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The 5 Best Business Cell Phone Plans of 2023

Data as of 12/7/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *AutoPay Discount included: -$5/mo. per line. Plus taxes & fees.

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Business.org’s 5 best business cell phone plans

At&t: best full-featured plans.

Looking for a broad choice of bells and whistles? As a telecom behemoth, AT&T has plenty of cell phone features and packages to offer a business—around 20 plan variations, small to large. All plans include free US roaming, unlimited talk, and text messages, as well as unlimited texting outside of the country. Basic features like call forwarding, voicemail, caller ID, call waiting, and conference calling also come standard with all AT&T business cell phone plans, along with bring-your-own-phone support.

AT&T's business cell phone plans

Data as of 12/7/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Business Unlimited plan prices start at $35 a month per line, and there is a new perk where unlimited data is included in the unlimited talk and text plan. This means there is no need to worry about overages or data caps. 

 AT&T business plans can also accommodate up to 10 lines per account, and they come fully loaded with perks—like Stream Saver. This feature optimizes streaming video on your phone to 480p so you can watch webinars on-the-go without dealing with a blurry picture.

Each plan also includes a decent array of iOS and Android smartphone options and even a few good ol’ flip phones. A 15% military veteran discount can be applied to the Business Unlimited plans, as well as AT&T-owned DIRECTV services (because, again, telecom behemoth).

Users are eligible for a discount if they elect for autopay and paperless billing but this discount is only applied until after two pay periods. We don't know why the discount cannot be applied earlier in the billing process but we do find it frustrating. 

T-Mobile: Best flexible plans

Not sure exactly what you’ll need in a mobile plan besides future adaptability? T-Mobile, the third-largest wireless service in the US, offers four Magenta® for Business plans, all packed with unique features that set T-Mobile apart from the rest. The German-owned company has also earned a reputation for stellar customer service and was the first to eliminate annual contracts (an idea that stuck—none of the plans reviewed on this page require contracts). In April 2018, the company announced its intention to merge with Sprint under the T-Mobile banner.

T-Mobile's business cell phone plans

Data as of 12/7/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *While using AutoPay.

All of T-Mobile’s Business cell phone plans offer the same basic features:

Unlimited talk and text

Unlimited 5G and 4G LTE data on our network

• Unlimited mobile hotspot
• Scam Shield

Unlimited calling and texting to Mexico & Canada

Unlimited video streaming

In addition, all T-Mobile Business plans include DIGITS, which allows you to access up to five phone numbers on a single device. That means you could answer calls to your work number and your personal number on one device—no more packing two phones in your bag every day. DIGITS also lets you share your phone number across multiple devices, so you can answer on your phone, smartwatch, tablet, or computer.

T-Mobile users with a Business plan can also add the PlusUp add-on and get extra features, like Voicemail to Text, HD streaming, 20 GB of 4G LTE mobile hotspot data, unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi, caller ID, and double the data speed when roaming internationally.

Keep in mind, though, that T-Mobile’s Business plans are available only on plans with two to 13 lines. If you need more than 13 lines, you’ll need to sign up for the 13+ Plan ($285 per month for 13 lines, plus $25 per month for each additional line).

T-Mobile plans also allow bring-your-own-device convenience, or you can buy phones up front with a single payment (there are nearly 40 iOS and Android phones to choose from).

Now that T-Mobile and Sprint have been merged for almost six months, some significant changes have taken effect. T-Mobile’s website is now the only place businesses can sign up for Sprint or T-Mobile business phone accounts.

Sprint still has an active business website for previous users but all new plans will be sold by T-Mobile on its website.

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Verizon: Best growing business plans

Serving over 150 million customers, Verizon isn’t just big, it’s BIG. Such a mobile mammoth might not seem like the obvious choice for a small business, but for what it lacks in a personalized customer service reputation, Verizon more than makes up for by offering every cell phone feature there is, as well as dominant US, and near-dominant global, coverage. Like McDonald’s and Marvel movies, Verizon is everywhere.

Verizon's business cell phone plans

Data as of 12/7/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *With 4+ lines

While business owners can get business cell phone plans with limited data, we recommend choosing an unlimited plan if you have multiple employees (or do a lot of work via cell phone).

Verizon’s Business Unlimited cell phone plans are scalable from four employees up to and over 40. And with plans starting at just $40 per line, Verizon Business Unlimited plans are an attractive option whether you’re running a tiny company with no expansion plans, a medium-sized business with an eye toward growth, or a large enterprise with heavy cell phone requirements.

Verizon Beyond Unlimited plans also include unlimited mobile hotspot use, though your speeds are limited depending on your plan. Plus, you get unlimited calling and texting to Mexico and Canada—not to mention unlimited calling, texting, and data while in those countries. And naturally, you also get unlimited talk and text as part of your Beyond Unlimited package.

Verizon doesn’t skimp on device choices either. There are nearly 100 iOS and Android phones and tablets available—including the Verizon Jetpack, a mobile hotspot device that can connect 10 devices to its 4G LTE network and an additional five to 3G.

If your company requires truly “unlimited” cell phone service and scalability to grow and is in the position to pay for functionality with frills, Verizon Business Unlimited is the way to go. Bare-bones operations, however, might want to look elsewhere.

Each of our recommendations has its strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes the most difficult part about finding a phone system is determining exactly what you need and don't need. The best place to start is separating your needs between installing a new system, replacing a system or expanding system.

If you are having trouble sorting out exactly what your phone needs are, use this tool to help you understand what the best options are for your unique needs. 

MintMobile: Most affordable plans

We are sure you’ve seen the commercials with Ryan Reynolds talking about this new phone carrier business with a fox logo called Mint Mobile. In fact, a lot of Mint customers were drawn to Mint because of Ryan Reynolds Hollywood looks, but that’s not the only thing Mint has to offer. 

Mint is inexpensive and transparent, compared to other cell phone carriers with hidden fees and seemingly random regulations.

MintMobile's business cell phone plans

Data as of 12/7 /22 . Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

T hese are the prices for new customers and will last up to three months. After the third month, you are eligible to sign up for a 6- or 12-month contract on one of the tiered plans, all less than $35/mo/user, which is astronomically less than other providers. 

MintMobile is no fuss, and you really do feel like you must be tricking the rest of the world with its pricing. The only issue is that MintMobile is fairly new, launched in 2015, coverage is not completely everywhere. There are still a couple of coverage gaps in the West, namely Utah, Nebraska, Idaho and Nevada. If you are east of the Rocky Mountains, you are good to go!

Teltik: Best perks plans

If you’re a strapped startup, New Jersey’s Teltik can get you up and running on the cheap. Teltik is a reseller service operating on T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network, meaning it can offer the reliability and reach of a giant provider at smaller-company prices. Teltik also has the advantage of being completely US-based, with 24/7 local customer service that’s not outsourced overseas.

Teltik's business cell phone plans

3 more (non-business) cell phone plans reviewed by business.org.

Teltik appears to have a dozen plans, but they’re mostly just variations of the essential plan that offers all the expected basics. Not coincidentally, the features mirror those of T-Mobile, as they’re on the same network.

The most basic plan starts at $20 a month and includes unlimited calling and texting, mobile hotspot service, and unlimited data—with a 2 GB cap on 4G LTE speeds (meaning your speed gets throttled to 128 Kbps if you use more than 2 GB of data in a month). From there, you can upgrade your plan to include more 4G LTE data and more mobile hotspot data. Upgraded plans cost anywhere from $30 to $40 per month, and they all include one cloud-phone VoIP line—perfect for small businesses looking to save on all their telecommunications needs.

One distinctly entertaining feature (pun intended) of Teltik’s business plans? You get unlimited media streaming from over 40 music services (including Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music) and more than 100 video services (including YouTube, Netflix, and any other channel you can think of). That means you can stream as much TV as you want without it eating into your data. It’s almost as if Teltik doesn’t want you to get any work done.

Another thing you need to know: Teltik doesn’t sell phones. Instead, the company operates on a strict bring-your-own-device basis. Any unlocked phone will work with its network, as will any T-Mobile device, of course. However, you will have to spend $10 plus shipping and handling to buy a new SIM card for each of your devices (unless they’ve already got brand-new, unused T-Mobile SIM cards).

The takeaway

Assess your company’s current cell phone usage, and projected future needs, before diving into any plan. What looks like a great deal could turn out to be more than you actually need—or you may have initially underestimated your business’s cell phone requirements. Also, if your company has both cell phone and regular office phone needs, check into bundling. The larger telecom providers offer both types of phone coverage, and bundling services is an easy way to save money in the long run.

Don’t want to carry around separate phones for work and personal calls? With the right VoIP service, you don’t have to. Check out our favorite business VoIP providers to see which ones offer on-the-go business phone capabilities.

Business cell phone plan FAQs

If you have several employees working outside of the office on a regular basis, desk-bound phones obviously aren’t going to work for them. Some may be only calling and texting while others will be checking email, using GPS navigation, and accessing the internet for work, but a cell phone is a must for employees in the field.

If you’re a one-person operation accountable to only yourself, you could get by with a personal cell plan. Keeping track of multiple employees’ hours, data, and providers, however, would be an extra headache you don’t need. For streamlining and collaboration purposes, a business cell phone plan would be the easier route.

Most of the plans we’ve reviewed here offer unlimited data—domestically, at least—so hitting the data ceiling won’t likely be an issue. But if you want to forecast how much data your business uses every month, providers make data plan estimators available on their websites. Or you could use a third-party calculator app.

BYOD stands for bring your own device . Another common term is BYOP for bring your own phone . These can mean that employees are using their personal phones, tablets, or laptops on their own carrier plans for work or that they’ve put those devices on the company’s plan. The upside? Less expensive than buying devices. The downside? Extra security concerns.

In the annoying absence of Wi-Fi, you can use a cell phone signal to connect a wireless device to the internet by switching on the mobile hotspot option and simply treating it like a Wi-Fi router. For multiple device connections, a dedicated hotspot (such as Verizon’s Jetpack) can provide a faster, and more stable, connection.

Business owners weigh in

Methodology

To find the best business cell phone options, we considered pricing plans, customer support, and data limits. We also looked at the variety of contracts and whether these plans were flexible with discounts. 

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

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The best business phone plans: Reliable 5G for work

When I started writing for ZDNet 15 years ago , mobile phones were being used by 74% of the US population, but only 14% of those people were using these basic phones to access the internet. The latest data shows that 97% of Americans own a mobile phone, with 85% of those being smartphones that access the internet multiple times a day.

Smartphones and wireless cellular services are now essential for businesses to compete in today's market and broad coverage is an expectation. After T-Mobile's recent acquisition of Sprint, the US market is dominated by Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. Each of these carriers offers various plan options for businesses of all sizes.

5G continues to roll out across the US, but reliable LTE service is still essential to getting work done. The pricing for business service is competitive, and as someone who has been in the industry for decades, it is amazing to see the reasonable pricing for such fast service that reaches across the nation.

Verizon phone plans for businesses

Verizon Wireless has the most subscribers in the US and is popular with businesses. Three Business Unlimited plans make it easy to find the perfect option for your business. All three  Business Unlimited plans  from Verizon include unlimited talk, text, and data. Support for 5G, mobile hotspot, and tablet use differentiate the three plans. Pricing is also for five or more lines, targeted for business and not for family usage.

Business Unlimited Start

$30 per line per month.

While there are no limits on minutes, texts, or data, in times of congestion data may be slower with this Start plan. Nationwide 5G, low-band spectrum 5G, is supported with the Start plan and a compatible smartphone.

Tablet, smartwatch, and hotspot options are available for additional costs on the Business Unlimited Start plan. The price also includes $5 per month savings for paper-free billing and auto pay.

Pros  

• Nationwide 5G coverage
• Able to add additional devices (watches, tablets) to the account
• No support for mmWave, high-band, 5G
• Data speeds slowed down during times of congestion

Business Unlimited Plus

$40 per line per month.

For $10 more per line per month, Verizon adds 100GB of premium network access, 5G UWB (mmWave) support, and unlimited mobile hotspot service. In addition, Verizon's Business Mobile Secure is included at no additional cost. This enhanced security bundle includes lookout mobile endpoint secure, mobile device management, Wi-Fi protection, and tech support.

• Nationwide 5G coverage, including mmWave spectrum
• Enhanced security bundle included
• Unlimited mobile hotspot service
• 100GB limit during high usage time periods

Business Unlimited Pro

$50 per line per month.

The highest level Verizon Business Unlimited plan provides twice the amount of premium network access, 120GB, along with 50% off on Business Unlimited Pro tablet plans.

This plan may be perfect for businesses using connected tablets out in the field and smartphones that are using data throughout the day away from Wi-Fi service.

• Nationwide 5G coverage with mmWave support
• 50% cost savings on tablet plans
• $50 price per line higher than other tiers

T-Mobile phone plans for businesses

After the purchase of Sprint, T-Mobile is now the second largest (in terms of subscriber count) carrier in the US. While T-Mobile has long been known for its consumer-friendly cellular plans, it also has one of the most extensive  libraries of business offerings  for small companies, large companies, and government agencies. Its new  Business Unlimited plans  are presented below, but other options require  direct discussions  between businesses and T-Mobile.

Business Unlimited Select

$25 to $60 per line per month.

Business Unlimited Select plans are designed for small business customers who need 1 to 12 lines of service. A one line plan is the most expensive, at $60 per month. Two lines are priced at $45 per line per month, four lines are $30 per line per month, and six or more lines are just $25 per line per month.

These plans include 5G network support, 5GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data, as well as unlimited calling/texting/data in Mexico and Canada.

• Very affordable small business plan
• Unlimited service in Mexico and Canada
• Unlimited streaming is limited to SD content
• Included data in Canada and Mexico is 128kbps speed

Business Unlimited Advanced

$30 to $70 per line per month.

If the employees of your small business travel by airplane and need Microsoft apps, then you should consider the T-Mobile Business Unlimited Advanced plan. This service plan includes 40GB of high-speed hotspot data, Microsoft 365, one hour of Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi, and 5GB of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico.

• Affordable per line price point
• Microsoft 365 productivity service included
• One hour of in-flight Wi-Fi service
• 40GB of high-speed hotspot
• 100GB of premium data

Business Unlimited Ultimate

$40 to $85 per line per month.

For small businesses that want it all at reasonable per line prices, the new Business Unlimited Ultimate plan is for you. In addition to the unlimited talk, text, and data (with 5G included) small businesses also get unlimited premium data, 100GB of mobile hotspot, and Microsoft 365.

Streaming content is provided with unlimited 4K UHD quality, WiFi on your flight is unlimited, and data in 210 countries is twice as fast (256kbps) as the other T-Mobile small business plans.

• Unlimited premium data
• Unlimited WiFi on your flight
• Microsoft 365 services included
• 5GB of high speed data in Canada and Mexico

AT&T phone plans for businesses

After T-Mobile added Sprint subscribers to its total subscriber base, AT&T dropped to third in total subscriber count. However, AT&T is also well established as an enterprise service provider with  four enterprise options  available to customers. AT&T also serves as the backbone for the  FirstNet network  optimized for first responders.

Unlimited Your Way for Business

Starting at $30 per month.

The Unlimited Your Way for Business plans allow up to 10 devices per plan group and are designed for small to medium-sized businesses. The more lines you add, up to 10 lines, the less expensive the starting price is for AT&T Business Unlimited Starter, Business Unlimited Performance, and Business Unlimited Elite. For 10 lines, the starting price is $30, $35, and $40 per line per month, respectively. For just a single line, these prices are $65, $75, and $85 per line per month, respectively.

Hotspot data allotments, priority data transmission, and higher definition streaming are features that improve as you move from the Starter tier to the Elite tier of service. Select the number of lines on the Unlimited Your Way website to view pricing for your company.

• Price per line decreases with additional lines
• Multiple tiers of service are offered
• Limited to 10 lines of service
• Priority data transmission restrictions
• Hotspot data limits

AT&T Mobility Select - Pooled

Starting at $35 per month.

Unlimited calls and text messages in the US, unlimited calls to Mexico and Canada, and unlimited texting from the US to more than 120 countries are included in the  AT&T Mobility Select - Pooled  plan service. Data is served up to each employee from a single shared pool for each business account.

Plans start at $35 per month, but potential customers need to contact AT&T to discuss specific details and plan pricing.

• Affordable plan pricing
• Unlimited calls to Mexico and Canada
• Shared pool requires management to allocate

AT&T Mobile Share Plus for Business

Starting at $50 per month.

The AT&T Mobile Share Plus for Business plan supports from one to 25 smartphone lines with various monthly data caps, ranging from 3GB to 120GB per phone. Pricing per phone starts at $50 per month for 3GB and goes up to $615 for one phone with 120GB of data.

Shareable data, rollover data, unlimited talk and text, mobile hotspot service, and international talk, text, and data are provided with these plans.

• Support for up to 25 lines of service
• Rollover data support
• Mobile hotspot service included
• Data caps allocated by service option

AT&T Business 4GB

Unlimited talk, text, and 4GB of data per line are provided with the AT&T Business 4GB  plan. Hotspot data and standard mobile security services are also provided with the plan. Pricing for smartphones starts at $50 per month, but further pricing requires consultation with an AT&T representative.

AT&T Business 4GB is available for tablets for $20 per month and for wearables for $10 per month. AT&T advertises this plan as best for small businesses.

• Unlimited talk and text
• Controlled pricing per each phone
• Service options for tablets and wearables
• 4GB data limit per each line

MVNO options for businesses

While the three major carriers offer focused business plans, there are also a few MVNOs that offer attractive per line plans that may work well for small businesses. MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) are companies that use establish wireless carrier infrastructure to provide no or minimal contract options for customers. The MVNOs do not openly advertise which wireless carrier infrastructure they are using, but as soon as you insert a SIM into your phone, you can see which carrier is connected to which MVNO. MVNOs are optimized for consumers looking for phone service with no contracts and prepaid options, but these same elements may help small businesses control costs and adjust to market demands.

US Mobile for business

$9 per line and $2 per gb per month.

Most MVNOs offer attractive per line prices with each account limited to five or six lines. US Mobile is one MVNO that actually provides shared data plans for companies of any size. Enter the number of lines you need and the amount of shared data to view your total monthly payment. 

A couple of examples include 50 lines with 100GB of data for $674 per month or 30 lines with 50GB of data for $385 per month. We had the opportunity to test out the two available US Mobile SIM cards and found the service to be fast and reliable.

• Specific service offering for businesses
• Scalable to your business size and line needs
• Competitive $9 per line base fee
• Verizon and T-Mobile serve as network providers
• Data price per GB may be higher than unlimited plans

Mint Mobile

$30 per month per line.

Mint Mobile is one of the most popular MVNOs thanks in large part to advertising by one of its owners, Ryan Reynolds. While there are no specific business plans, three/six/twelve month plans for individual phones are available starting as low as $30 per month for unlimited talk, text, and data.

T-Mobile provides the network for Mint Mobile's service so you will need GSM handsets for the service.

• Unlimited talk, text, and data plan options
• Flexibility for less expensive data limit plans
• No specific business service plans
• Limited to T-Mobile coverage area
• Three available contract period options

Cricket Wireless

Starting at $25 per line per month.

Cricket Wireless is an established MVNO, service provided by AT&T, that has retail stores around the country so you can get support and establish service in person if you desire. One to five lines can be setup for each account with measured data or unlimited data. Mobile hotspot data can also be added to each line.

4G LTE and 5G data is provided, along with international support, cloud storage, and more.

• Established, trusted MVNO
• Physical retail stores around the country
• Unlimited and measured data plan options
• No long term contract required
• Service coverage area limited to AT&T network
• Five line limit per account

What steps should a new business take to establish wireless service?

While this buying guide provides current pricing and service options from the three primary US wireless carriers and MVNOs, specific pricing for your business requires a conversation with the carrier to fully define your company needs, available service discounts, and contract lengths.

One of the first things to figure out is where you will need service geographically in the US as all three carriers have slightly different coverage maps. Your geographic operating area may remove one, or more, carriers from your viable candidate list. 

The next step is to determine how many lines of service you will need and then the data needs of those lines. Calling and text messages are unlimited in all cases, but data speed and amount of data will drive your costs.

Most carriers also offer additional incentives and services, such as hotspot, in-flight coverage, Microsoft 365, and more. Make sure to account for the value of these incentives in your decision-making process.

What are the disadvantages of a MVNO?

Most MVNOs are focused on the consumer market so business plan offerings for more than six lines of service are rare. Pricing can be very competitive and with no contracts these MVNOs may be attractive to businesses just getting started that do not want to lock in long-term contracts.

Account management may require more time from businesses given the consumer focus of MVNOs. MVNOs are also subject to the infrastructure provided by the big three US carriers, but there are several established MVNOs with solid reputation and a record of high-quality service and support.

What is the best business phone plan?

We analyzed reliability, coverage, and price to compile a list of the best phone plans for your business which includes: Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.

Does the choice of my smartphone model limit wireless service?

In the past, the US wireless market was split into GSM and CDMA service technologies with two carriers supporting each of these technologies. Modern smartphones support LTE and 5G service without CDMA technology your choice of smartphone is not as limited.

The most popular smartphones in the US, Apple iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones, support all wireless technologies in the US wireless market so there are no limits on using these phones with any US carrier. If you purchase these phones directly from Samsung and Apple, then you can choose to purchase unlocked models.

Some phones are sold in a locked state so they can only be used on one specific carrier. This may be changing soon and there are processes to unlock your phone from your carrier if you decide to switch carriers. There used to be incentives for purchasing locked phones, but in today's world purchasing unlocked phones gives you the most flexibility for choosing your service provider.

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Office Technology | Buyer's Guide

6 Best Business Cell Phone Plans of 2024

Published January 18, 2024

Published Jan 18, 2024

REVIEWED BY: Corey McCraw

WRITTEN BY: Sam Dadofalza

This article is part of a larger series on VoIP .

• 1 Best Business Cell Phone Plans Compared
• 2 Verizon: Best for Mobile Hotspot and Premium Data
• 3 RingCentral: Best for Streamlined Call Distribution
• 4 AT&T: Best for Mobile Security
• 5 Nextiva: Best for Toll-free Calling
• 6 T-Mobile: Best for Global Communications
• 7 Google Voice: Best for Budget-conscious Freelancers
• 8 How We Evaluated the Best Business Cell Phone Plans
• 9 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• 10 Bottom Line

The best business cell phone plans offer unlimited calls, texts, and mobile data, support remote work via mobile hotspot access, and enable communications with overseas contacts. They provide robust mobile security through proprietary apps for spam call detection and safe browsing. The plans have valuable add-on features such as subscriptions to streaming services and business tools. In this article, we outlined our top picks for business cell phone plans:

• Verizon : Best for mobile hotspot and premium data
• RingCentral : Best for streamlined call distribution
• AT&T : Best for mobile security
• Nextiva : Best for toll-free calling
• T-Mobile : Best for global communications
• Google Voice : Best for budget-conscious freelancers

Best Business Cell Phone Plans Compared

Verizon: best for mobile hotspot & premium data.

What We Liked

• Unlimited calling and texting in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico
• TravelPass offers 24 hours of unlimited talk and text in overseas locations and 2GB of high-speed international data
• Huge discounts on tablets when subscribed to the Unlimited Pro plan

Where It Falls Behind

• Expensive subscription plans, with the entry-level package starting at $70 per line, per month
• Caller ID and personal block list feature are not available in the base-level plan
• Mobile security requires a separate activation fee of $5 per device

Verizon Monthly Pricing*

• Business Unlimited Start 5G: $70 per line for unlimited talk, text, and data, unlimited 5G and 4G LTE data, 5GB of 5G and 4G LTE mobile hotspot data, call filter, and 480p video streaming
• Business Unlimited Plus 5G: $80 per line for 100GB of premium smartphone data and mobile hotspot data, enhanced security features, up to 4K video streaming, and TravelPass for two days (24 hours of unlimited talk and text, 2GB of high-speed international data, and then unlimited data at 3G speeds thereafter)
• Business Unlimited Pro 5G: $85 per line for unlimited premium smartphone data, 200GB of premium mobile hotspot data, TravelPass for four days, and 50% off on tablet plan

*Pay only $35, $45, or $50 per line for the tiered subscription plans when you get five or more lines. Secure $5 savings per month when you sign up for Auto Pay and paper-free billing.

Verizon is our top provider in this list of the best business cell phone plans, offering a generous allotment for mobile hotspot and premium data. This allows on-the-go professionals to have fast access to the internet wherever they are. The provider features 200GB of premium mobile hotspot data in its most expensive plan. While its direct competitor, AT&T, has the same maximum cellular data, Verizon’s mobile throttling speed is more tolerable.

AT&T slows down the speeds to a maximum of 128Kbps when you reach the data usage threshold. Verizon, on the other hand, reduces the speed to 600Kbps for 4G LTE and 5G and 3Mbps for 5G Ultra Wideband. Meanwhile, its premium data has no cap and won’t slow down based on the data used. On top of the excellent data offerings, Verizon has a range of business cell phones for small businesses, carrying top brands like Apple, Samsung, and Google.

The downside of using Verizon is that some of its call filtering features, like caller ID and personal block list, are not available in the entry-level plan. You must upgrade to the second-tier package, which costs $80 per line, monthly, to access those tools. Other business cell phone plans providers have these call filtering capabilities in their base-level subscription packages. You’ll save more with RingCentral , for instance, as it’s priced at $30 per user, per month.

Verizon Features

Block high-risk calls automatically using Verizon’s spam filter. (Source: Verizon )

• Call filter: Screen and block incoming spam calls and those from unwanted numbers. Upgrade to Call Filter Plus to access caller ID for robocall control and total spam protection.
• Business Mobile Secure: Get alerts when a device tries to connect to unsecured Wi-Fi. It protects your phone against phishing and other cybersecurity risks.
• Bring your own device (BYOD) : Verizon allows users to keep their smartphones and numbers when switching to the provider. Simply check your eligibility, bring your smartphone and number, and activate them with one of Verizon’s unlimited business plans.

RingCentral: Best for Streamlined Call Distribution

• Free local and toll-free numbers in all plans
• 99.999% uptime guarantee, which translates to less than six minutes of annual downtime
• Up to 200 video meeting participants
• Only offers up to 200 business texting credits per user
• Phone rentals are only available for those tied to a multi-year contract
• Unlimited storage for files is locked behind the most expensive plan

RingCentral Monthly Pricing*

• Core: $30 per user for unlimited domestic calling, local or toll-free numbers, 100 toll-free minutes, 25 short messaging service (SMS) credits, and multi-level auto-attendant
• Advanced: $35 per user for 1,000 toll-free minutes, 100 SMS credits, advanced call queues, automatic and on-demand call recording, and up to eight-digit phone extensions
• Ultra: $45 per user for 10,000 toll-free minutes, 200 SMS credits, and unlimited storage for files, messaging, and recordings
• Free trial: 14 days

*Save up to 33% by paying annually. Volume discounts for 50-plus users are available.

RingCentral ranks second on our list of the best small business cell phone plans, most suitable for teams wanting to improve call management. Its wide array of voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) features route phone calls to team members more efficiently. For one, the multi-level auto-attendant automatically directs calls to the right departments based on the caller’s key presses. Its call queue accommodates up to 25 waiting calls.

The VoIP phone system supports various call routing modes: round-robin, sequential, and simultaneous. Aside from organizing the flow of inbound calls, these distribution methods ensure you won’t miss important customer queries.

Before choosing RingCentral, note that it only provides a maximum of 200 SMS credits per user. If you frequently send texts for marketing or customer service, explore other best cell phone plans businesses use, like Verizon and AT&T , which offer unlimited texting.

RingCentral Features

Get an overview of all your voicemail messages on RingCentral. (Source: RingCentral )

• Visual voicemail: Access and manage your voicemail through RingCentral’s admin portal. Instead of listening to audio files and playing them repeatedly to get the details of the message, read the voicemails. Users have the option to preview, delete, and forward these messages.
• Team huddle: Let team members hold spontaneous virtual meetings that resemble face-to-face, informal huddles. Easily host audio and video conferences where participants come and go as they please.
• Video conferencing: Host virtual meetings for up to 200 participants. If you get the large meeting add-on, your sessions will be able to accommodate a maximum of 500 attendees.

AT&T: Best for Mobile Security

• Unlimited texting from the U.S. to 200+ countries
• All subscription plans feature mobile app security
• Waived activation fees for new customers who buy plans and devices online
• More expensive subscription plans compared to other providers listed here
• 5G+ is available in limited parts of select cities only
• Hotspot data speed slows to a maximum of 128Kbps when your allotted data is consumed

AT&T Monthly Pricing*

• Standard: $70 per line for unlimited talk, text, and data within and between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, 5G/5G+ access, 5GB of mobile hotspot data, basic ActiveArmor security, and standard-definition video streaming
• Advanced: $80 per line for 100GB of mobile hotspot data, advanced ActiveArmor security, and high-definition 1080p video streaming
• Premium: $90 per line for 200GB mobile hotspot data, high-definition 4K video streaming, and unlimited talk, text, and data in Latin America

*Pay only $40, $45, or $50 for the tiered subscription plans when you get six or more lines. Secure a $10 discount when you sign up for AutoPay and paperless billing.

AT&T is the best cell phone plan for businesses prioritizing the privacy of confidential company information. Among the providers mentioned in this list, it offers the most comprehensive mobile security through the AT&T ActiveArmor app. This app offers spam risk call blocking, safe browsing, public Wi-Fi protection, and identity monitoring. The last one involves tracking the dark web for your personal information.

On top of these key features, you’ll be able to receive data breach alerts, run reverse number lookups, identify unknown caller details, and get information about your Android smartphone if it gets lost or stolen. While AT&T offers excellent mobile security among the best cell phone plans for small businesses listed, its data offering may be a deal-breaker. It slows down the hotspot data to a maximum of 128Kbps when the user hits their data cap.

In contrast, Verizon’s mobile throttling speed is 600Kbps, a more acceptable speed for professionals who need to stay connected. Consider this option if you need internet access when working remotely. The provider offers some valuable mobile security features as well, such as Wi-Fi protection and robocall blocking.

AT&T Features

Turn on data roaming when traveling internationally. (Source: AT&T )

• Video streaming: Watch shows on your smartphone in standard definition, high-definition, or ultra-high definition, depending on your plan. To control data usage, AT&T’s Video Management feature automatically renders streaming video in standard definition.
• International roaming: Call, text, and use mobile data in Latin America with no usage limits. This lets you communicate with colleagues and customers whenever needed, wherever you may be.
• Mobile hotspot: Plug your devices into your hotspot and secure your internet connection instantly. With AT&T’s broad coverage nationwide, you’ll connect and work remotely without the hassle.

Nextiva: Best for Toll-free Calling

• High-definition voice is featured in all subscription plans
• Number porting is free of charge
• Lets users bring their own device
• Only allows a 45-minute duration in video calls
• SMS isn't available in the entry-level plan
• Users must upgrade to the most expensive package to access call recording and voicemail transcription

Nextiva Monthly Pricing*

• Essential: $30.95 per user for free local and toll-free numbers, up to 1,500 toll-free minutes, auto-attendant, and call history
• Professional: $35.95 per user for up to 3,000 toll-free minutes, multi-level auto-attendant, voicemail-to-SMS, and a maximum of 1,000 messages sent and received per user
• Enterprise: $45.95 per user for up to 12,500 toll-free minutes, call recording, a maximum of 2,000 messages sent and received per user, and voicemail transcription

*Save up to 33% by paying annually. Volume discounts are available for more than four users.

Nextiva is included in this list of the best cell phone plans for small businesses, ideal for companies catering to a national client base because of its generous toll-free minute allowance. It offers a maximum of 12,500 toll-free minutes, allowing customers from different parts of the country to reach out to the business without any charge.

The provider’s call management features, specifically the multi-level auto-attendant, call queueing, call park, and five-digit phone extensions, make accommodating several customer queries easier. The threaded conversations, which put all customer interactions from different channels in one interface, help users be more organized in addressing concerns.

One disadvantage you need to know before subscribing to Nextiva is that its video calls only last for 45 minutes. Consider other best cell phone plans for businesses if you frequently go on long video calls for client and team discussions. RingCentral is a good option, as its video meetings have a duration of 24 hours.

Nextiva Features

Set your status on Nextiva to let colleagues know if you’re available for a call. (Source: Nextiva )

• Call recording: Capture phone calls and store the recordings to secure a reliable reference for business deals and agreements. These files may serve as training materials for new customer service representatives in the future.
• Call presence: Know who among colleagues is available for calls. The phone system’s presence displays user status: available, on a call, unavailable (do not disturb), or offline.
• Call pop: See who’s on the other end of the line before answering a call. Refer to the call pop feature to know the customers’ last interaction, account value, and experience score or customer sentiment.

T-Mobile: Best for Global Communications

• Offers valuable productivity tools, like Microsoft 365 license
• Add-ons, like extra high-speed hotspot and high-definition streaming, offer flexibility when users need additional data
• All plans have dedicated customer care services
• Wi-Fi for traveling isn't available in the entry-level plan
• Reverse number lookup tool is only available at the most expensive subscription package
• Netflix subscription is locked behind the Ultimate plan

T-Mobile Monthly Pricing*

• Select: $60 per line for 50GB of premium data, unlimited mobile hotspot with 5GB of data, unlimited international texting and up to 5GB of data in 11 countries, and unlimited calling, texting, and data in Mexico and Canada with up to 5GB of data
• Advanced: $70 per line for 100GB of premium data, unlimited mobile hotspot with 50GB of data, four full-flight Wi-Fi sessions a year, and secure Wi-Fi without additional charge
• Ultimate: $85 per line for unlimited premium data and unlimited mobile hotspot with 100GB of data

*Pay only $25, $30, or $40 per line for the tiered subscription plans when you get six lines.

T-Mobile is our top pick for international communications among the listed small business cell phone plans, given its attractive travel benefits. For one, you’ll have access to in-flight Wi-Fi with streaming on select airlines, namely Alaska, American, Delta, and United. To use the service, you must have your Wi-Fi calling settings enabled. The in-flight solutions cover video streaming, text and picture messaging, visual voicemail, and over-the-top messaging.

On top of that, you have unlimited international texting and data in more than 215 overseas locations. The high-speed data is capped at 5GB per month, and the unlimited data is up to 256Kbps. If you’re traveling to Mexico or Canada, maximize the unlimited talk, text, and data of up to 5GB.

One downside of choosing T-Mobile is that the business cell phone plan has a more expensive subscription when you want to secure unlimited premium data. You must upgrade to its highest-tier package, which costs $85 per line, monthly. Verizon is slightly more affordable at $80 per line.

T-Mobile Features

Block spam calls automatically using T-Mobile’s Scam Shield app. (Source: T-Mobile )

• Microsoft 365 access: Higher T-Mobile plans like the Advanced and Ultimate packages come with a single Microsoft Office license. Access popular productivity tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and collaboration features, such as Microsoft Teams and OneDrive (1TB cloud storage).
• Scam Shield: This feature automatically identifies and prevents spam calls, which may put your security at risk or negatively affect productivity. It features a caller ID that displays callers’ information even on numbers not registered on your contact list. Additionally, it provides a proxy number to keep your real phone number private.
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get exclusive access to free offers and attractive deals from different brands on T-Mobile’s app. The perks include prizes and discounts on food, fuel, hotel stays, gadgets, and app subscriptions.

Google Voice: Best for Budget-conscious Freelancers

• Service level agreement (SLA) is offered in all subscription plans
• Offers seamless access to other Google apps, like Calendar and Meet
• Google AI blocks spam calls automatically
• Doesn’t have call recording in the entry-level plan
• Users must subscribe to the most expensive package to access advanced reporting
• Lacks advanced VoIP features other providers offer, like toll-free minutes and call monitoring

Google Voice Monthly Pricing

• Personal: Free for one user, local phone number, unlimited calls and text messages within the United States (U.S.), and voicemail
• Starter: $10 per user for up to 10 users, calls to the U.S., Canada, and most European countries, unlimited text messaging within the U.S., voicemail transcription, and integration with Calendar and Meet
• Standard: $20 per user for unlimited users, multi-level auto-attendant, ring groups, and eDiscovery for calls, voicemails, and text messages
• Premier: $30 per user for unlimited international locations, advanced reporting, and automatic call recording

Google Voice is our top-recommended small business phone plan for budget-conscious freelancers, as it’s the most affordable solution in this list. For only $10, you’ll have unlimited calls within the U.S., Canada, and select European countries and unlimited texts within the U.S. Solopreneurs who only need a second phone number and unlimited domestic calling will benefit from the Personal plan, which is free of charge.

The VoIP provider is likewise an excellent option for freelancers who are already working with other Google products. It seamlessly integrates with Calendar and Meet, so if you need to switch to a longer huddle with colleagues and clients, the video conferencing feature is easily accessible.

But unlike other small business VoIP services , Google Voice doesn’t have advanced VoIP tools like toll-free minutes and call monitoring. RingCentral is your best option if these features are essential to your business communications. It offers up to 10,000 toll-free minutes and call monitoring tools, like whisper, barge, and takeover.

Google Voice Features

Get spam call alerts from Google Voice. (Source: Google Voice )

• Multi-level auto-attendant: Send callers to different departments by letting them choose from a phone menu. Record your greetings using Google Voice’s text-to-speech tool or uploading a professionally recorded audio.
• Enhanced spam protection: The phone system automatically labels spam calls as such using advanced artificial intelligence. On top of this, it marks suspicious text messages on Android and iOS devices.
• Ring groups: Delegate a ring group to a specific Google Voice user. A ring group manager will be able to configure the ring group members, call routing rules, ring duration settings, and working hours.

Manage your VoIP costs better by exploring pay-as-you-go and prepaid VoIP options. Take into account your business and communication priorities as you consider the providers mentioned in our buyer’s guide.

How We Evaluated the Best Business Cell Phone Plans

To assess the providers objectively, we developed a scoring rubric that takes into account companies’ considerations when choosing business cell phone plans. These factors include subscription costs, essential features like unlimited calling, spam call blocking, and international calling, and customer service hours. The popularity of each vendor was likewise a part of our assessment.

Learn how we evaluated the top cell phone plans for business by clicking on the tabs below:

• General Features
• Advanced Features
• Ease of Use
• Customer Support
• Expert Score

20% of Overall Score

To determine if the vendors have an accessible pricing point, we considered the entry-level plan’s fees and the number of subscription packages offered. We assigned higher points to those providing annual and volume discounts and free plans.

25% of Overall Score

The general features we looked at were unlimited calling, call forwarding, and call routing. Similarly, we assessed how robust the third-party integrations are.

The niche features include tools improving security and international communications. We gave more points to those with spam blockers, in-flight texting, and international calling support. Those with video meeting features earned more points as well.

10% of Overall Score

Since not all users are tech-savvy, we considered how easy it is to set up accounts and maximize the features offered by the provider. We checked if the vendors’ proprietary apps’ interfaces are beginner-friendly.

The customer support channels we included in our evaluation were live chat, phone, and email. We considered the schedule of customer service, giving more points to those with 24/7 operations.

15% of Overall Score

The vendors’ standout features and ease of use were part of our expert score. We checked third-party review websites to evaluate their level of popularity among professionals. In addition, we evaluated the feature inclusions for every subscription plan to determine if they provide great value for money.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which is the best cell phone carrier for coverage.

According to the Federal Communications Commission’s national broadband map, AT&T and Verizon have the broadest 4G LTE coverage, covering 56.95% and 55.9% of the country, respectively. Meanwhile, T-Mobile covers 35.3%. AT&T and Verizon are excellent options if you prioritize coverage.

How fast is Verizon’s 4G LTE?

Verizon 4G LTE can accommodate download speeds between 5 and 12Mbps and upload speeds between 2 and 5Mbps.

How do I choose the best cell phone plan?

In a nutshell, these are the factors you must consider when comparing cell phone plans:

• Data and voice coverage: Check the carriers’ coverage maps to see if your business areas are included. Ask contacts as well which providers work well in different locations.
• Device options: If you plan to get a new device, see if your carrier offers your preferred brands and models. Meanwhile, if you plan to stick to your existing phone, ensure your phone plan provider supports BYOD.
• Plan inclusions: Compare the high-speed data limits for each provider’s unlimited data offerings. If you frequently travel for work, check if there’s mobile hotspot access included in the plan. Those traveling overseas should benefit from a package that features international coverage. If you choose VoIP platforms, check if the plan includes a toll-free minute allowance and robust call routing tools.
• Subscription rates: Determine how much you will spend on your mobile plan each month. When comparing quotes, consider the taxes and fees on top of the subscription rates. Note that some providers offer discounts for bulk lines and enrollment in AutoPay and paperless billing. VoIP vendors provide discounted prices for those who choose annual billing.

Bottom Line

Your cell phone plan of choice ultimately depends on your calling and texting habits, travel frequency, and monthly budget. The best providers offer affordable packages, unlimited calling, and essential features like call forwarding and call routing. They offer robust support for remote work and mobile security and make availing new devices easier.

In our evaluation, Verizon reigns supreme over the best business cell phone plans, especially for on-the-go employees who need reliable internet connection wherever they are. With its broad coverage nationwide, premium data offerings, and unlimited talk and text features, you’ll be able to stay connected to your customers and colleagues, regardless of your location.

Visit Verizon

About the Author

Sam Dadofalza

Sam is an office tech writer at Fit Small Business, covering various topics including virtual phone systems, contact center platforms, and unified communications tools. She produced content for the digital marketing campaigns of small businesses from different industries and countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, and the Philippines.

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MORE FROM VAULT

Best Business Cell Phone Plans of April 2024

Stephanie Faris

Contributor

Stephanie is a professional finance and small business writer with more than a decade of experience. Her work has been featured on a variety of top finance sites, including The Penny Hoarder, Money Under 30, GoBankingRates, Retirable, Sapling and Benzinga.

Noelene Clark

Noelene is a freelance editor for Newsweek. She previously was editorial director for TV Guide, deputy news director for Entertainment Weekly, and a senior digital producer for the Los Angeles Times. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism.

Updated April 11, 2024 at 3:17 pm

As the workforce has become more mobile, businesses are increasingly dependent on cell phones to stay connected to employees while they’re working from home, commuting to the office or traveling.

With so many business cell phone packages available, however, it can be tough to sort through all the options. We’ll take a look at all the essential features and compare prices to help you choose the best cell phone plan for your business.

Our research is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of personal finance services and products that best suit your needs. To help you in the decision-making process, our expert contributors compare common preferences and potential pain points, such as affordability, accessibility, and credibility.

• Best for Businesses on a Budget: Zoom
• Best for Hybrid Workers: RingCentral
• Best for Small Businesses: Google Voice
• Best for Heavy Data Usage: AT&T Wireless
• Best for Large Organizations: Verizon Wireless
• Best for Road Warriors: T-Mobile
• Best for Sales Teams: Nextiva
• Best for Solopreneurs: Teltik

Business Cell Plan Options

RingCentral

AT&T Wireless

8 Best Business Cell Phone Packages of 2024

There are several different types of cell phone packages for businesses. Some allow you to use your existing devices, while others come from more traditional carriers that require a dedicated phone. Here are some of the most best options on the market right now.

Best for Businesses on a Budget

Why We Chose It

Zoom has three core plans, and each plan charges the same price whether you pay monthly or annually. The top tier costs only $20 per user per month, making it the most budget-friendly option.

Key Features

• Centralized admin portal for call management
• HD-quality calling and noise cancellation
• Voicemail with transcription
• Call recording with transcription
• Auto-attendant tools
• International use is unlimited for regional calling in 48 countries and territories with Global Select plan
• Detailed call reporting
• Active noise cancellation
• Easy signup for existing Zoom subscribers
• Integrates with popular apps, including Slack and Salesforce
• Unlimited outbound calls not available to lower tiers
• Some top features require pairing with other Zoom products

Best for Hybrid Workers

If you need to take your work on the road with you, RingCentral makes it easy to move a call from your desktop to your phone. You can also rent Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) desktop phones and share the same number between all devices.

• Toll-free numbers available at no additional cost
• Various integration options, including Google, Microsoft and Salesforce
• Visual voicemail with transcription
• AI-powered noise cancellation
• Advanced meeting tools
• Virtual numbers available for international use in limited countries
• Access to detailed reporting with higher-tier plans
• 14-day free trial available
• Easily move call from cell phone to VoIP desktop phone
• Wide range of integrations
• Volume discounts available if you have 50+ users
• Automatic call recording only available on higher tiers
• Customer support AI difficult to navigate

Best for Small Businesses

Google Voice

Small businesses can’t go wrong with Google Voice. Anyone with a personal Google account can use the free version to adopt a local number and make unlimited domestic calls and texts across the U.S. and Canada from your phone or computer. The lowest paid subscription tier is limited to 10 users, but it includes a full suite of features and support for a wide range of devices.

• Customizable call handling
• Integrates with Google Meet and Calendar
• Full-featured basic tier
• Voicemail transcription
• International use is only available to the Continental U.S., Canada and Europe
• Usage and activity reporting
• Ring groups available for higher tiers
• Minimal setup required
• Works seamlessly with other Google Workspace apps
• Unlimited calls to Canada and Europe
• Basic paid plan limited to 10 users
• Does not offer toll-free numbers

Best for Heavy Data Usage

At&t wireless.

AT&T Wireless offers nationwide access to its 5G network and unlimited data. Although data speeds slow when the network gets congested, you’ll still find this option is best for streaming, hotspot usage and fast internet use. Scam and security protection will help keep your information safe.

• Business expert provided for setup
• Limited hotspot data included
• Unlimited international texts
• Unlimited data with all plans
• Scam and security protection included
• Day pass can be purchased for international use
• Detailed usage reporting
• Protection against security threats
• Smartphones available for purchase
• Access to nationwide 5G network
• $10 per month per user discount when you enroll in autopay and paperless billing
• Data speeds drop when network is busy
• Pricier plans than competitors
• Long wait times for customer service

Best for Large Organizations

Verizon wireless.

Verizon’s admin dashboard and full features make it ideal for larger businesses. You’ll get unlimited data and live tech support to help with setup.

• Call filter blocks unwanted calls
• Business Mobile Secure provides enhanced security
• Robust admin dashboard
• Live tech support
• TravelPass available with purchase for international use on higher-tier plans
• Price discount with autopay setup
• Unlimited talk, text and data
• Highest streaming speeds require top tiers
• Difficult to reach a live representative for customer support

Best for Road Warriors

For busy professionals who move around the country, T-Mobile has plenty to offer. Although its unlimited calling is largely limited to the U.S., the 5G network packs enough punch to keep things moving wherever you are. You’ll also get an unlimited hotspot and extra premium data.

• Third line is free
• Unlimited hotspot
• Scam Shield blocks unwanted calls
• Massive 5G network
• Extra premium data
• International Data Passes support unlimited talk and text in 200+ countries
• Less data throttling than competitors
• 5G access nationwide
• Unlimited free in-flight Wi-Fi with highest tier
• Bonus features like Apple TV+ access
• Limited reporting
• Long customer service wait times

Best for Sales Teams

Nextiva makes it easy to integrate your helpdesk software and sales customer relationship management (CRM) system, making it a great solution for businesses with sales teams. You’ll also get unlimited video and voice calling and toll-free numbers to make it easy for customers to connect with you.

• Unlimited video and voice calling
• Toll-free numbers
• Helpdesk and sales CRM bundling
• Conferencing and collaboration tools
• Variety of integrations
• International use is for U.S. only
• Real-time intelligent reporting
• Integration with popular business solutions
• Easy to use
• 24/7 customer support
• Lowest tier is limited
• Setup can be challenging
• Call quality can be lacking

Best for Solopreneurs

Teltik operates as a reseller for T-Mobile, with basic plans available for personal and business use. If you’re merely looking for unlimited talk and text, Teltik stands out for its $6 monthly basic plan. However, it has relatively few business-friendly features, so it’s best for solopreneurs or small startups with one or two employees.

• Low-price plan offered with basic features
• Hotspot included with most plans
• Unlimited talk and text with all plans
• Easily port existing phone
• 24/7 customer service
• International use is for U.S. Only
• Unlimited talk and text
• Great customer service
• Low-price basic plan available
• Most price tiers have data limits
• Limited business features compared to other plans
• Limited international options

Vault’s Viewpoint: Compare the Best Business Cell Phone Plans of 2024

Business cell phone plans introduction.

As businesses have become increasingly mobile, technology providers have seen an increasing demand for business cell phone plans. But what differentiates one type of cell phone plan from another? Let’s take a look.

What Is a Business Cell Phone Package?

A business cell phone package provides voice, text and data capabilities that support professionals in their daily activities. Typically, these plans are priced to accommodate smaller businesses, with per-user monthly pricing. They’ll emphasize the features that are most important to business owners and their employees, including high-speed data, unlimited hotspots and call handling management.

How Does a Business Cell Phone Plan Work?

There are multiple types of business cell phone plans, so it’s important to consider the setup you want. With some business cell phone plans, you can bring your own device and connect using an app, while others require you to connect a phone to a provider or purchase new devices. Your number of employees, budget and communications needs will likely drive your choice.

Who Is a Business Cell Phone Service Best For?

Business cell phone packages are typically geared toward small businesses. They work best if you want to conduct business on your existing devices or if your business is willing to purchase new dedicated smartphones for your workers. If you’re a solopreneur, a business cell phone plan can separate your personal and business phone use without requiring you to buy a dedicated device.

Types of Business Cell Phone Plans

• VoIP phone systems: With VoIP, your calls, texts and data use a combination of internet and telephone networks to connect you with others. VoIP can be used with a desktop phone, a computer or a mobile device. You’ll either connect through an app or a dedicated account issued by your provider.
• Phone number forwarding services : These business cell phone packages issue a phone number that then forwards to a number you designate. They also typically come with text messaging and voicemail. One downside to these services is your business name might not show up on the Caller ID of the person at the other end, but these are often the most affordable options.
• Wi-Fi calling: With many phones, you can now make Wi-Fi calls using internet data. Apps like Skype and WhatsApp specialize in this. One of the biggest benefits of Wi-Fi calling is that many apps support free international calls, as long as you use a wireless network to make the call. App-to-app calls are typically included in Wi-Fi plans, but you’ll need to rely on VoIP to reach landlines and cell phones outside the app environment.
• Cell phone service: Most cell phone providers now offer small business cell phone packages. With this option, you’ll either buy a new cell phone or bring an existing phone over to the carrier, known as “porting.” This can be the priciest option, but you’ll also have a dedicated device devoted to your business.

How to Choose a Business Cell Phone Plan

With so many business cell phone plan options, your search can feel overwhelming. Here are some tips to help you choose the best plan for your small business.

How Unlimited are the Plans?

Most cell phone plans have limits, but your communication habits can help determine which features you should look for. If you use texting more than calling, unlimited texting might be more important to you than some other features. If you’re choosing a plan with unlimited data, understand that many providers may slow your plan down if you cross a usage threshold each month.

International Availability

Many business cell phone packages are priced based on domestic use. If you communicate with clients and colleagues around the world, you’ll want a plan that provides generous international calling options. If you regularly travel internationally or have team members outside the U.S., look for a provider that offers affordable service while you’re away. For occasional international travel, some providers offer day passes that give you a set number of days of international use per year.

Per-Line Pricing

Often, business cell phone plans price by the line. If you look closer, though, many plans reduce the rate with additional lines. If you’re bundling five lines on your business plan, for instance, you might pay less per user each month than if you’re only buying one line. Some providers throw in a free phone if you purchase a minimum number of lines, so if you’re buying smartphones, desk phones, headsets or other items, check into these offers. You may even be able to negotiate a deal if you’re buying many lines at once.

Free Phone or Other Perks

Some providers offer equipment with their plans. Whether it’s a cell phone or VoIP desk phone to use when you’re in the office, this could make a plan a better deal than if you chose a provider that requires you to buy equipment. If you are in the market for desktop equipment, renting might be an option. Look for a business cell phone plan provider that lets you lease your desk phones, headsets and other related items.

Mobile Security and VPNs

Security is an ongoing concern, as scams and viruses continue to torment business owners. Look at the security and encryption options a provider offers, as well as any spam blockers. Some plans come with built-in filtering that blocks unwanted callers, while others include encryption that ensures your information is protected. If you regularly use public Wi-Fi, a built-in virtual private network can be one of the best ways to protect sensitive information.

Conference Calling Options

What happens when you need your team to hop on a group chat with a client? Some business cell phone plans build in teleconference ability, such as Zoom’s videoconferencing option or Verizon’s audioconferencing capabilities. Pay close attention to the limitations of those conferencing capabilities. You may find you’re maxing out the allowed number of participants or that the feature doesn’t work across all your devices.

Other Business Cell Phone Plan Alternatives

Microsoft teams.

Microsoft Teams is an all-in-one workplace collaboration solution, featuring communication and collaboration tools, file sharing, conference calling and more. Businesses can use Teams to conduct calls from any device, and you can even call external parties using the built-in dialpad. Microsoft offers two options for external calling using the app. The best thing about using Microsoft Teams is that it integrates with other Microsoft 365 products for a seamless experience.

The cloud-based version of Microsoft Teams Phone is only $8 per user per month, but it limits you to Wi-Fi calling. To use Microsoft’s VoIP feature and call external phones, you’ll need to upgrade to a premium plan, starting at $15 per user per month. For international calling, you’ll be charged international dial-out rates, which are subject to change from one month to the next.

Long before businesses were using Zoom for video, Skype connected businesses with clients around the world. For years, business have used Skype to make free international phone calls using their Wi-Fi network. Skype is now a division of Microsoft, but you don’t need Microsoft to start making calls in the app or through the website.

However, if you want to call a landline or mobile device, you’ll need to purchase credits or a monthly plan . You’ll simply choose the country you want to call, and Skype will give you the option to buy a subscription or credits that you can use at any time.

Another free international option is WhatsApp, which lets you call, videoconference, text and send files across the globe. While you don’t need a subscription to use it, WhatsApp does offer business plans with enhanced features.

WhatsApp business plans charge users by the conversation thread, making it a great choice if your communication needs are sporadic. If you only occasionally chat with customers, clients or team members, this could be an affordable alternative to other business cell phone plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best cell phone plan for small businesses.

Each business is different, so the best cell phone plan will depend on your communication needs. If you have existing equipment, a VoIP option or forwarded phone number might work better, while a business without equipment may gravitate toward a solution that comes with devices.

Who Has the Cheapest Business Phone Plan?

Traditional telecommunications providers can be pricey. For many small businesses, the most affordable cell phone packages will come from companies specializing in communications solutions. If you can use your personal devices for cell phone service, a solution like call-forwarding or VoIP will always be more affordable.

Can You Get a Phone Plan in a Business Name?

If you’re using your phone for business, you’ll want to make sure your company name displays at the other end. Some free solutions won’t allow you to control the name that appears on caller ID, which is why purchasing a business plan is usually necessary. Make sure you emphasize the importance of having your phone number in your business name when you’re signing up for a service.

Are There Any Free Business Cell Phone Plans?

There are free tools for communicating with clients and team members —like Googe Voice’s freeware — but most of them aren’t ideal for long-term use. If you want features like call routing, ring groups and admin dashboards, you’ll need to sign up for a paid plan. Security is also a consideration. A free plan might not keep your conversations and messages as private as you’d like.

How Much Do Business Cell Phone Packages Cost?

You can find basic business cell phone packages for $10 to $30 a month, but as you add employees, those prices multiply. If you’re a one-person business or you only have a couple of employees, you can find a plan that won’t break the bank. Make sure any plan you choose will scale with you as your business grows.

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Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. We may earn a commission from partner links on Newsweek, but commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.

The Top Small Business Cell Phone Plans for 2023

Find out more about the best small business cell phone plans with customer rating, pricing information and frequently asked questions.

Updated on September 21st, 2023

The SMB Guide is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

4.5 out of 5 overall

• Widest U.S. coverage.
• 5G coverage
• Solid network coverage.
• No overages.
• Access to 20M WiFi hotspots.
• Unlimited talk and text.

Business cell phone plans are offered by phone carriers to help small businesses have affordable access to a reliable phone network. Businesses are often eligible for discounts when they add more numbers or opt for additional monthly features.

Best Small Business Phone Systems for 2023

Get information on the top business phone systems, including pricing, reviews, and answers to common questions.

Feb 6, 2023

Why We Chose Verizon, AT&T, and Xfinity Mobile:

Verizon is one of the largest network providers in the United States . With plans for as little as four employees, Verizon offers phone packages suitable for small and large teams. All of Verizon's phone bundles include great unlimited features, including unlimited calling, texting, and data while in Canada and Mexico.

Verizon is ideal for businesses that plan on supplying their employees with handsets . The network provider offers nearly 100 different iOS and Android phones and tablets for teams that are constantly on the go.

All of AT&T's plans offer great unlimited features , including unlimited data and calling in Canada and Mexico, as well as unlimited international texting, domestic calling, and free domestic roaming. AT&T's Business Unlimited Plan comes in three variations: Starter, Performance, and Elite. With all three plans, users also have access to 5G network.

Xfinity Mobile offers a large variety of plans for businesses to choose from , with prices ranging between $30.00 and $240.00 per line. Thanks to its multi-line pricing system, businesses pay less as more lines are added to their plan. Xfinity Mobile also offers 4G LTE and 5G network access, making it great for employees who are always on the move.

Things to Consider When Evaluating Small Business Cell Phone Plans:

• Carefully consider the contract as most plans require business owners to sign up for extended contract periods of one to two years.
• Check coverage and compare it to where your employees live and travel. Some cell companies offer better coverage in rural areas, others offer much less expensive international plans.
• Keeping up with the latest in phone technology could be important to your business, so see how often the contract entitles you to new phones.

Best Business Cell Phone Plans:

How to choose a business cell phone plan:, 1. look at your business's communication needs..

Every business's communication needs will vary. For example, construction companies will require a smartphone with excellent data access for teams that are on the move and working on different sites, while call center teams will only require wireless services and ordinary phones.

International Phone Plans

See our list of top international phone plans, which includes ranking and frequently asked questions.

Sep 19, 2023

Carrier Strengths:

2. choose a plan designed for businesses..

Look for plans with multiple lines and unlimited talk, text, or data options. In addition, your plan should be tailored to fit your specific business. If you won't require talk options, look into business text and email plans.

3. Make good network coverage a priority.

Your plan should have excellent coverage in your area, especially if your business requires strong talk capabilities. Consider sound quality, speed, and network coverage. More importantly, your network coverage should be reliable in urban and remote areas.

Best Network Coverage:

T-Mobile provides the widest network coverage, making it the best fit for businesses that operate in urban areas. Since acquiring Sprint's network in 2020, T-Mobile's network coverage has grown exponentially, narrowly surpassing Verizon's coverage in the U.S.

4. Look for strong security features.

Instead of paying for a separate network security service, look into network providers that include VPNs and encryption with their cell phone plans. Your business's private information is a top priority and with so many open networks, you'll want to ensure your and customer's information is secure.

Best Security Features:

5. purchase hardware..

You can either ask employees to use their own smartphones or you can supply them with hardware. This option should only be considered if your business has off-site teams. Look into the hardware and handsets on offer and compare the plans that offer data and hardware bundles.

Common Cell Phone Plan Offers:

• Reduced costs as the number of lines and devices increase.
• Multiple lines and devices free of charge.
• International coverage.
• Data-only plans.
• Unlimited options for talk, data, and/or text.

More Related Articles:

• Best call tracking software .
• Small business VoIP providers .
• Top business phone systems .
• Best Business Internet Providers .

Who has the best small business cell phone plans?

• Xfinity Mobile .
• RingCentral .
• Cricket Wireless .
• Metro PCS .

What is the average cost of small business cell phone plans?

The cheapest business cell phone plans are usually in the $15.00 to $30.00 per month range, while a complete business cell phone package could cost $60.00 or more per line per month.

What carrier has the best small business smartphone plans?

In terms of cost, Republic Wireless has some of the best cheap business phone plans for smartphones. However, Verizon has the best data coverage and features, meaning you can use your smartphone to access emails and business documents almost anywhere.

Who are the best business phone providers?

What is the best business cell phone plan for companies with less than 10 employees.

It really depends on what features your employees need on their phones, but most businesses with 10 employees or less can find an affordable plan that suits them.

How do I know what the best cell phone plan for my small business is?

The best way to find the best small business mobile phone plans is to do a small business cell phone plan comparison. Compare current offers from several providers to find out who can give you the best deal.

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The best small business cell phone plans

Just as one shoe size can’t fit all, there’s no single cell phone plan that will suit every small company. But there are numerous high-quality plans that are worth considering as they strive to meet the needs of different types of businesses. To settle on the best cell phone plan for your business, you first want to figure out what kind of plan best fits your company.

How to choose a plan

Big four basics.

Business owners generally buy and pay for employee cell phones or plans or both when workers spend at least some part of their time off-site. With employees, you may want to track hours and data. In that case, to streamline operation and collaboration, a specialized business cell phone plan might be optimal. Today, more American businesses are accommodating work-at-home schedules that avoid meetings and travel, but note that quarantines and shelter-in-place orders will not last forever, so it’s a good idea to take the entire spectrum of your business activities into account.

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There are numerous factors to reflect on when choosing a cell phone plan for your small company. Here are some major issues you’ll want to consider.

Business design: Is your proposed plan built for businesses and scaled for business customers? If you’re a solopreneur or an extremely small company with just a handful of employees, you may be able to get away with a personal friends-and-family-type plan, as opposed to a bona fide business plan. But once you have more than a couple of employees, start to think bigger about scalabilities such as multiple lines, unlimited options on talk, text, and data, data-only plans for companies that don’t need talk or text, and discounts for more lines or devices.

Network coverage: Consider sound quality, data speeds, coverage, and overall dependability. Make sure the plan you choose has good coverage in the area where your employees are located or are traveling. If your employees travel internationally, choose from plans that have good rates for the target countries. Also, don’t forget about airline coverage and in-flight texting services.

Security:  Some cell phone business plans offer virtual private networks, encryption, and other features to protect your company’s data. That could be quite valuable, as it relieves you of having to research, choose, and pay for additional services.

Hardware: If you need to supply employees with handsets, consider the kinds of phones offered with the plans you’re considering, or whether employees prefer to use their own smartphones.

Hot spot: Some business environments just don’t have usable Wi-Fi, but you can use a cell phone signal to connect a wireless device to the internet with a mobile hotspot. For multiple device connections, look for a dedicated hotspot with a fast, stable, secure connection, as well as other services like call forwarding, voicemail, call hold, analytics, and call queuing.

Data: Business plans should be generous with data, but unlimited is best — unless you really do not need data to conduct business.

Customer service: Count on problems arising, and when they do, you or your employees will want someone reliable to call before customers and clients get restless.

Price: Price is always a factor, and sometimes the cheapest plans offer just the service and features you’re looking for. But for something as critical as your business communications, do not buy on price alone.

Just in case you’re also looking for the best all-around mobile cellular deals, have a look at our survey of the  best cell phone plans of 2020 and our report on the best prepaid cell phone plans . Meantime, below are some of the business-oriented plans available now.

AT&T offers several variations of its Mobility Rate Plans — Mobile Share Plus, Mobile Select Priority Pooled, and Business Unlimited Elite, plus several in between — tailored to your budget for $50, $55, and $85 per line per month. Designed for small- to medium-sized businesses, the Elite plan offers unlimited data, talk, and text for up to 10 devices. The Pooled plan gives employees a data allowance alongside pooled data within a single account. The Plus plan lets you share data across up to 10 or up to 25 business devices. All plans feature unlimited domestic talk and text and unlimited talk from the U.S. to Mexico and Canada, plus unlimited texts from the U.S. to over 120 countries, along with high definition video streaming. The Elite and Pooled plans also feature 5G . Data speeds may slow down with congestion past certain data points.

Verizon markets the Plan for Business, Business Unlimited, the New Verizon Plan, and the Flexible Business Plan specifically for small companies. The Plan for Business starts at $175 per month for up to 25 lines, with data plans ranging from 25GB to 200GB for various prices and topping out at $1,000 per month. All plans include carryover data, safety mode, calling to and from Mexico and Canada, use of your device in Mexico and Canada, and data boost costing $15 per 1GB. With all business plans, you can turn your device into an internet hotspot and send unlimited messages to more than 200 countries worldwide. Additional smartphones cost $15 per month.

Simple Choice for Business by T-Mobile costs $50 per line per month up to $110 per month for up to five lines. You can add $10 per line per month for 6 to 12 lines and up to 2GB of 4G LTE Data. You can call and text from any Wi-Fi connection, as your unused LTE data (up to 20GB) rolls forward for 12 months. The plan features unlimited calling and texting to and from Mexico and Canada, plus you get up to 5GB of data at 4G LTE speeds. If you’re looking for a more streamlined option, T-Mobile Essentials only costs $30 per month per line for four lines. It offers unlimited 3G mobile hotspot data, unlimited talk, text, 2G data in Mexico and Canada, and unlimited texting and flat-rate calling at 20 cents per minute in over 210 countries. An additional 10GB of high-speed 4G LTE mobile hotspot data will cost you $10 a month. For a more robust plan, the Magenta for Business plan is available for two, four, eight, and 12 lines for $60, $40, and $30 per month per line, respectively. It features 5G service, 3GB of 4G LTE hotspot data, plus unlimited 3G data, in-flight texting and data, unlimited data and texting in over 210 countries, and unlimited talk, text, and data in Canada and Mexico. The included Digits program eliminates the need for separate work and personal phones, allowing you to access up to five numbers on one device and use one number across several devices.

RingCentral

RingCentral is a VoIP system that functions extremely well in an office setting. It supports unlimited calling and conferencing toll-free numbers and a customizable caller ID. Functionality is its primary priority; It supports useful features, like texting, online meetings, and faxing. When you use RingCentral, incoming calls go through the same call-routing system as your office phones. It helps make your office number into a portable communication system. You can call, text, and fax from your business number on any mobile device. The service could be used by two users to 1000 and offers four levels: Essentials, Standard, Premium, and Ultimate for $20, $25, $35, and $50, each with a free trial.

Cricket Wireless

Cricket Wireless is a highly-rated and widely-used prepaid wireless service that prides itself on its affordability. It typically costs users from $30 to $60 per month. With Cricket Wireless, users can build their own custom phone plans. If you prefer a more basic plan with talk and text and no data, that’s manageable. You can build off that basic plan by adding data (2GB, 5GB, or unlimited), unlimited talk and text, picture messages, a mobile hotspot, and SD quality video streaming. If you often travel or need international coverage, that’s also manageable. You can add coverage for Canada and Mexico and unlimited text to 37 countries, HD Voice, and Wi-Fi calling from a compatible phone. Data-only plans of 20GB and 40GB are available for $35 and $50 per month, respectively, with Mexico and Canada coverage in the mix.

Republic Wireless

Consider Republic Wireless for your business if you don’t exactly need a phone network, but you do use a significant amount of Wi-Fi. This plan functions more like a virtual network than other cellular providers. The vendor relies on T-Mobile and Sprint networks when Wi-Fi is unavailable. The base plan is incredibly affordable, starting at $15 a month or $150 a year for unlimited talk and text. At this level, Republic Wireless charges $5 per gigabyte of data, up to 15GB. Fortunately, Republic won’t let a person’s bill skyrocket if they start to use too much data; Instead, the company disables data before you stretch past your limit. Using their data plan, users can also opt to make their smartphone a hotspot. One feature we enjoy about Republic is their Extend Home service. This feature allows people to connect their cell phones with their home phone to access contacts, receive calls, or make calls from one direct number using either of their phones.

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Installing a car phone mount in your vehicle is the best way to make sure that you have easy access to your smartphone when behind the wheel. While you shouldn't be using your phone while driving, having it mounted on your windshield, dashboard, vent, or anywhere else will let you take a quick glance when you're using a navigation app, or to change your playlist when you stop for a traffic light, for example. Instead of having to pick up your device, it will be easier and faster to get these done while it's on a car phone mount for less time of having your eyes off the road.

If you're traveling abroad, you'll want to keep your wireless service active for many reasons, the most important being to still contact friends and family. It's highly likely you'll also need to use GPS, Google, and other smartphone features during your trip. Unfortunately, even with the best cell phone plan deals, most wireless plans don't include international travel or coverage overseas. That means you'll either have to sign up explicitly for a foreign wireless account, or you can grab a burner phone to use while you're there. Regardless, there are a few options, and we've taken the liberty of hunting down the best ones and sharing them all for you right here. The best phone plans for international travel in 2024

Go with if you want reliable yet flexible international plans. Go with Google Fi for temporary coverage with existing plans. Go with if you're an existing customer and want to use the daily TravelPass. Go with for another solid and reliable wireless option. Go with for the best eSIM opportunities. Go with for specific and affordable coverage in select countries and regions.

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The 8 Best Business Cell Phone Plans

• 2. RingCentral
• 7. Net2Phone

How Did We Compare the Best Business Cell Phone Plans?

Our rigorous research reveals that 8×8 offers the best business cell phone plan, scoring an almost perfect 4.7/5 in our overall analysis. Equipped with the most comprehensive list of features , 8×8 offers the mobility you need out of a cell phone plan. RingCentral follows close behind with its formidable inbound communication features and scalability .

In this article, we’ll be exploring the top eight business VoIP plans that are accessible via cell phone. We’ll be focusing on domestic and international minutes, SMS capability, and all the features you’ll be looking for in a cell phone plan. Below you will find an  overview for each contender that is sure to help you decide which VoIP to choose for your team.

Alternatively, get expert recommendations specially made for your team with our free quote comparison tool . Just answer a few questions about your business requirements, and we’ll get you connected with the best VoIP providers that match your business’ needs. They will then contact you with tailored, obligation-free quotes.

1. 8×8: Best Overall Business Cell Phone Plan Provider

8x8 leads the pack with an outstanding overall score of 4.7/5 . Right off the bat, 8x8 offers unlimited domestic minutes from its cheapest (Express) plan, allowing you to connect to anyone within the country. On the next pricing tier (X2), you’ll have unlimited international calls to 14 countries added to your features. This will extend to 48 countries when you upgrade to the X4 plan, giving you smoother communication with your team and clients across the globe.

Scoring the highest in features (4.8/5) , 8x8’s plans include call forwarding and call flip to transfer current calls to another user or another gadget, increasing your mobility while you work. It also offers voicemail-to-text, call queue, and ring groups from its X2 plan and above. Plus, advanced features, like power dialer and predictive dialing are also available on X6 to X8 plans for an additional cost. It’s also worth noting that 8x8 ranks first in  our research for customer support (5/5), security (5/5), and scalability (4.9/5).  

The catch is, 8x8 has a user limit of 10 on its cheapest  plan (Express) . That’s far from Vonage, which offers no user limit across all its pricing tiers. Regardless, 8x8’s user limit will be taken down as you upgrade to the next plan.

Most comprehensive list of features

Up to 500 video conferencing participants per meeting

Extensive customer support channels

Widest range of pricing options

Mediocre customer score

Power dialer, predictive calling, and auto-dialer only available at an additional cost

2. RingCentral: Best for Small to Medium Businesses

RingCentral is our runner-up because it achieved the highest scores for external connections (4.2/5), customer support (5/5), and scalability (4.9/5). More specifically, RingCentral plans have near perfect scalability with over 250 software integrations gearing your smartphone  with the essential tools to help manage businesses.  Because of these reasons, our researchers deemed RingCentral the best for small to medium businesses in our research. 

It provides unlimited domestic minutes across all of its plans and it lets you port your existing number when you switch to RingCentral. Notably, it boasts a splendid list of inbound communication features, including a virtual receptionist , customizable greetings , and hold music .. It also has voicemail-to-text, allowing you to convert your voicemails into text messages. RingCentral also has an SMS functionality, and can integrate with Whatsapp, Facebook, Slack, and Hangouts Chat.  

The disadvantage is that many outbound communication features, like auto dialer and custom call lists, require RingCentral Engage on all plans . Apart from this, it has a 20 user limit on its cheapest, the Essential plan. Luckily, RingCentral becomes unlimited when you upgrade to the Standard plan. If you’re planning to expand your business, Vonage has no user limit across all plans and allows you to choose the features you only want to include on your plan.

Up to 97 CRM integrations and 57 analytics platforms

An array of advanced call features on Premium and Ultimate plans

Some features require RingCentral Engage

Bulk of integrations only available on Premium and Ultimate plans

▶ Read more: The Best Small Business Phone Systems

3. Vonage: Best for Scaling Businesses

Vonage offers a unique proposal, boasting over 50 communication features you can choose to include into your plan. This essentially means you’re building your own plan, only adding and paying for the functionalities you need on your cellphone. This sees it score a high 4.5/5 feature score .

Vonage offers unlimited users and unlimited domestic minutes on every plan. Not to mention, it allows you to port your business number so you can keep your professional and personal calls separated. Another plus is that it offers various call features, such as set caller ID, external video calling, team messaging, and spam prevention . 

That said, the advanced features, like voicemail-to-text and call queue, are only available at an additional cost. These functionalities help you manage incoming calls and are offered free by 8x8 and RingCentral. Another drawback is, Vonage’s call conferencing is limited to three participants. If you plan to use this feature for a large group meeting, you would have to pay an extra fee to increase its capacity to 30 users. Even SMS, a fundamental feature in cell phone plans like Ooma and Net2Phone, requires an additional cost for Vonage users.

Affordable plans

A variety of inbound communication features

Wide customer support channels

Most advanced features cost extra

No 24/7 live support

4. Ooma: Best for Low-Cost 24/7 Support

Ooma’s noteworthy key factor is its excellent customer service (4.4/5 ) alongside very affordable plans. For as low as $19.95 per user, per month, you’ll get 24/7 customer support , giving you fast, reliable assistance whenever you need it.

What’s more, you’ll get unlimited user and domestic minutes across all plans. Ooma is also packed with inbound communication features, such as customizable greetings, voicemail, voicemail-to-text, and virtual receptionist . Plus, it also allows number porting on every plan, so you can keep your business number separated from your personal one on your smartphone. 

However, unlike 8x8 and RingCentral, Ooma lacks management and collaboration features like team messaging and call transcripts to help you supervise and work with your team while you’re on your smartphone. Plus, it’s missing important security features for your cell phone, like user permission and multi-factor authentication .

24/7 live support

Affordable pricing tiers

Limited integration capabilities

Poor security features

Lack of outbound features

5. Nextiva: Best for Flexible Set Up

Scoring 4.3/5 in our research, Nextiva provides unlimited users, unlimited domestic calls, and number porting across all its plans. But what makes it stand out is its flexible set up. Nextiva offers you versatility to work efficiently whether you’re on mobile or in the office.  First, it has an impressive list of inbound communication features, including voicemail, spam prevention, and ring groups, so you won’t miss any important call. Likewise, you can have more mobility with features like call flip and call forwarding that transfer calls to another gadget or another user.  Lastly, it offers a good set of collaboration features like team messaging and task management to help you efficiently work with your team even while on the go. 

Do note that many essential features are missing in some plans, seeing Nextiva earn a mediocre 3.9/5 features score . You only gain access to SMS and call and video conferencing on its Professional and Enterprise plans. Likewise, you can only get voicemail-to-text and call recordings when you upgrade to the Enterprise plan. That’s quite a contrast from 8x8 and Dialpad, which offer these functionalities for free across all pricing tiers. Plus, it lacks advanced outbound communication features, like a power dialer and predictive dialing, which 8x8 offers to help you contact people easier.

Award-winning 24/7 customer support

Real-time system status alerts

Great customer feedback

Below average security features

Limited outbound communication features

▶ Read more: Softphone Apps for Business – Everything You Need To Know

6. GoTo: Best for Low-Price Longevity

Check out GoTo Connect if you want a long-term plan that has good value for your money. For $24 per user, per month, you’ll get unlimited users, unlimited domestic minutes, and number porting . The best part, GoTo offers free international calling to more than 50 countries . In addition to this, you’ll get an integral list of inbound communication features, such as voicemail, voicemail-to-text, and a virtual receptionist . Because of these call features, combined with high-security measures, our researchers also gave GoTo a high 4.4/5 scalability score .

With good value for money (4.3/5) and strong scalability (4.4/5 ), our researchers named GoTo the best for low-cost longevity. This means GoTo is adaptable enough to partner with you from starting your business to scaling globally. In other words, it can evolve as your business expands.

The drawback is that GoTo’s SMS/chat feature can only be used within your organization . It also lacks external live chat integrations, so you won’t be able to chat with customers. On the contrary, 8x8 and RingCentral allow you to send SMSes outside of your team and have chat integrations, like Slack.

Offers great value for money

Very easy to scale

Glowing reputation among users

Smaller variety of features

Few ready-made integrations

No 24/7 user support channels

7. Net2Phone: Best for Low-Cost International Calling

Net2Phone prides itself on being the only VoIP that offers free international calling to more than 40 countries across all of its plans. This means you can freely speak and collaborate with your team across countries without being bound by a time limit or fees.

On top of this, Net2Phone lets you set up virtual phone numbers in over 500 countries and 300 cities. So, if you plan to make waves in Europe, the Americas, or Asia, this VoIP will help you establish your presence without breaking the bank. This is why our researchers rated Ne2Phone the best VoIP for low-cost international calling. 

Net2Phone also offers a bountiful set of inbound features, including customizable greetings and hold music, voicemail, and virtual receptionist . As for outbound communications, you’ll get a set caller ID, call and video conferencing, and SMS/chat across all plans.

The disadvantage is that it’s missing call flip, so you can’t switch from your deskphone to your cell phone while on a call. Also, voicemail-to-text is only available on its highest plan (Office Power). Plus, it only has Slack for live messaging integrations, which is only available on its Office Power plan. If you want a more comprehensive features list, check out 8x8 and RingCentral.

Unlimited minutes to 40+ countries across all plans

99.9% uptime guarantee

Limited software integrations

Lacks call flip, barge, or whisper

Call queue is only available on the highest plan

8. Dialpad: Best for Conversational AI

Dial impressed us with its generous list of inbound and outbound communication features across all plans, scoring 4.4/5 features score . Take advantage of functionalities that boost your work mobility, like call forwarding and call flip that transfer your calls to another gadget or user. More importantly, you’ll find many essential and advanced features like SMS/Chat, power dialer, and spam prevention across all its plans. 

The most impressive thing about Dialpad is its focus on technology — incorporating high-quality conversational AI to decipher and analyze your calls. This is most useful for features like call transcript and voicemail-to-text that allows you to transcribe and record conversations, even while on your cell phone.

Unfortunately, Dialpad falls short on external connections, earning a low integrability score of 2.4/5 . As opposed to 8x8’s 10 live chat integrations, Dialpad only has Slack. Luckily, it has its own SMS/chat and team messaging, so you can still reach your team in an instant.

24/7 reliable customer service

An impressive list of communication features

Stellar customer reviews

Limited external connections

Low scalability

▶ Read more: The Best Cloud Phone Systems for US Businesses

Our team of software researchers compared the top business cell phone plans in the US, analyzing key categories, including the following:

• Price – the plan’s cost and value for your money
• Integrability – the software’s ability to integrate with other platforms, such as Salesforce, Slack, and GSuite
• Features – the tools that define inbound and outbound communications, conversations, management, and collaboration functionalities
• Customer Support – the customer support channels available, such as phoneline, chat, and email
• Customer Score – average consumer review scores across the most trusted review sites: G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and TrustRadius
• Security – the security measures the vendor enforces to protect your data
• Scalability – an aggregated score that assesses a product’s ability to scale with business growth

As a result, we’ve narrowed it down to the top 8 business cell phone plans in the US, highlighting their benefits and drawbacks.

Once we collect the scores from these key factors, we then calculate the final score of each VoIP plan and rank them based on their overall performance.

While many VoIP systems offer great business cell phone plans, we recommend 8×8 because of its solid overall performance. RingCentral comes in a close second, tying with 8×8 in the final scores (4.7/5) . But the reason why our researchers say 8×8 is the best is because it ranks first across four categories: features, customer support, security, and scalability .

Boasting a robust list of functionalities, 8×8 will give you the high performance and mobility you’re looking for in a cell phone plan. Meanwhile, RingCentral is unrivaled in integrability and excelling in customer support and scalability . While 8×8 provides a generous list of external connections, it’s nowhere near RingCentral’s over 250 software integrations. This brings a lot of convenience, especially when you use a lot of apps on your smartphone.

If you are still undecided about which VoIP to choose for your business, try our free quote comparison tool . All you need to do is take our quick survey, and We will match you up with the best VoIP providers. They will be in touch with obligation-free quotes that are customized to your needs.

▶ Read next: The best office phones for business

• Separate your professional and personal calls
• Achieve work mobility and take calls from anywhere
• Transfer calls to your team when you’re busy
• Protect your privacy by keeping your personal number private

Written by:

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Business Unlimited plans

Switch and get truly unlimited data, plus double the premium hotspot data with select plans.

  Select the number of lines to see how your Business Unlimited plan monthly price would change.

Plans available with a month-to-month or device payment agreement. Prices include $5 savings per month per line when you sign up for Auto Pay and paper-free billing.

Put the essentials to work.

$70 without Auto Pay and paper-free billing discount

$60 without Auto Pay and paper-free billing discount

$45 without Auto Pay and paper-free billing discount

$40 without Auto Pay and paper-free billing discount

$35 without Auto Pay and paper-free billing discount

• 5G/4G LTE Unlimited 5G and 4G LTE data; in times of congestion, your smartphone and mobile hotspot data may be temporarily slower than other traffic (network management). 5G access requires a 5G-capable device. 5G Ultra Wideband access is not available. Domestic data roaming at 2G speeds.
• Unlimited talk, text & data Unlimited 5G and 4G LTE data; in times of congestion, your smartphone and mobile hotspot data may be temporarily slower than other traffic (network management). 5G access requires a 5G-capable device. 5G Ultra Wideband access is not available. Domestic data roaming at 2G speeds. In times of congestion, your mobile hotspot data may be temporarily slower than other traffic (network management). After 5 GB/line/month, mobile hotspot reduced to speeds up to 600 Kbps for the rest of the month.
• Mobile hotspot data In times of congestion, your mobile hotspot data may be temporarily slower than other traffic (network management). After 5 GB/line/month, mobile hotspot reduced to speeds up to 600 Kbps for the rest of the month.
• Call Filter Reduce spam calls with call screening, auto-blocking and easy reporting of unwanted numbers. Activation required. Terms apply.
• 480p video streaming Video streaming at 480p.

Boost your productivity.

$80 without Auto Pay and paper-free billing discount

$55 without Auto Pay and paper-free billing discount

$50 without Auto Pay and paper-free billing discount

• 5G/4G LTE 5G access requires a 5G-capable device.
• 5G Ultra Wideband Our fastest 5G network experience. 5G access requires a 5G-capable device.
• 100 GB Premium Network Access Get 100 GB of premium smartphone data per line per month. In times of congestion, your 5G and 4G LTE smartphone data may be temporarily slower than other traffic after 100 GB premium network access/line/mo. There is no network management for 5G Ultra Wideband (UW) data. Domestic data roaming at 2G speeds.
• 100 GB premium mobile hotspot data After 100 GB line/mo premium hotspot data, mobile hotspot reduced to speeds up to 600 Kbps (4G LTE and 5G) and 3 Mbps (5G UW) for the rest of the month.
• Call Filter or Call Filter Plus Call Filter: Reduce spam calls with call screening, auto-blocking and easy reporting of unwanted numbers. Call Filter Plus: Adds caller ID, spam look up and risk meter, a personal block list and the ability to block by category. Activation required. Terms apply.
• Business Mobile Secure Help protect and manage your company devices with this bundle of security features curated specifically for small businesses. Lookout for small business: Helps keep your data safe with anti-phishing and Wi-Fi network protections. Mobile Device Management: Lets you manage and apply controls across company smartphones and tablets. Dedicated chat support: Expert help via Chat for onboarding, setup and troubleshooting of your security features. Activation required. $5/device monthly charge offset by $5 credit while on qualifying price plan. Terms apply.
• Up to 4K video streaming Video streaming at 4K when inside a 5G Ultra Wideband coverage area. High-definition 1080p video streaming on 5G / 4G LTE when you activate it in your plan settings. Otherwise video streaming at 480p.
• TravelPass (2 days per month) Get 2 TravelPass days each month. Each TravelPass day gives you 24 hours of unlimited talk and text, 2GB of high speed international data then unlimited data at 3G speeds thereafter. TravelPass days do not carry over and expire at the end of each month. TravelPass is available in 210+ countries and destinations. 5G or 4G world device required.

Get more of what you need.

$85 without Auto Pay and paper-free billing discount

$75 without Auto Pay and paper-free billing discount

• Unlimited Premium Network Access Get unlimited premium smartphone data that isn’t slowed based on how much data you use. Domestic data roaming at 2G speeds.
• 200 GB premium mobile hotspot data After 200 GB line per month premium hotspot data, mobile hotspot reduced to speeds up to 600 Kbps (4G LTE and 5G) and 3 Mbps (5G UW) for the rest of the month.
• TravelPass (4 days per month) 4 TravelPass days are included each month. Each TravelPass day gives you 24 hours of unlimited talk and text, 2GB of high speed international data then unlimited data at 3G speeds thereafter. TravelPass days do not carry over and expire at the end of each month. TravelPass is available in 210+ countries and destinations. 5G or 4G world device required.
• 50% off on Unlimited Pro Tablet plan

 Choose the Business Unlimited tablet plan that works best for you.

Tablet Start

Save $10/mo when you add a line.

Unlimited data so you can work as flexibly as you need

• 5G/4G LTE Unlimited 5G and 4G LTE data; in times of congestion, your smartphone and mobile hotspot data may be temporarily slower than other traffic (network management). 5G access requires a 5G-capable device. 5G Ultra Wideband access, machine to machine services and mobile hotspot are not available. Domestic data roaming at 2G speeds.

Save 50% with Business Unlimited Pro smartphone plan.

Unlimited mobile hotspot data so you can meet on the go

• 5G/4G LTE 5G access requires a 5G-capable device. Not available for machine to machine services. Domestic data roaming at 2G speeds.
• 35 GB Premium Network Access Unlimited 4G LTE, 5G and 5G Ultra Wideband (UW) data; in times of congestion, your tablet data may be temporarily slower than other traffic after 35 GB/line/mo premium network access (network management).
• 15 GB Premium mobile hotspot data, then unlimited lower speed data After 15 GB/line/mo premium hotspot data, mobile hotspot reduced to speeds up to 600 Kbps (4G LTE & 5G Nationwide) and 3 Mbps (5G UW).
• Up to 4K video streaming Video streaming at 4K when inside a 5G Ultra Wideband coverage area.

 Choose the Business Unlimited laptop plan that works best for you.

Start Laptop

Unlimted data to help you take on the day

• 5G/4G LTE Unlimited 5G and 4G LTE data; in times of congestion, your data may be temporarily slower than other traffic. 5G access requires a 5G-capable device. 5G Ultra Wideband access and machine-to machine services are not available. Domestic data roaming at 2G speeds.

Up to 4K video streaming to help you meet in HD

• 50 GB Premium Network Access Unlimited 4G LTE, 5G and 5G Ultra Wideband (UW) laptop and mobile hotspot data. After 50 GB/line/mo premium network access, data reduced to speeds up to 600 Kbps (4G LTE and 5G) and 3 Mbps (5G UW) for the rest of the month.
• Up to 4K video streaming Video streaming at 4K when inside a 5G Ultra Wideband coverage area. High-definition 1080p video streaming on 5G/4G LTE when you activate it in your plan settings. Otherwise video streaming at 480p.

 Choose the Business Unlimited mobile hotspot plan that works best for you.

Plus Data Device

Enough data for easy hotspot streaming and to meet on the go

• 60 GB Premium Network Access Unlimited 4G LTE, and 5G and 5G Ultra Wideband (UW) data. After 60 GB/line/mo premium network access, data reduced to speeds up to 600 Kbps (4G LTE and 5G) and 3 Mbps (5G UW) for the rest of the month.
• Up to 4K video streaming Video streaming at 4K when inside a 5G Ultra Wideband coverage area. 720p video streaming on 5G/4G LTE.

Pro Data Device

Plenty of data to stay productive during those longer workdays

• 100 GB Premium Network Access Unlimited 4G LTE, 5G and 5G Ultra Wideband (UW) data. After 100 GB/line/mo premium network access, data reduced to speeds up to 600 Kbps (4G LTE and 5G ) and 3 Mbps (5G UW) for the rest of the month.

Choose the Business Unlimited smartwatch plan that works best for you.

Standalone Smartwatch

Premium data so you don’t miss a beat at work

• 15 GB of premium 5G/4G LTE data Unlimited 5G & 4G LTE data. After 15 GB premium data/line/month, data reduced to speeds up to 200 Kbps for the rest of the month. 5G access requires a 5G capable device. Not available for 5G Ultra Wideband access, mobile hotspot or machine to machine services. Domestic data roaming at 2G speeds. Additional terms apply.

Numbershare Smartwatch

Your connected smartwatch can use your mobile number

• 22 GB of premium 5G/4G LTE data Unlimited 5G & 4G LTE data. After 22 GB premium data/line/month, data reduced to speeds up to 200 Kbps for the rest of the month. 5G access requires a 5G capable device. Not available for 5G Ultra Wideband access, mobile hotspot or machine to machine services. Domestic data roaming at 2G speeds. Customer must also subscribe to select smartphone data plan. Both smartphone & smartwatch plans must be part of same sub-account. Additional terms apply.

New plan + new device

Find the plan that fits your budget and business needs, then check out our devices page for the 
latest smartphones.

New plan + your own device

See if your device is compatible with our network, then get started.

What are the benefits of Verizon Business Unlimited 5G smartphone plans?

Verizon Business Unlimited 5G smartphone plans provide unlimited data, talk and text on Verizon’s 4G LTE and 5G networks. Plans also include access to Verizon’s business-class features, such as mobile hotspot data, call filtering, video streaming and mobile device management (available with select plans). Customers can choose from a variety of plans with different features to meet their business needs.

Can I add multiple lines to a Business Unlimited 5G smartphone plan?

Yes, Verizon’s Business Unlimited 5G smartphone plans allow you to add multiple lines. There are multiple options for businesses, ranging from single-line plans to multiple-line plans. The amount of lines you select is based on your company’s requirements.

Do Verizon Business Unlimited 5G smartphone plans offer any international benefits?

Yes, unlimited talk and text is available in Canada and Mexico along with 2 GB of high speed data per day with unlimited data at 3G speeds thereafter. If more than 50% of your total talk, text or data usage in a 60-day period is in Canada or Mexico, use of those services in those countries may be removed or limited. Additionally, Verizon Business Unlimited Plus 5G and Unlimited Pro 5G plans offer TravelPass that include international talk and text in over 210 countries and destinations.

Can I bring my own device or do I need to purchase a new device with the Business Unlimited 5G smartphone plan?

Verizon’s Business Unlimited 5G smartphone plans offer the flexibility to bring your own device (BYOD) or purchase new devices . If you already have compatible devices, you can simply activate them on a Business Unlimited plan. Alternatively, Verizon offers a wide range of devices for purchase if you prefer new devices for your business.

Are there unlimited data plans for other devices?

Yes, Verizon offers a variety of plans with unlimited data for tablets, laptops, smartwatches and hotspots. This provides the right solution for businesses requiring reliable connectivity while on the go.

Offer and Pricing Details

All Offers:  Offers available to new business customers only, subject to credit review. Not available in all areas/locations. Depending on speed tier purchased, promotional pricing for Internet and voice guaranteed for 12 consecutive months ($10 increase starting month 13 with 2 year contract), or 24 consecutive months ($10 increase starting month 25 with 2 year contract), or 36 consecutive months ($10 increase starting month 37 with 2 year contract) or 60 consecutive months ($10 increase starting month 61 with 2 year contract) (60 month guarantee not available in all areas where Fios is sold) subject to continuation of qualifying products; price guarantee applies to base monthly rate only; excludes optional services and equipment charges; prices subject to increase thereafter. With no annual contract, price increases to then current market rate subject to the applicable guarantee period. Select installation charges may be waived. Additional charges apply for inside wiring and/or other installation services. $49 activation fee may apply. Offers may be fulfilled via bill credit(s); other taxes, fees & terms apply.  Early termination fees  for a 2 year contract: 35% of base monthly charges for unexpired term. 2 year term automatically renews at then-current term rates unless canceled within 30 days prior to or 60 days after the term is renewed.  Money Back Guarantee  (MBG) is available with 2 year contract only and requires cancellation within 30 days of installation; excludes subscriptions, per minute usage, labor/material charges in excess of standard installation and month-to-month service plans, including Fios TV service. Wireless Verizon Router is available for $399.99 purchase and $18/mo rental (except in Maryland, where the wireless Fios Router is available for $299.99 purchase and $15/mo rental).  Wireless router models and prices are subject to change. Phone equipment purchase required with VoIP, starting at $85. Equipment must be returned within 30 days of cancellation. Equipment restocking fee may apply if order is canceled or service is terminated within 30 days. MBG and/or promotional offers do not apply to service ordered for temporary, short term or special events.  Firm Price Quote  is valid for 5 business days and is an estimate based on current pricing, promotions and taxes that are subject to change. Quote does not include additional charges for nonstandard installations. Verizon Wi-Fi available in select areas with qualifying packages. Software limitations and other terms apply. Visit business.verizon.net/wifi for details.  Offers are available for a limited time only and are subject to change without notice.  Wired speeds advertised. Wired & wireless speeds vary due to device limits, multiple users, network & other factors. See  www.verizon.com/yourspeed  for more info. Service availability varies.

Fios Internet & Phone Bundle (VSB):  Usage charges apply on basic line. Activation fee of $49 may apply based on speed tier purchased. Wireless Verizon Router is available for$399.99 purchase and $18/mo rental (except in Maryland, where the wireless Fios Router is available for $299.99 purchase and $15/mo rental).  Wireless router models and prices are subject to change. Backup battery available for Fios voice services & E911. VSB not available with 2048/2048 Mbps Internet (2 Gigabit Connection).

Fios Internet & Business Digital Voice (BDV) Bundle:  Pricing for BDV line(s) with the Fios bundle: For speeds 200/200 Mbps and higher: the first BDV line is available for $20/mo. and $25/mo. for each addl. line. Pricing reflected in the cart. No annual contract required. $49 activation fee may apply. Wireless Verizon Router is available for $399.99 purchase and $18/mo rental (except in Maryland, where the wireless Fios Router is available for $299.99 purchase and $15/mo rental). Wireless router models and prices are subject to change. Business Digital Voice requires phone equipment purchase starting at $85.00.

Basic Internet & Phone Bundle : $49.00 activation fee applies with 2 year contract; $99.00 activation fee applies with no annual contract. Wireless router available for $49.00, subject to change. Basic Internet will be provisioned at our fastest speed available at your location of up to 1Mbps, 3Mbps, 5Mbps, 7Mbps or 10-15Mbps based on VZ line qualifications requirements.

$5/month Auto Pay & Paper-Free Billing discount:  For new and existing Fios Internet or Basic Internet customers on select plans. May not be combined with all offers. $5/mo. discount begins when you sign up for Auto Pay (ACH or debit card only) & paper-free billing (registration on  verizon.com/mybusiness  required). $5 discount will be applied each month as long as auto pay and paper-free billing stay active.

$85 Business Digital Voice Phone Discount:  Offer available on select IP Phones with purchase of a new Fios Internet and Business Digital Voice bundle with a two year agreement. Fulfilled via bill credit. Taxes apply. Limit one discount per phone model. Restocking fee may apply if canceled within 30 days. Available to select customers in select areas only. Offer ends 6.30.24.

Included Router Rental Fee:  Available only to Fios Internet customers on the Gigabit Connection plan (up to 940/880 Mbps) or 2 Gigabit Connection plan (up to 2048/2048 Mbps) where available. Qualifying customers will receive a monthly bill credit for the applicable monthly router rental fee for as long service with qualifying plan is on the account.  Promo credits end when eligibility requirements are no longer met.  If your Fios service is cancelled, you must return the Fios router subject to Verizon’s standard return policy. 

Fios Switching Allowance Offer:  Offer for new business customers in select areas only who sign up for qualifying Fios internet service with a two year agreement (subject to credit review) and who terminated their prior internet service and incurred an early termination fee (ETF). To redeem offer, you must email documentation of the ETF from your prior service provider w/in 30 days after receipt of final bill. Offer fulfilled via a bill credit to your Verizon account in the amount of the billed ETF, up to $1,500. Credit will be issued starting after 30 days of service, and will appear on your Verizon bill within 2-3 billing cycles. You remain solely responsible for paying the ETF to your prior service provider. Offer is non-transferable, has no cash or refund value, and may not be combined with all offers. Other terms apply. Offer ends 6.30.24.

Visa Prepaid Card Offers : Businesses who sign up for qualifying Fios Internet with our mid-tier or high-tier speeds with a two-year agreement will receive a Visa Prepaid Card, with the Visa Prepaid Card amount based on speed tier purchased, as follows: (i) $100 Visa Prepaid Card for Fios 500/500 Mbps Internet; or (ii) $500 Visa Prepaid Card for Fios 940/880 Mbps Internet (Gigabit Connection) or 2048/2048 Mbps Internet (2 Gigabit Connection). May only be combined with select offers. Visa Prepaid Card is issued by Pathward®, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. No cash access or recurring payments. Can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Card valid for up to 12 months, funds do not expire and may be available after card expiration date, fees may apply. Terms and conditions apply.  This optional offer is not a Pathward product or service and Pathward neither endorses nor sponsors it. Must register for card online and keep qualifying Verizon service for 60 days from install, with no past-due balance 65 days from install. Card mailed within 90 days of install date. Limit one card per account. Other card terms and conditions apply. Limited time offer.

Fios Business Internet/Business Unlimited Offer:  Offer available to new and existing business customers in select areas only who sign up for both: (i) a qualifying Fios Business Internet plan & (ii) a qualifying Verizon Wireless Business Unlimited plan (eligible smartphone required, device payment purchase or bring your own device). Existing customers are eligible with Fios Business Internet plan upgrade or Business Unlimited plan upgrade or a new line, as applicable. Customers with Fios Gigabit Connection (speeds up to 940/880 Mbps) or Fios 2 Gigabit Connection (speeds up to 2048M/2048M), where available, and Verizon Wireless Business Unlimited Pro plan (at least 1 line) are eligible for a total credit of $80/mo, all other combinations of service plans are eligible for a total credit of $40/mo. Offer fulfilled as a credit of $20/mo. or $40/mo. each to your Fios and Verizon Wireless bills, for a total credit of $40/mo or $80/mo as applicable. Credit is fulfilled at an account level and only one promotional credit per account. Discounts are applied once both services are activated. All discounts apply as long as Verizon provides & business maintains both services at the qualifying levels. Limited time offer.

$100 One-Time Discount:  Offer available only to business customers who are new to Verizon and who sign up for a qualifying Fios Business Internet plan and a qualifying Verizon Wireless Business Unlimited plan. Existing Verizon customers are not eligible. One time $100 discount offer fulfilled as a bill credit to your Verizon Wireless account and will appear within 1-2 billing cycles. May only be combined with select offers. Limited time offer.

Fios Internet Only:  $49 activation fee applies based on speed tier.  Wireless Verizon Router is available for $399.99 purchase and $18/mo rental (except in Maryland, where the wireless Fios Router is available for $299.99 purchase and $15/mo rental).  Wireless router models and prices are subject to change.

Basic Internet Only: $49.00 activation fee applies with 2 year contract; $99.00 activation fee applies with no annual contract. Wireless router available for $49.00, subject to change. Verizon Basic Internet will be provisioned at up to 1Mbps, 3Mbps, 5Mbps, 7Mbps or 10–15Mbps based on VZ line qualifications requirements. Availability subject to final confirmation by Verizon.

Preferred Voice Only:  Offer available to new and existing customers. Requires 2-yr term agreement. Includes unlimited direct-dialed voice calls to anywhere in the US. Selected activation and installation charges are waived. Additional charges may apply for inside wiring and/or other installation services. Additional Universal Service Fee, taxes and other charges apply. Call detail is not provided for unlimited calling.

Business Digital Voice (BDV) Only:  Offer available to new customers with 100 voice lines or fewer in select areas only, subject to credit review. BDV requires an existing Internet connection of 5Mbps or higher. $99.99 activation and $200 installation fees apply. Additional charges apply for inside wiring and/or other installation services. Phone equipment purchase req’d, starting at $85.00. Call detail is not provided for unlimited calling.

Fios TV:  Wireless Verizon Router is available for $399.99 purchase and $18/mo rental (except in Maryland, where the wireless Fios Router is available for $299.99 purchase and $15/mo rental).  Wireless router models and prices are subject to change.. $99.99 activation and $89.99 installation fees (first three existing TV outlets) apply. Additional charges apply for inside wiring and/or other installation services. $11.99/mo. HD set top box, franchise and regulatory fees, up to $8.89 Regional Sports Network (RSN) fee, $16.49 Broadcast Fee, other taxes and fees apply. Equipment shipping charge may apply. Program availability varies by location. Number of channels is approximation. High Definition (HD) TV with HD STB required for HD programming. Certain TV plans, Pay Per View (PPV) and Subscription or fee-based Video On Demand (VOD) are not permitted for viewing in restaurants, bars or other customer service areas. Channel lineup is subject to change and not all channels will be available at all times. Blackout restrictions apply. Month-to-month service without an annual contract required.

Fios TV Mobile app:  Req. compatible device and Fios® TV. Content restrictions may apply. Fios Internet req’d for in-office use. Full channel access and DVR streaming require Fios Multi-Room DVR enhanced or Premium Service. Max. combined 5 simultaneous live TV streams and/or DVR streams per media server. Streaming of TV shows and movies On Demand included in your plan is available to all business customers. Streaming of rented/purchased TV shows and movies On Demand is only available to Private Viewing business customers. Requires acceptance of Terms of Service and Private Viewing conditions at  verizon.com/mybusiness . Early access to Fios TV Mobile app begins with activation & ends upon installation or in 14 days, whichever comes first. Wireless data charges may apply.

Veterans / Active Military offer:  Offer available to eligible and verified members of the U.S. military and U.S. Veterans in select areas with Business Fios Internet with a two year agreement, subject to credit review. Not available in all areas/locations. Upon military service verification through Veterans Advantage, eligible customers will receive a discount in the amount of $5/month for speeds up to 500M/500M; or $10/month for 940/880 Mbps and 2048/2048 Mbps (where available), for as long as that customer maintains qualifying Business Fios Internet service. Not available for month-to-month plans. Eligible customers must complete the military service verification process within 30 days of the order to get the discount.

Business Internet Secure:  Available to businesses with 19 employees or less. Requires current Fios Business Internet service. Business Internet Secure licenses are sold in packs of 5, 10, and 25 with one license covering one device (laptop, desktop, smartphone or tablet). One license pack at a time per customer account. Prices are monthly and exclusive of taxes and fees. Terms and conditions apply. System requirements: Windows 7 and above; Mac OSX 10.9 and above; Android OS 5.0 and above, or Apple iOS 10.0 and above.

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*Most reliable 5G network based on more first place rankings in RootMetrics® 5G data reliability assessments of 125 metro markets conducted in 2H 2023. Tested with best commercially available smartphones on three national mobile networks across all available network types. Your experiences may vary. RootMetrics rankings are not an endorsement of Verizon.

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Comparing the best business cell phone plans: a comprehensive guide.

Selecting the right mobile plan for your business can take time due to the variety of options available in the market. This article provides a detailed cell phone company comparison to help you make an informed decision. We will discuss various providers’ best business cell phone plans, pricing, pros and cons, features, and free trial options.

What is a Business Cellphone Plan?

A business cell phone plan is a service package offered by telecommunication providers specifically designed to meet the communication needs of businesses. These plans usually include unlimited talk and text, data packages, international calling options, and extra features like voicemail, call forwarding, and conferencing facilities.

What to Look Out for in a Business Cellphone Plan?

When choosing a business cell phone plan, consider coverage, cost, flexibility, customer service, and additional features like international calling or data rollover. It’s also essential to evaluate the specific needs of your business. For instance, if your team frequently travels or works remotely, a plan with a robust data package and broad coverage would be beneficial.

Cellphone Plan

Overall Total

 Nextiva

Pricing starts at $18.95 per user per month for the Basic plan and goes up to $32.95 for the Enterprise plan.

Fully integrated communication platform, combining voice, video, and team collaboration tools in a single solution.

RingCentral

Pricing starts at $24.99 per user per month for the Essentials plan, going up to $54.99 for the Ultimate plan.

Enhanced communication and collaboration tools

Cell phone plans start at $30 per line per month for the Business Unlimited Start plan, reaching up to $45 for the Business Unlimited Pro plan.

Extensive coverage and reliable network

Google Voice

Pricing starts at $10 per user per month for the Starter plan and goes up to $30 for the Premier plan.

Most straightforward, offering basic features perfect for small businesses or startups.

Monthly plans start at $5,

Most budget-friendly customizable options

  Mint Mobile

Monthly plans start at $15

Most Affordable pre-paid plans

Monthly plans start at $10.

Ideal for video conferencing

Business cell phone plans start at $30 per line per month for the Business Unlimited Starter plan, reaching up to $45 for the Business Unlimited Pro plan.

Most comprehensive plans and excellent coverage for different-sized businesses

Business cell phone plans start at $25 per line per month for the Business Unlimited Select plan, reaching up to $40 for the Business Unlimited Ultimate plan.

Unlimited plans with high-data caps and fast 4G data speed,

Business cell phone plans start at $45 monthly.

Its versatile package ranges

How Much are Business Cellphone Plans?

The cost of business cell phone plans can vary significantly depending on the provider, the number of lines you need, the amount of data required, and any additional features included. On average, prices can range from around $30 to over $100 per line per month.

Let’s dive into our cell phone company comparison, starting with RingCentral.

What do they do best?

Nextiva provides a fully integrated communication platform, combining voice, video, and team collaboration tools in a single solution.

Nextiva’s pricing starts at $18.95 per user per month for the Basic plan and goes up to $32.95 for the Enterprise plan.

Pros and Cons

Nextiva offers a robust set of features and easy setups. However, internet fax is not available in the entry-level plan.

Nextiva offers unlimited domestic calling and text, voicemail-to-email, team messaging, video conferencing, and more.

Nextiva does not currently offer a free trial.

Methodology

Nextiva’s plans are designed to cater to businesses of all sizes, offering scalability and flexibility.

#2 RingCentral

RingCentral is renowned for its cloud-based VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services. Its robust call management features make it an excellent choice for businesses looking for enhanced communication and collaboration tools.

RingCentral’s pricing starts at $24.99 per user per month for the Essentials plan, going up to $54.99 for the Ultimate plan.

The main advantage of RingCentral is its comprehensive set of features, including unlimited calls, team messaging, document sharing, and more. However, businesses must upgrade their plans for 24/7 customer support and advanced features.

RingCentral offers unlimited calls within the U.S. and Canada, team messaging, document sharing, toll-free numbers, video calling, and more.

RingCentral offers a free 15-day trial period for users to evaluate its services.

RingCentral’s plans are designed to cater to businesses of all sizes, making it a highly versatile solution.

Verizon is known for its extensive coverage and reliable network, offering various plans suitable for small and large teams.

Verizon’s business cell phone plans start at $30 per line per month for the Business Unlimited Start plan, reaching up to $45 for the Business Unlimited Pro plan.

Verizon offers comprehensive coverage and a variety of plans. However, its packages can be more expensive than other providers, especially for smaller businesses.

Verizon offers unlimited talk, text, data, toll-free numbers, call filter spam blockers, Wi-Fi protection, and more.

Verizon does not offer a free trial for its business cell phone plans.

Verizon’s plans are designed to cater to businesses of various sizes, from small startups to large corporations.

#4 Google Voice

Google Voice is straightforward, offering basic features perfect for small businesses or startups.

Google Voice pricing starts at $10 per user per month for the Starter plan and goes up to $30 for the Premier plan.

Google Voice offers a simple and affordable solution. However, it lacks advanced features like real-time analytics.

Google Voice features include unlimited domestic calling and text, voicemail transcripts, a “do not disturb” feature, and more.

Google Voice does not currently offer a free trial.

Google Voice is designed for small to large businesses wanting to streamline their contacts across multiple devices.

Tello is a budget-friendly option, offering customizable plans to adjust according to your needs.

Tello’s pricing is flexible, with monthly plans starting at $5.

Tello offers affordable plans and flexibility. However, it operates on Sprint’s network, which may provide better coverage in some areas.

Tello offers free calls to Canada, Mexico, and China, unlimited text, and more.

Tello does not currently offer a free trial.

Tello’s plans are designed flexibly, catering to businesses with varying needs and budgets.

#6 Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile offers affordable prepaid plans, making it a good choice for budget-conscious businesses.

Mint Mobile’s pricing starts at $15 per month.

Mint Mobile offers low-cost plans and operates on T-Mobile’s network. However, it only offers prepaid plans.

Mint Mobile offers features like unlimited talk and text, free calls to Mexico and Canada, and more.

Mint Mobile offers a 7-day money-back guarantee.

Mint Mobile’s plans are designed for businesses seeking a budget-friendly, prepaid option.

#7 Zoom Phone

Zoom Phone is an affordable and versatile option, perfect for businesses using Zoom for video conferencing.

Zoom Phone’s pricing starts at $10 per user per month.

Zoom Phone offers affordability and versatility. However, it may have only some of the features of a dedicated business phone service.

Zoom Phone offers features like unlimited calling within the US and Canada, auto attendants, and more.

Zoom Phone does not currently offer a free trial.

Zoom Phone’s plans cater to businesses that want a phone system integrated with their video conferencing platform.

#8 AT&T

AT&T offers comprehensive plans and excellent coverage, making it a good choice for businesses of all sizes.

AT&T’s business cell phone plans start at $30 per line per month for the Business Unlimited Starter plan, reaching up to $45 for the Business Unlimited Pro plan.

AT&T offers comprehensive plans and excellent coverage. However, its packages can be pricier than other providers.

AT&T offers features like unlimited talk, text, and data, toll-free numbers, call filter spam blockers, Wi-Fi protection, and more.

AT&T does not currently offer a free trial.

AT&T’s plans cater to businesses of various sizes, offering a range of features and excellent coverage.

#9 T-Mobile

T-Mobile offers unlimited plans with high-data caps and fast 4G data speed, making it a good option for businesses with heavy data usage.

T-Mobile’s business cell phone plans start at $25 per line per month for the Business Unlimited Select plan, reaching up to $40 for the Business Unlimited Ultimate plan.

T-Mobile offers unlimited plans with high-data caps and fast 4G data speed. However, its plans can be pricier than other providers, especially for smaller businesses.

T-Mobile offers features like unlimited talk, text, and data, toll-free numbers, call filter spam blockers, Wi-Fi protection, and more.

T-Mobile does not currently offer a free trial.

T-Mobile’s plans cater to businesses with heavy data usage, offering unlimited plans with high-data caps and fast 4G data speed.

#10 Xfinity

Xfinity offers a wide range of plans and good coverage, making it a versatile choice for businesses of all sizes.

Xfinity’s business cell phone plans start at $45 per line monthly.

Xfinity offers a wide range of plans and good coverage. However, the bring-your-own-device option is limited to iPhones only.

Xfinity offers unlimited talk, text, and data, toll-free numbers, call filter spam blockers, Wi-Fi protection, and more.

Xfinity does not currently offer a free trial.

Xfinity’s plans cater to businesses of various sizes, offering a range of plans and good coverage.

Bottom Line

Selecting the right business cell phone plan depends on your specific business needs. The options mentioned above offer a range of features and pricing, allowing you to find the perfect fit for your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Prices can range from around $30 to over $100 per line per month, depending on the provider and the plan’s features.

Many providers offer apps that allow you to use a separate business phone number or extension on your existing mobile phone.

You can use a prepaid phone for your business. However, prepaid phones only offer essential services for consumers. You won’t get the advanced business features you need.

Based on our expert research, the best small business cell phone plans are RingCentral, Verizon, and Nextiva. These providers offer a balance of features, reliability, and affordability, making them ideal for small businesses.

Max Abraham

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The Best Cell Phone Plans

By Rob Pegoraro

If you haven’t looked at what your cell phone bill might be under a new plan or on a new service, you should check now. In recent years prices have come down and data allocations have gone up, especially among the dozens of smaller carriers reselling services from the big three. But as always, most deals come with a catch.

There isn’t one carrier or plan that we can recommend for everyone, but T-Mobile’s Magenta plan is best for unlimited data, and AT&T’s Unlimited Extra plan offers the most comprehensive coverage. We also have picks for people with more specific needs.

The research

Why you should trust us, how we picked, what’s the deal with 5g, best for the most data: t-mobile magenta/go5g, coverage first: at&t, multiple-line plans: consumer cellular or google fi, the cheapest plan: mint mobile, how to determine which network has the best coverage for you, how much data do you need, should you buy postpaid, prepaid, or resold service, what to look forward to, the competition.

I’ve covered the wireless industry since the late 1990s . I’ve tested smartphones and cell phone plans from all the major carriers—the historic foursome of AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon, plus Nextel before then—for the Washington Post, USA Today, CNN Money, Discovery News, VentureBeat, and others, and I now cover tech and telecom issues for Fast Company, PCMag, and other sites, including trade publications like Light Reading and FierceTelecom. And in July 2021, I put in more than a thousand miles of drive testing from Baltimore to Atlanta for PCMag’s Fastest Mobile Networks project, following that with almost 1,700 more miles of drive testing in the 2022 edition of that project.

We limited this guide to the most widely used national options—starting with the three biggest nationwide carriers and their prepaid services and subsidiaries, and then adding services that have ranked high in surveys conducted by sites and organizations such as PCMag , the American Customer Satisfaction Index , and J.D. Power .

We excluded contenders available only in parts of the US, including the regional carrier U.S. Cellular and the resold services of cable firms such as Comcast and Spectrum, which require subscriptions to their residential broadband to get their advertised pricing or to sign up at all. Last, we cut prepaid services that required separate purchases of data, texts, or voice minutes to meet any of our monthly usage quotas.

That process left us with the following services to assess:

• AT&T Wireless , its prepaid program , and its prepaid brand Cricket Wireless
• T-Mobile , its prepaid option , its Metro by T-Mobile brand, and Mint Mobile , a T-Mobile reseller that T-Mobile is now buying
• Verizon Wireless , its self-branded prepaid offering, its prepaid brand Visible , TracFone (a reseller that Verizon bought in November 2021 ), and TracFone’s Straight Talk brand
• Boost Mobile , formerly a Sprint prepaid brand and now Dish Network’s T-Mobile reseller
• Consumer Cellular , an AT&T reseller
• Google Fi , a Google service based on resold coverage from T-Mobile

We calculated the cost of three typical bundles of smartphone service for every provider: moderate use at 3 GB of data; a for-most-people scenario requiring unlimited data for the phone but with no more than 3 GB of mobile hotspot use; and a heavy-use case with unlimited on-phone data plus 10 GB of mobile hotspot use. These totals are higher than in previous editions of this guide because typical data usage has gone up substantially: Circana analyst Brad Akyuz told us that the firm’s research showed US median smartphone cellular data usage in the second quarter of 2023 had hit 10.8 GB per month, with average use (skewed by extreme cases) at 17.9 GB.

The wireless industry has found so many ways to interpret “unlimited” that we’ve had to think about what “unlimited” means. Some unlimited plans offer no “priority data,” so your connection can slow down because of network congestion even if you haven’t used much data yourself. Other plans advise that service may get slower above a preset threshold of used data—often without defining those slower speeds. Some of these asterisked unlimited plans represent good values for all but the most intensive users. But we do require at least 25 GB of full-speed data per line in the for-most-people scenario (“full-speed” meaning no restrictions on what parts of a carrier’s 5G network you can use) and 50 GB per line in the heavy-use scenario.

We also require unlimited messages and voice minutes, but almost all services now offer that.

Network reliability and speed

A wireless network’s coverage and performance usually vary considerably by location, and they also change over time. To get the most balanced picture possible of the big three carriers (and the services that resell their networks), we consulted independently conducted surveys of wireless-network coverage and performance from Opensignal , PCMag , and RootMetrics . In our view, consistently good performance in the places where most people live, work, and visit was a higher priority than exceptionally fast download speeds if the coverage to access those speeds was spotty.

Hotspot policy

Our cost estimates assumed that anybody who wanted to use their phone’s mobile-hotspot feature to share their LTE or 5G bandwidth for any sustained period wanted to do so at its full speed. We assumed that most people wouldn’t use up more than 3 GB of data per month with this feature, but we also included an intensive scenario that assumed up to 10 GB a month in mobile-hotspot use.

Discount possibilities

In addition, we crunched those same numbers for shared-use plans for two and four lines, because many Wirecutter readers have asked to see comparisons of family pricing.

If a plan offered a lower rate for enabling autopay or paying for a year in advance, or if it included loyalty discounts that cut your bill over time (as Verizon Prepaid has offered since 2020), we factored in those options. We did not, however, count deals that required trading in a phone or porting over a number.

Cell providers have spent the past few years transitioning from 4G (or LTE, for Long Term Evolution) service toward the 5G standard—and talking endlessly about how great 5G is. The reality is that 5G can be immensely faster, but its performance depends on which frequency band it runs on, whether your carrier has deployed 5G on one of the faster bands, and whether you’re in a spot where your carrier’s 5G network reaches you on one of the faster bands.

Think of a layer cake: The bottom layer is low-band 5G, which resides on the same frequencies as LTE and isn’t much faster but offers about the same coverage. Mid-band 5G, on higher frequencies that yield faster speeds with somewhat reduced coverage, is the middle layer. Millimeter-wave 5G, on frequencies that nobody tried to use for wireless service until 5G’s advent, delivers extremely fast speeds over extremely short ranges, making it the tiny top layer of the cake that almost nobody gets to eat at a wedding.

In fewer words: You may find that the most widely available form of 5G at your carrier doesn’t offer speeds much faster than 4G.

You can read more about the transition to 5G and how it all works in our explainer .

T-Mobile Magenta

More data for streaming and downloading.

If more data is more important to you than coverage in non-metropolitan areas, the Magenta plan offers a great price for unlimited data on a strong network. Plus, T-Mobile has the best 5G service and international plans.

Buying Options

If data is your priority—meaning, you want a fast network connection that you can use to download and upload in volume—consider the T-Mobile Magenta plan. T-Mobile’s primary unlimited-data offering represents a better value proposition for most people’s needs than AT&T’s or Verizon’s comparable plan, and the carrier’s rollout of 5G has made an already good network considerably better in a steadily expanding share of the country.

Magenta is the best unlimited-data plan based on price alone. Magenta costs $70 a month for unlimited on-phone data. Translation: T-Mobile says you have to exceed 100 GB of data before it might slow your connection to ease network congestion. That’s double the allotment on AT&T’s comparable plan, which costs $5 more, but less than the unlimited priority-data allocation on Verizon’s closest equivalent, which costs $10 more. At both competitors, those rates don’t include the taxes and fees that T-Mobile folds into its advertised rate. (Two lines of Magenta cost $60 each, and four run $35 each.) You can use only 5 GB of that data for mobile-hotspot sharing, which is less than what the competition offers on slightly more expensive plans, but it’s also more than enough for occasional use.

If you’re 55 or older, T-Mobile has discounts  that make this carrier an even better choice, slashing the cost of Magenta to $50 for one line and $35 each for two, three, or four lines.

T-Mobile has the best 5G coverage. All the data allotment in the world is unhelpful if the connection is too slow to use, but T-Mobile’s network has jumped ahead of the pack, in part because of its 5G frequencies. T-Mobile’s mid-band spectrum offering provides impressively fast 5G with better coverage than the almost-as-speedy C-band and much faster but far shorter-range millimeter-wave of AT&T and Verizon. This mid-band 5G, which T-Mobile markets as Ultra Capacity 5G, is much speedier than the low-band 5G that fills out its network and constitutes the most widely available form of 5G among its competitors.

The difference has become increasingly obvious in third-party tests, as well as in our own evaluations of Wi-Fi hotspots from the big three carriers .

Opensignal’s crowdsourced 5G-specific tests from July 2023 showed a significant advantage for T-Mobile (outlined in the table below), more than double Verizon’s and AT&T’s download averages; in addition, T-Mobile’s 5G was available more than half the time, compared with just over 20% for AT&T and under 10% for Verizon. Ookla’s Speedtest showed comparable leads in Q3 2023 for T-Mobile in median download speeds (163.59 megabits per second versus 75.68 Mbps on Verizon and 72.64 Mbps on AT&T) and 5G-only median download speeds (221.57 Mbps, with Verizon at 153.79 Mbps and AT&T at 101.55 Mbps).

PCMag gave T-Mobile its first-ever fastest mobile network ranking in 2021 . The carrier maintained its position as the best mobile network in 2022 . And RootMetrics’s latest drive-testing-based State of the Mobile Union report , for the first half of 2023, found T-Mobile to have the fastest median download speeds: 213.2 Mbps, almost triple Verizon’s 77.9 Mbps and AT&T’s 77.3 Mbps. But RootMetrics gave top overall honors to AT&T for offering more consistent service outside urban areas.

AT&T and Verizon each launched faster 5G service on C-band frequencies in January 2022 and have since taken this midband coverage nationwide past relatively small launch areas (just eight for AT&T [PDF] and 46 mostly urban markets for Verizon ), T-Mobile’s advantage has persisted.

Magenta offers the best bonuses for frequent travelers. Magenta includes international roaming, and although it’s limited to speeds around 256 Kbps, I’ve found it to be more than adequate for email and basic browsing. You also get free texting, 25¢-per-minute calling, and the ability to use your phone in Canada or Mexico with no roaming charges for up to 5 GB a month, even on 5G. And it includes an hour of free in-flight Wi-Fi—and full-flight connectivity four times a year—on your phone on Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.

T-Mobile also offers four higher-end unlimited plans, but Magenta is best for most people. Go5G costs $75 for a single line, $65 each for two lines, or $45 each for four lines, and it triples the hotspot allocation to 15 GB. It also doubles the high-speed roaming cap in Canada and Mexico to 10 GB. Magenta Max ($85 for one line, $70 each for two lines, $43 each for four lines) provides only 5 GB of high-speed international roaming, but that’s in all of the 215-plus countries where T-Mobile offers its free-but-slow roaming; Magenta Max also offers unlimited priority data, 4K UHD streaming video, and a full 40 GB of mobile-hotspot use. The Go5G Plus plan offers 50 GB of mobile hotspot and bundles Netflix and Apple TV+ for $90 on one line, $75 each on two lines, or $55 each on four lines. People who were already set on watching those streaming services might find that Go5G Plus offers some net savings in their combined wireless and entertainment budget, but otherwise it looks like T-Mobile’s least relevant plan besides the new, $100 Go5G Next, which offers a new phone every year for compulsive upgraders.

T-Mobile’s discount for those 55 and older drops the cost of all those plans dramatically: On a single line, Magenta runs just $50, Go5G costs $55, Magenta Max is $65, and Go5G Plus costs $70, with multiple-line scenarios offering comparable savings.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

T-Mobile’s rural coverage lags behind that of AT&T and Verizon. Coverage from those carriers remains more comprehensive than T-Mobile’s—as I saw on rural roads in the Southeast and Northwest while doing drive testing for PCMag—but thanks to the past few years of improvement in T-Mobile’s network, you’d have to get into fairly remote areas to notice that difference. Before choosing a plan, determine whether your likely travel patterns are more apt to make T-Mobile’s rural limitations an ongoing problem.

International roaming is complicated if you haven’t paid off your phone. Although T-Mobile’s international roaming costs much less than AT&T’s and Verizon’s international options, you may have to pay those charges if you buy your phone from T-Mobile on an installment-payment plan, as this carrier keeps such handsets locked until you pay off your balance—or conclude the term on a free-upgrade deal.

T-Mobile has a history of data breaches, with its largest in August 2022. That breach affected some 40 million customers —I was among them. I thought about dropping T-Mobile, but the telecom industry’s general indifference to the concept of data minimization left me with little reason to think I’d fare much better in the long run elsewhere. That history makes T-Mobile’s recent move to limit its autopay discount to payments made from a bank account or debit card look even more distasteful, although its enforcement of this policy seems to be uneven so far.

T-Mobile management does not seem immune to wireless-industry jerk behavior. Since 2013, T-Mobile has led with an “Un-Carrier” brand based on dumping dumb wireless-industry habits. But T-Mobile has scored enough own goals–for example, a plan to move people on some older plans to more expensive options that the carrier has since abandoned –to remind subscribers that they need to watch their monthly statements and other customer notices as much as they would with any other carrier.

AT&T Unlimited Data Plan

For more coverage in more places.

AT&T offers slightly more reliable coverage in rural areas and now provides subscribers access to its full (and notably improving) 5G network at a slightly lower cost than Verizon.

We’ve traditionally recommended Verizon for the reach of its network, but the latest round of testing data shows that AT&T ’s network is more likely to keep you online. Meanwhile, a round of rate increases at Verizon—including the elimination of a cheaper limited-data plan that we had recommended before—have erased that carrier’s cost advantage over AT&T. Though AT&T isn’t the best choice for people who frequently travel outside of the US or who want unlimited data , it is a better choice for people prioritizing maximum coverage over speed. And the 50 GB of priority data and 15 GB of mobile-hotspot data on its Unlimited Extra plan, which costs $75 on a single line, $65 for each of two lines, or $40 for each of four lines, should cover most people’s needs, making the additional $5 cost of Verizon’s Unlimited Plus plan an unnecessary indulgence.

AT&T has the largest network, with the most reliable coverage. Drive testing done by RootMetrics found that AT&T had a more reliable network than Verizon in the first half of 2023. Opensignal’s crowdsourced app testing gave AT&T a tiny lead in network availability in July 2023. And PCMag’s Best Mobile Networks 2022 drive testing found that AT&T had the lowest percentage of dropped data connections—with a more pronounced advantage on that metric and in dropped calls compared with Verizon in rural areas.

AT&T’s 5G network is improving. AT&T’s 5G network, meanwhile, has advanced considerably from its state two years ago. It has also improved from its January 2022 launch of faster C-band service in only eight markets (PDF) , which as of August covers 175 million people. In a further upgrade, the carrier has lit up a separate band of 3.45 GHz mid-band 5G spectrum, but you probably need a new phone to use those frequencies.

It’s cheaper than Verizon (but not T-Mobile). Among its plans for unlimited on-phone data, AT&T’s $75 Unlimited Extra offers the best value, providing 50 GB of priority data, 15 GB of hotspot use, and SD video for $5 less than Verizon’s Unlimited Plus plan. That cost is $5 more than the price for T-Mobile’s unlimited with-hotspot plan—before the taxes and fees that T-Mobile folds into its rate—and the AT&T plan does not give you service that’s as fast overall as what T-Mobile generally delivers.

If you can deal with a lack of priority data and don’t intend to lean on your phone’s mobile-hotspot feature, AT&T’s Unlimited Starter option now includes 3 GB of hotspot allowance at the same $65-per-month price as before. Finally, AT&T’s Unlimited Premium, $85 for a single line, adds unlimited priority data and 50 GB of mobile hotspot. That plan costs $5 more than Verizon’s Unlimited Plus, but it includes 20 GB more hotspot use and throws in free high-speed roaming in 19 Latin American countries , a bonus that has no parallel in Verizon’s lineup.

AT&T, unlike Verizon, still offers limited-data postpaid plans. Both the Value Plus plan and the 4 GB plan run $50, but only the former includes 5G access—which to us outweighs its lack of priority data. And you can cut these plans’ costs by taking advantage of AT&T’s business and academic discounts or its unique 15% discount for union members –deals its unlimited plans exclude.

AT&T still charges junk fees and misrepresents some 4G speeds as 5G. AT&T continues to levy a $2 “administrative fee” that is such an obvious example of a junk fee that it has drawn a class-action lawsuit . (Verizon is pulling its own version of that stunt .) Equally bogus is AT&T’s insistence on labeling its fastest flavor of 4G LTE as “5G E” on phone screens, a marketing ploy that only confuses customers into thinking they have actual 5G.

It keeps cell-site location data much longer than the other carriers do. Privacy-conscious shoppers should know that AT&T keeps cell-site location data for at most five years, according to an AT&T spokesperson (who called Vice’s reports of FBI claims that AT&T holds this data for seven years old and incorrect and said some cell-site history gets flushed after 13 months). In contrast, Verizon holds it for one year, and T-Mobile does so for two.

International coverage is expensive if you haven’t paid off your phone. International travelers should note that buying your phone on AT&T’s installment plan brings an extra risk: Until you’ve paid off the phone, the device remains locked and stuck with international-roaming charges of $10 a day in most countries—and unavailable to use with a different service if you want to leave AT&T early.

AT&T’s prepaid service isn’t a great deal. If you don’t need much data, it’s decent, but in any unlimited-data context it’s scarcely cheaper than the carrier’s postpaid plans—and across four lines in our typical data-usage scenario, it’s much more expensive. Note that outside of Canada and Mexico , these prepaid plans offer no international roaming data options.

Budget pick

Consumer Cellular

Affordable two- and four-line plans.

This reseller of AT&T offers great service and the cheapest two- and four-line service bundles for most people.

Affordable four-line plans

Google’s wireless service beats everybody else’s prices for four lines, but intensive-data users and iPhone owners need to consider it carefully.

Family-plan pricing changes frequently due to constantly shifting promotions and terms, so we’ve split our recommendation for multiple-line service between two options. For two lines in our typical-usage scenario—unlimited on-phone data with 3 GB of mobile-hotspot use— Consumer Cellular is an easy call.

Consumer Cellular has excellent customer-satisfaction ratings. This AT&T reseller (which formerly sold T-Mobile, too, but no longer does) consistently lands at or near the top of customer surveys such as PCMag’s annual survey , the American Customer Satisfaction Index , and J.D. Power’s purchase-experience studies . And at $65 for two lines on its unlimited plan, Consumer Cellular also undercuts every provider. However, mobile-hotspot use is blocked by default, so you need to call support or use the customer service chat before you can take advantage of your 50 GB of priority data for tethering.

The service is marketed to older adults with a 5% AARP discount , but the factors that make it good for older adults make it good for most people, as well. Most important, it offers US-based phone support and step-by-step manuals and video tutorials for the non-tech-savvy, maintains an in-store presence in major retailers such as Target, and offers installment-plan phone purchase options with roughly the same terms as the big carriers provide.

Price for two lines with unlimited on-phone data plus 3 GB hotspot each

“Unlimited” still has limits. Like other carriers, Consumer Cellular actually puts some limits on its “unlimited” plan, but it doesn’t define them as well as its competitors do: After you use 50 GB combined between the lines, the service warns that “your access to high speed data will be reduced, and you will experience slower speeds,” but it doesn’t document how slow. Publicist Sarah Burns clarified that this slowdown happens automatically and drops connections to 1.5 Mbps.

Google Fi is the best budget option for a family of four. For four lines, Google Fi offers the cheapest deal in our typical-usage scenario at just $80 for four lines of its Simply Unlimited plan with 35 GB of full-speed data listed as based on T-Mobile’s strong 5G service. And like Consumer Cellular, Fi seems to have satisfied subscribers, as it ranked highest in PCMag’s 2023 Readers’ Choice awards .

Google Fi’s data limits are more strict. Although Fi’s data plan includes a generous mobile-hotspot allocation of 15 GB, the 35 GB limit is harder than at other services—exceeding it prompts the service to throttle your connection all the way back to 256 Kbps.

Google Fi is optimized for Android phones. Once compatible only with Google’s Nexus and then Pixel phones, Google Fi now offers full support for not just Google’s Pixel models but also unlocked versions of most recent Samsung phones . But while its iPhone support has greatly advanced–including the overdue addition of full-speed 5G access–it still requires you to fiddle around in settings to get texts from Android users.

Consumer Cellular isn’t a great pick if you plan to travel internationally. It quotes overseas-roaming rates that start at 10¢ per minute for calls and 10¢ per megabyte for data. But Google Fi’s cheaper plan is also bad for international travelers because it omits the free full-speed global roaming of Fi’s Unlimited Plus.

Price for four lines with unlimited on-phone data plus 3 GB hotspot each

Mint Mobile

A cheap, prepaid plan.

Mint Mobile gives you access to T-Mobile’s network for much less money, but you have to pay for three, six, or 12 months in advance.

New customers only

If the lowest possible bill on a good-enough network is your top priority, we recommend Mint Mobile , a reseller of T-Mobile’s LTE and 5G networks. It beats everybody else’s costs with a simple pricing tactic: It offers cheaper prices for longer terms, with the minimum being three months. When you sign up, you can choose 5 GB, 15 GB, 20 GB, or unlimited data per month and then pay up front for either three, six, or 12 months—the longer the package, the better the price per month.

Mint Mobile charges less for longer prepaid commitments. The unlimited plan is just $30 per month for the first three months, after which you can balance commitment and price, choosing $40 per month on a three-month term, $35 per month on a six-month policy, or $30 per month for a year. The same math works for minimal usage: 5 GB per month costs $25 per month over a three-month term or $15 per month on a full-year deal.

The unlimited plan has restrictions. Mint’s unlimited plan includes usage limits similar to those of other “unlimited” plans: It imposes a priority-data cap of 40 GB, after which it warns that you “will experience lower speeds” (defined only as “3G speeds”), it places a 10 GB cap on mobile-hotspot usage, and it limits streaming video to 480p. You can buy another 5 GB of hotspot data for $15 —or you could save $5 by trading down to the 20 GB plan, which lets you use all of that data for mobile hotspot and places no constraints on streaming-video resolution.

Mint requires some other compromises, too. Mint doesn’t focus on phone sales, so you’ll probably want to bring your own unlocked device, and support is online or over the phone only. In addition, after you hit your data cap, your speed slows to 128 Kbps unless you upgrade your plan or switch to the unlimited plan (on which you can still find your connection throttled, just not as severely, once you exceed the 40 GB priority-data allocation). International roaming costs 20¢ per megabyte in most countries. And you face the risk of seeing your bandwidth deprioritized behind that of T-Mobile subscribers , especially when the network is busy.

Mint Mobile’s customers like it. In 2023 Mint Mobile earned the third-highest ranking in PCMag’s Readers’ Choice survey and had the second-highest score in the American Customer Satisfaction Index survey , in line with earlier positive word of mouth and the experiences of some Wirecutter staffers.

T-Mobile has announced plans to acquire Mint Mobile and its parent company, Ka’ena Corporation, in a deal valued at approximately $1.3 billion and expected to close at the end of 2023. Based on our observations of T-Mobile when it took over MetroPCS (now Metro by T-Mobile) and kept that prepaid service competitive with others, we’re not panicking over this impending acquisition.

Opensignal , PCMag , and RootMetrics all publish independently sourced network-performance metrics that can free you from relying on carrier coverage maps, but those studies each take different approaches and are thus good for different purposes.

RootMetrics uses cars set up with “leading Android-based smartphones for each network” to gather figures on data, talk, and text performance throughout the country. You can also find reports tailored to specific metropolitan areas. PCMag has taken a similar approach but focuses more on network data speed and reliability in metropolitan centers and their suburbs and conducts its tests with the same model of high-end phone—in 2022, the Samsung Galaxy S22+, which may support more high-speed frequencies than your own. Opensignal’s network tests, meanwhile, rely on crowdsourcing: Anyone can download the Opensignal app and run tests. But the majority of people don’t, and as such, Opensignal’s data skews heavily toward urban areas.

In August 2021, the Federal Communications Commission rolled out its own reality check: a map of estimated LTE coverage , based on signal-propagation models applied to its own data of cell sites. Although that map shows only the presence of at least basic LTE service—5 Mbps downloads and just 1 Mbps uploads—in my own spot-checking , I’ve found that it’s been more accurate than the carriers’ own coverage maps at warning of dead zones.

Once you’ve decided on a network, the next step is to figure out how much data you use. We’ve seen both average and median data use roughly triple from the first quarter of 2019 to the fourth quarter of 2022, going by figures from Circana. An Opensignal report from 2021 suggests that increases in data consumption are driven by 5G users—in the US, LTE users running that firm’s testing software averaged 9 GB a month, while those on 5G hit 14.9 GB a month.

Both Android and iOS provide estimates of your current data usage, but your carrier’s website can give you the number that counts for billing purposes. You need to make an educated guess as to how far that number could rise in a year and see which plans can cover that with a reasonable margin.

As limited-data plans become less common, you’re increasingly likely to find that an unlimited plan works for you.

But you need to figure out just what sort of unlimited data you’re buying. All three carriers and their sub-brands and resellers have carved out restrictions on features such as priority data, hotspot use, and streaming video while adding premium tiers or paid add-ons that lift some of those limits. It’s a lot like buying a plane ticket: You can’t jump on the cheapest price you see, lest you wind up in Basic Economy.

Among the Basic Economy, entry-level versions of unlimited data plans, AT&T’s $65 Unlimited Starter and Verizon’s $65 Unlimited Welcome provide no priority or premium data, so you’re at risk of “temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy,” as AT&T puts it—even if it’s the start of a billing period and you haven’t burned through any data yourself. Verizon’s entry-level plan also prohibits hotspot use and limits your 5G service to the carrier’s slow, low-band network. T-Mobile’s entry-level Essentials Savings, at $50, is more generous in allotting 50 GB of priority data, but its “unlimited” hotspot use is capped at 600 Kbps, a speed that T-Mobile misleadingly markets as “3G speeds.” All three carriers’ starter plans cap the resolution of streaming video on their respective networks at a DVD-grade 480p.

If your usage only slightly exceeds the cap on a service’s limited-data plan—say you use 3.25 GB in a month and your carrier offers a 3 GB plan—you should confirm whether that plan lets you roll over unused data from months when you don’t hit your maximum. Also, see if that service offers unmetered but 2G-slow service once you exhaust your high-speed data so that your phone will still have basic (read: slower) internet access and you won’t get charged extra for going over your cap. These features may help you choose a less expensive plan.

The big three, and many of the smaller services, offer at least two step-up tiers with more priority data and more full-speed mobile-hotspot use; higher-definition streaming may also be part of these upgrades.

If your usage remains sufficiently low, you should consider plans with a manageable data-usage cap and fewer fine-print rules governing that data. AT&T’s 4 GB plan, which costs $50 after autopay discounts, has no separate limit on hotspot use but still restricts streaming to 480p and omits 5G support. If you’re on a budget and don’t mind complications such as expensive international roaming and a lack of in-person support, Mint’s 5 GB, 15 GB, and 20 GB plans offer even more substantial savings.

As for talk and text amounts, all of the postpaid plans from the major carriers provide unlimited calling and messaging. A shrinking number of prepaid and resold services offer cheaper rates if you’re willing to stay within certain limits. As with data usage, the best way to check your current texting and calling habits is to view your bill.

If your usage doesn’t fall into our specific categories and you sometimes think in spreadsheets , you can do your own calculations using WhistleOut’s carrier-comparison tool . It even lets you filter by network—you can ask it for, say, only prepaid options that resell AT&T service—and location. But like Google searches, it can show sponsored results before organic ones. It also includes far more services than we cover here and shows not just plans with the required amount of data, minutes, and texts, but also those that exceed your needs, producing a cluttered presentation overall. WhistleOut also doesn’t allow you to specify a set amount of hotspot data.

If you want unlimited calls and texts, more attentive customer service, and phone financing through your carrier, stick with a traditional postpaid plan, in which you get a bill for service after you use it. Postpaid costs a bit more and requires you to have decent credit to qualify, but it offers you every phone the carrier sells, usually with no-interest financing, and the service you get should match what you see in the carrier’s ads.

However, switching to prepaid, in which you pay for service before you use it, can be an easy way to save at least $10 to $20 a month. Many prepaid services are provided by smaller companies that simply resell service from one of the big carriers, so they offer coverage similar to that of the major carriers at a lower price. But some make trade-offs to undersell the major carriers while using the same networks; similarly, the major carriers’ own prepaid plans tend to involve restrictions that their postpaid plans lack. We don’t recommend switching to prepaid unless you meet most of these criteria:

• You don’t mind buying your own phone separately, since prepaid carriers’ phone selections are often poor or nonexistent.
• You’re okay handling your own tech support. Retail support may not be an option, and phone or online support may be limited.
• You’re comfortable relying on prepaid SIM cards or eSIMs while traveling abroad .
• You’re willing to read the fine print. As analyst Jeffrey Moore advised us, data roaming, and sometimes even voice roaming, may not be included in some prepaid plans. These plans may also omit Wi-Fi calling, one common way to get around holes in coverage.

Some carriers throttle prepaid service to a lower speed by default, as AT&T did until October 2021 with some Cricket plans. Others prioritize their own customers over third-party prepaid traffic. A T-Mobile spokesperson said that although the services for postpaid plans and for prepaid plans have the same priority, Metro by T-Mobile and other resellers “may notice slower speeds in times of network congestion.” Aron North, chief marketing officer at Mint’s then-parent firm Ultra Mobile, confirmed in an email in 2019 that “at times where there is network congestion” Mint may be “reprioritized.”

If you are looking to save money on smartphone service by getting resold service from your cable operator but are also considering dropping your cable operator’s broadband, keep in mind that these wireless plans are best understood as a customer-retention tool. These services, based on resold network capacity from one of the big three carriers, represent their own special case. They offer some serious bargains for people with relatively restrained data appetites, but they also require you to use that cable firm’s broadband.

For example, Comcast’s Xfinity Mobile starts at 1 GB for $15 per month and 10 GB for $60 per month. But if you want unlimited data, Comcast’s offering throttles download speeds to 1.5 Mbps after you hit your plan’s cap of 20 GB ($45 a month), 30 GB ($55), or 50 GB ($65), subject to a major (possibly temporary) bit of leniency noted on a support page : “Right now, mid-band (C-Band) and high-band (Ultra Wideband) 5G data use won’t count toward your per-line monthly threshold for data usage.” The last two plans allow hotspot use at normal speeds, up to 5 GB on the 30 GB deal and 15 GB on the 50 GB plan. You also need Comcast’s Xfinity internet to sign up at all .

Spectrum Mobile is a little better, since its $30 unlimited plan includes 5 GB of full-speed hotspot data—but it cuts your speeds even more sharply after 20 GB, limiting downloads to 1 Mbps and uploads to just 512 Kbps. Its Unlimited Plus plan, priced at $40, gives you 30 GB of usable data but still just 5 GB of mobile-hotspot data. As with Xfinity Mobile, you need to subscribe to this cable operator’s broadband to sign up for its mobile service .

Years of massive, expensive 5G buildouts at all three carriers mean future advances in coverage and speed are more likely to be incremental. AT&T and Verizon subscribers, however, stand to see more upgrades mainly because of the late start of those two carriers with C-band frequencies. AT&T and Verizon are also catching up with T-Mobile in deploying “standalone” 5G , a network upgrade in which cell sites can connect directly to compatible phones without needing a 4G connection to set up that 5G link.

The good news for people weary of forced upgrades at all three carriers: We shouldn’t have to worry about dealing with carriers turning on massive new swaths of spectrum, because none are left vacant . Nor should you need to even think about the potential of a “6G” upgrade cycle; while that upcoming standard is a thing, it won’t be a commercial reality until 2030 at the earliest, and in the meantime even carriers want 6G advocates to give the hype a rest .

Most of Verizon’s cheaper plans have become much less attractive because they have access only to the provider’s slower, low-band 5G service. It has now rolled out C-band 5G nationwide, which it is combining with its vastly scarcer millimeter-wave 5G and marketing as Ultra Wideband 5G; together, those services amount to a much stronger network than Verizon’s old mix of low-band 5G brightened by pockets of mmWave. But evidently Verizon now thinks you should pay more for it.

For example, Verizon’s $65 Unlimited Welcome plan limits you to low-band 5G speeds—specifically, though it lets you use C-band and mmWave, it caps your speeds at 25 Mbps on those parts of Verizon’s network. That’s a much bigger problem than its lack of priority data and zero mobile-hotspot use. Verizon also reserves its faster flavors of 5G for its most expensive prepaid option.

Verizon’s $80  Unlimited Plus plan opens up C-band and mmWave 5G, with unlimited priority data, 30 GB of mobile hotspot, and a streaming-video limit of 720p. That is a fairly generous bundle—but it drops such previous bonuses as one free international-roaming TravelPass day per month, and the old plan already had more priority and mobile-hotspot data than many people would need. The carrier’s $90 Unlimited Ultimate, meanwhile, throws in 60 GB of mobile hotspot.

If you’d like to save some money with a prepaid or resold plan , Verizon Prepaid now offers the interesting wrinkle of rates that drop over time . So the starting price (with autopay) of $35 per month for its 15 GB plan drops to $30 after three months and $25 after nine; the $45 monthly rate for 15 GB becomes $40 and then $35 in the same way. As with Verizon’s postpaid plans, you still get unlimited 2G data after you hit your plan’s data cap. But only the Unlimited Plus plan, at $60 per month, includes access to Verizon’s C-band 5G—the sole flavor of 5G from this carrier that’s worth talking about.

The CDMA foundation of Verizon’s network—and Verizon’s decision to launch its 5G service on mmWave frequencies that go unused in many other markets—can limit the compatibility of some unlocked phones. For example, the OnePlus Nord N20 5G, our previous pick for the best budget Android phone , doesn’t work on Verizon. And although C-band makes Verizon’s 5G more relevant, Verizon’s practice so far of limiting C-band access to phones it has approved instead of allowing all those with compatible radios—a restrictive approach that still leaves out the C-band–compatible Pixel 7—only increases that incompatibility problem.

If you travel internationally, Verizon’s services can add up. Its TravelPass costs a reasonable $5 per day in Canada and Mexico for you to use voice, text, and data drawn from your domestic allowance and a less reasonable $10 per day in much of the rest of the world . Since Verizon sells phones that are locked for only 60 days after activation to thwart fraud, you can and should save money by using a local prepaid SIM when traveling internationally .

We would like to see Verizon make its plans easier to understand. We would also like to see Verizon abandon price-gouging moves like last year’s steep increase in an “Administrative and Telco Recovery Charge” that customers understandably regarded as a junk-fee hike.

Cricket Wireless

Cricket Wireless , AT&T’s prepaid brand, outranks its corporate mothership in customer satisfaction surveys, now includes taxes in its advertised rates, and offers much cheaper choices if you don’t need a lot of data and extras such as international-roaming options. They’re even cheaper if you’re comfortable paying for a year in advance, a recent addition to Cricket’s single-line pricing that picks up on a discount Mint already offered. But unlike Mint, Cricket includes mobile-hotspot use only on its most expensive offering (though the allocation there is a fairly generous 15 GB). Cricket’s selection of phones for sale is not too impressive, but in this category you’re better off buying an unlocked budget Android phone separately.

Boost Mobile

The former Sprint subsidiary is now a Dish Network subsidiary —one part of the complicated regulatory approval process that allowed T-Mobile to buy its competitor. Boost launched its Boost Infinite service in beta form in December, with the carrier’s nascent 5G network backed up by resold AT&T and T-Mobile coverage . Boost had planned on reselling T-Mobile until it could launch its own network but is now readying a switch to AT&T , which means customers of Boost (and the other resellers that Dish has bought, such as Ting and Republic Wireless) are in for some potentially drastic changes. To us, that doesn’t justify the relatively modest savings that some of its plans offer.

Metro by T-Mobile

T-Mobile’s prepaid subsidiary can seem like an afterthought, with some plans costing notably more than T-Mobile Prepaid’s rates for similar usage scenarios and others offering only minimal service. With its most generous plan offering only 35 GB of priority data–after which, per a small-print note on its site, “you may notice slower speeds when our network is busy”--Metro also flunks our heavy-usage scenario.

Straight Talk

The Straight Talk prepaid brand of TracFone, which is itself a subsidiary of Verizon, is one of the most widely used prepaid services—thanks in part to its distribution through Walmart stores—and also does well in many customer surveys. But its rates no longer beat those at competing postpaid services. And although it has historically resold service from all three carriers, Verizon’s ownership means that Straight Talk will move to put new customers on Verizon alone.

The biggest prepaid brand in America and the corporate parent of Straight Talk, and now a Verizon property, TracFone has historically required smartphone customers to patch together a service bundle by buying separate buckets of data, voice, and text. Now it offers a few standard 30-day plans. For 3 GB, its $25 rate is fairly competitive, but its pricing doesn’t hold up in intensive-usage scenarios. And TracFone doesn’t help its cause by prohibiting mobile-hotspot use on all plans except a $40 option with just 8 GB of data . As with Straight Talk, its practice of reselling coverage of all three networks will end as it becomes a Verizon-only service.

This Verizon brand offers just two plans, the $25 Visible and the $35 Visible+. The former limits you to Verizon’s low-band 5G (one way you can tell this is a Verizon outpost), while the latter gets you Verizon’s full spectrum and 50 GB of priority data. Both come with a mobile-hotspot limit unlike that of any other carrier: Instead of capping how much data can go to that application, Visible limits your hotspot speed to 5 Mbps and allows only one device at a time. We like the creativity on display here, but we’re not sure how many people need an unlimited-on-phone plan but see almost no need to share that bandwidth with other devices via mobile hotspot.

This article was edited by Arthur Gies and Caitlin McGarry.

Meet your guide

Rob Pegoraro

Further reading

The Best Mobile Scanning Apps

by Ben Keough

The simple design, high-quality results, free cloud storage, and $0 price make Adobe Scan an excellent choice.

How Mobile Phones Became a Privacy Battleground—and How to Protect Yourself

by Thorin Klosowski

Smartphone privacy has changed over time, and owners have more controls than ever. Here’s where the controls came from, and how to keep your phone private.

How to Switch Cell Phone Carriers

by Rob Pegoraro

Moving your number from one wireless service to another is (usually) the easiest step. Bringing your old phone to a new network can be trickier.

The Best Photo Editing Apps for Android and iOS

by Erin Roberts and Ben Keough

If you wish your phone’s photos looked better, or if you just prefer editing images on your phone or tablet, Adobe Lightroom or Snapseed is the best choice.

Best cell phone plans in 2024: The best options for your monthly phone service

The best cell phone plans for families and individuals — from unlimited data to low-cost options

• Best plan overall

Best cheap unlimited plan

Best prepaid plan

• Best unlimited data plan

Best bulk data plan

Best for travelers

Best family plan

Most flexible family plan

• Best low-cost plan
• Best alternative

Best family prepaid plan

• How we pick the best plans
• What kind of plan do you need

MVNOs vs other carriers

1. The quick list 2. The best plan overall 3. Best cheap unlimited plan 4. Best prepaid plan 5. Best unlimited data plan 6. Best bulk data plan 7. Best plan for travelers 8. Best family plan 9. Most flexible family plan 10. Best low-cost plan 11. Best alternative plan 12. Best family prepaid plan 13. How we pick the best plans 14. What to look for 15. What kind of plan do you need 16. What are MVNOs?

Making sure you've got the best cell phone plan for your needs is a great way to save money. There are a lot of different options out there, and hiding among could be a plan that offers the exact amount of data you need at a price that's lower than what you're paying now. You might also be able to get better perks as add-ons to your new phone plan.

Sorting through all the different options is a lot of work, but we're regularly checking what's out there from the best phone carriers to see what different carriers are charging and what they offer in return. That way, you can make an informed decision about whether it's time to sign up for a new cell phone plan.

Price is high on the list of what we look at to evaluate the best cell phone plans. But we also look at the extras that wireless providers include in their plans — things like hotspot data, streaming service subscriptions and traveller benefits. Other factors to consider include network performance, particularly for plans offered by low-cost carriers who piggy-back on the cellular towers operated by other wireless services. 

Our picks represent hours of research into what's currently available — not just from the biggest wireless providers but from less well-known entities, too. That way, we can compare what one carrier offers with deals from other providers to make sure we're truly highlighting the best cell phone plans out there. And if you're just interested in price, we've tracked down the best cheap cell phone plans , too, in a separate guide.

The quick list

The best cell phone plan overall

With plans starting at $15 per month, Mint is a great way to save money on your cell phone bill. The low rates cover your first three months of service, then you pay for a year of service ahead of time to keep that rate locked in.

Read more below

Visible has just two plans, both of them with unlimited data. The cheaper of the two lets you enjoy coverage on Verizon's network for just $25 per month, which is less than what you'd pay at Mint.

Our favorite prepaid plan costs just $35 per month when you enroll for automatic payments at Verizon. You'll get 15GB of data, which can also be used as hotspot data. And your coverage includes 5G on Verizon's nationwide network.

Best unlimited plan

T-Mobile has the best unlimited plan among the major carriers, with its Go5G plan. For $75 a month, you get unlimited talk, text and data with 15GB of hotspot data, plus other perks including six free months of Apple TV Plus.

You can't beat AT&T for the huge bucket of data you get by paying for a year up front. That lowers your monthly cost to $25 while giving you unlimited data, with 16GB of that data at high speeds. 

Google Fi's $65 per month Unlimited Plus plan is about what you'd pay for unlimited data with many phone carriers. But the plan pays off when you go overseas and can use your unlimited text and data at no additional cost.

Load the next 5 plans...

The Go5G plan is also a good option for families who need unlimited data. Four lines cost $200 per month, though various discounts can drop the monthly rate further. T-Mobile covers the cost of a Netflix subscription with this plan; taxes and fees are included, too.

Verizon's Unlimited Plus plan starts at $80 per month with discounts as you add more lines. You can also mix and match with the cheaper Unlimited Welcome plan. Perks like streaming services are available as add-ons that you can drop at any time.

Lowest cost plans

Tello is great for bargain hunters who just want the lowest-cost plan available. Prices range from $9 per month for 1GB of data all the way to a $25 unlimited plan with multiple stops in between. Tello uses T-Mobile's network.

Best alternative plan

For less than $40 a month, you can get 10GB of data from Cricket, which relies on AT&T's network. You'll need to enroll in autopay for a $5 discount off the regular $40 rate, but there are no data speed caps at Cricket any more.

T-Mobile-owned Metro is one of the few prepaid carriers to offer additional discounts as you add more lines. Our favorite plan is the basic unlimited offering that starts at $40 for a single line, and levels out to $100 per month for four lines of data.

1. Mint Mobile

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Mint Mobile is a great option to turn to if you want to keep your monthly cell phone bill low. In addition to the 5GB plan, the best Mint Mobile plans include 15GB, 20GB and unlimited data tiers. The most you'll pay for any plan is $30 per month for unlimited data. 

After your three months of service are up, you need to commit to a full year of service to keep the low monthly rate. That means paying up front, which in the case of the 5GB plan is $180. If you can swing that initial cost, Mint provides a great way to lock in a low rate. 

Mint runs a frequent promotion where it cuts the price of every plan to $15 for the first three months of service. (After that, plans revert back to their old rate, and you have to commit to a full year to get the best monthly price.) Any time you're looking for a new phone plan, check out Mint to see what kind of promotions the carrier is running.

Mint Mobile | 5GB | $15/month - Best overall cheap cell phone plan Mint's 5GB plan is the best cheap plan for most people, as it provides enough data for social media, internet searches and Maps. You'll pay $15 a month for the first three months, before Mint requires you to pay $180 for a full year of service at the same low monthly rate. Coverage is provided on T-Mobile's network and includes 5G on compatible phones.

The best cheap unlimited data plan

Visible offers just two plans, both of which have unlimited data. For $25 a month, you get coverage on Verizon 's nationwide network — Verizon owns Visible — and the ability to make unlimited calls and texts to Canada and Mexico You can use your phone as a mobile hotspot. The biggest downside is that your network can be slowed at any time if Verizon's network gets congested.

The $45 monthly plan at Visible guarantees you 50GB of high-speed data (i.e., no data throttling), and you can connect to Verizon's faster 5G Ultra Wideband network where available. You also enjoy calling and texting to more countries, with Visible now including a Global Pass that allows you to use your plan overseas for one day. (Normally, that costs $10/day.) Visible Plus subscribers can also add a smartwatch to their plan at no extra cost. 

Additionally, the carrier now lets customers pay for service annually , which comes with even more savings. For example, its $25/month unlimited plan can be paid in full for $275 for the entire year.

Visible | Visible Unlimited | $25/month - Best cheap unlimited data Even though Visible's $45 Plus plan has the better perks, Visible's $25 unlimited offering is our pick if you want the cheapest unlimited data with no strings attached. It helps that Visible uses Verizon's network for coverage, including 5G coverage.

The best prepaid cell phone plan

You'll find three prepaid options at Verizon — one that gives you 15GB of data each month, and the other two promising unlimited data. The more expensive of Verizon's prepaid unlimited plans has the most perks, with access to Verizon's fastest 5G coverage. (Verizon's other prepaid plans can connect to the slower nationwide 5G.) You also get more hotspot data and 180 minutes of talk time with a country of your choosing.

Whichever prepaid plan you get at Verizon, be sure to enroll in autopay as it lowers your rate significantly. We recommend the 15GB option as the best prepaid phone plan — it normally costs $45/month, but the price drops to $35 with autopay enrollment.

Verizon | 15GB prepaid | $35/month - Best prepaid plan Verizon's prepaid plan offers the right mix of price and data. That 15GB per month is more than enough for most users, and autopay discounts bring your monthly rate down to $35. (If you don't enroll in autopay, loyalty discounts eventually drop the rate to $35 if you stick with Verizon for nine months.) Perks are minimal with this plan, but you do get 5G coverage and the ability to use your phone as a mobile hotspot.

The best unlimited data plan overall

4. t-mobile.

T-Mobile offers half-a-dozen unlimited data plans, starting with a $50 Essentials Saver plan for just one line of data all the way up to the $100 Go5G Next offering that packs in the perks. You'll want to pay careful attention to those perks, as they'll help you determine just how much you should be paying for one of the best unlimited data plans at T-Mobile.

Most customers will find themselves choosing between the Magenta/Magenta Max and Go5G/Go5G Plus/Go5G Next plans. Magenta and Go5G let you use 100GB of data before your speeds are slowed, with Go5G customers getting more hotspot data. Magenta Max and Go5G Plus add streaming and travel perks, plus more hotspot data. Go5G Next is the most expensive plan, but its streaming service package includes free Apple TV Plus, Netflix, MLB.TV and Hulu subscriptions. All T-Mobile plans, save for Essentials, include taxes and fees in their price.

T-Mobile | Go5G unlimited data | $75/month - Best unlimited data plan We think T-Mobile's Go5G plan is the best option at T-Mobile. You get 15GB of hotspot data to 5GB the less expensive Magenta plan offers; Go5G also sets aside more data to use when you're traveling in Mexico and Canada. With either Go5G or Magenta, you get six months of free Apple TV Plus. For another $15/month, Go5G Plus gives you a full subscription to Apple TV Plus and a Netflix subscription, while boosting travel perks.

The best bulk data plan

5. at&t.

AT&T's main prepaid plans provide 5GB of data for $30/month or unlimited data at $50. (That unlimited price reflects a $15 discount for enrolling in autopay.) We'd steer you toward AT&T's bulk plan, though, as it promises unlimited data for as low as $25/month if you pay for a full year upfront. Only 16GB of the data in that plans is high-speed data — hit that amount in a given month, and your speeds slow down to 1.5Mbps for the rest of the billing cycle — but 16GB is more than enough for most people.

As noted, you'll have to pay the full year up front.  But if you can swing the $300 upfront cost, this AT&T prepaid plan is a great way to lock in a low rate ahead of time.

AT&T | Unlimited 12-month prepaid | $25/month - Great value on AT&T The main carriers rarely offer the best value prepaid plans and these tend to be more common from MVNOs. However, AT&T can be slightly more affordable and flexible than the likes of Sprint or Verizon. While you can pay for one month at a time, the best price is going to come from investing in a 12-month prepaid plan with AT&T by paying $300 upfront. That gives you unlimited data, though speeds will slow down should you use more than 16GB in a month. If you prefer monthly payments, you can get 5GB of data from AT&T for $30 per month.

The best cell phone plan for travel

6. google fi.

Google has its own wireless carrier, and while Pixel phones are optimized for the network — so are select models from Samsung and Motorola — anyone can use Google Fi .

You have a choice of three plans. The Flexible plans charges $20 for unlimited talk and text plus $10 for every gigabyte of data you use. There are two unlimited plans — one for $50 per month and the other for $65. The $65 Unlimited Plus plan includes travel benefits that let you use your data for no cost when overseas. Other Unlimited Plus perks include a year of YouTube Premium along with 100GB of Google One cloud storage

Google Fi | Unlimited Plus plan | $65/month - Best unlimited plan for travel Google Fi's Unlimited Plus plan costs $65/month, with discounts available on additional lines. More importantly, you can use your Google Fi Unlimited Plus plan when you travel to more than 200 other countries with no disruption in service or extra charges; that makes Google Fi Unlimited Plus one of the best international phone plans . Unlimited Plus customers now get a year of YouTube Premium, too.

The best family plan overall

7. t-mobile.

Those six unlimited plans available for individuals T-Mobile can also double as family plans. As a bonus, T-Mobile discounts additional lines as you add them, lowering your overall cost per line with each person.

Even better, a frequent promotion at T-Mobile has the carrier waiving the cost of a third line of data, so families of four can get that fourth line for free.

T-Mobile Go5G | 4-line family plan | $180/month - Best value family plan Go5G also offers more perks than the standard Magenta unlimited data plan, with an extra 10GB of hotspot data and the ability to use more of your data for free when you travel in Canada and Mexico. The perks are even grander with Go5G Plus, but Go5G is the more affordable option — and when T-Mobile waives the cost of a third line, a four-line plan drops to $155/month, instead of the usual $180.

The most flexible plan for families

Like T-Mobile, Verizon adds escalating discounts as you add more lines. Unlike T-Mobile, you can mix and match Verizon's various unlimited plans, so mom and dad can enjoy the more feature-rich Unlimited Plus option, while assigning cheaper Unlimited Welcome plans to the kids.

The $180 price assumes four lines of Unlimited Plus, as it's Verizon's better option if you want faster 5G. As with individual unlimited plans at Verizon, you can add on perks for $10/month, and cancel them at any time.

Verizon Unlimited Plus| 4-line family plan | $180/month -  Flexible family plan Unlimited Plus lets you access Ultra Wideband 5G; you also get 30GB of hotspot data, and a three year price-guarantee that your rate will stay the same. For $10/month, you can bundle in add-ons like Disney streaming services, travel passes, and an Apple services bundle. Bring your own device for an additional monthly discount for each phone you have.

The best low-cost option

If you want to spend the least amount on data every month, consider Tello, an MVNO that uses T-Mobile's network to provide its coverage. Tello offers six different data plans, which are all priced competitively when compared to other services.

We're highlighting the 1GB plan, which costs $9 a month. But as you can see in our Tello guide , there are also 2GB ($10), 5GB ($14), 10GB ($19), 15GB ($24) and unlimited data ($25) options. Those prices assume unlimited talk and text — you can further reduce your monthly bill by reducing the number of talk minutes you need.

Tello Economy | 1GB | $9/month - Lowest priced cell phone plan Tello has added more data to its pricier plans, but the Economy Plan is still the way to go if you want the cheapest possible service. With Tello, you can get a monthly price of $9. You will find yourself limited at 1GB of data in this plan. While you do get unlimited calls and texts, some will find that data cap quite limited so this really is just for those after the lowest monthly cost. Fortunately, jumping up to Tello's 2GB plan costs just $1 more.

The best alternative cell phone plan

10. cricket wireless.

AT&T-owned Cricket Wireless has long since stopped capping data speeds on its service, so if you haven't considered Cricket in a while, it's worth a second look. It's an especially attractive option if you prefer AT&T's network, but want a cheaper plan than what AT&T might offer.

Cricket gives you four different options, ranging in price from $30 a month for 5GB of data to a $60 unlimited data plan that includes hotspot data and a subscription to the ad-supported version of the Max streaming service. We'd steer you toward the $40 monthly plan and its 10GB of data because that's a relative value within more monthly budgets.

Cricket Wireless | 10GB | $40/month - A competitive alternative It used to be easy to dismiss Cricket's prepaid plans because of an 8 Mbps speed cap imposed on downloads. But Cricket's lifted that now and added 5G coverage to all its plans, so this 10GB offering is more compelling than it used to be. You can save $5 per month if you enroll in automatic payments.

The best prepaid plan for families

11. metro by t-mobile.

Prepaid plans typically don't add discounts on additional lines, but Metro by T-Mobile stands out as an exception. All three of Metro's unlimited data options will lower the cost-per-line as you add four lines.

Pricing on unlimited data ranges from $40 to $60 per month for a single line of data, with the three different tiers offering different perks, such as hotspot data and online storage. The $40 plan is probably the most attractive to families, as Metro charges $100 total for four lines.

Metro by T-Mobile | 4-line unlimited data | $100/month - Best prepaid family plan Take advantage of Metro by T-Mobile's per-line discounts, and you can get four lines of data for $25 each per month on the discount carrier's lowest-cost unlimited data plan. You won't get the hotspot and online storage perks found in other tiers of unlimited data, but you do get to take advantage of T-Mobile's wireless network, including 5G coverage.

How we pick the best cell phone plans

Picking the best cell phone plans requires extensive research on exactly what each carrier offers. That means we're checking the plans available at each of the three major carriers, as you would expect. We also extend that search to lesser know MVNOs, who often offer lower-priced plans.

Once we've gathered all the data on available smartphone plans, we single out the lowest cost options. But because a best cell phone plan isn't a one-size-fits-all choice, we look at the best options from the most popular carriers, as well as compelling values from discount carriers, giving you a wide variety of options to choose the best plan for you. (More on making that decision in a moment.)

Because phone carriers are often changing up their plans, we make it a habit to periodically review what's available. As a result, these rankings get updated at least once a month so that our picks reflect any changes to pricing or perks. When possible, we try to call out promotions that can save you additional money on a new cell phone plan.

How to choose the best cell phone plan for you

Price is a big consideration when looking for the best cell phone plans, especially if you’re getting more than one line for other members of your family. Most carriers offer escalating discounts as you add lines, so you’ll want to compare the total cost of your plan based on the number of lines that require service.

Cell phone plans are about more than just the amount on your bill each month, though. You also need to consider who offers the best coverage in your area and whether they support the phone you’ll want to use. Our guide to the best phone carriers can answer many of those questions, but you’ll also want to ask friends, neighbors and co-workers about how a specific carrier’s coverage is at your home and office if you’re looking to switch wireless providers.

Speaking of switching carriers, the major carriers are all willing to pick up some of the cost to get you to switch. These promotions can vary over time, so we'd suggest keeping an eye on any new carrier deals when you're mulling a switch, as you could find extra ways to save money.

Wireless carriers have spent the past several years building out their 5G coverage, and if you’ve got the right 5G phone, you can benefit from faster speeds if a carrier offers 5G service in your area. T-Mobile includes 5G coverage with all its plans, and that coverage extends to carriers like Metro By-T-Mobile, Mint Mobile and others that use T-Mobile's towers for coverage. AT&T now includes 5G with all its plans, including prepaid options. Verizon does, too, though only some plans include access to that carrier's faster 5G Ultra Wideband network. 

What kind of cell phone plan do I need?

As you would expect, there is no simple answer to this and the question is more about what is the best plan for you. This will obviously depend on a wide variety of factors.

For those on a budget and looking for some flexibility, a prepaid cell phone plan will be an excellent way to go. These are often the cheapest options and the lack of contracts is going to be a massive bonus, especially if you like to change up carriers frequently.

If you frequently stream Netflix on the go, like to play games on your phone or just generally drain your data at impressive speeds, an unlimited plan is an excellent way to go — especially as 5G becomes more common.

For more on picking a plan, check out our guide on how much data you need in your cell phone plan .

Family cell phone plans are an excellent way to save money on each phone line, since many carriers drop the per-line cost for each additional line. Some carriers, such as Verizon and AT&T, let you mix and match plans, so parents can get an unlimited line with greater perks, while giving kids a cheaper line of data to save money overall.

If you are simply after the lowest price possible, carriers including Mint Mobile and Tello can offer you really low costs if you don't mind settling for smaller data caps. In some cases, you can also get a lower rate by paying for a full year of service ahead of time, as is the case at Mint Mobile.

MVNOs are a slightly strange concept but they do offer an excellent way to get a cell phone plan on a budget. So what are they and how do they differ from the main carriers.

Firstly, it's important to note the main carriers. These are: AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, which absorbed Sprint in 2020. You can also include US Cellular in that group, though its coverage remains regional compared to the Big Three carriers. These brands use their own technology and run their own regional cellular networks.

MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators), on the other hand, don't own and operate their own technology and instead piggyback off of the services of one of the above brands. This allows them to be far cheaper than the main carriers but does mean they are the first to be restricted during peak usage periods and don't get access to as many additional benefits.

We explain more about this in our MVNO guide , but the main players are:

• Mint Mobile: runs on T-Mobile
• Metro by T-Mobile: runs on T-Mobile
• Cricket Wireless: runs on AT&T
• Visible: runs on Verizon
• Xfinity Mobile runs on Verizon
• Boost Mobile: runs on AT&T

Cell phone plans comparison

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Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.

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Home » Mobile

Best Cell Phone Plans

We picked the best cell phone plans for unlimited data, nationwide coverage, hotspot data, family discounts, and sign-up deals.

✰ Best-value plans from our recommended partners ✰

Choosing a cell phone plan has never been harder: There are just too many great options.

Between T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and the plethora of prepaid carriers like Visible, Mint Mobile, and Consumer Cellular, there are over 200 cell phone packages available in the United States—many of which include excellent pricing, generous data allotments, and 5G coverage.

We keep tabs on the latest plan options and follow developments in the mobile world closely. Take a dive into this guide to get the scoop on the best cell phone packages. You can find details on which plans deliver the best coverage, most competitive prices, greatest deals on hotspot data, juiciest discounts for families, and more.

Best cell phone plans at a glance

Here is a quick breakdown of the plans we highlight on this page:

• Best unlimited plan for a single line: T-Mobile’s Go5G Plus plan gives you everything you could need in a phone plan and more: Unlimited high-speed data, 50GB of monthly hotspot data, international data and texting, plus a yearlong AAA membership and subscriptions to Netflix and Apple TV+.
• Best cell phone coverage: Verizon’s Unlimited Welcome offers the best cellular coverage for a fair price, so you’re more likely to get a clear connection whether you’re in a network-congested city or a remote rural area.
• Best overall value : The $25 Visible Plan doesn’t cost much but still delivers reliable 4G LTE and 5G coverage via Verizon’s networks. You also get unlimited hotspot data, albeit at maximum speeds of 5Mbps.
• Best deal for new customers: Mint Mobile charges only $15 per month for the first three months of service for unlimited talk, text, and data with a 40GB data cap.
• Best family plan : The AT&T Unlimited Starter SL plan comes with ActiveArmor security, a nice chunk of hotspot data, and lower rates per line as you add more lines together.
• Best budget option for a single line : Tello sticks to the basics with its 10 GB Data + Unlimited Talk & Text plan. For just $19 a month, you get a solid chunk of high-speed data that works over T-Mobile's 4G LTE and 5G networks. You can also use the data for your phone's hotspot. 

Quick guide to this article:

• T-Mobile: Best unlimited plan for a single line

Verizon: Best coverage

Visible: best overall value, mint mobile: best deal for new customers.

• AT&T: Best family plan
• Tello Mobile: Best budget option for a single line
• How to pick a cell phone plan
• Best cellular coverage
• Best wireless speeds

Honest reviews written by real people

Why should you trust Reviews.org? Because we are real people writing these reviews, and we talk to real people in order to research them.

Our brand partners do not see or approve our articles before they are published, but we make a commission if you click an affiliate link. Learn more about Reviews.org on our About Us page .

How did we pick the best cell phone plans?

Reviews.org does extensive research to compare and contrast prices on cell phone plans—but price isn’t everything. To determine the real value of a good cell phone package, we pay close attention to important factors like the coverage you get and data speeds on the carrier’s network. We go into more detail on these two driving factors and others farther down on this page .

After looking over the fine print for pricing, speeds, high-speed data, and more, we reach out to folks in different areas of the country and scour platforms like Reddit and Quora for firsthand accounts giving us insights into the cellular carriers and plans we want to highlight. We also try to get hands-on experience with cell phone plans when it’s possible to do so. With all those considerations, we can make reliable recommendations.

Reviews.org makes money when readers click our sponsored links, but I researched and wrote this piece independently. Our brand partners do not read or preapprove our pieces before they are published.

T-Mobile Go5G Plus: Best unlimited plan for a single line

Cellular carriers have been leveraging partnerships with streaming companies and other brands to offer “everything but the kitchen sink”-style phone options lately, and T-Mobile’s Go5G Plus is a perfect example. One of T-Mobile’s flagship unlimited plans, it offers truly unlimited high-speed data, 50GB of hotspot data along, and some major perks, including subscriptions to Netflix and AppleTV+ (with 4K streaming), a free one-year AAA membership, and T-Mobile Tuesday discounts.

This is a perfect option for regular travelers and others who regularly need phone and internet while away from home. A Wi-Fi hotspot data cap of 50GB gives you a lot of flexibility for streaming, gaming, and remote work on multiple devices. The plan also includes unlimited texting and 5GB of priority data when you travel internationally—and 15GB of data for Canada and Mexico.

It’s well worth considering a lower-tier T-Mobile unlimited package (such as Go5G or Essentials Saver) if you don’t need all the bells and whistles that come with Go5G Plus. But no other carrier compares to T-Mobile when it comes to mobile perks, and all of the flexibility, firepower, and extras you get on this plan more than justify the higher cost.

Pay half price for the same T-Mobile coverage

If you want to get a good cell phone plan that operates on T-Mobile’s network, you can always opt for a prepaid carrier. Prepaid carriers (otherwise known as MVNO or mobile virtual network operators ) use the same networks as the major carriers, but charge significantly less for unlimited plans.

Tello’s unlimited data plan costs only $25 a month and uses T-Mobile’s network for service. Just know that Tello's unlimited plan comes with a 35GB data cap, and once you pass that data allotment, your speeds slow to an absolute crawl. Stick to Wi-Fi as much as you can, and you shouldn’t come close to passing the data cap.

Verizon has long held a strong reputation for cellular coverage, and it still delivers excellent service across most of the country today. Verizon’s 4G LTE network covers 55% of the country ( according to federal data ) and it gets the best ratings for coverage experience from Opensignal, an analytics organization that monitors cellular networks. That makes Verizon’s Unlimited Welcome plan the way to go if you need an ultrareliable cellular carrier or live in an area that otherwise gets spotty service.

Francisco Ruiz, an avid road tripper living in Los Angeles told Reviews.org about an experience where Verizon’s coverage made all the difference. “We blew a tire on the I-15 freeway near Barstow and were miles away from the nearest town,” Ruiz said. “I was the only one in our group who used Verizon—and the only one who could get a signal to call AAA.”

Verizon takes a thrifty approach to perks

The Unlimited Welcome plan also offers discounts and benefits as part of a unique slate of $10 per month add-ons. Services include mobile hotspot data, TravelPass credits, and subscriptions to platforms like Apple One and the Disney Bundle ( Disney+ , Hulu , & ESPN+ ). Some of the discounts are pretty slim, and it would be nicer if you could get the benefits for no additional price. But the $10 add-on structure makes it so you can pick and choose. It also brings down the overall price of an unlimited plan, letting you cover all the important fundamentals (like 5G Ultra Wideband access and unlimited high-speed data) at a relatively affordable price.

Pay half price for the same Verizon coverage

Verizon’s cell phone plans can be costly, but you can get a cheaper unlimited plan on Verizon’s network with a prepaid MVNO carrier.

Looking for an alternative to Verizon? If you already pay for Spectrum or Cox internet , you can bundle your internet and cell phone packages together for a discounted rate. Going with one of these providers is a great option if you need a simple, low-cost cellular plan that still delivers solid cell service over the best 4G LTE network coverage in the country.

The first thing you notice about Visible is the price: An unlimited phone package for only $25 a month is absolute steal. The fact that you get unlimited talk, text, data, and mobile hotspot data for such a low fee makes Visible one of the best value cell phone plans on the market.

As you can read in our full-length Visible wireless review , you do have to accept some limitations with this carrier. The baseline plan operates on Verizon’s network, giving you the best cellular coverage in the United States. However, you don’t get access to the fastest data speeds on Verizon’s Ultra Wideband 5G network—that requires an upgrade to Visible+, which costs $20 more per month.

The hotspot data on this plan is also capped at 5Mbps. But you get unlimited hotspot data, and in a switch from how things used to be, Visible allows you to connect more than one Wi-Fi device at a time. Slow it may be, you still enough speeds to stream in standard definition and browse the internet—a handy option if you’ve got a toddler in the backseat who just has to watch Disney+ on their iPad during a long drive or you need to do some work while at a hotel.

Currently, nobody can beat Mint Mobile 's unlimited plan that costs just $15 per month for the first three months of service. Even after those three months are up, Mint's $30 unlimited plan still has most cell phone packages beat when it comes to price. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need good cell phone service for at least a couple of months, look no further.

You won't always get the fastest data speeds with a prepaid carrier. But since Mint uses T-Mobile's fast 5G network—the fastest and most widely-available 5G in the country —that means you can get download speeds on your phone up to 50Mbps. 

Occasional data speed throttling

Mint Mobile customers might occasionally see their data speeds throttled during peak-usage periods or when the network gets congested with too many users. If tons of people are accessing the internet at the same time on T-Mobile's network, the carrier gives priority to its brand-name customers and sends prepaid customers to the back of the line.

You're much more likely to run into data throttling in a big city or at a crowded concert or sports game. But if you're out in the suburbs or living in a rural area, you’re less likely to see slowdowns.

AT&T Unlimited Starter SL: Best family plan

On its own, the AT&T Unlimited Starter plan costs $65 a month, but the price per line drops significantly when you add more lines. Three lines or more makes the plan just $50.99 a month per line, and you can get it down to $35.99 a month per line when you get a family plan with four or more lines together.

The total savings on this plan adds up to $380 every month. AT&T has a lot of great cellular plans , but this one hits the sweet spot because you also get unlimited data, 5GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data every month, and you can even get a free phone with the trade-in program. What sets this AT&T family plan apart from similar plans offered by T-Mobile and Verizon is the extra security features. All AT&T plans come with a feature called ActiveArmor that alerts users for suspected fraud and spam. If you’re worried about family members getting scammed, this feature offers some peace of mind.

Tello Mobile 10 GB Data + Unlimited Talk & Text: Best budget option for a single line

A prepaid provider running over T-Mobile's 4G LTE and 5G networks, Tello gets you a simple deal that's perfect if you make a few calls a week and use your data for standard social media scrolling. T-Mobile has the biggest 5G network in the country and excellent coverage overall, so you can get reliable cell service on this plan for a bargain price.

The plan costs just $19 a month, and while it doesn't give you as much data as you get from other carriers, 10GB a month is still enough to get a modest streamer or social media scroller through the month. You can also use your phone's hotspot with this plan; just be careful how often you use it, since the hotspot data comes out of your total 10GB monthly allotment. 

If you need more data, you can always upgrade to the unlimited plan, which gives you 35GB of data for just $6 more a month.

Want to know more about Tello? Take a look at our Tello Mobile review .

What to look for in a cell phone plan

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when deciding on a cell phone plan:

A reasonable price: The average phone user spends $66 a month on a cellular plan from one of the “Big Three” carriers (T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T). But many cellular customers would be just fine paying $39 a month for a prepaid plan from an MVNO like Visible or Mint. Make sure to compare prices and think through what features you really need before committing to a phone plan.

Enough high-speed data to last you the month: About 10GB of high-speed data a month is a great start for many users, but you may need more or less depending on how often you use your phone to go online. Many cell phone plans are advertised as “unlimited,” but they come with a cap on high-speed or “premium” data that gives you a fast connection over 4G LTE and 5G networks. You may need to look at the fine print to figure out how much high-speed data you’re getting.

Adequate coverage for where you live: Not all mobile providers have reliable service in every part of the United States. Verizon has the best 4G LTE cellular coverage in the country, but T-Mobile has the biggest and fastest 5G network. See our breakdown on the best carriers for coverage to get a sense of which carrier works best for you.

Mobile hotspot data (if you need it): Do you like taking your laptop and working on the beach? Some cell phone plans offer designated high-speed hotspot data every month, and you can also sign up for a separate data plan that lets you power a mobile hotspot device capable of hitting faster speeds and connecting more devices. 

A discount for two lines or family plans: Many carriers offer a discount per-line when you open two lines or more on a package, giving you a break on the overall cost of your monthly bill. This is usually referred to as a family plan discount, but you can add anyone you want on an extra line—including friends or even neighbors.

Which wireless carrier has the best cellular coverage?

Verizon has the best cell phone coverage for 4G LTE users nationwide, while T-Mobile gets the best 5G coverage.

Analytics company Opensignal credited Verizon for offering the best 4G LTE coverage in the country. Those results track with our experience comparing the top cell phone coverage in the United States. While usage of 5G phones is on the upswing, 4G coverage is still more prevalent than 5G. So you’re best off with a plan on Verizon’s network over AT&T and T-Mobile for coverage.

Network coverage experience

Opensignal’s “coverage experience” rating measures “the extent of mobile networks in the places people live, work and travel,” according to its report. Taking in both percentage of land and population covered by cell service, the rating reflects the users’ experience as they travel around areas where cell service should be readily available.

Every cell phone plan we recommend uses at least one of the Big Three major networks: AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon. These networks stretch across the United States but can offer wildly different experiences depending upon your exact location. For example, a Verizon customer in Des Moines, Iowa might get better cell reception than a T-Mobile customer in the same city.

The best way to find out what coverage to expect in your neighborhood is by entering your zip code in our coverage map and swap between the networks to see what network offers the best coverage for you.

Which wireless carrier has the best wireless speeds?

T-Mobile gets the fastest data speeds on average, according to Opensignal. The analytics company rates speed through the Download Speed Experience metric, which measures users’ everyday experiences with 4G and 5G wireless networks—and T-Mobile blows the competition out of the water.

Faster internet speeds mean you can download and upload files faster and watch YouTube videos without buffering. But fast speeds also make it possible to do more things on one device. For example, fast speeds mean you can download an app in a shorter time while also getting up-to-date traffic info on your GPS app in between streaming YouTube videos.

Average download speeds

Recap: what’s the best cell phone plan.

There isn’t really a one-size-fits-all best cell phone plan. That’s why we break down our recommendations into categories. Here are our best-in-choice cell phone plans for our top six categories:

• Best unlimited plan: T-Mobile’s Go5G Plus plan offers unlimited high-speed data, including 50GB of hotspot data, for $90/month per line. Go5G Plus customers also unlimited international texting, 5GB of international high-speed phone data, free subscriptions to Netflix and AppleTV+, and a free AAA membership for a year. And with T-Mobile Tuesday deals, Go5G Plus’s perks are practically unlimited.
• Best coverage : Verizon offers the most reliable coverage no matter where you go in the country.
• Best overall value : Visible gets you unlimited hotspot data (with max speeds of 5Mbps) for just $25 a month, making this a nice plan for small families and road trippers.
• Best deal for new customers : Mint Mobile gives new customers half off for the first three months of service, along with unlimited talk, text, and data.
• Best family plan : The AT&T Unlimited Starter SL costs $65 a month on its own, but the price plummets down to $35 monthly if you get a family plan together with four or more lines.
• Best value phone plan for a single line : Tello’s 10 GB Data + Unlimited Talk & Text only costs $19 a month and gets you a solid little chunk of data and excellent coverage over T-Mobile's 4G LTE and 5G networks.

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• Best Small Business Phone Systems of 2024

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If you’re a small business owner, you know that your day is full of juggling tasks and that you just don’t have time to add communication issues to your to-do list. The best small business phone systems make communication reliable and affordable so you can focus on running your business. They also rely on VoIP phone technology, allowing you to use an internet connection for your entire business phone system. VoIP phone systems have no special equipment to buy or staff to manage them. You simply need to download a mobile or desktop app to have a fully-featured phone system at your fingertips.

Many VoIP providers have also advanced business phone systems considerably, allowing you to add unified communications features like video conference, team chat, and voicemail-to-email. We’ve researched and rated the plans, pricing, and features of the best small business phone systems to develop a list you can trust choosing from.

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Best Small Business Phone Systems in Detail

Not every good business phone system is appropriate for a small company. We sorted through our rating of the Best Business Phone Systems of 2024 to find ones that are affordable, flexible, and easy to use with a mobile device for businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Follow the links in the companies' summaries to find our full reviews, and read our advice on how to choose the best plan for your small business.

Straightforward pricing

Most integrations available with basic plan

Some features require separate add-ons

Video conferencing maxes out at 200 participants

Intermedia Unite is a unified communications (UC) phone system with integrated chat, video, file sharing, and contact center capabilities. Its two plans offer a variety of add-on features, such as resource lines and toll-free numbers. Along with unlimited calling to U.S. and Canadian numbers, all subscriptions include an auto-attendant, call recording, cloud storage, team messaging, and video conferencing. Also, all users can schedule video meetings from Slack, Google Workspace (formerly G-Suite), and Microsoft products, like Outlook and Teams.

Advanced features and additional capacity come with Intermedia Unite Pro and Enterprise packages. For example, Unite Pro adds a virtual assistant to your video meetings, which provides AI-driven transcripts and insights. Enterprise users get 200 GB of cloud storage, Microsoft Exchange email, and video conferencing with up to 200 participants.

Read more in our Intermedia review .

Round-the-clock customer support

Monthly, no-contract plans available

Integrates with existing contact and CRM tools

Some features aren't available on the base plan

Expensive per-user cost for the base plan

Best price requires a three-year commitment

Nextiva’s UC platform offers unlimited calling within the U.S. and Canada, an auto-attendant, virtual faxing, and U.S.-based local and toll-free numbers. Regardless of the plan tier, users can host and record 45-minute video meetings with 250 participants. The subscriptions include 1,500 to 12,500 toll-free minutes, team messaging, and voicemail transcriptions. Plus, Nextiva provides several payment options with lower rates for one, two, or three-year contracts and annual billing.

Professional and Enterprise integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) programs , such as SugarCRM , Salesforce , and HubSpot . Higher-tier plans also include one to three professionally recorded greetings. Nextiva recently rolled out NextivaOne, a desktop application that puts your calls, texts, and emails into a single inbox.

Read more in our Nextiva review .

Dialpad »

App integrations available at entry-level

AI-powered call analysis and transcription

APIs provide additional user management functionality

14-day trial period is short

24/7 support not available with all plans

Dialpad Pro and Enterprise plans support U.S.-based and international offices, offering unlimited calling within your country, the U.S., and Canada. The entry-tier version (Standard) provides a robust feature set with tools typically found on higher-tier VoIP packages yet costs $15 per user per month with annual billing. The advanced capabilities include built-in AI and analytics, such as live speech coaching and automated post-call summaries. All subscriptions have multilevel auto-attendants, file sharing, and unlimited texting.

Dialpad users, regardless of the plan, can host five-hour video meetings with 10 attendees. However, Pro and Enterprise users gain international texting, integrations, and local number support in more than 70 countries.

Read more in our Dialpad review .

Base-level Express plan is very inexpensive

Compliant with various privacy standards including HIPAA

Many plans include unlimited international calling

24/7 support is limited to higher plan tiers

Basic plan doesn’t offer as many features as other companies

8x8 stands out with plans catering to very small businesses and global corporations. The competitively-priced 8x8 Express plan supports companies with five or fewer users and includes unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada, an auto-attendant, video conferencing, and team messaging. 8x8 X-Series offers unlimited calling to 14 or 48 countries, depending on your subscription. These versions work for teams of any size, and you can customize plans to only pay for features each individual needs.

Along with call management features, X-Series business communications plans support 500 video conference participants and live streaming to YouTube. Interactive meeting features like breakout rooms and instant polls keep remote users connected, while CRM integrations can help track customer interactions.

Read more in our 8x8 review .

Designed for office, remote, and mobile employees

Unlimited number of users can be added

Offers secure global PBX services

Essentials plan limited to 20 users

No video conferencing capabilities on the base plan

No 24/7 technical support on the base plan

RingCentral offers three plan options: Core, Advanced, and Ultra. The Core plan begins at $20 per user per month with an annual contract.

All plan levels include:

• Unlimited domestic calling 
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
• Single sign-on
• SMS and MMS
• Analytics for IT administrators

The platform also offers many collaboration tools for remote and hybrid teams, with different capabilities on each plan. For example, users can host 24-hour video meetings with breakout rooms and whiteboard sessions. Upper-tier versions integrate with hundreds of applications, including HubSpot and Salesforce .

Read more in our RingCentral review .

Business phone service providers typically charge a per-user fee that can be paid monthly or annually. Base subscriptions range from $10 to $30 per user per month. The flat price per person generally includes a business telephone number, unlimited or metered calling, and other communication features.

Some other important pricing factors you may encounter include:

• Tiered pricing models: They provide more features on higher-priced plans. 
• Cloud-based tools: These tools generally don’t require onsite servers and, therefore, typically don’t require an installation fee. 
• Hardware: VoIP phones and headsets are optional purchases that depend on your business’s specific needs.

Add-on features: Features such as international calling packages, increased conferencing capacity, and integrations are offered by many companies. For businesses that can benefit from these services, the added cost will be worthwhile, and businesses with simpler requirements can forgo them and save on costs.

What Should I Look For in a Small Business Phone System?

Small businesses can face narrower profit margins, especially in their early years of operation, and trimming costs wherever possible can be essential to success. “Cost is a huge factor for [these companies] in their operations," explains Supradeep Dutta , a Rutgers School of Business–Camden assistant professor and an expert in technology and entrepreneurship. "VoIP is one thing to reduce the cost of communications.”

Cloud VoIP phone solutions are an excellent option for mitigating costs associated with traditional phone services. For example, VoIP means that small companies can not only skip traditional office phones but can also explore remote work options for staff that doesn’t rely on a physical office. With the help of the apps associated with these services, employees can use their own mobile phones or computers to make or receive calls, send texts, or hop onto a video conference call – all from a business number.

Aside from the cost, two of the most important factors to look at in a small business phone system are:

• Ease-of-Use: The simpler and more intuitive the service and associated apps are, the better. Making a phone call or sending a text should be straightforward, and your VoIP service should never make you feel like you need to hire a switchboard operator just to reach the right person. Look for a service that offers features that will make your life easier. Depending on your business, this can mean generating automatic transcripts, offering custom hold music, ensuring reliable voicemail functionality, or employing spam protection.
• Flexibility: For a small business, flexibility is key. The ability for your VoIP service to scale with your business should be clear from the start with easy-to-add lines and transparent pricing. Don’t forget to consider integrations, either. The compatibility of your VoIP service to integrate with a CMS or help desk system is something to note before committing to a provider.

Every small business is unique, and a single feature can’t address every concern. It can be helpful to make a list of the features you need or want most from a phone system, beyond cost. While it might not be at the forefront of your mind, be sure to think about the security needs of your business and if the VoIP provider you’re considering can meet them. And, don’t forget to look into the provider’s customer support.

It’s easy not to think about problems until you have one, but the last thing any business needs is to encounter a technical issue and be unable to reach the right person who can help. Some providers offer 24/7 support and others are more limited. Make sure this availability will work for your operating hours.

Compare the Best Business Phone Systems for Small Business of 2024

How do i choose the best small business phone system.

Buying a business phone service can be an overwhelming process. The choices are vast and you have much to consider, from system types and features to cost and even your customers’ expectations.

The number of providers selling these services has grown as well. “Right now there are over 500 companies selling hosted phone systems in the United States,” says Phillip Sherman, president of Telecom Advisors Group , which helps companies find phone solutions to fit their business needs. “A new one or two pops up just about every day.”

Here are some factors you should consider when making a purchase.

• Number of users: How many employees will be using your phone system? Most providers charge a monthly fee per user, so costs can really add up with the more users you have. A provider that charges a flat monthly fee regardless of the number of users might be a better choice if you’re just looking for a basic office phone system. 
• Video conferencing: Does your company rely heavily on video conferencing with clients or other employees? If so, you’ll want to choose a provider that offers video meetings in its most affordable base plans. Those that offer it in their top-tier plans will drive up your monthly cost per user.
• Automated features: If you expect a high volume of calls, you’ll want a provider that offers many automated call management features. These can include auto-attendant, voicemail-to-email or voicemail-to-text, and hold music. To keep your customers from waiting, you may also want to look into plans that include intelligent call routing, forwarding, flip, and transferring. 
• Remote employees: If you manage many remote employees, you may also need a service with strong team communication tools. These can include an easy-to-use mobile app, team and one-on-one messaging, file sharing, and video conferencing. Just make sure you choose a cloud-based rather than on-premise PBX system that will support these remote features.
• Customer service: If your business relies heavily on your phone system, make sure you choose a business with round-the-clock support. The last thing you’ll want to be doing when your phone system is down is submitting a support ticket. Instead, you’ll want to speak to a real person who can help you solve your problem fast.

How Do Small Business Phone Systems Work?

Business phone systems connect your employees to one another as well as to those outside of your business, like clients or customers. This can happen through voice conversation or through other tools like text or instant messaging. While there are different types of business phone services you can utilize, the ultimate goal should be to streamline communications to help your business run more efficiently.

Types of Business Phone Systems

Business phone systems can be broken down into a few different types. Each has its own benefits, but some are better suited to the needs of a small business. Larger companies may still lean toward the traditional private business exchange (PBX) system or IP-enabled PBX, which are dedicated systems to a specific company and generally based on-premise. On the other hand, small businesses most commonly use cloud-based VoIP systems.

Benefits of Cloud-Based VoIP Systems

When it comes to cloud-based VoIP systems, there are many benefits businesses can reap:

Cost savings: A cloud-based telephone service is not a dedicated system. Instead, it's hosted in the cloud and managed by the service provider. This allows the business phone service to be provided at a lower cost on a subscription basis.

Hardware-free: These types of phone systems don’t require hardware and can instead be accessed through mobile and desktop apps.

Dynamic updates: The hardware-free infrastructure allows the business phone provider to keep the service updated at all times and provides your company with access to UCaaS features, such as messaging tools, video conferencing, and third-party integrations.

Simplified implementation: The relative simplicity of implementing a cloud-based VoIP system makes it the ideal option for most small businesses.

Saves resources: VoIP systems give your company access to all the modern-day business phone system features, without the upfront cost of having to build out a dedicated on-premise system or the required staff to maintain it.

Mobility and flexibility: These systems give your employees the flexibility needed to work from anywhere since they can access your business communications network from an app on their cell phone.

To learn more about the ins and outs of VoIP systems, read our guide, What Is VoIP ?

Choosing the Right Business Phone Service for Your Needs

While cloud-based business phone services have many benefits, this type of system may not meet the specific needs of your company. Consider your options and how your business interacts with a phone system to complete your work in order to make a choice that best fits the way your company is run. Think about your business’s size, budget, and the most important features that you require from your business phone service.

Why Do Small Businesses Need a Business Phone System?

All businesses, small and large, benefit from better communication. For small businesses, however, there may be more specific needs that have to be addressed in finding the right phone system, like tighter budgets. That is why researching business phone systems are so imperative for small businesses.

As a small business owner, you will want to find a system that is the best balance of price and the features you need. To learn more, read our guide on How to Buy a Business Phone .

Cloud-based business phone systems work on your existing devices, such as cell phones and computers. No additional hardware is required. Mobile and desktop apps replace traditional analog telephones, and features like virtual faxing happen in the cloud. However, computer users may want a VoIP headset for call privacy and quality reasons.

If you want to use your current analog devices, including fax machines and conference phones, with VoIP, you will need an analog telephone adaptor (ATA). In addition, many small business phone providers support IP phones, which resemble analog desk phones but connect to the internet instead of a landline.

Yes, you can install your business phone system yourself. The best business phone systems for small businesses are commonly cloud-based telephony services. These services are quick and easy to set up because they do not require hardware to be configured on-site.

Cloud-based VoIP phone systems take a do-it-yourself approach. The system is hosted off-site and managed by the business phone system provider. So you don’t need to go through a complicated process to get your phone system up and running. Simply sign up for an account and pick out your phone numbers. Download the provider’s mobile and desktop apps to gain access to the business phone system. You will still want to set up typical features like voicemail and call routing, but once the app is installed, you are all set to make business phone calls.

You may also opt for IP desktop phones. These act as a more traditional business phone option and might be a good choice for small businesses with an office where employees spend most of their time. IP desktop phones are generally easy to set up with plug-and-play options or some minor configuring.

The average small business will generally require up to 10 phone lines. However, this number can be impacted by a wide range of factors, number of employees being foremost among them. If you are the sole proprietor of your business, you may only need a single. If you are a 50-person operation that fields calls daily across multiple locations and departments, you may require significantly more lines.

Some additional factors to think about include:

• Number of both internal and external calls that occur in your business
• How many employees actually require a line or separate number
• How many locations, offices, and departments will require phone services
• What your budget can comfortably accommodate
• What hardware or equipment will be required to support your operations

Yes, internet-based phone services support employees regardless of where they work. VoIP lets you route or forward calls to employee-owned and company-owned devices. Your teams can answer and transfer calls, even if your physical office is closed. Home users typically have access to the same features provided for in-house staff, including virtual faxing, unlimited calling, and voicemail.

Moreover, many small business phone systems offer collaboration tools, allowing remote and on-site teams to interact in real-time through video and group messaging. These features may include file sharing, whiteboards, screen sharing, and breakout rooms.

Small business phone services often have security and privacy certifications that can help protect your company when communicating with clients over the phone. Secure networks, encryption, and modern internet protocols are among the industry standards for business phone providers. Although most VoIP providers encrypt phone calls, cloud-based tools do have vulnerabilities.

The type of information shared over the phone depends on your small business's industry. While some companies in sensitive information fields need to be more cognizant of these risks, all businesses should consider the inherent risk of using an internet-based business phone system. Robust password management policies, security software, and regular software and hardware updates help keep your business phone system secure.

Companies that handle personal health information (PHI) may need additional security measures, including working with a HIPAA-compliant VoIP vendor. These certifications are generally published on the phone provider's website for your reference. Be sure to find a provider that offers the necessary credentials for the regulations in your industry.

• Best Business Phone Systems of 2024
• Best VoIP Business Phone Systems of 2024
• What Is VoIP?
• How to Buy a Business Phone System
• Nextiva vs. RingCentral Business Phone Systems
• MagicJack vs. Ooma Business Phone Systems
• Ooma vs. Vonage Business Phone Systems
• Ringcentral vs. Zoom Business Phone Systems

Other Business Phone Systems

• Google Voice
• GoToConnect
• Grasshopper
• Ooma Office
• RingCentral

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U.S. News 360 Reviews takes an unbiased approach to our recommendations. When you use our links to buy products, we may earn a commission but that in no way affects our editorial independence.

One of the best cheap cell phone plans is somehow even cheaper now

Visible Wireless , Verizon's prepaid cell phone service, is offering a new way to pay for cell phone service that results in a steep discount.

Also: The best phones to buy: Expert tested

Visible is rolling out a new "annual plan" payment structure that lets consumers pay for the entire year upfront, and -- in turn -- save money on the overall rate. And it's a substantial saving.

Visible's consists of two tiers: a standard tier for $25 a month, and a Visible+ premium tier for $45 a month. Both plans offer unlimited talk, text, and data, but the Visible+ plan comes with prioritized service, eSIM support, hotspot capability, and international calling and texting.

The new annual plan, however, will cost only $395 for the Visible+ tier, amounting to an annual savings of $145. This works out to what is a $32/month phone bill for unlimited everything, 5G Verizon network coverage, and coverage in Canada and Mexico. Not a bad deal.

You can also prepay for the standard tier, although the savings aren't nearly as significant. One year's worth of standard service will cost you $275, which is only $25 off. Since Visible uses Verizon's cellular infrastructure, keep in mind that consumers on the standard tier may face de-prioritized service based on network traffic.

Also: I switched to this $300 Motorola phone for two weeks and was pleasantly surprised

Customers can bring their own phones over to Visible by determining their devices' compatibility on the Visible website . Once there, you can download an eSIM straight to your phone and activate it right away, or order a physical SIM card and have it sent to you in the mail. Also, you can buy a brand new phone from .

Verizon's budget sub-brand competes against other carriers' brands with similar rates, including Dish's , T-Mobile's  and AT&T's . But with the annual rate's prepaid discount, Visible by Verizon's prepaid annual rates are easily some of the cheapest.

Also: The most underrated iPhone camera feature you should never turn off (and how I use it)

Paying for a year of service upfront may not appeal to everyone. One of the advantages of opting for a prepaid plan is the lack of a contract, and an upfront chunk of change more or less acts as a contract, just in a different form. But for consumers who want uncomplicated, reliable service and don't require a lot of customer support, this might be one of the best deals out there.

I must mention the customer service aspect, however, as this has been an issue with Visible and other competing prepaid budget brands. Customer service with these brands is typically less robust than what is found within the flagship companies; independent consumers who require little support likely will be most satisfied with a budget brand.

Visible by Verizon's new annual plans go into effect on April 17, and are available for new and current customers.

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Golden line: See what cell providers offer senior discounts

As inflation ticks up , there are one group of people who may have a coupon printed right on their drivers license: seniors.

Some, such as Farm Forum financial columnist Rick Kahler, argue that more people should take advantage of the discounts offered to those of a certain age.

"No one forces businesses to offer senior discounts," Kahler, the president and owner of Kahler Financial of Rapid City, wrote. "Companies do so because it’s ultimately good for them if you do business with them instead of their competitors."

As cell phones become increasingly integral for communication, the more experienced at life can take advantage of plans marketed towards those over 55.

Here are the senior discounts and plans offered by mobile carriers.

AT&T offers the Unlimited 55+ for people 55 or older and who have a billing address in Florida. The plan costs $60 per month for one line or $80 per month for two lines. Each line receives unlimited data, phone calls and text messages.

The plan must be purchased at an AT&T location in Florida.

Seniors in other states can take advantage of an up to $10 per month discount through AARP on the cell phone provider's Unlimited Premium plan.

T-Mobile offers three 55+ lines for seniors:

• Essentials Choice 55: $45 per month for one line
• Go5G Plus 55: $70 per month for one line
• Go5G Next 55: $80 per month for one line

Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless does not offer a senior discount or plan.

Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile offers a cell phone plan for seniors 55 and older called Mint 55+. The plan costs $15.99 per month and includes assistance with cancelling a contract with a previous carrier.

Consumer Cellular

AARP members can save 5% on monthly service and 30% on some accessories at Consumer Cellular.