UScellular buyer's guide: Pricing, plans, and more

UScellular slots in as the fourth-largest US carrier with five million customers in over 400 markets. Not only that, but it’s giving users plenty of reason to ditch their big three mobile plan. As a network that lies outside of America’s leaders, you may have several questions before you make a move. Keep reading about the best UScellular plans, and we’ll do our best to put your mind at ease.

See also: The best UScellular deals currently available

We’ll take a look at all of UScellular’s plans, both pre-paid and post-paid, as well as important information on which phones you can use. If you’re looking for another way to save, we’ll touch on a major MVNO that uses UScellular’s network as a part of its service too. Ready to see what happens when you step outside the big three? Let’s get to it.

UScellular at a glance

UScellular launched in 1983 as a majority-owned subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems Inc. The Chicago-based carrier has an A-minus Better Business Bureau rating, though it’s not accredited with the organization. UScellular has closed 460 complaints in the last three years, with 172 coming in the past 12 months.

The carrier’s 4G LTE coverage extends into all 50 states, and its 5G network is starting to catch up. The fastest speeds were previously reserved for the Midwest, around the carrier’s Chicago headquarters, but now you can find UScellular spread nationwide. If you want to check your local coverage, you can check the coverage map here.

Post-paid UScellular plans

UScellular’s post-paid options are fairly simple — there are just three options, each with distinctive features. You can opt for the easy Basic plan, which covers the fundamentals, or spend more for the Everyday and Even Better plans which offer unlimited service. UScellular is also promising bill protection right now, which means your current rate is protected until the end of 2023. Check out an overview of all three choices here:

Basic Plan

As you’d expect from the name, this is the most straightforward plan you can get. You get unlimited talk, text, and 4G or 5G data as well as standard definition (480p) streaming, and that’s it. There’s no hotspot option, and you won’t get the special RedBox promo that the other plans offer, but UScellular Basic costs just $55 per month for one line. If you add a second line, each costs $52.50, three lines drop to $38.33, and four lines cost just $30 each with Autopay and paperless billing.

Highlights:

• Lines cost as little as $30
• Standard definition streaming included

Best for:

• Users who want talk, text, and data at a low monthly rate

Everyday 2.0 Plan

This is your best bet for full access to standard features. Nothing is off-limits, even if you don’t get quite as much access as the Even Better plan. Your streaming jumps to 720p HD quality for starters, and you can enjoy 25GB of priority 4G LTE or 5G data. Everyday service averages at $10 more per month than Basic, so one line is $65, two are $62.50 each, three cost $48.33, and four lines are just $40 apiece.

The Everyday plan includes 15GB of hotspot access, and it’s a good option if you plan to spend time in either Canada or Mexico. You’ll be able to access unlimited data as well as unlimited talk and text messages in either of the North American neighbors. 

Highlights:

• Talk, text, and data in Canada and Mexico
• Priority data and hotspot access
• Redbox Movie Night rentals

Best for:

• Users who want full access to the UScellular perks but don’t need much international usage

Even Better 2.0 Plan

If you want the plan that has it all, this one is your pick because it’s Even Better. That’s the name, and it’s the level of service you get too. Stream your shows in 1080p Full HD, make the most of 30GB of hotspot access, and enjoy 50GB of high-speed LTE data access. But, of course, this plan kicks the price up by $10 per line, so one line is $75, two are $72.50, three are $58.33, and four lines will cost $50 each.

The even better theme continues with unlimited usage in Canada and Mexico with a premium robocall solution to keep spammers at bay. It’s the best plan for movie lovers, thanks to two free RedBox rentals per month, per line.

Highlights:

• Talk, text, and data in Canada and Mexico
• Two free RedBox rentals per line, per month

Best for:

• Users who love RedBox rentals and need a bit more international access and can save money with Payback

Post-paid tablet and wearable plans

You can hook up a tablet or smartwatch with UScellular at a great rate, but only if you have another line of unlimited service. After that, you can hook your tablet up with unlimited data for just $29 per month. You’ll also get 4K streaming quality with 15GB of hotspot and 25GB of priority connection each month.

To set up your connected tablet plan, head to the button below or log into your account.

Pre-paid UScellular plans

The UScellular prepaid options outnumber the post-paid offerings with the addition of a data-free plan. Each plan is aptly named and describes what you’ll get, though the prepaid options offer fewer perks than the postpaid plans. The more lines you add, the more you’ll save as well, with a $10 discount on lines two through five. Here are a few more details for each plan:

Unlimited Talk and Text Plan

It may be hard to believe, but not everyone needs unlimited data in 2021. This plan is for those people who don’t need any data at all. You can get unlimited talk and text for a base rate of $30 per month, and you’ll only be charged for the data you use. At a rate of $0.03 for 1MB, it’s worth your while to keep the data to a minimum as it comes out to $30 per GB.

There are no other perks with the Unlimited Talk and Text plan, it’s just a simple option for those who need to call or text, and that’s about it.

Highlights:

• Talk and text as much as you want
• Add data at a per MB rate

Best for:

• Users who only plan to talk and text but might need data here and there

15GB Plan

Your next prepaid option from UScellular offers 15GB of 4G LTE access for $40 per month. If you plan to use anywhere close to even 1GB of that data, this is a better option than the talk and text plan. It may cost more per month, but your wallet will probably thank you for the flat rate.

This plan still doesn’t offer a hotspot and tops out at 480p streaming, but that’s one of the tradeoffs that come with affordable service.

Highlights:

• 15GB of 4G LTE data without per MB rates
• Unlimited talk and text

Best for:

• Users who plan to use more than 300MB of data but don’t need unlimited access

Unlimited Plan

The UScellular prepaid Unlimited Plan is similar to the post-paid Basic Plan. It costs $40 per month for a limited time, and you get unlimited talk, text, and data, as well as standard-definition streaming. It’s a plan designed for data users who aren’t too fussy about streaming quality and don’t want to worry about limits.

Once again, the plan doesn’t offer a hotspot connection or a RedBox promo, but it’s contract-free so that you can leave at any time.

Highlights:

• Unlimited talk, text, and data
• Standard Definition (480p) streaming

Best for:

• Users who want coverage like the Basic post-paid plan without committing to a long-term setup

Unlimited Plus Plan

UScellular’s Unlimited Plus prepaid plan is as close as you can get to post-paid access, right down to the RedBox promo. You can make the most of 25GB of priority data per month, followed by an unlimited 4G LTE connection. Streaming is still limited to standard definition (480p), but you can rely on up to 20GB of mobile hotspot access.

Unlimited Plus is the only prepaid plan that’s worth your money if you have family or friends in Canada and Mexico. You can dial each as much as you want at no extra cost. If you’d rather stay in and watch a movie, RedBox Movie Night gives you one free rental per line per month.

Highlights:

• Unlimited talk, text, and data
• Hotspot access at 1.5Mbps speeds
• One RedBox rental per month

Best for:

• Users who want unlimited access and hotspot perks without post-paid prices

Which plan is right for you?

If you want to jump into UScellular with the easiest plan, it has to be the Everyday 2.0 option. It offers great value starting at $65 per month with hotspot, HD streaming, and priority data. The Even Better plan is the best around, but it may be more than you need.

You can head down the prepaid route, but you’ll probably want at least the Unlimited Plan if you do. Data can get expensive on the talk and text plan, and the 5GB plan is pretty bare-bones. Either Unlimited plan axes the data limit, and they both add standard definition streaming. Ultimately, the best plan is whichever one fits your needs.

UScellular vs the competition

If you’re considering making the switch, it might help to put the best plans around to a head-to-head test. We’ve stacked the Even Better plan against the top options from the Big Three — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. You can compare the options in the table below or check out our Best unlimited data plans in the US list.

Verizon

If you stop at nothing less than the biggest, fastest, most powerful plan Verizon offers, you must pick the 5G Get More plan. With 720p streaming, 75GB of premium 4G data, and 30GB of 4G hotspot, 5G Get More is the powerhouse of the plans.

Get More isn’t just a data beast either; it also adds Apple Music permanently to the mix along with the Disney Plus bundle. Verizon keeps packing in the perks, as you now get Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass for a year. 600GB of cloud storage is back, as is the half-off tablet offer. As with all plans, you can feel free to text to more than 200 countries.

Highlights:

• Unlimited premium network data and 50GB of 4G hotspot
• Apple Music and Disney Plus
• 5G access with capable devices

T-Mobile

The smallest of the Big Three, T-Mobile completed its merger with Sprint in the middle of 2020. Magenta Max is the best post-paid plan you can get, with unlimited talk, text, and data for your money. Plans are all about perks, though, and Magenta Max offers unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi and texting. In addition, you’ll be able to access both the 4G LTE and 5G networks without an extra fee.

As far as streaming options go, Magenta Max comes with HD options, and you can grab a screen of Netflix Standard. Each line has up to 40GB of high-speed hotspot access, although it’ll drop to 3G speeds afterward. You’ll also get a year of Apple TV Plus with either Magenta plan.

Highlights:

• Netflix Standard included
• Unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi
• 5G access and HD streaming

AT&T

Thanks to the Unlimited Premium plan, America’s second-largest carrier, AT&T, keeps pace with just about everything Verizon can do. All three of AT&T’s options include unlimited talk, text, and data, but only Premium and Extra offer heaps of high-speed access. So no matter which way you go, you’ll be able to text more than 120 countries.

If you’re looking for streaming perks to help guide your decision, AT&T might not be for you. Unfortunately, since selling HBO Max, there haven’t been any streaming perks to speak of, and Stadia is shutting down, too. AT&T’s Unlimited Premium includes 40GB of hotspot per line and high-definition streaming.

Highlights:

• Up to 40GB hotspot per line
• High Definition streaming with stream saver

Want UScellular’s service on a budget?

If you’re looking for an alternative way to save money on the UScellular network, you might be ready to give an MVNO a shot. Although the network is a bit smaller than the big three, one carrier uses UScellular for part of its service — none other than Google Fi. Of course, if you’re familiar with Google Fi, then you probably also know that it relies on T-Mobile’s network as well, so it’s more of a hybrid option.

Check out the details right here:

• Google Fi buyer’s guide: Pricing, plans, and more
• The best Google Fi phones to get

What phones can you use?

Carriers have fewer exclusive devices than ever before, which plays heavily into UScellular’s favor. While its plans aren’t miles more affordable than the rest, its phones are available for pretty much unbeatable prices. As long as you qualify, you can get almost any one of UScellular’s phones for free right now when you add a plan. That promo now includes the Pixel 7 series and the Samsung Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, or S22 Ultra.

You can name the phone, and UScellular will support it and make it affordable. However, you can also bring a phone with you if you’re so inclined. UScellular is a CDMA carrier, so it’s a bit limited on what you can bring. The most critical factor in bringing a device is band support. Check the table below for the specifics of the UScellular setup.

Interested in bringing an unlocked phone to the carrier? Check out our guide to the best Android phones. 

Frequently asked questions