- [Stetson] These are the best cell phone plans for 2023
that will save you money on service,
work with the phone you already have
and provide identical coverage to what you're used to.
Hi, I'm Stetson and I've been reviewing cell phone plans
for almost a decade.
I've personally tested over 15 different carriers
and reviewed them here on this channel
to help you all find an affordable plan
that meets your needs.
Based on my extensive testing and research,
I have come up with the 13 best cell phone plans
that you should sign up for in 2023.
These plans are broken down
by what network they use for coverage,
the T-Mobile Network, the Verizon Network
or the AT and T network,
and you can find all of these plans,
linked in the video description.
We'll cover all of these plans in detail in just a moment,
but first I wanna start off
by answering two important questions.
One, how can these plans be so affordable?
For example, how can one carrier offer unlimited data
for under half the cost of another one?
Well, here's how it works.
In the United States there are four major carriers;
T-Mobile, Verizon AT and T, and Dish.
These are considered major carriers,
because they build and operate their own networks.
They put up cell towers, purchase spectrum licenses
and build the infrastructure to operate their networks.
These major carriers are called MNOs
or Mobile Network Operators.
Operating your Own network is expensive though
to the tune of billions of dollars per year,
so the major carriers charge expensive prices
for their cell phone plans to help cover the costs,
anywhere from 65 to $90 per month for a single line.
Not everyone can afford these high prices though
and not everyone has the credit score
that's required to sign up for these plans.
If the major carriers did nothing,
their networks would never be running at full capacity
and they would be losing money.
So, to make up for this and to get extra money,
the major carriers sell access to their networks
to prepaid carriers at wholesale rates.
These prepaid carriers then sell plans to consumers
at significantly more affordable prices.
They also have other cost saving strategies,
such as operating online only,
having cheaper plans with set data amounts,
selling plans in bulk three, six or 12 month packages
and making strategic advertising investments.
For example,
instead of spending over five and a half million dollars
on a 32nd Super Bowl commercial,
Ryan Reynolds, the majority owner of Mint Mobile,
his basically advertising Mint for free
on his YouTube channel,
and in one ad he only spent $500 for stock footage
and didn't even bother to remove the green screen.
These prepaid carriers like Mint Mobile,
are referred to as MVNOs
or Mobile Virtual Network Operators.
This is because they operate virtually
on the existing networks instead of building their own.
This also means they get identical coverage
to the underlying network
and that's how you get T-Mobile, Verizon
or AT and T coverage at a fraction of the cost.
The plans that will save you the most money in this video,
will be from these MVNOs.
All right, the second question,
how do you actually pick a cell phone plan?
It turns out this involves answering four simple questions.
One, how many lines do you need?
If you need one or two lines,
the plans in this video will be perfect for you.
If you need three or four lines,
then you'll want to check out my video
on the best family plans.
I'll leave it linked in the video description.
Two, how much data do you need?
People in North America use about 17.4 gigabytes
of data per month on average,
according to Ericsson's 2022 mobility report.
So, if you get a plan with say 15 to 20 gigabytes
of data per month, you should be fine.
You can also check your exact data usage
in your phone settings.
This could save you a whole lot of money
by not overpaying for data you don't need.
Check out my video
on how to check data usage on iPhone and Android,
so you can see exactly how much you need per month.
Three, what network do you want for coverage?
This one is easy to answer.
If you're happy with your current network,
you can keep it and simply switch to a more affordable plan.
And if you want to try a new network,
it's easy to switch there as well.
You can use cool resources like CoverageMap.com
to see crowdsource coverage in your area.
I'll leave links to CoverageMap.com
and a few other resources for checking coverage
in the video description.
And number four, what features do you want or need?
The main features that change between plans,
are the amount of hotspot data, the included perks
and the international features.
I made a free worksheet with all the planned features,
listed on it so you can check which ones you need
and which ones would be nice to have.
Okay, now that you know exactly
what you're looking for in a cell phone plan
and how some plans can be more affordable than others,
let's dive into the best cellphone plans for 2023.
First up are the best T-Mobile plans.
There are four great options to choose from here.
If you want a plan from T-Mobile directly,
then the first plan is for you.
It's the T-Mobile Magenta Max Plan for $85 per month.
It includes unlimited premium data,
40 gigabytes of hotspot data, 4K video streaming,
free international texting to over 210 destinations,
five gigabytes of free roaming in Canada and Mexico
and five gigabytes of free international data roaming
in over 210 destinations.
The only thing missing is international calling,
which is available for a $15 per month add-on.
Extra perks with this plan,
include a free Netflix subscription, Apple TV Plus,
Paramount Plus and a free AAA membership.
These perks do have various durations though,
so check T-Mobile's website for the latest updates.
If you're looking for something
with unlimited data that's a bit more affordable,
you may want to check out Metro by T-Mobile's plan.
It's just $40 per month
and it includes your basics,
unlimited data and for 480p video streaming,
add-ons are also available for international texting,
international calling and data roaming in Canada and Mexico.
Unfortunately, the mobile hotspot feature,
isn't supported here
and neither is international data roaming.
The other big thing to know about this plan
is it's only available for new customers
who port their number to Metro by T-Mobile.
If you're not a new customer
or you don't wanna port your phone number,
then Metro's $50 plan is a great backup option.
It's only $10 extra
and it adds in five gigabytes of high-speed hotspot data.
Going with either one of these plans,
we'll save you between $420 and $540 per year,
compared to Magenta Max.
For even more savings,
you may want to consider Mint Mobile's Unlimited Plan.
This is just $30 per month,
which saves you $660 per year compared to Magenta Max.
Mint Mobile's Plan includes 35 gigabytes of high-speed data,
before unlimited data at 512 kilobits per second,
five gigabytes of hotspot data, 480p video streaming
and free calls to Canada and Mexico.
Pay-per-use rates are also available
for international texting, calling and roaming
in Canada and Mexico as well as roaming internationally.
The other big thing to know about Mint Mobile
is that they sell their plans in bulk.
You sign up for either three, six
or 12 months of service at a time
and now the most affordable option on the T-Mobile Network
is Mint Mobile's four gig plan.
This is just $15 per month
and saves you a whopping $840 per year,
compared to Magenta Max.
That right there is enough for a new phone.
This $15 plan includes four gigabytes of high-speed data,
before unlimited data at 128 kilobits per second.
The ability to use up to all four gigs as hotspot data,
4K video streaming and free calling to Canada and Mexico,
pay-per-use rates are available for international calling,
international texting roaming in Canada and Mexico
and roaming internationally.
Now onto the five best Verizon plans.
The first plan is if you want an option
from Verizon directly,
it's their 5G Play More Unlimited Plan.
This is $85 per month
and includes 50 gigabytes of premium data,
before unlimited deprioritized data.
You also get 25 gigabytes of hotspot data here,
720p video streaming by default,
but up to 4K video streaming when on 5G Ultra Wideband,
free international texting to over 200 destinations
and free data roaming in Canada and Mexico.
You get two gigabytes of high-speed data per day,
before unlimited data at 500 kilobits per second.
Add-ons are available for international calling
and international data roaming
and this plan is packed with perks.
It comes with a free Disney Plus, Hulu
and ESPN Plus subscription,
Apple Music for free for six months
and up to 50% off Verizon 5G home internet
or $30 off a Verizon Fios Plan.
Next, if you're looking for the same plan
for about half the price,
then you'll want to check out Visible Plus.
This is just $45 per month with all taxes and fees included
and saves you over $420 per year,
compared to Verizon 5G Play More.
Visible Plus includes shockingly similar features too.
You get 50 gigabytes of premium data,
before unlimited deprioritized data,
unlimited hotspot data at five megabits per second,
480p video streaming by default
and up to 4K streaming on 5G Ultra Wideband,
free international texting,
500 free minutes of international calling to 30 destinations
and half a gig per day of free data roaming
in Canada and Mexico.
The only feature Visible Plus is missing
is an option for international data roaming.
You can see for half the price though,
Visible's Plan is awesome.
As a bonus,
Visible is offering new customers
who buy an iPhone 14 Pro a $200 gift card
and a free pair of AirPod Pros too.
Another fantastic option on the Verizon Network for $45
is US Mobile's Unlimited Premium Plan.
This bumps things up to 100 gigabytes of premium data
and 50 gigabytes of hotspot data.
Video streams at 720p by default,
but up to 4K on 5G Ultra Wideband.
US Mobile's plan also includes one gig of free roaming
in Canada and three gigs of free roaming in Mexico
and you get up to 10 gigabytes
of free international data roaming
in over 100 supported destinations.
However, it's important to note
that US Mobile doesn't support calling or texting,
while in Canada, Mexico or abroad.
It's just data only.
They also don't support stateside international calling
or international texting with this plan either.
Still, this plan is a great value and US Mobile
is known for providing a premium experience
with their clean website and mobile application.
Next, if you want unlimited data
at the best price in the industry,
then you may want to check out Visible's Base Plan.
This skips out on a few more of the premium features
in favor of the most affordable price available.
This plan is just $30 per month,
which saves you over $600 per year,
compared to Verizon 5G Play More.
And Visible Base includes unlimited deprioritized data
with speeds up to 200 megabits per second,
unlimited hotspot data at five megabits per second,
480p video streaming,
international texting to Canada and Mexico
and international calling to six countries.
The only features not supported are roaming
in Canada and Mexico and international data roaming
and if you wanted to save a heaping amount of money
on Verizon you could opt for US Mobile's Five Gig Plan.
This is just $15 per month,
which saves you $780 per year,
compared to Verizon 5G Play More.
Included with US Mobile's plan
is five gigabytes of premium data
and 720p video streaming.
The mobile hotspot feature is available for a $2 add-on
and there are international data add-ons available
for roaming in Canada and Mexico,
as well as in over 100 other countries.
Not supported here is international texting
or international calling.
This plan has all your basics at a great price.
Now onto the four best AT and T plans.
My first pick is a plan from AT and T directly.
It's their entry level AT and T unlimited starter plan.
This entry level plan has everything you need
at the most affordable price in AT and T's postpaid lineup.
You get unlimited deprioritized data,
three gigs of hotspot data,
480p video streaming, free international texting
and unlimited free data roaming in Canada and Mexico.
Add-ons are also available for international calling
and international data roaming.
It's also worth mentioning that this plan
is eligible for the full $801,000 off trade-in deals
that AT and T runs,
which is really what makes this plan a great value.
If you wanna save a bit of money
and get some nice extra features,
then you may want to consider,
AT and T Prepaid Unlimited Max.
This plan is $50 per month,
which saves you $180 per year,
compared to AT and T unlimited starter.
Included with AT and T Prepaid Unlimited Max
is 22 gigabytes of premium data,
before unlimited deprioritized data,
10 gigabytes of hotspot data, 4K video streaming,
free international texting
and free unlimited data roaming in Canada and Mexico.
Add-ons are also available for international calling
and international data roaming.
Next up, we've got the newest carrier on the block,
Boost Infinite.
This $25 plan is an exceptional value.
It saves you $480 per year,
compared to AT and T Unlimited Starter.
It comes with 30 gigabytes of high speed data,
before unlimited data at 512 kilobits per second,
five gigabytes of hotspot data
480p video streaming, free international texting,
free international calling
and one gigabyte of free data roaming in Canada and Mexico.
The only feature Boost Infinite doesn't support
is international data roaming,
so it's kind of a great plan
and perhaps one of the best value plans
on the AT and T Network right now.
And lastly, we have Boost Mobile's $15 plan.
This is the most affordable option
on the AT and T Network
and saves you $600 per year,
compared to AT and T Unlimited Starter.
Included for your $15
is five gigabytes of high-speed data,
support from mobile hotspot and 480p video streaming.
International texts are free to receive and 10 cents send.
You can also buy the $5 total Mexico Plus add-on
for unlimited international texting
to over 200 destinations.
The Todo Mexico Plus add-on,
also gives you one and a half gigabytes
of free data roaming in Mexico,
but unfortunately no data roaming in Canada.
I also didn't see any options for international calling
or international data roaming for this plan.
It's also worth noting this plan is a three month plan,
so it would be $45 upfront for three months of service.
My name is Stetson and my mission
is to help 1 million people save $10 per month or more
on their cell phone bill.
I hope with this video,
at least a few of you were able to do just that.
Click the like button if you found this video helpful
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