Key Points
- T-Mobile offers a variety of family plan options with competitive rates and bonuses.
- The Go5G Plus and Magenta MAX plans offer unlimited premium data, while the other plans have data caps.
- All T-Mobile plans include a mobile hotspot, but the amount of data varies depending on the plan.
- T-Mobile family plans are monthly and offer flexibility with no annual service fees.
- Magenta or Go5G are recommended for most households, while Essentials is a basic option with limited features.
There are many T-Mobile Family Plan choices you can make for making sure your household has coverage. Rates on a monthly basis are competitive but can be fairly typical depending on the plan selected.
You can certainly have your pick of what sort of coverage is available, along with some nice bonuses. If you’ve been on the hunt for a new mobile plan, T-Mobile might be worth a look.
Do be aware that the pricing in this guide is centered around a household of up to five individuals. This is the maximum you’ll find for online orders that T-Mobile processes.
Whether you’re wanting to get the latest and greatest iPhone or just get an affordable hotspot, T-Mobile might be a great choice.
T-Mobile Family Plan Pricing & Details: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Go5G Plus | Go5G | Essentials | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Data | Unlimited | 100GB a month | 50GB a month |
| Hotspot | 50GB for mobile hotspot use | 15GB for mobile hotspot use | Unlimited 3G hotspot use |
| Unlimited Talk | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited Text | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Annual Service Contract? | No | No | No |
| Device Upgrade Policy | New in Two | None provided | None provided |
| Streaming Included | Netflix and Apple TV | Netflix and 6 month trial of Apple TV | None provided |
| Magenta MAX | Magenta | |
|---|---|---|
| Premium Data | Unlimited | 100GB a month |
| Hotspot | 40GB of data for mobile hotspot use | 5GB of data for mobile hotspot use |
| Unlimited Talk | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited Text | Yes | Yes |
| Annual Service Contract? | No | No |
| Device Upgrade Policy | None provided | None provided |
| Streaming Included | Netflix and Apple TV | Netflix and a 6-month trial of Apple TV |
T-Mobile Family Plan Pricing & Details: What’s the Difference?
The many T-Mobile family plan options do have some overlap. That said, there are quite a few differences between many of the plans.
Data Caps
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Both Go5G Plus and Magenta MAX come with unlimited premium data. What this means is users on your plan will get access to unlimited 5G or 4G data access on a monthly basis.
The other three plans do have data caps. After the set limit is exceeded for the month, it will default to 3G access. Magenta has the highest data cap at 100GB of usage, which should prove to be ample for any user in your household.
Essentials has the least, with only 50GB a month. Go5G is similar to Magenta in having 100GB of data provided every month.
If you’re trying to pick the best T-Mobile family plan and it’s down to just raw numbers, Go5G Plus or Magenta MAX might be the best picks. You get more data every month to use, which is great for folks that watch their movies and shows on the go.
Pricing
Go5G Plus is the most expensive plan available, with a base rate of $95 a month and an additional $65 per line. With all T-Mobile family plan options, you do get the bonus of adding a third line for free. Effectively, this means the Go5G Plus plan for three lines would ordinarily run $200 a month.
Magenta MAX is the second most expensive, running with a base rate of $90 a month. Additional lines are $60 a month, with the aforementioned included the third line for free. You’d be looking at $185 a month to cover three individuals.
Go5G’s base plan will run you $170 a month for three lines. There is a lot of overlap between the Go5G plan and Magenta, so it might be worth looking at the cheaper option.
The basic Magenta plan follows, running $155 a month for three lines. You’re still getting a good amount of coverage and bonuses with this plan, so it isn’t a terrible choice.
This is rounded out by the Essentials plan, which runs $120 a month for three lines. Given how little extra comes with the plan, this is only really recommended for households on tighter budgets.
Overall, the best value is probably the Magenta plan. It doesn’t come with some of the phone financing options that Go5G Plus has, but that additional $45 a month could cover financing at a different retailer depending on your needs.
Perks and Bonuses
All of T-Mobile’s plans come with an included mobile hotspot. The data cap on the hotspot is more restrictive than if you were using your phone or mobile device for internet access. Still, for those looking to work on the go, it can be an attractive option.
Go5G Plus is the best plan in terms of perks. You’re getting 50GB of mobile hotspot data, a Netflix subscription for two separate users, and Apple TV.
Magenta MAX includes both the Netflix subscription and Apple TV, but you’ll only be getting 40GB of mobile hotspot data.
Go5G and Magenta round out with free Netflix, a 6-month trial of Apple TV, and 15 and 5GB of mobile hotspot data respectively.
Essentials has unlimited 3G mobile hotspot data, but there are no additional perks included. Of the plans on offer from T-Mobile, Essentials is the barest family plan you can choose.
Of these plans, only Go5G Plus has any provisions for device upgrades. If you’re constantly upgrading your phone, you can take advantage of the New in Two option. This lets new and existing customers get a new device every two years at a greatly reduced rate.
Contract or Monthly?
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All T-Mobile family plan options are, effectively, monthly plans. You might be able to lock in a lower rate when taking advantage of periodic promotions and autopay.
You won’t be subject to annual service fees and the like, which you might find with other mobile service providers. This means you get a great deal of flexibility if you do happen to find a better deal on mobile phone service.
The only real consideration to keep in mind is cancellation needs to happen fifteen days before the period of renewal. Otherwise, you’ll be on the hook for that month’s payment, regardless of whether you’re using the coverage.
T-Mobile Family Plan Pricing & Details: 6 Must-Know Facts
- All T-Mobile family plans include taxes and fees with the exception of Essentials.
- Go5G Plus is the most expensive plan but comes with the least restrictions.
- Magenta MAX is a great choice for high-data users.
- Only Go5G Plus has mobile device upgrade options.
- All T-Mobile plans don’t include the cost of the phone or tablet in the base rate.
- Only Go5G Plus and Magenta MAX come with unlimited data.
T-Mobile Family Plan Pricing & Details: Which One Is Best? Which Should You Choose?
There is a lot of information to process when it comes to picking a plan for your household. Of the available T-Mobile family plan options, Magenta or Go5G would probably be the best picks for most households.
Of course, if your budget comfortably allows for it, then Go5G Plus or Magenta MAX are great options. They are far pricier per line, and might not be the best fit if you’re just looking for basic phone service.
Essentials is tough to recommend, especially as you can find better no-frills plans available readily from other providers. If you’re set on using T-Mobile for service but don’t want all the bells and whistles, it might be worth the extra $30 or $40 a month to get Magenta or Go5G instead.
Whatever choice you make, you make sure you do consider the needs and wants of your household before committing to a plan. You might find you don’t need all the latest and greatest options.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©GaudiLab/Shutterstock.com.
