Meanwhile, Mint Mobile is a newer company that’s moving fast and breaking things with its simple, affordable plans. It’s a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that uses T-Mobile’s network to provide service. So which is best for you, Mint or Verizon? We’ll go through everything you need to know about the two carriers, from their plans to their coverage and data speeds. Let’s dive into it. Mint’s plans are basically a “what you see is what you get” sort of deal. But what you see is a really low price tag. In particular, Mint Mobile’s $30 Unlimited Plan is probably the best deal in wireless right now. Verizon’s prices … not so much. Here’s a gander. Verizon’s 5G Do More Plan, for instance, will get you a free subscription to Disney+ and Apple Music, plus a significantly higher data cap than Mint’s unlimited data plan—50 GB versus 35 GB (after you reach your data cap, your data gets slowed down). Of course, that 5G Do More Plan is almost three times pricier than Mint’s unlimited plan. And it’s not just Mint. When you compare Verizon’s unlimited data plans to other leading plans on the market, they tend to be the priciest (but also the most robust). Family plans make it much easier to manage multiple lines for you, your spouse, and your kids. Plus, you can usually nab a big discount when you add your third, fourth, and even fifth line. Unfortunately, Mint doesn’t have family plans. But Verizon does. Here’s a look at some of the most popular Verizon family plans on the market. But, even with family plan discounts, Verizon’s prices are far above the cheapest unlimited data plans on the market. All of Mint Mobile’s plans are prepaid, so we’re not going to review them again (see above for details on these plans). But the Verizon plans we reviewed above are all postpaid, which means that you can pay your bill at the end of the month. However, Verizon does have a few prepaid plans on offer. Here’s a look at those. But not all cellular data is created equally. There’s 4G data, LTE data, and 5G data. These Gs signify “generations” of data technology, the higher the number, the faster the data. Faster speeds mean better streaming, web surfing, and everything else. So, what will your speeds be like with Mint and Verizon?
T-Mobile Average download speed: 54.1 Mbps Average upload speed: 10.5 Mbps Verizon Average download speed: 30.2 Mbps Average upload speed: 8.2 Mbps
To be honest, the difference between Verizon and T-Mobile isn’t huge, and most users likely won’t notice anything. Verizon’s coverage is known as the best in the nation. But T-Mobile’s (whose network Mint uses) is not bad at all, especially since the company absorbed Sprint. If you live in an urban area, either carrier should cover you just fine. But for those who live in more rural places, the quality of your coverage may depend entirely on which network has a better presence in the area. Take a close look at these two maps to see if Verizon or T-Mobile is better where you live (or work, travel, etc.). When it comes to customer service for other mobile carriers, most of them have a lot of room for improvement. Verizon is no exception. Many customers have been unimpressed by Verizon’s lackluster customer support. Both Verizon and Mint will sell you one of the hottest new phones. Verizon deals are especially great when you sign up for an unlimited data plan. Take a look.
Unlimited plans: Mint offers simple, affordable, and robust plans with anywhere from 3 GB of data to unlimited data. Verizon’s plans are much pricier, but they come with perks, like higher data caps, free subscriptions, and a stronger network. Family plans: You can save money on a Verizon plan when you add the whole family. Mint, on the other hand, doesn’t offer any family plan discounts. But Mint is so cheap that it might beat Verizon’s family plan prices anyways. Prepaid plans: Verizon’s prepaid plans are a lot pricier than Mint’s, without offering any other advantages. If you’re looking for a prepaid plan, Mint is a better deal. Data: Mint runs on the T-Mobile network, which offers great data speeds and coverage. Verizon’s network has even better coverage and comparable data speeds. The main difference between these carriers for most people will be deprioritization, which could result in Mint customers having slower data speeds. Coverage: Verizon’s coverage is the best in the nation. But T-Mobile’s (whose network Mint uses) isn’t bad at all, and much cheaper. Customer service: Mint Mobile is known for its down-to-earth and friendly customer service, Verizon has some work to do.
Most of all, we trust the users. So we’ve also looked at customer reviews from each carrier to better understand what they do right, and where they could improve.
Throttling: All mobile plans—even unlimited data plans—have data caps. If you go beyond your cap, you’ll experience significant slowdowns (like going from 4G LTE to 3G speeds). These slowdowns will affect everything, including your mobile hotspot data.Deprioritization: Some mobile plans—usually cheaper, prepaid plans—come with a risk that their data speeds will be deprioritized, or slowed, when the network is busy. This happens during peak use hours or in really crowded, urban areas.
The risk of throttling and deprioritization is one of the main reasons that people might consider paying the extra bucks to go with Verizon over Mint Mobile.
