Unlimited 5G data Metro by T-Mobile
Metro by T-Mobile is a prepaid carrier with unlimited data plans, generous hotspot data, and multi-line savings for families. There is also a selection of heritage plans still available for those looking for one of the carrier's past plans.
ProsFast speeds with T-Mobile coverageMulti-line savingsGoogle One 100GB with most plans ConsNeed to contact customer service for some dealsData deprioritized at 35GB From $40/month International calling included Ultra Mobile
Ultra offers a wide range of data plans, with two totally unlimited options, and payments ranging from a single month to a full year. Ultra Mobile also has a family plan with unlimited data so you can get the whole family online.
ProsTotally unlimited data availableSolid family plan optionStrong international features ConsTaxes and fees are extraOnly one plan available for family savings From $15/month
If you're looking for a prepaid plan on T-Mobile's network, Metro by T-Mobile is likely one of the first names to come to mind, but Ultra Mobile is also owned by T-Mobile. That means you can expect strong coverage on the T-Mobile network with full access to 5G on both of them. That's about where the similarities end, however, with different ways to pay, data amounts, and international features between the two.
Metro looks and acts a lot more like a traditional postpaid carrier with a handful of plans that get cheaper when you bring multiple lines. If you've got a family, these multi-line deals are one of the best ways to save. Ultra Mobile also has an option for families but mostly focuses on single-line value with multi-month savings.
Mobile carrier features
Metro by T-Mobile looks kind of like a wannabe postpaid carrier when you look at its plans, but that's not really a bad thing. Metro has four main plans, three of which come with unlimited data and a 10GB budget option. Each of these plans is available with up to four lines and discounts for bringing more lines, but you'll need to go to a Metro by T-Mobile store to get more than one line. If you're shopping online, oddly, you can only get a single line.
Metro has several older plans still available, called Heritage Plans, which can offer a better deal for some, but must be ordered through customer service. The new Flex plans, however, have some benefits.
For one, they all come with some hotspot data to share with another device. The unlimited plans also come with a 100GB Google One membership, so you can back up your data. Metro's top Flex plan even comes with Amazon Prime for just $10 more than the next plan down. If you already pay for Prime, this upgrade could actually save you money.
Metro is likely the more well-known of the two carriers, but Ultra Mobile has been around for a few years as well with its other prepaid brand, Mint Mobile, reaching the eyes and ears of more people thanks to owner Ryan Reynolds. Ultra Mobile, however, focuses more on international texting, calling, and roaming with credits included with most plans and affordable international roaming options.
Ultra Mobile offers several plans, starting on the low end with a simple talk and text plan, and going up to Unlimited data with 20GB of hotspot data. If you're looking for a plan with a ton of data, Ultra Mobile has it.
If you've got multiple lines to bring with you, Ultra Mobile also has a Family Plan that allows you to get up to five lines at a discount. You start with Ultra's top Ultra Unlimited plan with lines added for $24 per month each. There's even a promotion to get the third line for $12. It's not the cheapest, but it's still a strong value for a family of heavy data users.
Mobile coverage and reception
Both carriers use the T-Mobile network, so coverage should be identical. T-Mobile's 5G coverage is the best in the nation with vast low-band 5G coverage and one of the most complete mid-band 5G deployments. While T-Mobile still struggles a bit in some rural areas, there are others where T-Mobile is the top choice.
You can check Metro's coverage map as well as Ultra's coverage map to get an idea of the coverage in your area. If you have an unlocked phone, you can do one better with a free three-month network trial directly from T-Mobile.
To make the most of this network, you'll want a phone that has solid 5G support with bands n71 and n41 making up most of T-Mobile's coverage, Luckily, most 5G phones will work well with either of these carriers.
Phone compatibility
Phone compatibility between the two carriers is basically identical, so you should be able to use just about any of the best Android phones. If you're coming from overseas, your phone may lack some band support, but as we saw in our Nothing Phone 2a review, T-Mobile is one of your best bets for an international phone. If you're getting one of the popular Android options, like the Galaxy S24 or the Pixel 9, you should have no trouble getting connected.
If you're ready for a new phone, Ultra sells a variety of models, from the Galaxy S24 Ultra to the cheap Galaxy A03, with financing available through Affirm. Metro by T-Mobile, on the other hand, doesn't offer payment plans for new phones and instead sticks to cheaper models that can be bought outright or included with a new plan for free. Luckily, Metro offers some discounts for those signing up for a Flex Plus plan, so long as you don't want a new number.
Plans
Metro's plans most focus on unlimited data with multi-line discounts, while Ultra offers a wide range of options and ways to save. If you're looking for truly unlimited data, you can choose from either carrier, though Ultra Mobile's family plan will likely be the better multi-line value. Picking the right plan between these two carriers comes down mostly to how many lines you have and what international features you need.
Metro's plans
Metro's latest plans are called Metro Flex, and each comes with unlimited talk, text, and data. If you're looking for the older Heritage Plans, you'll need to go to the Heritage Plans page. Metro also has a $40 10GB plan with, you guessed it, 10GB of data. This plan qualifies for multi-line discounts as well. This plan isn't too impressive a value, but at least taxes and fees are included, so you know exactly how much you'll be paying for it.
Moving up to Flex Start, on top of unlimited talk, text, and data, you'll get 8GB of hotspot data. This plan comes in at $50 per month for the first line, but comes down to $40 per line with four lines, excluding a $5 auto-pay discount. All Flex plans come with a 100GB Google One membership as well.
If you want more, Flex Up raises the hotspot data to 25GB and comes with texting to 210+ countries. It costs $60 for the first line, but if you get four lines, it comes down to just over $42 per line.
If you're looking through these plans, you'll notice that no matter how many lines you bring, the next plan up is just $10 more. This carrot on a stick means the best value at Metro is actually its top plan, Metro Flex Plus.
Metro Flex Plus comes with all the perks of Metro Flex Up, plus Amazon Prime. Since this plan is $10 more than Flex Up, you're essentially paying $10 per month for Amazon Prime. With Amazon Prime now charging $15 per month, that's a savings of $5 if you had Amazon anyway.
Flex Start
Flex Up
Flex Plus
10GB
Price (1 line)
$50
$60
$70
$40
Price (4 lines)
$155
$165
$175
$130
Taxes and fees
Included
Included
Included
Included
Requirements
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Data
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
10GB
Hotspot data
8GB
25GB
25GB
Shared
Ultra's plans
Ultra's plan structure has more going on than Metro, sporting seven different data plans. You can pay for a single month, but you can save by choosing a three-month, six-month, or 12-month plan with greater savings when you sign up for longer. The cheapest plan is the Talk & Text Plan and is $15 per month or $120 per year. It even comes with 250MB of data, so if you need to browse th web while away from Wi-Fi, you can.
Moving up, the 3GB plan comes in at $19 per month or $168 for 12 Months. Besides more data, Ultra's bigger plans also come with international calling credits that increase with the bigger plans. After that, the 5GB plan comes in at $24 for a single month or $240 for the year. The 10GB plan is $25 per month, or $300 per year, while 15GB will cost $39 per month, or $360 per year.
At the top, you have the Ultra Unlimited Plan and Ultra Unlimited+ Plan. The former starts at $49 per month and comes with totally unlimited data with 10GB of hotspot data. If you pay for a year, it's $480. The latter Unlimited+ Plan also gets unlimited data with a larger 20GB hotspot. This plan comes in at $59 per month or $600 for the year. With this layout, just about anyone with solid T-Mobile coverage can find a good plan for their needs.
Talk and Text
3GB
5GB
10GB
15GB
Unlimited
Unlimited+
Talk and text
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Data
250MB
3GB
5GB
10GB
15GB
Unlimited
Unlimited
Hotspot
Shared
Shared
Shared
Shared
Shared
10GB
20GB
Mexico and Canada
None
Talk and Text
Talk and Text
Talk and Text
Talk and Text
Talk and Text
Talk and Text
1-month price
$15/month
$19/month
$24/month
$29/month
$39/month
$49/month
$59/month
3-month price
$13/month
$16/month
$22/month
$28/month
$36/month
$46/month
$56/month
6-month price
$11/month
$15/month
$21/month
$27/month
$35/month
$45/month
$55/month
12-month price
$10/month
$14/month
$20/month
$25/month
$30/month
$40/month
$50/month
Taxes and fees are extra with Ultra Mobile, however, so keep in mind that your bill will come with a few extra dollars attached. You'll also be paying these fees for the entire year potentially, so be careful about getting too much sticker shock before doing the math.
Which should you buy?
While Ultra Mobile is more international-focused than Metro, it offers such a wide range of plan options that it's the best choice for a lot of people. If you just need a basic plan with a little data, you can get it with Ultra and save over Metro's cheapest 10GB plan.
Ultra also recently removed the high-speed data caps from its unlimited options, so you can keep streaming without ever checking your usage. If you do check your usage and see that you're using less than 15GB on average, you can even downgrade your plan to save.
While Ultra's family plan is only available with one plan, the cheaper Unlimited plan, its extra lines are cheap enough that it's still a good deal for a lot of people. If you've only got one line, you can still save on these plans with a multi-month plan, but unlike a carrier like Mint Mobile, you could get a single month if you want.
Ultra Mobile
Ultra Mobile offers plans with as little as 250MB of data with two totally unlimited plans available. Most plans even come with international calling credit.
From $15/month
Metro by T-Mobile could still be a great pick for some families thanks to its unlimited data and simple pricing that includes taxes and fees. It also doesn't hurt that Metro by T-Mobile is one of the fastest prepaid carriers anywhere, according to Ookla.
All of Metro's plans are available with multiple lines, though it's unfortunate that you need to go into a store to set it up. Still, with hotspot data on the unlimited Flex plans, Google One included, and even a discount on Amazon Prime via the top plan, Metro is still a good deal for heavy users.
Metro by T-Mobile
Metro by T-Mobile is a good pick for a lot of families with fast and reliable data on the T-Mobile network, unlimited plans, and multi-line discounts for families.
From $40/month