T-Mobile has at least seven plans listed on its website. We try to make sense of them all.
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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 wide variety of different 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 couple of lines and you'll quickly find seven different plans:
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.
Hide our expert takeThe 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 pick, while those 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. Those on this plan also won't necessarily get T-Mobile's best offers for upgrading devices.
All the deals also 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 promotion, compared with $120 at Verizon and $124 at AT&T.
You may need to click "see more plans" and then "explore Essentials Saver plan" on T-Mobile's site to get this option to appear, though lately it has been listed alongside its regular plans.
Photo Gallery 1/1 Hide our expert take Show our expert takeFor 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 has 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 to 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 ($90 a month for one line, $185 a month for four lines) plans keep the Netflix Standard With Ads plan, include a full subscription to Apple TV Plus, ups the hotspot data from 15GB on Go5G to 50GB per month on Go5G Plus, adds 5GB of high-speed international data and gives 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 to 10GB on Go5G and 5GB on Magenta and Magenta Max.
Unlike 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 will 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.