Google Fi vs. UScellular: Which carrier is better?

Google Fi and UScellular are popular carriers that offer premium data for their users to take advantage of. Each carrier has its positives and negatives, but which offers better phone plans? Let’s put them head to head and see which brand comes out on top. 

In this article, we plan to discuss the ins and outs of both carriers and what they offer. We’ll also cover:

• What the coverage of both carriers looks like
• How prices of their plans compare to how much data you get
• The features each carrier offers for their plans 

Unsure of what you need out of a plan? Check out our guide on how to choose the best phone plan. 

Coverage & Reception

Google Fi is on the T-Mobile network, while UScellular is on all networks – including their own!

Google Fi and UScellular are mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs. This means that they purchase service access wholesale from one of the three major networks that own infrastructure across the country – AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile – giving customers service at a much cheaper price. Google Fi is an MVNO of T-Mobile, and UScellular uses infrastructure from all three big networks. They also have their own towers in select areas. 

Often, the quality of coverage comes down to your area. One carrier’s coverage may be better in New York, while another’s coverage may be better in California. It’s important to compare between providers on a coverage map of your specific city. Ookla’s coverage map allows you to see where cellular towers are located and which company owns them. This coverage map provides information about coverage from 2G to 5G for several providers.

However, T-Mobile’s 5G coverage and access is hailed as the best coverage overall. 

Plan Options

Google Fi and UScellular both offer premium data. 

Like most plans you’ll see on the market, both carriers offer unlimited talk and texting options with any plan you choose. Google Fi and UScellular both offer premium data, which does not slow down no matter the amount of network traffic. UScellular deprioritizes data on certain plans, meaning you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas.

Google Fi Plans

Several plans offer unlimited data with premium data at a cap. 

Google Fi offers 2 unlimited plans and one plan with pay-per-use data. Each of its unlimited plans offer a limited amount of premium data. Each plan allows up to 6 lines and renews monthly. Google Fi is on QCI tier 6 of 9.

Image courtesy of Google Fi’s website. 

Flexible 

This plan allows you to pay for the exact amount of data you use each month. 

Google Fi’s Flexible plan is unlike a lot of other plans on the market, as it allows you to pay a set amount per month for talk and text features. Users then pay for only the amount of data they use. After 15GB of data, your speed is slowed to 256 kbps, or 3G speeds. You can still send texts, emails, and use social media with little issues. Streaming video will be much more difficult. 

The plan also includes the ability to buy mobile hotspot data, and all plan data can be used as hotspot data. 

The plan costs $20 per month, plus $10 for each GB you use. For example, you’d pay about $70 per month if you used 5GB.

Simply Unlimited 

This plan gives you 35GB of premium data before slowing down. 

The Simply Unlimited plan gives you 35GB of premium data. Premium data means your data will not be deprioritized in times of high traffic and congestion. After 35GB, data slows down to 3G speeds. 5GB of hotspot data is also included in the plan, then stops after that allotment. 

The plan costs $50 per month. At this rate, you get 35GB at $1.42 per GB. 

Unlimited Plus

This plan is 50GB of premium data. 

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan has 50GB of premium data. Connection is then slowed down to 3G speeds. You can use all 50GB of plan data as mobile hotspot data, but hotspot data stops after the 50GB. 

The plan costs $65 per month. At this rate, you get 50GB at $1.30 per GB. 

UScellular Plans

UScellular offers several plans to choose from, with some including premium data and the option to bring your own device.

UScellular is unique, as it offers prepaid and postpaid plans. All except one of their prepaid plans include limited data. Otherwise, UScellular plans are postpaid. They all feature premium data as well. 

They offer two versions of their postpaid plans – promotional unlimited and unlimited evolved. Their promotional plans offer an option to bring your own device and a $10 Autopay discount, while their Evolved line offers a $5 Autopay discount and allow you to purchase devices with them. They encourage users to go with the Unlimited Evolved plan to save more money if there are multiple users on the account. 

If you purchase your phone from UScellular, your device will be locked for 120 days after activation. The plans they offer renew monthly, and taxes and fees are not included with the advertised price. 

Prepaid 2GB

This is the smallest plan US Cellular offers, and it gives you 2GB of premium data each month with included hotspot access. Once you run out of data, speeds slow to 2G and hotspot access stops completely. 

The Prepaid 2GB plan costs $25 per month. With this plan, you get 2GB per month for $12.50 per GB. 

Prepaid 5GB

This plan comes with 5GB of premium data as well as included hotspot access. After the cap, users get 2G speeds and hotspot access stops completely. 

This plan costs $30 per month, and you get 5GB per month for $6 per GB. 

Prepaid 8GB

This plan comes with 8GB of premium data as well as hotspot access. Once you use up the 8GB, speeds slow to 2G and you lose hotspot access. 

This plan costs $35 per month, and you get 8GB per month for $4.38 per GB. 

Prepaid Unlimited 

This is the smallest unlimited plan that US Cellular offers. It gives you 15GB of premium data each month with hotspot access included. Once you use 15GB, speeds slow to 2G and hotspot access stops. 

Prepaid Unlimited costs $40 per month. With this plan, you get 15GB per month for $2.67 per GB. 

Prepaid Unlimited Plus

As the biggest prepaid plan US Cellular offers, this plan gives you 35GB of premium data each month. It slows to 2G speeds after that limit. At 2G speeds, users can expect to still be able to send texts and emails or browse the internet, but playing games or streaming video will be difficult without WiFi. It also offers hotspot access that stops at the same cap. 

With this plan, you get 35GB per month for $1.57 per GB. 

Basic Unlimited (BYOD)

With this version, the plan also comes with 100GB of deprioritized data. It slows down to 3G speeds after the cap. This plan comes with 100GB of deprioritized data and is the smallest postpaid plan US Cellular offers. It doesn’t include hotspot access. Once you use up the 100GB, the plan slows down to 3G speeds. At this speed, users can still send texts and emails or browse social media, but playing games and streaming video may be slower without WiFi. 

This version of the plan allows you to bring your own device, and you can also purchase a hotspot add-on.

The BYOD version of this plan costs $40 before the $10 Autopay discount. With this plan, you get 100GB per month for $0.40 per GB. 

Basic Unlimited

With this version, the plan also comes with 100GB of deprioritized data. It slows down to 3G speeds after the cap. 

The plan costs $35 before the $5 Autopay discount.  With this plan, you get 100GB per month for $0.35 per GB. 

Everyday Unlimited (BYOD)

With Everyday Unlimited, users get 50GB of premium data each month. After 50GB, speeds slow to 3G speeds. This plan also comes with 25GB of hotspot data, and access stops at that cap. This version of the plan allows you to bring your own device. 

The BYOD version of this plan costs $50 before the $10 Autopay discount, and $40 after. At full price, you get 75GB per month for $0.67 per GB. 

Everyday Unlimited

This plan is the same as the other Everyday Unlimited plan, as it offers 50GB of premium data and 25GB of hotspot data. Speeds slow down to 3G after the 50GB cap, and hotspot access stops once you use that allotment. 

This plan costs $45 per month before the $5 Autopay discount. At full price, you get 75GB per month for $0.60 per GB. 

Even Better Unlimited (BYOD)

This is the biggest plan US Cellular has to offer. It gives its users unlimited premium data and 50GB of hotspot data. Once you reach the hotspot cap, your access stops completely. This version of the plan allows you to bring your own device. 

The BYOD version of this plan costs $60 before the $10 Autopay discount. 

Even Better Unlimited

This is the same plan as the BYOD version of Even Better Unlimited. It offers unlimited premium data and 50GB of hotspot data that stops at the cap. 

This plan costs $55 per month before the $5 Autopay discount. 

Features

Google Fi plans offer more features than UScellular.  

If you’re looking for a plan with more included features, such as international connection or domestic roaming data, it’s best to compare carriers with what they offer. Google Fi includes more features on their plans, such as international connection.  

Domestic Roaming Data

Google Fi and UScellular offer domestic roaming data on their plans. 

Mexico & Canada Connection

Google Fi offers talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada included with both its unlimited plans. However, only text is included in their Flexible plan. Talk and data are pay-per-use. UScellular offers talk in Mexico and Canada on all plans except their Prepaid 2GB and 5GB plans as well as text and data on all unlimited plans.  

International Connection

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan includes international text and data. Calling internationally is pay-per-use outside the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Simply Unlimited plan does not include international connection, and the Flexible plan includes international texting, but talk and data are pay-per-use. Calling costs $0.20 per minute. UScellular does not include this feature.  

Video Streaming Quality

Google Fi offers 4k Ultra High Definition streaming for their Flexible plan and 480p Standard Definition streaming for their unlimited data plans. UScellular includes 1080p HD resolution on Prepaid Unlimited Plus and Even Better Unlimited, 720p HD resolution on Prepaid Unlimited and Everyday Unlimited, and 480p SD resolution on all other plans.

Streaming Services

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan offers a free subscription to Youtube Premium. UScellular does not include this feature.  

Cloud Storage

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan offers 100GB of Google One. UScellular does not include this feature.  

Device Financing

If you buy a phone from either carrier, they allow you to pay for your device in installments over time. 

WiFi Calling

Both carriers offer WiFi calling, which allows you to send and receive phone calls over a WiFi connection rather than cellular reception. 

Spam Protection

All Google Fi and UScellular plans offer spam protection included.

Free Trial

Google Fi offers a 7 day free trial. UScellular does not include this feature.   

Customer Service 

Google Fi does not have physical stores, leaving all of their customer service to online support, while UScellular offers stores across the country.

Google Fi is a digital-only carrier, meaning they only offer customer support online. Google Fi offers 24/7 customer support over chat and over the phone at 1-844-TALK-2-FI. UScellular offers several stores across the country, which can be found through the store locator. They also have chat and phone support at (888) 994-9400. Hours vary depending on your timezone. 

The Verdict

The best provider depends on what you need out of a phone plan. 

UScellular and Google Fi offer very different plans, as UScellular is for people who mainly need data and Google Fi is for those who want a ton of extra features. If you’re looking to save extra money, UScellular is the better deal between the two data-wise. If you want extra features like YouTube Premium, be sure to check out Google Fi.  

We’d recommend checking your data usage before committing to a plan.

Want to compare other carriers?

Really.com helps users compare between features, coverage, price, reviews, and more!

Are you still unsure which carrier to choose, or which phone plan to pick? Use really.com to compare your top choices and find the best deal to fit your needs. Really allows you to compare and sort between most phone plans on the market without the hassle!