You may have heard the hype surrounding Mint Mobile. This online-only MVNO wasn’t launched until 2016 but is rapidly gaining popularity due to the simplicity and affordability of the Mint Mobile plans. The airline also received a huge boost in advertising last year when investor actor Ryan Reynolds acquired a stake in the company. It’s gotten stronger since then, but should you jump on the bandwagon?
Well, it depends on what you expect from your cellular operator. Check your monthly data usage – do you really need the unlimited data plan you’re billed when you only get 5GB of data per month? If you feel like you’re overwhelmed with contracts that stretch over years, Mint Mobile might be for you. This is best illustrated with the plans offered.
Remember, this is a sim-only operator. You must therefore integrate your GSM-compatible phone into the network or buy one from the Mint Mobile online shop.
Best Mint Mobile Plans
Mint Mobile does not make contracts. You pay a one-time fee for a simple and affordable three-, six-, or twelve-month plan. In fact, you don’t even have to make this decision at the beginning as there is an introductory new customer offer that gives you fantastic prices on your first three month plan. If it works for you, after three months you can decide on your next engagement and save more money depending on how long you sign up. If you’re not that spicy, you can just walk away.
While most of Mint’s plans offer limited data limits, the MVNO recently launched its first unlimited option. It’s only $ 30 a month for the three-month introductory package and you never have to worry about your data usage. Exceeding more than 35GB per month will slow you down, but that’s still three times the usage you get from any of the limited data plans. All of the other perks like 5G access, international usage, and a mobile hotspot are exactly the same as those found in the restricted plans.
If you don’t need unlimited data, you have three simple plans to choose from: 4GB, 10GB, and 15GB. This is actually the amount of 4G LTE or 5G data you get as all plans are technically unlimited data. They are only slowed down once you have reached your assignment. All plans include unlimited calls and texts across the country, plus free international calls to Mexico and Canada. You also get a free mobile hotspot.
It seems like you don’t have a choice as to whether or not to start with the introductory offer, but it’s a no-brainer anyway. You get three months of pricing that you would normally only get for the 12 month plan. That means the 4GB plan is $ 45 ($ 15 per month), the 10GB plan is $ 60 ($ 20 per month), and the 15GB plan is $ 75 ($ 25 per month). It’s that simple. In this introductory phase, there is even a seven-day money-back guarantee.
See also: Best cell phone plans
If you’re ready to commit for six or twelve months, your savings will go up significantly. On the six-month plan, the 4GB, 10GB, and 15GB plans are $ 20, $ 25, and $ 35 per month, respectively. Even the Unlimited plan stays at $ 35 per month. Remember that you pay the entire amount in advance. So the 15 GB plan for six months calls for a one-time payment of $ 210.
If after your three-month intro you’re tempted enough to commit to the 12-month plan, stick to the same monthly prices as the introductory period. That means $ 15 a month for 4 GB, $ 20 a month for 10 GB, and $ 25 a month for 15 GB of data.
Which network does Mint Mobile use?
The affordable prices might make you think you are sacrificing a coverage level, but it is not. Mint Mobile relies on the nationwide network of T-Mobile, which is getting stronger thanks to the Sprint merger. Since this is a GSM network, you should check whether the phone you have brought with you is GSM-compatible.
Any of the T-Mobile plans would make you a lot more cash than Mint Mobile. To compete with Mint and other MVNOs, T-Mobile has also added its cheapest plan ever: Connect Prepaid. But Mint Mobile still has that T-Mobile package that beats the prices.
The prepaid tariffs for T-Mobile Connect have two levels: USD 15 per month for up to 2 GB of LTE data or USD 25 per month for 5 GB. With the 12-month Mint Mobile plan, you get 3 GB or 12 GB of data at the same prices. Plus, T-Mobile’s data limits are caps, not just the point where your data slows down, and prices don’t include taxes and fees.
What are the best alternatives to Mint Mobile?
Mint Mobile isn’t the only MVNO in town, and competition needs to be considered. Here are the top airlines that offer no-frills packages at affordable prices:
Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile is now a flagship of the Dish Network family. There are five data limited plans to choose from, plus discounts for adding more than one line to your account. The best value plan is the Shrink It plan, which offers unlimited calls and texts and 12GB of LTE data. The plan starts at $ 45 per month, but drops to $ 40 per month after three or six months, and then to $ 35 per month. You can also opt for either of the two unlimited plans if you want to maximize your data.
Continue reading: Great deals on Boost Mobile
Cricket wireless
Cricket Wireless is a proprietary AT&T provider that operates on the same network. There are two cricket plans that offer limited 4G LTE data: one is $ 30 per month with 2GB of high-speed data and the other is $ 40 per month with 5GB of data. Both plans support a feature called Stream More. It’s on by default, and it will reduce some high-resolution streaming video to 480p resolution in order to save your data.
Continue reading: The best cricket wireless plans
Subway with T-Mobile
This MVNO used to be known as MetroPCS, but since T-Mobile picked it up, it’s now called Metro By T-Mobile. There are two plans with limited 4G LTE data. One is $ 30 per month with unlimited talk, unlimited text, and 2GB of data. The other is $ 40 and increases the data to 10GB. These plans don’t include hotspots, but they do offer Music Unlimited. This way, you can stream over 40 music apps without consuming your data.
Continue reading: The best offers from Metro by T-Mobile
Visible
Visible only has a $ 40 a month plan, though you get the first month for $ 25. In addition to unlimited text and unlimited minutes, it gives you technically unlimited 4G LTE data on the Verizon network. If it sounds a little too good to be true, it’s because your data is slowing down during times of heavy traffic. However, compared to unlimited data plans from the main providers, this is a good deal.
Continue reading: Best visible offers
Should I sign up for Mint Mobile?
As always, it depends on your data needs – but there are very few downsides. The introductory offer is inexpensive, there are no contractual obligations and even a seven-day money-back guarantee. When you’re ready to give Ryan Reynolds and Mint Mobile a try, check out the link below.