Mint Mobile review: The top budget carrier for long-term value

Mint Mobile is one of the long-standing frontrunners in the market for the best cheap cell phone plans. Its plans, which cost as low as $15/month, include unlimited calling and texting, access to high-speed data as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) on T-Mobile's nationwide network in the US, and free calls and texts to Canada and Mexico.

Mint Mobile's prepaid plans allow users to manage their data in three, six, or 12-month installments at affordable monthly rates. While you'll get the best value by signing up for an annual plan, new customers can start with a reduced rate through the carrier's introductory three-month offer. The promotion discounts all of Mint Mobile's three-month plans, including the unlimited tier, at low prepaid rates, starting at just $15/month.

We've reviewed Mint Mobile over long-term use, routinely testing the fundamentals: call quality, data speed, customer support, and general coverage. We've also detailed the setup process, plan offerings, and other basic factors one would look for when switching carriers.

Plan offerings and flexibility

Mint Mobile's plan offerings are geared toward those seeking long-term savings. Its three, six, and 12-month prepaid plans offer progressively better value with longer-term payments.

Mint Mobile's introductory three-month plans are discounted with a new customer promotion. After the promotional period, the plans reset to standard rates, as detailed in the successive tables below.

You are free to renew your plan for three, six, or 12 months at a time and can choose to go up or down with each renewal. We think signing up for the three-month plan is the best way to start, then if the coverage is working well for you, bag a big discount on renewal by going for 12 months.

In the app, you can toggle auto-renewal on or off, giving you more freedom to choose how long you want to renew once your current term ends. You'll start getting notification reminders in your final month.

Mint Mobile introductory 3-month plans

Mint Mobile 3-month renewal plans

Mint Mobile 6-month plans

Mint Mobile 12-month plans

All of Mint Mobile's prepaid plans include unlimited talk and text, free calling to Mexico and Canada from the United States, and WiFi calling and texting. You can also use your 5G and LTE data access for a high-speed hotspot. Oddly, the unlimited plans limit your hotspot allowance to just 10GB a month. In contrast, all other plans pull from your monthly data allotment without another specific cap, so if you rely on hotspots a lot as your main data usage when away from WiFi, then you might be better off going for the 15/20GB plans.

You can also connect up to 15 devices to the hotspot at once. Be warned, though, you could rinse through your data pretty quickly if you're letting a larger group connect at once, especially if the connection is being used for streaming or video calls.

Outside of hotspots, once your overall monthly high-speed data cap is reached, you'll have slower data speeds; however, you'll still have access to data at those lower speeds, so you won't be entirely cast adrift if you meet your data max.

Also, while Mint Mobile's unlimited plan is now truly unlimited (in contrast to its previous 40GB monthly cap), unlimited customers who use more than 35GB in a month may be prioritized below customers on lower data tiers during network congestion. This is much better than the previous limitation, as we noticed speeds drop to a frankly unusable 0.08 Mbps after we burned through the old 40GB cap.

Mint Mobile's long-interval prepayments can offer unbeatable value at higher data tiers. However, other worthwhile MVNOs backed by T-Mobile, likeTello Mobile,are prepaid monthly and thus more flexible than Mint Mobile. Tello Mobile's no-frills customizable plans are also a better value for anyone only requiring a much more limited data allowance, and accordingly, among ourbest cell phone plans for seniors. Read our Tello Mobile review and see our Mint Mobile vs. Tello guide for a comparative breakdown.

Before signing up, you'll want to confirm that your phone is compatible with Mint Mobile. Nearly all 5G or 4G LTE-supported phones that use SIM cards or eSIMs will be compatible. To be sure, you can use the compatibility checker provided on their site by entering your phone's brand and model —or, even better, your phone's IMEI number, which you can find by dialing *#06# or through your phone's settings.

From there, your setup will be fairly straightforward, either through an eSIM activation online or through the "cleverness kit" that comes with the shipment of a new SIM card. The kit includes instructions on how to keep your existing phone number and a QR code to download the Mint Mobile app easily. It refers to additional tips on their YouTube channel, which has a series of designated videos for setup assistance.

After inputting your SIM card or activating an eSIM, the Mint Mobile app will guide you through the basics of setup. It provides a quick overview of how to use the app and a few checkpoints that confirm whether you want to keep your preexisting phone number. The setup takes less than five minutes, and the app's assistance is useful and informative.

I recently tested transferring a Mint eSIM from an Android phone to the new iPhone Air, and it was super simple. It took just a few minutes from within the apps on both phones, with no need to call customer service or endure a chatbot. You can transfer an eSIM between phones five times a year for free, with additional swaps costing $3 each.

For the MVNO's latest offers and promotions, see our guide to the best Mint Mobile plans and deals.

Coverage area

T-Mobile owns Mint Mobile, and the MVNO runs on T-Mobile's network, so the carriers' coverage maps for 4G LTE and 5G connectivity are the same in the US.

Mint Mobile's site has its owncoverage map,which lets you check if your address is covered by its network. If it is, you'll likely be able to do anything from talk and text to downloading and streaming HD video over high-speed data, subject to deprioritization during local congestion on T-Mobile's network.

In our testing experience, Mint Mobile's coverage has far outperformed major carriers like AT&T in New York City. This discrepancy isn't surprising, as T-Mobile generally works better in urban areas than AT&T, but we found the difference to be significant.

Where AT&T largely provided inconsistent and unreliable coverage across testing locations, Mint Mobile proved to be more dependable in each, including at Business Insider's office in Manhattan, on a walk through Brooklyn's Prospect Park, and various other locations in the city.

Mint Mobile's coverage will vary depending on location and should be paramount in your decision to switch carriers. However, as coverage maps are ultimately approximations that may not reflect usability on the ground, we recommend checking with local acquaintances, neighbors, or social media to ensure that T-Mobile (and thus Mint Mobile) adequately covers your area. Notably, T-Mobile's standard, non-satellite service lacks coverage in rural areas relative to Verizon and AT&T.

If you know that T-Mobile works in your area, you may also want to check our comprehensive Mint Mobile vs. T-Mobile guide to compare the exact offerings between the parent company and its MVNO.

On the other hand, if you know Verizon more effectively covers your location, you're likely better off with the major carrier or its MVNO, Visible Wireless. Read our Visible Wireless review, and see our guides to Mint Mobile vs. Verizon and Mint Mobile vs. Visible.

Service reliability and speeds

Part of our testing of Mint Mobile's service reliability in New York City involved viewing and downloading posts from some of the most-used apps on many people's phones: YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. While videosloaded perfectly on YouTube with no buffering, we encountered slight loading issues with Instagram and, more prominently, with TikTok.

On TikTok, each video took a few seconds to load over data. While it was only a matter of a second or two of buffering time, those seconds make a difference when assessing an app with a primary focus on instantaneous content generation. Though the app worked perfectly when connected to WiFi and the loading time over data was minimal, if you're one to scroll through TikTok while on the go, you may grow tired of this comparable barrier to immediacy.

Our testing for phone and video calls yielded mixed results. Phone calls had zero issues, backed by reliable service and good call quality. Video calls were a different story. For instance, video calls made over Google Meet while connected to a full 5G connection were occasionally grainy, and the audio lagged consistently. Tested again with a WiFi connection, Google Meet presented no issue, as graininess and lagging had fully resolved.

We attribute the occasional poor call quality to deprioritization, an unfortunate byproduct of Mint Mobile's use of T-Mobile's network; T-Mobile customers have faster data speeds than Mint Mobile customers in congested areas. However, as New York City is particularly crowded, your experience may vary widely depending on your location.

Customer support

Mint Mobile's marketing, user interface, and customer support are really where the company shines. Straightforward language, readily available FAQs, direct support, and a user-friendly app create a cohesive and uncomplicated customer experience.

From the jump, Mint Mobile's advertising has appealed to its audience directly and simply, and they carry this forthright attitude throughout the customer journey, if you have questions as you go along. The app includes a data usage indicator on the home dashboard to keep track of your usage each month, and you can easily make payments or adjust your plan through the app.

From a user standpoint, managing your plan and making necessary changes is refreshingly simple. The online chat and phone support are also responsive, with almost no wait time, and agents who are well-versed in their subject matter and friendly in our experience.

As with most MVNOs, and unlike major carriers, Mint Mobile lacks physical retail stores for in-person support.

Should you sign up for Mint Mobile?

If you know that T-Mobile's network covers you, Mint Mobile is a worthwhile budget cell service option that has long been among the top picks in our guide to the best cheap cell phone plans.

In our testing, Mint Mobile has consistently provided reliable service. We've been able to send and receive texts and calls with no issues, and occasional loading issues were mostly minimal and concentrated on data-intensive apps. Poor-quality video calls have been a circumstantial blemish (likely due to network congestion) on an otherwise excellent carrier experience.

The amount you'll save on a plan through Mint Mobile is significant compared to what you can expect to spend with most major carriers. With access to T-Mobile's network across the US, it's a great value overall, especially for such long-term payments; the only catch is that you need to pay for your data in advance and may experience slower speeds behind T-Mobile's higher-paying customers with varying frequency, depending on your location.

Otherwise, Mint Mobile is a generally cost-effective service with simple-to-digest materials, readily accessible customer support, and plan management through an intuitive app. These user-experience factors and the MVNO's potential for long-term value place it ahead of its competition among budget carriers. To that end, for a limited time, the carrier's 12-month unlimited plan is discounted to $20/month, an annual savings of $120 on what was already one of the best prepaid phone plans.

Those new to service should take advantage of Mint Mobile's new customer promotion for three months of discounted service. It's an affordable entry point to a provider that offers exceptional value in the long run. Those switching from AT&T or Verizon can also add a second three-month line for free.

FAQs

Is there a Mint Mobile free trial?

Mint Mobile no longer offers a free trial at this time. However, it does offer a seven-day money-back guarantee on all of its phone plans that will give you a full refund (minus shipping and handling) if you change your mind.

So, if you want to start off with one of the longer-term deals, feel free to dive right in. You can always get your money back if things don't work out via their refund form.

Who owns Mint Mobile?

T-Mobile owns Mint Mobile. The major carrier finalized an acquisition of the MVNO in May 2024.

The acquisition has effectively changed nothing for the average Mint Mobile customer from a user standpoint or in coverage, as the carriers already shared T-Mobile's network.

Does Mint Mobile work internationally?

In addition to Mint Mobile's free calls and texts to Mexico and Canada and free texts to more than 190 countries, which are included with all plans, the MVNO lets you make international calls to more than 160 countries on a pay-per-minute basis. International calls cost 1 to 60 cents per minute, depending on the destination.

If you want to use Mint Mobile while abroad, you'll need to add on the carrier's "Minternational Pass" feature for international roaming credits. In increments of $5, $10, or $20, you can add credits to your balance on the carrier's international roaming webpage or through the Mint Mobile app, allowing you to text, call, and use data abroad at varying allotments in over 180 countries.

How does Mint Mobile's family plan work?

Mint Mobile's "Modern Family" plan doesn't operate the same way other carriers tend to market their family plans; where some carriers might have a discount for adding lines to the family plan, Mint Mobile's plan charges the same amount for each additional line as the first one.

The "family" aspect is about managing plans succinctly in one place rather than the price differential. You can start a plan with as few as two lines, and each line will cost differently depending on your allotted data. So, you could have a family plan with one unlimited data line, one 15GB line, and one 5GB line.

Though it doesn't provide multi-line discounts, Mint Mobile's offerings can still constitute some of the best family cell phone plans for long-term value. The MVNO also offers the option to make payments in three-month increments for those who purchase a 12-month plan through the Modern Family plan, alleviating the burden of making multiple annual payments up front.

How do Mint Mobile's unlimited plans work?

Mint Mobile's unlimited plans are among the cheapest in the MVNO market, starting at $30/month. Accordingly, Mint Mobile's 12-month unlimited plan is our top budget pick among the best unlimited data plans.

Where the MVNO previously had nominally "unlimited" plans that capped high-speed monthly data at 40GB, its high-end plans are now truly unlimited in that they have no set data cap that throttles speeds. However, Mint Mobile unlimited customers who use more than 35GB of monthly data can be deprioritized during network congestion relative to customers at lower data tiers.

Also, unlike the best cell phone plans from major carriers, unlimited plans from Mint Mobile and most MVNOs are subject to deprioritized speeds behind the higher-paying customers of their host network at any instance of congestion. A notable exception is the Visible Plus plan from Visible Wireless, which now offers unlimited prioritized high-speed data for $30/month through a limited-time discount.

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