Project Fi, a mobile service from Google that puts Wi-Fi first, is intriguing for its simplicity and reasonable rates. People who use minimal data or travel internationally and prefer to use their own phone should especially take a look.
At a glance
- Plans start at $20 per month.
- Strengths: Pay only for the data you use, at a flat rate; great international roaming rates.
- Weaknesses: You’ll probably have to buy a new phone from its limited selection.
Project Fi cell phone plans
Similar to Republic Wireless, Project Fi uses a simple flat-rate plan structure. For $20 a month, you get unlimited talk and text, including unlimited international texting and relatively reasonable international voice roaming rates.
Data is then a flat $10 per gigabyte, with no overage charges and a next-month refund for any data you don’t use. Really, choosing a “data plan” on Project Fi is about budgeting more than anything.
For example, if you select 2GB of data, you’ll pay $40 at the beginning of the month ($20 for talk and text, $20 for 2GB of data). Then if you only use 1GB of data, you’ll be refunded $10 against next month’s $40 bill, meaning that month you’ll only pay $30.
Or, if you don’t care to budget, you could just pay $20 for your first month of service, then pay for whatever data you use at the beginning of the next month. However you slice it, you’ll only be paying for what you use, at $10 per gigabyte.
» COMPARE: Best international cell phone plans
Project Fi’s network
Project Fi has partnered with Sprint, T-Mobile and now U.S. Cellular for its network coverage. It prioritizes Wi-Fi calling using publicly accessible networks, only switching over to the cellular networks as a backup.
You can transition between Wi-Fi and different networks seamlessly, but the technology required to manage that handoff is why Project Fi’s phone selection is so thin. Currently it supports only three Nexus phones: the 6P, 5X and 6.
Where to buy Project Fi
If you already have a Nexus 6P, 5X or 6, you can just pop in a Project Fi SIM card and you’re on your way. You can also buy a phone direct from Project Fi at full price, or — with a credit check — pay for it over 24 months.
» MORE: Four ways to get a cell phone plan with no credit check
Current Project Fi deals
As of June 2016, Project Fi is subsidizing the price of its lower-end phone, the Nexus 5X. It’s taking $150 off the price of the phone at checkout, provided you activate your Project Fi service within 30 days. If you don’t, you’re on the hook for the $150.
How Project Fi compares on prices
Project Fi makes the most sense if you use minimal data. Taking a look at our comparison of prepaid plan prices, Project Fi is most competitive when you use 1GB or less. The only provider that compares is MetroPCS, with the same $30 for 1GB.
However, if you use 4GB on Project Fi, that’s $60. You can get the same amount from Virgin Mobile for $40.
Keep in mind, though, that on Project Fi you only pay for what you use, so it’s a bit different from other prepaid plans. If you rarely use all of your monthly data allotment, Google’s mobile service makes more sense.
For example, let’s say over three months you use 1GB, 3GB and 0.5GB. You’d pay $120 to Virgin Mobile. On Project Fi, after refunds, it’d be $105 ($30 + $50 + $25).
Plus, you might actually end up using less data on Project Fi than on another carrier, as your phone will connect you to publicly available Wi-Fi whenever you’re out and about.
How Project Fi compares on features
Project Fi really only has two features: mobile hot spot and international roaming.
The latter is particularly interesting, as Project Fi’s data rates don’t change abroad. It’s still $10 per gigabyte (in 3G data when available) in around 120 countries, plus you get unlimited texting and relatively cheap voice rates. It’s nearly impossible to find high-speed data this inexpensive while roaming internationally.
Though we usually recommend picking up a prepaid SIM card or cheap phone in your destination country, Project Fi makes using your own phone abroad a real, cost-effective possibility.
Is Project Fi right for you?
Project Fi looks attractive if you don’t use too much data but want the option to use more without getting slammed by overage charges. If you’re a frequent international traveler and prefer to use your own phone abroad, it’s a no-brainer.
You might deal with a few hiccups because Google’s mobile service is still fairly new, but if you can look past the limited phone options (or if you really like Android phones) Project Fi makes a strong case.
Stephen Layton is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: slayton@nerdwallet.com.
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