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Our takeEditorialFi's cheapest unlimited: $35, 30 GB high-speed, no hotspot, no international data. A fair entry plan if the 256 kbps throttle floor stays theoretical.
Data30 GB
MinutesUnlimited domestic
MessagesUnlimited domestic + international texts
Contractmonth_to_month
HotspotNot included
RoamingUS & territories
Pricing — 2 Lines
Google Fi Unlimited Essentials Plan Details
Plan Features
LTE on T-Mobile and US Cellular, 30 GB high-speed data per month, unlimited calls and texts, US/Canada/Mexico coverage, international texts included. No hotspot. No international data while traveling. Option to pay $10/GB to restore full speed after the 30 GB cap. Up to 6 lines.
Data, Minutes & Messages
Unlimited calls and texts domestically and in Canada and Mexico. International texts included. Data runs at full speed through 30 GB per line, then slows to 256 kbps. No international data roaming is included - the phone can make and receive calls and texts in supported countries, but data abroad requires the Standard or Premium tier.
Plan Speed
Full LTE speeds through 30 GB. After the cap, 256 kbps - which is slow enough that most modern apps will feel broken. At 256 kbps, text messaging and basic email may work; any app that needs to load images, refresh a feed, or stream anything will struggle. The $10/GB option allows restoring full speed in 1 GB increments if the cap is hit and more data is needed.
Contract Details
Month-to-month, no contract, no early termination fee. No autopay discount. $35/mo is the actual rate. Cancel any time, port the number out freely.
Overage Charges
After 30 GB, speed drops to 256 kbps. A $10/GB option allows purchasing additional high-speed GB increments. No automatic overage charges - the speed penalty is the only consequence of hitting the cap, unless extra GB are purchased deliberately.
Mobile Hotspot
No mobile hotspot is available at this tier. The Essentials plan explicitly excludes hotspot capability. The Standard tier at $50/mo adds 25 GB of hotspot if tethering is required.
Pros
$35/mo per line with no contract
T-Mobile and US Cellular network access
US, Canada, and Mexico for calls and texts
International texts included
30 GB high-speed data before throttle
Can pay $10/GB to restore full speed after cap
Cons
No mobile hotspot at any speed
256 kbps after 30 GB is slow - most apps will struggle
No international data roaming
Taxes not included
No streaming perks or cloud storage
The verdict, & two little voices
Should you actually get Unlimited Essentials for 2 lines?
The editor weighs in — flanked by the optimist on her shoulder and the cynic on the other.
“$35 on T-Mobile with Canada and Mexico included and no contract: clean, straightforward, and priced right for moderate use.”
“No hotspot at $35, when Mint Mobile at $30 includes hotspot on the same T-Mobile network.”
FCC Disclosure
Broadband Facts
Google Fi · Unlimited Essentials
Monthly Price
$30.00
Additional Charges & Terms
Speeds Provided with Plan
| Technology | Download | Upload | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4G LTE | 80-382 Mbps | 7-32 Mbps | 19-37 ms |
| 5G | 80-382 Mbps | 7-32 Mbps | 19-37 ms |
Typical ranges as reported by Google Fi. Real speeds vary.
Data & Features
Data included with monthly priceUnlimited
Data throttleAfter 30GB, 30 GB high-speed data per person per billing cycle; reduced to 256 Kbps after 30 GB
Mobile hotspotNot included
Video streaming qualitySD 480p
Disclosures
Google Fi Unlimited Essentials Full Features
Data
30 GB
Minutes
Unlimited domestic
Messages
Unlimited domestic + international texts
Mobile hotspot
Not included
Roaming
US & territories
Max speed
4G LTE
Throttled after
30 GB
Contract
month_to_month
Change Number of Lines
Other 2-Line Plans