage of any carrier, even if its speeds aren’t as competitive. Still, for most people, Boost should provide strong coverage with enough speed.

Cricket Wireless is a good low-cost option for unlimited data on AT&T’s network. While T-Mobile and Verizon-based carriers can offer a few more perks, the best carrier for you is the one with coverage where you live; for many people, that’s AT&T. This unlimited plan is nothing special with a 480p video streaming limit that’s common with price-competitive plans, no hotspot data, and no streaming perks. If you’re looking for a basic plan with plenty of data, however, Cricket’s unlimited plan is a solid option at $55 — and that’s before multi-line discounts.

With four lines, this plan comes down to just $25 per line, or $100 per month. With taxes and fees included, this plan is a strong value for families. Even though it’s a basic plan, you also get free roaming in Mexico and Canada at 2G speeds, so if you live near the border or just like to visit friends or family, you don’t need a new plan. You also get unlimited texts to 37 other countries. If you feel like you need a bit more from your plan, you can upgrade to Cricket’s biggest plan with premium data, 15GB of hotspot data, cloud storage, and HBO Max included.

T-Mobile’s plans are designed to make the most of its 5G coverage lead with plenty of premium data and access to the full 5G network on all plans. T-Mobile’s network is one of the fastest around and the carrier is still working on upgrades with 5G Advanced anticipated before the end of the year.

The Go5G Plus plan comes with unlimited premium data and a massive 50GB of hotspot data, so you never need to worry about running out of data. International data is included with 5GB of high-speed data in 215+ countries, 15GB of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico, and even in-flight Wi-Fi for the trip there.

One of the biggest features of this plan is that it’s upgrade-ready every two years. That means you can upgrade to the latest model as soon as you’re ready without needing to finish a three-year payment plan like on AT&T and Verizon. If you want a new phone every year, you can get Go5G Next for $10 per month.

Go5G Plus also comes with a lot of extra perks, starting with Apple TV+ and Netflix. Video streams are unlocked, so you can get full HD quality on your phone. For travelers, free in-flight Wi-Fi and texting on multiple airlines, including American, Delta, and United. You also get free usage in Mexico and Canada with 15GB of high-speed data, a AAA membership for a year, and additional savings on travel like rental cars and hotels.

Verizon’s latest plans are all about choice with three starting points and a huge number of add-on services to choose from. Verizon Go5G Plus is right in the middle with unlimited premium data, 30GB of hotspot data, and full access to Verizon’s 5G network including C-band. International talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada are also included with this plan.

Add-on services are typically $10 per month and are often discounted. For example, you can get the Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu package for just $10 per month. Similarly, Apple One comes in at $10 per month. There are also some plan upgrades available, such as 100GB of hotspot data or Travel Passes.

Verizon offers a few ways to save, including multi-line discounts on the plan itself. Beyond that, you can get a home internet plan for $25 if you have access to Verizon 5G or Fios home internet. You can also get 50% off a connected device plan, so you can get something like a tablet connected. You can save on some new devices with this plan if you’re ready for a new phone, or you can get 36 monthly credits when you bring your own phone to Verizon.

Get the right plan no matter how much data you need

Phone plans have been more competitive than ever, with prepaid carriers like US Mobile and Visible pushing down the price of basic service for single-line and multi-line focused carriers alike. In addition, with many people realizing they don’t need unlimited data or a bunch of travel perks they’ll never use, prepaid carriers have been able to step in and offer prices that the Big Three carriers simply can’t.

Carriers are also finding other ways to improve their value, such as adding multi-month or annual payment options. Including taxes and fees in the prices has also been a popular way to simplify pricing, so people know exactly what they are paying. One thing to keep an eye on, however, is auto-pay requirements. Many carriers have started offering discounts for those that sign up for auto-pay, so keep in mind your plan may be a bit more expensive if you don’t want to use auto-pay.

While Unlimited Starter isn’t US Mobile’s top plan, it has the right features for most smartphone users with full 5G access on the Big Three carrier networks, and plenty of high-speed data at 35GB. If you’re looking to save a little more, you can pay for the whole year upfront as well. You have to pick a carrier for coverage, but US Mobile allows you to switch twice for free, with $2 switches after that, so you can bring any of the best 5G phones you want to use with you.