Postpaid Family Plans: Compare Airtel vs. Jio vs. Vi vs. BSNL

Postpaid family plans are the perfect choice for people looking for great value and ease of sharing services with other family members within an affordable postpaid plan. India is a country of families. It’s expensive to buy separate price plans for three or four members on the same single account with the same service provider. With family plans in place, you can subscribe individually at a discounted rate while also having access to additional benefits such as unlimited OTT services.
Last updated in: November 2022

Today, you don’t need to buy plans for every family member individually. The postpaid family plans give you a single bill, single plan, access for multiple users, and multiple benefits! Read ahead to know about the postpaid family plans by Airtel, Jio, Vi Mobile, and BSNL.

What are postpaid family plans?

Postpaid family plans are postpaid plans with an additional feature to share data benefits with family members. There is no need to individually purchase plans for every family member but to purchase a single plan for all members. In simple words, you can enjoy a single postpaid plan for your entire family. Also, you reap additional savings by opting for a family plan with the convenience of a single bill and single payment.

How do family plans work?

The postpaid family plans are just postpaid plans giving an extra feature to share data and telecom services with family members. Telecom operators provide premium services such as a one-year free subscription to OTT platforms and many more with postpaid family plans.

In postpaid plans, you have to select a plan of how much monthly data your family members need as per their requirements. The advantage of a postpaid plan over prepaid is that you pay only for what you have used.

Services will continue to roll over without any interruptions. The billing cycle is 30 days, so you have to pay the bill at the end of every month. 15 days are given even after the bill date to pay the bill. Afterwards, you will be charged a late fee with GST.

Which mobile networks offer family plans?

Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone-Idea (Vi), and BSNL are the biggest mobile networks in India, offering family add-on plans (or postpaid family plans).

What is a family add-on in postpaid?

The family add-on is a feature in postpaid family plans in which you can share your plan benefits with your family members by adding them to your plan. Telecom companies provide free add-ons up to a limit but give an option to purchase further add-ons. A single bill is maintained while using multiple SIMs.

Individual vs. family mobile plans

The only difference between individual plans and family plans is an additional feature to share a single plan with multiple members. Family plans offer free OTT services subscriptions depending on your selected plan, while only a few individual plans give the same subscriptions at a higher price.

How much is the average family plan bill?

The average monthly bill of a family plan in India can vary from ₹800–₹1100 (approx.). It might seem a little more expensive than prepaid, but here, you will get the extra benefits of streaming and other services not provided in prepaid plans.

Airtel postpaid family plans

Bharti Airtel is one of the top-notch companies providing excellent postpaid family plans. Airtel has always been known for its quality services.

What are the Airtel postpaid family plans?

Airtel offers three postpaid family plans:


Airtel Postpaid Family Plans
Airtel logo
Family Plan (Tax. Excluded) Family add ons Data Rollover Talktime SMS/day Additional features (as free subscription)
Airtel postpaid plan ₹999 1 regular + 2 Free 100 GB Unlimited 100 Netflix, Airtel Xstream, Free Wynk music, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and VIP services
Airtel postpaid plan ₹1199 1 regular + 2 Free 150 GB Unlimited 100 Netflix, Airtel Xstream, Free Wynk music, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and VIP services
Airtel postpaid plan ₹1599 1 regular + 3 Free 250 GB Unlimited 100 Netflix, Airtel Xstream, Free Wynk music, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and VIP services


Which is the best Airtel family plan?

The best Airtel family plan is the ₹1199 plan. It gives up to 150 GB monthly data rollover with 2 free family add-ons. Instead of buying ₹1599 plans, you can purchase further add-ons that will be a cost-saving deal.


Best Airtel Postpaid Family Plan
Airtel logo
Family Plan (Tax. Excluded) Family add ons Data Rollover Talktime SMS/day Additional features (as free subscription)
Airtel postpaid plan ₹1199 1 regular + 2 Free 150 GB Unlimited 100 Netflix, Airtel Xstream, Free Wynk music, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and VIP services


How to get the Airtel postpaid family plan?

Follow the steps to get the Airtel postpaid family plan:

  1. Go to Airtel’s official page or the Airtel Thanks App.
  2. Select Family Postpaid Plans, and click on “Buy”.
  3. Select whether you want a new connection or want to port your number or convert from Airtel prepaid to postpaid.
  4. After that, submit a form including your name, city, and location.
  5. An Airtel executive will arrive at your location to deliver a free postpaid SIM.

To share the postpaid benefits with family members, open Airtel Thanks App and go to “Bills & Plan Option”. Click on the Family Plan and click on “Add New Member”.

Reliance Jio family plans

Reliance Jio provides family plans, including OTT subscriptions, at economical prices.

What are the Jio postpaid family plans?

Jio calls its family postpaid plans ‘Jio Postpaid Plus Plans.’


Jio Postpaid Family Plans
Jio logo
Family Plan (Tax. Excluded) Family add ons Data Rollover Talktime SMS/day Additional features (as free subscription)
Jio Postpaid Plus Plan ₹599 1 regular + 1 Free 200 GB Unlimited 100 Jio TV, JioSecurity, JioCloud, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix*
Jio Postpaid Plus Plan ₹799 1 regular + 2 Free 200 GB Unlimited 100 Jio TV, JioSecurity, JioCloud, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix*
Jio Postpaid Plus Plan ₹999 1 regular + 3 Free 500 GB Unlimited 100 Jio TV, JioSecurity, JioCloud, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix*


Jio Postpaid Plus Plans offer Standard Netflix (Netflix*) that you can use only on your mobile device.

Which is the best Jio family plan?

The Jio Postpaid Plus Plan of ₹799 is considered the best Jio family plan. It is because it offers 2 free add-on connections and a 200 GB monthly data rollover.


Best Jio Postpaid Family Plan
Jio logo
Family Plan (Tax. Excluded) Family add ons Data Rollover Talktime SMS/day Additional features (as free subscription)
Jio Postpaid Plus Plan ₹799 1 regular + 2 Free 200 GB Unlimited 100 Jio TV, JioSecurity, JioCloud, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix*


How to get the Jio postpaid family plan?

To get the Jio postpaid plans, you first need to have a postpaid SIM. If you don’t have one, then you can place a request for a postpaid SIM for free on the official website of Jio. After getting an active SIM, you can select your family plan and proceed to pay.

To add family members to your plan, follow these steps:

  1. Open MyJio App.
  2. Click on My Plans and select ‘Manage Plan’.
  3. Enter the Jio number of the person you wish to add to your plan.
  4. Validate using OTP and click on ‘Proceed’.

3 Generation family gathered around tv

Vi postpaid family plans

Vi offers a range of family plans starting from ₹699, and the most expensive plan costs ₹2299.

What are the Vi postpaid family plans?

Vi provides 5 options to have a postpaid family plan!


Vi Postpaid Family Plans
Vi logo
Family Plan (Tax. Excluded) Family add ons Data Rollover Talktime SMS/day Additional features (as free subscription)
₹699 1 regular + 1 free 80 GB avail (up to 200 GB) Unlimited 3000 ZEE5 Premium*, ad-free Hungama Music, and Vi Movies & TV VIP access
₹999 1 regular + 2 free 220 GB Unlimited 3000 ZEE5 Premium, ad-free Hungama Music, Vi Movies & TV VIP access, Disney+ Hotstar*, and Amazon Prime Video*
₹1299 1 regular + 4 free 300 GB Unlimited 3000 ZEE5 Premium, ad-free Hungama Music, Vi Movies & TV VIP access, Disney+ Hotstar*, and Amazon Prime Video*
₹1699 1 regular + 2 free Unlimited data Unlimited 3000 ZEE5 Premium, ad-free Hungama Music, Vi Movies & TV VIP access, Disney+ Hotstar*, Amazon Prime Video*, and Netflix*
₹2299 1 regular + 4 free Unlimited data Unlimited 3000 ZEE5 Premium, ad-free Hungama Music, Vi Movies & TV VIP access, Disney+ Hotstar*, Amazon Prime Video*, and Netflix*


Please note that services having * are only for primary members of the plan. The primary member is the one who gets more benefits over others and gets all the bill details.

Which is the cheapest Vi family plan?

The cheapest Vi family plan is the ₹699 plan. At this price point, it offers one add-on connection for free with 80 GB avail data and gets a monthly rollover of 200 GB.


Cheapest Vi Postpaid Family Plans
Vi logo
Family Plan (Tax. Excluded) Family add ons Data Rollover Talktime SMS/day Additional features (as free subscription)
Family Plan Family add ons Data Rollover Talktime SMS/month Additional features (as free subscription)
₹699 1 regular + 1 free 80 GB avail (up to 200 GB) Unlimited 3000 ZEE5 Premium*, ad-free Hungama Music, and Vi Movies & TV VIP access


How to get the Vi postpaid family plan?

Follow these steps to get the Vi postpaid family plan:

  1. Go to the postpaid plans page on the Vi website.
  2. Select a plan according to your requirements.
  3. Enter basic information like mobile number and PIN code.
  4. Enter your delivery address and get a free postpaid SIM.


 

BSNL postpaid family plans

BSNL provides multiple economic family plans that are as follows.

What are the BSNL postpaid family plans?

BSNL offers postpaid plans with add-on connections at cost-effective prices.


BSNL Postpaid Family Plans
BSNL logo
Family Plan Family add ons Data Avail (3G/4G) Talktime SMS/day Additional features
₹525 1 free connection 85 GB (rollover up to 225 GB) Unlimited 100 N/A
₹798 2 free connections 50 GB (rollover up to 150 GB) Unlimited 100 N/A
₹999 3 free connections 75 GB (rollover up to 225 GB) Unlimited 100 N/A
₹1525 1 free connection Unlimited Unlimited 100 N/A


BSNL doesn’t provide any OTT subscription or other beneficial services.

Which is the best BSNL family plan?

The best BSNL family plan is for ₹798 and gives 3 free connections to share data. Corporations often use it because it doesn’t offer any additional subscriptions but gives a significant data speed to perform tasks.


Best BSNL Postpaid Family Plans
BSNL logo
Family Plan Family add ons Data Avail (3G/4G) Talktime SMS/day Additional features
Family Plan Family add ons Data Avail (3G/4G) Talktime SMS/day Additional features (as free subscription)
₹798 3 connection 50 GB Unlimited 100 N/A


How to get the BSNL postpaid family plan?

Follow these steps to get the BSNL postpaid family plan:

  1. Go to the official website of BSNL.
  2. Select a plan according to your requirements.
  3. Enter basic information like mobile number and PIN code.
  4. Enter your delivery address and get a postpaid SIM.
  5. You can call a local operator to set up a family plan offline as well.


 

Our conclusion on postpaid family plans

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our way of living – studying and working online at home have become the new norm. Having a reliable network with sufficient speed that fulfils your requirements is essential. Choose the best postpaid family plan for your family and enjoy uninterrupted services along with work.

Airtel’s ₹999 plan is a perfect choice for a family of three. It has free subscriptions to both Disney+ Hotstar and Amazon Prime Video, which cover a wide range of OTT shows. If you have a family of five, you may like a Vi family pack for ₹1299. It allows four free family add-ons and gives access to Disney+ Hotstar and Amazon Prime Video.

Estimated time: 2 minutes

FAQ

Is it cheaper to be on a family plan?

No. However, while family plans are not cheaper, they save money. A single family plan is less expensive than buying individual plans. It all depends upon the number of family members. If the number is equal to or greater than 3, you should move on to family plans, but if it is less than 3, your individual plans are better.

Can I keep my phone number if I leave my family plan?

Yes, you can keep your number only when the family plan owner transfers your line's billing responsibility to you. You can set up your own account and plan on accepting the transfer.

Can I switch from a family plan to an individual plan?

Yes, you can switch from a family plan to an individual plan. For this, you need to take ownership of your line when the owner of the family plan transfers the billing responsibility of your line to you. After accepting the transfer, you must create your own account and select your individual plan.

How can I remove someone from my family plan?

Launch your operator's app, go to manage plans, and select whom to add or whom to remove. After validating OTP, click on proceed.

Updated on 20 May, 2022

Kathryn Ryan

Energy Specialist & Copywriter

Canadian content writer living in Barcelona, Spain dedicated to researching the best tips and tricks in everything broadband. I'll be the information hunter to your information gatherer.