Best unlimited data plans of 2026: Verizon, Mint Mobile, and beyond

mint mobile mascot fullscreen on phone
(Image credit: Rajat Sharma / Android Central)

The best unlimited data plans give you the freedom to play all your favorite online games, binge-watch the newest movies and TV shows, scroll through your social media feeds, and much more, without ever having to keep tabs on your data allowance. Primarily targeted at demanding users, they're almost essential for modern-day smartphones, tablets, and other smart gadgets. And arguably the best part is that ever-improving network infrastructure and latest wireless technologies like 5G have made these unlimited plans fairly affordable. Whether you prefer a mainstream carrier like T-Mobile, or a Mobile Virtual Network Operator such as Mint Mobile, there are a number of great options to choose from.

While some of the more high-end plans include bundled extras (e.g., streaming services, in-flight connectivity) to justify their price tags, you may or may not that additional stuff. As such, the best unlimited plan for you is going to be one that fits your requirements the best. Our top vote goes to Visible's middle-level plan, which offers just about everything on Verizon's high-speed network. Then you have Mint Mobile's top-tier plan, which is a solid pick if you prefer T-Mobile's high-speed network. You can also take a gander at some comprehensive plans from these traditional carriers, as well as a few from alternative service providers.

At a glance

Best overall

Visible SIM card Galaxy S20+

(Image credit: Samuel Contreras)
Best overall

Reasons to buy

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Verizon's high-speed 5G network access
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Regular price of $35 per month
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Taxes and fees are included
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Unlimited premium data
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Great for international calls and texts

Reasons to avoid

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Mobile hotspot speeds are capped at 10Mbps
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No discounts for additional lines

With a standard price of just $35 per month (inclusive of all taxes and fees), the middle-level 'Visible Plus' plan gives you many premium features that are usually not found with prepaid carriers, including unlimited high-speed 5G data and full access to Verizon's super-fast 'Ultra-Wideband' 5G network.

The 'Visible Plus' plan has a number of international perks too, such as unlimited calls and texts to Mexico and Canada (as well as 2GB high-speed roaming data per day in these two countries), unlimited mobile hotspot usage at 10Mbps, spam and robocall protection, video streaming at up to 1080p (Full-HD) resolution, and one day (per month) of the 'Global Pass' international roaming add-on feature. If you want even more, you can go for the top-of-the-line 'Visible Plus Pro' plan. It's priced at $45 per month (again, with all taxes and fees, and before factoring any promotional discounts) and offers all the perks of the mid-level plan, in addition to benefits such as unlimited mobile hotspot use at 15Mbps, video streaming at up to 2160p (4K) resolution, international calling to over 85 countries and texting to more than 200 countries, and a lot more.

Unlike traditional MVNO carriers that piggyback off larger networks, Visible is a full-stack digital carrier owned and operated by Verizon. This means that you get (nearly) all the benefits of a big service provider, without having to pay the big carrier's prices. In addition to that, there are no hidden fees, and you can cancel the service at any time if you don't like it. Visible also offers some incredible deals quite frequently, so make sure to check those out before signing up. You can also pay upfront for a full year of service to save even more cash.

Best premium pick

New Verizon logo 2024

(Image credit: Verizon)

2. Verizon Unlimited Ultimate

Best premium pick

Reasons to buy

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Unlimited 5G Ultra-Wideband access
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Great multi-line discounts
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Mix and match extra perks
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200GB high-speed mobile hotspot data
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Up to 4K streaming available

Reasons to avoid

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Expensive for a single line
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Pricing doesn't include taxes and fees

In addition to offering a bunch of pre-configured plans, Verizon now also offers a mix-and-match system that lets you customize your plan's benefits using a wide variety of add-ons, with their prices ranging between $10-$15 per month. Among these extras are popular streaming services (e.g., Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max), 100GB dedicated mobile hotspot data, Apple One, unlimited cloud storage, and more.

This means that the base plans are now pretty stripped-back. However, if you can afford it, you really won't be missing out on anything with the top-tier 'Unlimited Ultimate' plan. Starting at $95 per month (before taxes and fees, and autopay and paper-free billing discounts) for one line, this plan gives you unlimited premium data, 'Ultra-Wideband' 5G network access, up to 200GB high-speed mobile hotspot data (after which the speeds are reduced) use, as well as video streaming at up to 2160p (4K) resolution when on the 'Ultra-Wideband' 5G network.

You also get a number of amazing international benefits, including talk, text, and high-speed (up to 15GB) data in more than 210 countries around the world. Now, $95 per month (that too before taxes and fees) isn't a small amount, but like most of Verizon's plans, you can save by signing up for more lines. Apart from that, you can take advantage of one the many Verizon deals that are frequently available.

Best prepaid option

Two smartphones next to a Mint Mobile SIM card. One smartphone has its SIM tray open with another SIM card next to it.

(Image credit: Samuel Contreras / Android Central)
Best prepaid option

Reasons to buy

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T-Mobile network with 5G access
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Free calling to the UK, Mexico, and Canada
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Wide range of compatible phones
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Up to 20GB mobile hotspot data with top plan
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Relatively affordable plans

Reasons to avoid

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Upfront multi-month payment required
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No multi-line discounts

If you're interested in going the MVNO route, Mint Mobile is easily one of the best carriers to sign up with. Fully owned and operated by T-Mobile, this MVNO utilizes its parent service provider's extensive network infrastructure to give you simple and reliable coverage at much lower costs. With the top-tier 'Unlimited' plan, you get unlimited high-speed 5G/LTE data, with speeds getting reduced after you hit the 50GB limit. Of course, there are also many other benefits like free calls to the UK, Mexico, and Canada, 20GB mobile hotspot data usage per month, and 480p (SD) resolution video streaming included in the mix. These make Mint Mobile one of the best MVNO carriers in the country.

Mint Mobile is quite a unique Mobile Virtual Network Operator, as it requires you to buy service in chunks of three, six, or 12 months in advance. However, you end up saving a lot of money by paying upfront for multiple months. If you're unsure, you can even try the prepaid carrier for a full week before committing, thanks to a convenient free trial that can run alongside your existing service without any interruptions. New customers have to pay just $90 (before taxes and fees, as well as any promotional discounts) for the first three months of the 'Unlimited' plan, which comes down to a fairly affordable $30 per month. You can save even more via regular deals and promotions. After three months, the cost goes up to $210 for six months (or $35 per month, under the standard pricing structure), but you can sign up for an entire year at the same monthly price as the three-month pricing.

Best budget plan

Tello homepage on phone

(Image credit: Android Central)
Best budget plan

Reasons to buy

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Extremely affordable pricing
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T-Mobile's network coverage
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Plans can be configured via online mix and match tool
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Free calls to more than 60 countries
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10GB hotspot data with the topmost plan

Reasons to avoid

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Not much in terms of perks
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Unlimited high-speed data is capped at 50GB

With carriers like Tello, you can easily go fully unlimited even when shopping on a shoestring budget. For a price of only $25 per month (before taxes and fees), Tello lets you have 50GB high-speed 5G/LTE data on T-Mobile's network before speeds are reduced, full Wi-Fi calling, 10GB monthly mobile hotspot data use, as well as free international calls to over 60 countries including Canada, Mexico, and India.

Tello is very much a no-frills carrier so don't expect a lot of fancy perks. However, if you value simplicity and transparent business practices more, it might just be the perfect MVNO for all your needs. It's also worth mentioning that all of Tello's plans are quite customizable via its online 'Build Your Own Plan' tool. That said, you can simply go for one of the pre-configured plans, including the unlimited 'Max' plan (with a regular pricing of $25 per month) detailed above. Tello is ideal for anyone with somewhat basic phone usage requirements.

Need less data in a month? Simply adjust the plan via Tello's app and see all the changes instantly go into effect. That means you can use the $25 per month plan for some time and then switch over to the $10 per month 'Everyday' plan, without incurring any penalties.

Best for travelers

Google Fi Sim on map

(Image credit: Samuel Contreras / Android Central)

5. Google Fi Unlimited Premium

Best for travelers

Reasons to buy

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Excellent international coverage
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50GB high-speed hotspot data
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Connectivity with selected smartwatches and other devices
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Six months of YouTube Premium included
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100GB free cloud storage via Google One

Reasons to avoid

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Video streaming is restricted to 480p (SD) resolution
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Taxes and fees are extra

Google Fi is an MVNO that utilizes T-Mobile's network to give you reliable network coverage everywhere, including abroad. Its 'Unlimited Premium' plan comes with free calls to more than 50 countries around the world, free data (50GB at high-speed, with speeds getting downgraded to 256kbps after that limit is reached) in more than 200 countries, and unlimited free texts in any country where Google Fi's coverage is available. Naturally, speeds will vary based on the country you're in, but it still beats international coverage offered by most competing carriers.

You also get several additional goodies with the 'Unlimited Premium' plan; these include unlimited hotspot tethering with 50GB dedicated high-speed data, free 100GB cloud storage (via Google One), and 100GB high-speed premium data. The MVNO will even hook you up with six months of YouTube Premium at no extra cost. Like all other Google Fi plans, this one also includes spam blocking, family location sharing, content filters, and more.

One issue with Google Fi Wireless is that you'll only get full access to everything it has to offer if you pick up a 'Designed for Fi' phone to use with it. These include most of the newer Samsung Galaxy devices, Pixels, and Motorola phones as they can seamlessly switch between wireless networks and Wi-Fi hotspots utilized by Google Fi Wireless. Although the majority of unlocked phones will still work, the experience may not be as smooth as you expect it to be.

Best T-Mobile

Pixel 10 eSIM transfer failure message

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

6. T-Mobile Experience More

Best T-Mobile

Reasons to buy

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Five-year price guarantee
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Unlimited high-speed 5G data access
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In-flight texting and Wi-Fi services wherever available
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60GB high-speed mobile hotspot data
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Good multi-line discounts

Reasons to avoid

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Very expensive for one line
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Taxes and fees aren't included

With its 5G infrastructure arguably among the best in the United States, T-Mobile is perfect for anyone who wants reliable wireless network coverage throughout the country. If that includes you, we recommend taking a look at the 'Experience More' plan.

Usually priced at $90 per month for one line (before autopay discounts, any taxes and fees, and up to $35 device connection charge per line), it certainly doesn't come cheap. However, you get unlimited premium data access on T-Mobile's high-capacity 5G network, and a five-year price guarantee (again, before taxes and fees). It also includes 60GB dedicated high-speed mobile hotspot data, with speeds getting reduced once you go over the limit. Streaming services such as Netflix (with ads) and Apple TV (for $3 per month) are also available, as are in-flight connectivity and video streaming at up to 2160p (4K) resolution. If you want to buy a fresh phone, there is a wide range of smartphones worth taking a look at.

T-Mobile's 'Experience More' plan further includes 15GB high-speed data when in Canada and Mexico, as well as unlimited data use (at 256 kbps) in more than 215 countries and destinations around the world. There are multi-line discounts too, with the third line being free if you bring over friends or family members.

How to choose

What's the best unlimited data plan for me?

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As you can tell by going through the all the options listed above, there is no 'one-size-fits-all' solution when getting an unlimited plan. Instead, you must consider your own needs when picking a wireless service provider. Do you prioritize oodles of premium data? Do you prefer flexibility? What about affordability? Once you have the answers to these questions, you'll be able to decide which of these best unlimited data plans will fit your requirements the best.

But even more importantly, you'll need to know how much data you actually use and need. If you can't decide, we recommend 'Visible Plus' as it's easily the most well-rounded mid-level plan out there that offers sufficient amount of data, along with several benefits on Verizon's solid network infrastructure. If you don't really care about the bill, Verizon's 'Unlimited Ultimate' plan not only includes loads of premium data and international perks but also lets you customize things further via a range of practical add-ons. T-Mobile's 'Experience More' plan is also similar to what Verizon has and might be a better fit for you. Then there's Mint Mobile's 'Unlimited' plan, which lets you save quite a lot via upfront payments for multiple months of countrywide wireless service.

Patrick Farmer
eCommerce Editor

After almost a decade of working in the e-commerce space, Patrick Farmer (he/him) began his career at Android Central as a Deals and Commerce Writer before moving into a new role as AC's eCommerce Editor in 2023. When he's not hunting down the best deals and offering shopping advice for our readers, you'll often find him listening to music, camping out at a brewery, or treating his cat like a human child. 

With contributions from