Metro and Boost are both store-and-online prepaid carriers offering unlimited data around $25 with a price guarantee. The key difference is the network underneath: Metro runs on T-Mobile’s mature nationwide network, while Boost has run mainly on AT&T's network since shutting down its own towers in November 2025.
Quick answer
- Pick Metro for established T-Mobile coverage, 100GB Google One, and taxes included.
- Pick Boost if its own-network coverage is solid in your area and you want the “$25 forever” price lock, global talk/text, or a yearly phone upgrade (Infinite Access).
| Metro (T-Mobile) | Boost | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry unlimited | About $25/mo with AutoPay | $25/mo with AutoPay, $30 without |
| Price guarantee | 5-year lock | “$25 forever” while AutoPay stays on |
| Hotspot on base plan | None | None |
| Hotspot tiers | 25GB on the $55 plan | Unlimited+ $50/mo (40GB), Premium $60/mo (50GB) |
| Perks | 100GB Google One, T-Mobile Tuesdays | Global talk and text to 100+ countries on higher plans |
| Yearly phone upgrade | Not offered | Infinite Access: $65/mo |
| Network | Established T-Mobile network | AT&T's network (plus T-Mobile access) |
Network: the real difference
Metro uses T-Mobile’s mature nationwide 5G and LTE. Boost runs mainly on AT&T's network, with access to T-Mobile's. Check AT&T's coverage map for Boost and T-Mobile's for Metro. Metro’s coverage is the safer, more predictable bet — check Boost’s own-network map for your address before switching.
Price and plans
Both anchor on ~$25 unlimited with a guarantee — Metro’s 5-year lock vs Boost’s “$25 forever” (autopay required; $30 without). Boost’s $25 base has no hotspot — tethering needs the $50 Unlimited+ (40GB) or $60 Premium (50GB). Metro reserves its 25GB hotspot for its $55 Unlimited Premium tier, which also includes 100GB Google One.
Perks: different strengths
Metro includes 100GB Google One on its $55 Unlimited Premium plan, plus T-Mobile Tuesdays. Boost includes global talk and text (calls to 100+ countries) on higher plans and offers Infinite Access ($65) for a new iPhone or Galaxy every year: a perk Metro doesn’t match. International calling or annual upgrades → Boost; streaming/storage value → Metro.
Frequently asked questions
What networks do they use? +
Which is cheaper? +
Which has better coverage? +
Do both have a price lock? +
Keep reading
All guides
One email when a carrier raises rates, drops a plan, or launches a deal worth switching for. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Jean writes ShopCellPlans' reviews. He compares carrier plans using each carrier's own published prices, its FCC broadband labels and reporting from named outlets, and ranks them on the bill you actually get, taxes and fees included, not the price on the ad.