The Best Phone Plans for Two

Little known fact – you don’t have to be in a romantic relationship with someone to share a phone plan with them. Those so-called “family plans”? Yep, you can sign up with your friend, roommate, or your friend’s roommate. 

The majority of carriers – especially the major ones – have family plans, or what some carriers call “multi-line discounts.” It’s exactly what it sounds like: the more lines you have, the less you pay, on average, per line. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile all have these discounts, but many of the Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) that lease access to the larger networks have them too. Those discounts can apply to two, three, four, or more lines, with deeper savings for each additional line.

Our picks for the best phone plans for two include (but are not limited to): 

• T-Mobile Go5G Plus
• AT&T Unlimited Extra EL
• Verizon Unlimited Plus
• Xfinity Mobile Unlimited Plus

This is just the tip of the iceberg, however, so you'll want to read on to discover the full gamut of excellent plan options for two.

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Best T-Mobile Phone Plans for Two

Like the other major carriers, T-Mobile offers some good discounts on two-person cell phone plans, and savings for two lines vary slightly depending on the plan you get, equating to between $10 and $15 per line. 

For two, you get a bigger discount on the Go5G Plus and Go5G Next plans than on Go5G. From there, it comes down to perks. If you're someone who would be paying for Hulu full price otherwise and you like to upgrade your device every year, then T-Mobile Go5G Next is the better bet. However, T-Mobile Go5G Plus is our favorite for couples who hold onto their phones for at least two years and can live without Hulu.

T-Mobile Go5G Plus comes with perks like Apple TV+ (a $9.99 value) and Netflix Standard with Ads (a $7.99 value), all for $150 per month with AutoPay. That equates to $75 per line, representing savings of $15 per line compared to its single-line pricing of $90. It also comes with extra features, like 4K video streaming and 50GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data.

By comparison, T-Mobile Go5G Next comes with all the perks of Plus, but also includes Hulu with ads (a $9.99 value) and the ability to upgrade your phone every year instead of every two years, all for $170 per month with AutoPay. That equates to $85 per line, representing savings of $15 per line compared to its single-line pricing of $100.

You don't quite have to spend that kind of cash on T-Mobile, though. If you're looking for a more affordable T-Mobile unlimited plan, Go5G (no Plus or Next in the name) includes fewer perks but a lower monthly cost, and T-Mobile Essentials nails the basics with unlimited calling, text, and data, with 50GB of high-speed data (you’ll get throttled download speeds after 50GB in one month). 

The only big drawback to consider with T-Mobile is that you can't mix and match plans like you can on some other carriers – so you and your phone plan friend will need to be on the same page when it comes to which plan to get.

Best AT&T Phone Plans for Two

AT&T's plans also vary in how much you'll save depending on the plan you go for, but generally, savings are a little lower than on T-Mobile. In fact, on AT&T Value Plus VL, its low-data plan, adding a second line won’t get you any discount per line.

Savings start on AT&T Unlimited Starter SL, which will get you a $5 discount per line when you go for two lines. This plan offers unlimited talk, text, and data, along with 5GB of hotspot data, but that's about it in terms of perks. Despite that, it’s still a solid choice for low data users. 

The next two plans offer the same discount for a second line – $10 per line. These plans are called Unlimited Extra EL and Unlimited Premium PL. Unlimited Extra EL gets you 75GB of high-speed data and 30GB of hotspot data, with SD video streaming. Unlimited Premium PL will get you truly unlimited data, double the mobile hotspot data (60GB), and 4K streaming. Essentially, unless you’re an ultra-demanding data user, you probably don’t need to spend the cash on the Unlimited Premium PL plan – especially if you’re good at searching for and connecting to Wi-Fi networks when you’re on the go. 

You've probably noticed a lack of additional perks like subscriptions to streaming services, and that's because AT&T doesn't offer them. That said, unlike T-Mobile, the carrier does allow multi-line accounts to mix and match plans. In other words, you could have the highest-end plan, with your friend getting a cheaper plan—if they don’t need much hotspot data, for example.

Best Verizon Phone Plans for Two

AT&T may best T-Mobile when it comes to mixing and matching plans, but Verizon goes a step further, allowing you to essentially build your own plan by choosing which perks you want (via the carrier’s myPlan system), on a per line basis. Each of Verizon’s plans come with a $10-per-line discount for that second line—which means you can choose your plan based on what you actually want, not based on the savings you’ll get. 

You'll start by choosing your unlimited option. The most basic is Verizon Unlimited Welcome ($55 per line, per month, with Auto Pay, for two lines), which offers unlimited data, but could be deprioritized in times of mobile network congestion. A step up from there is Unlimited Plus ($70 per line), which gets you 30GB of premium data and up to 50% off a connected data plan for a device like a smartwatch or tablet. Last but not least is the Unlimited Ultimate plan, which doubles the amount of premium data to 60GB, includes international talk, text, and data, and adds a second 50% discount for a connected device.

After you've chosen your base plans, however, you'll be able to choose which perks you want. For example, you can get the Disney Bundle with Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ for $10 per month, representing a saving of $11.99 per month. There are also discounts on Netflix and Max, Apple One, Walmart+, Apple Music, and more.

Thankfully, you don't have to do all that work if you don't want to, though, as Verizon does offer some pre-packaged plans with different perks. As with AT&T, Verizon allows you to mix and match the different plans – so you and your friend can have different plans with different data allotments and perks. 

Best Xfinity Mobile Phone Plans for Two

Xfinity Mobile might not be as well known as the major carriers we covered above, but you can still get great multi-line savings with this provider. The only caveat is that the bill payer must also be an Xfinity Home Internet customer.

Xfinity Mobile does have a few different options for differing data needs. Not only that, but customers can mix and match with its unlimited data plans and its By the Gig data plans. Those By the Gig plans can be helpful for those who use little data. They essentially bill you for each 1GB of data used. So if you only use a few gigabytes of data each month, you'll likely save some cash.

Any more than that and you may want to consider Xfinity Mobile's unlimited data plans. The basic Xfinity Mobile Unlimited plan offers 30GB of premium data and 480p streaming, while Xfinity Mobile Unlimited Plus steps things up to 50GB of premium data and 720p streaming, along with 15GB of 5G hotspot data. You'll be able to use that data in plenty of places, since Xfinity Mobile runs on Verizon’s national network to provide excellent coverage to its customers. 

Other Options for Two-Person Phone Plans

The three big carriers (T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T) are probably your best bet when it comes to multi-line plans or phone plans for couples, but it's worth considering others too. There are tons of MVNOs that offer multi-line discounts, and while their perks aren't as impressive, they often come at a lower price.

Google Fi, for example, offers a discount of $10 per line when you get two lines. Others, like Spectrum Mobile, often run promotions that allow additional lines to be added for free, though those kinds of promotions rarely apply to accounts with only two lines. Others to consider include the likes of Visible and Metro by T-Mobile.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that just because a carrier offers multi-line plans or family plans, that doesn't mean those additional lines come at a discount. Some carriers, like Mint Mobile, have “family plans” that essentially only allow you to manage multiple lines within one account instead of actually offering a discount of any kind. That said, Mint Mobile specifically offers relatively low-cost mobile plans, so if one of Mint Mobile’s plans fits your needs, you may find that it’s still cheaper than an alternative, even without a multi-person discount. 

The Bottom Line

No matter who you sign up with for a two-person plan, there should be a solid discount out there for you and your needs, and you should be able to find the best phone plans for two people that fit within your requirements. Whether you’re signing up with a spouse who has similar needs as you, a friend who uses much more data, or a roommate who just wants a plan with Netflix access, there are plenty of options out there. 

Of course, even with the right friend or family member, picking a phone plan can still be somewhat tricky. That's where our free, unbiased Plan Finder comes in. All you have to do is answer a few basic questions, like how many lines you need and what perks you want, and we'll search through the thousands of plan options to find the best fits, completely personalized to your needs. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average cell phone bill for 2 people?

What is the average cell phone bill for 2 people?

The average cell phone bill for two people in the U.S. ranges from $80 to $150 per month, depending on the carrier and plan features such as data limits and perks. Premium phone plans can cost upwards of $200 per month.

How much is an AT&T phone plan for 2 people?

An AT&T phone plan for two people typically costs around $120 to $150 per month for unlimited data, talk, and text. Premium plans with extra features like high-speed data and international coverage may push the cost higher, to about $160 to $180 per month.

What is the #1 cell phone carrier in the USA?

Verizon is the #1 carrier in the U.S.A., with more subscribers than its competitors T-Mobile and AT&T. The carrier is known for its excellent coverage and top tier customer service.