Best T-Mobile plans in 2024: Pricing, phone options, and more

T-Mobile is one of the fastest-growing carriers in the United States thanks to aggressive pricing, marketing, and a penchant for doing the unexpected. The Uncarrier has significantly shaken up the mobile industry in the US, but is it the right carrier for you? Let’s look at the best T-Mobile plans and how they compare to the competition. After that, we’ll also help you pick the best T-Mobile phone for your needs.

The best T-Mobile plans at a glance

As you can see, T-Mobile has changed its plans fairly recently, phasing out the older Magenta offerings and consolidating its Go5G options. Wondering which plan is right for you?

• Go5G Plus is the ideal family plan. You get Netflix Standard, Apple TV Plus, 4K streaming, and more. There’s also unlimited Premium data for the entire family and plans go as low as $46.25 a line for four lines. 
• Go5G Next is for those who want to upgrade regularly. Go5G Next is the latest plan in the Go5G line. You get all the same perks as the Go5G Plus plan but with the added benefit of upgrading a phone up to once a year, as long as you’ve already paid for half of it. Nothing else is really different, though the added feature will cost you as it starts at $100 a line. 
• Essentials is a good postpaid choice if you’re looking to save money. Starting at $50 for one line but going as cheap as $25 a line for four lines, Essentials is the cheapest postpaid option. Be aware it’s a bit more complicated than it used to be. Essentials Saver is only for users with one line and it starts at $50, whereas the Essential Plan starts at $60. There’s also a 4-line offer for new customers that’s even cheaper. You can see what I mean in the chart above. 
• You don’t get Netflix or Apple TV, but you do get unlimited 3G hotspot access and 50GB of priority data. You also will have postpaid extras like the ability to finance a phone, free phone upgrades for select devices, and more. 

Let’s also not forget the carrier also offers great prepaid options that require no credit check or obligation. While prepaid used to be nearly as good on T-Mobile as its postpaid service, these days there are no longer premium data options or anything. You can learn more in the chart above, but for most, it’s worth getting Essentials unless credit or other factors are an issue.

Not overwhelmed by choice yet? There are also MVNOs that run on T-Mobile’s network but are not officially operated by the carrier. This includes Metro by T-Mobile as well as completely independent options, like Mint Mobile. We’ll talk about those a bit later in this guide.  

T-Mobile Prepaid vs Postpaid: What’s the difference? 

As you can see, there are a lot of similarities between T-Mobile’s different prepaid and postpaid offerings. So, what’s the real difference between the two? Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of prepaid service: 

That’s honestly the biggest difference: customer service and extras. Believe it or not, network quality is not a major difference, though. In fact, as we highlighted above, T-Mobile Prepaid Unlimited is actually prioritized above the postpaid Essentials plan.

Notably, T-Mobile charges customers a $5 surcharge if they pay their bill in-store. To avoid this, users must pay on the web through T-Mobile.com, via the T-Mobile app, or set up autopay.

Which of T-Mobile’s plans do we recommend?

We’ve already highlighted which plans are best for what kind of users in the section above, but which ones do I recommend personally? These days there’s a lot less choice, so for most users, Go5G Plus is going to strike the most balance. If you want to save money, Essentials is a close second. Lastly, Next should really only be for those who care about frequent device upgrades or improved phone deals over the other tiers. 

Go5G Plus: The best T-Mobile plan for families and those who want more than Essentials

The Go5G Plus plan starts at $90 for one line but gets as low as $46.25 per line for four lines. You get unlimited Premium data, 50GB hotspot access, and extras like Netflix Standard with Ads, as well as Apple TV Plus. For most consumers this is going to be the best plan as you get all the data you could use without worrying about slowdowns, and there are plenty of perks. The only reason to go for Next is if you really care about its better deals on upgrades. 

Essentials is best for those who want to save a bit more

Again, we recommend Plus for most, but Essentials is a close second. There are no streaming services included, and you get just 50GB of premium data, but that’s still more than enough for most users. Prices start as low as $50 for the one-line Essentials Saver plan. The standard Essentials plan is the same thing but lets you add up to four users and can go as low as $26.50 a month. Want to save even more? You can get Essentials Four Line Offer, where you sign up for four lines at once for a rate of $100 a month ($25 per line). 

T-Mobile vs the competition

If you’re here to switch carriers, you’re probably looking for a head-to-head showdown. We’ll stack T-Mobile against Verizon and AT&T to give you just the battle you’re looking for. Comparison shopping is the easiest way to decide on the right carrier. We’ll compare our favorite plans from the best unlimited data plans in the US to show you how each carrier stacks up.

As you can see, the top-tier plans follow similar pricing structures, and unlimited talk, text, and data are all standard. AT&T and Verizon are more specific with plan details and offer international texting in over 120 countries. T-Mobile’s plan is the most affordable of the three, regardless of having one line or four. AT&T and Verizon have also announced increased fees to offset inflation — a move that T-Mobile has yet to follow.

Obviously, there are many more plans from each carrier. If you’re looking to dive deeper, we recommend looking at our guides to the best Verizon plans and best AT&T plans. You can also see how they pit against T-Mobile directly in our T-Mobile vs Verizon and T-Mobile vs AT&T comparisons.

Best T-mobile phones

T-Mobile keeps its pricing and options consistent regardless of whether you’re a prepaid or postpaid T-Mobile customer, though the latter will have financing options. If you go the prepaid route, you’ll have to pay for the full phone outright. With that in mind, pretty much every major flagship sold in the US can be found on T-Mobile. To make things as easy as possible, I’ve recommended three phones: a flagship, a mid-ranger, and a budget option. Keep in mind these aren’t necessarily the best phones available in each class (as that’s pretty subjective). Instead, we made our selections based on pricing and promotions. These are the phones we feel are the best deals currently on T-Mobile.

Don’t like our picks? Check out T-Mobile’s phone section directly, or visit our best Android phones and best cheap phones guide to learn more about many of the great unlocked phones you can bring to T-Mobile. Of course, you can also unlock any T-Mobile phone if you want to jump to a new network.

Our recommended flagship: Galaxy S24 series

Samsung’s shiny Galaxy S24 devices sit at the top of this list of the best T-Mobile phones. The Galaxy S flagships have long offered a taste of just how good Android can be, and the Galaxy S24 is even better than ever with new design and material changes for the Ultra and plenty of smaller but still meaningful improvements for the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus as well.

The phones are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and all three can connect to T-Mobile’s 5G network. You also get an IP68 rating, wireless charging, and an in-display fingerprint scanner, regardless of which of the three phones you go for. If you opt for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, you also get an S Pen and a 200MP primary camera.

Our recommended mid-ranger: Pixel 8a

The new Google Pixel 8a is easily one of the best midrange phones available right now. Its 6.1-inch OLED display, now featuring a 120Hz refresh rate, is an upgrade on the 90Hz of the Pixel 7a. The Tensor G3 processor that powers the device is the same as that of the Pixel 8 and 8Pro, with a ton of AI capabilities thrown in.

The camera system is as impressive as you’d expect in a Pixel, featuring a 64MP wide lens and 13MP ultrawide for versatile shots, while the 13MP front camera offers wide-angle selfies. Improved image processing through the Tensor G3 ensures sharper photos and better low-light performance. You’re also getting 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, and a respectable 4,492mAh battery paired with 18W wired and 7.5W wireless charging.

Want T-Mobile’s service on a budget?

You don’t have to sign up for T-Mobile to get access to the T-Mobile network. Check out the table below for a few of our favorite alternatives to T-Mobile that still use the same reliable network. It’s also worth noting that some of these prepaid options are actually prioritized better than entry-level plans from Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. 

Curious to learn more? We have a guide comparing the big three’s entry-level plans to some of the best prepaid options. 

Google Fi Wireless

Google’s carrier is an excellent fit if you plan to pay per gig or expect to go abroad often. With monthly bill limits, you’ll never pay past a certain point, even if you use mountains of data. Thanks to Google Fi’s reliance on multiple networks, you can always get the best signal available — even abroad. Now, you can choose from two unlimited plans to save money without sacrificing access.

Metro by T-Mobile

We’ve already mentioned Metro as a T-Mobile prepaid alternative, but its perks and plans make the MVNO a solid choice, no matter your needs. If you opt for unlimited service, you’ll be rewarded with 15GB of hotspot included as well as Google One and Amazon Prime memberships. Unfortunately, you’ll have to head into a Metro store to sign up for most services.

Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile, the carrier formly owned by Ryan Reynolds but now owned by T-Mobile, is an affordable alternative for service if you want to save some money. Plans range from 4GB to unlimited, and you’ll never pay more than $35 per month for one line of service. You may not get much by way of extra perks, but if you sign up for multi-month plans, you’ll save even more money.

Straight Talk

One of the easiest MVNOs to sign up for, Straight Talk, is available at most Walmart locations and actually supports most of the primary carriers. You can go for a limited talk option with just a little bit of data or spend more for unlimited service. Affordability is critical, so you’ll pay a bit extra for bonus features like international access, but Straight Talk is an easy way to grab the basics.

US Mobile

If you want a plan that’s perfectly tailored to your needs, US Mobile is the way to go. You can choose your ideal level of talk, text, and data for as little as $5 per month or go unlimited for $40. 5G access will cost you a little extra, but it’s nice to know that it’s available. When you add multiple lines of unlimited, you’ll get the chance to add subscription services like Disney Plus, Spotify, and PlayStation Plus.

Does T-Mobile offer any special discounts?

T-Mobile offers special discounts if you’re in the military, a first responder, or over the age of 55. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Unlimited 55 is for those 55 and older. This discount applies to Essentials, Magenta, Magenta Max, and the new Go5G plans. The exact discount will vary. As an example, two lines of Essentials 55 will run you $37.50 a piece versus $40 for each line on the standard Essentials plan. 
• Military discounts apply to Magenta and Go5G plans. You’ll get military discounts on any of the plans under these umbrellas. The exact discount will vary. For example, you’ll pay $100 for four lines of Magenta. That would cost you $160 normally, so the discount is pretty substantial. Keep in mind only one member has to be active military to qualify. 
• First responder plans apply to Magenta and Go5G plans. As long as one member of your family is a first responder, everyone will get the discounts here. The exact savings vary, just like with the other options above. Actual discounted rates are the same as the military discount. 

Frequently asked questions