AT&T's new unlimited plan could be your credit-free path to a new phone

Aletta Cooke Staff Writer

Updated 25 November 2024

Fast facts: AT&T's new credit-friendly Unlimited Level Up plan

What it is: A prepaid plan that allows customers to upgrade to a postpaid plan and get a new phone with $0 down and interest-free financing.
Who it’s for: Customers with limited to no credit history looking for an affordable way to build credit and access financing for the latest smartphones.
How to get it: Make six consecutive on-time payments to unlock eligibility for Level Up benefits.

If you've been pining after the latest iPhone 16 devices, but your credit history is holding you back from financing one, there's a new option available for you.

AT&T has introduced Unlimited Level Up, a prepaid unlimited plan that offers a straightforward path to premium smartphone financing. After building a payment history through six on-time payments, customers can upgrade to a postpaid plan and finance a brand-new smartphone with $0 down and 0% APR for 36 months.

The Unlimited Level Up plan starts at $50.99/month and includes:

Unlimited talk, text, and data
30GB of monthly premium data speeds (up to 5G) before throttling to 3G
Unlimited talk and text to and from Mexico & Canada, plus unlimited texting to 230+ additional destinations

You do not get hotspot access on Unlimited Level Up, and the plan does not qualify for multi-line family plan discounts.

Who should sign up for the Unlimited Level Up plan?

This plan is best suited for customers who have limited or no credit and want to upgrade to a premium phone. Normally, this wouldn't be possible, as financing a premium device typically requires a credit check—which someone with poor or no credit can't pass. This plan offers a path toward phone financing by allowing customers to build credit through six months of on-time payments.

How to qualify for AT&T Level Up benefits

There are no eligibility requirements to sign up for the Level Up plan itself. Once you're on the Level Up plan, you must make six (6) consecutive on-time payments, renewing by your due date every 30 days. Missing a payment will reset your payment history, requiring another six consecutive payments to qualify for Level Up benefits.

Once you've completed six monthly on-time payments, you can sign up for a postpaid AT&T plan and finance a new phone for $0 down and 0% APR financing.

Does AT&T Level Up require a credit check?

The AT&T Level Up plan doesn't require a credit check, but once you move over to an AT&T postpaid plan, the carrier will run a soft credit inquiry. This does not affect your credit score.

You can switch to a postpaid plan or another prepaid plan before completing six on-time payments, but your payment history won't count toward the Level Up benefits.

Is AT&T Unlimited Level Up a good deal?

The AT&T Unlimited Level Up plan has the potential to be a great option for anyone looking to upgrade their phone without traditional financing hurdles. Given that the other two major carriers don't offer an on-ramp to building credit like this, this plan looks fantastic in the right light.

That said, it's still a pretty expensive plan—especially when compared to prepaid options from Visible and Mint, which start at $25/month and $30/month, respectively. The lack of basic features is also a major drawback—no hotspot access, combined with a pretty small premium data allotment, gives us pause as to whether the eventual financing options are worth the high expense in the meantime. Over 6 months, you'll pay over $305 for your plan BEFORE additional taxes and fees.

If you want the best of both worlds, we recommend building credit with an MVNO plan for much cheaper overall. A basic Visible plan, for example, offers unlimited talk, text, and data plus unlimited hotspot access for $20/month—less than half the price of this AT&T option. You may need to make a few additional on-time payments—maybe nine months to a year, rather than six months—but you'll then be able to qualify the same 0% financing on the latest phones through Visible's financing partner, Affirm. Over 9 months, you'd pay just $180 for a Visible unlimited plan—a much better deal in the long run.

$25 Visible Plan

Unlimited 4G LTE/5G data
Verizon 5G Network in select areas with compatible devices
Unlimited mobile hotspot data

$25.00/mo

Taxes & Fees included

View Plan

$25.00/mo

Taxes & Fees included

View Plan

Aletta Cooke

Staff Writer

As a Staff Writer for WhistleOut, Aletta breaks the latest mobile and tech news for readers across North America. When she's not translating wireless technology into plain English, you'll find her buried in an Agatha Christie novel, watching movies, attending the theatre, exploring nature, and cheering on her beloved UCLA Bruins.

Read full bio