After watching this video I took his advice and bought an esim data plan from US Mobile. Just know that the esim data plans DO NOT have SMS or international calling. The best part about Google Fi is that it works just about any country, and you get all your US calls, sms/mms, and priority data even when roaming in other countries. It's very nice to land in a new country and have everything working every time!
Comparing based on PRICE alone isn't really useful for most of us. For example, I travel internationally a lot.. I can use my Google Fi service in basically any country I travel to. *Seamlessly* . No other carrier provides this. I repeat: SEAMLESSLY. Meaning, when my plane lands in a new country, I get a text message about my change of location, what features are available, and the prices. I can continue using my phone as normal. *SEAMLESS* . To me, being hassle-free worth the $30/month.
Google Fi only allows you to use your phone internally only if you pay $70 per month. It is not available in other plans. I do travel overseas once a year. The $70 deal only gives you 50GB data. For $55, I get 100GB with US Mobile through Verizon Network.
@@villafontananorte This isn't true. It works on the flexible plan too in the exact same manner. Personal experience with this. The convenience is really hard to beat if you travel enough for it to matter.
Thanks for this honest review but you left out one big thing; with google fi they'll give you $500 off on the phone AND it's unlocked. This means I simply buy a local sim when I travel and get a cheaper phone. As a digital nomad, this is HUGE for me. Plus you get priority data with t-mobile. When I had Mint my data often wouldn't work when I needed it most (at the airport) because it was too congested.
Hey maybe you can answer my question, Im currently in a tmobil family plan, i wanted to switch to buy so I can get the $500 off the s22 ultra, can i use fi for a month after paying the phone in full and switch back to tmobile? since I would only pay 40 there a month vs 50
I literally love my google fi unlimited plan I’ve had it for 2 years in an area where US Cellular is dominant and I love it. Just added 2 lines onto my account and got a $200 credit. Worth it for families trying to save. VERY WORTH IT.
The main reason I choose Google Fi is that it offers four Data-Only SIMs for free. This typically costs $10-20 per line on other carriers. International calls and roaming are also nice features. Another thing that worth to mention is that Fi have higher priority than any other T-Mobile MVNOs. If you have a lot of devices that require a Data-Only SIM and have multiple lines within your family/friends group, Fi is a good choice. But Flexible and Simply Unlimited are not a good choice in my opinion.
Same here, I use Google Fi so that my 3 tablets do not rely on a mobile hotspot or wifi. I find more use with my devices on the go this way and I love that it's for no additional charge.
@@myztroogeegibson3568 For now no, Google requires you to live mainly in the US. They won’t allow you activate outside US and will suspend your service if you use it too long outside US.
I am a single line user of Fi and have one other thing to add. In my area U.S. Cellular has great coverage where as T-Mobile does not. I LOVE being able to switch on the fly to whatever carrier is better. USCC's data speeds are slow but consistent and their coverage is top notch.
You didn't' mention the other perk of Google Fi - Priority Data. They are the only MVNO on T-Mobile that has this option, and in some congested areas might be worth it if your speed would be slow on Mint/Metro, and is still cheaper than Magenta in most scenarios.
I agree. A lot of people say it's not worth it but I've been on many "deprioritized" carriers in situations where I literally couldn't use my phone (in large crowds of people) where my parents right next to me on the main carrier were fine. Prioritized data for 3 people for $75/month is an incredible deal!
I switched to Google Fi as I was planning on traveling internationally for over a year, and wanted to be able to use the data upon landing. I have been mostly happy with the top tier Unltd. Plus plan ($65). However I have an Iphone XR and noticed that I now cannot share photos with anyone via text who is on Android. No problem sharing photos with other I phone users though. Google sent me a fix which didn't work. Might be specific to the Xr model? not sure. Annoying but I am still happy with the discounted monthly price vs my old ATT plan. I am saving over $35 a month.
Hey stetson, you're the type of youtuber that really should've more appreciation. The quality and effort is amazing. I wish you the best and one day you'll be as popular as MKBHD or someone like that
Can someone please explain the video streaming at 480p. I get 35GB of premium data from Google Fi, can't I use that data to watch CZcams videos at 1080p on my phone? Am I stuck with 480p for the whole month? Or is it that once that 35GB premium data is used up, that I am stuck with 480p video streaming?
Probably missing in the video is the ease of use/signup/cancel specially if you are on Pixel. It's one strong reason why I've stuck with Fi through the years. Dead simple sign up, changes, ports and cancels. With eSIM it's just a matter of login into the app to get service. Zero BS attitude across the service. This is well worth $5-$10 extra to me.
As a frequent short-term visitor to the US, I find it hard to believe how expensive the US carriers are. I was hoping Google would do something like a daily plan where you get certain amount of mins/text/data for a daily flat rate. Forking out $50 just to get connected for a few days isn't cheap and certainly not fun!
You may want to check out US Mobile! They offer affordable plans and use either the T-Mobile or Verizon networks to provide coverage. $15 for 5GB, $30 for 30GB, or $45 for 75GB are some of the plans US Mobile offers.
@@StetsonDoggett thanks. I also just recently found out about these MVNOs. Just less convenient to buy their sim cards, but at least there are cheaper options. Next time I'll be more prepared.
As Someone travels abroad frequently. I have the Google Fi flexible plan, and I have it on Pause for most of the time and I only use it in an emergency because sometimes you arrive at airports and the counters that sell local Sims are closed, or you can't Find a local Sim so easily. So having the Google fi flexible data that works At every country that I have ever visited is a must.
It’s seems like a good option for frequent travelers but they kick you out if you stay to long abroad. It somehow defeats the purpose and makes it strange that they advertise the roaming so much. And I know it’s in the terms of conditions. Still think it’s not the right way to deal with that.
I'm switching from Verizon prepaid unlimited plan to Google Fi unlimited plan. Verizon's service has gone down hill, while TMobile seems to be constantly improving in the Boston area. Plus I'm getting $500 off a Galaxy S22, so $300 after the savings. I'll be selling my pixel 6 to offset the start up costs.
Switched from visible's family plan that was $25. The depriorization I was getting there was absolutely horrid and 4 lines on Google fis simply unlimited is both much better in all aspects to visible for slightly cheaper.
I moved to T-Mobile on a friends 55+ account for the same reason. Double the cost was worth it for data that works but I do miss the Verizon network (though not enough to pay Verizon Prices)
I've got Google Fi, I'm on their Simply unlimited plan. I always go over my data, I use about 38gb a month, I try to connect to wifi at work but I'm always out of range. Their unlimited data is not truely unlimited. They cap you off at like 35gb per month and after 35gb your data slows down to broadband speed (really slow speed). Google Fi encourage you to use wifi much as possible. With $50 plan + $50 payment on my device + $taxes/fees, I pay $119 per month.
Signed up for the Simply Unlimited Plan for 6 lines ($120 + tax). Currently in the process of porting our numbers over to Google Fi (we have 2 lines left to port in). Coverage for the lines that we have activated are spot on and we haven't noticed any issues so far.
Can someone please explain the video streaming at 480p. I get 35GB of premium data from Google Fi, can't I use that data to watch CZcams videos at 1080p on my phone? Am I stuck with 480p for the whole month? Or is it that once that 35GB premium data is used up, that I am stuck with 480p video streaming?
@@thecreationtrio usually that's the default for most carriers. You can manually adjust the video quality just know that the data usage might increase (depends on your usage).
**UPDATE MARCH 2023** - Apple just released iOS 16.4, which *enables 5G on iPhone for Google Fi!* This makes Google Fi a way better option for iPhone users now! *Important Note* : Google Fi currently does *NOT* support 5G on iPhones. This is a HUGE deal in my opinion, as iPhone users are missing out on T-Mobile's massively improved 5G network. Android phones *DO* get access to 5G, so it's not an issue for them. Check out the best unlimited plans for 2022 here - www.bestphoneplans.net/cell-phone-plans/unlimited
What's the reason for this? In my market SF Bay Area, 5G coverage from T-Mobile is straight out pathetic as of april 2022. Not so much because you'll see super speeds here and there, but rather because they are using band 71 for 5G and very often phone will lock onto 5G-71 and there'll be no capacity for everyone (specially in San Francisco). I'm talking zero data flow for minutes, no connectivity at all, if on 5G, with full bars. Force LTE and all is fine. Maybe Google Fi knows T-Mobile LTE/5G network is simply not greatly partitioned atm.
iPhone users also miss out on native visual voicemail, wifi calling, US Cellular roaming, HD Voice, and others have reported having to always reset their APN settings after an iOS update. IMO fi is only worth it if you have a pixel or fully supported Android.
Yeah, this has been the downside. I switch my entire family (18 people) over to Mint Mobile after waited many years with Google Fi. There are downside to Mint Mobile though(like no billing statement because it’s prepaid)
Yes that's a big problem, I have android and I am fine, but my wife and kids have iphone and their data and coverage is very crappy. Hope they find solution for iPhone soon.
Prioritization matters though, I had mint mobile for 3 years and they definitely throttle you over proprietary T-Mobile users. Going to try google fi to see if the prioritization is better.
As a Canadian, I am always mind blown to see how cheap plans are in the United States. Canada? Not so much…use your phone while visiting the US, pay $10-15/day.
The only reason why I grabbed Google Fi (literally today.) They had 50% off the Samsung flip 4. ($1,000 to $500) and I only have to have my line with them for 120 days not a $500 credit. Once that's over I'll switch. Possibly to Mint or visible by verizon
I love your videos. Been watching them for a long time. I'm not sure how you could compare a prioritized and prioritized plan. I had Mint mobile, and being in the Bay Area it really just sucked. I got the slower speeds 90% of the time. Went to T-Mobile prepaid and it was a huge upgrade since things were now prioritized. I'd say the Goolge Simply Unlimited plan is not bad. It is better than the Mint Mobile plan for me since I live in a congested area. I think that needs to be in your videos. How busy the network is in your area, and how that can effect someone.
This is the problem I keep having with MVNOs in my area. I am trying to decide now whether to try T-Mobile Connect, T-Mobile Prepaid, or Google Fi. Do you know what the priority is for each of those? I only ever use about 8 or so GB, but deprioritization kills it for me in my area as well. I've tried Mint, Xfinity, ATT Prepaid, and I'm on Red Pocket now. I've probably tried others I can't think of. They all have the same problem in my area. It's decent enough when not deprioritized, but completely unusable when deprioritized.
I'm with T-Mobile for someone like me who is on their phone all the time from browsing Internet, watching CZcams or other streaming to gaming. Having priority coverage means everything to me. I tried metro and had sprint before T-Mobile bought them. Have priority is a game changer when it comes to staying connected all the time. Price doesn't matter when it saves me time. Metro always dropped on me and now that T-Mobile bought sprint. It is also the same. The parent companies are the way to go and Google Fi is lucky to have priority as the other child company's don't have the luxury.
One thing you did not cover in this video is that Google Fi offers free data-only sim for iPad cellular which uses the same data as of your primary number without charging you extra unlike other networks. The $65 plan is totally worth it!!!
Just for clarification, I have the Google Fi Flexible plan and it DOES include hotspot tethering at $10/Gb. I use my hotspot for my Surface Pro and my tablet whenever I'm away from home. Also, as others have commented, Google FI is the ONLY MVNO authorized for the option of priority data. This is actually a big deal if you are in an area that is heavily congested (i.e., football game, parade, etc.) where outside of T-Mobile or Google Fi, you probably won't get a signal.
I switched to Google Fi because I’m able to take complete advantage of the extra perks. The free data only sim is for my IPad ($20 a month value.) I’ve been a member of CZcams premium for the last 2 years and now it’s free with the plan ($14 a month value.) The 100GB of Google cloud storage is now free ($2 a month value.)
The only real benefit of Google Fi is the prioritized data, but that just isn't worth the price difference compared to other plans, especially for a single user. Still loving my $60/month AT&T prepaid, but I'll admit I keep thinking about going back to US Mobile. Wouldn't be saving much with their unlimited plan, but if their video streaming truly is up to 4K, that's tempting!
I'm actually trying to confirm the priority data on Google Fi! I've confirmed Google Fi Flexible does have priority data. I'm going to check Simply Unlimited next billing cycle.
Google Fi also has full time VPN and can securely connect to wifi. That extends your cellular data. Unlimited Plus plans also allow four data only SIM cards (four additional lines) no additional cost on same plan
I struggle with things like this, I get confused sometimes lol I have total Wireless it’s supposed to be unlimited data, I found out today it is not. It has a data cap, is Google Fi like cricket where if you choose the unlimited plan you get so many gigs at high speed and after that it slows down a little bit but it’s still usable? Or after the 50 gigs that’s it you have to add more data? That’s what I’m trying to figure out.
@@Lequeer10 I know nothing about Google FI, I know for a fact that Total Wireless the unlimited plan will cut you off at 200 gigs. My son has Total Wireless he hasn’t even reached 200 yet each month, I let mine run to 200 gigs just to see where the cut off was and it was 200. I went back to cricket wireless, they changed it it is absolutely unlimited and it is high speed I run all videos at the highest setting’s.
Same. I was gonna fork out some money for a Samsung, but just decided to opt in to the phone subscription plan. $15/mo for a Pixel 6a. I turned my Samsung S20 for $200 in credit, so in all I'm gonna end up paying $160 for a 6a with a free upgrade at the end of the two years.
I'm A REAL NEOPHYTE compared to MOST of the you in this discussion BUT.... I'm looking into good, low-cost, high-quality service and at the same time thinking of about improving my cellphone from a NOTE 20 to a FOLD-4. Might want do BOTH at the same time. Have a relative saying we should be go to VERIZON FAMILY UNLM, but NOT SURE that'll be the best. Should be able to get 5-8 MBRS to move at the same time for the economy. And 2 are out of the US for a few months to half a year, ONE spends a lot of time in CANADA & the other is in MEXICO for a full 6 months yearly. ARE THESE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT MAKE FI "Simply Unlimited" into a "Simply Worthwhile" service?
@@m4b9 I was waiting to see what the Pixel 7 pro would be like before making a decision. I am not sure about that particular device yet but I am between the Pixel 7 Pro or the Samsung s22 ultra
feeling extremely lucky because we have amazing data plan in Vietnam. Like with the most famous mobile provider: mobifone, the unlimited data plan: we have 4GB/day, i repeat 4GB of LTE per day, 1000 minutes phone calls for free if the receiver use the same provider, and 50 minutes phone calls for free with different provider. All that shit is cost literally almost 3,9 dollars/month :)))) just one small condition: we have to sign a 2 year contract.
I have 4 people on the Google Fi family plan. We were on it long ago but left. Just came back because of the pricing change. It's hard to argue with $80 for 4 people, and includes Mexico and Canada. However, my youngest daughter is dying because her iPhone just will not work, and support is slow to respond. I am sure we can get it working, but no luck so far. It's been 3 days since I brought her over. The rest of us came over without a hitch.
you should make a video discussing the 30 day cut off service to international data on google fi. as someone who is preparing to go nomad around the world long term its super important to me and youll probly get alot of views from other nomads!
This is a decent video, but my biggest thing, which led me to research, is priority. I've been researching due to my issues, and if I'm following correctly, you compared Fi's priority data mostly to lower priority plans. This is the problem I keep having with MVNOs in my area. I am trying to decide now whether to try T-Mobile Connect, T-Mobile Prepaid, or Google Fi. Do you know what the priority is for each of those? I only ever use about 8 or so GB, but deprioritization kills it for me in my area as well. I've tried Mint, Xfinity, ATT Prepaid, and I'm on Red Pocket now. I've probably tried others I can't think of. They all have the same problem in my area. It's decent enough when not deprioritized, but completely unusable when deprioritized. So if I can get a plan that just has a higher priority without having to pay postpaid prices, that would be the selling point.
Great video, and nice breakdown of before vs now. But GoogleFi is 100% worth it if you frequent Canada and Mexico. No other plan comes close, and most don’t even allow you to make calls FROM Canada and Mexico TO the US.
I'm only switching to Google Fi temporarily because they're offering steep discounts on pre-orders for the Galaxy S23 with a free memory upgrade. I got the S23 Ultra with 512GB for $600.
I'm happy with the Unlimited Plus plan. Plus unlimited Data while traveling outside US, Canada, & Mexico with 200 plus countries that's great if you travel Paying $20 less a month from when I use to be on T-Mobile for two lines
hey Stetson I loved the video very thorough. I've had this thought every time I've been on Google fi's website. question, why did you leave out visible's plan? wouldn't it be equally comparable to mint? I switched over from the mint unlimited to visible this past year and I like visible better even though it has no option for international features. as you said aerolo provide that service independent of carrier.
I have the Mint Unlimited plan, but in my area that's like having all you can eat rice, 1 grain at a time. I'm about to go out on a limb and switch to Google Fi to see how the priority data affects my service. If it doesn't pick up with Fi, then I guess I'll be abandoning Tmo MVNO's altogether.
I live close to Los Angeles, about 15 mins away and since switching over to a 5g iPhone with my T-Mobile service it has not been the same. I can honestly say my service was better with my iPhone 11. I was considering making the change to Google Fi but I was told they run off the T-Mobile network so that would be the same crappy service I have now. I experience my phone is always looking for service or data, bars are always low but I guess I shouldn’t complain since I’m on an old plan & pay a cheap monthly bill.
I guess I'll stick with my magenta max plan. I had T-Mobile one international that was grandfathered in but we upgraded and now I get 5 gigs :/ I go to Mexico a lot
I'm on Metro and a solo line it's 60. It has "unlimited" until 35 and then it slows down. The coverage is really bad. I switched and combined a plan with my sister. We went from paying 60 each on metro to 40 each on Google Fi. No regrets.
My friend switched to Google-Fi last month and told me they were terrible. His family couldn't receive calls for 2 weeks and even worse, Google-Fi never figured out the problem or resolved it. He switched back to his old provider right away.
Been waiting for this video to drop. I'm thinking of moving our 4 lines from Mint to the Simply Unlimited family plan. It's the same network and the same plan mostly for less money without the extended lock in. Seems like a no brainer to me.
@@StetsonDoggett I have heard there may not be 5g or wifi calling for iPhones on Google Fi. Is this still the case or is this old news long ago resolved? Strange as it may seem, I have had a hard time finding this info online.
@@StetsonDoggett That would be great! I'm in a valley 200 feet from any carrier signal. I have tried them all and boosters. The only carrier that ever worked here was Nextel lol. Thanks for all you do to help all of us get the best bang for our buck!
@@StetsonDoggett So in the video the Google Fi shows Roaming. Does that mean Domestic Roaming? I'm on Mint now on the Western Slope of Colorado and Mint definitely does not roam. If Google Fi roams that might be something to check out. Not to mention the Fi phone deals of late.
Priority data and device discounts can make Google Fi worth the whole. A Pixel 7 is currently $399 and that's immediate, not spread over 24 payments like the majors. Add in better than normal trade in values and you have a winner
If you're 50+ you'll save $10 on all T-Mobile plans w/auto pay. If you live in a city T-Mobile speed is unbelievable. T-Mobile speed is faster than most WiFi. Depending where you are of course
I have the 50+ plan and I feel like they are slowing my speeds down I compared it to mint mobile and their lot slower on T-Mobile compared to mint mobile my speeds are terrible drop calls so I'm wondering if they're showing me down compared to the non 50+ plans
$65 gets you lte speed overseas in over 200 countries. You also get free data only sims(I have 3) so you can use with your tablet etc against your 50 gig limit. I use one in an android tablet, one one my iPad and one is in my mom’s phone using google voice so I know longer pay a phone bill for her. Data only sims are also capable overseas. So I pay one bill for having 4 devices connected all at lte/5G speeds. There is also no hotspot limit on the 65 buck plan. Where else can you get that and why didn’t you mention this?
Will just comment that after reviewing changing to Google Fi for the Intl benefits, I finally made the change and am very satisfied with the service. Brought my own 5G phone and number.
Good video! Though there were points that were still missing a key features that now are available on the iPhone that weren’t available a couple years ago. Like anyone else I recently switched back to five I was on T-Mobile magenta max, and to be honest with you the plan itself was OK though the price I would say it was too expensive almost like Verizon wireless style. I myself have the iPhone 13 promax, 5G is sort of a gimmick and 5G still being under funded a bit it’s a slow technology that we will adopt when in the next 5 to 10 years. I’m currently on the unlimited plus plan, which has served me well so far. I’ve used it in Mexico, let’s be honest T-Mobile pretends to give you something that has not yet promised compared to Verizon Wireless. Funny enough Airalo for me is also a gimmick, The prices aren’t as cheap in many countries that offers their stupid Esim. Like anything else I’m happy that I’m able to use Google Fi VPN and spam call blocking etc., funny enough they’re hotspot speeds are decent and there is no cap on the mobile hotspot that you use compared to T-Mobile magenta max with 40GB limit. In conclusion, Google fight isn’t really for anyone especially when they don’t notice new features on other devices also the price that it’s at is reasonable especially for the unlimited plus plan. The 50 GB that you get of unlimited data I feel like it’s good for most people, that’s why we have Wi-Fi at our homes to use when we come back from work, school, or anywhere else.
Hugely missing is the very valid assessment that Fi Unlimited Plus is far and away the best overall plan for travelers available at any price - no hassle full speed roaming in 200+ countries, unlimited sms from same, Canada and MX calling like local, discounted intl calling rates, 4 free data SIMs for your hotspot or 4G/5G laptop or tablets at no extra costs that are also able to easily use full speed international data with no hassles, and more. So there is a giant hole in this review because the top Tmob plan is worthless for the one thing you need the most beyond call and text ability when traveling - full speed data. And When you start buying full speed data passes from T-Mobile. Your cost will skyrocket. Adding data Sims for additional devices will also quickly jack up your cost on a per sim, per plan basis, before we were even getting into the cost of data consumption per Sim. If you were going to get into specific scenarios where the Simply Unlimited made sense, then you should do the same for Unlimited Plus as it's regarded as the gold standard for wireless plans for frequent intl travelers.
The streaming aspect of phone plans doesn't matter if you're using a VPN anyways(i have metro and the supposed limit is 480p but I'm watching this via data on a VPN with 1080p streaming so it's possible to overcome this limitation easily)
Just wondering why you've never reviewed hello mobile? Plans seem comparable to other low cost mvnos but better deal on the low end plans. Taxes included, 5g, volte, visual voicemail, etc. Would love to get a rundown from you on them.
Not exactly apples to apples but I personally think US Mobile is a better deal for both single and family plans compared to G Fi.
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Hey there! I’m from Brazil and I’ll be visiting the US, for 14 days, next June. I would like to know what is the best cell phone carrier for international visitors in US. The carriers over there accept subscriptions using only Passport? There is any carrier that I can get a plan from Brazil and register at iPhone’s e-SIM? Thanks for helping me.
I’m about to go on a 2 year international travel trip so honestly that’s one of the few scenarios I think it makes sense because I am going to be jumping between so many countries
@@filibusterfirework74 you're welcome. It used to be desired by long time international travellers but in the past couple of years they made that change.
I'm planning to travel through South America, Europe and SE Asia for the next year or so. It would appear that Google Fi is a no brainer? When leaving T-Mobile before I travel and setting up a Google Voice account so as to port my number, what order should I do this? Should I port my number with GV and then switch to Google Fi? I guess more importantly, since I'm doing Google Fi perhaps I dont need to port the number?
The problem with all these new telephony things.... Is that they are offering great phone plans while most people are not using their phones ( as cell phones). I make about 50 minutes of calls per month. I use about 70 of my data. But I I ha higher speed data it would all go to data. People are gaming more, they are not creating families or running their mouths across the planet... The quality come in the connection and it seems only 1 company is actually packing speed. I'm switching to them but they need to pay me to name-drop lol. I'm sure gamers know what brand has the best connection hands down.
The only reason I would say they are NOT worth it is because of the capped data bucket (throttling is still a data cap), with my current T-Mobile plan I get uncapped, unlimited data. in a 5G, mobile first world... having data caps and throttling limits is just a non-starter
I always have service and internet when a lot of my friends who have the competitors have signal issues. Also I have the plus plan and the data sim is an awesome feature on my tablets
I am still on Verizon prepaid 15gbs. Their regular 5G in south Florida is good when you have a good signal. However, unimpressed. I had tried T-Mobile a few years ago before they got their new bands and it had horrible signal in my office building so I had to switch back. How is t-mobile now with a iPhone 12, which I have now?
Is it fair to compare the priority data that Google fi offers vs plans that are offering the deprioritize data? Of course those plans are cheaper, their data is deprioritized.
They need to add At&t or Verizon. I think Verizon since Google makes tons of deals with the Pixels. But as of late they also been laying with At&t as well. Heck add them all to the service!
I am trying to compare Google Fi ability to place call and send and receive text in any browser and also data only sim. Only other things I find was TMobile Digits that can do something like that. Also the paired with Digits $10 plan. I am not sure if any other carriers offer those features.
I mostly need the international data and calling for when travelling. I won't be using it locally to much, just texting to stay in touch with people. I had mint mobile, I wasn't happy I had to add in money going up to Canada just to use my phone.
I am looking for the answer to what is best for folks who travel international and want Roaming, International Calling, International Data and is it possible to get unlimited data (local and international) without extra fees on any of these plans? Or is this a topic for another video?
I'm traveling for 9 days and use straight talk. Can I use Google Fi with the same phone number or should I get a different one? The google fi I want to use is just for the 9 days for unlimited data which will help with navigation.
I love how dude gave a definitive answer and alternative instead of just giving info then saying make your own choice.
After watching this video I took his advice and bought an esim data plan from US Mobile. Just know that the esim data plans DO NOT have SMS or international calling. The best part about Google Fi is that it works just about any country, and you get all your US calls, sms/mms, and priority data even when roaming in other countries. It's very nice to land in a new country and have everything working every time!
I've been on Fi for years. Being able to talk, text and access voice mail from any device with a browser is a big plus.
Comparing based on PRICE alone isn't really useful for most of us. For example, I travel internationally a lot.. I can use my Google Fi service in basically any country I travel to. *Seamlessly* . No other carrier provides this. I repeat: SEAMLESSLY. Meaning, when my plane lands in a new country, I get a text message about my change of location, what features are available, and the prices. I can continue using my phone as normal. *SEAMLESS* . To me, being hassle-free worth the $30/month.
Im getting it for that exact reason. Hell yeah
Thank you for this information. This is what I was looking for
Google Fi only allows you to use your phone internally only if you pay $70 per month. It is not available in other plans. I do travel overseas once a year. The $70 deal only gives you 50GB data. For $55, I get 100GB with US Mobile through Verizon Network.
@@villafontananorte This isn't true. It works on the flexible plan too in the exact same manner. Personal experience with this. The convenience is really hard to beat if you travel enough for it to matter.
Thank you for this input 👌🏽..convenience is key
Thanks for this honest review but you left out one big thing; with google fi they'll give you $500 off on the phone AND it's unlocked. This means I simply buy a local sim when I travel and get a cheaper phone. As a digital nomad, this is HUGE for me. Plus you get priority data with t-mobile. When I had Mint my data often wouldn't work when I needed it most (at the airport) because it was too congested.
Hey maybe you can answer my question, Im currently in a tmobil family plan, i wanted to switch to buy so I can get the $500 off the s22 ultra, can i use fi for a month after paying the phone in full and switch back to tmobile? since I would only pay 40 there a month vs 50
@@elviracarter9656 i got the phone, u have to keep it with Google fi for 120 days or else they take away the discount haha
I literally love my google fi unlimited plan I’ve had it for 2 years in an area where US Cellular is dominant and I love it. Just added 2 lines onto my account and got a $200 credit. Worth it for families trying to save. VERY WORTH IT.
The main reason I choose Google Fi is that it offers four Data-Only SIMs for free. This typically costs $10-20 per line on other carriers. International calls and roaming are also nice features. Another thing that worth to mention is that Fi have higher priority than any other T-Mobile MVNOs. If you have a lot of devices that require a Data-Only SIM and have multiple lines within your family/friends group, Fi is a good choice. But Flexible and Simply Unlimited are not a good choice in my opinion.
Same here, I use Google Fi so that my 3 tablets do not rely on a mobile hotspot or wifi. I find more use with my devices on the go this way and I love that it's for no additional charge.
That's a huge deal
Can one be in Africa without having ties or being in US use Google fi?
@@myztroogeegibson3568 For now no, Google requires you to live mainly in the US. They won’t allow you activate outside US and will suspend your service if you use it too long outside US.
@@dingwen I get it now thanks...
I am a single line user of Fi and have one other thing to add. In my area U.S. Cellular has great coverage where as T-Mobile does not. I LOVE being able to switch on the fly to whatever carrier is better. USCC's data speeds are slow but consistent and their coverage is top notch.
Uhh google Fi uses T-Mobile service
@@jisungyu2 it also uses US Cellular in certain markets. He talks about it in the video as well.
What towers does US Cellular run off of?
@@joeshmoe8952 U.S. Cellular owns and operates their own network in the Midwest markets and some in the northwest and northeast U.S.
@@Cshifflett105 it would be nice if Fi could use different networks like straight to talk.
You didn't' mention the other perk of Google Fi - Priority Data. They are the only MVNO on T-Mobile that has this option, and in some congested areas might be worth it if your speed would be slow on Mint/Metro, and is still cheaper than Magenta in most scenarios.
Yeah I don't think tmo is worth it unless you have n41 and it doesn't get congested so not really a benefit
Google Fi has atrocious customer service for anyone seriously considering it.
Google is not worth it
I agree. A lot of people say it's not worth it but I've been on many "deprioritized" carriers in situations where I literally couldn't use my phone (in large crowds of people) where my parents right next to me on the main carrier were fine. Prioritized data for 3 people for $75/month is an incredible deal!
@@jonttm yup so if u live in a area where t mobile has a lot of customers it’s going to be a bad Experience
I switched to Google Fi as I was planning on traveling internationally for over a year, and wanted to be able to use the data upon landing. I have been mostly happy with the top tier Unltd. Plus plan ($65). However I have an Iphone XR and noticed that I now cannot share photos with anyone via text who is on Android. No problem sharing photos with other I phone users though. Google sent me a fix which didn't work. Might be specific to the Xr model? not sure.
Annoying but I am still happy with the discounted monthly price vs my old ATT plan. I am saving over $35 a month.
Hey stetson, you're the type of youtuber that really should've more appreciation. The quality and effort is amazing. I wish you the best and one day you'll be as popular as MKBHD or someone like that
Thank you, Tonio. I appreciate your kind words! 🙏🏻
Can someone please explain the video streaming at 480p. I get 35GB of premium data from Google Fi, can't I use that data to watch CZcams videos at 1080p on my phone?
Am I stuck with 480p for the whole month?
Or is it that once that 35GB premium data is used up, that I am stuck with 480p video streaming?
Probably missing in the video is the ease of use/signup/cancel specially if you are on Pixel. It's one strong reason why I've stuck with Fi through the years. Dead simple sign up, changes, ports and cancels. With eSIM it's just a matter of login into the app to get service. Zero BS attitude across the service. This is well worth $5-$10 extra to me.
Not at all 😅😅
Mint, usmobile, and visible all have esim now and porting over is super simple there as well
@@xtcsx9343 the network feels better on Fi than it did on Mint for me, even on Metro. Maybe it's just where Iive
@@nogrammer Most likely priority data
As a frequent short-term visitor to the US, I find it hard to believe how expensive the US carriers are. I was hoping Google would do something like a daily plan where you get certain amount of mins/text/data for a daily flat rate. Forking out $50 just to get connected for a few days isn't cheap and certainly not fun!
Google voice is, and still is free... Works world wide. Yaull crying about rates from a company that gives a lot of things for free...
You may want to check out US Mobile! They offer affordable plans and use either the T-Mobile or Verizon networks to provide coverage. $15 for 5GB, $30 for 30GB, or $45 for 75GB are some of the plans US Mobile offers.
@@StetsonDoggett thanks. I also just recently found out about these MVNOs. Just less convenient to buy their sim cards, but at least there are cheaper options. Next time I'll be more prepared.
@@blackleague212 okay fanboy.
@@vapidshay "fanboy"? Find another way to waste your life, besides tagging me in your pathetic comments dear. Now, run along.
As Someone travels abroad frequently. I have the Google Fi flexible plan, and I have it on Pause for most of the time and I only use it in an emergency because sometimes you arrive at airports and the counters that sell local Sims are closed, or you can't Find a local Sim so easily. So having the Google fi flexible data that works At every country that I have ever visited is a must.
It’s seems like a good option for frequent travelers but they kick you out if you stay to long abroad. It somehow defeats the purpose and makes it strange that they advertise the roaming so much.
And I know it’s in the terms of conditions. Still think it’s not the right way to deal with that.
For Americans who lived outside US yes it Worth it ...because Fi Giving you Full speed data worldwide not 2G like others
I'm switching from Verizon prepaid unlimited plan to Google Fi unlimited plan. Verizon's service has gone down hill, while TMobile seems to be constantly improving in the Boston area. Plus I'm getting $500 off a Galaxy S22, so $300 after the savings. I'll be selling my pixel 6 to offset the start up costs.
Switched from visible's family plan that was $25. The depriorization I was getting there was absolutely horrid and 4 lines on Google fis simply unlimited is both much better in all aspects to visible for slightly cheaper.
I moved to T-Mobile on a friends 55+ account for the same reason. Double the cost was worth it for data that works but I do miss the Verizon network (though not enough to pay Verizon Prices)
How much are your taxes on Google Fi?
@@ashishpatel350 6 dollars and something cents for the 80 dollar plan
@@mikeliu9544 total for all 4 lines?
I'm on crickets 4 for 100 and thinking about changing to Google fi
@@ashishpatel350 yup for 4 lines, it's great. Set your service address to one in ID for the cheapest taxes
I've got Google Fi, I'm on their Simply unlimited plan. I always go over my data, I use about 38gb a month, I try to connect to wifi at work but I'm always out of range. Their unlimited data is not truely unlimited. They cap you off at like 35gb per month and after 35gb your data slows down to broadband speed (really slow speed). Google Fi encourage you to use wifi much as possible. With $50 plan + $50 payment on my device + $taxes/fees, I pay $119 per month.
Signed up for the Simply Unlimited Plan for 6 lines ($120 + tax). Currently in the process of porting our numbers over to Google Fi (we have 2 lines left to port in). Coverage for the lines that we have activated are spot on and we haven't noticed any issues so far.
I notice that there is a $100 credit bill credit for signing up. Is this $100 total or for ALL the lines?
@@bloodyglitch1777 for each line
Can someone please explain the video streaming at 480p. I get 35GB of premium data from Google Fi, can't I use that data to watch CZcams videos at 1080p on my phone?
Am I stuck with 480p for the whole month?
Or is it that once that 35GB premium data is used up, that I am stuck with 480p video streaming?
@@thecreationtrio usually that's the default for most carriers. You can manually adjust the video quality just know that the data usage might increase (depends on your usage).
**UPDATE MARCH 2023** - Apple just released iOS 16.4, which *enables 5G on iPhone for Google Fi!* This makes Google Fi a way better option for iPhone users now!
*Important Note* : Google Fi currently does *NOT* support 5G on iPhones. This is a HUGE deal in my opinion, as iPhone users are missing out on T-Mobile's massively improved 5G network. Android phones *DO* get access to 5G, so it's not an issue for them.
Check out the best unlimited plans for 2022 here - www.bestphoneplans.net/cell-phone-plans/unlimited
What's the reason for this? In my market SF Bay Area, 5G coverage from T-Mobile is straight out pathetic as of april 2022. Not so much because you'll see super speeds here and there, but rather because they are using band 71 for 5G and very often phone will lock onto 5G-71 and there'll be no capacity for everyone (specially in San Francisco). I'm talking zero data flow for minutes, no connectivity at all, if on 5G, with full bars. Force LTE and all is fine. Maybe Google Fi knows T-Mobile LTE/5G network is simply not greatly partitioned atm.
iPhone users also miss out on native visual voicemail, wifi calling, US Cellular roaming, HD Voice, and others have reported having to always reset their APN settings after an iOS update. IMO fi is only worth it if you have a pixel or fully supported Android.
iPhone works but is in beta.
Yeah, this has been the downside. I switch my entire family (18 people) over to Mint Mobile after waited many years with Google Fi. There are downside to Mint Mobile though(like no billing statement because it’s prepaid)
Yes that's a big problem, I have android and I am fine, but my wife and kids have iphone and their data and coverage is very crappy. Hope they find solution for iPhone soon.
Prioritization matters though, I had mint mobile for 3 years and they definitely throttle you over proprietary T-Mobile users. Going to try google fi to see if the prioritization is better.
As a Canadian, I am always mind blown to see how cheap plans are in the United States. Canada? Not so much…use your phone while visiting the US, pay $10-15/day.
The only reason why I grabbed Google Fi (literally today.) They had 50% off the Samsung flip 4. ($1,000 to $500) and I only have to have my line with them for 120 days not a $500 credit. Once that's over I'll switch. Possibly to Mint or visible by verizon
The most definitive source for mobile plan information. You hear the truth and only the truth.
I love your videos. Been watching them for a long time. I'm not sure how you could compare a prioritized and prioritized plan. I had Mint mobile, and being in the Bay Area it really just sucked. I got the slower speeds 90% of the time. Went to T-Mobile prepaid and it was a huge upgrade since things were now prioritized.
I'd say the Goolge Simply Unlimited plan is not bad. It is better than the Mint Mobile plan for me since I live in a congested area. I think that needs to be in your videos. How busy the network is in your area, and how that can effect someone.
This is the problem I keep having with MVNOs in my area. I am trying to decide now whether to try T-Mobile Connect, T-Mobile Prepaid, or Google Fi. Do you know what the priority is for each of those? I only ever use about 8 or so GB, but deprioritization kills it for me in my area as well. I've tried Mint, Xfinity, ATT Prepaid, and I'm on Red Pocket now. I've probably tried others I can't think of. They all have the same problem in my area. It's decent enough when not deprioritized, but completely unusable when deprioritized.
I'm with T-Mobile for someone like me who is on their phone all the time from browsing Internet, watching CZcams or other streaming to gaming. Having priority coverage means everything to me. I tried metro and had sprint before T-Mobile bought them. Have priority is a game changer when it comes to staying connected all the time. Price doesn't matter when it saves me time. Metro always dropped on me and now that T-Mobile bought sprint. It is also the same. The parent companies are the way to go and Google Fi is lucky to have priority as the other child company's don't have the luxury.
One thing you did not cover in this video is that Google Fi offers free data-only sim for iPad cellular which uses the same data as of your primary number without charging you extra unlike other networks. The $65 plan is totally worth it!!!
Just for clarification, I have the Google Fi Flexible plan and it DOES include hotspot tethering at $10/Gb. I use my hotspot for my Surface Pro and my tablet whenever I'm away from home. Also, as others have commented, Google FI is the ONLY MVNO authorized for the option of priority data. This is actually a big deal if you are in an area that is heavily congested (i.e., football game, parade, etc.) where outside of T-Mobile or Google Fi, you probably won't get a signal.
I switched to Google Fi because I’m able to take complete advantage of the extra perks. The free data only sim is for my IPad ($20 a month value.) I’ve been a member of CZcams premium for the last 2 years and now it’s free with the plan ($14 a month value.) The 100GB of Google cloud storage is now free ($2 a month value.)
The only real benefit of Google Fi is the prioritized data, but that just isn't worth the price difference compared to other plans, especially for a single user. Still loving my $60/month AT&T prepaid, but I'll admit I keep thinking about going back to US Mobile. Wouldn't be saving much with their unlimited plan, but if their video streaming truly is up to 4K, that's tempting!
I'm actually trying to confirm the priority data on Google Fi! I've confirmed Google Fi Flexible does have priority data. I'm going to check Simply Unlimited next billing cycle.
Google Fi also has full time VPN and can securely connect to wifi. That extends your cellular data. Unlimited Plus plans also allow four data only SIM cards (four additional lines) no additional cost on same plan
I struggle with things like this, I get confused sometimes lol I have total Wireless it’s supposed to be unlimited data, I found out today it is not. It has a data cap, is Google Fi like cricket where if you choose the unlimited plan you get so many gigs at high speed and after that it slows down a little bit but it’s still usable? Or after the 50 gigs that’s it you have to add more data? That’s what I’m trying to figure out.
@@Ninnjette- it slows down after the limit. some people say it's still usable others say it isnt im a little worried because i just switched.
@@Lequeer10 I know nothing about Google FI, I know for a fact that Total Wireless the unlimited plan will cut you off at 200 gigs. My son has Total Wireless he hasn’t even reached 200 yet each month, I let mine run to 200 gigs just to see where the cut off was and it was 200. I went back to cricket wireless, they changed it it is absolutely unlimited and it is high speed I run all videos at the highest setting’s.
The phone deals they got going on right now are what's calling my attention
Did you purchase a phone deal? I've heard horror stories of people's phones getting stolen and good for nothing customer service.
@@m4b9 That's because the customer service is outsourced. Google doesn't handle it, some third party device coverage company manages it.
Same. I was gonna fork out some money for a Samsung, but just decided to opt in to the phone subscription plan. $15/mo for a Pixel 6a. I turned my Samsung S20 for $200 in credit, so in all I'm gonna end up paying $160 for a 6a with a free upgrade at the end of the two years.
I'm A REAL NEOPHYTE compared to MOST of the you in this discussion BUT.... I'm looking into good, low-cost, high-quality service and at the same time thinking of about improving my cellphone from a NOTE 20 to a FOLD-4. Might want do BOTH at the same time. Have a relative saying we should be go to VERIZON FAMILY UNLM, but NOT SURE that'll be the best. Should be able to get 5-8 MBRS to move at the same time for the economy. And 2 are out of the US for a few months to half a year, ONE spends a lot of time in CANADA & the other is in MEXICO for a full 6 months yearly.
ARE THESE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT MAKE FI "Simply Unlimited" into a "Simply Worthwhile" service?
@@m4b9 I was waiting to see what the Pixel 7 pro would be like before making a decision. I am not sure about that particular device yet but I am between the Pixel 7 Pro or the Samsung s22 ultra
feeling extremely lucky because we have amazing data plan in Vietnam. Like with the most famous mobile provider: mobifone, the unlimited data plan: we have 4GB/day, i repeat 4GB of LTE per day, 1000 minutes phone calls for free if the receiver use the same provider, and 50 minutes phone calls for free with different provider. All that shit is cost literally almost 3,9 dollars/month :)))) just one small condition: we have to sign a 2 year contract.
I have 4 people on the Google Fi family plan. We were on it long ago but left. Just came back because of the pricing change. It's hard to argue with $80 for 4 people, and includes Mexico and Canada. However, my youngest daughter is dying because her iPhone just will not work, and support is slow to respond. I am sure we can get it working, but no luck so far. It's been 3 days since I brought her over. The rest of us came over without a hitch.
you should make a video discussing the 30 day cut off service to international data on google fi.
as someone who is preparing to go nomad around the world long term its super important to me and youll probly get alot of views from other nomads!
Hey to answer your question precisely, I spoke with a Google fire representative and they say that they normally give you 90 days while abroad.
@@michaelelguerito8272 90 days of data? because most users only report getting less than 30...
This is a decent video, but my biggest thing, which led me to research, is priority. I've been researching due to my issues, and if I'm following correctly, you compared Fi's priority data mostly to lower priority plans.
This is the problem I keep having with MVNOs in my area. I am trying to decide now whether to try T-Mobile Connect, T-Mobile Prepaid, or Google Fi. Do you know what the priority is for each of those? I only ever use about 8 or so GB, but deprioritization kills it for me in my area as well. I've tried Mint, Xfinity, ATT Prepaid, and I'm on Red Pocket now. I've probably tried others I can't think of. They all have the same problem in my area. It's decent enough when not deprioritized, but completely unusable when deprioritized. So if I can get a plan that just has a higher priority without having to pay postpaid prices, that would be the selling point.
Great video, and nice breakdown of before vs now. But GoogleFi is 100% worth it if you frequent Canada and Mexico. No other plan comes close, and most don’t even allow you to make calls FROM Canada and Mexico TO the US.
I'm only switching to Google Fi temporarily because they're offering steep discounts on pre-orders for the Galaxy S23 with a free memory upgrade. I got the S23 Ultra with 512GB for $600.
I'm happy with the Unlimited Plus plan. Plus unlimited Data while traveling outside US, Canada, & Mexico with 200 plus countries that's great if you travel Paying $20 less a month from when I use to be on T-Mobile for two lines
hey Stetson I loved the video very thorough. I've had this thought every time I've been on Google fi's website. question, why did you leave out visible's plan? wouldn't it be equally comparable to mint? I switched over from the mint unlimited to visible this past year and I like visible better even though it has no option for international features. as you said aerolo provide that service independent of carrier.
I have the Mint Unlimited plan, but in my area that's like having all you can eat rice, 1 grain at a time. I'm about to go out on a limb and switch to Google Fi to see how the priority data affects my service. If it doesn't pick up with Fi, then I guess I'll be abandoning Tmo MVNO's altogether.
I live close to Los Angeles, about 15 mins away and since switching over to a 5g iPhone with my T-Mobile service it has not been the same. I can honestly say my service was better with my iPhone 11. I was considering making the change to Google Fi but I was told they run off the T-Mobile network so that would be the same crappy service I have now. I experience my phone is always looking for service or data, bars are always low but I guess I shouldn’t complain since I’m on an old plan & pay a cheap monthly bill.
I guess I'll stick with my magenta max plan. I had T-Mobile one international that was grandfathered in but we upgraded and now I get 5 gigs :/ I go to Mexico a lot
I'm on Metro and a solo line it's 60. It has "unlimited" until 35 and then it slows down. The coverage is really bad. I switched and combined a plan with my sister. We went from paying 60 each on metro to 40 each on Google Fi. No regrets.
My friend switched to Google-Fi last month and told me they were terrible. His family couldn't receive calls for 2 weeks and even worse, Google-Fi never figured out the problem or resolved it. He switched back to his old provider right away.
Been waiting for this video to drop. I'm thinking of moving our 4 lines from Mint to the Simply Unlimited family plan. It's the same network and the same plan mostly for less money without the extended lock in. Seems like a no brainer to me.
I would do it! $20/line for 4 lines can't be beat. Simply Unlimited is worth it for families.
@@StetsonDoggett I have heard there may not be 5g or wifi calling for iPhones on Google Fi. Is this still the case or is this old news long ago resolved? Strange as it may seem, I have had a hard time finding this info online.
Ooo... that's a GREAT point. It's true--Google Fi does NOT offer 5G on iPhones. I'm not sure about Wi-Fi calling, but I can test soon.
@@StetsonDoggett That would be great! I'm in a valley 200 feet from any carrier signal. I have tried them all and boosters. The only carrier that ever worked here was Nextel lol.
Thanks for all you do to help all of us get the best bang for our buck!
@@StetsonDoggett So in the video the Google Fi shows Roaming. Does that mean Domestic Roaming? I'm on Mint now on the Western Slope of Colorado and Mint definitely does not roam. If Google Fi roams that might be something to check out. Not to mention the Fi phone deals of late.
I have a Google pixel with Google Fi and it's phenomenal especially since I visit other countries I get good service everywhere
Priority data and device discounts can make Google Fi worth the whole. A Pixel 7 is currently $399 and that's immediate, not spread over 24 payments like the majors. Add in better than normal trade in values and you have a winner
Thank you for your clear and comprehensive lowdown.
I was thinking of getting Mint for my brother, but now I’m sure!🤗
If you're 50+ you'll save $10 on all T-Mobile plans w/auto pay. If you live in a city T-Mobile speed is unbelievable. T-Mobile speed is faster than most WiFi. Depending where you are of course
I have the 50+ plan and I feel like they are slowing my speeds down I compared it to mint mobile and their lot slower on T-Mobile compared to mint mobile my speeds are terrible drop calls so I'm wondering if they're showing me down compared to the non 50+ plans
In India, we pay around 3$ per month that gives the following benefits:
1. unlimited calls
2. 1.5GB/day 4G LTE data
3. 100SMS/day
This is the best video on this topic. I looked at several others and the are trash. Thanks for being clear and concise.
google fi should make the Unlimited Plus plan 60 for 50gb of high speed then 50gb of hotspot separately on the same plan.
Why do you compare other MVNOs to Google Fi when they have priority data and those other MVNOs do not.. lol Why do I want to deprioritized,..
Great video. But all the other plans aren't data Priority. If you could explain this. Plz.
$65 gets you lte speed overseas in over 200 countries. You also get free data only sims(I have 3) so you can use with your tablet etc against your 50 gig limit. I use one in an android tablet, one one my iPad and one is in my mom’s phone using google voice so I know longer pay a phone bill for her. Data only sims are also capable overseas. So I pay one bill for having 4 devices connected all at lte/5G speeds. There is also no hotspot limit on the 65 buck plan. Where else can you get that and why didn’t you mention this?
Will just comment that after reviewing changing to Google Fi for the Intl benefits, I finally made the change and am very satisfied with the service. Brought my own 5G phone and number.
Thanks for the info. I was almost sucked in due to the half price S22.
And don't forget about Google fi data only sim cards work in tablets and portable Hotspots for T-mobile!
Is the coverage good ?
I frequent Canada a lot and Canadian plans are horrendous. As I see it Google Fi is a great option for me and my family.
I wonder if Google Fi will say stuff like "Master, the batteries in your computer are low" or stuff like that.
For all my people who travel outside the us this is perfect and you have signal every where with all your data available to you
Good video! Though there were points that were still missing a key features that now are available on the iPhone that weren’t available a couple years ago. Like anyone else I recently switched back to five I was on T-Mobile magenta max, and to be honest with you the plan itself was OK though the price I would say it was too expensive almost like Verizon wireless style. I myself have the iPhone 13 promax, 5G is sort of a gimmick and 5G still being under funded a bit it’s a slow technology that we will adopt when in the next 5 to 10 years. I’m currently on the unlimited plus plan, which has served me well so far. I’ve used it in Mexico, let’s be honest T-Mobile pretends to give you something that has not yet promised compared to Verizon Wireless. Funny enough Airalo for me is also a gimmick, The prices aren’t as cheap in many countries that offers their stupid Esim. Like anything else I’m happy that I’m able to use Google Fi VPN and spam call blocking etc., funny enough they’re hotspot speeds are decent and there is no cap on the mobile hotspot that you use compared to T-Mobile magenta max with 40GB limit. In conclusion, Google fight isn’t really for anyone especially when they don’t notice new features on other devices also the price that it’s at is reasonable especially for the unlimited plus plan. The 50 GB that you get of unlimited data I feel like it’s good for most people, that’s why we have Wi-Fi at our homes to use when we come back from work, school, or anywhere else.
Hugely missing is the very valid assessment that Fi Unlimited Plus is far and away the best overall plan for travelers available at any price - no hassle full speed roaming in 200+ countries, unlimited sms from same, Canada and MX calling like local, discounted intl calling rates, 4 free data SIMs for your hotspot or 4G/5G laptop or tablets at no extra costs that are also able to easily use full speed international data with no hassles, and more.
So there is a giant hole in this review because the top Tmob plan is worthless for the one thing you need the most beyond call and text ability when traveling - full speed data. And When you start buying full speed data passes from T-Mobile. Your cost will skyrocket. Adding data Sims for additional devices will also quickly jack up your cost on a per sim, per plan basis, before we were even getting into the cost of data consumption per Sim.
If you were going to get into specific scenarios where the Simply Unlimited made sense, then you should do the same for Unlimited Plus as it's regarded as the gold standard for wireless plans for frequent intl travelers.
The streaming aspect of phone plans doesn't matter if you're using a VPN anyways(i have metro and the supposed limit is 480p but I'm watching this via data on a VPN with 1080p streaming so it's possible to overcome this limitation easily)
This is very true! Getting a VPN is a little bit of an added cost though. I think it's helpful to know what a plan includes by default!
@@StetsonDoggett yeah true unless you have a VPN like protonVPN which is one of the best free and private VPN's out there
VPNs cost money. That's an additional cost you need to consider
Just wondering why you've never reviewed hello mobile? Plans seem comparable to other low cost mvnos but better deal on the low end plans. Taxes included, 5g, volte, visual voicemail, etc. Would love to get a rundown from you on them.
I'm using Google Fi simple unlimited family plan of 5 users. It's the best plan out there.
Really dig your vids Stetson. One reminder tho, circled in now has Google Fi available. $20 for simply unlimited is hard to beat!
Great reminder! Thanks!
Not exactly apples to apples but I personally think US Mobile is a better deal for both single and family plans compared to G Fi.
Hey there!
I’m from Brazil and I’ll be visiting the US, for 14 days, next June.
I would like to know what is the best cell phone carrier for international visitors in US. The carriers over there accept subscriptions using only Passport?
There is any carrier that I can get a plan from Brazil and register at iPhone’s e-SIM?
Thanks for helping me.
if new line prices happens, are old users able to jump to cheaper plans?
What are new phone promos for old users?
First!! Looking forward to watching this. As a current Fi customer, I’m curious if pushing up the plan is worth it!
Let me know what you think, Brian! Will you be keeping Google Fi, upgrading to Unlimited Plus, or considering a different option?
Wish you would do an updated review on Cricket Wireless in 2022. Otherwise great video as always!
I thought they they also use att and Verizon service?
The 2G data throttling once you hit your cap like we're still in 2011 makes Google Fi an absolute no-go for me.
Will be traveling overseas this year so this was helpful! Thank you!!
Nice breakdown. I wasn't even aware of Ting's pay as you go plan.
I’m about to go on a 2 year international travel trip so honestly that’s one of the few scenarios I think it makes sense because I am going to be jumping between so many countries
I hear if you're out of the country for 90 days Google Fi stops working?
@@RichieValentine thank you for telling me I didn’t realize!! You just saved me so much time and money.
@@filibusterfirework74 you're welcome. It used to be desired by long time international travellers but in the past couple of years they made that change.
I'm planning to travel through South America, Europe and SE Asia for the next year or so. It would appear that Google Fi is a no brainer? When leaving T-Mobile before I travel and setting up a Google Voice account so as to port my number, what order should I do this? Should I port my number with GV and then switch to Google Fi?
I guess more importantly, since I'm doing Google Fi perhaps I dont need to port the number?
Yeah, but when one factors in discounts on phone prices for new customers, your numbers are no longer apples to apples.
The problem with all these new telephony things.... Is that they are offering great phone plans while most people are not using their phones ( as cell phones). I make about 50 minutes of calls per month. I use about 70 of my data. But I I ha higher speed data it would all go to data. People are gaming more, they are not creating families or running their mouths across the planet... The quality come in the connection and it seems only 1 company is actually packing speed. I'm switching to them but they need to pay me to name-drop lol. I'm sure gamers know what brand has the best connection hands down.
just tell us...
Stetson, could you please do a comparison of the no holds barred / cost is no option plans? Thanks, and love your content!
Great suggestion, Bradley!
Also worth noting that these other carriers limit hotspot data.
I spent $1200 in 3 months while in Mexico. This is worth it.
The only reason I would say they are NOT worth it is because of the capped data bucket (throttling is still a data cap), with my current T-Mobile plan I get uncapped, unlimited data. in a 5G, mobile first world... having data caps and throttling limits is just a non-starter
i was reading on a article that for the unlimited plus, their is no limit for video streaming, not sure
Great video explaining everything in a cohesive concise manner thank you 👍🏽
I always have service and internet when a lot of my friends who have the competitors have signal issues. Also I have the plus plan and the data sim is an awesome feature on my tablets
I am still on Verizon prepaid 15gbs. Their regular 5G in south Florida is good when you have a good signal. However, unimpressed. I had tried T-Mobile a few years ago before they got their new bands and it had horrible signal in my office building so I had to switch back. How is t-mobile now with a iPhone 12, which I have now?
Is it fair to compare the priority data that Google fi offers vs plans that are offering the deprioritize data? Of course those plans are cheaper, their data is deprioritized.
THANK YOU BRO!!! Been waiting for you to post
They need to add At&t or Verizon. I think Verizon since Google makes tons of deals with the Pixels. But as of late they also been laying with At&t as well. Heck add them all to the service!
I am trying to compare Google Fi ability to place call and send and receive text in any browser and also data only sim. Only other things I find was TMobile Digits that can do something like that. Also the paired with Digits $10 plan. I am not sure if any other carriers offer those features.
Awesome video. Just wanted make sure with simply unlimited plan. You can roam Canada and use voice call to call Canada and back in USA am I correct???
I mostly need the international data and calling for when travelling. I won't be using it locally to much, just texting to stay in touch with people. I had mint mobile, I wasn't happy I had to add in money going up to Canada just to use my phone.
I am looking for the answer to what is best for folks who travel international and want Roaming, International Calling, International Data and is it possible to get unlimited data (local and international) without extra fees on any of these plans? Or is this a topic for another video?
2 years late to this :) but how much does Mint Mobile not having roaming cost you at the end of the month?
I'm traveling for 9 days and use straight talk. Can I use Google Fi with the same phone number or should I get a different one? The google fi I want to use is just for the 9 days for unlimited data which will help with navigation.