Best Phone Plans for International Travel

What separates the best phone plans for international travel?

Four plans made the cut, and the scores sit close together: T-Mobile at 8.8, US Mobile at 8.7, Google Fi Wireless and Mint Mobile both at 8.5. The split comes down to how you travel and how you pay.

T-Mobile is the only one here sold direct by the carrier, and it scored highest on speed in our metro tests. One line runs $50, and four lines of Essentials Saver run $100. The catch: Essentials Saver hotspot drops to 3G speed, and you can get the same network through Mint or US Mobile for $25–$30.

US Mobile is the only carrier where you can move between Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T. Its annual plan was the cheapest unlimited we tested, and unlimited starts at $17.50 a month paid annually. Support is chat and email, and it took 14 minutes to reach a person. The Starter plan gets deprioritised at rush hour on Verizon.

Google Fi Wireless is the travel pick: data in 200+ destinations at no extra cost on Premium, and it worked in three countries without touching a setting. Four lines of Essentials are $25 each. Essentials has a 5 GB hotspot cap and no free international data, and it costs more than Mint on the same network.

Mint Mobile asks you to buy a year up front for $15–$30 a month. The $15 plan for 5 GB was the cheapest usable plan we tested, and 5G speeds at our metro points were the fastest on T-Mobile. Rural coverage trailed Verizon on our drives.

What should you check before buying?

Our scoring puts Value at 30 points and Coverage & network at 25, so price and where you actually use the phone carry the most weight. Data & speed is 20, Perks & features 15, Service 10.

• International data: only Google Fi Wireless includes it at no extra cost on Premium. On the other plans, check what your destination costs before you commit.
• Hotspot: T-Mobile Essentials Saver is 3G speed and Google Fi Essentials caps at 5 GB. If you tether a laptop, that matters.
• Network switching: US Mobile is the only one that lets you move between all three networks.
• Upfront cost: Mint's best prices require paying a year in advance.
• Support: US Mobile is chat and email only, 14 minutes to a person.

Which one for whom?

If you leave the country often, Google Fi Wireless is built for it. If you want the fastest network and carrier perks, T-Mobile fits. If you want to switch networks and pay the least for unlimited, US Mobile is the one. If you'll pay a year up front for the lowest monthly rate, Mint Mobile.

For frequent international trips, Google Fi Wireless is the plan that includes data in 200+ destinations on Premium. T-Mobile suits anyone who wants the fastest network in our metro tests and carrier perks. US Mobile is for switching between all three networks on the cheapest unlimited we tested, and Mint Mobile is for paying a year up front to get $15–$30 a month.