Best Fi Wireless plans in 2023: Pricing, phone options, and more

Google boasts a successful line of Pixel phones and a more extensive smart home product portfolio than you can shake a stick at. Why not let it manage your mobile coverage? Google Fi is unique among MVNOs, and it supports a jaw-dropping list of phones. If you want an alternative to the Big Three that’s all about flexibility, it just might be the way to go.

Google Fi’s plans fall into two basic categories, so we’ll cover them both in our breakdown. We’ll also touch on the long list of devices you can bring to the network from OEMs worldwide. Although Google Fi is an MVNO already, we’ll touch on a few of its top competitors to give you a bigger picture. Ready to try the carrier made by Google? Let’s get to it.

The best Google Fi Wireless plans at a glance

There are now three simple Google Fi plans — two with unlimited data and another where you pay as you go. Each has its perks, but it’s up to you to decide which fits your needs. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you out:

• Flexible is perfect for those that don’t use much data. You pay just $20 monthly for unlimited talk and text, then $10 per every GB used. To keep your bill from getting too crazy, Google gives you free unlimited data after you’ve paid for 6GB — a bill total of $80 for one line. This plan is a bit of a hybrid between prepaid and postpaid, as you pay a monthly fee ahead, but the actual data is charged after the billing month ends. Have multiple lines? You can get discounted rates as low as $17 per line for 4  lines, though you pay the same $10 per GB for data.
• Simply Unlimited is perfect for families that use more than a few gigs of data. At $60 a month for one line, Simply Unlimited isn’t the cheapest plan when you consider it’s not truly unlimited. You get just 35GB of high-speed data; afterward, things slow down to just 256kbps until the next billing period. If you’re just one person, we don’t really recommend this plan. That said, families will see the rate drop down to just $30 for four lines, and most users don’t really use more than 35GB of data anyhow.
• Simply Unlimited Plus is best for frequent travelers who use a lot data. If you’re a frequent traveler, we recommend Plus over Simply Unlimited. It’s just $10 more for one line, yet you get 50GB of data, a Google One membership, and free texting and data in many countries across the globe. If you travel a lot, this is the way to go. There are also discounts that can bring it down to as little as $45 per line for four lines.

Which Fi Wireless plan do we recommend?

As we mentioned above, the best plan will depend on your use case. For those who use less than 3GB of data a month on a regular basis, Flexible will save you at least $10 over the Simply Unlimited plan. Unlike Simply Unlimited, you can use the data for hotspot access as well.

If you use more than 3GB regularly, Flexible isn’t worth it and can actually get more expensive than the other two at $80 a month for just 6GB of data. 

On the other hand, Simply Unlimited Plus is a better fit if you use more than 3GB of data a month and need hotspot access or if you travel frequently. For single-line users it’s only $10 more than the basic unlimited plan, though that gap goes up to $15 with more lines, interestingly.

Below we’ll take a closer look at all three plans and dive into what else sets them apart.

Flexible

The best way to save some money with Google Fi is to opt for the Flexible plan. You’ll pay a monthly rate for service — no more than $20 per month — and then pay per gig of data you use. Data access becomes free after reaching a certain threshold each month, just 6GB for a single line. After that, you can still use high-speed data up to 15GB without further fees. It works as a cap for your bill, so you never pay more than a specific price. What you do with that data is up to you; full-speed hotspot access is included.

If you plan to go abroad, Fi is the carrier to beat. You get free texts, international calls from just one cent per minute, and data at the standard rate. In fact, if you only travel a few times a year, you’ll be better off using Flexible for your travels than an Unlimited Plan. You’ll be able to use a lot of data after you max out your 6GB cap, yet you’ll never pay more than $80 a month. 

Simply Unlimited

Google recently split its unlimited tier in half, making it a slightly more affordable option for those planning to stay in the US. The Simply Unlimited plan, as it’s called, offers all of the talk, text, and data you need, as well as free calls to Canada and Mexico. The big kicker is that Simply Unlimited starts at $60 per month for one user, saving you some money over the all-in unlimited plan.

You’ll still get 35GB of high-speed data, but there’s no hotspot tethering this time. Simply Unlimited doesn’t come with a baked-in Google One membership either, so you may have to drop a few extra dollars each month.

Unlimited Plus

If it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing — at least, that’s the idea behind the Google Fi Unlimited Plus plan. Built for users who know they need it all, the top-tier plan adds plenty of extra goodies on top of unlimited talk, text, and data. Starting at $70 per person, you can take full advantage of a mobile hotspot connection and video streams at DVD quality (480p). The Unlimited plan includes a Google One membership with 100GB of cloud storage for free to make things even better.

Google Fi Unlimited is the better international option, too, as data usage is free along with texting. It’ll still slow down once you reach 50GB, but that’s more than most people use in a month. You’ll still pay for calling, but more than 50 countries come with your monthly rate. Unlimited Plus now also includes one year of YouTube Premium at no extra cost.

Highlights:

• Use as much data as you want, up to 50GB
• Google One membership included
• Go abroad with free texts and data as well as low calling rates

Best for:

• Users who want it all and plan to spend ample time abroad

Google Fi vs the competition

The best way to choose your next carrier is to stack all of your options in a head-to-head showdown. Of course, it’s only fair to compare Google Fi to some of the other top prepaid plans on the market. We’ve grabbed our favorite options from the Big Three — one each on Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. We’ve also included one popular third-party MVNO. 

Mint Mobile

First is Mint Mobile, the only option on today’s list not owned by a larger carrier. Instead, it’s owned by Deadpool himself — Ryan Reynolds. Mint now offers a new unlimited plan, or you can get 15GB of 4G LTE or 5G access from just $30 per month, and your phone will automatically jump to whichever service is more reliable. International calling to Mexico and Canada is baked in, and you can use as much of your cap for hotspot as you wish.

Instead of snagging an extra fee for your SIM card, Mint will send you a versatile option that you can punch into any of three sizes. The lack of bonus perks and streaming options is a bummer, but Mint makes a great affordable option on the T-Mobile network.

Highlights:

• Up to unlimited 4G LTE or 5G data per month
• Calling included to Mexico and Canada

Visible

Visible is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Verizon, which means you get a massive nationwide network without the costs often associated with Big Red. It keeps your plan options even easier than Google Fi because there’s only one. You’ll get unlimited talk, text, and data for $40 per month, which you can drop to $25 per month thanks to Party Pay.

Party Pay involves teaming up with as many other friends on the Visible network as you please. You’ll save $5 for each user you add, but all of you will pay separately. That means one late payer won’t drag down the others. Every time you refer a friend to the network, Visible will reward you with a month of service for just $5. Also, Visible will let you tap into hotspot access, and it’s finally added genuine international coverage for both Canada and Mexico.

Highlights:

• Unlimited talk, text, and data
• Pay as little as $25 per month with Party Pay

Cricket Wireless

The last competitor, Cricket Wireless, relies on AT&T as an owned MVNO. Although it’s part of the AT&T umbrella, Cricket acts like its own network, offering various plans and add-ons to make the most of your service. The best — and most expensive — plan you can get is Cricket More, and it serves as the high-end unlimited option. For your money, you’ll get unlimited talk, text, and data, and 15GB of hotspot included.

Sticking to the More idea, you can use your plan in Canada and Mexico only if it’s less than half of your service. Cricket also allows you to add on even more hotspot access or add calling to individual international countries for a fee.

Highlights:

• Usage in Canada and Mexico up to 50%
• 15GB mobile hotspot included; add more for a fee

Best Google Fi phones

Traditionally only post-paid carriers offered special incentives like free phones or device financing, but there are a few prepaid options that do the same. Fi Wireless is one of those carriers! You’ll need to pass a soft credit check first, but monthly payment plans range from as little as $8 a month for budget device like the Galaxy A14 5G to as much as $50 for the Galaxy S23 Ultra. 

To make selecting the right device a tad easier, we’ll also highlight three phones: a flagship, a mid-ranger, and a budget option. Keep in mind these aren’t necessarily the best phones available in each class (as that’s pretty subjective). Instead, we made our selections based on pricing, reviews, and promotions. These are the phones we feel are the best deals currently on Fi Wireless.

Don’t like our picks? To look at the whole list of phone options, you’ll want to visit Fi’s website. Also, be sure to visit our best Android phones and best cheap phones guide to learn more about many of the great unlocked phones you can bring to Fi. 

Our recommended flagship: Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro

The Google Pixel 6 series came in busting doors with great performance, a renewed premium design, and impressive cameras. The Pixel 7 series follows the same format, offering nearly identical looks, an improved Google Tensor G2 chipset, an overall better experience, and competitive prices.

Of course, Google Fi offers Google’s own high-end smartphones, and they are among the best Google Fi phones you can find. Google Fi sells both the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro. You can usually get them even cheaper if you’re OK with porting your number to Google Fi.

The main complaints in our Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro reviews were that the processor often runs hot, and the charging is a bit slow. Otherwise, both are great phones. They have great build quality, outstanding cameras, gorgeous displays, and the Pixel promise, which consists of timely updates and a clean UI.

Our recommended mid-ranger: Google Pixel 6a

Google’s Pixel A series has long been a staple in the premium budget smartphone market, and the Google Pixel 6a is no exception. Its $449 MSRP offers an enticing package with specs and features that get pretty close to a high-end experience.

The Pixel 6a features a powerful Google Tensor processor, which is actually the same one you’ll find in the high-end Pixel 6 series. This, along with the 6GB of RAM, will ensure an impressive performance considering the price tag. It also comes with a 6.1-inch OLED screen. The battery is pretty good at 4,410mAh.

If you care about the camera system, this one comes with two sensors: 12.2MP and 12MP. This is a bit of a downgrade when compared to the other Pixel 6 devices, but you still get Google’s AI photo improvements, which should result in great images.

Our recommended budget pick: Samsung Galaxy A14 5G 

Does Fi Wireless offer any special discounts?

If you’re looking for senior citizen, first responder, or military discounts, you’re unfortunately not going to find them with Fi Wireless. While some prepaid carriers offer this kind of discount, this is typically more common among postpaid plans. 

Frequently asked questions