What Is the Average Cell Phone Bill for a Family of Four?

The cost varies greatly depending on data amounts, speed, and other factors, as well as add-ons. As a minimum. you can expect around $160 for a family of four. Very basic prepaid plans that do not include much data usage start around $20 per line.

Is It Cheaper to Stay on a Family Phone Plan?

Generally yes, a family plan is cheaper than a plan for an individual line. Most mobile phone service providers charge a lower rate per line when the number of lines increases. To take advantage of the savings of a family plan, you can also share the plan with friends.

How Much Should a Good Phone Plan Cost?

The cost depends on how many GB a plan allows, how many lines are included in the plan, and what special features are added to the plan. For an unlimited data plan with four lines, the cost can range between $175 and $225 per month.

Do You Have to Live in the Same House for a Family Phone Plan?

No, you do not need to reside in the same location as the other people on your cell phone plan. A "family plan" can also include friends who do not live at the same address. However, keep in mind that you will receive a shared bill so you need to be able to figure out how to split the cost.

Best Family Cell Phone Plans of 2023

Best-family-cell-phone-plans-4156666 — LifeWire / Amelia Manley

Finding the cell phone plan that is perfect for your family may take some research because every family has different needs. Knowing your top priority when it comes to coverage is key to finding the perfect family plan. If there are senior citizens who you are considering adding to your plan, first look at the best cell phone plans for seniors.

Once you decide which coverage you need, it's time to look at the different carriers. A low monthly rate is not the only important criterion. Family plans also come with perks, such as streaming services, data roaming, and the addition of extra lines. We have put together the best family cell phone plans. It will look different for each family but there is surely one out there to suit your needs.

Best Family Cell Phone Plans of 2023

Best Overall: T-Mobile Magenta

Best Value: Cricket Wireless Unlimited 2 Plan

Best Prepaid: Metro by T-Mobile

Best Coverage: Verizon Wireless Unlimited Plans

Best for Two People: Boost Mobile

Best for Cost: Ting

Best International: Google Fi

Best Overall: T-Mobile Magenta

Key Specs

Unlimited Data: Yes
Contract: No annual service contract
Monthly fee: $120 for 3 lines

Why We Chose It

With its high-speed unlimited data access, mobile hot spot, Netflix streaming, and other perks, all bundled in a reasonably priced package that includes taxes and fees, the T-Mobile Magenta plans are our top pick for the best overall cell phone family plan.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Unlimited 5G and 4G LTE data
100GB premium data
5GB high-speed mobile hotspot

No taxes and fees
Netflix on 1 screen

Cons

Coverage may not be good in your area

Overview

With its industry-leading unlimited data plan, international travel, in-flight texting, and no taxes or fees on your bill, the T-Mobile Magenta plans (formerly T-Mobile One) offer the best bet for families.

Starting at $120 for three lines, the lengthy list of T-Mobile perks makes it hard to pass up, although T-Mobile's coverage in your area will certainly play a factor. If it's good, you'll receive unlimited SD streaming with the option to upgrade to HD for a fee, unlimited mobile hotspot data, and unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi on all Gogo-enabled flights.

Adding a tablet or wearable (think Apple Watch) costs an extra $20, which falls right in line with the rest of the industry. If you want streaming video perks, and special offers and discounts every Tuesday with the downloadable T-Mobile Tuesday app on iOS and Android, the T-Mobile Magenta plan is calling your name.

If you're looking for an even more robust option, T-Mobile's Magenta MAX plan takes things up a notch with unlimited premium data, an additional Netflix screen, 40 GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data, up to 4K UHD streaming, and more. Magenta MAX runs $140 per month for three lines.

Best Value: Cricket Wireless Unlimited Plan

Key Specs

Unlimited Data: Yes
Contract: No annual service contract
Monthly fee: $100 for 4 lines

Why We Chose It

For best value, we selected Cricket Wireless because at only $25 per line for a family of four, it's an offer that is hard to beat. If consistently high data speed is not a deal breaker for you, it is definitely the plan to consider as the most economical option.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Fast, nationwide 5G
Unlimited high-speed data
Calls to Mexico and Canada
Unlimited texts from the U.S. to 37 countries
You may qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program

Cons

Temporarily slow data speed if network is busy

Overview

Cricket Wireless offers outstanding value with a nationwide 5G network. Cricket's Unlimited Plan offers an excellent rate and does so without any annual contracts. Plus, taxes are included in the monthly rate.

Offering four lines of unlimited data for $100 per month is a tremendous value and vastly cheaper than any comparable family plans offered by the nation's big four carriers.

As a value offering, the difference is notable since data speeds are limited to 8 Mbps, although that limitation drops if you choose lower-priced data plans available in buckets of 5 GB and 10 GB, which offer faster speeds due to their more limited use. The lower-tier rate plans offer unlimited texts to 37 countries worldwide from the U.S.

Best Prepaid: Metro by T-Mobile

The Metro By T-Mobile logo.

Key Specs

Unlimited Data: Yes
Contract: No annual service contract
Monthly fee: $90 for 3 lines

Why We Chose It

A prepaid plan should not come with any surprises whatsoever and Metro by T-Mobile makes sure it doesn't because it already includes fees and taxes in the moderate monthly fee of $30 per line. That's why we picked it as our favorite for the best prepaid phone plan. The weekly perks and free stuff, on the other hand, are welcome surprises of the plan.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Unlimited high-speed data
Access to T-Mobile 5G network
Weekly free stuff and perks
Taxes and fees included in monthly fee
You may qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program

Cons

Coverage not available everywhere

Overview

Piggybacking on parent network T-Mobile for nationwide 5G coverage, Metro by T-Mobile is an excellent deal for customers who want to pay upfront for their cell phone service. Beginning around $80 for two lines,

Metro by T-Mobile really shows its prepaid chops once you reach four lines for $120, which includes unlimited data, 100 GB of Google One cloud storage, 15 GB of hotspot data, an Amazon Prime membership, and video streams at up to 480p.

Breaking down to about $30 per line overall, all four users will have the opportunity to stream millions of songs, share on social media, and watch their favorite shows, all without skipping a beat.

Another highlight is that taxes and fees are already included, making your $120 price exactly $120, so it's easy to budget every month.

Ultimately, as a prepaid line, there are no equipment installment plans monthly, so purchasing a phone means doing so at the full price upfront, which can quickly add up if you want the latest and greatest (although you can bring your own compatible device at no extra cost).

Best Coverage: Verizon Wireless Unlimited Plans

Key Specs

Unlimited Data: Yes
Contract: 3-year contract
Monthly fee: Starting at $105 for 3 lines

Why We Chose It

If you are in an area with bad cell phone reception, you know that not all carriers are created equal. We picked the unlimited plans by Verizon Wireless as the leader of the pack because the company lives up to its reputation of delivering the best coverage from coast to coast, including in rural areas.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Unlimited access to 5G network
Unlimited high-speed data
Video streaming
Mobile hotspot data
Discount for paper-free billing and AutoPay

Cons

Requires 3-year contract

Overview

When it comes to coast-to-coast marketing, nobody does it better than Verizon, and it has the trophy shelf to prove it. Verizon's competing rate plans offer two sets of pricing with one set offering slightly more benefits over the other.

The 5G Start plan offers four lines for $35 each while scaling down video to DVD-quality streaming at 480p on both smartphones and tablets. The higher tiers, 5G Play More and 5G Do More, jump up in pricing to $45 per line for four lines for a total of $180 per month, which gives you 720p video streaming on smartphones. There's also a 5G Get More plan at $55 per line for four lines that adds even more perks.

Regardless of which plan you pick, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better offering because Verizon has a solid LTE network and plenty of other plan perks like a Disney+ membership.

Best for Two People: Boost Mobile

Key Specs

Unlimited Data: No
Contract: No annual service contract
Monthly fee: $100 for 2 lines

Why We Chose It

Finding a reasonably priced family plan if the "family" only consists of two people can be tricky but we've identified Boost Mobile as the company that offers the best plan for just two lines, offering an unlimited high-speed data plan, mobile hotspot, and wide nationwide coverage.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Unlimited talk and text
35GB of 5G/4G data
30GB mobile hotspot
No service contracts
99% nationwide coverage

Cons

Only available to new customers

Overview

Couples looking to join plans or find lower pricing should gravitate toward Boost Mobile for a terrific offer. The $60 a month rate ($100 for two lines) offers unlimited talk and text with 35 GB of 5G/4G data, alongside HD streaming video and 30 GB of mobile hotspot monthly. The HD capability notches it up to 1080p, music up to 1.5 Mbps, and gaming streams at 8 Mbps.

Boost offers a nationwide 5G network along with no annual service contracts (and taxes and fees are included), so you can count on a set rate every month. Additionally, you can tack on extras such as international roaming and BoostTV for live programming.

Best for Cost: Ting

Key Specs

Unlimited Data: No
Contract: No annual service contract
Monthly fee: Starting at $75 for 3 lines

Why We Chose It

Ting lets you tailor your cell phone plan to the amount of data you need. We found this customized tiered plan model so convincing for people who only need limited data that we selected it as the best option for cost.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Unlimited talk and text
Nationwide LTE and 5G coverage
2G speed after fast data allotment
No data overage charges
All 5 GB can be used as hotspot

Cons

Data speed is reduced if going over allotment

Overview

Ting is a wireless service provider that lets you customize a rate plan specifically tailored to your needs. Rates can vary, but keeping costs down is easy if your usage is limited (Ting's rates beat any of the big four carriers by a wide margin).

The Flex plan costs $10 per month per line, and you pay $5 per GB of data you use. The Set 5 Plan is $25 per month per line and includes 5 GB LTE/5G data and unlimited talk and text. The Set 12 Plan is $35 per month and includes 12 GB LTE/5G data, and unlimited talk and text. There are also Unlimited and Unlimited Pro plans that start at $45 per month per line.

Operating off three major U.S. mobile networks, Ting offers the latest devices available for purchase outright or for a monthly installment.

Best International: Google Fi

Google Fi Logo

Key Specs

Unlimited Data: No
Contract: No annual service contract
Monthly fee: Starting at $17/line + $10/GB for data

Why We Chose It

Google Fi offers two plans that we deemed are the best for travel. The Flexible plan, which is the cheapest option, lets you make free calls to Mexico and Canada. With the Unlimited Plus plan, you can make free calls to over 50 international destinations.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Unlimited calls and texts
No contracts or activation fees
Built-in VPN and spam blocking
Hotspot tethering
Free international calls for Unlimited Plan

Cons

Requires Android phone

Overview

Backed by the Google name, Google Fi offers exceptional pricing if you're planning to travel abroad quite a bit. Staring with the basics, in the Flexible plan, unlimited calling and texting for two is $34 per month ($17 per line) plus $10 per GB of data used. You're billed for data at the end of the month.

The Google Fi Unlimited Plus plan offers unlimited calls, texts, and data usage (high-speed up to 22 GB and slowed after that) for $110 for two lines, $135 for three lines, and $160 for four lines. You'll also be able to make free calls to 50 countries and take advantage of mobile hotspot tethering.

The news gets even better when you travel abroad. Google Fi charges only $10 per 1 GB in over 200 countries when traveling internationally in its Flexible plan. That's far and away one of the best rates around, and while you have to do a little piecemeal work to set up a family plan, the international roaming rate is hard to pass up.

In the Unlimited Plus tier, you get free high-speed data in more than 200 destinations.

Final Verdict

Of the many different cell phone plans for families, we found the T-Mobile Magenta plans the best overall option, taking into account unlimited data, speed, price, video streaming, and other perks. But if your family strictly uses Androids and loves to travel, also look into Google Fi, which is our top pick for international.

Compare the Best Family Cell Phone Plans

Cell Phone Plan	Unlimited Data	Contract	Monthly Fee
T-Mobile Magenta Best Overall	Yes	No annual service contract	$120 for 3 lines
Cricket Wireless Unlimited Plan Best Value	Yes	No annual service contract	$100 for 4 lines
Metro by T-Mobile Best Prepaid	Yes	No annual service contract	$90 for 3 lines
Verizon Wireless Unlimited Plans Best Coverage	Yes	3-year contract	Starting at $105 for 3 lines
Boost Mobile Best for Two People	No	No annual service contract	$100 for 2 lines
Ting Mobile Best for Cost	No	No annual service contract	Starting at $75 for 3 lines
Google Fi Best International	No	No annual service contract	Starting at $17/line + $10/GB for data

FAQ

What Is the Average Cell Phone Bill for a Family of Four?

The cost varies greatly depending on data amounts, speed, and other factors, as well as add-ons. As a minimum. you can expect around $160 for a family of four. Very basic prepaid plans that do not include much data usage start around $20 per line.
Is It Cheaper to Stay on a Family Phone Plan?

Generally yes, a family plan is cheaper than a plan for an individual line. Most mobile phone service providers charge a lower rate per line when the number of lines increases. To take advantage of the savings of a family plan, you can also share the plan with friends.
How Much Should a Good Phone Plan Cost?

The cost depends on how many GB a plan allows, how many lines are included in the plan, and what special features are added to the plan. For an unlimited data plan with four lines, the cost can range between $175 and $225 per month.
Do You Have to Live in the Same House for a Family Phone Plan?

No, you do not need to reside in the same location as the other people on your cell phone plan. A "family plan" can also include friends who do not live at the same address. However, keep in mind that you will receive a shared bill so you need to be able to figure out how to split the cost.

Methodology

When comparing a wide range of cell phone plan offers, we took many different factors into consideration, including data amounts and limits, speed, nationwide coverage, access to a mobile hotspot, pricing, overage charges, pricing transparency, and perks such as streaming services. The obligation to commit to a contract also played a role in our selection.