The 6 Best Cell Phone Plans in Alabama: Coverage, Price, and More

Key Points

• T-Mobile offers the Magenta and Magenta Max plans, with the latter providing double the amount of premium 5G data and a subscription to Netflix.
• Verizon has great family plans and the fastest speeds on the market, with options to add extra features like streaming service subscriptions.
• AT&T offers solutions for international calls and data while traveling abroad, with plans starting at $50 per month.
• Mint Mobile allows a three-month trial period at low prices before committing to a plan, with plans starting at $15 per month.
• Visible is a cheap plan that connects to Verizon’s network, but speeds may be slower during peak times.

If you’re currently looking for the best cell phone plans in Alabama, you’re in the right place. We have six different options, including those with the best coverage, best prices, and best customer service.

While this list is fairly extensive, it’s good to remember that these are just a few of our favorite plans and what we consider the best cell phone plans in Alabama. Feel free to do your own research into what plan and carrier will work best for your needs!

#1: T-Mobile

Customers can choose from a variety of coverage options from T-Mobile, but we will be talking about two specific plans. The first is the Magenta plan, and the second is the Magenta Max plan.

Both are fairly similar, with the former being $70 and the latter being $85 per line. However, the key difference is that the Magenta Max plan has double the amount of premium 5G data available — 100 GB vs 50 GB.

So, if data is your main concern when getting a phone plan, we’d suggest Magenta Max. And it also comes with a subscription to Netflix! The extra options are great because T-Mobile is considered the largest 5G network in the nation.

Additionally, T-Mobile doubles the data cap for its Magenta plan and has no cap at all for Magenta Max. And unlike other carriers, T-Mobile doesn’t deprioritize or throttle data once a certain amount is utilized — as long as you have a certain plan.

And even if you use the Magenta plan (only $70 a month!), you’ll get double the data before it starts to slow. Another fantastic feature of T-Mobile is that if you move service providers, you can get a new phone of your choice when you switch. This makes getting a new phone cheaper and means you can try out a new cell phone provider.

#2: Verizon

Verizon has great family plans and the fastest speeds on the market, according to experts and reviewers. The network provides the top family mobile plan options. So, this is the best choice if you need more than two lines.

The cost per line on a family plan decreases as you add more lines. For instance, a family of four might get the same plan from Verizon for only $35 per line, whereas the unlimited nationwide 5G plan costs $70 per month.

And you can add extra features at a lower cost, like subscriptions to streaming services — including Apple Music, Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+. These usually only add an extra $10 to your line, which is much cheaper than getting them on their own.

#3: AT&T

AT&T offers great options if you need to make international calls and use data while on the go. Several solutions are available from AT&T if you require data while traveling abroad.

For just $10 a month, you’ll get 250 minutes of international calling to more than 70 different nations. You can call 85 countries over an unlimited time period for $15. And you get unlimited international messaging from the US to more than 230 countries with all AT&T prepaid monthly plans.

If you choose a different phone plan, the cost can vary, especially if you need to buy a phone and don’t want to pay for it in full upfront. But for most customers, you can get a phone plan for just $50 a month, and family plans are even cheaper.

#4: Mint Mobile

Did you know that Mint Mobile allows you to try out its service for three months at the lowest prices before committing to a plan? This is pretty cool if you’re not sure if you’re ready to fully commit to a new phone plan.

Mint Mobile utilizes the network of another carrier (T-Mobile) but offers plans starting at just $15 per month for four gigabytes (GB) of data and unlimited talk and text.

The maximum monthly data allowance for “unlimited” plans is 35 GB, though, so keep that in mind if you’re an extreme power user or don’t connect your phone to WiFi. All of the plans are prepaid, which means you’ll pay upfront for the service you use.

#5: Visible

Visible is a cheap plan that connects to Verizon’s network as an MVNO. Unfortunately, there are only two plans available: Visible and Visible+. But if you’re single, this may work well for you.

The former plan costs $30 a month — taxes and fees included. In exchange for its $45 price tag, Visible+ offers unlimited speak, text, and data roaming in Mexico and Canada, in addition to international talking and texting to more than 30 other nations.

On the 99%-coverage network of Visible (according to their website), you can access both 4G and 5G data. However, the West Coast is a little more sparse than the East, according to Visible’s coverage map.

The major drawback of Visible is Verizon’s ability to lower priority speeds. So, Verizon users will receive the fastest speeds, whilst Visible subscribers can experience slower speeds when things get busy.

#6: Tello Mobile

Tello offers affordable options that practically everyone can use, with plans starting at just $10 a month. And, if you need to, you can make free international calls to more than 60 nations.

You can receive unlimited talk, text, and data on Tello, which uses the T-Mobile network like Mint Mobile, for just $29 per month per line. However, after using 25 GB of data, speeds do become noticeably slower.

Plans renew automatically every 30 days. However, you can cancel at any time without incurring any fees. You can also change to a different plan without paying any additional fees. You also have the option to keep your current phone or buy a new one when you join up for Tello.

Best Cell Phone Plans in Alabama: Recommendations

Before choosing any plan, you should make sure the coverage works well for your area using a coverage map.

How to Pick the Best Cell Phone Provider

Even though the list above includes our best cell phone options for residents of Alabama, there are a few things to look into before choosing a new provider.

Data Speeds

Smaller carriers are able to provide 5G coverage because of the big networks rolling it out. Even while 4G is still functional for the time being, you’ll want to have access to high-speed data, especially as it becomes more popular.

Unlimited Talk & Text

Unlimited talk and text are important for most users. Even if you don’t use all your data, texts, or minutes, having things be unlimited makes it easy to keep everything simple.

Price

Coverage is great, but some people can’t afford a large cell phone bill. While your budget will depend on what you need, on average, you should try to keep your bill to less than $75 per phone.

Tethering & Hotspot Data

Hotspot isn’t the most important reason to choose a cell phone carrier, but it is nice to have! In case you’re traveling, your internet goes out, or any other number of reasons, having a plan with Hotspot can help you stay productive when you need to.

Phone Options

Not everyone needs a smartphone or a super expensive piece of technology. But if you want to be able to upgrade your phone and/ or keep with the times, choosing a carrier that offers newer phones, or at least allows you to connect them to their network, is important.

What Type of Phone Plan Is Best?

Even though we’ve listed the best cell phone carriers, which phone plan is best for you?

Prepaid

One of the cheapest phone plan options is the prepaid plan. This is where you pay upfront and only use what you’ve paid for. Many people like that this plan has no contracts or credit checks.

Family

If your plan requires more than one line, this is an easy way to cut costs with most carriers because they will give discounts for each extra line added.

Data Only

Only need a phone every now and then? Plan on mostly using Wi-Fi? There are many options available for services that let you access the internet while you’re away from home and that offer data-only plans.

Best Cell Phone Plans in Alabama: Wrap Up

There is a wide range of cell phone plans with something for everyone, whether you’re seeking unlimited data, international calling, mobile hotspot access, or a variety of options. And, luckily, there are many different options that you can choose from in the state of Alabama!

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com.