Last updated: 4/27/2020
Not all unlocked phones are fully compatible with all networks. It’s common for a phone that’s not carrier-locked to be incompatible with certain networks or have sub-par performance due to hardware limitations.
On this page, I list devices that I believe have near-universal compatibility across U.S. wireless networks. The page is inspired by a similar list on PrepaidPhoneNews.com that seems to be falling out of date.
Note that there are some smaller carriers that are more restrictive about permitted devices than the host networks they operate over, including Visible, Virgin Mobile, and Xfinity Mobile. Some nearly universal phones will not work with these carriers.
Please verify anything important before buying a device and be sure to pay attention to model numbers. Phones with the same names but different model numbers often have different radio hardware.
Criteria
I consider a phone to have nearly universal compatibility if it meets the following criteria:
- Support for LTE bands 2, 4, 12, 13, 25, 41, and 71
- Support for UMTS at 850 and 1900 Mhz (bands 2 and 5),
- Support for CDMA at 850 and 1900 Mhz (BC0, BC1, and BC10)
- Whitelisting from Sprint (check IMEI numbers here)1
- Expected VoLTE support on Verizon2
Additional characteristics I track that may make a phone closer to fully universal include:
- Explicit whitelisting from Verizon (Android whitelist, Apple whitelist, IMEI check).3
- Support for LTE bands 5, 26, 29, 30, and 66
The big, wonky Google Sheet I use for tracking devices and their characteristics is publicly available here. For more details about how carriers use different frequency bands, see this excellent article from PhoneArena.
Nearly universal unlocked phones
Brand | Model | Model Number | Missing Bands |
---|---|---|---|
Apple | iPhone XR | A1984 | |
Apple | iPhone XS | A1920 | |
Apple | iPhone XS Max | A1921 | |
Apple | iPhone 11 | A2111 | |
Pixel 3a | G020C | ||
Pixel 3a XL | G020G | ||
Pixel 3 | G013A | 30 | |
Pixel 3 XL | GO13C | 30 | |
Pixel 4 | G020I | ||
Pixel 4 XL | G020J | ||
LG | G8 ThinQ | LMG820QM | |
Motorola | Z4 | PAF60000US | 5, 29 |
Motorola | Moto G7 Power | XT-1955-5 | |
Motorola | Moto G7 Play | PAE80008US | |
Motorola | Z3 Play | PA9S0000US | |
Samsung | Galaxy Note 9 | SM-N960U1 | |
Samsung | Galaxy S9 | SM-G960U1 | |
Samsung | Galaxy S9+ | SM-G965U1 | |
Samsung | Galaxy S10 | SM-G973U1 | |
Samsung | Galaxy S10+ | SM-G975U1 | |
Samsung | Galaxy S10e | SM-G970U1 |
Honorable mentions
The models listed below will likely work well with the four major carriers, but the devices lack at least one LTE band I consider important.
Brand | Model | Model Number | Missing Bands |
---|---|---|---|
Alcatel | Idol 5S | 6060S | 29, 30, 71 |
Apple | iPhone X | A1865 | 71 |
Apple | iPhone 7 | A1660 | 66, 71 |
Apple | iPhone 7 Plus | A1661 | 66, 71 |
Apple | iPhone 8 | A1863 | 71 |
Apple | iPhone 8 Plus | A1864 | 71 |
Apple | iPhone 6s | A1633 | 66, 71 |
Apple | iPhone 6s | A1688 | 30, 66, 71 |
Apple | iPhone 6s Plus | A1634 | 66, 71 |
Apple | iPhone 6s Plus | A1687 | 30, 66, 71 |
Essential | PH-1 | PH-1 | 71 |
Nexus 5X | LG-H790 | 30, 66, 71 | |
Nexus 6P | Huawei- H1511 | 66, 71 | |
Nexus 6 | Most U.S. Models | 30, 66, 71 | |
Pixel 2 | G011A | 71 | |
Pixel 2 XL | G011C | 71 | |
Pixel | G-2PW4100 | 66, 71 | |
Pixel XL | G-2PW2100 | 66, 71 | |
LG | Stylo 4 | Q710ULM | 29, 30, 71 |
LG | V40 ThinQ | V405QA7 | 29, 30, 71 |
LG | V35 ThinQ | V350ULM | 71 |
LG | V30s ThinQ | US998R | 29, 30, 66, 71 |
Motorola | E4 | XT-1768 | 29, 30, 71 |
Motorola | E4 Plus | XT-1775 | 29, 30, 71 |
Motorola | Moto G7 | XT-1962-1 | 29, 30, 71 |
Motorola | Moto G6 | XT-1925-6 | 71 |
Motorola | Moto G6 Play | XT1922-9 | 71 |
Motorola | Z2 Play | XT-1701 | 71 |
Motorola | Moto X Pure Edition | XT-1575 | 29, 30, 66, 71 |
Motorola | Moto G5 Plus | XT-1687 | 29, 30, 66, 71 |
Motorola | Moto G5 S Plus | XT-1806 | 29, 30, 66, 71 |
Motorola | Moto G4 | XT-1625 | 29, 30, 66, 71 |
Motorola | Moto G4 Play | XT-1607 | 29, 30, 66, 71 |
Motorola | Moto G4 Plus | XT-1644 | 29, 30, 66, 71 |
Motorola | One Action | PAGL0003US | 29, 30, 71 |
Orbic | Wonder | RC555L | 29, 30, 66, 71 |
Samsung | Galaxy Note 8 | SM-N950U | 71 |
Samsung | Galaxy S8 | SM-G950U1 | 71 |
Samsung | Galaxy S8+ | SM-G955U1 | 71 |
Samsung | Galaxy S7 | SM-G930U | 66, 71 |
Samsung | Galaxy S7 Edge | SM-G935U | 66, 71 |
Recommended devices
I strongly recommend the Motorola G7 Play and G7 Power. These phones perform amazingly well considering their list prices of $200 to $250.
Additional notes
In this article, I only assess the bands and frequencies that are important for accessing major networks in the U.S. Other bands and frequencies may be important in other countries.
Sprint, Verizon, and MVNOs running over those networks may be finicky about devices they allow. Dennis Bournique suggests the following:
- Sprint’s prepaid brands may have a more restrictive whitelist than Sprint itself. Virgin Mobile is especially restrictive, only allowing some iPhone models under it’s BYOD program.4 (Boost compatibility can be checked here. Virgin compatibility can be assessed here.)
- Verizon may block MVNOs using its network from activating devices that were last used directly on Verizon. (I’m unsure if this still happens or is common. I have not encountered this issue myself.)
Related reading
In my article Phone Compatibility & Unlocking Explained, I go into more details about the factors that affect phones’ compatibility across networks. In another article, I summarize the major carriers policies around device locking and unlocking.
Footnotes
- You can check whether your phone is whitelisted by entering your IMEI here. As far as I know, Sprint no longer offers a text list of supported devices.
- VoLTE support is often difficult to verify, so I’m not always confident about my expectations around VoLTE support. Here are my impressions about VoLTE requirements by carrier:
- T-Mobile – According to Dennis Bournique, “VoLTE is required to make phone calls in band 12 and band 71 T-Mobile markets.”
- Verizon – Verizon will not activate devices that do not support HD Voice (a VoLTE technology)
- AT&T – In an October 2018 forum post, an AT&T employee stated the following: “VOLTE, WiFi calling, Video Calling, are luxuries essentially. Not having VOLTE doesn’t affect the ability to use the network for voice calls. It’s an enhanced feature for branded phones essentially.” I am not confident that this was true then or that it is still true now.
- Sprint – I am not aware of any requirements for VoLTE support on Sprint’s network.
- As of June 2019, I believe the Android list is out-of-date and may not include a handful of recently released phones that are whitelisted.
Non-whitelisted devices appear to work with Verizon, but that may not guarantee they will continue to work on Verizon’s network in the future.
- “Currently, Virgin Mobile only supports iPhones in its ‘Bring Your Own Device’ program.”
From Virgin Mobile’s Bring Your Own iPhone page on 6/4/2019 (archived here).
Can you get a list on universal phones from (other) brands ex. Umidigi etc
I’m aiming to be as comprehensive as possible in listing phones that meet the criteria listed in the article. If you’re aware of devices I’m missing, please let me know.
This list is fantastic, thank you!
I have a requirement of wireless charging for my phones to prevent replacing worn out charge cords hundreds of times over the years. Can you include which of these phones have wireless charging?
(I’m aware of the universal addon on eBay that occupies the charge port, I don’t think it’s worthwhile reliability to consider.)
AT&T’s recent announcement requires HD Voice (VoLTE) from 2022 on.
Do you know anyone that will unlock a Verizon prepaid non-activated E4 phone for a reasonable price?
I got this phone just to hook up to MetroPCS which it can be done but the phone is locked
Why isn’t the iPhone se listed?
The new SE should be. This page is due for an update. Hopefully, I’ll get to that soon.
How about the iphone 12 and 12 Pro?
Yeah. I think all U.S. iPhone 12 models belong on this list. Aiming to make an update by the end of the week.