Switching phone carriers in 2025: What you need to know before switching wireless providers

Switching wireless providers isn’t easy. Although there are three main networks in the US, the actual number of wireless carriers and plans is significantly higher. Sifting through this big, confusing mess can be overwhelming, especially when you’re thinking about switching providers after the carrier has raised the rate for your older plan.

We want to help make this process a little easier. Here’s how to choose a cell phone plan in 2025.

Which network works best for you?

There are three main networks in the US: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. All three offer services directly and have robust national networks that offer 4G LTE (fast) and 5G (really fast) data.

The most important aspect of choosing a network is finding one that works in your area. This makes it difficult for us to give a general recommendation for any carrier. For example, T-Mobile’s service in New York may be excellent, but if you’re in rural Iowa, Verizon is more reliable.

While your mileage may vary, the good news is that these networks are growing and improving all the time, especially as the three main players continue to try and cover the US with 5G. It’s entirely possible that a decade ago you left a network bemoaning its poor service, but now it’s ramped up due to the arms race for customer acquisition.

If you know friends or family in your area who already use the carrier you’re considering, ask about their experience. You can also go to a carrier store and see if they offer free ways to try the service before you switch, such as T-Mobile Network Pass which lets you try T-Mobile’s service for free for three months. Verizon offers a similar 30-day “trial” program while AT&T recently introduced its own 30-day free trial option for eSIMs to sample his network.

Then, of course, there are the plans themselves. Below is a comparison of some of the latest plans from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. For this chart, we focused on each carrier’s cheapest plan, as well as their respective “mid-range” options that we think would make sense for most people.

It’s worth noting that some plans, like T-Mobile’s Go5G, include streaming benefits like Netflix, while Verizon lets you add benefits like the Disney Bundle (Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and Hulu) for $10 a month if you have the latest Unlimited Welcome, Plus or Ultimate plans.

Most Verizon and AT&T unlimited plans (with the notable exception being AT&T’s Value Plus VL) also don’t require you to have all lines on the same plan, so if only one of the lines on your family plan needs extra data for hotspot, you can forego other to cheaper options and save a little.

If you’re looking for T-Mobile’s multiple lines and its lowest price, you’re better off going with the regular Essentials or Essentials Saver plans. A promotion the carrier is running has it for $100 a month for four lines.

Know the smaller and prepaid players

While AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon operate the major networks, other smaller providers offer over-the-air services. First, there are prepaid brands that each carrier owns. Verizon has Visible, AT&T has Cricket, and T-Mobile has Metro and now Mint Mobile. All use their parents’ respective networks for service.

Smaller players also rely on larger networks for service. Google Fi, for example, uses T-Mobile’s network, while cable companies Comcast and Spectrum rely on Verizon for their respective Xfinity Mobile and Spectrum Mobile brands.

Zoom in on the mobile phone, which is owned by Dishuses a combination of T-Mobile and AT&T, while Dish is building its own 5G network. The meal began offering its own service that rivals the major operators under the Boost brand.

The advantage of these smaller carriers—many of which are known as mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs—is that you can access the larger provider’s service at a more affordable price. If you find that Verizon works best where you live, but its service is too expensive, switching to Visible, Spectrum Mobile, or Xfinity Mobile could potentially allow you to keep similar coverage but pay a little less (although you may lose out on some other benefits like free streaming services).

We have broke several of these providersincluding which provider uses which network and explain some of the trade-offs you need to consider.

Know how much you owe on your installment plan

Two-year contracts have largely disappeared from the US wireless market. Unfortunately, they now look set to be replaced by increasingly long installment plans.

AT&T and Verizon now consistently only offer 36-month installment plans for the latest devices from Apple, Google, and Samsung. Meanwhile, T-Mobile still has 24-month installment options with plans like its Go5G Plus, offering better upgrade deals every two years, and Go5G Next, offering deals every year.

With these longer terms, you can get a flagship phone for significantly less, but you have to stick with that carrier (and potentially with a more expensive unlimited plan) for two or three years. If you leave before this time, you risk having to pay the phone balance due, which some providers require before they “unlock” the device for use on other networks.

Major carriers often offer several hundred dollars when you switch, which can help subsidize the cost of switching. You’ll want to check your account online or go to your carrier’s store to find out how much you still owe on your phone before you leave.

Decide whether to keep your current phone

Upgrading phones and networks means your existing phone will probably work fine on a new carrier. All the major wireless carriers offer a similar assortment of the latest devices, especially when it comes to the iPhone and Galaxy lines.

To make the most of each pass, you’ll probably want to take this opportunity to upgrade your device, especially if it’s a few years old and lacks modern features like 5G. There are often additional deals when adding or opening a new line to help pay off any installment plan or get you a better device.

If you’d rather keep what you have, your existing device will probably work just fine as long as it’s unlocked from your previous provider.

Learn your discounts

Keep in mind that all carriers offer additional savings that you may be eligible for based on your employer, military status, student status, or even age. If you use a family plan, a family member may be eligible even if you are not.

First responders, military members, veterans, nurses and teachers can get discounts from any major carrier. Verizon offers discounts for students and people with a range of professions, while T-Mobile Work Benefits can cut 15% off Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plans, and AT&T is offering a a similar program for its Unlimited Premium PL and Elite plans that he calls Signature.

If you’re 55 or older, you may also be eligible for a discounted plan: T-Mobile offers discounted nationwide plans for just $55 a month for two lines, while Verizon and AT&T offer similar options, but only for residents of Florida.

We break down the discounts in more detail here, for AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile.

This can save you money if you switch, or possibly lower your current price a bit and save you the hassle of switching providers.

Find out the benefits

Many of the major carriers offer bonuses for using their higher-end unlimited plans, especially streaming services. Verizon offers the Disney Bundle (Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus) as a $10 monthly perk on its latest unlimited plans, while T-Mobile offers Netflix Standard (with ads) for its Go5G-branded offerings and also includes an Apple TV subscription Plus and Hulu (with ads) with Go5G Next.

Even prepaid and smaller carriers like Cricket (HBO Max with ads) and US Mobile (various options) offer benefits with some of their unlimited plans.

Plus, Verizon has service benefits including Apple One, Walmart Plus and a Netflix/Max bundle, while T-Mobile’s Go5G plans also offer in-flight Wi-Fi and unlimited data abroad. T-Mobile’s Metro offers 100GB of Google One storage and one-year ViX Premium subscriptions with some of its Unlimited and Metro Flex plans, with its Metro Flex Plus adding to an Amazon Prime subscription. Meanwhile, AT&T is giving six months of free games with an extended Nvidia trial GeForce Ultimate.

If you’re already paying for one or more of these subscriptions, switching to the right provider can be a way to help you save even more.

We’ll keep updating it with more cell phone plan tips.

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