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If you've given up on finding the best unlimited data plan because you assume that all that data comes with a steep monthly price tag, it's time to take another look. Because while there are expensive options out there, you're also likely to find more affordable monthly plans with all the data you need — especially if you look beyond the big-name carriers.
It's true that T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon all offer some compelling options with unlimited data that we'll highlight here. But our top picks for the best unlimited data plans come from smaller wireless providers, such as Visible and Mint. They'll give you reliable service involving lots of data, but for much less than what you'd pay elsewhere.
I've spent most of the last decade covering phone carriers and their various plans as part of making regular updates to our best cell phone plan guide. That includes checking out unlimited data plans to see not only what they cost, but what perks they include along with a big pool of data.
I'm happy to report that there are unlimited data plans out there for every budget, including options that rank among the best cheap cell phone plans under $40. With the best cell phone deals often requiring you to sign up for an unlimited plan to qualify for a discounted handset, we can steer you toward the plans that will keep those savings coming every month.
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.
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 VLUnlimited data for $51 at AT&T
AT&T's Value Plus VL 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
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
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 MobileUnlimited 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 FiUnlimited 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 WirelessUnlimited 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.
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Visible | Visible Plus | $45/month - The best unlimited data prepaid on a budget
A basic unlimited data plan at Visible starts at $25. But unless you need the lower rate, we'd steer you toward the Visible Plus plan, which costs $45 per month. With Visible Plus, you get access to fast Ultra Wideband 5G coverage on Verizon's network. (Verizon owns Visible.) Visible Plus customers can also use data when traveling in Mexico and Canada while making calls to more than 30 countries from the U.S. at no extra charge. Visible Plus features a one Global Pass day that lets you use your plan for free overseas. Best of all, you can use 50GB of data without seeing your traffic slowed — Visible's cheaper unlimited plan is subject to throttling when Verizon's network is congested. A promotion ending August 21 lets new customers use promo code 'CHAMP' to drop $10 off the Visible Plus rate for the next 24 months.
Pros: Access to Verizon's fastest 5G coverage, international calling, 50GB of data usage without throttling
Cons: No discounts on additional lines of data
Mint Mobile | Unlimited data | $30/month - Unlimited data on a budget
With a regular rate of $30/month for unlimited data, this option is already one of the best Mint Mobile plans, even if you have to pay for a year in advance to keep that rate. Right now, a promotion at Mint lowers the cost of the first three months by half to $15. So you'll pay $45 for three months of unlimited service before the regular $30 monthly rate kicks in. With Mint, you can use up to 40GB of data each month before your service is slowed down. Mint also provides 5G access through T-Mobile, which now owns the low-cost carrier.
Pros: One of the cheapest overall unlimited plans, 5G speeds
Cons: Speed restrictions, price increases after 3 months unless you commit to a full year of service
AT&T | AT&T Value Plus VL | $51/month — AT&T's cheapest unlimited plan
AT&T has three main unlimited data plans, which range in cost from $66 to $86 per month for a single line. (Of those offerings, AT&T Unlimited is the best and most expensive, but it has solid perks like lots of hotspot data, 4K video streaming and the ability to stay connected when traveling in Latin America.) If that seems like too much, though, AT&T's Value Plus VL offering charges a lower $51 monthly rate. (Technically $50.99.) Perks are few and far between, and AT&T can slow your service if its network is busy. But you get relatively cheap unlimited data on a great network. AT&T seems to have updated Value Plus to where you can add more lines of data, with per-line discounts kicking in once you add a third line.
Pros: Cheapest unlimited plan at AT&T, includes 5G coverage
Cons: Data speeds can be slowed, limited multiline discounts on Value Plus option
T-Mobile Go5G | Unlimited data | $75/month - Best perks from an affordable unlimited plan
Pricier options deliver more perks, but we think the best T-Mobile cell phone plan for most people comes down to the $75/month Go5G option at T-Mobile. You get 100GB of priority data — that means your data speed won't be slowed until you consume a lot of data every month — plus 15GB of high-speed hotspot data and coverage when you travel overseas. You can also enjoy six months of Apple TV Plus for free by signing up for Go5G.
Pros: Attractive perks, affordable price, benefits for additional lines
Cons: HD video streaming costs extra
Tello | Unlimited data | $25/month — A cheap unlimited alternative to Mint and Visible
Tello's unlimited data option now cost $25, matching Visible's cheapest plan and beating Mint by $5. (You also don't need to commit for a full year of service at Tello like you to get Mint's best rate.) Don't expect many perks from Tello's unlimited data plan — you can make free calls to 60-plus countries and use your phone as a hotspot, but that's about it. Tello also slows down your data after 35GB of use, which is a less generous cap than Mint's 40GB ceiling. If you don't need unlimited data, Tello offers even cheaper plans.
Pros: The lowest cost for unlimited data, includes free calling to 60-plus countries
Cons: Not many perks
Verizon | Unlimited Plus | $80/month - Most flexible unlimited plan
Unlimited Plus is the more value-packed option among Verizon's top phone plans. You'll play $15 less each month for Welcome Unlimited, but that plan offers little more than nationwide 5G coverage. (Both Plus and Welcome add additional discounts to your monthly rate if you bring your own device.) With Unlimited Plus, you get faster Ultra Wideband 5G where available, plus 30GB of hotspot data and a three-year price guarantee. Also, you can use up to 30GB of data each month before Verizon slows your data speeds. Add-ons can layer on additional perks for an extra $10/month. These include packages like Disney's streaming services, Travel Passes for international travel and an Apple services bundle.
Pros: Excellent coverage including Ultra Wideband 5G, includes hotspot data
Cons: $10 add-ons can quickly add up, T-Mobile has cheaper plans
Xfinity Mobile | Unlimited plan | $40/month - Best unlimited plan for Comcast customers
If you're already getting internet service from Comcast — and there's a good chance you are, since it's the nation's largest ISP — consider bundling in phone service through Xfinity Mobile. The price is certainly right, at $40 a month for unlimited data on a single line. (Adding extra lines drops the price further — two lines cost $30 each, while a family of four would pay $25 per line.) Xfinity also has a $50 Unlimited Plus plan with better perks (faster hotspot speeds, a higher cap before speeds are throttled, and so on). But the $40 tier should be good enough for most customers.
Pros: Low cost, uses Verizon's network
Cons: Only available to Xfinity internet customers
Google Fi | Unlimited Plus plan | $65/month - Best unlimited plan for traveling
Google Fi's main unlimited plan is not one of the most affordable plans. For travelers, though, the Unlimited Plus plan is the perfect option. Google doesn't charge you extra for texting or using data in more than 200 countries. There are other benefits to Google Fi's plan too, like a year of YouTube Premium. If you're getting a Pixel 9, have an existing device like the Pixel 8a or purchase any one of a number of select devices from Samsung and Motorola, you'll be able to switch seamlessly between cellular networks and Google's Wi-Fi hotspots. However, any handset can use Google Fi and any 5G-enabled phone can connect to the faster network where available. If $65 a month is too much, Google features a $50 plan, though you give up the international coverage.
Pros: Great international coverage, supports lots of phones now, includes YouTube Premium
Cons: Some features limited to select phones
Cricket Wireless | Unlimited + 15GB Mobile Hotspot | $60/month - Best prepaid unlimited plan perks
Among prepaid carriers, Metro by T-Mobile charges less than Cricket with an unlimited plan starting at $40 a month. Yet, we like Cricket's plan because you can reduce the cost by $5/month when you enroll in autopay, bringing your total cost to $55. This Cricket plan also comes with perks like 15GB of hotspot data, 150GB of cloud storage and access to the ad-supported Max streaming serivce. (That perk's not even available from AT&T any more.) As an AT&T-owned MVNO, Cricket subscribers can access 5G coverage from AT&T.
Pros: Uses AT&T's network, good perks for a prepaid plan
Cons: Expensive for a prepaid option
| Unlimited plan | High speed data allotment | Single-line monthly price | Per-line price for 4 lines |
| Visible Plus | 50GB | $45 | $45 |
| Mint Mobile Unlimited Data | 40GB | $30 (requires a year prepayment) | $30 (requires a year prepayment) |
| AT&T Value Plus VL | Speeds can be slowed when network congested | $51 | $31 |
| T-Mobile Go 5G | 100GB | $75 | $38 (3rd line is free) |
| Tello Unlimited Data | 35GB | $25 | $25 |
| Verizon Unlimited Plus | 30GB | $80 | $45 |
| Xfinity Mobile Unlimited | 30GB | $40 | $25 |
| Google Fi Unlimited Plus | 50GB | $65 | $40 |
| Cricket Unlimited + 15GB Mobile Hotspot | Unlimited | $60 | $33 |
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.
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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