Boost Mobile vs. AT&T Prepaid: Which carrier is better?

Boost Mobile and AT&T’s prepaid plans offer great deals on their plans for consumers that use wide ranges of data. Each carrier has its positives and negatives, but which offers better phone plans? Let’s put them head to head and see which brand comes out on top. 

In this article, we plan to discuss the ins and outs of both carriers and what they offer. We’ll also cover:

• What the coverage of both carriers looks like
• How prices of their plans compare to how much data you get
• The features each carrier offers for their plans 

Unsure of what you need out of a plan? Check out our guide on how to choose the best phone plan. 

Coverage & Reception

Boost Mobile is on several networks. 

Boost Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO. This means that they purchase service access wholesale from one of the three major networks that own infrastructure across the country – AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile – giving customers service at a much cheaper price. Boost Mobile is an MVNO of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Dish.

Often, the quality of coverage comes down to your area. One carrier’s coverage may be better in New York, while another’s coverage may be better in California. It’s important to compare between providers on a coverage map of your specific city. Ookla’s coverage map allows you to see where cellular towers are located and which company owns them. This coverage map provides information about coverage from 2G to 5G for several providers.

However, T-Mobile’s 5G coverage and access is hailed as the best coverage overall. 

Plan Options

Both AT&T Prepaid and Boost Mobile offer not only multi-month options, but both unlimited and limited data plans. 

Like most plans you’ll see on the market, both carriers offer unlimited talk and texting options with any plan you choose. Some plans with both carriers offer multiple months of service for one price. Both companies deprioritize data, which means your connection may slow down during times of high traffic, such as a concert or a crowded parking lot. 

Both companies deprioritize data, meaning you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas.

Boost Mobile Plans

Boost Mobile offers monthly, 3 month, and annual plans. 

Boost Mobile offers several plans with varying data caps and lengths of service. Some plans will allow you to pay for several months of service up front at a cheaper price – either 3 or 12 months ahead.

Image courtesy of Boost Mobile’s website.

All plans at Boost Mobile are deprioritized. Boost Mobile’s QCI tier is 7 on T-Mobile, 8 on AT&T, and 9 on Dish. 

Some of Boost Mobile’s plans are for new customers only, so make sure to read the fine print.

You can have up to 4 lines on one plan. If you purchase your phone from Boost Mobile, your device will be locked for up to a year after activation. The plans they offer renew their data monthly, and taxes and fees are not included with the advertised price. 

1GB Per Month Annual Plan

This plan is for new customers only.

This plan is the smallest Boost Mobile offers at 1GB of data per month. You can use all plan data as mobile hotspot data. Data stops after the cap, and you lose hotspot access. 

The plan costs $8.33 per month, and $100 annually.

5GB Monthly

This plan is for new customers only.

This plan gives you 5GB of data, and stops after this cap. You get hotspot access and can use all plan data as hotspot data. 

The plan costs $15 per month. At this rate, you get 5GB at $3 per GB. 

Boost Mobile also offers this plan for $45 per month for 3 months, which is the same rate as their monthly plan. Both versions are for new customers only. 

5GB Annual 

This plan is for new customers only. 

Like its other 5GB plan, you get 5GB of data per month that can also be used as hotspot data. Once you hit the cap, data and hotspot access stop. 

The plan costs $14 per month, and $168 per year. At this rate, you get 5GB per month at $2.80 per GB. 

15GB Annual Plan

This plan gives you 15GB per month for a year of service. 

With the 15GB plan Boost Mobile offers, you can use all data as hotspot data. Data stops at 15GB, and you lose hotspot access at this data cap.

The plan costs $20 per month, and $240 per year. At this rate, you get 15GB per month at $1.33 per GB. 

Unlimited $25 Monthly

Autopay is required with this plan.

This plan gives you 30GB per month of full speed data, which slows to 3G speeds after this cap. You can use up to 30GB of the plan on hotspot data, and access stops after. 

The plan costs $25 per month. At this rate, you get 30GB at $0.83 per GB. Boost Mobile also offers 50% off for the first month of service with this plan. 

Unlimited $40 Monthly

This plan is for new customers only.

This plan is similar to the 3 month Unlimited plan, as it offers 30GB of full speed data before slowing to 3G speeds. The plan also gives you 12GB of hotspot data. 

The plan costs $40 per month. At this rate, you get 42GB per month for $0.95 per GB. 

Unlimited 3 Month Plan

This plan gives you 30GB before slowing down.

Your unlimited data resets at the beginning of every month, and you have up to 30GB of full speed data. Afterwards, data slows to 512 kbps, or 3G speeds. This is standard for the industry. You can still send texts and emails or scroll through social media without issue, but streaming video will be slower. This plan also gives you 12GB of hotspot data, which stops after the cap. 

This plan costs $90 every 3 months, or $30 per month. You get 42GB per month for $0.71 per GB. 

Unlimited Annual

It’s important to note that this plan requires you to buy a year worth of data.

This plan offers the best price out of all of Boost Mobile’s plans. Here, you get 30GB full speed data before your speeds slow to 3G. At 3G, you can still send emails and texts or scroll social media, but streaming video or playing games on your phone may be more difficult. This plan also comes with 12GB of hotspot data, which stops at that limit. 

This plan costs $300 per year, and $25 per month. At this rate, you get 42GB per month for $0.60

Unlimited Plus

This plan gives you 30GB of full speed data and 30GB of additional hotspot data. 

Unlimite Plus is Boost Mobile’s biggest plan. You get 30GB of data at full speeds before it slows to 3G speeds. The plan also gives you 30GB of hotspot data. 

The plan costs $60 per month. At this rate, you get 60GB at $1 per GB.

AT&T Prepaid Plans

AT&T prepaid offers several monthly plans, as well as 3 month and annual options.

AT&T offers 5 plans, varying between limited and unlimited data offerings. Their plans are deprioritized, which means your data will slow down during high traffic. All plans include unlimited talk and text, and all but 1 plan allows for up to 10 lines. Their limited data plans are on QCI tier 8, while their unlimited monthly plan is on QCI tier 8. 

If you purchase your phone from AT&T, your device will be locked for 6 months after activation. The plans they offer renew monthly, except for two plans, and taxes and fees are not included with the advertised price. 

5GB

This plan offers 5GB per month. 

This plan gives you 5GB of data. This connection then slows to 128 kbps, or 2G speeds. With these speeds, you can send texts and emails or browse the internet. However, playing games or streaming video will be difficult. This plan also includes mobile hotspot access, which users can use all plan data with. This access stops after 5GB. It also features rollover data, which means any data you don’t use rolls over to and is added to the next month of service. For example, if you use 2GB of data one month, the last 3GB of unused data will be added to the next month. 

The plan costs $30 per month. At this rate, you get 5GB at $6 per GB. 

8GB for 3 Months

This plan gives you 8GB per month for 3 months. 

This plan requires you to purchase 3 months of service, and it gives you 8GB per month. Data slows to 2G speeds once again after you hit this limit. You get mobile hotspot access for 8GB, then access stops once you hit the 8GB limit. Your data is also able to rollover to the next month of service. 

The plan costs $33 per month when you pay $99 for 3 months. At this rate, you get 8GB per month at $4.13 per GB. 

15GB

This plan gives you 15GB per month of service. 

This plan gives you 15GB and allows you to pay monthly. Again, data slows to 2G speeds after the 15GB cap. This plan also gives you mobile hotspot access, which stops after the 15GB data allotment.

The plan costs $40 per month. At this rate, you get 15GB at $2.67 per GB. 

Unlimited Annual

This plan gives you 16GB, requires you to sign up for a year of service, and only allows one line. 

This plan gives you 16GB of full speed data before slowing to 2G speeds. You do not get hotspot access with this plan. This plan also requires a new single line upon sign up, and you can only have one line on this plan.

The plan costs $25 per month. At this rate, you get 16GB at $1.56 per GB. 

Unlimited

This plan gives you a $15 Autopay discount. 

As their biggest plan, AT&T prepaid’s unlimited monthly plan gives you unlimited deprioritized data. Your data will slow down during times of congestion. You also get 5GB of hotspot data, which stops once you reach this cap.  

The plan costs $65 per month before the Autopay discount, and $50 after.

Features

AT&T offers spam protection, while Boost Mobile offers add-ons for their plans.

If you’re looking for a plan with more included features, such as international connection or domestic roaming data, it’s best to compare carriers with what they offer. Boost Mobile also offers add-ons for their plans to include more features for an additional fee. 

Domestic Roaming Data

AT&T Prepaid offers domestic roaming data on their plans. Boost Mobile does not include this feature. 

Mexico & Canada Connection

All AT&T Prepaid plans include talk, text, and data abilities in Mexico and Canada, except for their 5GB prepaid plan. Data in Mexico and Canada may be slowed to 2G. Boost Mobile offers an add-on, where you get unlimited talk and text to both Mexico and Canada as well as 1.5GB of data in Mexico for $5 per month. This add-on is included with the Unlimited Plus plan.

International Connection

Boost Mobile does not offer international data, but texts are $0.10 per message. AT&T Prepaid plans include international texting, but international talk and data requires an additional add-on.

Video Streaming Quality

All plans from Boost Mobile stream at 480p Standard Definition, except for Unlimited Plus. That plan streams at 1080p High Definition. AT&T Prepaid offers 720p High Definition on their annual unlimited plan and 3 month 8GB plan, and 480p Standard Definition on every other prepaid plan.  

Streaming Services

Boost Mobile and AT&T do not offer this feature.

Cloud Storage

Boost Mobile and AT&T do not offer this feature.

Device Financing

If you buy a phone from either carrier, the carrier allows you to pay for your device in installments over time.

WiFi Calling

Both carriers offer WiFi calling, which allows you to send and receive phone calls over a WiFi connection rather than cellular reception.

Spam Protection

All AT&T Prepaid plans include Active Armour with their plans, which blocks spam and fraud calls and secures WiFi connections. Boost Mobile does not offer this feature. 

Free Trial

Boost Mobile and AT&T do not offer this feature. 

Customer Service 

Both carriers offer thousands of stores across the country.

Boost Mobile offers several physical locations, and you can find the closest store to you with their store locator. They also offer support over the phone at (833)-502-6678 at 4 a.m. to 8 p.m.on Mon. through Fri. PST and 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST on Sat. and Sun. AT&T offers thousands of brick-and-mortar stores across the country, and you can find one near you with their store locator. For help specifically prepaid plans, you can text “prepaid” to 75421 on Mon. to Sat. at 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET and on Sundays at 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET. You can also call (800) 901-9878 on Mon. through Sat. from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. 

The Verdict

Boost Mobile offers better limited plan deals.  

If you need a limited data plan, Boost Mobile offers much better prices per GBs that you get included. All of their plans also allow you to have multiple lines and hotspot access, while the best plan with AT&T Prepaid does not. If you need lots of data, AT&T’s Prepaid Unlimited plan that allows you to pay monthly is a decent deal. 

We’d recommend checking your data usage before committing to a plan.

Want to compare other carriers?

Really.com helps users compare between features, coverage, price, reviews, and more!

Are you still unsure which carrier to choose, or which phone plan to pick? Use really.com to compare your top choices and find the best deal to fit your needs. Really allows you to compare and sort between most phone plans on the market without the hassle!