It’s an interesting moment for wireless carriers. For the first time in years, unlimited data plans are available on all four major U.S. carriers (T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, AT&T), and provide shoppers with a lot of choice. Lead by T-Mobile, many of the new plans include new perks, like international roaming or access to streaming content gratis.
But that newfound freedom comes with a bevy of gotchas. For instance, an unlimited plan might get greatly throttled tethering speeds or downgraded streaming video when trying to watch Netflix. As always, carriers are happy to upsell customers plans with slightly better features, but every plan has its own unique pitfalls.
We’ve included info on all four major carriers and prices for individual plans and family plans up to five people (lines). The best unlimited data plans are:
The Best Overall
T-Mobile One Unlimited Plan
Starting at $70/month
Subscribe to T-Mobile (or Learn More)[1]
T-Mobile ended those dreaded two-year contracts in 2013 and has lead the U.S. market in pricing and new initiatives ever since—often by calling out other carriers by name. Dubbing itself, the “uncarrier,” the company ran its mouth a lot, but over time it proved its words weren't just lip service. In the last few years, its investments in its network have finally paid off, winning speed and availability awards from OpenSignal[2] and other companies who monitor service quality.
Cost per Line (Taxes/Fees included): 1 Line: $70 | 2 Lines: $120 | 3 Lines: $140 | 4 Lines: $160 (currently $140) | 5 Lines: $180 (Currently $160)
WIRED: T-Mobile is the only carrier that includes all taxes and fees in its pricing ($5-$20...