Boost Mobile vs Boost Infinite: What's the difference?

You might have seen the headline and be thinking, wait, aren’t Boost Mobile and Boost Infinite the same provider? The answer is, well, sort of. The Dish Network acquired Boost Mobile as part of the T-Mobile and Sprint merger and has revived the prepaid service. On top of that, it has also launched an even simpler postpaid service on the brand called Boost Infinite. The cell phone plans of the two services have marked similarities and key differences.

Confused? We don’t blame you. But all you need to know for now are that Boost Mobile and Boost Infinite are two options for your next plan. We’ll compare them based on pricing, coverage, phone selection, and more to help you make an informed decision.

Boost Mobile vs Boost Infinite — Pricing

The plans of both providers are affordable and easy to understand, but the variety of plans couldn’t be more different. While Boost Mobile offers a range of packages that vary in price depending on how long you commit, Boost Infinite has just one plan: unlimited data, talk, and texts for $25 per month.

Let’s lay out the Boost Mobile options and then examine the details further.

Boost Mobile

As the table above shows, you can get better value on Boost Mobile plans by committing to longer periods of service upfront. That makes sense, but what is more surprising is that there are different plans available depending on how long you want to commit, as you pay the total price upfront.

If you want to pay by the month, four plans are on offer. There is one limited-data plan of 5GB which is your cheapest option. There are then two unlimited plans that are very similar. One is $25 per month but requires AutoPay, and the $40 per month option includes a 12GB hotspot allowance. There’s then Unlimited Plus for $60, which offers a 30GB mobile hotspot allocation as well as coverage in Mexico.

Committing for three months gets you the same 5GB plan at the same price of $15 per month, or the unlimited plan with the 12GB hotspot referenced above at the reduced equivalent price of $30 per month.

The cheapest plan is revealed if you pay for a full year of service, with the 1GB plan working out to just $8.33 per month when you pay the $100 total. The 5GB plan works out to be marginally cheaper over 12 months, there’s a tempting 15GB plan for just $20 per month, and the unlimited plan gets more affordable too.

All plans include 5G coverage and unlimited talk and text, and the hotspot allocations draw from the monthly allotments.

Boost Infinite

The $25 per month Boost Infinite plan offers unlimited talk, text, and data, mobile hotspot, 5G, international talk and text, and roaming in Mexico and Canada. Speeds will vary depending on network congestion, but it’s a handy unlimited plan at an affordable price.

Boost Mobile vs Boost Infinite — Coverage

Being under the same umbrella, there’s nothing to choose between Boost Mobile and Boost Infinite in terms of coverage. Both primarily work on the AT&T network, which is one of the fastest and widest-reaching in the country.

While neither service has an active coverage map on its website, you can go to the AT&T coverage map to get an idea of where 4G LTE and 5G service is available. As you’d expect, 4G LTE is available across the vast majority of the country, and 5G is increasingly common in all well-populated areas.

Boost Mobile vs Boost Infinite — Perks and promotions

Being MVNOs, both providers sacrifice things like perks in favor of affordable plans, so you won’t find the level of extras that you’d get from the big three.

That said, Boost Mobile has a number of promotions available. The most obvious is the introductory offer on the $25 unlimited plan, which offers 50% off the cost of the first month. That means you’d pay just $12.50 to try the service for a month, with no continuing obligation thereafter.

Boost Mobile also has discounts on phones when you bundle them up with a new plan. For example, you can get the iPhone 12 or the Moto Edge Plus for just $199.99, representing at least $400 off the retail prices. The Galaxy S22 is only $349.99, but you might be required to commit to the $40 per month plan.

Some of these offers are online only and some are in-store only. It’s best to identify which offers interest you most and then work out how you go about taking advantage of it.

Boost Infinite has almost nothing in terms of promotions, which is understandable given the price of the sole plan. You can make savings on phones such as 40% off the Galaxy A23, but they’re more modest discounts than Boost Mobile.

Boost Mobile vs Boost Infinite — Phone selections

The phone selection of Boost Infinite is rather peculiar, even by MVNO standards. There only appear to be a dozen phones available, but they include the Samsung flagships such as the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy S23 Ultra. Scattered in are a few budget options like the Galaxy A23 and the Moto G Stylus 2022.

Boost Mobile has a wider range of handsets on offer, including an array of iPhones, past and present. There are a few Nokia and TCL choices as well, but nothing from Google or OnePlus.

Which carrier is right for you?

Boost or Boost? It’s a tough choice, right? Coverage obviously isn’t a factor in deciding between them, and they’re actually both aimed at the same market. If one appeals to you, the other will too.

If all you’re looking for is the simplest and cheapest unlimited plan then Boost Infinite is probably what you want. No considerations about which plan to choose or how many months you want to stick with it. There’s one flat fee and no frills, plus it’s just as affordable as even the 12-month unlimited plan from Boost Mobile.

But Boost Mobile gives you more flexibility with plans, and at under $9, it has the cheapest possible plan of both providers, albeit a 12-month commitment to a restrictive 1GB plan. Boost Mobile also has a wider phone selection and better promotions on buying a new phone in general.

You can’t go far wrong with either provider, and you have the option of walking away from either pretty quickly if you’re not completely satisfied. That’s true of many MVNOs, so you might also be interested to find out what’s on offer from the likes of Cricket Wireless, Metro by T-Mobile, and Mint Mobile.