Verizon Wireless is our best cell phone provider for 2021. It's one of the largest, to be sure, but it outperforms the competition in terms of reliability, speed, and network coverage. Verizon will suit anyone looking for a strong signal and consistent data service, with solid coverage throughout the majority of the country (although there are a few patchy zones in the north west and mid-west) and a large 5G network. It has a lower customer service rating than others, but it also has a larger customer base, so we'd expect a range of opinions and satisfaction ratings.

Verizon isn't a cheap carrier; in fact, its plans are among the most expensive on the market, but they do provide good value if you're willing to invest in your phone. If you want to pay as little as possible while still reaping the benefits of such a powerful network, you can pay $30 per month and receive approximately 500MB of data. International calling can be added for an additional $5 per month for unlimited calls to Mexico and Canada, or $10 for calls to 185 countries around the world.

Given Verizon's 5G network's dependability, you may be able to offset costs with your home internet provider by purchasing an unlimited 5G plan from Verizon and using it for the majority of your home broadband needs. If you find yourself out of the house more than in it, this is a great way to get great cell service while saving money elsewhere.

Network: 5G
Unlimited price: From $70/month
Budget plan: From $30/month

T-Mobile, which merged with Sprint, now provides some of the fastest 4G LTE speeds in the United States, as well as 5G nationwide coverage. When compared to similar offerings from Verizon Wireless and AT&T, T-unlimited Mobile's plans offer excellent value. Again, T-Mobile is an excellent choice if you want to downgrade your home fiber and go completely 5G with unlimited data.

T-plans Mobile's are straightforward and straightforward, with three tiers of unlimited pay monthly offerings beginning at $60 per month and several prepaid plans beginning at $40. There are also special plans for those over the age of 55, veterans, and first responders, all of which offer excellent value. T-Mobile also provides banking services, with savings available to wireless customers who use both services from the provider.

Furthermore, T-Mobile actually outperforms the other major carriers in terms of customer satisfaction, which is a significant advantage. Smaller cell phone companies are frequently.

Network: 5G
Unlimited price: From $60/month
Budget plan: From $40/month

If you want to go prepaid, Visible is a great option. It's a straightforward, streamlined offering that's intended to be simple to use and adaptable for those who don't want to deal with end-of-month bills. Unlimited data, calls, and texts are available for $40 per month. Depending on where you are in the country, your data speeds are limited to 5-12 Mbps, which is sufficient for basic streaming, social media, emails, and internet access. True data hogs will want faster speeds and a 5G plan (which Visible does not provide), but most users will be satisfied with these speeds.

The selection of phones is impressive, with most of the latest iPhones, including the SE and 12, as well as Samsung's flagship models, such as the S21. There are some good mid-range options, as well as a few budget handsets. If you go with pre-paid, you must consider the cost of financing or purchasing a handset outright, which will increase your monthly costs. If you already own a phone, you can bring it with you, which will save you money.

Visible operates on Verizon's network, which is the best in the United States, so its coverage is the best of any MVNO carrier. While Verizon customers are always given priority, you won't notice any slowdown in data speeds or network availability. Other advantages of Visible include the ability to manage your account entirely through the Visible app, the ability to add additional people to your 'Party,' and the ability to save money each month.

Network: 5G
Plans: $40/month
Extras: Discounts for multi-line plans

AT&T is one of the big three cell phone companies, which means it owns and operates its own cell tower network. That means its coverage is superior to most, as is its dependability. Depending on where you live, it could be the best cell network in the world. However, it is also more expensive as a result of this, so be wary. AT&T outperforms Verizon when it comes to plans for veterans and active-duty military personnel that can be extended to their families, so this is where it truly shines.

Plans range from unlimited pay monthly options to data-restricted and unlimited prepaid options. Pricing begins around $30 per month, with discounts available for multiple lines on a single contract.

AT&T currently has over 230 million customers in the United States, making it a popular choice. It has a good BBB rating and decent, but not stellar, customer reviews. It can't compete with T-Mobile in terms of customer satisfaction, and it can't compete with Verizon in terms of coverage, but it's still a good option.

Loyalty is something that our service providers adore. So, if you're an Xfinity customer - or plan to be - for your home internet, you get a great deal on your cell phone plan as well. Xfinity offers unlimited 5G network access (data, calls, texts, and so on) for $45 per month, which is significantly less than most plans on the big three networks. Sure, you're adding it to your fiber bill, so the total at the end of each month may appear exorbitant, but you're likely saving money on two essential services overall.

What's more, because Xfinity is based on Verizon's network, you'll have access to the fastest and most comprehensive network in the United States. This year, Verizon was rated as the best for 5G, making it a big draw here. It's a minor flaw, but it's difficult to criticize Xfinity's Verizon network service.

The phone selection is good, and if you don't want to go with unlimited data, you can pay for your cell plan on a download basis, starting at $15 for 1GB of data. You still get unlimited calls as part of that. It's a no-brainer for anyone who already has Xfinity, and if you're going to sign up for internet, you should seriously consider adding a cell plan as well.

Network: 5G
Unlimited price: $45/month
Budget plan: $15 per GB

Mint Mobile recently launched an incredible plan that includes unlimited 5G (or 4G LTE if you're out of range), unlimited texts and calls, and free calls to Mexico and Canada for... $30 per month. That's a fantastic deal, and you might be wondering what the catch is. There isn't really one, though this deal isn't perfect. Mint only offers the $30 rate for the first three months, after which it increases to $40 per month. Not quite as good, but still excellent for what you get. Most other providers charge more than $70 per month for unlimited 5G.

Another disadvantage is that Mint is only available on the T-Mobile network. Technically, it's one of the best 5G networks in the country, which is good because it means you're more likely to get a 5G signal than on most other networks. The issue is that Mint users will be deprioritized on this network, which means that during peak periods and in densely populated areas, speeds will slow to allow regular T-Mobile customers priority access to data and cell signal. But, once again, this isn't a huge deal because it only happens at large-scale gatherings.

Overall, we believe Mint is a solid value proposition. It offers a wide selection of brand new handsets, a free sim card with each plan, and you can go even cheaper (down to $15 per month) if you limit yourself to 4GB of data.

Network: 5G
Unlimited Plan: $30/month
Budget Plan: $15/month

Red Pocket Mobile is unique among smaller MVNO providers in that it covers almost all cell phone networks rather than just a few. This means that you can select the parent network that provides the best coverage in your area, whether it's GSMA (AT&T), CDMA (Verizon), GSMT (T-Mobile), or CDMAS (Sprint's legacy network).

Another distinguishing feature of Red Pocket is that all of its plans include unlimited data, minutes, and texts. Instead of restricting your data, Red Pocket restricts the amount of data you can receive at the fastest speeds. When you exhaust your data allowance, your speeds are throttled, but you are never disconnected. Prices range from $20 per month for 3GB of high-speed data to $50 per month for 50GB.

Customer reviews on Red Pocket appear to be mixed - some people get great cell service and love it, while others get terrible cell service and despise it. The value of Red Pocket is largely determined by where you live, but with monthly contracts, it's simple to try it out and see how the service works for you.

Network: 5G

Unlimited price: $20/ a month

Budget Plan: $20-$40 range of monthly

Many cell phone providers try to be everything to everyone, but Google Fi takes a different approach. It aspires to be the best network for some people. This means that while it may be the best option for you, many others will find it lacking.

Google Fi is an MVNO, which means it does not have its own network and must rely on others. While many companies do this, Google Fi goes a step further by utilizing multiple other networks and switching you between them based on which provides the best coverage at any given time. This sounds great in theory, and it is if you have one of the very few smartphones that support this feature.

If you take full advantage of what Google has to offer here, you'll get lightning-fast service with unlimited data and exceptional nationwide coverage at a very reasonable price. These savings can be increased if you sign up for a family plan, but good luck persuading your entire family to give up the iPhone.

Network: 5G
Unlimited price: From $70/month
Budget plan: From $20/month

Metro by T-Mobile is a prepaid cellular service that makes use of its parent company's excellent high-speed network. Its prices are lower, and its pricing is more transparent than T- Mobile's. The most expensive plan costs $60 per month and, in addition to unlimited data, includes Amazon Prime and 15GB of hotspot tethering. If you don't require that much hotspot data, you can save $10 by signing up for the $50 unlimited plan, which includes only 5GB of hotspot data.

Metro's Music Unlimited feature is nice because it's included with plans that cost $40 or more. Music Unlimited allows you to listen to music from over 40 services, including Pandora and Spotify, without using up your data allowance. This is especially useful because you can't add data in the middle of the cycle. It can also help you stay under the 35GB high-speed data limit on unlimited plans.

Its unlimited plans, on the other hand, have a maximum video streaming resolution of 480p. Although DVD-quality streaming is acceptable and consumes less data than HD streaming, it would be preferable to have the higher-quality option, especially since phone screens now support high resolutions.

Metro customers may experience data deprioritization to direct T-Mobile customers because it is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that operates on T-network. Mobile's If a large number of people use data on T-network Mobile's in the same location at the same time, Metro customers' speeds may slow.

Network: 5G
Unlimited price: From $60/month
Budget plan: From $30/month

US Mobile is an MVNO that allows you to customize almost every aspect of your plan, from the network to the amount of talk, text, and data you receive. It makes use of the Verizon and T-Mobile networks, two of the best and fastest in the United States. These networks support both types of cellular technologies used in the United States, which is convenient if you want to use your own phone with the service. Although it does offer unlimited plans, they are more expensive than those offered by other carriers.

The value of US Mobile is in its customization: you only pay for what you use. When compared to a big three cell phone company's unlimited everything plan, this approach can save usage-conscious customers a lot of money. If you only want unlimited texting, for example, it costs $9 per month. If your needs change, you can always add minutes, texts, or data to your account.

One disadvantage is that you are limited in terms of phone selection, so if you have your heart set on a specific model, you should check to see if US Mobile carries it.

Network: 5G
Unlimited price: From $45/month
Budget plan: From $5/month