We’re diving into the detailed plans comparison and much more. Read on or jump straight to our top three picks. Need more? Find and compare plans from all top carriers, based on your preferences.
Looking for a new phone plan? We’re diving into the best phone plans for your needs below, but before we dive into specifics, let’s talk about value. Specifically, value over price.
While it’s no surprise that cheaper doesn’t always mean better, in the long run, some plans offer more value than others for different reasons we’re covering below. But if you want the very best between T-Mobile and AT&T (and don’t feel like reading) look no further than our top three picks that give the best value for your money.
VALUE SEEKER
Value Plus
$
50
/ mo for 1 line
taxes and fees not included
1 phone line max
Data
Unlimited talk, text, and data
5GB LTE hotspot
FEATURES AND PERKS
AT&T ActiveArmorSM security
Get this plan at AT&T
Try our Find a Plan tool to compare plans from all top carriers, based on your needs
heavy data user
T-Mobile Magenta Max
$
43
/ mo for 4 lines
taxes and fees included
5 phone lines max
Data
Unlimited premium 5G/4G LTE data
Unlimited talk, text, and data
40GB LTE/5G hotspot
FEATURES AND PERKS
Netflix Basic for 1 line, Netflix Standard for 2+ lines
4K streaming
Get this plan at AT&T
Try our Find a Plan tool to compare plans from all top carriers, based on your needs
streamer and gamer
T-Mobile Magenta Max
$
43
/ mo for 4 lines
taxes and fees included
5 phone lines max
Data
Unlimited premium 5G/4G LTE data
Unlimited talk, text, and data
40GB LTE/5G hotspot
FEATURES AND PERKS
Netflix Basic for 1 line, Netflix Standard for 2+ lines
4K streaming
Get this plan at AT&T
Try our Find a Plan tool to compare plans from all top carriers, based on your needs
If you’re like many of us, finding a new phone plan is probably less appealing than a trip to the dentist or doing your taxes. Between the eligibility requirements, perks, prices-per-line and applicable phone deals, sorting through all that can be understandably overwhelming. But with some wherewithal and an idea of what to look for, it’s actually a LOT easier than you might think!
The trick when shopping for the best phone plans is to have an idea of what matters most to you before you start comparing. The clearer your idea of what’s important to you, the faster you can get rid of all the plan deal clutter in front of you and dive into the good stuff. But what exactly should matter to you, and more importantly, how can you use it to your advantage?
First, let’s take a look at the most important things to consider when you’re looking for a new phone plan:
Unsurprisingly, how much a phone plan costs is super important. What you may not think of however, is how that plan’s price can save you in the long run. For example, does a plan get more affordable than other plans with more lines added or vice versa? Do they offer better trade-in values that can help you score a great phone deal on top of the plan price? Do their perks and add-ons save you more in the long run?
The point here is that plan pricing goes well beyond the sticker price and requires some thought before settling on what’s cheaper on paper vs. what’s holistically more affordable.
At a high level, you have two options when it comes to data: unlimited or by-the-gig plans. While virtually all plans these days are unlimited, by-the-gig plans are almost always available and are usually around $20 a month cheaper. However, you’ll want to understand how much data you actually use before limiting your options.
While unlimited plans will slow your speeds if you hit the plan’s data cap, limited plans will charge you per gigabyte you go over. Regardless of which plan type you’re leaning towards, be sure to pay attention to just how much data you use before you buy.
If you’re looking to switch carriers, knowing who has the best 4G and 5G cell phone coverage in your area is critical. Sure you may score a great deal on a new device while you’re at it, and are eying the plan that seems perfect for you, but it all comes down to whether or not your carrier has good coverage where you frequent most.
Overall, Verizon has the best cell phone coverage in the country (70%), followed by AT&T (68%) and T-Mobile (62%). But national coverage maps don’t show you local dead zones, network congestion and even the construction of your house or office. While there isn’t currently a way to compare network coverage side-by-side in real time, checking with friends and family or looking up localized coverage maps for your specific area is the best way to gauge who’s best for you.
If you’re like most people, you probably have a hefty number of streaming services, but all those T.V. shows, movies, songs and games add up. Maybe you’re constantly on-the-go and use mobile hotspots to keep your devices online. Either way, these can get expensive quickly. Fortunately, if you’re looking for a new phone plan, many include streaming, gaming, and mobile hotspot services as part of their phone plan costs, which can save you money in the long run.
Value Plus
$
50
/mo
plus taxes and fees
Unlimited deprioritized data
No premium data
Access to 5G data
T-Mobile Essentials
$
27–60
/mo
plus taxes and fees
50GB deprioritized data
Unlimited talk, text, and data
Access to 5G data
When it solely comes down to price, T-Mobile’s Essentials and AT&T’s Value Plus plans are for you. While these are each carrier’s most basic unlimited plans, it’s hard to beat T-Mobile in terms of value for the price. While both plans will deprioritize your data during high-traffic periods, T-Mobile gives you 50GB of deprioritized data. Unless you use a ton of data each month, most people will never exceed this limit, giving you great savings with the low likelihood you’ll go over your data cap.
Keep in mind that these are the third-tier unlimited plans from both T-Mobile and AT&T. If you have a little leeway in your budget to potentially go one tier higher, AT&T’s Unlimited Extra plan includes 50GB of premium data. However, T-Mobile is really out in front regarding the value of basic unlimited data.
Keep in mind that these are the third-tier unlimited plans from both T-Mobile and AT&T, and if you have a little leeway in your budget to potentially go one tier higher, AT&T’s Unlimited Extra plan includes 50GB of prioritized data plus some add-ons like SD streaming and 15GB of hotspot data.
AT&T Unlimited Premium
$
45–85
/mo
taxes and fees not included
Unlimited 5G data
Premium Data: Truly Unlimited
50GB premium hotspot
T-Mobile Magenta Max
$
43–85
/mo
taxes and fees included
Unlimited 5G data
Unlimited premium data
40GB premium hotspot
Netflix Basic for 1 line, Netflix Standard for 2+ lines
If you burn through a ton of data or have several lines you want to bundle, then top-tier plans are likely the best option for you. While expensive, T-Mobile’s Magenta Max and both plans offer truly unlimited premium data, meaning you’ll never get deprioritized. Choosing the top pick really comes down to what you want more–strictly unlimited call, text, and data or more storage and streaming quality with better coverage.
T-Mobile is probably the best option if you have one to three lines on your plan, however, once you reach four lines, T-Mobile and AT&T are priced the same. In this case, it’s really a decision on which additional perks and which coverage works best for you. However, if you’re not looking for so much data, but still want enough to never worry about going overboard, T-Mobile’s Magenta and AT&T’s Unlimited Extra plans offer huge premium data caps (100GB and 50GB respectively) which are great options if you don’t want to pay for extras you’ll likely never use.
AT&T Unlimited Plans
68% National Coverage
29% national 5G coverage
Competitive in some rural areas
Strong in metropolitan areas
T-Mobile Unlimited Plans
62% National Coverage
41% national 5G coverage
Competitive in some rural areas
Strong in metropolitan areas
Measuring network coverage isn’t as easy as the coverage maps may suggest. 99% of the time, it boils down to individual factors that differ from person to person. While it’s impossible to tell to any degree of certainty what your experience will be like on T-Mobile vs AT&T, at a high level, both offer better coverage depending on what you’re looking for.
When it comes to nationwide 4G coverage, T-Mobile is the clear winner with covering 70% of the nation. Yet, if you’re more interested in 5G coverage, AT&T offers 12% more nationally. Diving deeper, T-Mobile is shown to perform much better in rural areas. While AT&T has rural pockets with excellent coverage, nationally T-Mobile does much better. Both networks have great coverage in densely populated metropolitan areas.
The Top Five States with Most T-Mobile 5G Coverage
The Top Five States with Most AT&T 5G Coverage
The Top Five States with Most T-Mobile 4G LTE Coverage
The Top Five States with Most AT&T 4G LTE Coverage
T-Mobile Magenta Max
$
43–85
/mo
taxes and fees included
Unlimited 5G data
Unlimited premium data
40GB premium hotspot
Netflix Basic for 1 line, Netflix Standard for 2+ lines
AT&T Unlimited Premium
$
50–85
/mo
taxes and fees not included
Unlimited 5G data
Premium Data: Truly Unlimited
50GB premium hotspot
4K UHD streaming available
AT&T ActiveArmor advanced mobile security
If it’s additional features you’re looking for, you can’t go wrong with T-Mobile’s Magenta Max plan. While both have unlimited 5G data and unlimited premium data, the add-ons are where T-Mobile takes the lead. Offering Apple TV+, and Netflix Basic for 1 line and standard for 2+ on top of 4K streaming, you get much more bang for your buck.
If you’re looking for more add-ons while paying a bit less, T-Mobile is still going to be your winner here. AT&T’s mid-tier plan, AT&T Unlimited Premium, only offers SD streaming and their ActiveArmor mobile security. Conversely, T-Mobile’s equivalent plan, Magenta, offers Apple TV+ for six months, and the option to upgrade SD streaming to 4K UHD with their MAXUP Data add-on package.
Answer a few quick questions to find a plan that fits your needs.
Find a Plan
