I spent just over a month on a Mint Mobile plan to provide a real hands-on review of the mobile carrier. Overall, I experienced good coverage and some seriously fast speeds, as long as I was in a relatively populated area. Hotspot access left something to be desired, but that didn’t play a huge factor in my general everyday usage.
Mint Mobile is a mobile virtual operator (MVNO) offering discounted service on the T-Mobile network. Mint stands out with a unique plan structure, selling service in bulks of 3, 6, and 12 months. The larger the monthly package, the lower the monthly rate. Mint portrays itself as a solution to the big carrier’s ever-increasing price rates.
I’ll share my experience with Mint’s prices, data limits, speeds, and coverage to help you determine whether switching to Mint Mobile is right for you.
Mint Mobile plans
Mint Mobile offers four plans that include unlimited talk, unlimited text, and various allotments of high-speed data. All plans can be purchased in a 3-month package at an introductory rate, then renewed for 3, 6, or 12 months.
Mint Mobile plan pricing (1 line)
| 5GB Plan | 15GB Plan | 20GB Plan | Unlimited Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intro deal (first 3 months) | $15/mo | $20/mo | $25/mo | $30/mo |
| 3 months | $25/mo | $35/mo | $45/mo | $40/mo |
| 6 months | $20/mo | $25/mo | $35/mo | $35/mo |
| 12 months | $15/mo | $20/mo | $25/mo | $30/mo |
For this review, I tested Mint’s Unlimited plan, which costs $30/month at its lowest and $40/month at its highest. The unlimited data plan includes 40 GB at full speed. If you exceed that allotment, Mint will slow your data down to 3G speeds.
Mint’s plans are pretty basic, which isn’t a bad thing. In fact, the lack of frills is part of what keeps them more affordable than the major carriers’ plans. In addition to the talk, text, and data, each plan also includes mobile hotspot access, which counts against your plan’s high-speed limit (on the Unlimited plan, hotspot is limited to 10GB).
You can see our full breakdown of the carrier’s offerings in our guide to Mint Mobile’s best plans.
Mint Mobile by the WhistleOut metrics
Fact-checking the carrier’s claims: Mint Mobile
Here at WhistleOut, we review all carriers using the same five metrics. Each metric is assigned a one-point star value to calculate the carrier’s overall score.
The metrics we rated Mint Mobile by were:
- Price: 1 point
- Value: 1 point
- Data speeds: 1 point
- Coverage and network reliability: 0.5 points
- Customer service: 1 point
I spent over a month on Mint Mobile, testing out the carrier’s services. From activating my device with eSIM to putting its data through the ringer with constant speed tests at various times per day and in various locations, I was able to gauge how well Mint lives up to its claims.
Price
Mint Mobile’s prices are definitely a standout feature. With unlimited plans starting at $30/month with a 3-month package, Mint easily beats out the major carriers’ rates. But keep in mind that these prices only apply to introductory offers and will go up after the initial term.
To break it down, if you buy a full year of Mint Mobile service, you’ll spend $360/year, which is $1,640 cheaper than the average annual cost of a phone plan from a major carrier. Plus, Mint often runs limited-time promotional deals that make their unlimited plans as low as $15/month.
Score: 1.0 out of 1.0
Value
In terms of value, Mint Mobile is definitely a great option for those looking to save money on their mobile phone plan. The plans include all the essential features, like unlimited talk and text and hotspot access. However, it’s important to note that data speeds may be throttled after reaching the high-speed limit on each plan. This shouldn’t be a problem if you find yourself using Wi-Fi more often than cellular data.
Score: 1.0 out of 1.0
Data speeds
The very first thing I did after activating my Mint Mobile plan was check speeds. The results were a blazing 411Mbps on its 5G network, which set my expectations high for my experience with Mint. Happily, those expectations were met. I never saw speeds dip down below 200Mbps, with peak speeds reaching as fast as 600Mbps. I was able to stream videos, play games, and download large files without a hitch.
The only times I really had bandwidth issues were those rare instances in remote areas when signal wasn’t great (or non-existent).
Mint Mobile speeds remained very fast across several speed tests
Score: 1.0 out of 1.0
Coverage and network reliability
With Mint, you’re getting coverage on T-Mobile’s network, which is a big deal if you’re in a city or suburb. Why? Because T-Mobile really shines in urban areas. On top of that, you’re also getting access to the largest 5G network in the country.
From my experience, the coverage was pretty solid in my neck of the woods—a bustling suburb in Southern California. Whether I was streaming music, hopping on a video call, or just browsing, the connection was smooth, fast, and reliable. It felt good knowing I could count on my phone to keep up with my day-to-day.
That said, Mint’s coverage wasn’t all perfect. I did hit a few snags when venturing into a more remote spot nearby. A couple of dead zones here and there kind of reminded me that we’re still talking about a carrier that’s better suited for city life. By contrast, my other phone on Verizon’s network was getting consistent service.
On a cross-country trip to New Orleans, coverage was never an issue. From the lively French Quarter to those busy business districts, my Mint service was hanging in there like a champ. Full bars, fast data, and no hiccups.
Score: 0.5 out of 1.0
International coverage and roaming with Mint
Although I didn’t do any jet-setting while testing Mint’s plans, I’d be remiss not to mention their “Minternational Passes.” Mint’s global roaming passes provide talk, text, and high-speed data in over 180 international destinations using T-Mobile’s same roaming agreements (you can check to see if your destination is covered here). You’ll get either 4G or 5G coverage, depending on what’s available in your country.
Minternational passes: Pricing and features
| 1-day pass | 3-day pass | 7-day pass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talk minutes | 60 minutes | 200 minutes | 500 minutes |
| Text messages | 60 texts | 200 texts | 500 texts |
| Data | 1GB | Unlimited— 3GB high-speed | Unlimited— 10GB high-speed |
| Price | $10 | $20 | $40 |
Customer service
Mint’s chat support
Reaching out to Mint Mobile’s customer service was more about seeing how they handled initial contact rather than solving complex problems. I tried their online chat and phone support. Mint was quick to respond each time, so I was pretty satisfied.
Still, it’s important to note that since I didn’t have any real issues to present, my interaction with Mint’s customer service was somewhat limited. This means my experience might not cover the full spectrum of what Mint Mobile’s support team can—or can’t—handle. So, while they were fast and responsive in my basic tests, keep in mind that this is just a surface-level assessment.
Score: 1.0 out of 1.0
Mint Mobile setup and activation
eSIM activation with Mint is easy
Managing my Mint plan
While I didn’t have to worry about canceling my plan—I simply just didn’t renew it—Mint Mobile does give you some options when managing your plan. For instance, you can make changes to your account and view or pay bills through the Mint website once you log in. You can also check data usage, adjust settings, and update personal information there too. All of this is also accessible in an easy-to-use mobile app.
I did use the app to keep track of my high-speed data usage. Mint makes this extremely easy because your remaining high-speed data for the month is the first thing you see when opening the app.
Had I been ready to renew, it would have been very simple through the app. And Mint sure didn’t let me forget that I had the option to renew, sending me text message reminders starting five days before my plan expired.
Did I like the Unlimited plan?
Coming from one of the major carriers, it was a breath of fresh air to experience this plan at such a comparably low price. Three months of service with Mint is only slightly more than what I pay for a single month with Verizon.
Data allotment
As for those 40GB of premium data, I couldn’t come close to reaching that allowance. I tried even playing videos on the phone when I wasn’t looking to get there but I just wasn’t making much of a dent. With my personal mobile habits, I’d probably find the best value in the 5GB, using Wi-Fi to help supplement data usage (if necessary). I absolutely recommend you consider doing the same.
Hot tip: If you realize you need a plan with lower data allotments, you may find cheaper options from carriers like Tello Mobile. It also uses the T-Mobile network, but its 5GB plan is only $14/month and allows you to pay one month at a time. Check out our Mint vs. Tello guide for more information.
Mobile hotspot
Backed by the very fast speeds I was getting with Mint, using mobile was pretty seamless. It was fast and could support me in getting some work done away from my home network.
The biggest downside to Mint Mobile was the hotspot data allowance. With an unlimited plan, it’d be nice to see that 10GB be a dedicated allotment, rather than a 10GB limit that also counts against your premium data.
Streaming video
With the ultra-fast speeds you can get with Mint, you’d think streaming video wouldn’t be an issue. As far as being able to get into the weeds of a Youtube rabbit hole, there weren’t any problems with loading and buffering. However, Mint’s unlimited plan limits video playback quality to 480p (standard definition) which isn’t great. Still, even with this limit, I was able to watch some 4K video without any issues.
Mint Mobile vs. the competition
Visible and US Mobile stand as two of Mint’s biggest competitors. Each offers unlimited plans that are comparable to Mint’s in value, but there are some notable differences.
Mint Mobile vs. similar competitor plans
| Mint Mobile Unlimited Plan | Visible + | US Mobile Unlimited Starter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Data | 40GB | 50GB | 35GB |
| Mobile hotspot | 10GB | Unlimited (10Mbps) | 10GB |
| Network | T-Mobile | Verizon | T-Mobile or Verizon |
| Price | $30/month | $45/month | $29/month |
Mint Mobile vs. Visible Wireless
Visible+ offers a plan for $45/month, which is $15 more expensive than Mint Mobile’s Unlimited Plan at the introductory rate, but only $5 more than the standard rate. For the extra cost, Visible+ users gain access to 50GB of premium data and unlimited mobile hotspot data at 10Mbps. While Mint Mobile also offers a significant 10GB for hotspot usage, the unlimited aspect from Visible+ is particularly appealing for those with high tethering needs. Another key difference is the network; Visible+ operates exclusively on Verizon’s network, which can be a major advantage in areas where Verizon offers better coverage than T-Mobile.
Visible+ is a potentially more attractive option for users who are willing to pay a premium for more data, unlimited hotspot usage, and possibly better network coverage in their area. But if you want a better price and the T-Mobile network is strong where you are, Mint is the way to go. Check out Mint Mobile vs. Visible to see a full breakdown of plans, pricing, and coverage.
Mint Mobile vs. US Mobile
US Mobile’s Unlimited Starter Plan comes in slightly cheaper than Mint at $29/month, offering 35GB of premium data which is 5GB less than what Mint offers. The hotspot allowance matches Mint’s at 10GB. However, US Mobile presents a unique value proposition with its choice of network between T-Mobile or Verizon, giving you the better choice of the network that is strongest in your area. US Mobile’s unlimited plan is more affordable than Mint, but may not offer as much data and hotspot usage. It could be a good option for those who want flexibility in their choice of network without breaking the bank.
Recap: Would I recommend Mint Mobile?
I would totally recommend Mint Mobile to anybody looking to save on their phone plan without feeling like they are downgrading service. After spending a month with Mint Mobile, it’s clear that the carrier stands as an intriguing option in the mobile market, especially for anyone who prioritizes affordability and quality. Mint Mobile’s unique approach to plans and pricing, where longer commitments mean greater savings, is a big draw for budget-conscious users. Mint Mobile is right for you if:
- You live in an area with strong T-Mobile coverage
- Mobile hotspot isn’t a priority for you
- You can commit to a longer plan for bigger savings
And even if you’re not quite sure, with its 7-day money-back guarantee, it’s worth giving Mint Mobile a try. Who knows, you might just save yourself a pretty penny on your mobile bill.