Does $25 a month for Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data sound too good to be true? That’s exactly what Boost Mobile is offering in 2025 with their Unlimited plan—and that even comes with a “forever” price guarantee. But does this deal come with a catch?
First, let’s delve into some of Boost Mobile’s history. Believe it or not, Boost Mobile has been around since 2003. For much of its operations, it was a Sprint subsidiary/MVNO, which meant it relied on the Sprint network. But in 2020, it transitioned to having its own network, including a 5G network, after Dish Network acquired it.
That means that unlike Mint Mobile and many of the popular prepaid operators out there, Boost Mobile is not an MVNO. Boost Mobile is actually the fourth-largest wireless carrier in the United States, currently serving 7 million customers through its brands, which include Gen Mobile and Ting Mobile.
Yet despite being its own carrier, Boost Mobile offers pricing that’s drastically more affordable than the big three carriers, with pricing that is more aligned with budget-friendly MVNOs.
Network coverage
Boost Mobile claims to offer coverage for 99% of the country. To date, I’ve only been able to test in NYC, where coverage has been great. Beyond New York City, Boost Mobile’s own network covers 80% of the country. Where their own network isn’t available, Boost defaults to AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, so overall Boost Mobile’s coverage in the U.S. is very comprehensive.
The downside to this arrangement is that T-Mobile and AT&T can “deprioritize” the data of customers who are using MVNOs or customers who use too much data (above 30 GB). So, even when you buy an “unlimited data” plan from Boost, you’re actually only going to get a certain amount of full-speed data. So if you live in an area where Boost Mobile is roaming on other networks, Boost Mobile isn’t going to be the best choice for you.
Boost Mobile was recently voted the fastest network in NYC. When I tested it in NYC, my download speeds on a Galaxy S24 running on Boost Mobile were impressibly fast—over 500Mbps! In comparison, my AT&T device was getting around 160Mbps down; however, AT&T’s upload speeds were consistently higher.
Overall, Boost Mobile’s 5G network in NYC has proven to be fast and reliable while I’ve tested it these past few weeks. Boost Mobile even has a special NYC offer where they provide an additional 200GB of premium data per month to NYC residents who are subscribed to its unlimited data plans (Unlimited Premium, Unlimited+, and Unlimited).
The Other Benefits of Boost Mobile vs Choosing an MVNO
Besides having its own network, another significant advantage of Boost Mobile compared to most MVNOs is that Boost Mobile actually has brick-and-mortar stores where you can walk in and get customer service. There are over 4,000 Boost Mobile locations around the country. Boost Mobile is also available in 22,000 retail locations at retailers like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy.
And like the big 3 carriers, Boost Mobile offers significant device discounts on phones with plans, which is something you typically don’t get from an MVNO.
Bottom Line
Boost Mobile is certainly no longer the same old Boost Mobile from years back, and it has impressed us so far. The carrier has made significant strides in the wireless industry, positioning itself as a competitive player against major carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
Ultimately, Boost Mobile offers a pretty great value in 2025, especially with its $25 per month Unlimited plan with a “forever” price guarantee. This plan certainly competes very well with the big 3 carriers.
However, it’s important to note that the Unlimited plan doesn’t include a hotspot feature, monthly taxes are not included, and neither are device discounts. If you want those things, you’ll need to subscribe to Boost Mobile’s pricier Unlimited+ plan which costs $50 or the Unlimited Premium Plan which costs $60 monthly. Those plans are not nearly as affordable and enticing as the $25 Unlimited plan, but they’re still pretty competitive with the big 3 carriers.
Overall, Boost Mobile is a solid choice for consumers looking for affordable unlimited plans with good network performance, especially in urban areas. While Boost Mobile may not offer the same level of perks or expansive device selection as the major carriers, its competitive pricing and fast network make it an attractive option for budget-conscious customers in 2025.
This story has been brought to you in partnership with Shannon Morse and the Women Influencers Network.