Best Phone Carrier for the iPhone

• Unlimited calls
• Unlimited text
• Unlimited data
• Extensive network coverage
• International calling
• International roaming
• Hotspot capabilities

Most cell phone plans are compatible with an iPhone. It’s really a matter of finding the best deal with the features you want more than anything. Not everyone wants or needs features like unlimited data or hotspot capabilities, so keep your must-haves in mind when selecting a plan.

If you want to upgrade your iPhone model, some plans have special deals that include a brand-spanking new iPhone. But check the Apple Store before signing up for one of these carrier-specific bargains. You might save more by using Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program than by signing up for a BYOD plan.

And by the way, if you have a newer iPhone model, you may not even need a SIM card to switch providers—an eSIM might be available.

A good cell phone plan is also necessary for some iPhone accessories, mainly the Apple Watch. Every device from an Apple Watch series needs either a cell phone plan or Wi-Fi to function properly (receive and send texts and calls, send notifications, etc.).

Just a heads up—our recommended providers in this piece are MVNOs, or Mobile Virtual Network Operators. That means they’re borrowing their networks from the big networks (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.).

Most cell phone providers are MVNOs, so this isn’t unusual, but it’s worth calling out so you know why these carriers lack their own networks.

Visible Wireless may be the best iPhone carrier in terms of price and coverage. It uses Verizon’s far-reaching cellular network for pennies per GB.

Let’s start with the plan details. Visible offers two cell phone plans where you can bring your own iPhone: a $25-a-month plan where you get unlimited talk and text without a contract (but your phone slows during high-traffic times) or a $45-a-month plan that’s identical except that you get 50 GB of fast data up before you see a slowdown.

We’re partial to the second plan. As long as you’re not a maniac about playing games or watching videos outside your home, 50 GB should be more than enough to meet your needs. Plus, if you’re a new Visible customer, you may be able to get a deal for the first few months of service (see the plans for more details). 

Visible also has deals for some specific Apple phones, like the latest iPhone 15, but we’re not sure they’re the best deals since the phone costs more through Visible than it does on Apple’s website. But Visible does offer the option to pay for the iPhone over time, which may be a boon for some.

As for coverage through Visible, you’ll want for almost nothing with the Verizon network. Verizon has great 5G coverage located throughout the US.

If you want a good deal, Mint Mobile is the perfect place to sign up for a new plan with your iPhone.

As you might have heard from the many ads starring Ryan Reynolds, Mint Mobile has a crazy good deal available to new customers, and folks with iPhones are eligible!

You can snap up any of Mint’s plans, including the unlimited plan, for just $15 a month for three months. After those three months, though, your costs will increase—unless you have the 5 GB plan, which stays at $15.

Here are Mint’s price increases:

• $20 for 15 GB
• $25 for 20 GB
• $30 for unlimited

Those are comparable to other MVNOs we’ve seen, so we see no problem in staying with Mint even after your signup discount runs out.

Meanwhile, you can get the same plans with an iPhone 15 as any other iPhone—except you must pay for the phone upfront. And like with Visible, the phone costs more than if you buy it directly from the Apple Store.

Mint uses T-Mobile’s network, which is good but not as extensive as Verizon’s. You’ll see significant gaps in some parts of the US, like in Montana.

Tello Mobile has a variety of plans at different price and data points, allowing you to save money by only paying for what you want.

Our favorite is the fully unlimited plan, which gives you 25 GB of fast data for $29 a month. It’s not quite as good a value as Visible’s 50 GB plan, which offers twice as much data for 1.5 times the price—but it’s similar to Mint Mobile’s non-deal prices. Tello also provides fully customizable family plans that allow you to pick any four of its plans.

Tello has no iPhone 15-specific deals, so you won’t get a special discount if you want to upgrade to that shiny new phone.

Like Mint Mobile, Tello uses the T-Mobile network, so you’ll see similar coverage between the two services.

Xfinity Mobile isn’t the most price-effective carrier—unless you already have Xfinity services. Then you may be able to save a grundle with a bundle.

Xfinity Mobile is expensive, starting with $15 for 1GB and $45 for unlimited data that slows down after 20 GB. Visible, Mint, and Tello all have more affordable plans than that.

But if you already use Xfinity Internet or Xfinity TV, you can bundle both with Xfinity Mobile for just $50 a month. That’s practically a steal!

As for iPhone 15 plans, like with other carriers, getting the new phone up front through Xfinity is technically more expensive. But Xfinity does offer some payment plan options, just like Visible.

Also, interestingly, Xfinity plans that come with an iPhone 15 are reserved solely for Xfinity Internet customers.

Like Visible, Xfinity uses Verizon’s network, so you’ll get excellent coverage if you go with Xfinity.

Our top cell phone carrier recommendation for the iPhone is Visible, but we recommend any of these services.

• Visible Wireless: Visible has widespread coverage through Verizon and offers a high-value unlimited data plan.
• Mint Mobile: For an unbelievably good sign-on deal, try Ryan Reynolds-owned Mint Mobile.
• Tello Mobile: Tello has a lot of different plan options that never exceed $29 a month, so you can save money by going with this provider.
• Xfinity Mobile: Xfinity Mobile is expensive on its own but is a fantastic price if bundled with other Xfinity services.

When choosing our best iPhone carriers, we considered a few things:

• Does the provider allow iPhones?
• How much do the plans cost?
• How much data do the plans include?
• How extensive is the provider’s network coverage?
• Does the provider have an iPhone-specific deal?

While many carriers could be a good fit for this piece, we chose the ones we felt offered the most value to iPhone users.