1. 5GB plan: $45 for 3 months
2. 15GB plan: $60 for 3 months
3. 20GB plan: $75 for 3 months
4. Unlimited: $90 for 3 months
The best Mint Mobile plans offer big savings given that you're willing to buy all of your data upfront. Mint has several different prepaid options, all of them at lower rates than you'll find at most other carriers. No wonder Mint has become so popular. (The celebrity owner/spokesman, Ryan Reynolds, probably doesn't hurt in terms of popularity, either, though T-Mobile snapped up Mint in a $1.35 billion deal in March.)
The trick to finding happiness at Mint Mobile comes down to making a commitment. The longer you're willing to get your phone service from the carrier, the lower the rate you'll have to pay each month. Some of you might find this a bit difficult since it can be a lot to pay at once, but trust us — having all of your data paid ahead of time is a big weight off your shoulders.
After trying out one the of best cell phone plans at Mint for three months at a reduced rate, you'll have the option of signing up for three, six or 12 months of service. The 12-month plans offer the biggest savings, allowing Mint Mobile to offer some of the best cheap cell phone plans. Even better, in April, Mint's data plans are increasing in size while keeping their old prices in place.
Best Mint Mobile plans
Does Mint Mobile offer family plans?
Previously, Mint Mobile only geared its services toward customers looking for service on a single line of data, but that's changed, as the carrier has expanded into family plans for two or more lines. Just be aware that Mint's approach is a little bit different than the way other carriers handle family plans.
At other carriers, you get discounts as you add more lines. Metro by T-Mobile's cheapest unlimited data plan costs $40 for a single line of data, but adding a third and fourth line to your plan costs $10 per line under a current promotion. Google Fi offers discounts as you add more lines, too.
Mint doesn't do that. Instead, each person on a Mint Mobile family plan gets the same discounted rate. If everyone on your family plan opts for Mint's 5GB plan, you'll each pay $15 — a four line plan would expect to pay $60 a month.
Mint earns points for flexibility in that you can mix and match the data allotments in family plans. That means the parents can opt for an unlimited plan for their lines of data, while assigning their kids smaller allotments of data.
Is Mint Mobile a good carrier?
Currently, Mint Mobile takes fourth place in our guide to the best phone carriers. That puts it in quite a lofty position for a carrier that was only founded back in 2015. So why do we rank it so highly?
This comes down to a few factors, but the big reason is affordability. Overall, the best Mint Mobile plans have some of the lowest monthly rates, especially when you pay upfront. This makes them especially tempting in comparison to the likes of AT&T and Verizon.
Secondly, Mint uses the T-Mobile network to provide coverage. T-Mobile is one of the fastest networks around, giving Mint a leg up, as it can piggyback on the T-Mobile 5G network. (That assumes you get one of the best 5G phones, of course). Mint will connect to whichever cellular signal — LTE or 5G — is stronger where you are.
Mint traffic can get slowed on T-Mobile's network if there's a lot of congestion. And Mint plans aren't as fully featured as T-Mobile's or as generous with families. Still, despite that, Mint remains a leading choice for those on a tight budget.
Finally, Mint faces stiff competition from the likes of Visible, Xfinity Mobile, and Google Fi. All three carriers have their own claim to fame, like Visible's $30/mo unlimited plan including taxes and fees or Fi's prorated data charges. Even the Comcast-owned Xfinity Mobile has some attractive benefits, like a $45/mo unlimited plan. The point being, Mint has a lot of benefits if you're willing to commit, but there are other equally good MVNOs with more traditional billing cycles.
How does Mint Mobile's pricing work?
We briefly explained the pricing of Mint Mobile plans above, but its worth addressing in slightly more detail.
First, while it isn't too loudly promoted, Mint will offer you a 7-day money back guarantee. That means you can cancel within seven days of your activation, and Mint will refund you 100% of the purchase price including taxes and fees.
As for the contract length, you will automatically go onto a three-month introduction offer when you start up with Mint. This gets you three months at Mint's lowest price. Once that period is up, you can then choose the length of your plan. This can be three, six or 12 months and as we explained above, the longer you sign up, the better the price will be.
It is worth noting two things — once you've set up a new plan, you can't then change the length you've chosen. Second, you're actually paying for the plan all in one go, not on a monthly rate.
This means you're actually going to be paying $90 for the introductory rate of unlimited data and then $360 if you sign up for 12 months of unlimited data. While not the most convenient payment system, it is still very cheap over the long haul.
The best phones on Mint Mobile
Once you decide on a Mint Mobile plan, maybe you want to consider purchasing a new phone through the prepaid carrier. Of course, as long as your current device is unlocked and works on GSM networks, you can bring what you already have and slot in your new SIM. Mint helps you double check that you're good to go.
But if you're looking for the best options, we recommend the following.
