The best carrier for Nexus 5 - is it AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, or a prepaid option? There's finally an LTE Nexus phone, and at a great unlocked price of only $350. The only downside in my opinion is the lack of a Verizon model, so you won't be using the Nexus 5 on America's largest LTE network. Here is a summary of some of the best options based on nationwide LTE coverage and monthly price.
Best carrier for Nexus 5: traditional 2-year plans
First, let's take a look at the traditional carriers. Sprint and AT&T require a two-year contract, but the new T-Mobile plans do not. These plans will also have heavy taxes and regulatory fees of up to $20 per month depending on your state. The prepaid carriers usually do not have these fees associated with their plans.
*Unlimited 2G/3G data after 4G allotment is used.
Verizon has a handy tool to compare the LTE coverage of the four major carriers. To use the Nexus 5 on T-Mobile or AT&T you'll have to get a SIM card from the carrier or an old operational phone you want to replace. You can buy the Nexus 5 directly from Sprint (for $50 with a new contract) or unlocked from the Google Play Store if you want to use it on their network. The Sprint and AT&T plans are more expensive because they are usually sold with a new phone at a subsidized price. T-Mobile plans are now priced without phone subsidies, which is why they start at just $50. T-Mobile is now officially offering the Nexus 5 for $450 or a $42 down payment and 24 monthly payments of $17. Obviously, you're better off buying the phone directly from Google.
Best carrier for Nexus 5: prepaid plans
There are also several prepaid cell carriers that will work with the Nexus 5. Prepaid carriers can save you quite a bit of money on service and fees over two years. Below is an overview of the nationwide prepaid plans with the best prices. There are several more available but they generally won't have better pricing or coverage. In my opinion, one of these is likely the best carrier for Nexus 5 for most people.
*Unlimited 2G/3G data after 4G allotment is used.
The T-Mobile prepaid plan is only available from Walmart. It’s a great deal if you are a heavy data user, T-Mobile has good coverage in your area, and you don’t need a lot of voice minutes (or use a VoIP app to make phone calls.) I'm using it with my Nexus 5 and it's blazing fast. The screenshot to the right shows my LTE and HSPA speeds.
The $40 Metro PCS plan is a good deal if you need lots of voice minutes and aren’t a data hog. Their $60 plan is the cheapest unlimited data plan for the Nexus 5 that I'm aware of. The Nexus 5 will only run on MetroPCS's T-Mobile GSM network (not their old CDMA network.)
Straight Talk is offered by WalMart. Their base plan is a little more expensive than the others, but it runs on AT&T’s network (which has better LTE coverage than T-Mobile or Sprint.) They also have plans that run on T-Mobile’s network. Buy a SIM card and service plan online or in-store.
Wrap-up: great replacement phone, even better on a prepaid plan
The Nexus 5 is probably the best value out there for a new unlocked high-end smartphone. If you're interested in replacing a broken phone before your contract is up on AT&T or T-Mobile it's a great device at an attractive price. However, the best carrier for Nexus 5 is probably one of the prepaid options. Check which network has coverage where you'll use the phone the most often and pick the plan with the best combination of voice minutes and LTE data for your usage habits.
As always, before you purchase the Nexus 5 check with your carrier to make sure you'll be able to use your old SIM card or acquire a new one from them.