Article updated on September 29, 2024 at 6:00 AM PDT
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Eli Blumenthal Senior Editor
Eli Blumenthal is a senior editor at CNET with a particular focus on covering the latest in the ever-changing worlds of telecom, streaming and sports. He previously worked as a technology reporter at USA Today.
Expertise 5G | Mobile networks | Wireless carriers | Phones | Tablets | Streaming devices | Streaming platforms | Mobile | Console gaming
Essentials Saver for 1 or 2 lines, Essentials for 3, Essentials 4 Line Offer for 4 lines
Best T-Mobile plan for most people: Essentials Saver or Essentials
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The upgrade pick for those who want perks like Netflix and faster international data
T-Mobile Magenta, Magenta Max (1 or 2 lines), Go5G and Go5G Plus (3 or more)
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When it comes to wireless plans, T-Mobile has plenty to choose from. Like all the major US carriers, T-Mobile offers a mix of options, all under the promise of "unlimited" talk, text and data. Unlike its rivals, however, the carrier doesn't have just three main plans to pick from. Look at its website for a bit and you'll quickly find seven different plans:
- Essentials
- Essentials Saver/Essentials 4 Line Offer
- Go5G
- Go5G Plus
- Go5G Next
- Magenta
- Magenta Max
All offer unlimited talk, text and data, but they all also have different prices, features and perks (and this list doesn't even include promotional plans). Which ones should you consider, especially as prices on older T-Mobile plans are increasing? Let's break it down.
Read more: Our Guide to the Best Cell Phone Plans
The Essentials and Essentials Saver plans are virtually identical in all but name, and both options include unlimited talk, text and data with 5G access. Because of some T-Mobile promotions, however, this pick is a bit complicated.
In short, if you need two lines, Essentials Saver is your best choice, while folks looking for three or more lines may want to go with regular Essentials.
With either choice, you get 50GB of high-speed data, though both options lack perks like international roaming (beyond 2G-like speeds in Canada and Mexico), the inclusion of taxes and fees in the sticker price, or streaming perks like bundled-in Netflix, Apple TV Plus or Hulu subscriptions. People on this plan also won't necessarily get T-Mobile's best offers for upgrading devices.
All the deals require that you set up AutoPay and paperless billing. And unlike its rivals, T-Mobile doesn't offer any options to "mix and match" plans, so everyone would have to be on the same main option here.
A single line of Essentials Saver is $50 per month, while two lines will run $80 a month. A similar offering from Verizon (Unlimited Welcome), by comparison, costs $110 per month, while plans from AT&T (Value Plus VL) run $51 for one line or $102 a month.
Three lines will also run $90 at T-Mobile for its regular Essentials, thanks to a promotion, compared with $120 at Verizon (for Unlimited Welcome) and $114 at AT&T (for Value Plus VL). The four-line option is now back to $100 at T-Mobile, thanks to that Essentials 4 Line Offer promotion, compared with $120 at Verizon and $124 at AT&T.
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For most people, T-Mobile's Magenta and Magenta Max options are the better pick when it comes to looking for perks for one or two lines. They're cheaper than the Go5G options and have most of the same features, except with a lower monthly rate ($70 for one line on Magenta, $120 for two lines; $85 for one line on Magenta Max, $140 for two lines).
You get less hotspot and international data with a Magenta plan compared with a Go5G option, and Magenta Max users also don't get the same ability to upgrade to a new device after two years while taking advantage of T-Mobile's best device deals.
Similar to what it's done with the Essentials plans, thanks to T-Mobile offering a free third line on its Go5G options those plans become cheaper and a better value compared with the Magentas if you need three or more lines.
Among the benefits of Magenta and Go5G ($75 a month for one line, $155 a month for four lines) are unlimited international data (albeit at slow "2G speeds") when traveling in over 210 countries, an hour of in-flight Wi-Fi on several airlines, T-Mobile Tuesdays weekly giveaways, the bundling of Netflix's Standard With Ads plan (which is $7 a month, though this requires at least two lines), and six free months of Apple TV Plus.
Its pricier Magenta Max and Go5G Plus plans ($90 a month for one line, $185 a month for four lines) keep the Netflix Standard With Ads plan, include a full subscription to Apple TV Plus, up the hotspot data from 15GB on Go5G to 50GB per month on Go5G Plus, add 5GB of high-speed international data and give you unlimited Wi-Fi on a host of flights including those from American, Alaska Airlines, Delta and United. Go5G Plus also has 15GB of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico, compared with 10GB on Go5G and 5GB on Magenta and Magenta Max.
Unlike with its Essentials plans discussed earlier, T-Mobile also includes taxes and fees with the pricing of its Magenta and Go5G plans.
Like the Essentials offerings, however, you can't "mix and match" lines, so everyone in your family would need to be on the same plan. That said, if only one line needs perks like faster international data, you should consider Magenta (if you only have one or two lines) or Go5G (if you need three or more lines), with the MaxUp or PlusUp $15 per line add-on. This will let your other lines get a cheaper rate while allowing you to bolster your international data to tap into the Go5G Plus or Magenta Max offerings for the lines that need it without pushing everyone onto a pricier option.
It is worth noting that you'll need to call or chat with T-Mobile to get the Magenta options, as the carrier has hidden the plans under a "see more available plans" tab and then a "learn more" link on its website.
Note: You need to switch to T-Mobile and have an eligible trade-in.
T-Mobile's switcher offer is tempting if you're looking to switch to the carrier and need new devices. You get four lines of its Essentials plan and four new iPhone 16 models for $100 monthly. You can find it by scrolling down the carrier's Apple deals page.
As always, however, there's some fine print to be aware of. Here's what that is:
As with other carriers, you need to commit to being with T-Mobile for 24 months (which is better than the 36-month installment plans from AT&T and Verizon). Leave early and you lose the credits and you're on the hook for the balance owed. You must also have at least four lines and trade in an iPhone 11 Pro or newer to get the full value of the deal. Older phones, like an iPhone 6 or 7, will get you only partial credit off an iPhone 16 ($415 off per line).
T-Mobile's Essentials plan also doesn't include perks like Netflix or bundled-in taxes and fees. You'll also be on the hook for a $35 a line "device connection" charge. That's a one-time fee the carrier charges as part of activation. It's a fairly standard practice across the major carriers.
This is still a good deal, particularly if you have 3- or 4-year-old iPhones and are already considering switching. Each iPhone 16 retails for $830 per device, and most providers won't give that type of credit for an iPhone 12.
Verizon has its own, similar free iPhones offer, but that deal gives you iPhone 15s instead of iPhone 16s. AT&T has no four-line deal that bundles in free iPhones.
As we've covered in our other wireless guides, to get the best deal, you'll want to make sure you have the coverage you need. This makes it hard to give a blanket recommendation of any one carrier. T-Mobile's service in New York may be excellent, but if you're in rural Iowa, Verizon is more reliable.
While your mileage may vary, the good news is that these networks are growing and improving all the time, particularly as the three major players race to blanket the US with 5G. It's quite possible that you left a network a decade ago, complaining about its sparse service, but now it's beefed itself up because of that race to acquire customers.
If you know any friends or family in your area who already use the carrier you're considering, ask about their experience. You could also go to a carrier's store and see if they offer any free ways to try out the service before switching over, such as T-Mobile's Network Pass. Verizon offers a similar 30-day "Test Drive" program, and the Cricket prepaid service has its own trial program that lets you sample parent AT&T's network.
Read more: What is T-Mobile's 5G UC?
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Picking a wireless plan and carrier is a very individualized process. What works for you and your family's needs may be vastly different from what works for your friends or neighbors. Even geographically, some areas have better AT&T coverage while others work best on Verizon or T-Mobile (and vice versa). The picks CNET makes are based on more than a decade of covering and evaluating wireless carriers on the basis of their offerings and overall performance.
In particular, we take into account the following:
1. Coverage
2. Price
3. Value
4. Perks
Coverage
Since all three major providers blanket most of the country with good 4G LTE or 5G, this is largely a toss-up on a macro level and why we recommend a variety of eSIM options for figuring out what works best for you in your particular location so you can best decide what's right for you. Looking at coverage maps on each provider's website will likely show whether you can get good coverage, even if your experience isn't full bars or the fastest speeds.
This is also why with prepaid plans we specify which network each prepaid provider uses, as they sometimes make that a bit difficult to figure out.
Price/value
Value is factoring in the total experience you might get, such as how much high-speed data you get and what's included in the sticker price.
Perks
Perks are add-ons beyond the core components of wireless service (talk, text and data). This could range from bundling in or discounting streaming services to extra hotspot data to the ability to use your phone internationally.
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What about Go5G Next?
T-Mobile's latest top plan, called Go5G Next, is its priciest. A single line runs $100 per month, while if you have four lines on an account it would be $225 each month or $56.25 per line (in both cases assuming you have automatic payments and paper-free billing enabled).
What you get for that price is the bundling of Hulu with ads and the ability to upgrade your phone every year while taking advantage of T-Mobile's latest device upgrade offers. Otherwise, it's largely the same as Go5G Plus, which lets you upgrade your device with the latest offers every two years.
For most people, we'd recommend staying away from this plan. It's likely too pricey for what you're getting when T-Mobile has much better options available.
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Do I need to change my T-Mobile plan when I upgrade my phone?
You don't necessarily need to change plans when you upgrade your phone, but you may need to move plans if you want the carrier's best deals.
T-Mobile has been reserving some of its best deals for folks who are on its priciest plans. For instance, its top iPhone 15 Pro deals generally require the priciest Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plans (and potentially for you to add a new line or switch from a different carrier).
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Are there discounts to lower my T-Mobile bill?
Yes. Like its rivals, T-Mobile offers a variety of discounts depending on your age, employer or profession. Teachers, military, first responders and more can take advantage of various programs that could save them significant money on their bill. The carrier also offers special pricing for folks age 55 or above (though with a max of two lines on an account).
It's worth noting that these discounts are often for the whole account. If you have three lines and one of those users is a first responder or a teacher, your entire family can benefit from the savings.
Some of these discounts have caps on the amount of lines that can benefit, so make sure to check the details when signing up.
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