When there was just a single iPhone carrier in the U.S. (t was AT&T, back in the day), it was pretty easy to figure out what the rate plans for the iPhone were and to choose the right one for you. Now that there are three carriers, each with their own special features, prices, and minor differences, the task is a bit harder.
The chart below is designed to make comparing the iPhone rates offered by AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon a bit easier. With a good idea of what an iPhone will cost you each month with each company, the decision of whether to choose AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon as your iPhone carrier (or, if you live in parts of the South, C Spire) will become a bit easier.
These rates apply to all current iPhone models, the 4S, 4, and 3GS (which is only available on AT&T).
| AT&T | C Spire | Sprint | Verizon | |
| Minutes | ||||
| 200 (Senior Nation) | $29.99 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 450 | $39.99 | $50.00 (500 min) |
$69.99 | $39.99 |
| 900 | $59.99 | $60.00 (1000 min) |
$89.99 | $59.99 |
| Unlimited | $69.99 | $70.00 | $99.99 | $69.99 |
| Data | ||||
| 300 MB | $20 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 2 GB | n/a | n/a | n/a | $30 |
| 3 GB | $30 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 5 GB | $50 (includes tethering) | n/a | n/a | $50 |
| 10 GB | n/a | n/a | n/a | $80 |
| Unlimited | n/a | included in above plans |
$10 | n/a |
| Overages - 1 GB | $10/$20 | n/a | n/a | $10 |
| Tethering/Personal Hotspot | ||||
| 2 GB/month (requires 3 GB data plan; totals 5 GB monthly data) |
$20 | $19.99 | n/a | $20 |
| 5 GB/month (requires $10 data plan) | n/a | n/a | $29.99 | n/a |
| Text Messaging | ||||
| 250/month | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5 |
| 500/month | n/a | n/a | n/a | $10 |
| 1,500/month | $15 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Unlimited | $20 | included in above plans |
included | $20 |
| Other Features | ||||
| Push-to-Talk | n/a | $4.99 | included | n/a |
| Rollover Minutes | included | no | n/a | n/a |
| Unlimited Mobile-to-Mobile on Same Network | included | included in above plans |
n/a | included |
| Unlimited Mobile-to-Mobile on Any Network | n/a | n/a | included | n/a |
| Price for Unlimited + 200/250 Texts + 3 GB+ Data (before taxes and fees) |
$104.99 | $70.00 | $109.99 | $104.99 |
Nights and Weekends are defined as:
- AT&T: Nights and weekends are 9 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., Monday-Thursday, and Friday night at 9 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. Monday morning.
- Verizon: Nights are 9:01 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., Monday-Friday, and weekends as starting Saturday morning at 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Sunday night.
