Just look at this comparison between AT&T and Mint’s unlimited data plans. Of course, some people like the perks that come along with living in the Big Apple and would never consider living in Omaha, no matter the price. Similarly, some people will opt for the pricier AT&T because they like the features—like mobile hotspot data—no matter how much cheaper Mint is. So let’s dive into the details of these plans so you can see what we’re talking about. But the price range of these plans is less impressive. Even the cheapest AT&T plan here is a full $20 more than Mint’s most expensive plan. Take a gander. The main drawback to these cheaper plans from Mint is that there are fewer perks: you won’t get 5G access, free subscriptions, or phone upgrades (though you can use your phone as a hotspot with Mint). Also, Mint’s plans—as well as AT&T’s lowest tier unlimited plan—come with a risk of deprioritization. This means your data speeds can be slowed at any time (we’ll go over this more in the Data performance section below). AT&T does offer some prepaid plans that are a bit cheaper than the company’s normal plans. But these prepaid plans are still pricier than Mint, and don’t come with the awesome perks. Here’s a quick look at those prepaid options. Family plans offer simplicity and affordability. You can manage multiple lines with a single account, and you can usually get sine steep discounts. For example, take a look at these AT&T family plans. Mint Mobile doesn’t offer any family plans to speak of. However, the prices are already so low that it’s hard to imagine additional discounts. You can get three lines of unlimited data for just $90! That beats AT&T by a long shot. But not all data is created equal. Some cellular networks offer faster speeds, more reliability, and better upload performance than others. That’s not to mention 5G infrastructure, which is beginning to take over for 4G LTE data in major cities. So, let’s take a closer look at Mint Mobile vs. AT&T when it comes to data performance. But upload speeds are also important. They determine how quickly your phone sends its information back to the web, which is important when you’re uploading large files or playing online games. In our own research, we have found AT&T is the slowest of the Big Three in terms of average download and upload speeds, but T-Mobile (the network Mint uses) is the fastest for both upload and download speeds.
AT&T Average download speed: 28.9 Mbps Average upload speed: 9.4 Mbps
T-Mobile Average download speed: 32.73 Mbps Average upload speed: 12.9 Mbps
Throttling happens when you’ve reached your allotted “data cap” (yes, even if you’ve got an unlimited plan). Deprioritization happens when the network is busy with a lot of users (like when you’re downtown on a Friday night). In both cases, your data gets slowed down. AT&T’s higher tiered plans will protect you from deprioritization and give you 50–100 GB of data before you experience throttling (which is quite high). But Mint, on the other hand, will always be at risk for deprioritization, while only giving you 35 GB of unthrottled data. Here’s a quick review of the most popular devices that are sold by AT&T and Mint Mobile.
