Do you need a cellular plan on your Apple Watch?

My opinion on this matter mimics quite literally everything Jason Cross at Macworld said about this topic. For most people, you don’t need a cellular plan.

I’ve never even considered having a plan in the last 10 years.

Cross quotes a cellular plan at an extra $10/month, but with fees it’s closer to $15-$20 per month.

Everytime he finds a reason to need a cellular plan, he finds a valid excuse:

For example, if you’re a runner that wants to run outdoors without the awkwardness of an iPhone strapped to you somewhere, and don’t want to give up listening to music or a podcast, an Apple Watch streaming to your earbuds is a great solution. You can always download the music or podcast ahead of time—cellular would let you stream, but that’s a minor convenience… 

I’ve seen reports of people who were glad they had their cellular Apple Watch to make a phone call when out on a hike without their iPhone, which I suppose could happen. But… you hike without your iPhone? You don’t want your camera with you, or the capability to connect to a satellite if you’re out of cellular range? (Emergency SOS via satellite isn’t a feature of the Apple Watch.)

The only real excuses?

The real benefit would be staying in touch via text or phone while out on your iPhone-free run…

Note that if you want to set up an Apple Watch for your child using a Kids account, it must have cellular. This is meant for a child that doesn’t have their own phone and ensures that you’ll always be able to locate them with Find My, send or receive texts or calls, and control their access to apps or notifications.

Most freak situations like swimming outdoors, paddle boarding, and surfing might warrant a cellular connection, but beyond that, your iPhone will likely be on your person or very close by.

Save yourself the $100 premium plus the monthly costs.

If you go stainless steel or titanium, the cellular capability will be built-in, but you don’t have to activate a plan.

For the record, I used a spare iPhone for my three young kids at $12/month with all fees included. The phone is given to the kid who will be away from home depending on their schedules.