- [Stetson] In this video,
I'm comparing the best cell phone plans
for active military members and veterans,
from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon,
for both individuals and families.
I'll compare exactly what the discounts are
and what you receive on each of the different plans,
how the features of the plans compared to each other
and help you decide which plan is the best option for you.
I'll also compare options from other carriers
to see if the military discounts are worth it
or if something better is available.
I'm going to start off by comparing
the best cell phone plans for individuals,
and in the second half of the video,
I'll cover the best plans for families.
You can use the timestamps in the video description
to jump to the section of the video you're interested in.
Starting off,
we have the entry-level Unlimited plans
from AT&T and Verizon.
T-Mobile doesn't offer a military discount
on their entry-level Essentials plan,
so I'm substituting in their mid-tier Magenta plan.
Regular prices range from $65 to $75 per month
and when we take a look at the military discount,
you can see the rates drop to between 49 and $60 per month.
AT&T offers the biggest discount at 25% off,
but not necessarily the best plan.
Taxes and fees are extra on AT&T,
which means you'll pay very close to what you'll pay
for T-Mobile on the Magenta plan,
where taxes and fees are included.
And since Magenta is T-Mobile's mid-tier plan,
as opposed to an entry-level plan,
I think it is easily the best value here.
It includes 100 gigabytes of premium data,
the highest resolution video streaming
and it ties for having the most hotspot data
at five gigabytes.
Plus, Magenta includes five gigs
of free international data in 11 European countries
and Canada and Mexico every month,
which I think is a really nice perk.
But, what about the other options here?
On AT&T, the best plan is hands down,
from AT&T FirstNet.
$40 per month gets you truly unlimited data with no hotspot,
and $45 gets you an unlimited plan
with unlimited hotspot data.
And if it turns out you use
less than 35 gigs of data per month,
or if you wanna save some money,
you can go with Boost Mobile's plan.
It's just $25 for 35 gigs,
and there are even more affordable options available
if you're a lighter user and want to save even more cash.
On T-Mobile, it's a tough call.
Magenta is a great deal at $55 per month,
with taxes and fees included.
The 100 gigabytes of premium data,
five gigs of hotspot data
and free international data,
are all super nice features.
That said,
if you did want to save some money,
you could go with Metro by T-Mobile or T-Mobile Prepaid.
I'd probably go with Metro here,
because taxes and fees are included,
guaranteeing a slightly lower price,
and it also comes with five gigs of high speed hotspot data.
T-Mobile Prepaid is a great option, too,
if you want premium data at a cheap price.
Still, Magenta is only a couple dollars extra
for plenty more features
and you'll be eligible for the device discounts
and trade in deals from T-Mobile directly.
Personally, I'd probably go with Magenta here
and lighter data users can save money with Mint Mobile.
Their $30 plan comes with heaps of data at 35 gigabytes
and it saves you $300 per year.
Mint has even cheaper plans available
if you use less data and are looking for more savings.
Lastly, Verizon's 5G Start plan,
even with the military discount,
is embarrassing.
It's deprioritized and it's expensive.
US Mobile's Unlimited Premium plan
gets you 100 gigabytes of premium data per month,
when you activate with a 5G phone.
You'll also get 50 gigabytes of hotspot data
and free international data in 153 countries
via international eSIM plans.
Lighter data users could even consider
US Mobile's 18GB plan,
which saves you about $420 per year.
You could also go with Visible,
which is the cheapest truly unlimited plan
on the Verizon network,
coming in at just $25 per month.
Next, onto the mid-tier plans.
Unlimited Extra, Magenta and 5G Play More
range from between $70 to $80 per month for regular users.
With the military discount,
prices drop to 57, 55 and $70 respectively,
on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.
AT&T continues to offer the biggest discount at 25%,
but I continue to think T-Mobile
offers the better overall plan.
T-Mobile is the cheapest option here,
includes the most premium data
and it continues to include five gigs of free data roaming
in Canada, Mexico and 11 European countries.
The only weak point of T-Mobile's plan is the hotspot data.
Five gigs just isn't as much as the 15 to 25 gigs you'd get
with either AT&T or Verizon.
After T-Mobile, AT&T is my second choice.
It's got decent features and the nice perk here
is you get unlimited high speed data roaming
in Canada and Mexico,
instead of just the five gigs you get on T-Mobile.
If you go outside North America,
you're paying $10 per day for international data, though.
If you go outside North America,
then you're paying $10 per day
for international data, though.
Comparing AT&T's plan to the other options on the network,
and it's the same story as before.
FirstNet is a way better deal if you need unlimited data
and Boost Mobile has you covered if you use a bit less data
or want to save some money.
On the T-Mobile network,
Magenta continues to be an outstanding value.
For just a bit more the Metro or T-Mobile prepaid,
you're getting a better plan with more features
and a better overall experience.
In fact, the only real alternatives to consider
are Mint Mobile's plans.
If you get an option that fits your needs,
you can save anywhere from between 300 to $480 per year.
So, check your data usage.
If you're using less than 35 gigs per month,
I would encourage you to consider Mint Mobile
if you wanna save some extra money.
If you need unlimited,
then T-Mobile Magenta is where it's at.
And on the Verizon network,
Verizon's military discount
continues to be an absolute joke.
US Mobile's Unlimited Premium plan
gives you more premium data,
more hotspot data and better international features,
all while saving you around $300 per year.
Lighter data users will also want to check out
US Mobile's other plans for additional savings,
like their 18GB plan for $25 per month
or their 5GB plan for just $15 per month.
And of course,
Visible is still the cheapest option
for truly unlimited data on Verizon.
Now, onto the top-tier unlimited plans.
These command hefty prices,
ranging from 85 to $90 per month.
The military discount brings them down
to between 64 and $80 per month,
which is still kind of expensive.
And here, I honestly think it's a toss up
between AT&T Unlimited Premium and T-Mobile Magenta Max.
Both offer unlimited premium data,
4K video streaming and heaps of hotspot data.
And both will cost about $70 per month,
after all taxes and fees.
The main difference between the plans
is in the international features.
AT&T includes unlimited high-speed data roaming
in Canada, Mexico and 19 Latin American countries,
all for free.
All other countries will be $10 per day.
T-Mobile on the other hand,
includes five gigs of free international data
in 210 supported countries,
including the Latin American countries AT&T also supports.
I think T-Mobile gets the win in my book,
especially with how awesome their network performed
in PCMag's Best Mobile Networks Test of 2022.
But ultimately, the choice is yours.
If you want AT&T coverage, go with AT&T,
if you want T-Mobile coverage, go with T-Mobile.
And, I think Verizon's plan is expensive and not worth it.
Compared to the other plans on the AT&T network though,
and AT&T Unlimited Premium just isn't worth it in my mind.
FirstNet is easily the best option for truly unlimited data,
here in the United States.
The Unlimited Enhanced plan saves you $240 per year,
compared to AT&T Unlimited Premium.
That said,
if you do travel to Latin American countries,
then maybe AT&T Unlimited Premium could be worth it.
Otherwise, go FirstNet for unlimited data
and go with Boost Mobile if you wanna save some extra money
and you're a lighter data user.
On the T-Mobile network, there's a surprising twist.
Unless you need the extra international features,
I actually think going with the regular Magenta plan
with the military discount,
is the better, overall deal.
And if you use less than 35 gigs per month
and wanna save some extra money,
then Mint Mobile is your best option.
It only makes sense upgrading to Magenta Max
if you're using the extra international data
on a frequent basis.
Otherwise, you can also get
low-cost international eSIM plans
from companies like US Mobile,
Airalo and Simtex,
that you can pair with your regular Magenta plan.
And on the Verizon network,
US Mobile's plan continues to look like
a better and better option.
It's a great overall value
and Visible's plan is best
if you need unlimited data at a cheap price.
But everything we've covered so far
has been for single line accounts.
What about for families?
Well, we're gonna speed things up
and cover the best family plans
for military members and first responders
on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon,
right now.
First, for entry-level plans,
again, T-Mobile doesn't offer a discount on Essentials
so we're substituting in T-Mobile Magenta,
which turns out to be perfect,
because all of these plans are $35 per line
at their regular prices.
With the military discount,
prices drop to between 25 and $30 per line.
And in my mind,
T-Mobile is the clear winner.
You get more features and a cheaper price.
No competition.
Looking exclusively at AT&T plans,
and FirstNet is no longer the clear winner here.
They don't offer a family discount.
This means Cricket's plans are your next best option.
And, it's kind of a tough choice.
AT&T Unlimited Starter will be close
to Cricket Unlimited More in price,
after all taxes and fees.
And there are definitely trade-offs.
AT&T will have better phone deals and discounts,
but I feel Cricket Unlimited More is a better overall plan
with unlimited premium data,
15 gigs of hotspot data
and perks like 150 gigs of cloud storage
and a free HBO Max subscription with ads.
Cricket Core is also a great option here.
It's the cheapest plan with truly unlimited data on AT&T.
And if you're using less data,
Boost Mobile can still save you some money.
Their $14 5GB plan is great for lighter users
and their 15GB plan for $20
is another affordable option, as well.
On the T-Mobile network, it's no contest.
Magenta for $25 per line is one of the best deals out there.
It's better than Metro and it's better than Google Fi.
Mint Mobile will still save frugal consumers some money
with their $15 4GB plan,
but if you need anything over like, 10 gigs,
then it's worth jumping over to Magenta
with the military discount.
And on Verizon,
Verizon's pricing got better,
but the 5G Start plan is still lackluster in features
and it's a clear choice in my mind
to go with US Mobile or Visible.
US Mobile if you want a bit more of a premium experience,
Visible if you want the cheapest unlimited plan out there,
with taxes and fees included.
For mid-tier unlimited plans,
prices range from 35 to $45 per line
and they drop to between 25 and $40 per line.
My take is that the T-Mobile Magenta plan
just becomes an even better value here.
It's the cheapest and still has great features.
It's the clear winner in my mind.
Diving into the AT&T network now,
and AT&T actually becomes more expensive.
It would likely be more expensive than Cricket
after all taxes and fees.
And since Cricket is basically the same plan
as AT&T Unlimited Extra,
but with more premium data
and the extra perks of the cloud storage and HBO Max,
I'd probably recommend Cricket over AT&T Unlimited Extra.
And, of course,
Boost Mobile is still hanging out here
if you wanna save some money and you're a lighter data user.
On the T-Mobile network,
no competition,
Magenta for 25 bucks continues to be
one of the best value plans out there.
You basically wanna get Magenta,
or if you're using less data,
then a plan from Mint Mobile.
And on the Verizon network,
US Mobile and Visible
continue to be the better overall options.
Plus as a bonus perk,
when you have four lines on US Mobile,
they will actually reimburse you
for up to two streaming services of your choice.
And rounding out this video,
we have the top-tier Unlimited plans.
Prices range from $43 to $55 per line,
and they drop down to 35 to $50 per line
with the military discounts applied.
And I think T-Mobile's Magenta Max plan
is the best overall option here.
It includes great core features and honestly,
the five gigs of free international data
in 210 supported countries,
is outstanding.
AT&T is also decent,
but it'll be closer to $42 per month after taxes and fees.
It's up to you what network you want
and what perks you want.
Looking at the AT&T network breakdown,
and my favorite option honestly,
continues to be Cricket Unlimited More.
It's got great features at a great price.
But for those of you who do want phone discounts,
need the extra hotspot data
or need the free Latin American data roaming,
then AT&T Unlimited Premium can still be a good option.
And of course, Cricket Core remains a great pick
if you want the best budget unlimited plan,
and Boost Mobile is here if you use a little bit less data
and are looking to save some extra money.
On the T-Mobile network,
there's a bit of a surprising twist.
Yes, Magenta Max is a great value and a great plan
but I honestly think for most people,
the regular Magenta plan
with the military discount at $25 per line,
is an unbeatable value.
The only reason to go with Magenta Max
is if you need the extra international data
and the 210 supported countries.
Otherwise, I'd go with the regular Magenta plan.
Oh, and of course we have Mint Mobile
if you're a lighter data user
and you wanna save some extra money.
And on the Verizon network,
US Mobile and Visible
continue to be the champions in my eyes.
If you want the best value,
I think they continue to deliver.
So overall,
the top three plans for single-line users
are AT&T FirstNet,
T-Mobile Magenta and US Mobile.
And the top three plans for families
are Cricket Unlimited More,
T-Mobile Magenta and US Mobile.
I'm Stetson
and my goal is to help as many people as possible
save money on their cell phone bill.
Click the like button below if you found this video helpful
and share this video with one friend
who's an active military member,
a veteran or a first responder,
to make sure they're getting the best deal
on their cell phone plan possible.
That's it for this video
and I'll see you in the next one.