Helium Mobile's free plan: what it was and what replaced it

Short version: Helium Mobile no longer has a free plan. The $0 Zero plan was the most generous free plan in the US while it lasted. Helium retired it in 2026. If you came here hoping to sign up for it, you cannot. This page explains what the Zero plan was, why it mattered, what Helium sells now, what data the company collects, and whether the paid plans are worth your money. Every fact comes from Helium’s own pages, checked on October 19, 2026. We have not signed up for a Helium plan. The screenshot above shows Helium’s plan cards as they looked on October 19, 2026.

For the other $0 options, see genuinely free mobile plans.

What the Zero plan was

Helium announced the Zero plan on February 4, 2025. The launch post listed 3GB of data, 300 texts, and 100 minutes of calls for $0 a month. That was far more than any other free plan offered.

It had one main condition. The post said “Eligibility for the $0/month Zero Plan requires active cellular data usage.” In plain words, you could not park the SIM in a drawer. You had to use some data every month or lose the plan.

What happened to it

The plan is closed. Helium’s support article, dated August 24, 2026, says the Zero Plan was retired on June 11, 2026, and “is not currently available for new or existing subscribers.” A banner on the original launch post says something slightly different: “As of April 27, 2026 the Zero Plan is no longer available on Helium Mobile.” Helium’s own pages give two dates. Either way, it is gone.

Customers still on Zero were moved to the Air plan at $15 a month unless they had picked something else. Group members on Zero were moved to Air too.

What Helium sells now

Prices come from Helium’s home page and kids page. The home page says “Taxes and fees apply.” Hotspot amounts come from the Zero plan support article.

The run-out behavior is a real catch on Air. Helium’s usage article says: “Once the cap is reached, data will not be available until the next billing cycle.” That is a hard stop, not a slowdown. The plan terms say you “will be downgraded to slower data speed or capped for the remainder of the billing cycle,” so Helium leaves itself both options. On Infinity, the usage article says you “still stay connected, just at a slower pace.”

To get more data early, you buy a Data Boost. The add-ons guide prices it at “$5.00 per GB” plus taxes and fees, with 5 GB and 10 GB bundles. Boost data cannot be used for hotspot and does not work abroad. International calling is $10 an hour. International roaming is $15 per GB with 100 texts and 60 minutes included.

How the network works

Helium Mobile runs on two networks at once. The kids page says the service “utilizes both the Helium Mobile Network and the nation’s largest 5G network.” The Helium Mobile Network is a set of small hotspots that ordinary people buy and run. The coverage page calls it a network “built by people like you.” When you are near a Helium hotspot, your phone can use it. When you are not, you ride the big carrier.

Helium does not name that carrier on any page we could load. The plan terms call it “our network supplier.” The privacy notice calls Helium “a reseller of cellular services.” So the carrier is not stated. Do not take anyone else’s word for which network it is. Check the coverage map for your own address before you sign up.

One honest caveat. The terms say “Coverage maps only approximate our anticipated wireless coverage area outdoors and under optimal conditions.” Indoors in a basement, your mileage may vary.

What data Helium collects

This is the part that made people nervous about Helium. Here is what the company’s own policies say.

Discovery Mapping and location sharing. Helium’s privacy policy says precise location is collected when you enable features such as “Discovery Mapping or other mapping Services.” It gives a clear off switch: “To stop sharing your location and stop earning MOBILE, turn off the ‘Mapping’ feature in the Helium app.” It also warns that turning off Mapping in the app does not change your phone’s own location settings. So the mapping feature is something you turn on, and you can turn it off.

Is it required? Not anymore. The app release notes (a support page Helium has since taken down) say version 3.10.1 in August 2025 added “Allow location sharing prompt skip for paid plans,” so before that date subscribers at least saw a prompt. Version 3.13.1 on October 1, 2025, “Removed Location Sharing from the App.” Helium has a support article titled “Location Sharing is no longer required,” but it returned an error when we tried to load it, so we cannot quote it. Based on the release notes, location sharing is no longer part of the product.

Everything else. The privacy notice lists the usual carrier data: name, address, billing details, IP-based location, call records, data session records, and device identifiers such as IMEI. Precise location may also be collected “when you request troubleshooting.” Helium “may collect information about the quality of the wireless networks in your area.” It says “We do not sell or share identifiable location data with third parties for their independent use,” but anonymized coarse location may go to vendors. Helium can use your call records for marketing by default: “Unless you notify us in one of these ways, we may use your CPNI as described above.” You can opt out by contacting support.

For kids, the plan terms say “Location sharing is prohibited for Child Participants.”

Cloud Points

Helium pays you back in Cloud Points. The how to earn page lists monthly points by plan: 80 on Air and 150 on Infinity. Welcome points carry a condition: “To earn the full Welcome points, you’ll need to complete SIM activation and install the Wi-Fi certificate.” That certificate lets your phone join Helium hotspots. It is a trade. You get points, Helium gets a phone on its community network.

Two more catches from the Cloud Points redemption article. “You must be an active subscriber for 90 days before you can redeem Cloud Points.” If you cancel, earned points are lost. The same article says you can redeem points for eGift cards or donate them to a nonprofit. It does not list bill credit.

Devices and eSIM

Helium’s supported devices page says its eSIMs and physical SIMs work with phones on “iOS 15 and newer and Android 11 and newer.” Your phone “must be unlocked.” You pick eSIM or a physical SIM at signup. The eSIM page says “iPhone 11 and newer models are all typically eSIM compatible.” It warns you to confirm eSIM support before porting your number, because waiting for a physical SIM after a port can leave you without service. The physical SIM price is not stated.

Pros and cons

Pros

• $15 for 10 GB with hotspot is a fair price. See how it stacks up against the other plans at $15 or less.
• Location sharing has been removed from the app, per Helium’s release notes.
• Clear add-on pricing. $5 per GB is easy to budget.
• No contracts. The home page says “No Contracts Ever.”
• Cloud Points are a small real rebate if you stay 90 days.

Cons

• There is no free plan. The reason most people search for Helium is gone.
• Air stops your data cold when you hit 10 GB.
• Helium does not name its partner carrier, so you cannot check that carrier’s coverage directly.
• The privacy notice says Helium can use your call records for marketing unless you opt out.
• Points require a 90-day wait and the Wi-Fi certificate, and vanish if you cancel.
• Helium’s own pages disagree on when Zero ended and on the minimum iOS version, which does not inspire confidence in its documentation.

Who it suits now

Pick Helium Air if you want a $15 plan with hotspot and you are fine with a hard data cap. Pick Infinity if you need unlimited data and 36 GB of hotspot for $30.

Skip Helium if you were only here for the free plan. The remaining $0 option is TextNow, with far less data. Compare both in genuinely free mobile plans. To test a paid carrier before you commit, see free phone plan trials. If your income qualifies, a Lifeline carrier can be free with real data. Start at free government phones.

Moving your number? Read how to switch carriers and keep your number before you cancel anything.