Published: 15 Jan 2025 | Last Updated: 8 Jun 2026 | By: Telecom Plans Team
Airtel vs Jio Plans 2026, Which Is Better?
Jio plans are generally Rs 50 to Rs 100 cheaper than comparable Airtel plans for the same data and validity. Airtel adds more OTT value, including Netflix and Google One, on its higher tier plans. For 5G, both operators offer similar coverage in major cities.
Verdict
Jio wins on price per rupee. Airtel wins on OTT bundle value. Choose Jio for the lowest cost per day. Choose Airtel for Netflix, Google One, or cloud storage with your plan.
Side By Side Comparisons
28-Day Plans, Entry Tier
| Feature | AAirtel Rs 299 | JJio Rs 239 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Rs 299 | Rs 239 |
| Plan Type | Prepaid | Prepaid |
| Validity | 28 Days | 28 Days |
| Daily Data | 1 GB per day | 1.5 GB per day + Unlimited 5G |
| 5G Access | No | Yes, Unlimited 5G |
| Unlimited Calls | Yes | Yes |
| Roaming | Included | Included |
| SMS per Day | 100 | 100 |
| OTT Subscriptions | None | None |
| Additional Benefits | Airtel Xstream Play (free tier) | JioCloud |
| Cost Per Day | Rs 10.68 | Rs 8.54 |
| Cost Per GB | Rs 10.68 | Rs 5.69 |
| Circle Availability | All 22 circles | All 22 circles |
| Last Updated | 1 Jun 2026 | 1 Jan 2026 |
Best Price
Jio Rs 239
Best Data Value
Jio Rs 239
Best OTT Bundle
Tie between the selected plans.
Jio Rs 239 costs Rs 60 less than Airtel Rs 299 for the same 28 day validity. Choose Jio Rs 239 to save Rs 60. Choose Airtel Rs 299 if you prefer more validity.
28-Day Plans, Most Popular Tier
| Feature | AAirtel Rs 379 | JJio Rs 299 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Rs 379 | Rs 299 |
| Plan Type | Prepaid | Prepaid |
| Validity | 28 Days | 28 Days |
| Daily Data | 2 GB per day + Unlimited 5G | 2 GB per day + Unlimited 5G |
| 5G Access | Yes, Unlimited 5G | Yes, Unlimited 5G |
| Unlimited Calls | Yes | Yes |
| Roaming | Included | Included |
| SMS per Day | 100 | 100 |
| OTT Subscriptions | JioHotstar Mobile (28 days) | JioHotstar Mobile (28 days) |
| Additional Benefits | Google One 30 GB Cloud Storage, Apple Music, Free Hellotune, Airtel Xstream Play Premium | JioCloud |
| Cost Per Day | Rs 13.54 | Rs 10.68 |
| Cost Per GB | Rs 6.77 | Rs 5.34 |
| Circle Availability | All 22 circles | All 22 circles |
| Last Updated | 1 Jun 2026 | 1 Jan 2026 |
Best Price
Jio Rs 299
Best Data Value
Jio Rs 299
Best OTT Bundle
Tie between the selected plans.
Jio Rs 299 costs Rs 80 less than Airtel Rs 379 for the same 28 day validity and the same daily data. Both plans include JioHotstar Mobile. Choose Jio Rs 299 to save Rs 80. Choose Airtel Rs 379 if you prefer more validity.
28-Day Plans, Netflix Tier
| Feature | AAirtel Rs 449 | JJio Rs 299 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Rs 449 | Rs 299 |
| Plan Type | Prepaid | Prepaid |
| Validity | 28 Days | 28 Days |
| Daily Data | Truly Unlimited with 300 GB FUP | 2 GB per day + Unlimited 5G |
| 5G Access | Yes, Unlimited 5G | Yes, Unlimited 5G |
| Unlimited Calls | Yes | Yes |
| Roaming | Included | Included |
| SMS per Day | 100 | 100 |
| OTT Subscriptions | Netflix Basic (28 days), JioHotstar Mobile (28 days) | JioHotstar Mobile (28 days) |
| Additional Benefits | Airtel Xstream Play Premium, Airtel Spam Alerts | JioCloud |
| Cost Per Day | Rs 16.04 | Rs 10.68 |
| Cost Per GB | N/A | Rs 5.34 |
| Circle Availability | All 22 circles | All 22 circles |
| Last Updated | 1 Jun 2026 | 1 Jan 2026 |
Best Price
Jio Rs 299
Best Data Value
Jio Rs 299
Best OTT Bundle
Airtel Rs 449
Jio Rs 299 costs Rs 150 less than Airtel Rs 449 for the same 28 day validity. Both plans include JioHotstar Mobile. The Airtel Rs 449 plan also includes Netflix Basic and JioHotstar Mobile and Airtel Xstream Play Premium, which together cost about Rs 497 per month if bought separately. Choose Jio Rs 299 to save Rs 150. Choose Airtel Rs 449 if you also want the bundled OTT and extras.
84-Day Plans
| Feature | AAirtel Rs 979 | JJio Rs 799 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Rs 979 | Rs 799 |
| Plan Type | Prepaid | Prepaid |
| Validity | 84 Days | 84 Days |
| Daily Data | 2 GB per day + Unlimited 5G | 1.5 GB per day + Unlimited 5G |
| 5G Access | Yes, Unlimited 5G | Yes, Unlimited 5G |
| Unlimited Calls | Yes | Yes |
| Roaming | Included | Included |
| SMS per Day | 100 | 100 |
| OTT Subscriptions | SonyLIV (3 months), JioHotstar Mobile (3 months) | JioHotstar Mobile (3 months) |
| Additional Benefits | Adobe Express Premium (12 months), Airtel Xstream Play Premium | JioCloud |
| Cost Per Day | Rs 11.65 | Rs 9.51 |
| Cost Per GB | Rs 5.83 | Rs 6.34 |
| Circle Availability | All 22 circles | All 22 circles |
| Last Updated | 1 Jun 2026 | 1 Jan 2026 |
Best Price
Jio Rs 799
Best Data Value
Airtel Rs 979
Best OTT Bundle
Airtel Rs 979
Jio Rs 799 costs Rs 180 less than Airtel Rs 979 for the same 84 day validity. Both plans include JioHotstar Mobile. The Airtel Rs 979 plan also includes SonyLIV and JioHotstar Mobile and Adobe Express Premium, which together cost about Rs 597 per month if bought separately. Choose Jio Rs 799 to save Rs 180. Choose Airtel Rs 979 if you also want the bundled OTT and extras.
84-Day Truly Unlimited vs 84-Day Daily Data
| Feature | AAirtel Rs 899 | JJio Rs 799 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Rs 899 | Rs 799 |
| Plan Type | Prepaid | Prepaid |
| Validity | 84 Days | 84 Days |
| Daily Data | Truly Unlimited with 300 GB FUP | 1.5 GB per day + Unlimited 5G |
| 5G Access | Yes, Unlimited 5G | Yes, Unlimited 5G |
| Unlimited Calls | Yes | Yes |
| Roaming | Included | Included |
| SMS per Day | 100 | 100 |
| OTT Subscriptions | JioHotstar Mobile (3 months) | JioHotstar Mobile (3 months) |
| Additional Benefits | Adobe Express Premium (12 months), Airtel Spam Alerts, Free Hellotune | JioCloud |
| Cost Per Day | Rs 10.7 | Rs 9.51 |
| Cost Per GB | N/A | Rs 6.34 |
| Circle Availability | All 22 circles | All 22 circles |
| Last Updated | 1 May 2026 | 1 Jan 2026 |
Best Price
Jio Rs 799
Best Data Value
Jio Rs 799
Best OTT Bundle
Tie between the selected plans.
Jio Rs 799 costs Rs 100 less than Airtel Rs 899 for the same 84 day validity. Both plans include JioHotstar Mobile. Choose Jio Rs 799 to save Rs 100. Choose Airtel Rs 899 if you prefer more validity.
Annual Plans, 365 Days
| Feature | AAirtel Rs 3999 | JJio Rs 3999 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Rs 3999 | Rs 3999 |
| Plan Type | Prepaid | Prepaid |
| Validity | 365 Days | 365 Days |
| Daily Data | 2.5 GB per day + Unlimited 5G | 2.5 GB per day + Unlimited 5G |
| 5G Access | Yes, Unlimited 5G | Yes, Unlimited 5G |
| Unlimited Calls | Yes | Yes |
| Roaming | Included | Included |
| SMS per Day | 100 | 100 |
| OTT Subscriptions | JioHotstar Mobile (1 year) | JioHotstar (1 year) |
| Additional Benefits | Wynk Music (1 year), Airtel Xstream Play, Free Hellotune, Apollo 24/7 Circle (3 months) | Gemini Pro AI (18 months), JioCloud 100 GB, International roaming on select packs |
| Cost Per Day | Rs 10.96 | Rs 10.96 |
| Cost Per GB | Rs 4.38 | Rs 4.38 |
| Circle Availability | All 22 circles | All 22 circles |
| Last Updated | 1 Jun 2026 | 1 Jan 2026 |
Best Price
Tie between the selected plans.
Best Data Value
Tie between the selected plans.
Best OTT Bundle
Tie between the selected plans.
Airtel Rs 3999 and Jio Rs 3999 are priced the same. Pick by network preference and OTT mix. Cost per day for Airtel is Rs 10.96 and for Jio is Rs 10.96.
Category Winners
Best Price
Jio
Best OTT Bundle
Airtel
Best 5G Coverage
Jio
Best Truly Unlimited
Airtel
Who should choose Airtel
Airtel is the better choice for users who want Netflix, Google One cloud storage, or Apple Music bundled with their plan. Airtel's Rs 449 plan bundles Netflix Basic for 28 days. Airtel also has a strong Truly Unlimited plan at Rs 399 with no daily data cap, which is suitable for heavy data users on a 5G phone.
Who should choose Jio
Jio is the better choice for users who want the lowest possible price per day. Jio plans are consistently Rs 50 to Rs 100 cheaper than Airtel for the same data. Jio Rs 3,999 annual plan adds Gemini Pro AI for 18 months, which has standalone value of over Rs 1,000 per year. Jio also has the widest 5G town coverage in India.
All plans covered in this comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
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