India’s telecommunications market offers diverse prepaid recharge plans from the major operators: Jio, Airtel, and Vi. As of December 2025, here’s a detailed breakdown of the current offerings with competitive analysis.
Key Points About Recent Changes
Price Hike Alert: Starting December 1, 2025, all three major telecom operators—Jio, Airtel, and Vi—implemented price increases of 10-12% across their recharge plans. For example, the popular ₹199 plan increased to ₹222, while the ₹899 plan rose to ₹1,006.
Popular Budget Plans (28 Days)
For users on tight budgets, all three operators offer competitively priced short-term plans. Jio’s ₹299 plan provides 1.5GB daily data (42GB total), unlimited calls, 100 SMS daily, and access to JioCinema and JioTV—delivering excellent value. Airtel’s ₹299 plan offers 1GB daily data with Airtel Xstream Play benefits, while Vi’s ₹299 plan matches Jio’s offerings with 1.5GB daily data and Vi Movies & TV access.
Mid-Term Plans (84 Days)
The 84-day plans represent the sweet spot for many users. Jio’s ₹859 plan stands out as the best value option, offering 2GB daily data for nearly three months along with JioSaavn Pro subscription. Airtel’s ₹979 plan provides identical 2GB daily data but includes Xstream Play Premium and Perplexity Pro AI subscription for 12 months. Vi’s ₹998 plan also delivers 2GB daily data with Sony LIV and Vi Movies & TV access.
If you need more data, Vi’s ₹1,048 plan (84 days) offers unlimited daily data, while Vi’s ₹1,599 plan combines unlimited data with Netflix Basic subscription.
Annual Plans (365 Days)
For maximum savings, annual plans offer the lowest per-day cost. Jio’s ₹3,599 plan emerges as the most competitive, providing 2.5GB daily data (912GB total), unlimited calls, and a 3-month JioHotstar subscription. Airtel’s ₹3,999 plan matches Jio’s daily data allowance but charges ₹400 more annually, though it includes unlimited 5G data and Apollo 24×7 Circle membership. Vi’s ₹3,699 plan offers 2GB daily data (730GB total) with Vi Movies & TV Super and Amazon Prime Lite for one year.
Voice and SMS-Only Plans
For users who don’t require data, TRAI-mandated voice and SMS-only plans are now available. Jio’s ₹1,748 plan (336 days) offers unlimited calling and 3,600 SMS, while Airtel’s ₹1,849 plan provides the same benefits for the full 365 days. Vi’s ₹1,849 plan matches Airtel’s annual offering. These plans are ideal for maintaining secondary SIM cards or for users primarily dependent on Wi-Fi.
Operator-Specific Strengths
Jio consistently offers the most competitive pricing while bundling popular entertainment services like JioCinema, JioTV, and JioCloud storage. Their plans represent the best value per GB of data consumed.
Airtel focuses on premium benefits, including exclusive AI tool access (Perplexity Pro) and extended OTT subscriptions. Users who value entertainment services beyond basic streaming will find better value here despite higher prices.
Vi positions itself with extensive OTT bundles (Sony LIV, ZEE5, FanCode, Amazon Prime Lite) and offers the most unlimited data options across its portfolio. Night-time unlimited data from 12 AM–6 AM is a standard feature across most Vi plans, providing additional flexibility.
Best Recommendations Based on Usage
Light Users (budgets ≤₹300/month): Opt for any operator’s ₹299 plan—they’re nearly identical in offerings.
Moderate Users (₹600-₹900/quarter): Jio’s ₹859 84-day plan offers unmatched value with 2GB daily data and JioSaavn Pro.
Heavy Data Users (unlimited needs): Vi’s ₹1,048-₹1,599 84-day unlimited plans are worth considering despite higher costs.
Annual Subscribers: Jio’s ₹3,599 plan saves you ₹400 annually compared to Airtel while delivering identical daily data allowances.
Additional Considerations
All three operators provide 5G unlimited data access on compatible devices, though actual speeds depend on network coverage. Unused data rollover features are increasingly common, with Vi offering weekend rollover and other operators providing monthly backup data. After exhausting daily data quotas, speeds reduce to 64 Kbps on all plans
