People typically use data-only plans to get cellular data service on a tablet. However, most carriers also allow you to connect other devices, such as mobile Wi-Fi hot spots, to their data-only plans.
Sprint tablet plans
Sprint has separate pricing for its tablet plans and mobile hot spot plans.
The only tablet plan currently available is:
- Unlimited data: $80 per month, or $30 per month with active Sprint cell phone plan
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You can use your tablet itself as a mobile hot spot on this plan, for up to 10GB of data.
Sprint’s dedicated mobile hot spot plans offer unlimited lower-speed 2G service to your mobile hot spot device after you run out of your high-speed data allowance:
- 3GB: $40
- 6GB: $55
- 12GB: $85
- 30GB: $115
How Sprint tablet plans compare on price
The table below compares data-only tablet plans, including postpaid and prepaid plans for some of the major carriers. Sprint’s plans aren’t directly comparable, since Sprint only offers a data-only plan as part of its unlimited plan.
For some carriers, a data-only plan for a mobile Wi-Fi hot spot will be more expensive.
For Verizon and U.S. Cellular, we’ve added their “plan fee” with their “device connection” fee to attain a monthly price comparable to the other carriers.
Some prepaid carriers, such as Straight Talk, allow data access for more or less time than the usual monthlong period, which we’ve indicated in the footnotes.
| 1GB or less | 1.5-3GB | 4-5GB | 6-7GB | 8-9GB | 10GB or more | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * Data usable for less than one month † Data usable for more than one month |
||||||
| AT&T | $14.99 (250MB) | $30 (3GB) | $50 (5GB) | |||
| AT&T Prepaid | $25 (3GB) | $50 (8GB) | $75 (15GB) | |||
| Boost Mobile | $25 (1.5GB) | $50 (10GB) | ||||
| MetroPCS | $15 (2GB) | $25 (4GB) | $35 (6GB) | |||
| Net10 | $10 (500MB)* $20 (1GB) | $30 (2.5GB) | $50 (5GB)† | |||
| Straight Talk | $15 (1GB) | $25 (2GB) | $40 (4GB)† $50 (5GB)† | $75 (7GB)† | ||
| T-Mobile Prepaid | $5 (500MB)* $10 (1GB)* | $10 (2GB) $30 (3GB) | $25 (6GB) | $40 (10GB) $55 (14GB) $70 (18GB) $85 (22GB) |
||
| Verizon | $30 (2GB) | $40 (4GB) | $50 (6GB) | $60 (8GB) | $70 (10GB) | |
| Verizon Prepaid | $15 (500MB)* $20 (1GB) | $35 (2GB)† | $60 (5GB)† | $100 (10GB)† | ||
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Stephen Layton is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: slayton@nerdwallet.com.
Updated June 21, 2017.
