AT&T is one of the three biggest carriers in the U.S., alongside T-Mobile and Verizon. It also happens to have one of the largest networks out there — and that means that even if it’s not the only option in your area, if you regularly stray out of major cities, it’s worth considering an AT&T plan. But no carrier makes choosing a plan easy, hence why we’ve put together this guide on the best AT&T plans.
There are a number of things to consider before subscribing to a new phone plan. Perhaps the first consideration, these days, is whether you want or need unlimited data. If you use a lot of data and don’t want to worry about not hitting limits, then an unlimited data plan is worth considering. Most carriers offer a few unlimited data plans, with varying features and limits in each of them.
You’ll also want to think about how many lines of service you need. If it’s just you, you’ll only need one line. But if you’re shopping for your family, you may need more. Thankfully, most carriers lower prices for more lines.
Other things to think about include whether or not you care about extra add-ons like streaming service subscriptions, what kinds of limits on data usage there are, and so on. It’s important to note that most unlimited data plans still throttle users to slower speeds eventually.
Without further ado, here are the best AT&T plans.
AT&T postpaid plans
AT&T’s best plans, like other carriers, are unlimited plans. That means that technically you’ll get unlimited data. So what are the differences between the plans? Read on to find out.
AT&T Unlimited Elite
Monthly pricing: $85 for one line, $75 per line for two lines, $60 per line for three lines, $50 per line for four lines, $45 per line for five lines.
AT&T Unlimited Elite is AT&T’s best plan, offering all the perks and features that you would ever want. You’ll get unlimited talk, text, and data, and AT&T says you won’t be throttled to lower speeds no matter how much data you use. And, you’ll get 40GB of hotspot data, so if you’re ever in a pinch on the go, you’ll be covered. So how much does it cost for 2 lines on AT&T? $75 per line for lines, and that’s a deal.
Unlimited Elite also has some international perks. That unlimited talk, text, and data carry over to Mexico and Canada, though you may end up on 2G speeds. You’ll also be able to text from the U.S. to over 120 countries for free.
One of the best perks on Unlimited Elite is that you’ll get a free
AT&T Unlimited Extra
Monthly pricing: $75 for one line, $65 per line for two lines, $50 per line for three lines, $40 per line for four lines, $35 per line for five lines
Unlimited Extra is one step down from Unlimited Elite. This plan still gives you unlimited talk, text, and data, however if you use more than 50GB of data in a month you may find that AT&T throttles your speeds a little. Hotspot data is reduced to 15GB, though that should still be enough for most who don’t use it often. And, you’ll get the same international perks as Unlimited Elite.
Unlike Unlimited Elite, you won’t get HBO Max on this plan, and when you stream video, it will be limited to 480p. You will still get six months of Stadia Pro on Unlimited Extra, and also can claim six months of Nvidia’s GeForce Now.
Is the AT&T unlimited plan really unlimited? In a word, yes. The only thing is that if you’re a heavy data user, your speed in which you can access the internet could possibly be throttled (slowed down) after 50GB of usage.
What is AT&T’s cheapest unlimited plan? AT&T Unlimited Starter
Monthly pricing: $65 for one line, $60 per line for two lines, $45 per line for three lines, $35 per line for four lines, $30 per line for five lines
Unlimited Starter is AT&T’s most basic and cheapest unlimited subscription. You’ll still get unlimited talk, text, and data, but AT&T says that it could throttle your speeds “if the network is busy,” regardless of how much data you’ve used. And, you won’t get any hotspot data — so if you need a hotspot, you’ll want to upgrade.
International perks on this plan are the same. You’ll get unlimited talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada, and you’ll get unlimited texting to over 120 countries around the world.
Video streaming on Unlimited Starter is limited to standard definition, and you will still get six months of Stadia Pro on this plan, with the ability to claim six months of Nvidia’s GeForce Now.
AT&T connected devices lines
With any of these plans, you may want to give an Apple Watch or tablet access to your data. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to do so.
You can add a cellular Apple Watch to your plan for $10 per month, which includes the ability to receive calls to your watch on the go, without needing to deal with a second number.
You can add a tablet to any unlimited data plan for $20 per month. And, you can add a connected car to your unlimited data plan for $20 per month.
AT&T 4GB plan
Monthly pricing: $50 for one line, $45 per line for two lines, $40 per line for three or more lines
AT&T offers another postpaid plan that isn’t an unlimited data plan. On this plan, you’ll get unlimited talk, text, and 4GB of data per month. You’ll be able to use that data as you want — that’s to say, you can enable a hotspot, but that usage will count against your data. This plan limits streaming to standard definition and allows for unlimited texting from the U.S. to over 120 countries.
AT&T prepaid plans
Perhaps you prefer to subscribe to a prepaid plan. Thankfully, AT&T offers a range of prepaid plans too, with different amounts of data to choose from. Here’s a rundown of AT&T’s prepaid plans.
8GB plan
This is AT&T’s cheapest prepaid plan, because of the fact that you’ll prepay for 12 months of use. In other words, while it equates to around $25 per month, you’ll actually be spending $300 per year.
The plan offers unlimited talk and text, along with 8GB of data, though you won’t get access to 5G networks. Data can roll over to the next month, and you can use it for a hotspot, if you so choose. You’ll also get streaming at HD quality, though remember that higher-quality video consumes more data. And, you can use your data in Mexico and Canada.
5GB plan
The 5GB plan is a little more expensive because of the fact that you’ll pay monthly. It comes in at $30 per month, and offers unlimited talk and text, and 5GB of data. You’ll also get hotspot usage, and data can roll over to the text month. Video streaming is limited to standard definition, and while you can use your phone in Mexico and Canada, you’ll pay extra for each use.
15GB plan
Next up is the 15GB plan, which is essentially the same as the 5GB plan, but has 15GB of data, and allows you to use your phone in Mexico and Canada. This plan costs $40 per month.
Unlimited plan
The Unlimited plan offers unlimited data, however, AT&T says that it may slow down your speeds if the network is busy. You won’t be able to use your data as a hotspot without paying for an add-on, and streaming is still limited to standard definition. This plan costs $50 per month with autopay enabled, or $65 without it.
Unlimited Plus plan
Last but not least is the Unlimited Plus plan, which offers unlimited data that isn’t throttled until you use more than 22GB in a month. This is the only AT&T prepaid plan that does offer 5G access, and it gives you 10GB of hotspot usage included in the plan. You’ll also get 100GB of cloud storage, the ability to stream HD video, and the ability to use your phone in Mexico and Canada. The plan currently costs $50 per month with autopay if you activate a new line. Otherwise, it’s $60 per month with autopay, or $75 per month without autopay.
Does AT&T offer senior discounts?
AT&T’s senior customers that subscribe to monthly phone plans get a 10% discount through their AARP membership. It makes AT&T’s least expensive unlimited plan with unlimited data only $63 a month for the first line, and $112.50 a month for two lines together.
How can I lower my AT&T cell phone bill?
If you don’t want to change carriers, here’s a quick guide:
- Look around for less expensive plans from AT&T. The carrier introduces new offers regularly.
- Sign up for AutoPay and get a discount.
- Add additional phone lines to make the total amount per line lower.
- Find additional discounts, like through AARP if you’re a senior.
