Home
Is a Google Fi Wireless family plan worth the switch?
Mobile

Is a Google Fi Wireless family plan worth the switch?

July 11, 2023
Google Fi Wireless logo on smartphone with SIM card and SIM ejector next to it Stock photo 2

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Multi-line discounts were once reserved for postpaid plans from Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Thankfully this practice has caught on in the prepaid world as well, with a variety of carriers offering family plans. One of the better-known options is the Google-owned Fi Wireless. In this guide, we take a look at the Google Fi family plan to see if it’s a good deal versus the competition.

What is included in a Google Fi family plan?

Google offers three main plans: Flexible, Simply Unlimited, and Unlimited Plus. All three options can be added to a family plan, but there is no mixing and matching. In other words, all family members must be on the same plan type in order to qualify for family plan pricing.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the prices, features, and extras included in each Fi Wireless plan:

Flexible Simply Unlimited Unlimited Plus
Cost Flexible

$20/mo + $10/GB per month for 1 line
$35/mo + $10/GB per month for 2 lines
$50/mo + $10/GB per month for 3 lines
$65/mo + $10/GB per month for 4 lines
$80/mo + $10/GB per month for 5 lines
$95/mo + $10/GB per month for 6 lines

 Simply Unlimited

$50 per month for 1 line
$80 per month for 2 lines ($40 per line)
$80 per month for 3 lines (previously $25 per line, now $26.67 per line)
$80 per month for 4 lines ($20 per line)
$100 per month for 5 lines ($20 per line)
$120 per month for 6 lines ($20 per line)

 Unlimited Plus

$65 per month for 1 line
$110 a month for 2 lines ($55 per line)
$135 per month for 3 lines ($45 per line)
$160 per month for 4 lines ($40 per line)
$200 per month for 5 lines ($40 per line)
$240 per month for 6 lines ($40 per line)
Talk & Text Flexible

Unlimited

 Simply Unlimited

Unlimited

 Unlimited Plus

Unlimited
Data Flexible

$10 per GB used until you reach limit

 Simply Unlimited

Up to 35GB of free, unmetered data

 Unlimited Plus

Up to 50GB of free, unmetered data
Hotspot Flexible

Full-speed at $10 per GB rate

 Simply Unlimited

5GB of Wi-Fi hotspot tethering per person

 Unlimited Plus

Full-speed included
International Flexible

Free calls from US to Canada and Mexico.
On an iPhone, when you travel outside of the US, tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot options are not available.

 Simply Unlimited

Free calls from US to Canada and Mexico
No international calls, texts, and data outside the US, Canada, and Mexico

 Unlimited Plus

Free calls from US to over 50 countries.
Unlimited data and texts in over 200 countries or regions.
Extras Flexible

Data free after per-month limit

 Simply Unlimited

None

 Unlimited Plus

100GB of Google One storage for each group plan member.

One year of YouTube Premium per user at no additional cost.

Although all three plans support family discounts, we highly recommend Simply Unlimited for most. Four lines are just $80 a month, and you can have family plans with up to 6 lines (still $20 per each). Many prepaid family plans cap this at 3-4 members, so it’s nice that Fi Wireless is suited for larger families. This gets you unlimited talk, text, and data, but after 35GB of data per user, you’ll see speeds of 256Kbps for the rest of the billing period.

Want more? Fi Wireless Unlimited Plus also adds unlimited hotspot tethering, 50GB of high-speed per line before slow down, a year of YouTube Premium, 10)GB of storage with Google One, and extremely impressive international calling features starting at $65 per line for one user or as little as $40 per line for four users or more.

Is a Google Fi family plan a good value?

Fi Wireless has changed its features a bit over the years, but it remains one of the best choices for families in terms of raw value. It also remains one of the choices for international travelers, too. Of course, it really depends on what you’re looking for.

For those that prefer limited data, Google Fi offers four lines for just $65 a month (or $16.25 a piece) for unlimited talk and text, with data costing $10 per gig. That’s not bad, but it’s not the best. Mint Mobile’s limited data plans are better for families, working out to just $15 a month. The only catch is that you have to pay ahead in quarterly intervals of $45 a piece per line.

The situation flips significantly when you look at Unlimited data. Google Fi Simply Unlimited runs as little as $20 per line for four lines or more, up to six lines. You won’t find a cheaper rate for unlimited data on the postpaid or prepaid side.

Google Fi family plan alternatives

As we said, you’ll be very hard-pressed to find a better value for family plans. Of course, not everyone puts value first. There are other factors including customer service, extra features, and more.

Post-paid options: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile at a glance

Verizon logo on smartphone with a colored background Stock photo 4

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Google Fi has great pricing and some very intriguing international features, but it also has some sacrifices. Since it’s an MVNO and uses T-Mobile’s network (and US Cellular for roaming), it is also subject to throttling and deprioritization during times of congestion. Postpaid carriers also tend to have better extras like streaming perks, domestic roaming, and more.

Here’s a quick look at how Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile compare in terms of features:

AT&T Unlimited Starter AT&T Unlimited Premium Verizon myPlan Unlimited Welcome Verizon myPlan Unlimited Plus T-Mobile Essentials T-Mobile Go5G Plus
Cost AT&T Unlimited Starter

$65 for one line
$60 for two lines
$45 for three lines
$35 for four lines

 AT&T Unlimited Premium

$85 for one line
$75 for two lines
$60 for three lines
$50 for four lines

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Welcome

$65 for one line
$55 for two lines
$40 for three lines
$30 for four lines
$27 for five lines

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Plus

$80 for one line
$70 for two lines
$55 for three lines
$45 for four lines
$42 for five lines

 T-Mobile Essentials

$50 for one line
$40 for two lines
$30 for three lines
$25 for four lines

 T-Mobile Go5G Plus

$90 for one line
$75 for two lines
$50 for three lines
$46 for four lines
Talk & Text AT&T Unlimited Starter

Unlimited

 AT&T Unlimited Premium

Unlimited

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Welcome

Unlimited

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Plus

Unlimited

 T-Mobile Essentials

Unlimited

 T-Mobile Go5G Plus

Unlimited
Data AT&T Unlimited Starter

Unlimited basic 4G LTE
5G access with compatible device

 AT&T Unlimited Premium

100GB premium 4G LTE
Unlimited basic 4G LTE
5G access with compatible device

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Welcome

Unlimited 4G LTE
5G Nationwide

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Plus

Unlimited 4G LTE
5G Nationwide
Wideband 5G

 T-Mobile Essentials

Yes, but might slow down during congestion after

 T-Mobile Go5G Plus

Unlimited 5G & 4G LTE with 100GB of Premium Data
Hotspot AT&T Unlimited Starter

Not included

 AT&T Unlimited Premium

30GB per line

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Welcome

None ($10 add on exists, however)

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Plus

30GB 4G LTE or 5G

 T-Mobile Essentials

Unlimited 3G

 T-Mobile Go5G Plus

50GB of hotspot data
International Service AT&T Unlimited Starter

Unlimited texting to 120 countries

 AT&T Unlimited Premium

Unlimited texting to 120 countries

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Welcome

Talk & Text in Mexico and Canada
Texting in over 200 countries

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Plus

Talk & Text in Mexico and Canada
Texting in over 200 countries

 T-Mobile Essentials

Unlimited text in 215+ countries
Unlimited talk/text in Canada/Mexico, just 128Kbps data

 T-Mobile Go5G Plus

5GB of data and unlimited talk text in over 215+ countries
15GB of data and unlimited talk/text in Mexico/Canada
Extra Perks AT&T Unlimited Starter

Device security and spam risk alerts
Standard definition streaming

 AT&T Unlimited Premium

Device security and spam risk alerts
High definition streaming

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Welcome

480p streaming
Can add perks for $10 each, including 100GB hotspot data, Apple Music, Apple One, Disney Plus bundle, and more

 Verizon myPlan Unlimited Plus

480p streaming
Can add perks for $10 each, including 100GB hotspot data, Apple Music, Apple One, Disney Plus bundle, and more

 T-Mobile Essentials

480p streaming

 T-Mobile Go5G Plus

Netflix Basic, one SD screen
Apple TV Plus

Not interested in postpaid? While there are several prepaid carriers out there, our most recommended alternatives are Mint Mobile, US Mobile, or Cricket.

Mint Mobile at a glance

Stock photo of Mint Mobile fox on phone with money 1

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Mint Mobile works a bit differently than most family plans. To understand the difference, let’s first explain how Mint Mobile plans work. Instead of paying monthly, Mint charges you either 3, 6, or 12 months at a time. In exchange for paying in advance, you get a discount. Those who pay 12 months at once get the most significant discount. Family plans are an exception.

While you must commit to a year to get the best value, you don’t have to pay all at once. Instead, you’ll be charged the 12-month rate in four quarterly payments. Because Mint Mobile’s pricing is so aggressive, this still works out to as little as $30 a line for unlimited service or $15 a month for something more modest, like their 5GB plan.

While you’ll find better unlimited plans elsewhere, Mint Mobile’s rates aren’t bad for those interested in a  limited family data plan. See more plan details below:

Plan Cost Talk & Text Data Extras
Plan

Mint 5GB

 Cost

$75 for three months
$120 for six months
$180 for 12 months

 Talk & Text

Unlimited

 Data

4GB LTE/5G access

 Extras

Hotspot up to data limit
Plan

Mint 15GB

 Cost

$105 for three months
$150 for six months
$240 for 12 months

 Talk & Text

Unlimited

 Data

10GB LTE/5G access

 Extras

Hotspot up to data limit
Plan

Mint 20GB

 Cost

$135 for three months
$210 for six months
$300 for 12 months

 Talk & Text

Unlimited

 Data

15GB LTE/5G access

 Extras

Hotspot up to data limit
Plan

Mint Unlimited

 Cost

$120 for three months
$210 for six months
$360 for 12 months

 Talk & Text

Unlimited

 Data

40GB premium data
Unlimited 4G/5G

 Extras

10GB hotspot access

Cricket at a glance

Cricket Wireless stock photo 2

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Cricket isn’t quite as affordable as Google Fi, but its unlimited plan is a better deal than what Mint offers. You’ll get four lines for just $100, or what works out to $25 per line. There are also limited data plans, but in most cases, we’d recommend sticking to an unlimited plan. While the basic Unlimited plan is good enough for most, the Cricket Unlimited + 15GB Hotspot adds some nice extras, including 15GB hotspot data and the ad-supported Max service.

Cricket also has the advantage of brick-and-mortar stores, notable customer service, and a bunch of extras like discounted phones for loyal customers, device payment plans, and more. See more plan details below:

5GB 10GB Cricket Unlimited Cricket Unlimited + 15GB hotspot
Cost 5GB

$30 per month

 10GB

$40 for one line
$70 for two lines
$90 for three lines
$110 for four lines

 Cricket Unlimited

$55 for one line
$80 for two lines
$90 for three lines
$100 for four lines

 Cricket Unlimited + 15GB hotspot

$60 for one line
$90 for two lines
$110 for three lines
$130 for four lines
Talk and Text 5GB

Unlimited
HD Voice and Wi-Fi Calling

 10GB

Unlimited
HD Voice and Wi-Fi Calling

 Cricket Unlimited

Unlimited
HD Voice and Wi-Fi Calling

 Cricket Unlimited + 15GB hotspot

Unlimited
HD Voice and Wi-Fi Calling
Data 5GB

5GB of 4G LTE or 5G data

 10GB

10GB of 4G LTE or 5G data

 Cricket Unlimited

Unlimited high-speed 4G LTE or 5G data

 Cricket Unlimited + 15GB hotspot

Unlimited 4G LTE or 5G data
Streaming 5GB

Standard Definition 480p

 10GB

Standard Definition 480p

 Cricket Unlimited

Standard Definition 480p

 Cricket Unlimited + 15GB hotspot

Standard Definition 480p
Hotspot 5GB

Not available

 10GB

Not available

 Cricket Unlimited

For $10 extra

 Cricket Unlimited + 15GB hotspot

15GB included
International 5GB

Not available

 10GB

Available

 Cricket Unlimited

Texts to 37 countries
Canada and Mexico usage (must not exceed 50%)

 Cricket Unlimited + 15GB hotspot

Texts to 37 countries
Canada and Mexico usage (must not exceed 50%)
Perks 5GB

None

 10GB

None

 Cricket Unlimited

None

 Cricket Unlimited + 15GB hotspot

Ad-supported Max subscription
150GB Cloud Storage

US Mobile at a glance

us mobile logo

US Mobile is priced similarly to the others for unlimited data, at $100 for four lines. Need more premium data and hotspot access? There’s also a Unlimited Premium plan for $30 per line for four lines. This also includes up to 10GB a month of international data.

If you don’t want unlimited data, there are also several US Mobile plans that offer limited data, including a plan that gives you a line of data for just $9 per line and $2 per GB. This is honestly a great price for those that don’t use much data. For someone who only uses 3GB a month, this would come to $18 a month per user.

See more plan details below:

Shared Data 2-25GB Plan Unlimited Basic Unlimited Premium
Cost Shared Data

$9 per line + $2 per GB

 2-25GB Plan

$12 for 2GB
$15 for 5GB
$20 for 15GB
$25 for 25GB

 Unlimited Basic

$35 for one line
$20 per line for 4

 Unlimited Premium

$45 for one line
$30 per line for 4
Talk & Text Shared Data

Unlimited

 2-25GB Plan

Unlimited

 Unlimited Basic

Unlimited

 Unlimited Premium

Unlimited
Data Shared Data

At $2 per GB

 2-25GB Plan

2-25GB

 Unlimited Basic

40GB of 5G/LTE

 Unlimited Premium

100GB of 5G/LTE
Hotspot Shared Data

At $2 per GB

 2-25GB Plan

Up to plan limit

 Unlimited Basic

5GB hotspot data

 Unlimited Premium

50GB hotspot data
International Shared Data

For purchase

 2-25GB Plan

For purchase

 Unlimited Basic

For purchase

 Unlimited Premium

Up to 10GB international data