Straight Talk sells three unlimited plans on Verizon's network: Silver at $45 a month, Gold at $55 and Platinum at $65. Taxes and fees are extra on all of them. Each $10 step adds more hotspot data and more perks. Gold includes Walmart+, Walmart's $98-a-year membership. If you'd pay for it anyway, Gold costs about $2 a month more than Silver. If you bring your own phone, check StraightSAVINGS! first: it is unlimited for $25.
The short answer
| If you... | Pick |
|---|---|
| Bring your own phone and want the lowest price | StraightSAVINGS!, $25 |
| Want 5G Ultra Wideband and already pay for Walmart+ | Gold, $55 |
| Use your phone as a hotspot every day | Platinum, $65 |
| Call family abroad often | Platinum, $65 |
| Need a Straight Talk phone deal and want to spend less | Silver, $45 |
Every plan compared
| Plan | Price | Hotspot | 5G Ultra Wideband | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StraightSAVINGS! | $25 (bring your own phone) | No set allowance | No | Calling to 60+ countries |
| Bronze 10GB | $35 | 5GB | No | 10GB of data, then it stops working well |
| Silver Unlimited | $45 | 10GB at 5 Mbps | No | Calling to 60+ countries |
| Gold Unlimited | $55 | 30GB at 5 Mbps | Yes | Walmart+, 100GB cloud storage |
| Platinum Unlimited | $65 | Unlimited at 5 Mbps | Yes | Walmart+, 500GB cloud, calling to 200+ destinations, Canada and Mexico roaming, $160 anniversary phone credit |
All five plans run on Verizon. Data is slowed before Verizon's own customers when a tower is busy, and video streams at 480p on every tier. Paying more doesn't change either.
What you really pay with taxes
| Plan | Plan price | Taxes and fees (approx.) | Typical total |
|---|---|---|---|
| StraightSAVINGS! | $25 | $3–$5 | $28–$30 |
| Silver | $45 | $3–$6 | $48–$51 |
| Gold | $55 | $3–$7 | $58–$62 |
| Platinum | $65 | $4–$8 | $69–$73 |
Silver vs Gold: is the extra $10 worth it?
Gold costs $10 more and adds three things: Walmart+ (worth about $8 a month at its $98 yearly price), 5G Ultra Wideband in cities where Verizon has it, and 30GB of hotspot instead of 10GB. If you'd buy Walmart+ anyway, Gold costs you about $2 more than Silver for faster 5G and triple the hotspot. If you'd never use Walmart+, the $10 mostly buys hotspot data and Ultra Wideband.
| Silver + buy Walmart+ | Gold (Walmart+ included) | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan, 12 months | $540 | $660 |
| Walmart+ | $98 | $0 |
| Total before taxes | $638 | $660 |
If you'd pay for Walmart+ anyway, Gold costs about $22 more a year than Silver and adds Ultra Wideband, 20GB more hotspot and cloud storage.
Gold vs Platinum
Platinum adds unlimited hotspot (still at 5 Mbps, which is fine for email and video calls, slow for big downloads), calling to 200+ destinations, roaming in Canada and Mexico, more cloud storage and a $160 credit toward a new phone after a year. If you don't travel to Canada or Mexico or call abroad, Gold is enough for most people.
The plans to skip
Bronze 10GB costs $35 for 10GB of data. StraightSAVINGS! is $10 less with unlimited data, so Bronze only makes sense if you need a phone from Straight Talk on a small plan. Before picking Silver on your own phone, compare StraightSAVINGS!: it saves $20 a month and you mainly give up the 10GB hotspot.
$55 a month ($50 for the first 3 months with Auto Pay), plus taxes. Walmart+, 5G Ultra Wideband and 30GB of hotspot on Verizon's network.
See Straight Talk Gold →Prices checked October 25, 2026. We may earn a commission if you sign up through this link, at no extra cost to you.
Cheaper options on the same network
Several prepaid carriers use Verizon's network for less. Visible is $25 a month with taxes included, and Total Wireless MAX 5G BYO is $25 with Ultra Wideband and unlimited hotspot. See our Visible vs Straight Talk comparison. Straight Talk's edge is Walmart: you can buy, pay cash and get help at about 4,500 stores.
Hotspot and speed explained
All Straight Talk hotspots run at up to 5 Mbps. That's enough for email, browsing and a video call on one laptop, but slow for big downloads or several devices. If you rely on hotspot for work, Visible+ gives unlimited hotspot at 10 Mbps for $35 with taxes included.
Families
StraightSAVINGS! is $25 a line at four lines, plus taxes, with your own phones. For mixed needs, compare with Total Wireless, which also runs on Verizon.
Switching from your carrier to Straight Talk
- Check your phone works on Straight Talk's network and is unlocked (is my phone unlocked?).
- If you're paying off a phone, the remaining balance becomes due when you leave. Pay it off or plan for it (hidden costs of switching).
- Get your account number and number transfer PIN from your carrier. Don't cancel your carrier yourself: the move cancels it.
- Sign up with Straight Talk and choose to keep your number. Most newer phones can use an eSIM, so you're often live within minutes (how to switch to eSIM).
- Straight Talk SIM cards and phones are sold at Walmart, so you can switch in a store. Check your phone first: see using a Verizon phone on Straight Talk.
The bottom line
For most people on Straight Talk, Gold is the plan to get, especially if you shop at Walmart. If you bring your own phone, StraightSAVINGS! at $25 is the best price Straight Talk offers. Platinum is only worth it if you need unlimited hotspot or international calling.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Straight Talk Silver, Gold and Platinum? +
Is Straight Talk Gold worth it? +
What network does Straight Talk use? +
Does Straight Talk include taxes? +
What is Straight Talk's cheapest unlimited plan? +
Does Straight Talk Platinum have unlimited hotspot? +
Can I change Straight Talk plans anytime? +
Is Straight Talk hotspot fast? +
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Jean has tested carrier plans independently since 2019, running SIMs on all three networks and paying for every line himself. He ranks carriers on the bill you actually get, taxes and fees included, not the price on the ad.