5 of the Best Data Plans for Cellular Tablets

When purchasing a tablet, unless it’s one of the best tablets with 5G connectivity, choosing a Wi-Fi model can limit your daily use, especially if you plan to use it outside the home. So, tablet data plans generally work differently than smartphone plans because they prioritize the user’s internet browsing over calls or texts. Depending on the carrier, prices can vary considerably.

Some, like AT&T or T-Mobile, offer specific plans for tablets, but prices change if you sign up for a standalone line or add it to a phone account. There is also a daily use option for those who want occasional mobile internet use on the tablet. Finding the best plan for your tablet is a little more complex than finding the best plan for a smartphone, as features added or removed by carriers can change the value of each option. For this reason, we have separated some of the best options for you to consider, taking into account different profiles.

If you want a plan exclusively for your cellular tablet, without a smartphone line as well, Tello’s standalone plan is one of the best options you can find. In the Build Your Own Plan method, you can select just 10 GB of data and leave out options like call minutes. The plan costs around $13, with no annual contract. Tello operates as an MVNO on T-Mobile’s network, a setup shared by other providers among the best cheap phone plans, so you have access to 4G LTE and 5G, depending on local coverage and device compatibility.

Unlocked tablets or iPads can use Tello’s service, and you can also share the 10GB via a hotspot on another device, such as your own phone. You can increase or decrease the plan as needed, although the change starts a new 30-day cycle and creates new fees. Since you only have 10GB, this works best for browsing and keeping essential apps connected, as streaming can quickly use up your entire limit.

For anyone who already has a T-Mobile plan for their smartphone, upgrading to add a tablet is an option that only costs about $20 with AutoPay, plus applicable taxes and fees. Without this link, the standalone price can reach $40, which reduces some of the value you get for your money. At the lower price, you get unlimited 5G or 4G LTE data on your tablet, as well as high-definition streaming on select devices.

Although it is limited to 480p by default, you can enable HD resolution on your account. One of the main drawbacks of the T-Mobile plan is network priority, a trade-off you’ll find even among the most reliable phone carriers. This means you may notice lower speeds on your tablet during congestion. The speed also drops to 600 Kbps after consuming more than 50 GB during the monthly cycle, which can hurt anyone who needs a lot of data each month.

Another plan for people who already own a line of Verizon smartphones lets you choose between two versions of the carrier’s tablet plans. Unlimited costs around $20 per month, while Unlimited Plus costs $25, both with a 50% discount. As a standalone plan without this benefit, they cost $40 and $50, respectively, reducing the appeal of each. Verizon Unlimited is the most balanced alternative for anyone who plans to browse, watch videos, and use a hotspot only occasionally. The plan includes unlimited data, 50GB with network priority, streaming at around 720p, and 15GB of premium hotspot.

After this limit, sharing continues to work up to 1 Mbps, while the connection may slow down during congestion, a cap similar to what you’ll find on some of the best $50 unlimited phone plans. Unlimited Plus works best for anyone who often uses the tablet as a hotspot. It increases the network limit to 100 GB and also improves streaming, since you can watch in 1080p or 4K under compatible conditions. So, considering Verizon’s plan is a good choice if you need a network for the tablet.

If your usage is more situational and $20 or more for a data plan seems unnecessary, AT&T offers an option where you only pay for the day you use it. For $3 you get unlimited data for 24 hours after purchase and the first daily pass is free upon initial activation. However, the service only works on unlocked, eSIM-enabled iPads deemed eligible by the company.

The best part here is that it requires no contracts or minimum monthly activations, so you can save a little on your bill at the end of the month. However, this saving varies depending on your usage, since 10 days of Day Pass activations cost $30. So if you plan to use your tablet’s mobile data often, it’s best to look for other alternatives.

For $15 a month, Simply Tablet provides unlimited data on tablets running on Cricket’s 5G network, which runs on AT&T technology, the same infrastructure used by other budget phone carriers that use AT&T’s network. The carrier also offers the option to use your own device, provided it passes the required compatibility test before activation. This is one of the cheapest plans you’ll find specifically for tablets, especially if you already have an unlimited Cricket line.

Adding a tablet to your account for less than $20 is an affordable option compared to major carrier plans. The plan also includes the ability to use data in Canada and Mexico, but there are restrictions for expanded use. The biggest downside is that you can’t use it as a standalone plan. The account requires at least one eligible unlimited smartphone line, which currently starts at $40 per month. Cricket also usually displays videos in SD and may reduce speed when the network is overloaded.