Major telecom providers such as Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) offer a variety of affordable recharge packs for prepaid subscribers in India. While the cheapest packs aim to fulfill basic requirements for calling, messaging, and internet access, many others offer additional benefits too. Several prepaid recharge plans by Airtel, Jio, and Vi bundle free access to over-the-top (OTT) platforms such as JioHotstar, enabling subscribers to watch films, shows, and live sports on a single device via a mobile-only plan without paying an additional price. With multiple plans offered by all three telecom providers, choosing the best yet most affordable one can become a confusing and time-consuming process.
If you are wondering which prepaid plan is best for you, we are here to help. In this article, we will cover the best prepaid recharge packs offered by Airtel, Jio, and Vi which also bundle OTT services to help you pick the best option for your mobile connection at the most affordable price point.
Airtel vs Jio vs Vi: Most Affordable Prepaid Plan With OTT Benefits
Although telecom providers offer OTT benefits with plans starting at just Rs. 100, they are listed as special tariff vouchers (STVs) which do not have their own validity and thus, need to be bundled with standard recharge packs.
We have curated a list of standalone plans which do not need to be bundled with any other prepaid recharge packs.
Airtel Rs. 301 Prepaid Recharge Plan
Airtel’s most affordable prepaid recharge plan which bundles OTT benefits is priced at Rs. 301. It offers the usual benefits, such as unlimited local and roaming voice calls and 100 SMS per day. Further, you get 1GB of 5G data per day along with 28 days of validity. This plan bundles a subscription to JioHotstar for 28 days.
Under the fair usage policy (FUP), consumers can enjoy unlimited internet till the allocated quota is exhausted, after which the speeds are reduced to 16kbps. If the SMS quota is exceeded, local SMS will cost Re. 1, while STD ones will incur a Rs. 1.5 charge per SMS sent.
| Features | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Validity | 28 days |
| Calling Benefits | Unlimited local and roaming voice calls |
| SMS Benefits | 100 SMS per day |
| Data Allowance | 1GB of 5G data per day |
| OTT Benefits | JioHotstar for 1 month |
| Post Data Exhaustion Speed | 16kbps |
Airtel Thanks Rewards are also bundled with the Rs. 301 pack. Consumers get a 30-day access to free Hellotunes as well as a three-month subscription to Apollo 24/7 digital healthcare platform.
Jio Rs. 299 Prepaid Recharge Plan
Jio’s Rs. 299 prepaid recharge plan is the most affordable pack which bundles a complimentary subscription to JioHotstar. It offers 90-day access to JioHotstar Mobile which is worth Rs. 149. It is an individual plan with a total of 42GB of True 5G data, which translates to an allocation of 1.5GB per day for a period of 28 days. Post exhaustion, the speeds are reduced to 64kbps.
Alongside, you also get unlimited local and STD voice calls and 100 SMS per day. This plan offers the most value-added benefits too. You get access to the telecom provider’s other services such as JioTV and 50GB of Jio AICloud storage.
| Features | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Validity | 28 days |
| Calling Benefits | Unlimited local and STD voice calls |
| SMS Benefits | 100 SMS per day |
| Data Allowance | 1.5GB of True 5G data per day (42GB total) |
| OTT Benefits | JioHotstar for 3 months |
| Post Data Exhaustion Speed | 64kbps |
However, Jio says subscribers will need to recharge within 48 hours of plan expiry to enjoy the second and third-month JioHotstar benefits.
Vi Rs. 239 Prepaid Recharge Plan
The Rs. 239 prepaid recharge plan offered by Vi is the cheapest option to enjoy OTT benefits for its consumers. However, despite being the most affordable among the three telecom providers, it appears to be the least value-for-money option since it comes with only 2GB of data for the entire 28-day validity period. Consumers will be charged Rs. 0.5 per MB post exhaustion of mobile data.
It carries usual other benefits including unlimited local and roaming voice calls and a total quota of 300 SMS. Vi users will also get a one month subscription to JioHotstar with the prepaid recharge plan.
| Features | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Validity | 28 days |
| Calling Benefits | Unlimited local and roaming voice calls |
| SMS Benefits | 300 SMS (total) |
| Data Allowance | 2GB (total) |
| OTT Benefits | JioHotstar for 1 month |
| Post Data Exhaustion Speed | Rs. 0.5 per MB |
Thus, if consumers wish to get a pack which offers unlimited internet, they will have to recharge with a higher priced Rs. 399 prepaid recharge plan. This plan offers 2GB of data per day, 100 SMS per day, unlimited voice calls, and one month JioHotstar Mobile subscription. Additionally, it bundles weekend data rollover and half-day unlimited data benefits too.
Which Plan Should You Go For?
| Features | Airtel Rs. 301 | Jio Rs. 299 | Vi Rs. 239 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Validity | 28 days | 28 days | 28 days |
| Calling Benefits | Unlimited local and STD voice calls | Unlimited local and STD voice calls | Unlimited local and STD voice calls |
| SMS Benefits | 100 SMS per day | 100 SMS per day | 300 SMS (total) |
| Data Allowance | 1GB of 5G data per day | 1.5GB of True 5G data per day (42GB total) | 2GB (total) |
| OTT Benefits | JioHotstar (1 month) | JioHotstar (3 months) | JioHotstar (1 month) |
| Post Data Exhaustion Speed | 16kbps | 64kbps | Rs. 0.5 per MB |
| Other Benefits | Airtel Thanks Rewards (Hellotunes, Apollo 24/7) | JioTV, Jio AICloud (50GB) | None |
When compared, Airtel’s Rs. 301 prepaid recharge plan is the most expensive while Vi has the most affordable offering, priced at Rs. 239. Among the three, Jio’s Rs. 299 prepaid recharge plan is the best value-for-money option if you wish to enjoy OTT benefits with recharges. It offers daily True 5G data, unlimited voice call benefits, 100 SMS per day, and access to other value-added services like JioTV and 50GB of Jio AICloud storage too.