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

google fi website on phone
(Image credit: Rajat Sharma / Android Central)

The best unlimited data plans let you play your favorite online games, binge-watch the newest movies and TV shows, and even just scroll social media platforms for hours on end, without you ever having to keep tabs on data caps. These plans are generally designed for heavy data users and allow high-speed data access on not just smartphones, but range of other smart devices such as tablets as well. Thanks to the ever-improving network infrastructure and enhancements in modern wireless technologies like 5G, getting an unlimited plan no longer requires you to shell out a fortune, whether you want something from a mainstream carrier (e.g., T-Mobile) or an MVNO (e.g., Mint Mobile).

Some of the more premium phone plans come bundled with extras such as streaming services and in-flight connectivity, which you may or may not need. As such, the best unlimited plan for you is ultimately going to be one that fits your individual use case the best. One of the better overall options is Visible's middle-level plan, which gives you all the essentials on Verizon's network. You can also check out the Mint Mobile's top-of-the-line plan if you prefer T-Mobile's network. Of course, you have proper plans by these carriers, as well as many other options, so read on to know about them all.

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 (that too with all taxes and fees), the middle-level 'Visible Plus' plan gives you premium features usually not found on many 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 solid international perks as well, such as unlimited calls and texts to Mexico and Canada (as well as 2GB of 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 recently introduced 'Visible Plus Pro' plan. This top-tier plan costs $45 per month (including all taxes and fees, and before 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

Verizon store sign

(Image credit: Android Central)

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 of 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

Verizon now features an excellent mix-and-match system that lets you customize your plan's benefits using a wide variety of add-ons, with prices of these 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 plans themselves are now pretty stripped-back. However, if you can afford it, you really won't be missing out on anything with the high-end 'Unlimited Ultimate' plan. Starting at $90 per month (before taxes and fees) for a single line, this top-tier plan offers unlimited premium data, 'Ultra-Wideband' 5G network access, up to 200GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data (after which the speeds are reduced), and 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 data (up to 15GB at high speed) in more than 210 countries around the world. Of course, $90 per month (that too without taxes and fees) isn't a small amount, but like most of Verizon's plans, you can save by adding additional lines. You can also take advantage of one the many Verizon deals that are frequently available.

Best prepaid option

Mint Mobile review

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

Reasons to buy

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T-Mobile network with 5G
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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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10GB of mobile hotspot data
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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 arguably one of the best carriers to go with. Fully owned and operated by T-Mobile, the MVNO utilizes its parent service provider's nationwide network infrastructure to give you simple and reliable coverage at a much lower cost. With the top-of-the-line 'Unlimited' plan, you get unlimited high-speed 5G/LTE data (with speeds getting reduced after 50GB of usage). Of course, there are also many other benefits like free calls to the UK, Mexico, and Canada, dedicated 10GB of mobile hotspot data, and 480p (SD) resolution video streaming included in the mix. These make Mint Mobile one of the best MVNO carriers out 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 Mobile 1GB plan in phone web browser

(Image credit: Samuel Contreras)
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 tool
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Free calls to more than 60 countries
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10GB of dedicated hotspot data with the top 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 up to 50GB of high-speed 5G/LTE data on T-Mobile's network before speeds are reduced, Wi-Fi calling, 10GB of dedicated mobile hotspot data, as well as free international calling to more than 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 noting that all of Tello's plans are extremely customizable via its online 'Build Your Own Plan' tool. That being said, you can simply pick from a few pre-configured plans, including the unlimited 'Data' plan (with a regular pricing of $25 per month) detailed above. Tello is ideal for anyone with 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 a while and then switch over to the $10 per month 'Economy' plan, all without 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 of 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 of 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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All taxes and fees are extra

Google Fi is an MVNO that uses T-Mobile's network to give you reliable network coverage everywhere, including abroad. The carrier's newly revamped 'Unlimited Premium' plan offers free calls to more than 50 countries around the world, free data (50GB at high-speed, with speeds getting downgraded to 256 kbps after) in more than 200 countries, and unlimited free texts in any country where Google Fi coverage is available. Naturally, speeds will vary depending 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 of high-speed data, free 100GB of cloud storage (via Google One), and 100GB of high-speed premium data. They'll even hook you up with six months of YouTube Premium at no extra cost. Like all the other Google Fi plans, this one also includes spam blocking, family location sharing, content filters, and much 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'd expect.

Best T-Mobile

The T-Mobile Logo on a Google Pixel 8 Pro

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / 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 of 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 easily among the finest 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 gander at the 'Experience More' plan.

Priced at $90 per month for a single line (before autopay discounts, and any taxes and fees), it certainly doesn't come cheap. However, you get unlimited premium data on T-Mobile's high capacity 5G network, and a price guarantee for five years (again, before taxes and fees). The plan also includes 60GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data, with speeds getting reduced once you go over the limit. Streaming services like 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 get a new phone, there is a wide range of smartphones worth taking a look at.

T-Mobile's 'Experience More' plan further includes 15GB of high-speed data when in Canada and Mexico, as well as unlimited data usage (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.

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 payment for multiple months of 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