The Top International Cell Phone Plans to Keep in Contact Overseas

Traveling is something that many people enjoy doing. Whether you’re interested in checking out the many states and their scenery,national parks,, or you’re going overseas to some of the Asian countries, Europe, or even South America, traveling is a great way to spend your time.

Going on a vacation to another country usually means one thing, and that is a cell phone plan that offers international features. From talk, text, data, and other important features included for any cell phone plan, you need to get one that works no matter what part of the planet Earth you’re on.

Consider one of these top international cell phone plans for your next journey no matter where you’re going!

If you are looking to switch cell phone carriers, then consider checking into Really to help you with all of your phone services needs! At Really, you can compare phone plans to get more bang for your buck, and you can see what carriers and plans are in your area, sort by price, best value and more, and even click on the plan you wish to learn more about in an instant.

What Cell Phone Features Do You Need to Travel Abroad?

Getting the features that you need are crucial when traveling out of the country, so check out our list of essentials!

A cell phone plan that has all of the features that you need for traveling abroad is important in order to stay in contact with loved ones back home. Image courtesy of NerdWallet.

Going to travel to many different countries requires you to have a cell phone plan with international talk, text, and much more. It is important to get all of the features that you need before signing up for any plan, but what features those are is up to you.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common features that people usually get in an international cell phone plan!

Unlimited Talk and Text

One of the most important features that you need to have for any cell phone plan, but especially an international one, is unlimited talk and text. Having this crucial feature is essential to have for not only an international plan, but also for any personal cell phone plan you have.

It is a great way to stay in contact with loved ones that live back home so they can check up on you and make sure you’re safe, and vice versa. It can also be a great way to communicate with the friends that you made while traveling abroad to keep in touch with them for years to come.

Set Data Allotment or Unlimited Plan

A feature that you need to have when it comes to getting an international cell phone plan is making sure that you have data to last you the trip. Having data can be great for whenever you want to post some pictures on your Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or any other social media, or to make an online travel blog of your trip.

Even if you don’t want to publicly post your trip, having either a set data allotment, or an unlimited data plan can be great so you can continue to do things you normally would do if you were back home. Whether it’s scrolling through social media while you’re waiting for public transportation, or even if you need to to talk to loved ones, having a data plan is essential to have before your trip.

Wi-Fi Calling and Texting

Another great feature that you should make sure to have no matter what cell phone plan you have is one that has Wi-Fi calling and texting capabilities. If you are someone who doesn’t want to have data when they travel abroad to save money, or think you are going to run out of your set data allotment, this can be a great option for you.

Wi-Fi calling and texting is great for people who don’t have any access to data while traveling abroad, instead all you need to do is make sure that you have a stable data connection. You can use different services such as FaceTime (with Apple devices only), Zoom, Google Hangouts, and dozens of others.

Avoid “Pay-As-You-Go” Rates

Something that isn’t necessarily a feature, but one to avoid is any plan that offers “pay-as-you-go” rates. With this type of payment for international plans, it can be quite expensive for someone who is traveling overseas, especially for long periods of time. What this means is that you will be charged depending on how much data you use, texts you send, and minutes you use whenever calling loved ones back home.

Instead, we recommend signing up for a cell phone plan that offers international rates that are included with the plan so you don’t worry about having to pay anything extra. Roaming fees are when you are charged for using other networks overseas and how much it costs can depend on the network you’re using and how long you’re using it for.

Mobile Hotspot

If you want to help avoid getting scammed just from using free public Wi-Fi in other countries, one of the best things that you can make sure that you have on your international cell phone plan is a mobile hotspot. Not only can this help you avoid scams, but it can protect you and your personal information from getting out and into the wrong hands.

A mobile hotspot is super easy to use and can be used anywhere your data can be. All you need to do is turn it on in the settings of your phone, set your own personalized password, and you can connect all of your devices to it to keep everything safe from hackers.

The Best International Cell Phone Plans to Take Advantage Of

It can be difficult to find the best international cell phone plan no matter where you’re headed, so check out one of these plans now!

It’s important to get a reliable international cell phone plan for your upcoming trip. Image courtesy of Tortuga.

It can be difficult to find the best cell phone plan for international use, especially when there are so many kinds of carriers to choose from with great plans too. Finding the best international cell phone plan can help you to save money instead of opting for a “pay-as-you-go” plan and there can be plenty of other benefits too.

Google Fi

If you’re looking for a prepaid plan that is known to have all of the features you need for an international plan, unlimited data plans, mobile hotspots, and more for a great price, then Google Fi is one of the best carriers to check out. This prepaid carrier uses any network that works best in your area, whether it’s AT&T, Verizon Wireless, or even T-Mobile, and this decision can be left in your hands.

Google Fi has so many of the best features to check out if you’re interested in signing up for one of their unlimited plans that are great for international use:

Unlimited talk and text
Unlimited high-speed 5G data
T-Mobile’s 5G nationwide service and coverage
No contracts or activation fees
Built-in VPN and spam blocking
Data budgets available
Contact controls available
24/7 customer support
Easily switch plans whenever you want to
Use Fi app to manage your account anytime
Mobile hotspot available on some plans
Entertainment perks available
100GB of cloud storage available on some plans
Free unlimited international talk and text to Canada and Mexico
Free talk and text to over 200+ countries on some plans

There are a few different plan options to choose from:

Flexible - $17 per line per month plus for unlimited talk, text, and $10 per GB of data used
Simply Unlimited - $20 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, and data
Unlimited Plus - $40 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, data, and mobile hotspot

Mint Mobile

If you are in need of an international cell phone plan for your upcoming trip outside of the country, one of the best plans that you can get is Mint Mobile. This is an MVNO that can help you save hundreds of dollars on your plan per month using T-Mobile fast and reliable 5G network.

There are so many features that come from getting a Mint Mobile cell phone plan that you will love:

Unlimited talk and text
Unlimited 35GB of 4G LTE or 5G data with reduced data speeds after
Uses T-Mobile’s 5G nationwide coverage
3-in-1 SIM Card Kit or eSIM for eligible cell phones
Keep your current cell phone and number when switching to Mint Mobile
Free international calling and texting to Mexico and Canada
5GB of a mobile hotspot available
Wi-Fi calling and texting available
New customer discounts
Add two lines starting at $15 per line
Flexibility to change your plan if you’re not liking it
Manage your account with the Mint Mobile app

If you decide that Mint Mobile is the right carrier for you, there are a few plans of theirs you’ll want to consider and they are:

$15 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, and 4GB of data
$20 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, and 10GB of data
$25 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, and 15GB of data
$30 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, and data

T-Mobile Magenta Plans

If you prefer to get a cell phone plan through a large carrier that has reliable service and coverage, consider getting an international cell phone plan through T-Mobile.

Some of the features of a T-Mobile Magenta plan can be helpful when traveling to any country outside of the United States include:

Unlimited talk, text, and data
Truly unlimited 5G data on all plans
International calling to Canada and Mexico
Up to 40GB of a mobile hotspot
Nationwide 4G LTE and/or 5G high-speed data
Taxes and fees included in monthly price
Exceptional customer service
Bring your own cell phone and number
Entertainment perks
Scam shield to protect you against scammers
T-Mobile Tuesdays for exclusive perks
Travel benefits

The Magenta plans through T-Mobile are all great:

Essentials Plan - $60 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, data and mobile hotspot
Magenta Plan - $70 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, data, mobile hotspot and 100GB of premium data
Magenta MAX Plan - $85 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, data, 40GB of premium high-speed mobile hotspot, 100GB of premium data, and Netflix

AT&T International Plans

Another great large carrier to check out if you want to get an international plan with reliable service and coverage is AT&T. If you want to get a cell phone plan that has all of the features that we listed earlier all-in-one, then AT&T is the best plan.

There is nothing better than the features that are offered through an AT&T cell phone plan, and those can be everything from:

Unlimited talk, text, and data
50GB of premium 5G high-speed data and then slower unlimited data afterwards
AT&T’s incredible 5G nationwide service and coverage
AT&T ActiveArmor which protects you while using public Wi-Fi, Identity Monitoring, and more
15GB of a mobile hotspot available per line
Unlimited international talk, text, and data in Canada and Mexico
Unlimited texting from the United States to 200+ countries
Standard definition streaming included

There are also a few different options for cell phone plans through AT&T that provide everything that you need for your international trip:

AT&T Unlimited Starter Plan - $65 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, data, and 3GB of a mobile hotspot
AT&T Unlimited Extra Plan - $75 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, data, and 15G of a mobile hotspot
AT&T Unlimited Premium Plan - $85 per line per month for unlimited talk, text, data, and 50G of a mobile hotspot

Boost Mobile

Another great MVNO that you won’t want to miss out on is Boost Mobile when it comes to international cell phone plans. Boost Mobile helps customers save money with their affordable plans with set data allotments and if you want to use your phone internationally, all you need to do is pay $150 per month.

Boost Mobile offers a ton of features onto their cell phone plan for an incredible price that include the following: