Reddit
reddit.com › r/googlefi › how i worked around the flex plan being so $$$ per gb of data
r/GoogleFi on Reddit: How I worked around the flex plan being so $$$ per GB of data
February 17, 2024 -
I have a single flexible plan line and I'm a modest user of data since I'm mostly at home and those months I use 2 to 3GB of data so I'm spending $40 to $50 plus fees. That's about the same as the simply unlimited but I like the availability of a second SIM and international features of the flex plan. And I don't want to go all the way to the unlimited plus which would be more than what I spend. But when I'm traveling away from home even for a little bit those months I'm often in the 5GB and more range - I've hit the 6GB "free data" limit quite a few times in the last year so that's an $80 + fees month.
So why does Google charge so darn much per GB for the flexible plan when other companies offer packages of data in the $2/GB or even less range?
I just added a second line (as an eSIM) to my Pixel using Tello which is a T-Mobile MVNO operator. It has unlimited voice and text in the US not that I really need that, but more importantly comes with 5GB of data and it's just $14 plus just $0.22 in taxes. Yup, just $2.8 per GB. I've set my Pixel to the Tello SIM for all data and should I get close to exceeding the 5GB of data I can *immediately* (no waiting until the end of the month like Fi) upgrade to 10GB at $19/m or even unlimited for $25.
TL;DR I now have Fi with 5G of data for $34/mo and flexibility to upgrade to unlimited data for a total of $45/m. If I travel outside of the US I can switch the phone to lean on the Fi plan to get my international data and calls for that time only.
Update: I since realized that from the Tello mobile app you customize your plan further and down to 100 mins voice/unlimited text for $4 less, or no voice or text for $5 less. Since I figure someone might randomly send me a text which might cost me (not sure, maybe they just block text if you don't pay for it?) I went with the latter. So I now have 5GB data plan for $11 a month. The cheapest data/$ option that isn't unlimited is 15GB and no minutes which is $20 a month or $1.33/GB. With Fi I think I've only used that much once in many years when my home broadband went out.
Top answer 1 of 5
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I'm thinking of doing something very similar. However, I was thinking of using a US mobile data plan which is based on the Verizon towers and therefore if the T-Mobile towers were affected, one of my two carriers might be operational ( hurricanes, outages etc)l. And I think the costs are pretty close. Did you look at US Mobile before you added Tello or was there a preference for that carrier and what was it? TIA
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I'm considering switching away from Fi after about 8-9 years with them. It's just not as good of a deal anymore.
BestPhonePlans
bestphoneplans.net › plans › google-fi-flexible
Google Fi Flexible: Price & Features for 1 Line
Taxes and fees are extra on this plan. I estimate they will add another $5.01 to the price. Your total montly bill will be about $25.01 per month. Overall, I do not recommend the Google Fi Flexible plan.
Looking for an honest opinion
I've been on Fi for several years (when it was ProjectFi actually) and have no issues with the service. I've interacted with support a single time in all these years. I had to call them when my Nexus 5X became stuck and unusable in a boot loop and they sent me a replacement. My bill was about $33 but I recently switched from the Pixel 3a to the 6a and so now it's around $45 ($10 Pixel subscription). I've only used Google phones (Nexus, Pixel) and so maybe that helps. The only other service that looks appealing is Mint mobile but I am too lazy to switch. More on reddit.com
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January 26, 2023Flex Plan. Slightly confused.
Here's how it works 20 bucks a month gets you a phone number. Every gig of data you use is ten dollars, until 6 gigs, when it becomes "free" until 15 gigs, then it's ten bucks a gig again. If you use 15 gigs on the Flexible plan, it's 80 bucks plus taxes and fees. If you use 15 gigs on the Simply Unlimited plan, it'll be 50 bucks plus taxes and fees. More on reddit.com
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October 25, 2024How I worked around the flex plan being so $$$ per GB of data
I'm thinking of doing something very similar. However, I was thinking of using a US mobile data plan which is based on the Verizon towers and therefore if the T-Mobile towers were affected, one of my two carriers might be operational ( hurricanes, outages etc)l. And I think the costs are pretty close. Did you look at US Mobile before you added Tello or was there a preference for that carrier and what was it? TIA More on reddit.com
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February 17, 2024Here's where my $20 Flexible Plan (pay as you go) got me.
Flexible plan is for those that use WiFi a lot, not a surprise bill as all clearly explained More on reddit.com
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May 22, 2025How often can plans change on Google Fi?
Google tends to keep the same plans for a long time. That said it last majorly overhauled its offerings in April of 2025.
androidauthority.com
androidauthority.com › home › mobile › carriers and plans › best google fi wireless plans for 2025: pricing, phone options, and more
Best Google Fi Wireless plans for 2025: Pricing, phone options, ...
Does Google Fi work with iPhone?
It does. While Google Fi doesn’t currently offer any iPhones for sale, you can bring almost any (reasonably recent) unlocked iPhone to the network.
androidauthority.com
androidauthority.com › home › mobile › carriers and plans › best google fi wireless plans for 2025: pricing, phone options, and more
Best Google Fi Wireless plans for 2025: Pricing, phone options, ...
Does Google Fi Wireless work with an iPhone?
While you can use just about any phone with Google Fi, iPhones are tricky. Google Fi is optimized for Google Pixel phones and select other Android models certified as "Designed for Fi," meaning that they'll have certain benefits that non-"Designed for Fi" phones will not.
This is significant in terms of coverage, as "Designed for Fi" phones will have access to the full range of Google Fi's network sources, including T-Mobile cell towers, US Cellular towers, and a range of hotspots, but iPhones and non-"Designed for Fi" phones will be restricted to just T-Mobile coverage.
businessinsider.com
businessinsider.com › reviews › tech › google fi wireless review: affordable phone plans with stellar international benefits
Google Fi Wireless review: Affordable phone plans with stellar ...
Videos
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Google Fi | What are the Pros & Cons? - YouTube
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GOOGLE FI REVIEW 2020 // Unlimited VS Flexible Plan Google Project ...
Clark Howard
clark.com › home › google fi review: my experience as a 6-year customer (pros and cons)
Google Fi Review: My Experience as a 6-Year Customer (Pros and Cons)
May 22, 2025 - While I was nervous to be on a pay-by-the-gig plan, it was a great fit since I’m almost constantly connected to Wi-Fi in my home and at work. ... For those of us who are nervous about gig usage, Google offers a feature called Bill Protection on the Flexible plan (it’s basically a safety net for your wallet).
Business Insider
businessinsider.com › reviews › tech › google fi wireless review: affordable phone plans with stellar international benefits
Google Fi Wireless review: Affordable phone plans with stellar international benefits
September 27, 2023 - With the Flexible plan, you only pay for the data you use — rounded to the nearest 0.1GB at $10 per GB — and if you go over a certain amount of data in a month you don't have to pay extra for any additional data used in that month. This is thanks to Google Fi's Bill Protection feature, and it's a huge selling point for their lowest-price plan.
Android Authority
androidauthority.com › home › mobile › carriers and plans › best google fi wireless plans for 2025: pricing, phone options, and more
Best Google Fi Wireless plans for 2025: Pricing, phone options, and more
April 28, 2025 - Google Flexible is hard to recommend for most users over Essentials as a daily driver, but as a secondary plan? It’s a nice alternative. If you regularly travel internationally: Those who travel internationally on a regular basis will benefit from switching to Google Fi’s Unlimited Premium plan.
WhistleOut
whistleout.com › cell phone plans › articles › reviews
Google Fi Review: Budget-Friendly Wireless with Smart Features | WhistleOut
5 days ago - ... Although less popular, the Flexible plan is still great for those with low data needs, such as grandparents, or for students traveling and using Wi-Fi for most of their internet needs.
Google Fi
fi.google.com › about › plans › flexible
Save More with the Flexible Phone Plan - Google Fi Wireless
International high-speed data up to 15 GB/person and 256 kbps after on Flexible. Data counts towards your monthly high-speed data usage. Not intended for international use over 90 consecutive days. See Help Center for details ... 5G service not available in all areas; speed and performance depend on factors like device configuration and capabilities, network traffic location, signal strength and signal obstruction. Actual results may vary. For more information visit g.co/fi/broadband-facts.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/googlefi › looking for an honest opinion
r/GoogleFi on Reddit: Looking for an honest opinion
January 26, 2023 -
I currently have Verizon and my wife and I are on my parent's plan because it's financially beneficial for all of us. But each of us are paying upwards of 175 a month because we have new device payment plans. I'm looking to switch away from Verizon but really like their service coverage.
Google-Fi prices are amazing and so I'm looking to possibly switch to them once my device is paid off next month and I'm looking to get a new Google Pixel through the Fi plan as well.
Can anyone provide an honest unbiased opinion on Google Fi, it's network coverage and reliability and it's downsides or upsides other than cheaper plans?
Top answer 1 of 5
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I've been on Fi for several years (when it was ProjectFi actually) and have no issues with the service. I've interacted with support a single time in all these years. I had to call them when my Nexus 5X became stuck and unusable in a boot loop and they sent me a replacement. My bill was about $33 but I recently switched from the Pixel 3a to the 6a and so now it's around $45 ($10 Pixel subscription). I've only used Google phones (Nexus, Pixel) and so maybe that helps. The only other service that looks appealing is Mint mobile but I am too lazy to switch.
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Network coverage--very much YMMV based on location. Reliability--I used Fi a long time ago, left for verizon prepaid and came back to Fi last year. I notice oddities with network reliability now that I didn't notice before when I was on Fi--it's little things like I know there's coverage but occasionally I don't get strong data. It's so infrequent that it doesn't impact me, and localized to specific locations. I found Verizon coverage to be wider and more reliable but not in a way that I cared vs. price and also lack of features. One thing I didn't like about verizon prepaid was lack of visual voicemail. I'm in the California Bay Area for what its worth--both verizon and t-mobile show pretty much full coverage based on their maps. I still found verizon a bit more reliable. Anyway, other things to consider. Google support is variable and can fail miserably at times. It's not the norm, but it can happen. I had a bad experience with device returns 5 years ago. I've had good experiences with helping number port-in issues. Downsides--since this is a google product and heavily integrated with google services and device firmware, if you have an issue with service it's not uncommon for support to have you do things like capture bug reports on your phone and send them. Then it's not uncommon to have to wait days or a week or more to hear back if there are any resolutions. I don't like that aspect and no other phone provider would do that. 5g is meh--not specifically a google fi problem because it relies on the parent provider networks, but on fi you don't get access to some of t-mobile's enhanced network capacity like 5g UC. With the price reductions for family plans and increased data allowances it was easy for us to switch 3 lines to the simply unlimited plan and pay the same we were on verizon prepaid but have significantly more data. I do wish they would allow data-only SIMs on the simply unlimited plan, and not have arbitrary 5gb caps on wifi hotspot--wish they would treat your data as your data, letting you use your 35gb however you want/need. But that's not unlike a lot of other cellular providers these days. And if you want that you can pay more for the unlimited + plan.
Tom's Guide
tomsguide.com › phones › network carriers
Google Fi Review: Seamless Wireless Service from Google | Tom's Guide
Google Fi Review: Excellent wireless service from Google
What makes the latter option unique among the best cheap cell phone plans is that you only pay for the data you use instead of handing over money for a pre-determined chunk of data. Google Fi's Flexible plan starts at $20 for the first line, and $15 for every line thereafter. Google Fi delivers a first-class wireless service with an unparalleled customer experience — though it’s not cheap
Really
really.com › carriers › google-fi
2025's Google Fi Plans, Reviews, Coverage & Network Quality
This speed still allows you to send texts and emails or browse the internet, but it is difficult to stream video or play games without WiFi access. No matter what plan you choose, you get access to premium data. Google Fi plans renew monthly. What makes Google Fi unique from their competitors is that they offer a flexible limited plan, which allows you to pay for as much data as you use.
Digital Trends
digitaltrends.com › home › phones › android › apple › buying guides › mobile › evergreens
Google Fi: Phones, plans, pricing, perks, and more explained - Digital Trends
October 19, 2021 - The price of the Unlimited plan is pretty much on par with other carriers — and even cheaper in many cases — so it’s a solid option for heavy data users. ... If you don’t use all that much data or like the idea of only paying for the data that you use, then the Google Fi Flexible plan may be the way to go.
MakeUseOf
makeuseof.com › home › android › which google fi plan is best for you?
Which Google Fi Plan Is Best for You?
November 23, 2022 - In the Flexible plan, texts are free within the US, Canada, and Mexico, and at a low cost to 200 other destinations. Calls can also be made while traveling outside the US, Canada, and Mexico, but it'll cost you 20 cents per minute. author screenshot of Google Fi website, by Sarah Chaney
Tom's Guide
tomsguide.com › phones › network carriers
What Is Google Fi, and Is It Worth It? | Tom's Guide
February 29, 2024 - Google Fi keeps plans simple. The original Flexible option remains, providing unlimited talk and text (including international texting) for $20 a month.
Reviews.org
reviews.org › home › mobile › google fi cell phone plans review
Google Fi Cell Plans Review: Great for Pixels | Reviews.org
Google Fi
One simple plan that will be revolutionary for some but may be too restrictive for others. ... Much like when I visit the in-laws for the holidays, Google Fi desperately tries to be flexible. Also like me when I visit the in-laws, it largely succeeds up until a certain breaking point. Google Fi offers affordable, pay-as-you-go cell phone plans, but performance and coverage depends on if your device is designed for Fi.
YouTube
m.youtube.com › watch
Google Fi Updated Review... I Have Some Thoughts
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Really
really.com › post › google-fi-pros-and-cons-all-about-googles-wireless-service
Google Fi Pros and Cons: All About Google’s Wireless Service
Google Fi’s “Flexible” plan ... users. If you're someone who mainly uses calls and texts with minimal data, it could work, but for anyone who needs more data, this plan might not offer the best value....
YouTube
youtube.com › whistleout
Google Fi | What are the Pros & Cons? - YouTube
Wondering if Google Fi is right for you? In this video, I break down the pros and cons of their plans, costs, network/coverage, and perks to help you decide ...
Published January 14, 2023 Views 104K
BestPhonePlans
bestphoneplans.net › plans › google-fi-flexible-1gb
Google Fi Flexible 1GB: Price & Features for 1 Line
October 21, 2025 - Taxes and fees are extra on this plan. I estimate they will add another $5.70 to the price. Your total montly bill will be about $35.70 per month. Overall, I do not recommend the Google Fi Flexible 1GB plan.
Quora
quora.com › Does-Google-Fi-have-the-the-best-cell-phone-plans-Do-you-recommend-it
Does Google Fi have the the best cell phone plans? Do you recommend it? - Quora
For my particular desires it's fantastic. It is a cheap way to get comprehensive coverage (Sprint + Tmob + US Cellular at a minimum) if you don't use much data. Or, if like me, don't mind a nudge to not use it when there's a...
LinkedIn
linkedin.com › pulse › google-fi-review-2023-my-verdict-after-7-years-sam-rexford
Google Fi Review 2023: My Verdict After 7 Years With Fi 🤔
October 24, 2023 - >> Click here to sign up to Fi ... billing and multi-network coverage make it an excellent choice for those needing reliable service domestically and internationally....