Best Family Phone Plans: The Hottest Multi-Line Discounts in 2026

Signing up for a family cell phone plan is still one of the best ways to save money on your wireless plan in 2026. Many carriers—including majors Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile—offer steep discounts as you add lines, allowing you to get normally expensive premium plans for far less than you’d otherwise pay. 

We’ve scoured the entire cell phone market to find what we believe are the best family plans you can buy in 2026. This includes premium plans and budget picks alike from the aforementioned major carriers, as well as prepaid brands Google Fi, Cricket Wireless, and Metro by T-Mobile. Read on to find the best option for your family. 

{{plan_buttons}}

Best Premium Family Phone Plan

No doubt about it—major carrier plans, especially premium ones, are expensive. While Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile pack their best cell phone plans full of perks and sky-high data limits, they are priced accordingly. 

That’s where family plans come in, cutting the monthly per-line costs down dramatically as you add lines for each of your family members. Check out these three mobile plans, and the savings they offer when you add lines to them. 

{{t-mobile-experience-beyond-best-family-plans}}

{{verizon-unlimited-ultimate-best-family-plans}}

{{att-unlimited-premium-pl-best-family-plans}}

Best Budget Family Phone Plan

If you’re seeking maximum cost savings from your family plan, the prepaid cell phone carrier market is a good place to look. The three plans below allow you to save big when you sign up for four lines, without sacrificing data. 

{{google-fi-unlimited-standard-family-plan}}

{{cricket-wireless-unlimited-family-plan}}

{{metro-by-t-mobile-metro-flex-unlimited-plus}}

How to Pick a Family Phone Plan

Before committing your whole family to a specific carrier, you’ll want to think about the following factors. 

Cell Phone Coverage

Cell phone coverage is one of the most important things to consider when deciding on which cell phone carrier to go with for your next family plan. 

There are three major cell phone networks in the country: Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. All three offer national 4G LTE and 5G service from coast to coast. Every sub-carrier, or MVNO, uses one or more of these major networks to provide service to its customers (with one exception—Boost Mobile uses Dish). That’s why the major carrier network coverage debate is relevant to prepaid brand customers, or potential prepaid brand customers, as well.

By the numbers, AT&T offers the most wide-reaching combination of 4G and 5G wireless service. Check out AT&T’s cell phone coverage map below: 

T-Mobile wields the best nationwide 5G network, covering more corners of the country than any of its competitors. Check out T-Mobile’s 5G coverage map, and scroll to your specific area to see what kind of coverage is offered there:

Verizon, the largest cell phone carrier in the country, wields a far-reaching 4G LTE network and a small but growing 5G network. Check out Verizon’s cell phone coverage map below: 

Cell Phone Plan Perks

The great thing about cell phone plans these days is that many of them include valuable add-ons. The major carriers (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile) generally offer the most perks with their cell phone plans. This includes dedicated hotspot data, international roaming privileges, streaming subscriptions, truly unlimited data, and more. 

Of the three, T-Mobile includes the most perks with their plans—everything from free Netflix with Ads to in-flight WiFi. Verizon, on the other hand, has shifted its perks into its so-called myPlan, an a la carte menu of sorts that allows you to add them on for an extra $10-$15/month per perk. AT&T has done away with video streaming extras completely, but does include large hotspot allotments and international data with some of its unlimited plans. 

The prepaid brands tend to offer comparatively fewer perks than major carriers (apart from hotspot data), savings which they are able to pass on to their customers. A few, however, like Metro by T-Mobile, do offer more perks than others. 

Customer Service

There’s no substitute for in-person help when you’re having an issue with your plan or phone. That’s where major carriers have the advantage: all three brands have tons of shops throughout the country, so you’re probably not far from in-store customer service. What’s more, these big carriers all offer 7-day/week phone support. 

While “little big” MVNOs like Metro by T-Mobile, Cricket Wireless, and Boost Mobile operate a wide variety of brick and mortar stores, many others do not (see Google Fi, Mint Mobile). That means you’ll need to rely on  phone and online support when you need it—sometimes with limited hours. 

Phones

All of the carriers mentioned on this list sell a wide variety of new phones that can be purchased outright or via monthly installments. This includes the latest iPhones, Samsung phones, Google Pixel devices, and other Android brands like Motorola. Plus, carriers are constantly running trade-in deals for new customers and existing ones alike, if you’re ready to swap your current smartphone for a newer one. If iPhone On Us, $0 up-front phone cost promotions are important to you, those deals typically go hand-in-hand with premium plans.

Alternatively, you can bring your device (BYOD) to any carrier, whether you’re going with a prepaid plan or a postpaid plan. Activation tends to be quite easy, and all you have to do is pop a new SIM card into your own phone, or it can be done digitally via eSIM. Avoiding costly phone repayment installments is a great way to keep your monthly bills in check. 

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right family phone plan in 2026 is about finding the perfect balance between savings, features, coverage, and customer support. Whether you’re leaning toward a premium plan from a major carrier like Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile, or opting for a budget-friendly option from a prepaid provider like Google Fi, Cricket Wireless, or Metro by T-Mobile, there’s a plan that can meet your family’s needs.

The best part? As you add more lines, you unlock major discounts that can turn even top-tier plans into surprisingly affordable options. Just be sure to consider factors like coverage in your area, included perks, and whether in-person customer support matters to you. With the right choice, you’ll keep your whole family connected—and your budget under control.

Methodology: How We Picked the Best Family Phone Plans
We culled our list of the best family phone plans from a market of hundreds of them. To qualify, the plan had to be offered from an established carrier with a good reputation, and backed by both solid cell phone and well-rounded customer support. What’s more, the plan in question had to represent exceptional value for the price to be considered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which cell phone carrier has the best family plan?

Verizon is often considered to have one of the best family plans due to its extensive coverage, flexibility in plan options, and additional perks like Disney+ or Hulu subscriptions. However, AT&T and T-Mobile also offer competitive family plans with good value, depending on your needs.

Is it cheaper to be on a family plan?

Yes, being on a family plan is generally cheaper, as providers offer discounts for multiple lines, reducing the per-line cost compared to individual plans.

What is the average cost of a family phone plan?

The average cost of a family phone plan typically ranges from $100 to $200 per month for two to four lines, depending on the carrier, data allowance, and included features.