Sprint plans buying guide: what's the best Sprint plan for you?
So, you're thinking about signing up with Sprint? The network prides itself on offering highly-competitive prices and does run regular promotions, so it's definitely hard to resist.
There aren't many plans to choose from, but even then — some details about which one is the right choice for you may be a bit fuzzy. We studied them and compiled them in the hopes that we might help you find the best Sprint plan for you. Check them out below!
Just like its competitors, Sprint offers an unlimited plan, which basically means that talk, text, and data are all included in your bill and you shouldn't worry about your usage throughout the month. You can mix and match Unlimited plans on one account — each of the lines you sign can have its plan in accordance to the user's needs. Pricing depends on how many lines you have open on an account:
*Set up AutoPay and get $5 discount per line
You can set up a maximum of 5 lines on Sprint Unlimited. The carrier is currently running a promotion for accounts that have 3+ lines and, if you roll in for AutoPay, you can basically get Unlimited Basic lines for free. Check it out:
*Set up AutoPay and pay $5 discount per line
Sprint Unlimited comes in three different flavors. You've got Basic, Plus, and Premium, each adding some extra perks for customers. So, what are the parameters?
You get unlimited text, talk, and data. Bear in mind, your data requests might get deprioritized in congested areas, which would lead to occasional drops in speed during peak hours of the day. International texting is also included, as long as it doesn't include any picture, video, or audio messages.
Unlike other major competitors, Sprint will allow you to stream video at up to a 1080p resolution. Multiplayer gaming over the LTE network will be capped at 2 Mbps on Basic and 8 Mbps (1 MB/s), while music streaming will only have a 500 kbps and 1.5 Mbps pipeline, respectively. On Premium, you get no cap, save for the 1080p video limit.
On the flip side, you get a free Hulu Limited Commercials — you get all TV shows and movies with some ads in between — for free with Sprint Unlimited Basic. The other two tiers will get you Tidal Premium for as long as your Sprint contract lasts. And the most expensive Unlimited Premium plan will net you an Amazon Prime subscription and $20 of Uber credit (split in two separate $10 vouchers) per month!
*with AutoPay enabled
If you figure you don't need an unlimited account, you can opt for the limited choice, which is less than ideal. We'll explore the prices and features here, but make sure to scroll down to the prepaid section and see how much of a better deal you can get there.
Of course, if you have a tablet, 4G modem, or smartwatch, you can get plans specifically tailored to your device.
Sprint has a single, easy choice for its tablet plans — a $30 ($15 promo price at the time of writing this) unlimited data and texting (on some tablets) line that should take care of your browsing needs. Well, almost...
Tablets are a bit more limited when it comes to speed caps. Video streaming resolution tops out at 480p, music only gets a 500 kbps pipeline, and gaming is capped at 2 Mbps. You can, however, buy an HD package for an extra $20 per month, which unlocks the speeds up to Sprint Unlimited levels — video at 1080p, multiplayer gaming at 8 Mbps, and music streaming at 1.5 Mbps.
There aren't many plans to choose from, but even then — some details about which one is the right choice for you may be a bit fuzzy. We studied them and compiled them in the hopes that we might help you find the best Sprint plan for you. Check them out below!
Sprint Unlimited
Just like its competitors, Sprint offers an unlimited plan, which basically means that talk, text, and data are all included in your bill and you shouldn't worry about your usage throughout the month. You can mix and match Unlimited plans on one account — each of the lines you sign can have its plan in accordance to the user's needs. Pricing depends on how many lines you have open on an account:
| Plan | 1st line | 2nd line | 3rd line and above |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Basic | $65 | $45 | $25 |
| Unlimited Plus | $75 | $55 | $35 |
| Unlimited Premium | $85 | $65 | $45 |
You can set up a maximum of 5 lines on Sprint Unlimited. The carrier is currently running a promotion for accounts that have 3+ lines and, if you roll in for AutoPay, you can basically get Unlimited Basic lines for free. Check it out:
Limited time offer
| Plan | 1st line | 2nd line | 3rd line and above |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Basic | $65 | $45 | $5 |
| Unlimited Plus | $75 | $55 | $10 |
| Unlimited Premium | $85 | $65 | $20 |
Sprint Unlimited comes in three different flavors. You've got Basic, Plus, and Premium, each adding some extra perks for customers. So, what are the parameters?
| Sprint Unlimited Basic | Sprint Unlimited Plus | Sprint Unlimited Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talk and text | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Data | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Mobile Hotspot | 500 MB of LTE, unlimited 3G | 50 GB of LTE, unlimited 3G | 100 GB of LTE, unlimited 3G |
| Streaming caps | 480p video, 2 Mbps gaming, 500 kbps music | 1080p video, 8 Mbps gaming, 1.5 Mbps music | 1080p video |
| Hulu | Hulu Limited Commercials ($5.99 / monthly value) | Hulu Limited Commercials ($5.99 / monthly value) | Hulu Limited Commercials ($5.99 / monthly value) |
| Tidal | -- | Tidal Premium ($9.99 / monthly value) | Tidal Premium ($9.99 / monthly value) |
| Anti-virus and theft protection | -- | -- | Lookout Premium Plus ($9.99 / monthly value) |
| Amazon Prime | -- | -- | Yes ($12.99 / monthly value) |
| Usage in Canada & Mexico | Unlimited text, talk, 5 GB of LTE | Unlimited text, talk, 10 GB of LTE | 5 GB / month of LTE |
You get unlimited text, talk, and data. Bear in mind, your data requests might get deprioritized in congested areas, which would lead to occasional drops in speed during peak hours of the day. International texting is also included, as long as it doesn't include any picture, video, or audio messages.
On the flip side, you get a free Hulu Limited Commercials — you get all TV shows and movies with some ads in between — for free with Sprint Unlimited Basic. The other two tiers will get you Tidal Premium for as long as your Sprint contract lasts. And the most expensive Unlimited Premium plan will net you an Amazon Prime subscription and $20 of Uber credit (split in two separate $10 vouchers) per month!
Keep in mind, both Hulu and Tidal can only be used on one device at a time.
You are free to use your phone's mobile hotspot feature at no additional charge for a total of 500 MB / 50 GB / 100 GB per month. If you manage to hit the cap, your hotspot will be throttled to 3G speeds. Should you need more high-speed data for tethering, you will get to buy packages that'd cost $15 per 1 extra GB.
You are free to use your phone's mobile hotspot feature at no additional charge for a total of 500 MB / 50 GB / 100 GB per month. If you manage to hit the cap, your hotspot will be throttled to 3G speeds. Should you need more high-speed data for tethering, you will get to buy packages that'd cost $15 per 1 extra GB.
Sprint Kickstart Unlimited
| Kickstart Unlimited Basic | Kickstart Unlimited Plus | Kickstart Unlimited Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $35 per line | $45 per line | $55 per line |
Sprint's Kickstart Unlimited plans are basically a no-contract option. You don't get tied down for a set amount of time, but you lose the benefit of getting a leased device, or extra services like Hulu. Well... usually. Right now, Sprint is running a promo, where you can get Kickstart Unlimited with Hulu, Tidal, and Amazon Prime — depending on which one you choose. The plans look a lot like the regular Unlimited plans, only they are cheaper and require no annual contract.
| Kickstart Unlimited Basic | Kickstart Unlimited Plus | Kickstart Unlimited Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talk and text | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Data | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Mobile Hotspot | 500 MB of LTE, unlimited 3G | 50 GB of LTE, unlimited 3G | 100 GB of LTE, unlimited 3G |
| Streaming caps | 480p video, 2 Mbps gaming, 500 kbps music | 1080p video, 8 Mbps gaming, 1.5 Mbps music | 1080p video |
| Hulu | Hulu Limited Commercials ($5.99 / monthly value) | Hulu Limited Commercials ($5.99 / monthly value) | Hulu Limited Commercials ($5.99 / monthly value) |
| Tidal | -- | Tidal Premium ($9.99 / monthly value) | Tidal Premium ($9.99 / monthly value) |
| Anti-virus and theft protection | -- | -- | Lookout Premium Plus ($9.99 / monthly value) |
| Amazon Prime | -- | -- | Yes ($12.99 / monthly value) |
| Usage in Canada & Mexico | Unlimited text, talk, 5 GB of LTE | Unlimited text, talk, 10 GB of LTE | 5 GB / month of LTE |
Limited
If you figure you don't need an unlimited account, you can opt for the limited choice, which is less than ideal. We'll explore the prices and features here, but make sure to scroll down to the prepaid section and see how much of a better deal you can get there.
Price per line: $45
*Set up AutoPay and get $5 discount per line
So, the limited plan gets you 2 GB of high-speed data, unlimited talk and text. International texting is also included, but limited to text only — no pictures, audio, or video.
If you hit the 2 GB data cap, you get throttled to 2G, but have the choice to buy an extra gigabyte for $15. This plan allows you to use your mobile hotspot feature freely, but be careful with that limited data package.
Our recommendation: this plan really doesn't look like a good offer, unless the user is not a heavy Internet user at all, but does use the phone for tons of texting and calling. Otherwise, check out the prepaid options below for a much better offer.
| Sprint limited | Parameters | Additional info |
|---|---|---|
| Talk and text | Unlimited | Intl. texts included, no media |
| Data | 2 GB of LTE | Buy 1 extra GB for $15 |
| Mobile Hotspot | Enabled | Uses up plan data |
| Streaming caps | 1080p video, 8 Mbps gaming, 1.5 Mbps music | -- |
So, the limited plan gets you 2 GB of high-speed data, unlimited talk and text. International texting is also included, but limited to text only — no pictures, audio, or video.
If you hit the 2 GB data cap, you get throttled to 2G, but have the choice to buy an extra gigabyte for $15. This plan allows you to use your mobile hotspot feature freely, but be careful with that limited data package.
Our recommendation: this plan really doesn't look like a good offer, unless the user is not a heavy Internet user at all, but does use the phone for tons of texting and calling. Otherwise, check out the prepaid options below for a much better offer.
Internet / wearable device plans
Of course, if you have a tablet, 4G modem, or smartwatch, you can get plans specifically tailored to your device.
Tablet plans
Sprint has a single, easy choice for its tablet plans — a $30 ($15 promo price at the time of writing this) unlimited data and texting (on some tablets) line that should take care of your browsing needs. Well, almost...
| Tablet plan $30 | Parameters | Additional info |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Unlimited | Available on select devices only |
| Data | Unlimited | -- |
| Mobile Hotspot | Enabled | 10 GB on LTE limit |
| Streaming caps | 480p video, 2 Mbps gaming, 500 kbps music | Can be upgraded via HD pass |
| Monthly HD pass | 1080p video, 8 Mbps gaming, 1.5 Mbps music | Extra $20 per month |
Tablets are a bit more limited when it comes to speed caps. Video streaming resolution tops out at 480p, music only gets a 500 kbps pipeline, and gaming is capped at 2 Mbps. You can, however, buy an HD package for an extra $20 per month, which unlocks the speeds up to Sprint Unlimited levels — video at 1080p, multiplayer gaming at 8 Mbps, and music streaming at 1.5 Mbps.
You can still use your tablet as a hotspot for up to 10 GB per month. After that, the hotspot feature will be limited to 2G speeds, or you can get an extra GB for $15.
Sprint currently supports the Apple Watch smartwatches. At $15 per month ($10 promo price at the time of writing this), you get unlimited talk, text, and data. Even better — first-time subscribers will get their first 3 months for free.
So, you want to get a 4G modem to keep all your devices connected on the go. Sprint has two plans for you — 50 GB for $55 and 10 GB for $35
*Set up AutoPay and get $5 discount
Yes, that may be a bit costly, but at least the good news is that your unused data will carry over to the next billing cycle. If you happen to reach your cap, you will be limited to 2G speeds. Alternatively, you can buy a hotspot data package for $10 per 2 GB. Not bad.
Smartwatch plans
Sprint currently supports the Apple Watch smartwatches. At $15 per month ($10 promo price at the time of writing this), you get unlimited talk, text, and data. Even better — first-time subscribers will get their first 3 months for free.
| Smartwatch plan | Parameters |
|---|---|
| Price | $15 |
| Talk and text | Unlimited |
| Data | Unlimited |
Mobile Hotspot plans
So, you want to get a 4G modem to keep all your devices connected on the go. Sprint has two plans for you — 50 GB for $55 and 10 GB for $35
| Wireless Hotspot plan | 10 GB | 50 GB |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $35 | $55 |
| Speed after limit | 2G (up to 80 kbps) | 2G (up to 80 kbps) |
| Data carryover | Yes, up to 10 GB | Yes, up to 50 GB |
| Buy more high-speed data | 2 GB for $10 | 2 GB for $10 |
Yes, that may be a bit costly, but at least the good news is that your unused data will carry over to the next billing cycle. If you happen to reach your cap, you will be limited to 2G speeds. Alternatively, you can buy a hotspot data package for $10 per 2 GB. Not bad.
Popular stories
Latest News
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: