Best family phone plans in 2020
There are many benefits to family cell phone plans.
Most carriers offer multiline discounts and allow you to add family members to one bill.
We'll show you how to get the benefits of big network coverage without paying big prices.
Family cell phone plans comparison chart
| Carrier | Mins/Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ting | Unltd/Unltd | 0GB | $10 |
| Tello | Unltd/Unltd | 1GB | $10 |
| Mint Mobile | Unltd/Unltd | 3GB | $15** $45 for 3 Months Service |
| Pure Talk | Unltd/Unltd | 4GB | $18.75** 25% Off for 3 Months |
| Twigby | Unltd/Unltd | 5GB | $18.75** 25% Off for 6 Months |
Low cost family phone plan benefits
Most carriers offer family plans with multiple lines on one phone bill. To achieve the biggest savings, you will need to look beyond the major carriers.
The cheapest cell phone plans these days come from alternative low-cost carriers called MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators). Let's explain why.
1. Same Great Coverage - Each of the four major carriers owns its own towers and each provides very good nationwide network coverage. The good news is that all the alternative carriers, like Mint Mobile, Tello and US Mobile, lease their space from one or more of the big four, buying in bulk to achieve competitive rates and ensuring that you get the same high-speed data and the same great 4G LTE network coverage as the big guys.
2. Much Lower Prices - The MVNOs operate very differently than the big four. With few or no stores, their overheads are much lower and their advertising budgets are a tiny fraction of the big guys. With much lower costs, they are able to offer you much better rates.
3. Flexibility - These days, the major carriers are mainly focused on offering unlimited plans for data, calling and texting. If you and your family/friends are all heavy users, this might suit you very well. But consider that the average user gets through less than 3GB per month, so you might well be paying a heavy price for data that you simply don't need. The MVNOs offer a wide variety of plans catered for a range of different needs. They let you decide how much data you need - and pay for.
4. No Contracts or Credit Checks - All low-cost carriers offer prepaid plans. If you're not happy, you can leave whenever you want. You won't have to go through a credit check or get roped into a two-year commitment.
5. Bring your own phone - You can keep your phone too. MVNOs welcome - and often require - that you bring your own phone. Those payment plans for the newest smartphone may look tempting but they add $10 - $30 to your monthly bill.
Best AT&T family plan
AT&T vs Pure Talk Plan Comparison
Keep your AT&T phone, number & coverage: Save $562 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | AT&T 4G LTE | Unltd* | $75/mo | $900/yr |
| Pure Talk | AT&T 4G LTE | 6GB | $30/mo | $338/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $45/mo | $562/yr | |
See more AT&T family plans
Best Verizon family plan
Verizon vs Reach Mobile Plan Comparison
Keep your Verizon phone, number & coverage: Save $465 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | Verizon 4G LTE | Unltd* | $80/mo | $960/yr |
| Reach Mobile | Verizon 4G LTE | 8GB | $45/mo | $495/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $35/mo | $465/yr | |
See more Verizon family plans
Best T-Mobile family plan
T-Mobile vs Mint Mobile Plan Comparison
Keep your T-Mobile phone, number & coverage: Save $600 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | T-Mobile 4G LTE | Unltd* | $70/mo | $840/yr |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile 4G LTE | 8GB | $20/mo | $240/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $50/mo | $600/yr | |
See more T-Mobile family plans
Best Sprint family plan
Sprint vs Tello Plan Comparison
Keep your Sprint phone, number & coverage: Save $492 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | Sprint 4G LTE | Unltd* | $60/mo | $720/yr |
| Tello | Sprint 4G LTE | 4GB | $19/mo | $228/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $41/mo | $492/yr | |
See more Sprint family plans
Do you really need unlimited data?
Most of us only use 3 to 5GB of data each month. This number goes down the more time we spend at home.
Something we're kinda used to these days.
We get it, running out of data is a pain. We'll do almost anything to avoid it. But if you're not using it, why pay a premium?
The big networks want you to spend money. We want to help you save it.
Keep an eye on your data usage and tailor a plan to your needs. If you find you need more, add more or switch to a different carrier with a better plan. MVNOs are flexible and offer a wide range of plans.
Use our phone plan savings calculator to find the perfect plan.
Best cheap prepaid family plan
Although Tello doesn't necessarily have a family plan option it's important to note that it is one of the cheapest MVNOs on the market and so signing your family up for individual plans will save you hundreds in the long run.
Tello makes signing up easy with their custom dashboard that lets you click a data amount, click your text/minute amount and go straight to the checkout.
Best unlimited data family plan
With Mint Mobile you pay for your plans in three-month blocks in return for incredibly cheap plans powered by T-Mobile
Bring your own phone to save even more
Bringing your own phone allows both individuals and families to connect their phones to a new carrier's network, provided that the phone is compatible with the service. Sometimes the services attempt to entice new customers with BYOP incentives, such an extra $200 credit or a free month of a certain plan.
Most wireless carriers allow you to bring your own device to their wireless plans. This makes it nice if you're ready for a new carrier but don't want to give up that like-new iPhone or Samsung Galaxy.
You can typically switch carriers by removing your existing SIM card and inserting a SIM card obtained from your new carrier. Just be sure to check that you can use your device with the carrier. To check if your device is compatible, simply visit the carrier's website and locate the bring your own phone tab (or similar), which normally features a compatibility checker.
This is the best way to add a phone to a plan, simply because you're saving a bundle of money.
Recap
If there is more than one person in your household, you really ought to be in a family cell phone plan. You will undoubtedly save money versus going it alone.
And if you choose one of the low-cost carriers, those savings can be really substantial. Once you're clear on your data usage, you can choose a customized plan that's just right for you and your family.
You can find a family cell phone plans comparison chart at the top of this article. Happy saving!
