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Who Has the Best Cell Phone Plan for Families? Keep in Contact at an Affordable Price

By
Sara Nuss
March 8, 2023

Having a big, happy family is one of the most rewarding experiences to have in life. Being able to spend time and rely on people who love you and have your back is one of the best feelings in life. There are also many perks to being a part of a  family.

Having a family cell phone plan is a great way to save more money per month. It is a way that you can continue to get the same features and entertainment perks that everyone in the family will enjoy as well. But with so many plans and carriers to choose from, it can be hard to find the one that best suits your loved ones.

Let’s talk about some of the best carriers that have the best family plans for your loved ones!

If you want to switch cell phone carriers, then consider looking 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. 

Important Features to Get For a Family Cell Phone Plan

Making sure you have everything you need for your family cell phone plan is crucial, so here are the features to get!

A cell phone plan fit for the whole family is essential to have, especially one that you can add many lines to. Image courtesy of What Phone

It can be difficult to find the right cell phone plan for your family, especially if there are certain features that each family member wants. From unlimited data, a mobile hotspot, entertainment perks, and even a plan that lets you add as many lines as you need is important for many families, but finding the right carrier can be tricky.

Here are some of the most important features that you will need for any family cell phone plan!

Set Data Allotment or an Unlimited Plan

One of the most important features for any cell phone plan no matter how many lines you include on it is having data. Whether you want a set data allotment, which gives your family a certain amount that they can use each month, or an unlimited data plan, are the two main options that are important to consider before selecting anything.

Some carriers allow you to choose how much data to give each line on your cell phone plan, but others want you to select a certain GB of data that everyone can use collectively. Depending on how many people are on your plan and how much data they tend to use, sometimes an unlimited plan can be the best option, so everyone can use as much as they like. 

A Price Within Your Budget

Family cell phone plans can be extremely expensive, so it’s important to choose a plan that can fit within your budget. Family plans tend to be more expensive because you can add a lot of lines to your plan. Luckily, there are many plans out there where the more lines you add, the more money that you can save in the long run.

You can save more money with large carriers, such as Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile, by adding more lines to your plan, but an MVNO, or mobile virtual network operator, is a great option to choose as well. MVNOs can help save money. MVNOs don’t own their own network, but they instead share it off of one of the large carriers, but you can save significantly less money on a plan.

Entertainment Perks

Another great feature for many family plans is to choose one that also provides many kinds of entertainment perks. This type of feature can help you save money on the different streaming services where they are included in your cell phone plan bill at the end of the month.

There are a ton of carriers that offer entertainment perks ranging from Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, ESPN+, Disney+. You can even get a bunch of music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and more. 

High-Speed Data Coverage

An important part about choosing a cell phone plan is determining what network works best in your area. The main three in the United States that currently offer the fastest 4G LTE and 5G data speeds are T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T, and choosing a carrier based on what network works best in the area you live in is essential.

You may be wondering how you can choose the right cell phone plan if you don’t know what network works best in your area, but there is an easy way to do this. All you need to do is look online for a coverage map that can pinpoint exactly what network is the best for your area, so you can choose a carrier easier.

Unlimited Talk and Text

One of the most important features to get with any cell phone plan nowadays because it’s easier to have, is unlimited talk and text. While most cell phone options only offer unlimited talk and text options, other plans offer a set amount of minutes and unlimited texting.

There is nothing worse than going over your set text/talk allotment every month, and especially for a family, which is why the unlimited option is the best to get. This way you never have to worry about paying extra charges for going over your minutes every month.

Who Has the Best Family Cell Phone Plan?

While it can be difficult to pinpoint who has the best family cell phone plan, here are the most notable ones worth mentioning!

Getting a family cell phone plan is important to get to keep in close contact with loved ones, and enjoy all of the perks that come with it. Image courtesy of Google Families

Consider checking out some of these incredible family cell phone plans, that are some of the best in the country, to sign up for immediately!

US Mobile

An MVNO can save you a lot of money, and if you’re looking for the ultimate family plan, then you should consider US Mobile. A unique feature about US Mobile is that depending on where you’re located, you can use Verizon Wireless or T-Mobile’s high-speed service and coverage.

There are a bunch of features with US Mobile that you can get on almost any of their plans:

  • Uses Verizon Wireless or T-Mobile’s 5G nationwide coverage
  • Unlimited talk and text plans
  • Set data allotment plans and unlimited data plans available
  • Free SIM card with phone purchase
  • 30-day risk-free trial
  • Mobile hotspot available on most plans
  • 24/7 customer service available
  • Entertainment perks

Here are a few that are great family plans that they offer:

  • $10 per month for unlimited talk, text, and 5GB of data
  • $15 per month for unlimited talk, text, and 15GB of data
  • $20 per month for for unlimited talk, text, and 25GB of data
  • $35 per month for unlimited talk, text, and data
  • $45 per month for unlimited talk, text, and high-speed 5G data

Mint Mobile

If you want to sign up for a family plan through an MVNO to save even more money, then one of the best carriers to choose from is Mint Mobile. This carrier operates under T-Mobile’s high-speed service and coverage and has some of the best rates going.

There are a ton of reasons why people choose Mint Mobile as their family cell phone plan carrier:

  • Unlimited talk and text
  • Set data allotment plans or unlimited plans offered
  • Three-month, six-month, or year-long plans available
  • T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G coverage
  • High-speed 5G data 
  • Free calling to Mexico and Canada
  • Free 3-in-1 SIM card included when you sign up
  • Free mobile hotspot included in all plans
  • Wi-Fi calling and texting
  • Keep your current phone or buy a new one
  • Keep your current phone number or get a new one
  • Keep your contacts, photos, and apps when you switch plans
  • Mint Mobile app available to make payments and more

There are four different plans that Mint Mobile offers its customers and you can customize each line depending on how much data each member of your family needs:

  • $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

Sometimes spending the extra money on a large cell phone carrier is worth it to get the best nationwide service and coverage in your area. One of the best carriers to choose from when it comes to the best family cell phone plans is T-Mobile, but more specifically, their popular Magenta plans

T-Mobile has a ton of features, including entertainment perks that you and your family will want to take advantage of:

  • 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

There are also a few different plans offered for families, and you can add up to five or more lines if needed:

  • Essentials Plan - $60 per month for four-lines for unlimited talk, text, data and mobile hotspot
  • Essentials Four Line Plan - $100 per month for up to six-lines for unlimited talk, text, data and mobile hotspot
  • Magenta Plan  - $70 per month for four-lines for unlimited talk, text, data, mobile hotspot and 100GB of premium data
  • Magenta MAX Plan - $85 per month for four-lines for unlimited talk, text, data, 40GB of premium high-speed mobile hotspot, 100GB of premium data, and Netflix

Visible By Verizon

Verizon Wireless is one of the best carriers out there, but their own plans tend to be very pricey. If you’re looking to save money, but still get access to their amazing service and coverage, then you should consider their very own MVNO, Visible

Visible is notable for having great service and coverage through Verizon Wireless, but what else do they offer?

  • Unlimited talk, text, and data
  • 4G LTE or 5G nationwide coverage
  • Unlimited mobile hotspot
  • Spam protection
  • Unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada
  • 5G ultra wideband on their most expensive plan
  • Unlimited roaming in Mexico and Canada on most expensive plan
  • International calling and texting to 30+ countries
  • International texting to 200+ countries
  • 24/7 access to customer service
  • Add a smartwatch for and extra $5 per month
  • No hidden fees 

There are two different cell phone plans to consider through Visible that are both great options depending on the amount of data you need:

  • Visible Plan - $30 per month for unlimited talk, text, data, mobile hotspot, and 4G LTE and 5G nationwide coverage
  • Visible+ Plan - $45 per month for unlimited talk, text, data, mobile hotspot, 4G LTE and 5G nationwide coverage, 5G ultra wideband, and premium network experience

Cricket Wireless

MVNOs might be right up your alley when it comes to getting a family cell phone plan, and one that has been around for a long time is Cricket Wireless. Using AT&T’s super fast 5G service and coverage, you’ll enjoy one of the most popular MVNOs that can be used almost anywhere in the country.

Cricket Wireless has a ton of amazing features that are included on all of their plans, making them great for families:

  • Fast nationwide 5G coverage
  • High-speed data access
  • Unlimited talk, text, and picture messaging
  • HD voice and Wi-Fi calling
  • Cricket Call Defense to protect you from spam calls
  • Affordable Connectivity Program if you’re eligible
  • Mobile hotspot on most plans
  • HBO Max included in plan price
  • Cloud storage available
  • International calling to Canada and Mexico
  • International text to 37 countries
  • Save more money by adding more lines

There are a bunch of different plans to choose from when you sign up through Cricket Wireless:

  • $30 per month for one-line, unlimited talk and text, and 5GB of high-speed data
  • $40 per month for one-line, unlimited talk and text, and 10GB of high-speed data
  • $55 per month for one-line, unlimited talk, text, and data
  • $60 per month for one-line, unlimited talk, text, and data, and 15GB of a mobile hotspot

It’s important to find the perfect cell phone plan for you and your family that includes everything that you need. From unlimited talk and text, a data plan, entertainment perks, and an affordable price, getting everything you need all on one plan is important.

Make sure to check out some of these carriers that offer the best family cell phone plans around!

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Sara Nuss
Sara Nuss is a journalist from Pittsburgh, PA that specializes in wireless, dewi, phone plan advice & blockchain.
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