Google Fi vs. Boost Mobile: Which carrier is better?

Google Fi and Boost Mobile are some of the most popular prepaid carriers on the market, as they offer great plans at great prices. 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

Google Fi is on the T-Mobile network, while Boost Mobile is on several networks.

Google Fi and Boost Mobile are mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs. 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. Google Fi is an MVNO of T-Mobile, while Boost Mobile is an MVNO of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Dish. If you choose Boost Mobile, you can choose which network you’d like to use. 

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

Google Fi offers premium data, and Boost Mobile offers several limited and unlimited plans. 

Like most plans you’ll see on the market, both carriers offer unlimited talk and texting options with any plan you choose. Google Fi offers premium data, which does not slow down no matter the amount of network traffic. Boost Mobile offers several limited and unlimited plans to choose from. Both carriers deprioritize data, meaning you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas.

Google Fi Plans

Several plans offer unlimited data with premium data at a cap. 

Google Fi offers 2 unlimited plans and one plan with pay-per-use data. Each of its unlimited plans offer a limited amount of premium data. Each plan allows up to 6 lines and renews monthly. Google Fi is on QCI tier 6 of 9.

Image courtesy of Google Fi’s website. 

Flexible 

This plan allows you to pay for the exact amount of data you use each month. 

Google Fi’s Flexible plan is unlike a lot of other plans on the market, as it allows you to pay a set amount per month for talk and text features. Users then pay for only the amount of data they use. After 15GB of data, your speed is slowed to 256 kbps, or 3G speeds. You can still send texts, emails, and use social media with little issues. Streaming video will be much more difficult. 

The plan also includes the ability to buy mobile hotspot data, and all plan data can be used as hotspot data. 

The plan costs $20 per month, plus $10 for each GB you use. For example, you’d pay about $70 per month if you used 5GB.

Simply Unlimited 

This plan gives you 35GB of premium data before slowing down. 

The Simply Unlimited plan gives you 35GB of premium data. Premium data means your data will not be deprioritized in times of high traffic and congestion. After 35GB, data slows down to 3G speeds. 5GB of hotspot data is also included in the plan, then stops after that allotment. 

The plan costs $50 per month. At this rate, you get 35GB at $1.42 per GB. 

Unlimited Plus

This plan is 50GB of premium data. 

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan has 50GB of premium data. Connection is then slowed down to 3G speeds. You can use all 50GB of plan data as mobile hotspot data, but hotspot data stops after the 50GB. 

The plan costs $65 per month. At this rate, you get 50GB at $1.30 per GB. 

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. 

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.

Features

Both carriers offer the most features with their Plus 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

Google Fi offers domestic roaming data on their plans. Boost Mobile does not offer this feature. 

Mexico & Canada Connection

Google Fi offers talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada included with both its unlimited plans. However, only text is included in their Flexible plan. Talk and data are pay-per-use. 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

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan includes international text and data. Calling internationally is pay-per-use outside the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Simply Unlimited plan does not include international connection, and the Flexible plan includes international texting, but talk and data are pay-per-use. Calling costs $0.20 per minute. Boost Mobile does not offer international data, but texts are $0.10 per message. There is also an add on available for unlimited plans to include international talk.  

Video Streaming Quality

Google Fi offers 4k Ultra High Definition streaming for their Flexible plan and 480p Standard Definition streaming for their unlimited data plans. All plans from Boost Mobile stream at 480p Standard Definition, except for Unlimited Plus. That plan streams at 1080p High Definition. 

Streaming Services

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan offers a free subscription to Youtube Premium. Boost Mobile does not offer this feature. 

Cloud Storage

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan offers 100GB of Google One. Boost Mobile does 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 Google Fi plans offer spam protection included. Boost Mobile does not offer this feature.  

Free Trial

Google Fi offers a 7 day free trial. Boost Mobile does not offer this feature.  

Customer Service 

Google Fi does not have physical stores, leaving all of their customer service to online support. Boost Mobile offers several stores across the country. 

Google Fi is a  digital-only carrier, meaning they only offer customer support online. Google Fi offers 24/7 customer support over chat and over the phone at 1-844-TALK-2-FI. 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. 

The Verdict

Boost Mobile offers a better price, but Google Fi’s included features make up for the difference.  

Since Google Fi offers Youtube Premium and Cloud Storage features with their version of Unlimited Plus, the more expensive price is justified. However, if you’d prefer additional hotspot access over Youtube Premium and Google One, Boost Mobile may be the better option for you. Boost Mobile is also the better option when it comes to limited data plans, as the Flexible plan Google Fi offers is more expensive. However, since Simply Unlimited doesn’t offer the nicer features that Unlimited Plus does with Google Fi, go with a Boost Mobile plan if you don’t need as much data. 

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

Want to compare other carriers?

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