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T-Mobile phone plan types
Just as the rest of the carriers in the US, T-Mobile has both prepaid and unlimited postpaid plans. The difference between those is that prepaid plans usually include less perks and might face some stricter restrictions, whereas postpaid plans allow you to save by combining a few lines on a single account and also benefit from lots of perks, like free streaming services, discounts on devices bought at the carrier, faster connection speeds, and so much more. However, these usually have lots of credit and eligibility checks, while prepaid plans are much more lax.
Best T-Mobile Phone plans for individuals
All regular T-Mobile plans include unlimited 5G and LTE data, nation-wide 5G coverage, dedicated customer care, unlimited text and talk, exclusive perks, and advanced scam-blocking protection.
T-Mobile has four main plans in the roster: Magenta MAX, the most premium one; the middle-tier Magenta one that could be its most appealing plan; and finally, the affordable Essentials one that lacks many perks of the pricier plans; finally, there’s the Base Essentials plan, which has very low-cost monthly payments going for it if you’re using up to two lines, but also not much else in terms of features. At the same time, the Magenta MAX and Magenta plans also offer special discounts for military and veterans, first responders, and seniors.
T-MOBILE PLAN | MAGENTA MAX | MAGENTA | ESSENTIALS | BASE ESSENTIALS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Price for 1 line | $85 | $70 | $60 | $45 |
Price for 2 lines | $140 | $120 | $90 | $80 |
Price for 3 lines | $140 | $120 | $90 | $100 |
Price for 4 lines | $170 | $140 | $105 | $120 |
High-speed 5G access (Premium Data) | Unlimited | 100GB fast data, then slower speed | 50GB fast data, then slower speed | 20GB fast data, then slower speeds |
Regular 5G access (Nation-wide 5G) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Hotspot | 40GB fast, then 3G speeds | 5GB fast, then 3G speeds | Unlimited 3G hotspot | Unlimited 3G hotspot |
Media streaming quality | 4K UHD | SD 480p | SD 480p | SD 480p |
Other perks | Netflix (Standard, 2 screens), Apple TV+, Paramount+ (1-year subscription) | Netflix (Basic, 1 screen only), Apple TV+ (6-month subscription), Paramount+ (1-year subscription) | Paramount+ (1-year subscription) | Paramount (1-year subscription) |
Wi-Fi Calling | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Unlimited talk, text, international texting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unlimited talk and text for direct communications between 2 people, charges may apply for o |
So, which plan to get if you’re looking to open a single line? If you’re heavy into streaming and could enjoy a basic netflix subscription for the remainder of your service, Apple TV+ for 6 months, and Paramount+ for a year, not to mention the 100GB of high-speed 5G data, then the regular Magenta plan could be a very decent pick for you. It comes with just 5GB of high-speed 5G hotspot, but otherwise, the features you get are worth the relatively high monthly price.
Best T-Mobile Prepaid phone plans
If you don’t want to be weighed down by contracts, then T-Mobile’s prepaid plans are a great fit. There are three offerings of this plan type on T-Mobile. Let’s compare them in the table below.
T-MOBILE PLAN | UNLIMITED PLUS | UNLIMITED | 10GB |
---|---|---|---|
Price for 1 line per month | $60 | $50 | $40 |
Price for 2 lines per month | $90 | $80 | $70 |
Price for 3 lines per month | $120 | $110 | $100 |
Price for 4 lines per month | $150 | $140 | $130 |
Price for 5 lines per month | $180 | $170 | $160 |
5G data | Unlimited | Unlimited | Up to 10GB |
Deprioritization (slower speeds during network congestion) | Yes, after 50GB of high-speed data | Yes, after 50GB of high-speed data | Yes, after 50GB of high-speed data |
Hotspot | Up to 10GB high-speed data, then 3G speeds | Unlimited at 3G speed | Capped up to monthly data allowance (10GB) |
Unlimited talk and text | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Other perks | Wi-Fi calling, Music Unlimited, Data Maximizer, Caller ID, scam-blocking protection | Wi-Fi calling, Music Unlimited, Data Maximizer, Caller ID, scam-blocking protection | Wi-Fi calling, Music Unlimited, Data Maximizer, Caller ID, scam-blocking protection |
Optional perks | Talk, text, up to 5GB LTE data in Mexico/Canada (+$5/mo); Stateside international calling (+$15/mo) | Talk, text, up to 5GB LTE data in Mexico/Canada (+$5/mo); Stateside international calling (+$15/mo) | Talk, text, up to 5GB LTE data in Mexico/Canada (+$5/mo); Stateside international calling (+$15/mo) |
The best prepaid plan on T-Mobile’s network seems to be the Unlimited one, which has all the perks of the more premium Unlimited Plus one sans the super-fast data hotspot allowance. If a hotspot is not that important to you, this is the plan to get on T-Mobile’s network. At the same time, if you insist on getting a prepaid plan but desperately need the hotspot, then you need to get the Unlimited Plus plan.
Best T-Mobile plans for families
The prepaid plan comes with unlimited data but will deprioritize heavy users until the end of the billing cycle , and also gets you up to 10GB of high-speed data, as well as other perks. This one will set you back $150 a month for four lines.
Best T-Mobile Phone plans for seniors
If you’re 55 or older, then T-Mobile has not one, not two, but a whole lot of three different plans aimed at users 55 years old and older.
T-MOBILE PLAN | MAGENTA MAX 55+ | MAGENTA 55+ | ESSENTIALS 55+ |
---|---|---|---|
Price for 1 line | $45 | $35 | $27.50 |
Price for 2 lines | $90 | $70 | $55 |
5G Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Deprioritization (slower speeds during network congestion) | No | Yes | YesD |
Hotspot | 40GB of 4G LTE data, then slower speeds | 5GB of 4G LTE data, then slower speeds | 3G data hotspot |
Media streaming | 4K UHD | SD 480p | SD 480p |
Unlimited talk and text | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Other perks | Unlimited in-flight connection, Netflix basic with 1 line, Netflix standard with two lines, Apple TV+, 1-year AAA membership | In-flight connection, Netflix basic, Apple TV+, 1-year AAA memebrship |
Overall, the Magenta MAX 55+ seems to be a great deal altogether, with little restrictions, tons of data allowance, high-quality streaming and very decent perks, like free Netflix, Apple TV+, and more. However, if you don’t really need so much high-speed data or don’t care about streaming, then the standard Magenta 55+ plan would be a better value. At $35 for a single line and $70 for two lines, with up to 5GB of hotspot and data deprioritization, this seems like the plan that T-Mobile wants to sell to people 55 and older. It’s the best value, especially if you don’t care about the extra streaming perks.
Best T-Mobile plans for business
Here are T-Mobile’s business plans, which offer great flexibility. Here are the main differences between all of these, compared:
T-MOBILE PLAN | UNLIMITED ULTIMATE+ IPHONE | UNLIMITED ULTIMATE | UNLIMITED ADVANCED | UNLIMITED SELECT |
---|---|---|---|---|
Price for 1 line | $95 | $85 | $70 | $60 |
Price for 2 lines | $160 | $140 | $120 | $90 |
Price for 3 lines | $160 | $140 | $120 | $90 |
Price for 4 lines | $200 | $170 | $140 | $105 |
Price for 5 lines | $240 | $200 | $160 | $120 |
Price for 6 lines | $300 | $240 | $180 | $150 |
Price for 7 lines | $350 | $280 | $210 | $175 |
Price for 8 lines | $400 | $320 | $240 | $200 |
Price for 9 lines | $450 | $360 | $270 | $225 |
Price for 10 lines | $500 | $400 | $300 | $250 |
Price for 11 lines | $550 | $440 | $330 | $275 |
Price for 12 lines | $600 | $480 | $360 | $300 |
5G premium data | Unlimited | Unlimited | 100GB fast data, then slower speeds | 50GB fast data, then slower speeds |
Hotspot | 200GB fast data, then slower speeds | 100GB fast data, then slower speeds | 50GB fast data, then slower speeds | 5GB fast data, then slower speeds |
Media streaming | Up to 4K UHD | Up to 4K UHD | HD | SD |
Other perks | Microsoft 365 (1 basic, 1 standard licence), Scam Shield Premium, Unlimited in-flight sessions, international texting and data, Apple Business Essentials, Apple Care+ | Microsoft 365 (1 basic, 1 standard license), Scam Shield Premium, Unlimited full-flight Wi-Fi sessions | Microsoft 365 (2 basic licenses), Scam Shield, 4 full flight Wi-Fi sessions per year | Scam Shield |
T-Mobile has a great selection of business-oriented plans, which could fit a wide selection of use-case scenarios. The best-value one, however, seems to be the Unlimited Advanced plan, which strikes an excellent balance between price and features. With up to 100GB of high-speed data per month per line, this one has seemingly all the essential bells and whistles at a killer price. It also includes two basic subscriptions for Microsoft 365, as well as Scam Shield protections.
Can I bring an unlocked device to T-Mobile?
Yes, T-Mobile allows you to bring your own device on either a prepaid or postpaid plan. Of course, your device has to fulfill a few essential requirements. For one, you have to make sure that your phone is unlocked. Next up, you also need to make sure that said device is actually compatible with the T-Mobile network. Finally, you need to get a compatible SIM card and pick among T-Mobile’s plans. You can keep both your personal data and phone number, so that the transition to T-Mobile’s network is issue-free.