Independent since 2019 · No paid placement, ever Prices re-checked weekly · Last verified July 30, 2026
Plan review

Metro $30 Review

The best-value plan Metro sells — unlimited 5G with 10GB of hotspot for $30 all-in, which is more tethering than the tier costing twenty dollars more.

JG Reviewed by Jean Gilles · Prices re-verified July 30, 2026 · How we rank

At a Glance

Price
$30/mo with AutoPay
First month
$35
Network
T-Mobile 5G + 4G LTE
High-speed data
Unlimited 5G; may slow past 35GB when the network is busy
Hotspot
10GB
Taxes & fees
Included in the advertised price
Price guarantee
5 years on talk, text and 5G data (exclusions apply)
Perks
T-Mobile Tuesdays, Scam Shield
Contract
None — no credit check
Retail support
Yes — Metro stores nationwide

How Metro $30 Scores

We scored Metro $30 against the same four pillars we use for every plan. Here’s how it broke down.

Value for money 8.6
Network & speed 7.5
Hotspot & features 6.5
Customer experience 7.8

Pricing: the anomaly in Metro's ladder

$30 all-in for unlimited 5G with a 10GB hotspot. The $25 tier has no hotspot at all, so five dollars buys the whole allowance.

The odd part is what sits above it. Metro's $50 plan includes only 8GB of hotspot — two gigabytes less for twenty dollars more. Unless you need the 50GB slowdown threshold or Google One, there's no tethering reason to move up.

What You Get

10GB of hotspot — more than the $50 plan's 8GB
Unlimited 5G data for $30 with taxes included
Taxes and fees are included — the advertised price is the price
5-year price guarantee on talk, text and 5G data
Walk-in retail support at Metro stores nationwide
Only $5/mo more than the hotspot-free $25 tier

What You Don't Get

Web exclusive — you can't buy it in a Metro store
Video streams in SD
Data may slow past 35GB during congestion
Requires AutoPay; first month is $35
No Google One or phone upgrades at this tier

How Metro $30 compares

The comparison that exposes Metro's pricing ladder.

Feature Metro $30 Metro $50
Price $30/mo $50/mo
Hotspot 10GB 8GB
Data Unlimited 5G Unlimited 5G
Slowdown threshold 35GB 50GB
Google One Not included 100GB
Annual difference $240 cheaper

Who should choose Metro $30

You tether and want the cheapest plan that does it properly
You want unlimited 5G all-in for $30 with a five-year guarantee
You're happy buying online rather than in a store
You use under 35GB a month, which covers most people

Who should skip it

You want to buy in a Metro store — this tier is online only
You need HD video or premium never-slowed data, which means the $60 tier
You regularly exceed 35GB a month
You never tether, in which case the $25 plan saves you five dollars

Final Verdict

The plan to buy if you're going to be on Metro. Unlimited 5G with 10GB of hotspot for $30 all-in, fixed for five years, is better value than anything else in the lineup — and it out-tethers the $50 tier. The constraints are minor: it's web-only, video is SD, and heavy users may slow past 35GB. For ordinary use, nothing above it is worth the money.

See plan details →

Frequently asked questions

How much hotspot does the Metro $30 plan include?

10GB, which is more than Metro's $50 plan offers at 8GB. It's the cheapest Metro tier with any hotspot at all — the $25 plan has none.

Can I buy the Metro $30 plan in a store?

No. It's a web exclusive, available online only. You can get a new number or bring your own.

Are taxes included in the Metro $30 plan?

Yes. Metro includes taxes and fees in the advertised price, so $30 with AutoPay is what you pay. The first month costs $35.

Is the Metro $30 plan better than the $50?

For most people, yes. It has more hotspot (10GB against 8GB) and the same unlimited 5G data and five-year guarantee, for $20 less. The $50 plan's advantages are a 50GB slowdown threshold instead of 35GB, plus Google One and phone upgrades.

Does the Metro $30 plan slow down?

Above roughly 35GB a month you may notice slower speeds for the rest of the cycle when the network is busy. Video streams in SD.

Other Metro by T-Mobile plans we’ve reviewed

Same carrier, same network — different price and data. Here’s how the rest of the Metro by T-Mobile lineup scored.

See every Metro by T-Mobile plan