Picking one of the best Google Fi alternatives can be a bit tricky, considering how many great options are available out there. An MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) utilizing T-Mobile's network infrastructure, Google Fi offers three feature-laden unlimited plans and a value-for-money flexible plan that you can choose from. The unlimited plans are targeted at heavy users who want lots of premium data, along with hotspot use and international usage benefits, whereas the base plan is suited for users who simply want reliable network coverage, but with some data thrown into the mix.
However, if none of those phone plans interest you, you can check out one of the many Google Fi alternatives available out there. These pack everything from high-speed 5G access to plan customization to bulk discounts, all at fairly affordable prices. Mint Mobile continues to be our top pick, as it's fully owned and operated by T-Mobile and lets you save by offering its service in bundles of three, six, or 12 months. We also quite like Visible, which is fully backed by Verizon and gives you three feature-packed plans to choose from. There are many other options too, so read on to see which one is the best for your requirements.
- MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost | Tello | Cricket
At a glance
Best overall
With Mint Mobile, you can save some serious cash by getting three, six, or 12 months of service upfront. All its plans have unlimited talk and text, mobile hotspot usage, and excellent 5G access via T-Mobile's network.
Best for simplicity
Offering three feature-laden plans to choose from, Visible makes things super simple. You get access to Verizon's nationwide 5G network, unlimited talk and text, mobile hotspot usage, spam call protection, and more.
Best for customization
With US Mobile, you can either choose from three fully loaded unlimited plans or get a basic plan for light use. Apart from that, you also get data bundles that can be shared across devices and lines, and multi-line subscription perks.
Best for families
Metro by T-Mobile lets you choose from a number of unlimited plans, with each having unlimited high-speed data, access to T-Mobile's 5G network, and perks such as free cloud storage and Amazon Prime.
Best international perks
Utilizing AT&T's nationwide 5G network, Cricket Wireless offers unlimited talk and text on all its plans. Among other goodies are free cloud storage, lots of hotspot data with higher plans, and unlimited international texting.
Best on a budget
From 100 minutes of talk time to unlimited data, Tello lets you customize exactly what you want via its online configuration tool. You can also pick from four pre-configured plans, and all offerings include unlimited talk and text, and free calls to India, Canada, and Mexico.
Best overall
While most of the wireless service providers bill you monthly, Mint Mobile takes a different approach by requiring you to purchase three, six, or 12 months of service upfront at a time. Of course, this means you have to pay more initially, but it lets you save significantly over time as well.
Mint Mobile's data plans come with unlimited talk and text, and (depending on your choice), 5GB, 15GB, 20GB, or unlimited (with no data caps, but reduction in speeds after 50GB of use) of 5G/4G LTE data. If you find you need additional data for a month, you can get it at a starting price of $10 for 1GB. You also get shared mobile hotspot usage with all but the top-tier plan, which has 20GB of dedicated hotspot data. All the plans also have free calls to Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Do note that video streaming is limited to 480p (SD) resolution with all plans.
As a new customer, you can save by getting any of Mint Mobile's plans for at least three months. If you like the service, you can renew it for six months at a slightly higher prices, or lock-in the introductory prices by signing up for an entire year of service. With Mint Mobile, the longer your duration of service, the more you stand to save. The unlimited plan is a solid choice, since it no longer has any data caps.
Mint Mobile is owned and operated by T-Mobile, and uses the latter's LTE and 5G networks, which means you can bring over just about any unlocked phone and it'll work on the network. This also makes Mint Mobile a good way to test out the largest 5G network in the country.
Best for simplicity
Visible is arguably the simplest and most straightforward prepaid wireless carrier in the United States. From setting up the device to getting a plan, it makes just about everything a cakewalk. Visible has three unlimited plans, each coming in with lots of practical benefits. The base plan (called Visible) is similar to what we tested in our Visible review and gives you high-speed 5G and 4G LTE connectivity, along with unlimited shared hotspot use at 5Mbps. You also get 480p (SD) video streaming, and talk and text to Mexico and Canada, all at a standard price of $25 per month.
Moving up, the middle-level plan (called Visible Plus) upgrades your 5G access to Verizon's 'Ultra-Wideband' network for even better speeds. It also enables shared hotspot use at 10Mbps and 1080p (Full-HD) video streaming, along with roaming perks in Mexico and Canada, at a regular price of $35 per month. Lastly, the top-tier plan (called Visible Plus Pro) offers you 2160p (4K) video streaming, unlimited shared mobile hotspot use at 15Mbps, full Mexico and Canada use, calling to over 85 countries and texting to more than 200 countries, smartwatch service, and a lot more, all at a price of $45 per month.
It's worth mentioning that Visible's prices are inclusive of taxes and fees, and you also have the option to pay yearly for more savings. Moreover, there are deals and promotions running almost every time, and those can help you save even more.
Best for customization
US Mobile offers three main unlimited plans worth checking out. The two higher plans (Unlimited Starter and Unlimited Premium) have monthly prices of $25 and $44 (before limited-time promotional discounts), respectively, and these include unlimited talk and text, hotspot use, international use perks, and more. The third plan (Unlimited Flex) is available as an annual option only, with an effective price of $17.50 per month. It offers 10GB of high-speed data and 5GB of mobile hotspot data. Among the best MVNO carriers, US Mobile is interesting because it uses the networks of all the 'Big Three' carriers; you can select the same when signing up for the service.
In addition to these, US Mobile has a lightweight plan that you can get for only $10 per month. It offers 2GB of premium data and international calling as an add-on, and you can save by signing up for a full year. You also have 'By the Gig' plans that let you buy chunks of data (e.g., 2GB for $10 per month) that can be shared across multiple devices and lines. Each plan's price also includes the first line, and extra lines can be added at a price of $8 per line.
If you sign up for at least three lines with the highest plan, you can add one of the pre-configured bundles that include subscription services such as Audible, Hulu, and Xbox Gamepass. Each of these bundles costs $15 per month.
Best for families
As the name suggests, Metro by T-Mobile is owned by T-Mobile. Consequently, it has some of the better prepaid options if you prefer the carrier's network. Metro offers excellent compatibility with phones that work with T-Mobile and has good multi-line discounts that you can take advantage of as well.
Metro by T-Mobile allows you to choose from three unlimited plans that all have unlimited talk and text with 5G access, 'ScamShield' for preventing scam calls, as well as access to the 'T-Mobile Tuesdays' promotions. The two higher plans also include dedicated mobile hotspot data, 100GB of cloud storage via Google One, and more. The base plan is web-exclusive and costs $40 per month, whereas the higher plans discussed above cost $50 and $60 per month. All prices are inclusive of taxes and fees and are backed by a five-year price guarantee.
With the top-of-the-line plan, you also get international texting to more than 210 countries and destinations, along with Amazon Prime, and 1080p (Full-HD) video streaming. Apart from these, Metro by T-Mobile also has an online-exclusive plan (priced at a mere $25 per month) that's perfect if you bring your current device to the network.
Best international perks
As AT&T's prepaid brand, Cricket Wireless might not tick every box for those who want an alternative to Google Fi, but it comes in quite close. For example, you get reliable nationwide 5G network access, unlimited talk and text, and good phone compatibility. Cricket Wireless has done away with the speed caps that it had in place a while back, and its revamped plans now offer a lot better value for money.
Cricket Wireless has a base plan that costs $30 per month for one line and packs 10GB of high-speed data, but not much more. Next up, there are three unlimited plans that have monthly prices of $35, $45, and $55 for one line (and with autopay discounts). With these, you get unlimited talk and text, up to 50GB of hotspot data, (with the highest plan), and unlimited texts to more than 200 countries and territories around the world with the top two plans. The top-tier also comes with HBO Max (with ads), as well as 150GB of cloud storage. With the lower unlimited plan, you get 100GB of cloud storage. You get multi-line discounts with all but the base plan, and there are two multi-month plans available too.
Lastly, Cricket Wireless offers data-only plans that are perfect if you don't require calling functionality and mostly depend on messaging apps for communication.
Best on a budget
Tello is a prepaid carrier that you might not have heard of before, but perhaps it's now time to know about it. One of the more interesting players out in the mobile space, it's a Google Fi alternative that offers a lot to like. The biggest highlight of Tello is its online 'Build Your Own Plan' tool, which lets you configure exactly how much data and/or talk time minutes you need. From no to unlimited data (with a high-speed cap of 50GB), and from zero to unlimited talk time minutes, you can mix and match things as you like.
If all that sounds too cumbersome, you can simply pick from one of the four pre-customized plans that offer good bang for your buck(s). Of these, the 'Economy' plan comes with 2GB of data, unlimited talk and text, as well as shared hotspot usage, all for $10 per month. You can also opt for the top-of-the-line 'Data' plan, which includes unlimited talk and text, 50GB of high-speed data, and more, for $25 per month. All of Tello's plans include free international calling to more than 60 countries, including popular destinations such as Canada, Mexico, and India.
Lots of options
Get the Google Fi alternative that's best for your needs
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It probably won't be an exaggeration to say that there's no carrier in the United States quite like Google Fi Wireless. Sure, it might be a bit more expensive than others, but goodies like roaming benefits to 'Bill Protection' make the extra cost almost seem justified. Many of the best Android phones will work with Google Fi's network with full 5G access, so it's the ideal choice for many users.
That said, there's no shortage of awesome Google Fi alternatives in the U.S., with our best overall pick being Mint Mobile. This MVNO is owned and operated by T-Mobile and requires you to pay for multiple months of service in advance. While this does mean you pay more from your pocket initially, you end up saving a lot in the long term. Mint Mobile offers high-speed 5G access, free mobile hotspot use, and a number of other features. Plans start at $15 per month (with a minimum of three months), and there are typically plenty of great Mint Mobile deals that can help you save some extra cash when buying a new smartphone like the Google Pixel 10 Pro through the prepaid carrier.
Then there's Visible, which is backed by Verizon and makes stuff super simple by letting you choose from three fully loaded plans. While the starter plan will more than suffice for everyone's needs, the higher plan comes with benefits such as access to Verizon's 'Ultra-Wideband' 5G network, international usage perks, and a lot more.
- MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost | Tello | Cricket
