9 Best Cell Phone Plans of 2025

Summary:
If you are reading this article, you are shopping for a new cell phone plan.
You are tired of shelling out your hard earned cash for a plan that hasn’t changed in years.
You are tired of unexplained increases to your monthly bill when you haven’t changed your plan in years. And let’s face it, you’re thinking it is probably time to upgrade that old phone of yours too, while you’re at it.
Lucky for you, you’re in the right place.
I’m Stetson.
I’ve been reviewing cell phone plans for over a decade on my YouTube channel.
My channel has over 150K+ subscribers. I’ve published more than 600 videos. And my videos have earned over 40 million views:
Why do I do this?
Because I was once a high-school student looking for a cheap cell phone plan.
I thought the industry was confusing. There were so many options to choose from. I didn’t understand how much data I needed. I wasn’t sure if the cheap plans were a scam, or what I was sacrificing if I signed up.
So, I set out to un-complicate the cell phone plan industry.
I started reviewing one cell phone carrier each month and posted my review video on YouTube.
Now, my goal is to help one million people save $10 per month or more on their cell phone bill while getting the coverage and features that they need.
I hope this article helps you do exactly that.
To make these picks, I created a massive spreadsheet in AirTable.
I looked at the cost of each plan. I looked at how much high-speed data and hotspot data they included. I looked at their extra features, such as video streaming quality and international roaming capabilities.
And I factored in my own personal experience testing the plans and service.
I have personally tested each of the plans on this list, and I can recommend them with confidence.
If you are a nerd like me, you can also access the AirTable for free.
Check out my video below on how to use it to filter and sort all of the options:
When people ask me, “what plan should I get?” US Mobile Unlimited Starter Dark Star is my #1 pick.
Why?
It’s the perfect balance of price and features.
The plan costs just $25 per month. All taxes and fees are included. For the price, it comes with unlimited high-speed data, 20GB of hotspot, 720p video streaming, and coverage on AT&T’s nationwide 4G LTE and 5G networks.
Plus, US Mobile has a great mobile application.
You can easily track your data usage, manage multiple lines, switch devices, and more.
I’ve been using US Mobile as my personal cell phone carrier for over a year now, and I’ve been happy with the service.
Get started with US Mobile Unlimited Starter Dark Star
If it turns out AT&T coverage isn’t that great in your area (like it is in mine), then you may want to consider Total 5G Unlimited.
Total 5G Unlimited is another great value unlimited plan.
While this plan normally costs $50 per month, you can grab it for just $25 per month if you bring your own device.
It comes with unlimited high-speed priority data, 15GB of hotspot data, 720p video streaming, free international texting to 200+ countries, free international calling to 180+ countries, free talk, text, and 10GB of roaming in Canada and Mexico, and free talk, text and 10GB of data roaming in 30+ countries.
You can also add an unlimited tablet line to your plan for $10 extra.
The big advantage?
Total Wireless runs on the Verizon network for coverage.
Get started with Total 5G Unlimited
Can you find a cheaper plan than free?
Nope.
That’s why Helium Mobile Zero is my number one pick for the best cheap cell phone plan.
It’s completely free. It costs $0 per month after all taxes and fees. And, shockingly, it comes with decent features. You get 100 minutes, 300 texts, and an impressive 3GB of high-speed data.
But, there’s a BIG question:
How can Helium afford to offer this?
I think it’s a combination of three factors:
Look, candidly, I am not the biggest fan of crypto.
But ignoring the crypto thing for a moment, Helium Mobile’s plan is awesome.
It does what it says it will do. It delivers free phone service to people who need it. And I am all about helping people save money and stay connected.
Plus, I signed up.
I tried it out.
And it works.
When it comes to the free cell phone plan, here’s all you need to know:
One thing to note: Previously, Helium Mobile’s Zero plan required access to your location in order to remain free. This is no longer the case. Helium has updated its policy and no longer requires sharing your location. Instead, all you need to do is use a little bit of cellular data each month to keep your service active. That’s it.
If it turns out you need more calling or texting than what Helium Mobile includes for free, then US Mobile’s 2GB plan is my next recommendation.
It costs just $10 per month with all taxes and fees included.
It comes with unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and 2GB of high-speed data.
The best part?
You can choose to activate this plan on either the AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon network for coverage. So you’re guaranteed to get great service where you live.
Get started with US Mobile 2GB
Custom cell phone plans are hard to come by.
And I think there is a reason why: They are great for consumers. And bad for businesses.
You see, cell phone carriers make money by selling consumers MORE data than they actually need. Ever wonder why those unlimited plans are so popular? Bingo. Carriers can charge more for unlimited data.
And do people need it?
Nope.
According to Ericsson’s 2025 Mobility Report, consumers in North America use an average of 22GB per month. I’ve heard from friends in the industry that actual cellular data usage is even LOWER for a lot of people.
Custom cell phone plans can save lighter users A LOT of money because you don’t overspend on data you don’t use.
What’s the best custom cell phone plan?
It’s easily MobileX.
Instead of making a huge amount of money off of people paying for data they don’t need, MobileX earns money through a small $1.99 service fee per line.
And their custom plans are super affordable.
First, you choose how many minutes and texts you want:
Then you choose how much data you want:
Simple as that.
An example plan with 150 minutes, 150 texts, and 2GB of data comes out to just $8.29 before taxes and fees.
Get Started with MobileX Custom
Mint Mobile pioneered the idea of an annual cell phone plan back in August of 2016.
Why did it become so popular?
It was like the Costco of mobile carriers.
By buying in bulk 3-, 6-, or 12-month packages, you could get cell phone service at insanely low prices (much like the items at Costco). People loved saving money, getting more data, and not having to think about their cell phone bill for an entire year.
Annual plans are even more popular today.
They are offered by carriers such as Visible, Red Pocket, Good2Go Mobile, H2O Wireless, Cricket Wireless, AT&T Prepaid, Lyca Mobile, and Ultra Mobile.
Which plan is best?
My pick for the best annual plan is US Mobile’s Unlimited Premium Light Speed plan.
Normally $44 per month, this plan drops to $32.50 per month ($390 up front) for the annual option. All taxes and fees are included in the price, which makes it cheaper than Mint Mobile’s unlimited annual plan ($32.67 after tax in my area).
For the price, you get INSANE features.
We’re talking unlimited high-speed data, 50GB of hotspot data (five times more than Mint’s plan), 720p video streaming, free international texting, free international calling to 200+ countries, 200 minutes, 250 texts, and 20GB of data roaming in Canada and Mexico, and 200 minutes, 250 texts, and 20GB of data roaming in 197 countries.
For $32.50 per month.
Unreal.
Get started with US Mobile Unlimited Premium Light Speed
If you are looking for the best value plan in the industry right now, I think that plan is Total 5G+ Unlimited.
Now, there are some CRAZY good value cell phone plans in the industry, such as the first four we just covered.
So, what makes Total 5G+ Unlimited my #1 pick for the best value plan?
Three reasons:
Total Wireless’s Total 5G+ Unlimited is normally $60 per month.
However, Total has been running a promo on it where you can grab it for just $30 per month (50% off) if you bring your own device.
This plan is packed with features. It comes with unlimited priority data (same network experience as the $90 Verizon Unlimited Ultimate plan). It’s got unlimited hotspot data at 5 Mbps. It includes free international texting to 200+ countries, free calling to 180 countries, and free roaming in Canada, Mexico, and 30 other countries.
And to top it off, it includes a Disney+ Premium subscription for completely free.
That’s the ad-free, highest-tier Disney+ plan with 4K HDR streaming, Dolby Atmos audio, the ability to stream on multiple devices at a time, and the ability to download shows and movies on up to 10 devices.
Normally $18.99/month, you’re getting this subscription for free with your $30 Total 5G+ plan.
That, in my opinion, makes Total 5G+ one of the best-value plans in the industry.
Get started with Total 5G+ Unlimited
What if you want a best-of-the-best, no-compromises unlimited plan?
Well, then you’ll want Visible+ Pro.
Kind of surprising that my pick here comes from an MVNO and not a big carrier, right?
But do not be mistaken. Visible+ Pro is jam-packed with features. It comes with unlimited priority data, giving you the same network experience as Verizon Unlimited Ultimate. It also includes unlimited hotspot data at 15 Mbps, plenty fast for getting all of your work done on the go.
It has up to full 4K video streaming on the 5G UW network and 1080p video streaming on 4G LTE and 5G Nationwide.
It includes a free smartwatch line that supports Apple Watch and Pixel Watch.
And it has amazing international features. It comes with free international texting and 500 minutes of free calling to over 85 countries. You also get unlimited minutes, texts, and 2GB per day of roaming in Canada and Mexico. And you get two free international roaming days per month that give you unlimited minutes, unlimited texts, and 2GB of data per 24-hour period.
The best part?
The international days accumulate each month.
At the end of one year, you’d have 24 total international roaming days. Perfect for two twelve day international vacations per year.
If you want the best cell coverage, look no further than US Mobile Unlimited Premium Dark Star.
US Mobile’s Dark Star network rides on AT&T for coverage. That means you’re already getting some of the best nationwide coverage available.
The real kicker is that US Mobile sells their multi-network add-on.
The multi-network add-on lets you add a secondary network to your phone using dual-SIM for just $10 extra per month.
If you activate on AT&T, you could choose to add a second SIM on either T-Mobile or Verizon. The add-on gives you 100GB of shared multi-network data. That means you can switch between your primary network and secondary network as often as you’d like for up to 100GB of combined usage. After 100GB, you would continue getting unlimited data on your primary network.
To give you a concrete example, let’s say you activate on AT&T (Dark Star) as your primary network.
You could then add Verizon (Warp) as your secondary network.
For your first 100GB of usage, you can toggle between AT&T and Verizon as much as you’d like. Once you reach 100GB of total usage, you would continue getting unlimited high-speed data on AT&T (your primary network) but data on Verizon would stop (your secondary network).
US Mobile is the only carrier to offer a multi-network add-on.
Their unique and affordable approach makes them the #1 best option if you care about getting exceptional cell coverage.
Plus, the Unlimited Premium Dark Star plan is no slouch.
It comes with unlimited high-speed priority data (QCI 8), 200GB of hotspot data (first 100GB at full speeds, second 100GB at 8 Mbps), and full 4K video streaming.
It also includes great international features.
You get free international texting to 200+ countries; free international calling to 200+ countries; 200 minutes, 250 texts, and 20GB of data in Canada and Mexico; and 200 minutes, 250 texts, and 20GB of data roaming in 67 countries.
And you get all that for just $44 per month, or just $32.50 per month with the annual plan.
(Even as I type that it all seems too good to be true).
Needless to say, no other carrier will give you this experience, so it's an easy recommendation.
Get started with US Mobile Unlimited Premium Dark Star
If you have four or more lines, then the best cell phone plan for you is AT&T Unlimited Starter SL.
What makes it great?
Three key reasons:
When you’re picking a cell phone plan, you have to costs to consider:
For one, two, and three lines, it makes the most financial sense to go with a prepaid cell phone carrier, such as the ones we have covered thus far.
Even though the prepaid carriers do not offer the sexy “$1,100 off iPhone 17 Pro Max” deals that the big carriers offer, you can still trade your old phone in to either Apple, Samsung, or Google for a decent discount. Then, the real savings come from having a more affordable cell phone plan. Paying $25/mo for US Mobile Unlimited Starter versus $70/mo to one of the big carriers makes a big difference.
When you do the math out, there is no competition.
Assuming you upgrade your phone every 3 years (the typical length of a phone financing deal from AT&T or Verizon), it’s cheaper to go with a prepaid carrier every time:
However, for four lines, things switch around.
The combination of getting a good multi-line discount AND getting the sexy $1,100 off iPhone 17 Pro Max deal makes going with a postpaid carrier a better value.
Well, specifically, it makes going with AT&T Unlimited Starter SL the best value:
AT&T Unlimited Starter SL is the most affordable option.
Even after factoring in all estimated taxes and fees.
What do you get with the plan?
Unlimited Starter SL includes unlimited high-speed data. It also comes with 5GB of hotspot data and 480p video streaming.
It’s nothing flashy, but it gets the job done.
And it’s one heck of a good value.
Get started with AT&T Unlimited Starter SL
If you are a heavy international traveler, I think US Mobile Unlimited Premium Light Speed is hands-down your best option.
For $44 per month, it includes 200 minutes, 250 texts, and 20GB of high-speed data in 197 support countries.
That’s 4x more data than what T-Mobile includes in their $85 Experience More plan.
Plus, US Mobile’s plan is great to use in the U.S., too. It comes with unlimited high-speed data, 50GB of hotspot, and 720p video streaming. You can also add a separate tablet line starting at $10 for 2GB.
The other thing I love about US Mobile Unlimited Premium Light Speed for international travel is that it includes 200 minutes of calling.
Other popular plans, such as T-Mobile’s plans and Google Fi’s Unlimited Premium plan, charge $0.25 and $0.20 respectively for international phone calls while abroad.
Plus, T-Mobile and Google Fi are way more expensive. T-Mobile Experience More is $85. And Google Fi Unlimited Premium is $65.
I think value-for-your-dollar, US Mobile Unlimited Premium Light Speed is the move.
Get started with US Mobile Unlimited Premium Light Speed
I'm Stetson, and I hope you found this article helpful!
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