Sprint is in a dead heat with T-Mobile for the title of major carrier with the cheapest plan. While the carrier originally only offered the Unlimited Freedom Plan, it has recently introduced two new unlimited plans to take its place. Known as Unlimited Basic and Unlimited Plus, both plans go into effect July 13.
Since Sprint now offers a few different unlimited plans that each offer a variety of features, it’s easy to feel confused. Here, we break down your options to help you decide which is best for you and your family.
Sprint Unlimited Basic Plan
People
Line cost (with AutoPay)
Data
Total
1
$60
Unlimited
$60
2
$60 + $40
Unlimited
$100
3
$60 + $40 + $20
Unlimited
$120
4
$60 + $40 + $20 + $20
Unlimited
$140
5
$60 + $40 + $20 + $20 + $20
Unlimited
$160
(Editor’s note: These are non-promotional rates.)
For those looking for a plan that’s not too feature heavy, the Unlimited Basic plan costs the same as the Unlimited Freedom Plan did originally. But with Unlimited Basic, LTE hot spot data is reduced from 10GB to 500-megabytes and video streams up to only 480p. As far as any additional perks, the plan does come with a Hulu subscription.
As for cost per line, the first line costs $60 per month and the second line costs $40. For every line after that, you’ll be charged $20 per line — which comes out to $160 for the maximum five lines. AutoPay saves you $5 per month on each line when you enroll.
The perks of the Sprint Basic Unlimited Plan:
- Unlimited talk, text, and data in the United States
- Unlimited talk and text in Mexico and Canada, along with 5GB of 4G LTE
- Hulu subscription (with commercials)
- Global roaming in more than 185 destinations
The downsides of the Sprint Unlimited Basic Plan:
- Reduces hot spot capabilities to 500 megabytes
- Video streaming reduced to standard definition (up to 480p)
- Music streaming is limited to 1.5 mbps
- Gaming streams up to 2 mbps
Unlimited Plus
People
Line cost (with AutoPay)
Data
Total
1
$70
Unlimited
$70
2
$70 + $50
Unlimited
$120
3
$70 + $50 + $30
Unlimited
$150
4
$70 + $50 + $30 + $30
Unlimited
$180
5
$70 + $50 + $30 + $30 + $30
Unlimited
$210
Sprint’s Unlimited Plus plan is a bit of an upgrade from the Basic Plan, offering a few more features. In addition to unlimited talk, text, and data in the United States, you’ll have 15GB of mobile hot spot data and streaming in full HD — up to 1080p.
As for the cost, the Unlimited Plus plan will come out to $70 for the first line per line and $50 for the second. Every line after that will cost you $30 each, up to a maximum of five lines. In celebration of the launch and for a limited time only, Sprint is offering each line for $22 per month as long as you buy a new phone or bring in your own. If you prefer to lease a device, you’ll be charged the regular price for Unlimited Plus, which is $42 per line.
The perks of the Sprint Unlimited Plus Plan:
- Unlimited talk, text, and data in the United States
- Unlimited talk and text in Mexico and Canada, along with 10GB of 4G LTE
- Hulu subscription (with commercials)
- Basic Tidal subscription
- Streaming in full HD
- 15 GB of mobile hot spot data
- Global roaming in more than 185 destinations
The downsides of the Sprint Unlimited Plus Plan:
- Music streaming is limited to 1.5 mbps
- Gaming streams up to 2 mbps
Unlimited Military
People
Line cost (with AutoPay)
Data
Total
1
$60
Unlimited
$60
2
$60 + $20
Unlimited
$80
3
$60 + $20 + $10
Unlimited
$90
4
$60 + $20 + $10 + $10
Unlimited
$100
5
$60 + $20 + $10 + $10 + $10
Unlimited
$110
For veterans, active duty, and reserves of the U.S. Armed Forces, Sprint offers an Unlimited Military Plan. It’s essentially the same plan as the Unlimited Basic (meaning you’ll receive all the same perks), but with half off family lines. For one line, it’ll cost $60 per month, with the second line priced at $20. Every additional line after that is $10 each, which comes out to $110 for five lines.
Unlimited 55+
Back in May, Sprint introduced its new unlimited data plan for seniors specifically. The plan allows older smartphone users to receive as much data as possible, but at a more affordable price. The unlimited data plan comes in at $50 per month for the first line and $20 a month for the second line — with Autopay set up. That means seniors can get unlimited data for $35 per month per line for two lines.
With the Unlimited 55+ plan, seniors get Sprint Global Roaming — allowing unlimited texts and “basic data” at no additional charge in 185 countries. As with the Unlimited Basic Plan, there’s also the ability to stream at 480p.
Top phones at Sprint
Phones
Down payment
Price/month x 18 (with Sprint Flex Plan)
iPhone 8 (64GB)
iPhone 8 Plus (64GB)
iPhone SE (32GB)
$0
$29.17 x 18 = $525.06
$33.34 x 18 = $600.12
$14.59 x 18 = $262.62
Samsung Galaxy S9
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
$0
$16.50 x 18 = $297
$21.50 x 18 = $387
LG G7 ThinQ
LG V30 Plus
$0
$33 x 18 = $594
$19 x 18 = $342
Sprint has a great selection of phones, but you will have to pay the full price now that two-year contracts and subsidies are gone. High-end phones range from $650 to $1,000, so monthly payments run between $20 and $35 a month for 24 months. Cheaper phones cost as little as $5 a month.
You can also lease phones on Sprint’s network with the carrier’s Flex Plan — if you like to upgrade every time there’s a new phone. After choosing a phone under the Flex Plan, you can lease it for 18 months, then swap it out for a new phone or keep the one you already have and pay it off completely in one installment. If you want to keep the device but don’t have the money to pay it off right away, you can opt for six more monthly payments, with past lease payments counting toward the purchase price. Another option is to pay $5 a month extra and upgrade the device after one year.
Do be careful with your device, though, because you’ll have to pay a damaged device fee if it’s harmed before you turn it in. The fee varies based on the amount of damage. Sprint also offers insurance.
Updated July 12: Sprint introduces new unlimited data plans.
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