Boost Mobile is a prepaid MVNO that was previously owned by Sprint, but due to the T-Mobile and Sprint merger, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required Sprint to sell Boost Mobile to DISH. Boost Mobile operates on its Nationwide Network as well as a new Expanded Network, which offers broader coverage. Boost Mobile offers a wide selection of prepaid plans, including unlimited, limited data, and family plans. Every single Boost Mobile plan has all-in pricing, meaning taxes and fees are already included.

In this Boost Mobile guide:


Compare all Boost Mobile plans

With Boost Mobile prepaid plans, you pay for your service upfront and you can avoid a pesky credit check. In light of DISH’s acquisition, Boost offers a lot of new phone plan options. The Boost Expanded Data plans are available for customers with devices that are compatible with its Expanded Network, and the Nationwide plans are for those using Boost’s Nationwide Network. And every Boost Mobile plan includes mobile hotspot, so you can share your data with your other devices.


Boost Mobile Expanded Data plans

The Boost Mobile Expanded Data plans are available for Boost customers who have phones that are compatible with the Expanded Network. There are both unlimited and limited data options on the Expanded Network, so you have plenty of choices. The Expanded Data plans run on a more robust and reliable network than Boost Mobile’s Nationwide Network.

Unlimited plans on T-Mobile

Boost Mobile offers two unlimited plans on the Expanded Network, the Go Unlimited $50 Plan and the Go Unlimited $60 Plan. Despite their names, they aren’t true unlimited data plans. They both include a data allowance of 35GB/month, and once you use your allotted data, your speeds will be throttled to 2G for the remainder of the billing cycle. That said, 35GB/month is probably enough data for most customers who enjoy streaming music and video and using social media.

Limited data plans

Boost Mobile offers a nice selection of limited data plans available on the Extended Network. These prepaid plans are reasonably-priced and range from 1GB to 15GB with hotspot included in all of them. The 1GB and 2GB plans are for new in-store customers only, while the 5GB plan is for new customers in-store or online. The 15GB plan is the most expensive, but it is eligible for Boost’s $hink-It! reward program, which reduces your monthly plan price by $5/month after 3 on-time payments then $10/month after 6 on-time payments.






Which Boost Mobile phones are compatible with the Expanded Network?

Whether you’re a new or current Boost Mobile customer, you can buy one of the following phones and reap the benefits of the Expanded Network’s excellent coverage:

  • iPhone 6 & newer
  • Samsung Galaxy A10e
  • Samsung Galaxy A20
  • Samsung Galaxy S10
  • Samsung Galaxy S20 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy A21
  • Samsung Galaxy A11
  • LG K51
  • LG Stylo 5x
  • LG Stylo 6
  • moto e6
  • moto g7 play
  • moto e
  • moto g fast
  • Wiko Ride 2
  • LG Tribute Monarch
  • Coolpad Legacy SR

If you’re looking to get a Boost Mobile phone, you’ll want to check out the best Boost Mobile deals to get a sweet discount.


Boost Mobile Nationwide plans

The Boost Mobile Nationwide plans are available for customers who are using the Nationwide Network. Boost Mobile offers a few Nationwide plan options, ranging from 3GB to 35GB. All of these plans include a mobile hotspot allowance, and the $50 and $60 plans include dedicated hotspot allowances, which allows you to tether your devices without using your primary data allowance. As with the Boost Mobile Expanded Data plans, once you use your monthly data allotment, your data speeds will be slowed to 2G for the remainder of the billing cycle. This is helpful if you don’t keep close track of your data usage and want to avoid overage fees. Although 2G speeds aren’t anything to write home about, you can probably check your email and browse the web with these speeds.




Boost Mobile family plans

You have several options when it comes to choosing a Boost Mobile family plan. If everyone has compatible phones, you can opt for the Extended Data limited data plans and mix and match any lines to customize your family plan. That’s a really awesome perk that not every carrier offers. If you’d prefer a Go Unlimited plan on the Expanded Network, you can add additional lines for $30/month or $40/month but you can’t mix and match the unlimited plans.

Conversely, if you want a family plan on a Nationwide plan, you can have up to 5 lines on any of them and each line is discounted between $5/month and $40/month. Keep in mind, you can’t mix and match these plans, so everyone in the family will be on the same plan. That’s important to consider when choosing a plan that’s going to satisfy every family member, especially the heavy data users.

At the end of the day, no matter which Boost Mobile family plan you choose, you’ll be saving money on your monthly phone plan, which is always something to smile about.


What does the T-Mobile and Sprint merger mean for Boost Mobile customers?

In light of the T-Mobile and Sprint merger, the FCC required Sprint to sell Boost Mobile. Sprint is now owned by T-Mobile and is operating under the T-Mobile brand name. DISH has since acquired Boost Mobile. Current customers don’t have to worry about plan prices or features changing; the only difference is that Boost Mobile has more plan options now available on the Expanded Network. You will still manage your account via Boost Mobile’s system, same as always.

In short, nothing will change for you and you can continue to enjoy your Boost Mobile service.


Boost Mobile add-ons & extras

Boost Mobile has a wide selection of add-ons and extras for you to take your phone plan to the next level. Some popular Boost Mobile add-ons include international calling, data packages, and HD-streaming.

International Calling

If you want to make calls to people outside of the U.S., you can pay an additional monthly fee for an international calling package, such as:

  • Todo Mexico PLUS: $5/month for unlimited calls to and from Mexico, unlimited calls to Canada, unlimited texting to Mexico and Canada, and 8GB of roaming in Mexico
  • International Connect PLUS: $10/month for everything in the Todo Mexico add-on, as well as unlimited calls to landlines in 70+ countries and 200 minutes to cell phones in 50+ countries
  • International Minute Packs: Starting at $3/90 days for minutes to one specific country
  • International Text Messaging: $.10/sent message, free to receive messages

Data Packages

If you’ve reached your data cap and your internet service has slowed, you can add extra high-speed data onto your plan. These are known as one-time data packs for those months where you spend extra time on your phone. Conversely, Boost also has ongoing data add-ons, which adds a certain amount of data to your plan every month until you cancel it. The prices for data packages include:

  • $5/month for 1GB
  • $10/month for 2GB

In order to add a data package, go to your Boost Mobile account and click “Plan and Add-Ons,” then click, “Change Add-Ons Only.” Choose the data package you want then follow the prompts to finish your payment. Each plan has different restrictions when buying more data. To see if you qualify, check out Boost Mobile’s data FAQ page.

High Definition Add-On

For better video streaming and gaming, you can add HD services to your monthly plan for $10/month. Buying this add-on might not make a noticeable difference if you’re just streaming on your phone. Phone screens are so small it can be hard to differentiate between HD and SD. If you’re using a hotspot and streaming on a laptop or TV, the HD package may be worth it.


Let’s Talk Take: How good are Boost Mobile plans?

Pros:

  • Great coverage on the Expanded Network
  • Transparent pricing
  • Nice plan selection
  • Mix and match limited family plans
  • Mobile hotspot on all plans

Cons:

  • Coverage may be spotty on the Nationwide Network
  • Plans are fairly pricey for an MVNO
  • Data throttling on unlimited plans
  • No entertainment or travel perks

Since DISH’s acquisition of Boost Mobile, Boost Mobile has stepped its game up as far as plan offerings, giving you the option of unlimited and limited data plans on its Expanded Network and several great plans running on the Nationwide Network. With the inclusion of the Expanded Data plans, customers have the option of choosing a more reliable, far-reaching network—as long as they have a compatible device. We also love that Boost Mobile includes taxes and fees in all of its plans, which makes for a more transparent experience. Not to mention, every single Boost Mobile plan includes a hotspot capability, enabling you to share your data with your laptop, tablet, smartwatch, and more. It’s also a huge win for Boost Mobile that you can mix and match its limited plans for a family plan that works for every member of the family.

That said, Boost Mobile certainly isn’t the cheapest MVNO around—there are numerous MVNOs that offer similar plans for far less money. You also don’t get any cool entertainment or travel perks, such as a streaming subscription or international roaming or calling. And one disadvantage to going with a Boost Mobile unlimited plan is that its unlimited plans are actually throttled to 2G speeds after you use 35GB of data in a month. That means these plans more or less function like 35GB data plans. This could be frustrating if you thought you were getting a true unlimited plan, but if you’re never going to use more than 35GB of data or you can live with the 2G speeds for a b it, then Boost Mobile may be worth considering.

Comparable unlimited plan options

For comparison, there are plenty of affordable unlimited plans out there that don’t throttle your data speeds. For example, Visible’s unlimited plan costs just $40/month and gives you access to Verizon’s powerful network and unlimited mobile hotspot. Your speeds may be subject to temporary slowing during network congestion but they’ll pick back up once the network clears. Other carriers with great cheap unlimited plans include Metro by T-Mobile, Tello, Ultra Mobile, and Simple Mobile. T-Mobile even offers an affordable prepaid plan called T-Mobile Simply Prepaid Unlimited Plan, which costs just $50/month.

Our take is that if you’re looking for an unlimited data plan, you may want to look elsewhere, but if you don’t mind the data caps and you love the hotspot feature, then you may want to consider Boost.

Boost Mobile vs. other MVNOS