Best MVNO carrier 2023

The best MVNO carriers work fast and frequently to give you great value with solid coverage in a very competitive market, all by leveraging the existing network of one of the major carriers. This structure can lead to a huge range of plans and keep you out of contract and payment plans, so you're not stuck with a pricey carrier for years. With some carriers offering eSIM activation, you can even get signed up with just an app.

Now wholly owned by T-Mobile, Mint Mobile continues to be the best overall MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) offering great data options and amazing, convenient family plans.

• MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost | Tello | Cricket 

At a glance

Best overall

Although they were officially purchased by T-Mobile in March 2023, at this time, Mint Mobile still reigns supreme as the overall best prepaid carrier around. In addition to offering outstanding coverage with flexible plans at a low cost, Mint is a unique MVNO because the minimum amount of service you can buy is three months. Mint also manages to keep things fresh by consistently updating its offerings to meet the shifting needs of users. Mint Mobile has many of the same network strengths and weaknesses as other T-Mobile-based MVNOs, but coverage should be solid for most people. Fortunately, T-Mobile's network comes close to being one of the fastest you can get, and with 5G, one of the most advanced too.

You can purchase up to a year, which is the most savings, at $25 per month for 20GB of data, and if you only need 5GB, it's down to $15 per month. If you're one of the few people that requires more data each month, you can now get an unlimited plan through Mint, which comes with 40GB of high-speed data and 10GB of hotspot data. The unlimited plan has an introductory rate of $30 per month for three months, with renewal costing $40 per month. But if you sign up for a year, you can lock in this introductory rate for the entire year.

You can bring your own T-Mobile device to Mint Mobile as long as it supports 4G LTE and VoLTE. If you're not sure, you can check with Mint's compatibility checker, but most unlocked GSM-network phones should work with Mint. Once you have your SIM card, you can activate it using the Mint Mobile app on your phone. If you want to buy a new phone, you can. Mint Mobile sells a wide range of phones, from high-end to budget devices. These are some of the best phones to use with Mint.

Best cheap pick

Tello is a simple prepaid carrier that offers you the choice of how many minutes and data you want. Texts are unlimited on all plan combinations. As we saw in our Tello review, phone compatibility is strong thanks to the T-Mobile network. If you only use data at home and just need a little for drives to the store, the 500MB option is a solid option. Even with unlimited calling, you're still under $10 per month.

For heavy users, the 10GB plan is a great place to start, with enough data for light streaming, browsing social media, and messaging. If you need more, the unlimited plan takes that number up to 25GB, which should be more than enough data for most use cases. Even so, if you use it all, you're not cut off, just the speed is slowed down. While it's not fast enough for YouTube, you can still message and email on data with this speed.

Tello plans can be fully customized, but if you're looking for a starting point, Tello has created four plans. Economy is $10 per month with 1GB of data and unlimited talk and text. Moving up, Value with 2GB and Smart with 5GB cost $14 and $19 per month respectively. Finally, unlimited data comes in at $29 per month.

Best for unlimited

Visible by Verizon is a simple prepaid carrier that has two unlimited plans to choose from and very little to complicate the choice. The base plan (simply called Visible) is comparable to Visible's old plan that we tested in our Visible review. It comes with completely unlimited data on the Verizon LTE and 5G network, though data gets a lower priority than other traffic on the carrier. Even so, speeds should be sufficiently high for most people to use their phones without any noticeable restrictions. There's a good reason Visible has one of the best cell phone plans, thanks to its unlimited talk, text, and data. This also includes unlimited hotspot data at 5Mbps.

Visible's second plan, called Visible Plus, adds 50GB of premium data to keep speeds as fast as possible in congested areas. Visible Plus also has access to Verizon's Ultra-Wideband 5G for faster speeds when connected to 5G with C-band or mmWave coverage. It also adds some international roaming options and international calling options.

Phone compatibility on Visible is a bit more limited than some other carriers, since your phone will need to be compatible with VoLTE on Verizon as well as support all of the necessary bands on the carrier. Most of the top-selling Android phones work on Visible without issue, but some older or more obscure phones may not be compatible.

Best for customization

US Mobile lets you start with plans as small as 75 minutes and move up all the way to unlimited talk, text, and data. US Mobile can be an excellent fit for an emergency phone or a backup phone. It also means that you can build that plan if you don't need a ton of minutes or texts but want up to 15GB of data.

Among the most compelling options are US Mobile's two unlimited plans. Unlimited Essentials starts at $40 per month with a single line but that price comes down with each line added up to four. With four lines this plan is $30 per line and comes with 50GB of premium data, 10GB of hotspot data, and 5G access including C-band. If you want a bit more out of your plan, Unlimited Premium is $10 more at $50 and takes the premium data up to 100GB with 50GB of hotspot data. If you bring three lines, you get a free streaming subscription included and another added in with four lines.

US Mobile will use Verizon's or T-Mobile's LTE networks, depending on your phone's compatibility. US Mobile will help you pick the best network depending on your location or device when you sign up. Both networks should provide good service to the majority of Americans. If you have an unlocked phone, there's a good chance you can use it with US Mobile. Those using T-Mobile SIMs won't have as much high-speed data so if you're a heavy user, the Verizon SIM is the better option.

Best for families

There are three major carriers in the U.S., and each one offers a very similar level of coverage by the numbers. If you live in the country, though, there may be areas where AT&T's network reaches, and Verizon and T-Mobile's networks don't. If that's the case for you, your family can still take advantage of prepaid savings with Cricket Wireless. This AT&T-owned carrier has four main phone plans starting with a 5GB plan, then 10GB, and two unlimited options. The two unlimited plans and the 10GB plan also get multi-line discounts. These plans also enjoy a $5 autopay discount.

The smaller $55 unlimited plan, Cricket Core, keeps things simple with unlimited talk, text, and data. This plan doesn't have any hotspot data or premium data, but for many people, this isn't a big deal. If you want a bit more, the $60 Cricket More plan upgrades the unlimited data to Premium data so your speeds can stay higher on a crowded tower. It also comes with 15GB of hotspot data and ad-supported HBO Max. All Cricket plans come with access to AT&T's nationwide 5G network.

AT&T's network is compatible with more unlocked phones, so if you already own your device, there's a good chance you can bring it with you. Cricket sells a solid range of mid-range devices, including Android phones and iPhones, so if you want something high-end, you'll need to buy or finance it unlocked and bring it with you.

Best international perks

The majority of the best MVNO carriers are lower-cost alternatives that don't offer much over the base carrier. Google Fi uses the best connection available from T-Mobile in the U.S. While fewer phones support the entire "Designed for Fi" network (aka the ability to automatically switch to open Wi-Fi networks when available), if you have a compatible device, like Google Pixel 8 or Galaxy S23 series, you should have great service with 5G.

Google Fi has three plans, including Flexible, Simply Unlimited, and Unlimited Plus. Even if you're not on an unlimited plan, you'll only pay for the data you use, and you'll never pay for more than 6GB of data, thanks to Bill Protection. After 15GB on the Flexible plan, your data speed will slow down, but you can always add more high-speed data at that time for $10 per GB. On the unlimited plans, your data speed will slow down after 22GB of use.

The most significant feature that sets Google Fi apart is its international service on its Flexible and Unlimited Plus plans. If you're traveling in any of the 200+ supported countries, your data will cost the same as it does at home. You will also get unlimited texts but will need to pay $0.20 per minute for calls. Keep in mind that the Simply Unlimited plan doesn't include most of these international perks, and it also doesn't include hotspot tethering like the other plans.

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How to choose

Trying the best MVNO carriers is easier than ever

Getting away from the big three carriers can be a great way to save money on phone service by stripping away services you don't need. You can find MVNOs that use a network you already know has great coverage in your area, such as Verizon or T-Mobile. It can also be a good way to try out a new network on one of the best Android phones unlocked without spending too much money or time moving numbers over.

A carrier like Google Fi manages to pack in extra features for someone who wants great coverage and data abroad. At the same time, Visible stays focused on offering data without limits. You also get to try out different networks as there's no contract associated with these plans.

Overall, Mint Mobile is one of the best choices for anyone that can afford to pay for at least three months upfront. Mint's data plans come in three sizes so just about anyone should be able to find a plan that fits their needs well. On top of that, Mint's family plan makes your renewal costs more manageable by giving you 12-month rates with three-month renewals. Now that they're owned by T-Mobile, we might see some changes in the coming months, but for now, Mint Mobile is the best option for most users.

• MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost | Tello | Cricket