Don’t be duped: Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile's cheapest plans aren’t worth it

Recently, my cousin asked me whether Verizon’s myPlan Unlimited Welcome was better than his legacy plan, prompted by a promotional email he received. At first glance, the new plan looked cheaper and similar in features. But upon closer examination, his legacy plan had notable advantages, especially higher-priority data and a few other perks.

Truthfully, none of the entry-level postpaid plans from Verizon, T-Mobile, or AT&T offer great value in 2025. There are typically better alternatives, regardless of how appealing the carriers make these entry-level plans appear.

Historically, basic postpaid plans closely mirrored higher-tier plans, minus perks and sometimes data prioritization. Unfortunately, that’s not so true anymore, and yet most customers don’t really understand the differences until it’s too late and they’ve switched off their existing plan.

With that in mind, I wanted to take a closer look at what you’ll be missing with an entry-level plan, as well as what you’re alternatives are.

What you’ll miss out on with entry-level plans from the big three

Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T all offer a fairly similar experience when it comes to their entry-level plans. You’ll get unlimited talk, text, and data, but virtually nothing else beyond that, save for a few smaller perks like Verizon Access and T-Mobile Tuesdays. AT&T and T-Mobile also offer hotspot access, with the former providing 5GB of high-speed access and the latter providing unlimited 3G speeds.

As for what you’ll be missing out on compared to more expensive prepaid plans? There are actually a few things. For starters, you’re not going to find international calling or roaming features, streaming perks, or really anything extra at this level.

Promotions aren’t nearly as impressive for entry-level plans, either.  Free phone promotions do exist at this level for new lines, but only with a trade-in. Entry-level customers looking to upgrade will typically see much less impressive offers, like the current T-Mobile $300 off with trade-in promotion.

In comparison, T-Mobile will give up to $830 for a trade-in if you are signed up for its Experience More or Experience Beyond plan. You’ll even occasionally find totally free phone offers with no trade-in, especially for the highest tier plan.

If that’s not enough to sway you from an entry-level postpaid plan, you’ll also get lower priority with every entry-level plan from the big three when compared to more expensive postpaid plans from all three. Simply put, all carriers use a Quality of Service Class Identifier (QCI) to break their traffic into various tiers, typically ranging from QCI6 to QCI9, though not every carrier uses these levels the same way.

Here’s how each of the main carriers breaks down their traffic:

• Verizon only uses QCI 8 and QCI 9 for its cellphone plans. The lower-numbered QCI is reserved for mid-range or higher postpaid plans and a few select partners like US Mobile and Spectrum Mobile. Verizon Unlimited Welcome uses QCI 9, alongside the vast majority of prepaid plans that utilize Verizon’s network.
• AT&T uses QCI 7, QCI 8, and QCI 9 for its cellphone plans. While QCI 7 is only available from AT&T through its Turbo plan, QCI 8 is used by its mid-range or higher plans, as well as some prepaid partners. At the lowest end, QCI 9 is used by AT&T Unlimited Starter, as well as many of the more budget-oriented prepaid plans.
• T-Mobile uses QCI 6 through QCI 9 for its cellphone plans. QCI 6 is reserved for mid-range T-Mobile postpaid or higher and Google Fi plans, while QCI 7 is used by Essentials and most prepaid carriers. QCI 8 is mostly for hotspot access, and finally, at the lowest end, you’ll find QCI 9 for heavy data users.

Despite Essentials’ initially higher QCI, actual performance won’t necessarily surpass other entry plans, as T-Mobile still prioritizes mid-tier postpaid and Google Fi above Essentials. This is exactly the same way as AT&T and Verizon do it, but the difference is that T-Mobile breaks things down even further by imposing a 50GB cap on Essentials before it gets even lower network priority.

A prepaid plan will mostly scratch the same itches, and yet you’ll save even more

If you want higher-priority data and a few other perks missing from entry-level postpaid plans, prepaid options deserve serious consideration. Today’s prepaid services often match or surpass entry-level postpaid, providing higher data priority, impressive device promotions, insurance, financing options, and international perks.

There are a ton of options out there that compare reasonably well, though I’ll start with just a few of my top recommendations.

Cricket Wireless as an alternative to AT&T

Cricket is owned by AT&T and offers a lot of similar advantages to postpaid as well as several things you won’t find, including:

• Nationwide in-store customer support.
• Free or discounted device promotions.
• Insurance and third-party financing.
• Select plans with international calling and roaming (Mexico and Canada).
• Premium perks like Max with Ads and 150GB cloud storage on top-tier plans.

Cricket’s highest-tier plan ($60/month, or $32/month with five lines) offers superior priority data compared to entry-level postpaid plans, along with valuable perks. Although slightly more expensive, the difference is typically just $10-$15 per month, making it a strong value. Cricket also offers cheaper plans that lose priority data but otherwise still match or exceed AT&T’s core entry-level service while offering potential savings depending on the number of lines.

Google Fi as an alternative to T-Mobile

Google Fi is an independent provider, but it has a fairly special relationship with T-Mobile that allows it access to the same priority level as you’d get with T-Mobile’s mid-range or higher postpaid plans.  There are several other advantages compared to entry-level postpaid, including:

• Attractive device promotions (particularly for new customers).
• Higher priority than entry-level postpaid, even on the cheapest unlimited plan ($35/month).
• Smartwatch connectivity and some tablet/laptop support on select plans.
• Robust international roaming on premium plans.
• Bonus features like 100GB Google One storage and YouTube Premium trial.

Aside from its most expensive plan, Google Fi generally costs less than equivalent entry-level postpaid plans while offering superior features. Downsides include data caps (30-100GB) and a lack of physical store support.

Visible as an alternative to Verizon

Visible technically is a no-frills provider, and yet its most expensive plans actually offer several features that you won’t find in an entry-level postpaid plan:

• Verizon’s highest data priority is on Visible Plus and Pro plans ($30/month including taxes).
• Unlimited talk/text in Mexico and Canada, even on the cheapest unlimited plan ($20/month).
• Enhanced international calling features and smartwatch support included or available.
• Device financing and insurance options, though slightly less extensive than Verizon directly.

Visible Plus costs anywhere from $30-$40 a month if you sign up now and lock in that price for three years, making it much cheaper than any of the postpaid entry-level plans, and yet you don’t even need multiple lines to get that killer rate. Even better, you’ll get truly unlimited data here. You’ll also find insurance and device financing that’s not quite as robust as Verizon’s, but it’s pretty close.

What you won’t get compared to entry-level prepaid is in-store support or the vast range of upgrade promotions, though there are sometimes great new customer device deals here.

Honorable mentions

While the three above are some of my favorite recommendations for those wanting an alternative to entry-level postpaid, it’s far from the only option worth considering. Here’s a quick look at a few other options:

• US Mobile: Great pricing and device promos like Pixel 9 for $249, varying priority options (high priority available via Dark Star/Warp plans).
• Metro by T-Mobile: Owned by T-Mobile, offering in-store support, device promotions, and streaming perks (but lower data priority).
• Total Wireless: Verizon-backed with perks similar to Visible, but best pricing requires multiple lines; includes some in-store support.

Should you go with prepaid or stick to postpaid?

I honestly don’t think entry-level postpaid service makes sense for most users; it frequently disappoints and pushes people to upgrade anyway. For many, prepaid will deliver a comparable or superior experience at a lower cost.

Network congestion can impact how much priority matters. If your area has low congestion, higher-priority plans might not deliver significant speed improvements. To find the best fit, testing each network beforehand—such as via US Mobile’s free trial—is highly recommended.

If prepaid isn’t appealing, consider mid-tier postpaid plans. They offer stronger promotions, better priority, and more perks, striking a solid balance between cost and features.