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

Simple Mobile $30 (20GB) Review

Twenty gigabytes and a wider international list than the $25 tier — but only ten gigabytes short of the $40 plan, which is where the lineup makes more sense.

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

At a Glance

Price
$30/mo for 30 days ($28.50 with AutoPay)
Network
Verizon 5G + 4G LTE
High-speed data
20GB, then 2G
Talk & text
Unlimited in the U.S., plus unlimited global text
Hotspot
Capable; draws from the 20GB allowance
International calling
Unlimited to 125+ countries, plus a $10 worldwide calling credit
International roaming
17 countries with 5GB of roaming data
Typical speeds
20–148 Mbps down, 2–15 Mbps up, 43–85 ms
Taxes & fees
Extra — about $2.05/mo before state tax (effective ~$31–33)
Contract
None — no activation or termination fee

How Simple Mobile $30 (20GB) Scores

We scored Simple Mobile $30 (20GB) against the same four pillars we use for every plan. Here’s how it broke down.

Value for money 7.2
Network & speed 7.5
Hotspot & features 5.0
Customer experience 6.0

Pricing: the awkward middle

$30 for 20GB is $1.50 per gigabyte, against $1.67 on the $25 tier and $1.33 on the $40. The curve keeps improving as you go up, which makes this the least compelling stop on it.

What $30 does buy over $25 is the wider international list — 125+ countries instead of 100+ — and 5GB of roaming data instead of 3GB. If you call a country on the wider list, that's the reason to be here.

What You Get

20GB at $1.50 per gigabyte on Verizon's network
International calling widens to 125+ countries at this tier
5GB of international roaming data, up from 3GB on the $25 plan
Runs on Verizon's network, so coverage is the real thing rather than a regional patchwork
AutoPay brings it to $28.50 with no contract

What You Don't Get

Once the high-speed allowance is gone, speeds drop to 2G — Simple Mobile notes streaming audio and video may stop working
Only $10 more buys 30GB on the $40 tier — a better rate per gigabyte
No dedicated hotspot allowance
Taxes and fees are extra
Video is capped at 480p

How Simple Mobile $30 (20GB) compares

Against the tier directly above, which most buyers should compare it with.

Feature Simple Mobile $30 Simple Mobile $40
Price $30/mo $40/mo
Data 20GB 30GB
Cost per GB $1.50 $1.33
International calling 125+ countries 125+ countries
Roaming data 5GB 5GB
AutoPay price $28.50 $37.50

Who should choose Simple Mobile $30 (20GB)

You call a country on the 125+ list that the $25 tier doesn't cover
You use 15–20GB a month consistently
You travel and want 5GB of roaming data rather than 3GB
You want Verizon coverage at a mid-range prepaid price

Who should skip it

You could stretch to $40 — 30GB is better value per gigabyte
You use under 15GB; the $25 tier saves you $5
You tether regularly
You want all-in pricing

Final Verdict

Sound but squeezed. 20GB on Verizon for $28.50 on AutoPay is perfectly fair, and the wider international calling list is a genuine upgrade for some callers. But $10 more takes you to 30GB with the same international package, which is better value and meaningfully more headroom before the 2G cliff. Choose this tier only if 20GB is comfortably enough.

See plan details →

Frequently asked questions

How much data does the Simple Mobile $30 plan include?

20GB of high-speed data per 30-day cycle with unlimited talk, text and global text. After 20GB, speeds drop to 2G until the plan renews.

What's the difference between the $25 and $30 Simple Mobile plans?

The $30 plan adds 5GB of data, widens international calling from 100+ to 125+ countries, and increases international roaming data from 3GB to 5GB.

What does the $30 plan really cost?

About $31–33/mo, or $28.50 with AutoPay before taxes. Simple Mobile adds roughly $0.17 for the federal universal service fund and $1.88 for a regulatory and telco recovery charge, plus state tax.

Is the $30 plan better value than the $40?

No. The $40 plan is 30GB at $1.33 per gigabyte against $1.50 here, with the same international calling and roaming. If you can stretch, the $40 tier is the better buy.

Does the $30 plan include hotspot?

It's hotspot-capable but has no separate allowance — anything you tether comes out of the 20GB. Only the $50 and $60 unlimited tiers include dedicated hotspot data.

Same budget, different carrier

Plans priced within a few dollars of Simple Mobile $30 (20GB), from carriers we rate independently. Worth a look before you commit.

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