Every month, paying different cell phone bills is usually inconvenient and expensive, especially if they are by different phone providers. Login to various accounts to manage and review the billing every month can make you miss some essential details as you are less likely to scrutinize every detail in every account. Opting for the best cell phone plans for families makes it straightforward for individuals to control, manage, and pay monthly bills.
Some of the leading phone carriers mix and match their family cell phone plans, providing convenience and flexibility. The four-line family plans and unlimited plans offer the most outstanding value in price and perks, but you can find affordable 2 line phone plans perfect for smaller families. Finding the ideal plan for your family requires a lot of research as you have to compare many plans. We have done the difficult task to bring you the leading cell phone plans you should consider.
How To Choose The Best Cell Phone Plans For Families
Almost all leading phone carriers have at least one family cell phone plan, making it difficult to choose one perfect plan for all. The ideal plan for a family with two kids is likely to be different from that of a family with young adults. Some families need more data than minutes, while others are interested in unlimited cell phone plans with affordable international. The best way to find the ideal plan for your family’s needs is to refer to a cell phone plans comparison chart that compares different features. The key features you should look for in a family cell phone plan include:
1. Usage habits
Understanding your family usage needs will go a long way to help you find the best low-cost cell phone plans for your family. Does your family spend more time calling relatives and friends? Do you have family members who spend most of their time online watching videos, gaming, or streaming music? The basis of choosing the ideal plan for you and your relatives is to know what every family member needs.
If you have relatives and friends in other countries, you could save money by looking for a plan that lets you call those countries at a discount. Some cell phone plans allow users to make international calls as part of the package. Families with relatives in Mexico and Canada should look for plans with special calling rates or offers for those countries.
2. Number of people to include in the plan
Most family plans support between two and four lines. However, if you have a large family, you can find services that support up to ten lines. Other plans give families access to exclusive options for children, allowing parents and adults to share the family plan.
3. Special features
The highlight of the family plans is the ability to share data, eliminating multiple bills. However, you should look for the special offers and features that come with different plans. In addition to sharable data, some plans enable you to manage and control different lines, including disabling the internet and calling on some lines. Other plans come with a parental control feature that lets you view the content your kids are watching, track their location, and control how they access the internet. Some of the features you will find useful in a family plan includes:
- Sharable data
- Parental control
- Ability to add or remove lines
- Access to additional services
- Hotspot data
4. Additional services
Beyond data, minutes, and texts, phone carriers offer add-ons to make their plans more attractive. It is common to find family plans offering unlimited international texting and free minutes to call select countries. The plans also come with an international purchase add-on that lets you call globally at affordable rates.
The best family plans also give you access to exclusive carrier offers. Subscribing to unlimited plans gives you access to cheaper handsets. It further lets you qualify for exclusive offers like free iPhones or buy one get one offers. Some plans provide you with access to affordable kids and smartwatch data plans at lower prices. Some of the add-ons you should look for in a family plan include:
- International calling
- International roaming
- Exclusive handset offers
- Tablet and smartwatch offers
5. Coverage and popularity
Since all family members do not need to be in the same location to use a family plan, it is essential to look for a carrier with a strong network across the country. You need to make sure that your family members will not experience network challenges indoors and outdoors. It is also helpful to look for a carrier that is popular with your friends. Some plans let you share data and offer low or free within network minutes, helping you save. The best friends and family plan provides flexibility and convenience as you can easily share data, keeping you connected.
Factors to Consider Before Choose a Cell Phone Plans For Families
There is no single-family plan that is perfect for all. The main phone carriers offer more than one family plan to provide people with flexibility. Whether it is a gig family account or an unlimited plan, you will always have multiple choices to help you find the ideal plan depending on your needs.
Although all unlimited plans come with unlimited data, minutes, and texts, they come with unique features like access to entertainment services that make them different. We have gone out of our way to bring you the best family plans.
Since every family has its unique needs, we looked at the plans’ flexibility, convenience, and cost as the main elements. Whether your family has two, three, or four members, the right cell should match the family’s needs while being affordable. We also looked at the add-on elements and unique features that add value to the plans.
The 10 Best Cell Phone Plans For Families
| SL. No. | Providers | Lines | Data Plan | Talk & Text Plan | Cost Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metro by T-Mobile | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited | $35 |
| 2 | T-Mobile | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited | $35 |
| 3 | Mint Mobile | 1 | 8GB | Unlimited | $20 |
| 4 | Tello | 1 | 1GB | 100 Minutes, Unlimited Text | $7 |
| 5 | Boost Mobile | 3 | Unlimited | Unlimited | $90 |
| 6 | Verizon | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited | $45 |
| 7 | Cricket Wireless | 4 | Unlimited | Unlimited | $100 |
| 8 | AT&T Unlimited Extra | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited | $40 |
| 9 | Visible | 4 | Unlimited | Unlimited | $100 |
| 10 | Total Wireless | 1 | 25GB | Unlimited | $24 |
1. Metro By T-Mobile
At $30 per person, MetroPCS $60 is one of the best cell phone plans for families of four people. The plan features unlimited LTE, unlimited texts, and unlimited minutes, giving your family the freedom to call and browse as they wish. You do not have to worry about getting out of data or minutes with the $60 plan, giving you peace of mind that your family will be able to ask for assistance if necessary. The carrier uses the T-Mobile network, ensuring quality and reliable coverage.
The Metro $60 plan is ideal if you are looking for low-cost cell phone plans with excellent perks and features. The cell offers unlimited LTE data per line, allowing all your family members to enjoy fast downloads, gaming, and browsing. Every line in your account gets 35 GB priority data with 5G access. The plan further offers 15 GB hotspot data per line, Wi-Fi calling, group and picture messaging, and visual voicemail. The Metro $60 plan comes with an international calling add-on feature that allows you to globally call your relatives and friends.
However, the plan does not support unlimited 2G data, domestic roaming, eSIM, international data roaming, and smartwatch capability.
2. T-Mobile Magenta
The T-Mobile Magenta $70 is a perfect friends and family plan offering unlimited minutes, unlimited texts, and unlimited LTE at $35 per person. It is a value-pack four-person family plan that uses the T-Mobile network, providing country-wide coverage. You can take advantage of the reliable T-Mobile network to keep communicating with your family and friends nationally at an affordable rate. The plan comes with 50 GB priority data per line with 5G access for quick downloads, browsing, watching videos, and playing online games.
The T-Mobile $35 plan has a host of features that include unlimited LTE data per line, 3GB hotspot data per line, Wi-Fi calling, visual voicemail, eSIM, and group, and picture messaging. Calling internationally is also not expensive, thanks to the global calling add-on benefits. You also get free international texting to over 210 countries. Nonetheless, the $35 T-Mobile phone service does not come with unlimited 2G data and smartwatch capability.
3. Mint Mobile
For families that mind about the cost, the Mint Mobile $20 is one of the low-cost cell phone plans for a four-person family, costing $20 per line. The package does not include unlimited data, but it comes with a decent 8GB LTE, unlimited text, and unlimited minutes. The 8GB data is adequate for most people’s data needs like social media, browsing, and watching videos. If you exhaust the 8GB mid-month, you can add 1GB at $10 or 3GB at $20. The Mint Mobile 20 has an account manager that lets you add multiple lines to your account and manage them from the dashboard.
The Mint Mobile $20 family plan highlights that make it popular, including the T-Mobile network, 8GB LTE full-speed data, unlimited 2G data upon the exhaustion of allotted data, 5G access, hotspot, and 1080p HD video streaming. It is affordable to maintain contacts with your international acquaintances, thanks to the international calling add-on and global data roaming add-on features. Nonetheless, the $20 Mint Mobile phone service is not for you if you are looking for eSIM, domestic roaming, or a smartwatch capability.
4. Tello
When unlimited data and minutes are too much for your family’s needs, you should consider the affordable Tello $7 plan. The plan is perfect for seniors and kids who may not need a lot of data or minutes. It comes with 100 minutes, unlimited texts, and 1 GB LTE, allowing your elderly family members to browse and access social media while reaching out to relatives. Tello’s $7 service comes with unlimited 2G data that keeps you connected after reaching the data limit.
Managing your account is straightforward with this Tello family plan. An account manager lets you add multiple lines and review them from your dashboard. The service uses the Sprint network, ensuring that you are always connected through a nationwide network. Buying additional data or minutes is easy through an affordable pay-as-you-go plan. The plan also supports international calling, group and picture messaging, and hotspots. Nevertheless, you need to note that it does not support domestic roaming, eSIM, international data roaming, or a smartwatch feature.
5. Boost Mobile
At $35 per line per month, the Boost Mobile $50 plan offers unlimited minutes, unlimited texts, and 35 GB LTE data. The service is perfect for a four-people family with average internet needs. If you love watching videos or streaming music after work, the plan offers you 35GB of full-speed data per line for your online activities. It also comes with 12GB hotspot data per line, enabling you to share fast internet with your friends. It uses the Sprint network, guaranteeing robust connectivity with clear audio.
The $35 Boost Mobile plan further supports 480p video streaming, Wi-Fi calling, visual voicemail, full-speed data, and group and picture messaging. The cell service may not meet your needs if you are looking for a service that supports domestic roaming, eSIM, international data roaming, and a smartphone feature.
6. Verizon
Verizon currently offers two family plans at $45 per line per month. You can opt for Verizon to do more unlimited, or Verizon plays more unlimited, depending on your needs. The plans are almost identical, with the difference being the priority data, hotspot data, and additional benefits. The play is more unlimited plan offers 15GB hotspot data, 25GB priority data, an Apple Music subscription, and 720p video streaming. They do more unlimited plan does not come with an Apple Music subscription, but the priority is data. It comes with 50 GB priority data, 50 percent off a tablet, and 500 GB Verizon cloud storage.
The $45 Verizon family plans are perfect if you are looking for a value pack. The Verizon service offers more value to heavy and medium internet users with excellent perks. The offer includes unlimited LTE data per line, 5G access, Wi-Fi calling, domestic roaming, and eSIM. You can also add a smartwatch to the plan for $10. The international calling and data roaming add-ons are available for affordable global communications.
7. Cricket Wireless
At $33 per line per month, the Cricket $55 offers some of the best savings for heavy internet users. The plan offers unlimited LTE for the ultimate entertainment experience and unlimited minutes and texts for worry-free communication. The Cricket Wireless $33 service gives you deprioritized priority data per line, full-speed data, 15GB hotspot data per line, and Wi-Fi calling. The plan further supports visual voicemail, domestic roaming, international calling, international data roaming, and group and picture messaging.
However, the plan does not come with unlimited 2G data, and it does not support 5G access. It also does not work with eSIM or a smartwatch.
8. AT&T Unlimited Extra
The AT&T $40 unlimited extra comes with a lot of perks, making it one of the best cell phone plans for families looking for more than essential services at a competitive cost. The four-people family plan offers unlimited LTE data per line and 50GB priority data per line, ensuring that you have adequate data for watching videos, home automation, and playing online games. The data package also includes 15GB of hotspot data per line that you can share with your friends for a well-connected party. The plan is ideal for a family with kids as you can purchase a secure family app at $7.99 per month to track your kids’ location and block or limit internet use.
The AT&T $40 plan benefits include international data roaming and calling add-on features to help you get in touch with your friends across the world at an affordable cost. It also supports Wi-Fi calling, 5G access, eSIM, group and picture messaging, and visual voicemail. The downside of this AT&T plan is the $30 activation fee.
9. Visible
The Visible $40 phone service is one of the most affordable unlimited family plans at $25 per person per month. The plan offers unlimited LTE data, unlimited minutes, and unlimited texts, making sure that your calling and online communication needs are affordable. The service runs on the Verizon network, providing clear and reliable communication in rural and urban areas.
The Visible $25 plan further comes with 5Mbps hotspot data per line for fast-speed internet sharing, Wi-Fi calling, and visual voicemail. You will also love the group and picture messaging. The price offer is available to those people who join the Vision party which offers a discount of $15 per person. The undiscounted price for the plan is $40 flat per month, with no hidden charges.
Unfortunately, the Visible 40 plan has a few downsides. It does not support 5G access, domestic roaming, or international calling and data roaming. You cannot also use the service with a smartwatch or eSIM.
10. Total Wireless Unlimited
Total Wireless $24 unlimited is an affordable friend and family plan that lets you share your data for exceptional entertainment or group gaming. At $24 per person per month, the total wireless unlimited family plan offers unlimited minutes, unlimited texts, and 25GB LTE. The carrier uses the Verizon network, ensuring extended coverage.
It also comes with 10GB of hotspot data per line that you can use to create connections with your friends and relatives. The Total Wireless $24 cell phone plan further supports unlimited 2G data once you reach the data limit. You can use the phone service to make international calls at an affordable cost by purchasing an add-on.
You can reduce the cost of your plan by enabling auto-refill that discounts the price by 5 percent. It also comes with several add-on features that let you purchase 5GB for $10 and make international calls to select countries for $10. The plan further supports Wi-Fi calling and visual voicemail. That said, it is necessary to note that the service does not work with a smartwatch, eSIM, 5G access, domestic roaming, and international data roaming.
Conclusion
Getting the best cell phone plan for your family can help you save on the cost while helping you efficiently manage the account. However, the family plans vary based on the available features, price, and providers, making it necessary to find a suitable phone plan for you and your relatives. The plans in this guide are some of the most competitive, value-based options for families of up to four individuals.
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