Thanks to spokesperson Ryan Reynolds and aggressively affordable plans, Mint Mobile is one of the bigger names.

How does it actually compare to the Big Three?

What is Mint Mobile?

iPhone 16e with iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro in hand against grey wall.

Let’s start with the basics.

An MVNO is simply a wireless carrier that does not own the connection infrastructure it provides to customers.

Mint Mobile uses T-Mobile’s data pipe infrastructure, and T-Mobile also happens to own Mint Mobile itself.

Tuya Wi-Fi IR Blaster on a wooden desk.

This is not always the case.

Typically, an MVNO enters a business agreement with the carrier to use its web connection services.

Ryan Reynolds used to be more than just a celebrity spokesperson for Mint Mobile.

Carrier coverage maps for LTE.

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He acquired 25% ownership of Mint Mobile in 2019 and started appearing in marketing.

However, in 2023,T-Mobile acquired Mint Mobile, and Reynolds was demoted to purely a spokesperson.

Mint is a “prepaid” carrier, while the others are “postpaid.”

Carrier coverage maps for 5G.

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you’ve got the option to probably guess the difference based on the names.

How Does Mint Mobile’s LTE & 5G Coverage Compare?

Let’s talk about arguably the most important feature of any carrier: coverage.

Person holding the iPhone 14 next to the iPhone 14 Pro

Mint also gets access to T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G service at no extra cost.

The combination of LTE and 5G means you’ll get solid coverage from Mint Mobile.

Here’s the LTE coverage for AT&T, T-Mobile (Mint), and Verizon.

And here’s the 5G coverage for all three.

How Does Mint Mobile’s Pricing Compare?

Mint offers a three-month introductory price of$15 per month for any plan.

Those plans include unlimited talk and text, then 5GB, 15GB, 20GB, or unlimited data.

After the first three months is when pricing changes.

AT&T’s cheapest plan for one line is $50 per month for 4GB of data.

T-Mobile’s cheapest plan for one line is also $50 per month, but it’s unlimited data.

Verizon’s cheapest plan for one line is $60 for unlimited data.

What Phones Does Mint Mobile Support?

Lastly, let’s talk about phones that are compatible with Mint Mobile.

This is an easy one.

you could also purchase a phone directly from Mint to ensure it works.

Mint offers many of the latest smartphones with discounts.

That’s the story on Mint Mobile.

It’s easily one of the best options when looking for a wireless plan in the US.

In fact, we chose Mint as the best budget plan in ourBest Cell Phone Plansguide.

It’s worth a look if you’re shopping around.