Screenshots from today's (1/11) email:
Helium Mobile Zero Plan will end on June 11, 2026
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Quote
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We have some important news to share regarding your Zero Plan.We've made the difficult decision to sunset the Zero Plan on June 11, 2026. The Zero Plan gave thousands of people free wireless service and helped build the fastest-growing, people-powered wireless network in the US. While we were able to offer this plan for a while, it's not sustainable long term. We're incredibly grateful to everyone who joined and gave us a chance. By focusing on our paid plans, we can invest in a better experience and stronger coverage for subscribers. If you take no action, you'll be automatically upgraded to the $15/month Air Plan on June 11. What This Means for You You can upgrade to the Air Plan ($15/mo) or Infinity Plan ($30/mo) on your own through the Helium Mobile App anytime before June 11. If you choose to leave Helium Mobile, you can cancel your plan and transfer your number to another carrier by going through the in-app cancellation flow. |
Top Comments
I bring this up because some of us would be on this plan only for a backup phone not normally used (like me).
So here is my first month of experiencing this new requirement.
The first couple of months on the plan I've had the phone not using it at all with location services on.
Once I started with this new twist I have no idea how but with virtually no use my data usage in the app states I've used 2.3GB out of 3. But I cannot get data to work now. I contacted them and they claim I ran out of data. But the meter has said 2.3GB usage for 2 weeks. It never updated higher and I do not use the phone. Plus I keep wifi on except for the first day, in order to use some data for only a few minutes.
So something is not jiving. They claim the stats may not be up to date, but they def should have been reflected properly by now (I would expect). Since I have no prior data usage, maybe they just have a bad tracking system...
Meanwhile they sent me 2 emails warning me no data was used and I needed to use data or I would lose the plan. When I inquired about these warnings each time, they claimed they were just sent in error the first time and they not only claimed the same thing the second time, but they also said they sent the same warning to everyone on the zero plan in error.
I find that very hard to believe.
So time will tell whether my data works properly or at all in my next cycle (when I should be replenished to 3GB available again). Or if my account gets canceled due to not using data, even though the CSR said I used all of my 3GB.
With the way things went this month, I feel like anything could happen, including losing my account and having to start all over with a new number.
If anyone has had weird stuff happening like this (under the new data usage requirement) please chime in.
From heliummobile.statuspage.io
Update - We are continuing to work on a fix for this issue.
Oct 23, 2025 - 15:29 PDT
Identified - Physical SIM cards are temporarily unavailable to order for Zero Plan activations. eSIMs are still available for all subscribers. Paid plan orders are not affected.
We are working to restock availability as soon as possible.
Oct 23, 2025 - 12:49 PDT
Tuesday Nov. 11 UPDATE: At about 6:00pm ET Helium sent me an email stating, "Incident Resolved...Physical SIM cards are now available again. Thank you for your patience." My wife ordered a SIM and received confirmation number/email.
Community Reviews
Helium Mobile Zero is a free 3GB plan that works best as a backup or secondary line on T-Mobile coverage, with easy eSIM activation on supported phones and a $5 unlimited talk and text add-on. The plan can handle basic use, verification texts, maps, music, and even overseas service for some setups, and the app can usually be removed after activation. The main friction is the signup process, which often asks for government ID or a face scan, and physical SIM stock has been spotty. Recent comments also flag usage tracking quirks, hard data limits, and new taxes and fees that make the plan less straightforward than it first appears.
Common Questions (6)
Yes. It works well as a spare line for backup phones, drone mapping, gig work dead zones, or SMS verification, and several users report it works fine on T-Mobile coverage. It is less attractive as a primary line if you need reliable unlimited talk/text or if your area has weak T-Mobile service.
The plan is no longer fully free for many new and existing users: taxes and fees are being charged based on service location, and Helium has said the Zero plan will no longer be free starting January 27, 2026. Some users report charges as low as cents, while others see over $1 or more depending on location.
Physical SIM availability has been intermittent, with multiple reports of stockouts and failed orders. eSIM has remained available, and pSIM orders later came back in stock after Helium marked the incident resolved.
eSIM signup can complete with just name, DOB, and address, while physical SIM signup can trigger selfie and government ID checks. Some signups also show the ID scan before the SIM choice, so the flow can vary by account or device.
Yes. The 3GB limit is a hard stop, with no slower-speed data after you use it up. Some users also report the app's usage meter can be inaccurate, so Android's built-in data tracker may be more reliable for monitoring usage.
After activation, the service can keep working without the app installed, and the account is tied to the SIM rather than the device. The app may still be needed occasionally for account actions or setup, but normal calling, texting, and data use continue through the phone's native dialer and SMS apps.
AI-generated summary based on comments from the community. Updated ago
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340 Comments
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So the procedure is as follows:
1. instlal app on the phone
2. sign up with email/DOB/etc
3. I can order a free sim card immediately after signup.
Is it correct?
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So the procedure is as follows:
1. instlal app on the phone
2. sign up with email/DOB/etc
3. I can order a free sim card immediately after signup.
Is it correct?
May I ask more?
1. How many can a household signup? I have two phones, can I signup two accounts under the same address?
2. How do I port my current phone number to this company?
3. I have a spare phone without a sim card. Can I sign up Helium, request a sim card, register a new phone number, and use it?
Thanks a lot again!
* All plans must be active for at least 90 days to be able to participate in the referral program
* All Zero Plans must use data over the course of 5 total days (browsing, watching a video, or using your favorite apps) to be eligible to refer and earn for their referrals.
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May I ask more?
1. How many can a household signup? I have two phones, can I signup two accounts under the same address?
2. How do I port my current phone number to this company?
3. I have a spare phone without a sim card. Can I sign up Helium, request a sim card, register a new phone number, and use it?
Thanks a lot again!
-- Yes, however, Helium Mobile reserves the right to review and suspend accounts based on suspicious activity. Please review our terms and conditions for more information.
So you would need one "account" per sim.
Yes you can port in, it asks during the sign up
Yes you can request a physical sim and a brand new number, you are not required to port in.
Keep in mind they like to run out of sims. The window is now open, but last month you could not get a physical sim.
-- Yes, however, Helium Mobile reserves the right to review and suspend accounts based on suspicious activity. Please review our terms and conditions for more information.
So you would need one "account" per sim.
Yes you can port in, it asks during the sign up
Yes you can request a physical sim and a brand new number, you are not required to port in.
Keep in mind they like to run out of sims. The window is now open, but last month you could not get a physical sim.
In a household, there are two persons (wife & husband), two different IDs, two different emails, two different phones, but the same household address.
In such a case, can I sign up two different accounts?
Are the account and sim card tied to a phone?
Like I sign up on Phone A, use a sim card on Phone A for a month. Can I insert sim card to Phone B to continue using the same Helium account?
Are the account and sim card tied to a phone?
Like I sign up on Phone A, use a sim card on Phone A for a month. Can I insert sim card to Phone B to continue using the same Helium account?
Can I port in my number later?
For example, I have an old phone number (i.e., 123-456-7890). I sign up helium account, get a sim card, get a new phone number (i.e., 111-222-3333). After using one or two months, I am happy with it. Then I port in my old phone number 123-456-7890 to my helium account, and give up 111-222-3333?
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The other one I use is this one: https://www.9esim.com/ and you can buy it. The opensource app doesn't look as good as the one from 5ber, but does the job. You can store even more esims on 9esim. That was the reason I bought it. No need to buy the extra hardware. On Android all you need is the the os app and the esim adapter. My recommendation for a travel esim is roamless. They are a bit more expensive but the data never expires. You can have multiple esims on the adapter but use onlu one at the time. But you could use 2 adapters if your phone has dual sim.
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