Mint Mobile Review: Plans, prices, and customer satisfaction

Mint Mobile has become a popular choice for budget-minded cell phone users, offering low monthly costs, unlimited data plans, and solid customer service. However, like most mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), it comes with a few limitations. Here's a comprehensive look at Mint Mobile to help you decide if it's the right carrier for you.

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Mint Mobile plans and prices | Mint Mobile home internet | Pros and cons | Speed test | What is Mint Mobile? | Network| Vs. the competition | Customer Service | Compatible device list | Final verdict | FAQ | Methodology

• Reliability: Mint Mobile leverages T-Mobile's network for good nationwide coverage, but data speeds may be deprioritized during congestion.
• Price: Mint Mobile shines here, with plans ranging from $15 to $35 per month, including an unlimited data option (with some limitations, as we'll discuss).
• Speed: Speeds can vary depending on location and network congestion. Mint Mobile offers both 4G LTE and 5G connections, but prioritizes T-Mobile customers during peak usage times.
• Data: Plans offer data allowances from 5GB to unlimited. Exceeding data caps throttles speeds significantly.
• Equipment: Mint Mobile requires a compatible, unlocked phone. You can either bring your own device or purchase one from Mint Mobile.

Most people will be satisfied with any Mint plan, even just because of the low prices. The main differences between them, besides price, is how much data you get. We suggest the unlimited data plan, where you get unlimited talk, text, and data. More on that plan below.

If you just don’t need that much data, you can save an extra $15 a month by getting the 4 GB data plan. It’s great for the minimalist who needs data for the occasional google search, GPS navigation, or temporary home internet hotspot as a backup to their primary rural internet service.

All Mint Mobile plans also all come with unlimited text and talk, plus limited international calling; you can even call Canada and Mexico numbers for free.

Mint Mobile's pricing structure is unique. They offer a variety of plans at different price points, but you prepay for a specific service term, typically 3, 6, or 12 months upfront. This upfront cost can be deceiving, though, because it's actually the total cost of the plan for the chosen term, divided into equal monthly payments. For example, the 12-month Mint Mobile Unlimited plan is advertised at $30 per month, but requires a $360 upfront payment which works out to be the same price per month.

Here's a quick rundown of Mint Mobile's plan costs:

• Mint Mobile 5GB Plan: Starts at $15 per month (when prepaid for 12 months)
• Mint Mobile 15GB Plan: Starts at $20 per month (when prepaid for 12 months)
• Mint Mobile 20GB Plan: Starts at $25 per month (when prepaid for 12 months)
• Mint Mobile Unlimited Plan: Starts at $30 per month (when prepaid for 12 months)

Mint Mobile does not offer traditional home internet service with fixed internet plans and installations. However, their unlimited data plans can act as a temporary internet failover option in a pinch, especially in rural areas with limited wired internet choices. Here's why Mint Mobile might not be ideal as your primary home internet solution:

• Data caps: Even the unlimited plan has a soft cap, throttling speeds after exceeding 35GB (previously mentioned 40GB) of data usage per month. This can significantly impact your internet experience, especially for activities like streaming or downloading large files.
• Throttling: Mint Mobile prioritizes T-Mobile customers during network congestion. This can lead to slower data speeds for Mint Mobile users, especially during peak usage times.
• Fair use policy: Mint Mobile reserves the right to limit data usage for users deemed to be abusing the network (e.g., excessive tethering).

While not ideal for primary use, Mint Mobile's unlimited data plan could serve as a temporary backup solution if your main internet connection (cable, DSL, etc.) goes down. However, for a more reliable and consistent home internet experience, consider fixed wireless internet providers. These providers offer internet access through cellular networks, often with faster and more stable connections compared to using your phone's data plan as a hotspot.

Mint Mobile leverages T-Mobile's network, offering good nationwide coverage with 4G LTE and 5G capabilities. In ideal conditions, you can experience just how fast Mint Mobile data speeds can be. However, there's a caveat: network prioritization. During peak usage times, T-Mobile prioritizes its own customers, potentially throttling Mint Mobile users' data speeds, especially in crowded areas. Running a speed test through online tools can provide a general idea of speeds in your area, but real-world performance may vary depending on network congestion.

Mint Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO for short. Essentially, it offers cell phone service (text, call, and data) by renting another's provider's already-built infrastructure, and the money they save by not building and up-keeping that tech means lower prices for you.

Mint Mobile doesn't offer home internet service, but you can certainly use your Mint Mobile data to connect to the internet on the go. You can even use it as an internet failover, or a backup plan to your home internet service. If you live in a rural area and need a reliable internet service to work from most of the time, we'd suggest either Hughesnet or Viasat. These satellite internet services are available to 99% of the US.

Mint Mobile offers an unlimited data plan for $30 per month. However, there's a soft cap of 40GB of data usage per month. After exceeding this limit, video streaming quality is reduced to 480p, and overall data speeds may be slower.

A while back, Mint Mobile didn’t allow you to use Netflix with its unlimited data plan, probably because streaming services can be data hogs. However, Mint Mobile has taken away that restriction, so you can now watch Stranger Things on the go. But your resolution will still be capped at 480p, and keep in mind that your unlimited data, like we said, isn’t truly unlimited.

It’s still best to stream your TV shows with a Wi-Fi connection whenever you can.

Mint Mobile’s family plans don’t work with the same buy-more-for-less model that other MVNOs use. Instead, Mint will simply combine all the individual plans you want to purchase under one bill.

That will give you the convenience you want, but you’ll miss out on savings you might find with other wireless providers.

Mint Mobile uses the T-Mobile network, the leader in 5G and the network with the most coverage in the nation. If you’re looking for solid coverage and fast speeds, Mint Mobile has about the best network of any MVNO.

That said, MVNOs have restrictions compared to their network owner. For more on how MVNOs work generally, check out our MVNO section below.

There also may be cases where, despite all its accolades, T-Mobile’s network isn’t the best one for you. Having the best coverage doesn’t mean it covers everything, so depending on where you live, another network might cover your area more completely. We recommend checking cell provider coverage maps before committing to any MVNO or major provider.

Visible Wireless, Cricket Wireless, Xfinity Mobile, Boost Mobile, Ultra Mobile, and Google Fi are Mint Mobile’s main competitors. You’ll notice they’re all MVNOs just like Mint Mobile, so they come with the same pros and cons: lower prices than the big network providers, and deprioritized data to match (which equals slower data speeds compared to the big chalupas).

That all said, Mint Mobile is definitely top of the list compared to other MVNOs. Mint Mobile’s faster and more available than many, since it uses T-Mobile’s network, which offers superior 5G speeds and wide national coverage.

We’d say the next-best choice would be Visible Wireless, which uses Verizon’s second-best network in the nation. But Visible has slightly more expensive plans, and it is actually owned by Verizon. That’s not necessarily good nor bad, but it’s something to keep in mind since Verizon doesn’t have as much motivation to compete with itself.

Meanwhile, Ryan Reynolds owns 25%¹ of Mint Mobile, which isn’t really a business pro or con, but does mean you’ll get random voice mails from Ryan Reynolds each month being generally funny in your inbox.

Don’t make a purchase based on that—but we’ve got to admit, it’s a fun little perk.

Mint Mobile and Xfinity Mobile both offer affordable cell phone service. However, they cater to different user needs. Here's a quick comparison:

• Mint Mobile: Ideal for budget-minded users who prioritize affordability and don't mind occasional fluctuations in data speeds. Requires a prepaid commitment for service.
• Xfinity Mobile: A better choice for users who already have Xfinity internet service, as Xfinity Mobile offers bundle discounts. Xfinity Mobile typically uses Verizon's network, which may have better coverage in some areas than T-Mobile.

In our research, we found most people rarely ever need to contact Mint Mobile’s customer service. That’s definitely a great sign.

For anyone who does run into issues, they tend to be about porting over their number from their old network. Most commonly, people report being out of service for about 24–48 hours when something does go awry with this process, and then no issues thereafter.
That said, there have also been a few complaints about Mint Mobile’s site accessibility. So if you’re visually impaired, you’ll want to be extra careful you’re ordering an e-sim card, not a physical one, when starting service.

This gets tricky because the site has screen-reader issues, and if you get the wrong one (physical instead of an e-sim), you’ll be at best be stranded for a couple days until your Mint sim card arrives, or at worst until you can convince a stranger to insert your sim card for you.

This issue comes about because, as customer service forums report, Mint Mobile reps can’t undo a physical Mint Mobile sim card purchase once it’s gone through. This seems to be because the physical sim cards are actually linked to T-Mobile, and therefore are out of Mint Mobile’s direct control.

Mint Mobile is an excellent choice for budget-conscious users who:

• Don't use a lot of data
• Live in an area with good T-Mobile coverage
• Can tolerate occasional fluctuations in data speeds
• Prefer the simplicity of prepaid plans

Mint Mobile allows you to bring your own device to its service—it just has to be compatible, and you’ll want to make sure it’s an unlocked phone as well.

If you don’t see your phone here, go to the Mint Mobile website and check its phone compatibility tool to see if your phone will work with your desired Mint Mobile cell phone plan.

Mint Mobile offers a compelling combination of affordability and reliable coverage through T-Mobile's network. However, be aware of potential data speed limitations during peak usage times and throttling after exceeding data caps. For budget-minded users who can manage their data usage and don't mind the lack of traditional phone support, Mint Mobile is a strong contender for your cell phone service needs.

Mint Mobile was a subsidiary of Ultra Mobile founded by David Glickman and Rizwan Kassim. They're part owners of Mint Mobile, along with Ryan Reynolds. The exact percentage amounts that each person owns Mint Mobile is unknown.

On March 15, T-Mobile and Ryan Reynolds announced that T-Mobile will be purchasing Mint Mobile for around $1.35 billion. T-Mobile will also be purchasing Ultra Mobile, and Mint Mobile's founders will be coming on to T-Mobile to continue running Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile customers are watching this for signs of price jumps, but for now, all we know is that T-Mobile will officially be Mint Mobile's owner.

Ryan Reynolds owned between 20% and 25%¹  of Mint Mobile, but as of March 15, he and other owners are selling the company to T-Mobile, the network Mint Mobile ran on anyway.

Originally, Ryan Reynolds originally bought his portion of Mint Mobile back in 2019 and continued to be a major part of its advertisement campaigns throughout. Will Ryan disappear from them now that T-Mobile will be taking over? It's hard to say, but T-Mobile's official announcement video did have the star in it.

Mint Mobile has always used T-Mobile’s network infrastructure to offer cell service to its subscribers, and as of March 15, 2023, T-Mobile will indeed own Mint Mobile as well. The deal cost T-Mobile approximately $1.5 billion, and though the original founders of Mint Mobile won't be part owners anymore, they will be in charge of running Mint Mobile under T-Mobile's umbrella.

Mint isn’t owned by AT&T, and it doesn't use its network either. In fact, Mint Mobile was originally formed out of  Ultra Mobile, another MVNO founded by David Glickman.

T-Mobile is the network behind Mint Mobile’s service.

Mint Mobile currently only offers phone plans. They do not sell separate data plans for tablets or other devices.

Mint Mobile piggybacks on T-Mobile's network. You can check T-Mobile's coverage map to see if they offer good service in your area: https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/coverage-map

Mint Mobile phone plans do not include international calling by default. However, they offer international add-on packages that you can purchase.

Mint Mobile leverages T-Mobile's network, which offers 4G LTE and 5G capabilities. Speeds can vary depending on location and network congestion. However, T-Mobile prioritizes its own customers during peak usage times, potentially slowing down Mint Mobile users' data speeds, especially in crowded areas.

Mint Mobile currently only offers phone plans. They do not offer separate data plans for tablets or other devices.

We compile our articles using trusted sources and real customer feedback. We perform first-hand testing on the services we review and compile proprietary data to give you the information you need to make the best decision for your internet needs.

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