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Is T-Mobile Go5G better than Magenta in 2024, or should you stick to your older plan still?
When I first learned about the new Go5G plans from T-Mobile I was a little confused by just how little the new plans seemed to offer. One of the things we previously loved about T-Mobile was the simplicity of its plans. It was easy to pick the right plan as the differences between Essentials, Magenta, and Magenta Max were fairly noticeable. That all changed with the introduction of Go5G.
Although Essentials is still the most basic tier, it’s less clear if Go5G sits above Magenta or not. The answer really depends on what you’re looking for. Let’s take a closer look in this quick Go5G vs Magenta comparison.
Now that Magenta plans have been retired, we know some of you are still grandfathered into the older plans. Should you keep the older plans, or upgrade to one of the new Go5G ones? Also, T-Mobile later launched an additional Go5G tier, dubbed Go5G Next. It’s a boon for frequent upgraders, but we cover Go5G Next vs Magenta in greater detail in another comparison.
T-Mobile Go5G vs Magenta
| Essentials Saver | Essentials | Go5G | Go5G Plus | Go5G Next | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost | Essentials Saver Prices per line, plus taxes and fees: $50 for one line $40 for two lines $33.33 for three lines | Essentials Prices per line, plus taxes/fees: $60 for one line $45 for two lines $30 for three lines $26.25 for four lines $24 for five lines $100/month for Essentials 4 Line Offer - better deal if you sign up for all four lines at once. | Go5G Prices per line (taxes/fees included): $75 for one line $65 for two lines $51.67 for three lines $45 for four lines $41 for five lines | Go5G Plus Prices per line (taxes/fees included): $90 for one line $75 for two lines $61.67 for three lines $55 for four lines $51 for five lines | Go5G Next Prices per line (taxes/fees included): $100 for one line $85 for two lines $71.67 for three lines $65 for four lines $61 for five lines |
Unlimited Talk & Text | Essentials Saver Yes | Essentials Yes | Go5G Yes | Go5G Plus Yes | Go5G Next Yes |
Unlimited 4G Data | Essentials Saver Unlimited 5G & 4G LTE with 50 of Premium Data | Essentials Yes, but might slow down during congestion after 50GB per month | Go5G Yes, but might slow down during congestion after 100GB per month | Go5G Plus Unlimited Premium 5G & 4G LTE with | Go5G Next Unlimited 5G & 4G LTE with Unlimited Premium Data |
Mobile Hotspot | Essentials Saver Unlimited 3G | Essentials Unlimited 3G | Go5G 15GB of high speed hotspot data, 3G speeds after | Go5G Plus 50GB of high speed hotspot data, 3G speeds after | Go5G Next 50GB of high speed hotspot data, 3G speeds after |
Netflix perk? | Essentials Saver No | Essentials No | Go5G No | Go5G Plus Netflix Standard with Ads | Go5G Next Netflix Standard with Ads |
Apple TV perk? | Essentials Saver No | Essentials No | Go5G Included | Go5G Plus Included | Go5G Next Included |
Unlimited video streaming | Essentials Saver SD streaming | Essentials SD streaming | Go5G SD streaming | Go5G Plus Up to 4K UHD streaming | Go5G Next Up to 4K UHD streaming |
Looking at the table, you’ll notice Magenta and Go5G have much in common. They both have unlimited talk, text, and 100GB of premium data. Extras like Netflix Basic and Apple TV+ remain the same.
The same story applies when comparing Go5G Plus vs Magneta Max. You’ll get all the same perks and services, but you’ll get a whopping 50GB of hotspot data versus 40GB on Max. Those visiting Canada and Mexico will also see a jump from 5GB of data to 15GB.
As for Go5G Next? It actually adds all the same perks as Go5G Plus but with the added benefit of upgrading a phone up to once a year, as long as you’ve paid for at least half of it by then.
Is Magenta worth keeping in 2024?
Magenta is still worth it, even with the recent price increases for grandfathered plans. Just be aware you won’t be eligible for free phone promotions and many other perks that are now reserved for Go5G users. That said, the trade-offs might not always be worth it and it’s important to keep tracking the rising prices. If it gets too expensive you don’t have to just cave and go to a Go5G or Essential plan. Another alternative is to consider a T-Mobile MVNO like Mint Mobile. You can learn more about the latter in our Mint Mobile vs Verizon guide.
Do you think T-Mobile will axe two year installment plans on its lesser plans?
Don’t have a T-Mobile plan or ready to switch to a new T-Mobile plan? Learn more (and sign up) via T-mobile.