If you’re on the hunt for a new phone service, then it’s almost guaranteed that you’ve come across Mint Mobile as an option. And that’s not just because they’re backed by Ryan Reynolds (though it certainly helps), it’s because of the outrageously cheap offers they’re able to make. Their “limited time offer” of $15/month for a 3-month bundle on their Unlimited Data plans is not even that limited – in fact, we see it almost every time we check on their plans. But it is quite affordable – and attractive if you’re looking to cut down your monthly expenses. So, if you’re just leaving the family phone plan, trying to save money by finding a cheaper phone plan, or looking to get your kid/teen their first phone with service, is Mint Mobile for you? It may seem like it, but the truth is, there are better (non-introductory) deals out there.
Mint Mobile Summary
Mint Mobile is generally a good option for budget-conscious users, but when looking at their regular (non-introductory) pricing and the features included in those plans, you could easily find more value elsewhere. With its 3.3/5 star rating on Trustpilot, the general consensus from real customers appears to be the same.
We’ve compiled a detailed list of all the features and fine print around Mint Mobile’s plans, so you can easily determine whether it fits your particular needs. While it is cheaper to some extent, its bundling system and introductory pricing doesn’t hold up to other phone service providers’ options on a regular monthly basis (like Visible, US Mobile, or TextNow), which offer more for a similar or even cheaper price.
Mint Mobile Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Affordable ($15/month*)
*For new customers only, then starting at $25/month. |
Prepaid (no credit checks.) |
| Mobile hotspot included with plans. | Mobile hotspot isn’t extra (it uses up your monthly data allotment) with a hard limit of 10GB on the Unlimited Data plan. |
| Range of data plans available (good for low and high data users). | Unlimited Data plan does have a high-speed data cap of 35GB/month. |
| On T-Mobile's large network. | Mint Mobile customers’ data speeds are deprioritized, meaning speeds will be slowed down during times of high traffic/congestion. |
| Prepaid (no credit checks.) |
Final Verdict: Should You Switch to Mint Mobile?
Mint Mobile is a decent option for those who are looking to save money on their phone service and has the added benefit of offering both low and high data options for a diverse customer base. However, if being able to get a limited data plan (not just unlimited) is your priority, Tello has more affordable options that won’t make you prepay a lump sum in advance. And if unlimited data is truly what you’re looking for, service providers like Visible or Total Wireless have more affordable options that also provide more features like higher mobile hotspot data limits, higher high-speed data limits in general, and a few other perks.
On paper, Mint Mobile looks like a good choice, but when you look at it more closely, the 3-, 6-, or 12-month bundles are inconvenient, the prices are deceiving (introductory only), and the features included are just not enough. So, if you’re looking for value, don’t get fooled by Ryan Reynolds’ star power, and find a service provider that will actually get you the most bang for your hard-earned buck.
Mint Mobile Detailed Review
Mint Mobile Plans & Pricing
Mint Mobile does indeed have affordable wireless plans but beware that the flashy price is an introductory price, and there is fine print with the pricing to consider before you check out.
| 5GB Data Plan | 15GB Data Plan | 20GB Data Plan | Unlimited Data Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory New Customer Prices
Must be paid upfront |
|
|
|
|
| Regular Prices (After Introductory Period)
Must be paid upfront |
|
|
|
|
| What's Included |
|
|
|
|
| Our Take | After the introductory period, the price per month ($25) is expensive, considering you can find an unlimited data plan with more features for the same price elsewhere. | After the introductory period, the price per month ($35) is expensive, considering you can find an unlimited data plan with more features for the same price elsewhere. | This pricing is more expensive than the Unlimited Data plan, which makes it not worthwhile to pick, even if you don’t need unlimited data on a monthly basis. | The regular monthly price of $40/month for unlimited data is still cheaper than most postpaid carriers, however, if you’re looking for more features or a higher mobile hotspot limit, you can find it with other service providers for similar (or cheaper) prices |
Mint Mobile Coverage & Network Performance
Mint Mobile is an MVNO powered by T-Mobile's nationwide coverage. As a prepaid carrier, it doesn’t enjoy the same network priority that postpaid customers on T-Mobile's own premium plans would, meaning that during times of peak or busy usage (say, at a baseball game in a major city) Mint Mobile customers would experience slower speeds.
Otherwise, the T-Mobile coverage is a great option for most Americans, having the most consistent quality of experience, and jointly winning (with Verizon) the Reliability Experience Award from OpenSignal’s latest 2025 update. It’s got comprehensive 4G LTE and 5G coverage in urban areas, though very rural areas will likely not have a reliable connection.
To see how the coverage will hold up in your area, check out this map provided by Mint Mobile:
Mint Mobile Roaming
Mint Mobile does offer international roaming as an added paid upgrade with “Minternational passes,” which allow you to access talk, text, and select amounts of high-speed data while you’re traveling abroad. For short trips or moderate phone usage, they’re a decent choice, however, you can get a lot more value (i.e. more talk & text and data) from an international SIM card instead.
Check out Mint Mobile’s international passes:
| 1-Day Pass | 3-Day Pass | 10-Day Pass | 30-Day Pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $5 | $10 | $20 | $5 |
| Features |
|
|
|
|
TextNow Tip: If you're looking for a reliable and unlimited talk & text option while travelling, you can download TextNow and use your local phone number over Wi-Fi (or your own data connection) abroad for free without racking up any additional charges or meeting any limits!
Mint Mobile Speed & Data Performance
Mint Mobile’s bandwidth fact sheet shows that typical download speeds on any of their plans fall between 79 –357Mbps, which is a decent range (100 Mbps is cited as a good baseline for “fast” internet). Latency numbers are also in a good enough range for a smooth experience if you like to game online.
In real life, many reviewers’ speed tests showed numbers that are even higher (faster) than what Mint claims. However, other reviews claim that in urban areas, the connection is quite strong, but can deteriorate as soon as you’re in an area with less coverage (frankly, that’s expected of any carrier).
Mint Mobile's Phone Compatibility & Deals
Like most carriers, Mint Mobile does have BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) support, made easier with their eSIMs. They also carry a range of popular phone models, both Android and iPhone, though their deals are not always the most enticing. For example, they currently have a deal to get $50 off any Android phone when you sign up for a 12-month plan, with phones costing $129 to $1,899 (before promotion). For the lower priced phones, the $50 discount does make a big difference, but you face a minimum $300 upfront cost of the 12-month plan and you’re locked in to Mint Mobile’s service for a year.
Bring Your Own Phone to Mint Mobile
To bring your own phone to Mint Mobile, first check its compatibility on their online phone compatibility checker. Note that this will only check the phone’s compatibility with the network (whether it has the correct bands, the correct OS, etc.) It will not check if your phone is carrier-locked or not. If your phone was purchased from another service provider, or from a retailer that would only let you activate that phone with a certain service provider, it is most likely locked to that provider. Contact them to get instructions on how to unlock your phone before you bring it to any other service provider.
Mint Mobile's Customer Service & User Experience
Mint Mobile doesn’t have any physical locations, so no in-person support. They offer live chat support 24/7, or you can call their phone number at 1-800-683-7392 between 5am-7pm PST Monday-Friday.
For an online only carrier, that’s a pretty comprehensive support system, however, the reviews from real customers are hit-and-miss. Mint has a 3.3/5 rating on Trustpilot, but other online reviews speak of less than stellar customer support such as multiple calls to resolve the same issue, dropped calls, minimal follow-ups, and poor resolution time.
If you’re fairly tech-savvy and prefer figuring things out online, this shouldn’t be a problem. If you like having real-time help and need more support, you may want to opt for a service that can provide either in-store assistance, or better phone support.
Mint Mobile's Security
Mint Mobile collects the standard personal data related to signing up for phone service: name, phone, email, billing and shipping addresses, logs and device details. They secure their customer passwords, and the credit card data isn’t stored on their servers for an extra measure of protection.
There are still risks with SIM swapping, as demonstrated by their 2023 SIM/device info breach, which they’ve since mitigated by offering a Number Lock feature.
Overall, you should take the same precautions you would with any other service – create a strong password for your account that is either changed every 6 months or backed up by a 2-factor authenticator, know how to spot and avoid phishing scams, and turn on Number Lock to protect your SIM/number.
Mint Mobile vs. TextNow vs. Visible
If you’re on the hunt for the most affordable phone service, you probably want to shop around to find the right one. If Mint Mobile is a top contender, see how it stacks up against other similar choices, like Visible and TextNow:
| Mint Mobile | TextNow | Visible | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network | T-Mobile | Nation's Largest 5G Network | Verizon |
| Base Plan Price | $25/month (non-introductory price) on 3-month bundle for 5GB plan | $0/month for Free Essential Data plan (talk, text, plus data for select apps) | $25/month for lowest-cost plan (Visible Unlimited) |
| Unlimited Data Plan Price | $40/month (non-introductory price) on 3-month bundle for Unlimited plan | $39.99/month for Unlimited plan | $45/month for Unlimited Pro |
| Data Limit/Throttle (if applicable) | 35GB high-speed data limit on Unlimited plan | 10GB high-speed data limit on Unlimited plan | No limit |
| Hotspot Use | Up to 10GB | None | No limit |
| Extra/Perks |
|
|
|
| Best For | Budget-conscious users who can prepay in bulk to enjoy lower monthly prices. | Low to moderate data users who are budget-conscious, and want to cut down their phone bill (or remove it entirely). | High data users who prefer simplicity and Verizon’s network coverage. |
| Our Take | Mint Mobile is a good choice for those looking to save money without needing a lot of data, but if you’re looking to get the absolute most of your monthly phone charge, there are better options out there. | TextNow is the most affordable option, starting at $0/month, letting users who are looking to make even more drastic budget cuts still enjoy always-on phone service that doesn’t depend on a paycheck. Plus, you get flexibility with data passes that can be added as needed by the hour or day. | Visible is a great way to enjoy uncapped unlimited data on Verizon’s award-winning network. If you’re looking for more perks out of a service, however, you may want to consider a postpaid carrier (or Total Wireless). |
Frequently Asked Questions About Mint Mobile
Got questions or comments? Send us a note at [email protected]!
