Best Total Wireless plans in 2024

by · Android Police

Total Wireless wasn’t always a great value, but since Verizon has updated the carrier and its plans, it makes a lot more sense. Total Wireless is owned by Verizon and uses its network for coverage, along with some of the typical perks Verizon-based plans come with, like Ultra Wideband 5G and compatibility with most of the best Android phones.

Total’s 5G can be great bargains for those with multiple lines, but isn’t as impressive when it comes to single-line value. If you're looking for unlimited data on Verizon's network, these are the Total Wireless plans to consider.

Get unlimited data for the whole family with Total Wireless

Best overall

Total Wireless Total 5G Unlimited

Postpaid features with prepaid pricing

Pros

  • Full Ultra Wideband 5G speeds
  • Strong multi-line savings
  • Taxes and fees included

Cons

  • Expensive for a single line
  • Video limited to SD quality

From $50/month

If you’re looking for an unlimited data plan for your family, Total’s 5G Unlimited plan is a solid one to start with. This plan gets unlimited data with Verizon’s fastest Ultra Wideband coverage with no high-speed data cap or strict deprioritization.

You get 15GB of hotspot data included to share with your other devices, like a tablet or laptop, and while 5Mbps isn’t going to blow your socks off, it’s plenty for checking email, browsing the web, and even streaming video at 720p or lower.

Total has a fairly impressive set of international features for a prepaid carrier, too. With this plan, you get roaming in more than 15 countries, most of which are in Central or South America, including Mexico and Canada. Calling is included to 85+ countries and texting to 200+ countries is also included.

This plan starts at $50 per month for a single line, but if you bring four lines, it comes down to just $27.50 per line, and with five lines, that comes down to $25. If you’ve only got one line, you’ll need to sign up for auto-pay or your plan will cost an extra $5. At least taxes and fees are included, with a five-year price guarantee, so you know exactly what your plan will cost.

Best value

Total Wireless Base 5G Unlimited

Save with a basic plan

If you’re looking for a simple plan, Base 5G Unlimited is your best bet with unlimited talk, text, and data in the U.S. You even get 5GB of hotspot data to share with other devices.

Pros

  • Unlimited 5G data
  • Solid 5GB hotspot
  • Roaming in Mexico and Canada

Cons

  • No Ultra Wideband speeds
  • No discount for a second line

From $40/month

If you’re looking for something simple, the Base 5G Unlimited plan is your best bet with a reasonably low $40 starting price for a single line. With four lines, it comes down to just $25 per line with taxes and fees included.

This plan doesn’t get 5G Ultra Wideband speeds, but as we’ve seen with Visible, it's still fast enough for most people. For doing the basics, like browsing the web, scrolling through social media, messaging friends, and even streaming video from YouTube, these speeds should be fine.

You get 5GB of hotspot data to share with your other devices, which isn’t enough to download a PS5 game, but if you just want to be able to use your tablet or laptop while away from Wi-Fi, it’s nice to have. This plan also has an impressive suite of international features including texting to 200+ countries, calling to 85+ countries, and roaming in Mexico and Canada.

One thing to note about this plan is that video streams are limited to 480p, so if you watch a lot of content that requires a higher resolution, like video game streams, you may want to upgrade to the plan above. Still, for many people, this plan offers all the most essential features for less than most postpaid carriers.

Best premium

Total Wireless Total 5G+ Unlimited

Full 5G speeds and international roaming

Total’s most expensive unlimited plan comes with a few perks for international travelers with free credits and those that need hotspot data with unlimited usage at 5Mbps.

Pros

  • Full 5G Ultra Wideband speeds
  • Solid multi-line savings
  • Unlimited hotspot data (5Mbps)

Cons

  • Hotspot is just 5Mbps
  • Expensive for a single line

From $60/month

At $10 more than Total 5G Unlimited for the first line, Total 5G+ Unlimited comes with some nice features for those who need to make calls overseas.

For the most part, this plan is identical to the best overall plan above, but its hotspot data is upgraded to unlimited, even if its speed is downgraded to 5Mbps. Even at this speed, you can browse and stream video on a hotspot, so it’s still a solid upgrade for many. With full 5G Ultra Wideband speeds on your phone, you’re getting a lot of data for the price.

With this plan, you get roaming in 15+ countries, including Mexico and Canada. You also get calling to 85+ destinations with a $10 long-distance credit for 120 countries not included for free. Texting to 200+ destinations is also included.

When it comes to cost, this plan is $60 per month for a single line with auto-pay, but it comes down to just $30 per month with four lines, and $27 per month with five lines. Total Wireless really starts to make sense when you bring multiple lines to it, with prices and features rivaling the best value data plans.

Choosing the right unlimited plan

Verizon is refining its prepaid plans with carriers like Total Wireless and Visible. In fact, there’s a lot of Visible's DNA in Total’s latest plans, down to the 5Mbps hotspot speeds. While Visible’s plans are cheaper for a single line, once you add four or five lines, the prices even out, especially when you remember both carriers include taxes and fees in the plan price.

One perk that helps Total stand out is you can get $200 off on a new phone if you stick with the carrier for a year, with $100 after six months — this promotion is available on all plans. Speaking of promotions, you can get six months of ad-free Disney+ for free with your new plan.

If you’re looking for a new phone provider and Total Wireless has made it to your shortlist, a good plan is to start with Total 5G Unlimited. This plan doesn’t have a high-speed data cap and has access to Verizon’s fast Ultra Wideband 5G speeds. Beyond that, multi-line pricing makes it very competitive if you’ve got four or more lines. It’s also nice to remember that, with Total Wireless, your prices are guaranteed for five years with taxes and fees included.

Total Wireless Total 5G Unlimited

With unlimited data on Verizon’s Ultra Wideband 5G network and solid international features, the Total 5G Unlimited plan is a strong choice, especially if you have multiple lines to bring.

From $50/month