Mint Mobile vs. Verizon: What’s the difference?

• Credit: Mint Mobile

  Mint Mobile

  Multi-month discounts

  Mint Mobile is a prepaid carrier on the T-Mobile network that offers cheap wireless service with up to 40GB of high-speed data per month. Because Mint Mobile supports a wide range of phones, just about any unlocked phone can be activated. In addition, all Mint Mobile plans get T-Mobile’s best 5G coverage with mid-band support.

  Pros

  • Cheaper service with multi-month discounts
  • Full access to the massive T-Mobile 5G network
  • Mint Family makes multi-line accounts more affordable

  Cons

  • Only 40GB of high-speed data on the unlimited plan
  • Must buy at least three months
  • Weaker rural coverage than Verizon

• Verizon

  Incredible coverage area

  Verizon Wireless is one of the Big Three carriers, which means it builds and maintains its own network infrastructure. Verizon also has a massive LTE network with a growing 5G footprint, improving speeds. If you want coverage on one of the largest networks in the country with priority data, Verizon may be worth the higher cost.

  Pros

  • Vast Verizon network offers excellent coverage
  • Better rural coverage with roaming support
  • Multi-line discounts available

  Cons

  • Can get very expensive
  • Mid-band 5G coverage falls short of T-Mobile’s
  • Weaker support for unlocked phones

If you need a phone plan, signing up with Verizon may seem like the obvious choice, thanks to years of dominance, massive marketing budgets, and deals designed to keep you from leaving. Even so, Verizon has rightfully earned its reputation for having excellent coverage, and many people are willing to pay for its expensive plans.

Recently, however, prepaid carriers like Mint Mobile have been fighting back with better deals, more data, and good enough coverage for the vast majority of users. Fast 5G data is leveling the playing field, and more streamlined plans give customers what they really want: fast data, low prices, and plenty of coverage in urban and suburban areas.

Mobile carrier features

Mint Mobile keeps things simple; for many people, that’s exactly what they’re looking for. Mint’s plans include unlimited talk and text, high-speed data, hotspot data, and calls to Mexico and Canada. In addition, the carrier runs exclusively on the T-Mobile network with full 5G support and up to 40GB of high-speed data per month.

Mint makes saving on mobile service simple with multi-month discounts for those willing to pay for a few months in advance. This prepaid loyalty discount gives single-line customers a way to save on mobile data, whereas most of Verizon’s discounts come from adding multiple lines.

Verizon’s plans, in contrast, are dripping with features and extras ranging from subscription services to discounts on home internet. Postpaid carriers are obsessed with customer retention, so Verizon wants to get as many of the services you use onto your Verizon bill as possible. True, this can help people get more organized in a world overflowing with easy-to-forget automatic renewals, but it also makes it harder to jump ship if another carrier is offering a better deal.

Verizon includes Nationwide 5G support on all of its plans, but if you want Ultra Wideband 5G access, which includes C-band, you’ll need to pay for a premium plan. Verizon has six unlimited plans, and the four most expensive plans can use the full speed of Verizon’s Ultra Wideband 5G connection. Luckily these plans have quite a few perks to ease the sticker shock, such as Disney+, Apple One, and even Google Play Pass.

Mobile coverage and reception

T-Mobile owns Mint Mobile and uses the carrier’s network for coverage with full access, including the faster mid-band 5G labeled as Ultra Capacity 5G. This fast 5G network is the largest of any carrier, but many people still spend quite a bit of time on nationwide 5G with speeds more in line with LTE. Still, T-Mobile is the clear victor regarding 5G coverage in suburban and urban areas, and most people will have coverage everywhere they go.

T-Mobile’s 5G network now reaches the vast majority of Americans, with their mid-band 5G network miles ahead of the competition thanks to T-Mobile’s purchase of Sprint. If you’d like to better understand what sort of coverage to expect, check out Mint Mobile’s coverage map.

Verizon builds and maintains its own mobile network and has done a great job doing so. Verizon has won numerous awards for its network quality and regularly nets reliability awards. Though Verizon has failed to keep up with T-Mobile’s mid-band 5G coverage since it had to wait longer to access its mid-band spectrum, it’s working fast to close the coverage gap. Even so, most people on Verizon will spend a lot of time on LTE or nationwide 5G for the next year or two.

While Verizon’s 5G network falls short of T-Mobile’s in most aspects, Verizon has a coverage advantage in rural areas. So if you live in the country or frequently travel through it, there’s a good chance Verizon will give you a better overall experience. Check Verizon’s coverage map to see which network is strong where you live and work.

Phone compatibility

For a phone to work with a certain carrier, it must support that carrier’s wireless bands. Luckily, most of the best Android phones will happily work on either Verizon or Mint Mobile, so you have plenty of options with both carriers. Mint Mobile, however, has an edge when it comes to unlocked or international models. Some popular unlocked models, like the OnePlus Nord N20, work great on T-Mobile’s network but not on Verizon’s.

For the best 5G compatibility on Mint Mobile, ensure your phone supports bands n71 for nationwide 5G and n41 for mid-band 5G. For Verizon 5G, nationwide 5G uses bands n2 and n5, while C-band is band n77. The more bands your phone supports, the better your speeds can be, especially with carriers beginning to use multiple bands simultaneously with carrier aggregation to improve speeds.

Plans

Before you get into the details of each carrier’s plans, consider the difference between a prepaid and a postpaid plan. A prepaid plan like Mint Mobile’s is straightforward, with no credit checks or contracts to worry about. Mint’s renewal will charge you before you receive service, so you don’t get service if your payment doesn’t clear. Verizon, on the other hand, will perform a credit check in order to open an account. You’ll also pay for your service after using it, so make sure you can.

Either way, you have to pay. If you’re fine with prepaid or postpaid, you’ve got many options for plans.

Mint Mobile’s plans

Mint has four plans available with three different term lengths. You can choose from a 5GB, 15GB, 20GB, or unlimited plan in three, six, or 12-month increments. The monthly price is lower when you pay for a longer-term upfront, so if you’re happy with your Mint service, renewing for a year is the best way to save.

Mint’s three base data plans come with high-speed data that can be used on your phone or with your mobile hotspot. All Mint plans also include unlimited talk and text, including calls to Mexico and Canada. If you use up your data and need more, you can add more data by the gig or upgrade to a larger plan mid-cycle.

Mint’s unlimited plan, cheekily called “Unliminted,” has 40GB of high-speed data and 10GB of hotspot data. Like the other plans, calling and texting are unlimited, including calls to Mexico and Canada. If it turns out you’re not using all of your data, Mint will recommend a plan that better suits your needs to save you some cash.

Mint Family is a multi-line manager that allows you to bring up to five lines to Mint Mobile. Although Mint doesn’t offer a specific discount for family plans, Mint Family includes Mint’s best rates, as the plan is renewed every three months instead of 12 to make the hit on your wallet a bit easier to bear.

Verizon’s plans

Verizon has six unlimited plans available to postpaid customers starting with Welcome Unlimited and 5G Start, both costing $60 per month for a single line with auto-pay and paper-free billing. Welcome Unlimited normally costs $5 less than 5G Start, but they’re currently the same price. Both plans come with unlimited data on Nationwide 5G, though 5G Start has 5GB of high-speed hotspot data.

Moving up, there’s the One Unlimited for iPhone plan. This plan was designed for iPhones but can be used with Androids. If your family is mostly on iPhone, this could still be a good pick thanks to the inclusion of Apple One, which comes with Apple Music (Android app available), Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+ on up to five lines. This plan also has full 5G access, unlimited premium data, and 25GB of high-speed hotspot data. One Unlimited for iPhone comes in at $76 per month with a current promotion when you bring your own phone.

Next up, Verizon 5G Do More and 5G Play More plans are both $66 per month. These plans come with 50GB of premium data, 25GB of hotspot data, and full 5G access. Verizon 5G Play More comes with Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+, and either Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass. Verizon 5G Do More comes with 600GB of cloud storage — plus 50% off a watch, table, or hotspot plan — and 1TravelPass day per month for international usage.

Finally, 5G Get More combines 5G Play More and 5G Do More with unlimited premium data, 50GB of hotspot data, and all the other perks of those two plans. At a hefty $76 per month for a single line, this is Verizon’s ultimate plan for Android users.

If you’ve taken a look at Verizon’s site, you may have noticed a few different prices on each plan. This is because Verizon’s lowest prices require paper-free billing, auto-pay, and for you to bring your own phone. The credit for bringing your own phone lasts for 36 months. If you sign up for Verizon, get a full itemized quote to be sure of exactly what you’re paying for. That being said, if you want to save with Verizon, the best way is to add multiple lines. With four lines, for example, Welcome Unlimited comes down to just $25 per line. Likewise, the full 5G Get More plan goes down to $41 per month with four lines.

Which is right for you?

Overall, Mint Mobile is a better value. While you only get 40GB of data on Mint’s largest plan, the fact of the matter is that many of us don’t use that much data. Plus, using our phones on Wi-Fi doesn’t count against our plan data, so usage might be much lower than expected for folks with Wi-Fi access at home and work. Check your phone’s data usage in your settings or look for a summary on your last phone bill to get an idea of how much you use.

Mint Mobile also offers discounts that single-line accounts can take advantage of with multi-month savings. If you’re going out on your own and want an affordable plan that works on the phone you already own, Mint Mobile could be just what you’ve been looking for. Furthermore, with Mint Family, Mint Mobile could very well be the right plan for your entire family.

Verizon’s multi-line discounts and subscription bonuses do a lot to take the edge off Verizon’s expensive plans. Verizon’s excellent coverage makes it a great pick for those in rural areas too, and the inclusion of roaming means that even if you find a dead zone, there’s a good chance you’ll still be able to use your phone. Verizon also often offers deals on new phones for those willing to sign up for a 36-month payment plan. With some steep phone discounts, Verizon could be a great pick for many families.

Credit: Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile

Top choice

Mint Mobile is a prepaid carrier that uses the T-Mobile network to offer cheap 5G service. The company offers plans in three, six, or 12-month increments with savings for those willing to pay for a longer term. You can even bring multiple lines to Mint with Mint Family.

Verizon’s multi-line discounts and subscription bonuses do a lot to take the edge off Verizon’s expensive plans. Verizon’s excellent coverage makes it a great pick for those in rural areas too, and the inclusion of roaming means that even if you find a dead zone, there’s a good chance you’ll still be able to use your phone. Another thing is that Verizon often offers deals on new phones for those willing to sign up for a 36-month payment plan. With some steep phone discounts, Verizon could be a great pick for many families.

Verizon

Runner-up

Verizon is one of the most well-known carriers around, and the Verizon network has a reputation for being one of the strongest around. While its 5G network isn’t yet a match for T-Mobile, Verizon is working hard to close the gap. Verizon’s plans can be a good value thanks to included subscription perks and multi-line discounts.