Finally have a plan worth switching to?

In April 2023, T-Mobile launched two new plans called Go5G and Go5G Plus. These plans are not significantly different from the existing Magenta and Magenta Max products. The biggest changes are the addition of more hotspot data, as well as access to killer deals that were previously reserved only for new customers. T-Mobile isn’t done yet, it recently announced a third plan called Go5G Next. The new plan goes into effect today.

This new plan is nearly identical to Go5G Plus, but it has a secret sauce that helps it stand out: annual upgrades. In this guide, we’ll take a look at T-Mobile Go5G Next vs. Magenta, as well as other existing T-Mobile plans. Is this ultimately a program worth switching to for Magenta subscribers?

As you can see, Go5G Next is almost the same as Go5G Plus. The only exception is that you can upgrade your phone once a year. Premium data, hotspot data and all other benefits remain unchanged. Regardless of the number of lines, you’ll always pay about $10 more per line than Go5G Plus. Another big change is that most T-Mobile plans no longer offer special free phone benefits and other bonuses, except for premium options like Next.

How the Go5G Next annual upgrade works

T-Mobile Go5G Next lets you upgrade your phone in just six months; the only catch is you have to pay half the cost up front. Unlike AT&T and Verizon, T-Mobile phones are only available for 24 months, meaning most people can upgrade within 12 months of purchasing the device.

Still, you might have some reasons for wanting to upgrade early, such as if the new model adds some killer features you’ve always wanted. The good news is that if you want to reach your half-mark faster within twelve months, you can pay extra.

Once you’ve paid at least half the cost of your phone and have owned it for at least six months, you can trade in your existing device and use it toward a new device. There are no restrictions on qualifying devices, so this promotion can be used on any iPhone or Android phone.

For most T-Mobile users, paying $120 more per year than the Go 5G Plus may not be worth it. According to T-Mobile’s own survey, about 10% of users consider upgrading to be a top priority. So unless you’re in the 10%, you’re paying a premium for something you won’t use.

but if you Do Prefer having the latest phone every 6-12 months? You’ll pay $120 more for the Next plan, but you’ll essentially get half the cellphone bill waived. That means you’ll also have to trade it in and get a new payment. So really, it depends on how much your phone originally cost you, and how much you’d get if you paid it off and sold it directly through a site like eBay or Swappa.

In this thought experiment, let’s say you bought a 128GB iPhone 14 last year for $799. You’ve had it for a year now, during which time you’ve paid about half of it, leaving $399.50 to pay off.

You have two options:

1. Trade-in with T-Mobile and your Next plan and they’ll pay off the remaining balance and you’ll get a new phone with the new payment.
2. Pay off the remaining $399.50 on the iPhone and sell it yourself on eBay or Swappa. Based on my research, you’ll get about $100 considering what you still owe T-Mobile. You can then use the $100 to buy a new phone.

In a sense, option 2 is cheaper. After all, you’re basically getting the same deal, but you’ll get $100 towards the cost of a new phone and won’t have to pay the $120 premium that the Next plan charges over the Plus plan. Of course, the second option ignores possible promotions and discounts that may only apply if you follow your next plan, but I think in terms of investment, worst case scenario you may still be in the same position Location.

Again, we recommend that you carefully consider the new phone you want to buy and how much trade-in credit you can get compared to selling the phone yourself. While devices like iPhones retain their value for a long time, the resale value of many Android phones drops rapidly. In other words, this might be worth it for some phones, but not others.

Of course, you can’t compete with the convenience of T-Mobile 5G Go Next. Not everyone is willing to jump through hoops just to barely save money. Ultimately, the Go5G Next is a good plan for those who like to switch phones frequently, but we recommend doing your homework before getting started.

Absolutely not! T-Mobile is even still offering Magenta plans to new customers, although it’s clear the company’s main focus is Go5G. While it’s possible that the magenta tier will be phased out in the future, the good news is that if you’re already a subscriber, that doesn’t matter.

T-Mobile will inherit old plans and slowly phase them out over time, so even if Magenta goes away, you don’t absolutely need to switch.

ok but you should Upgrading from Magenta to Go5G plan to include this new next product? At this time, we don’t see any reason to upgrade to Magenta. The plans are very similar, and you should only consider upgrading unless you’re really attracted by Go5G’s larger hotspot data pool, its special offers, or the ability to trade in your old one every year.