Best MVNO Carriers

As mentioned above, MVNOS are cellular carriers that rent bandwidth from one of the top three networks: T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. MVNOs prioritize offering affordable deals that typically don’t have extra fees or price increases. Unlike mainstream postpaid cell phone plans, MVNOs mostly offer prepaid services, so they don’t require a credit check up front.

Something to keep in mind is that MVNOs typically have a lower network priority than the main network providers. This results in slower speeds during times of congestion, which is when a large number of users are using a network tower and constrain its capacity. Nonetheless, you still get access to your monthly allotment of high-speed or priority data you signed up for on your MVNO plan.

MVNOs are the best-kept secret for lowering your cell phone bill. However, out of the hundreds of MVNOs out there in the market, some MVNO carriers offer better savings and performance than others. Here’s a summary of the best MVNO carriers:

• Best T-Mobile MVNO: Mint Mobile gives you the best mix of low prices and high performance. The Mint Mobile 5GB plan costs just $15 a month (if you choose its annual plan) for unlimited talk, text, and 5GB high-speed data.
• Best Verizon MVNO: Visible Wireless runs on Verizon’s network, which offers the best nationwide coverage in rural areas. Visible customers get unlimited 4G LTE/5G data, so you can keep gaming, streaming, and scrolling all month long. With its Visible+ and Visible+ Pro plans, you even get unlimited premium data.
• Best AT&T MVNO: US Mobile offers flexible network transfers between T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. Its AT&T plan, coined Dark Star, offers unlimited-everything plans at $44 per month for one line.
• Best MVNO for seniors: Tello is an affordable MVNO for those who want to only pay for what they need. You can mix and match minutes and data, or even do calling and texting starting at $5 per month.
• Best MVNO for families: Red Pocket offers no-frills cell phone plans with all the talk, text, and data you need. It operates across T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. And it might be the best MVNO for international use as well based on its big list of international perks.

Switching to an MVNO is an easy decision for many customers. The only folks who should stay on the big three are those who need the fastest data possible, are on a big family plan, or who score a really amazing deal on a new phone. But how do you know which MVNO to switch to?

We recommend you check the following:

• Find out how much cell phone data you need. Chances are, you’re paying for "unlimited" high-speed data but using only a fraction of your monthly allotment.
• Check the fine print. Most MVNOs offer plans with unlimited talk, text, and data, but you may have limitations on high-speed data, hotspot data, and roaming.
• Choose the MVNO that offers the best coverage in your area. Verizon MVNOs and AT&T MVNOs have widespread 4G LTE coverage even in more rural areas, whereas T-Mobile MVNOs have the largest 5G network–best for those in cities.
• Make sure your phone is compatible. The MVNO carrier’s website will walk you through how to check if your phone is unlocked and compatible with its network.
• Consider bundling your cell phone plan with an internet plan. If you get internet through a company like Xfinity, Spectrum, or Optimum, you can get a steep discount on your internet and mobile bundle.

Mint Mobile is the best T-Mobile MVNO carrier because it’s backed by the fastest and largest 5G network in the U.S., but offers plans at a fraction of the price of T-Mobile plans. Coverage should be great in all urban and suburban areas, with a few holes in parts of the rural West.

Pros:

• All lines start at $15/mo.
• Free calling to Mexico and Canada
• Truly unlimited high-speed data on Unlimited plan

Cons:

• Upfront payment required on all plans
• Speeds can be deprioritized during high traffic
• No freebies or streaming perks

Mint Mobile offers plans from $15 to $30 monthly with unlimited talk, text, and 5GB to truly unlimited high-speed data. Once you hit your monthly cap of high-speed data, your speeds slow down significantly.

You pay for service in blocks of  three, six, or 12 months, and payment is required up front. So the 5GB plan costs $45 for three months, or $15 per month. Three-month plans come with introductory discounts of $10, $15, or $25. To keep that promo rate, you need to renew with a six- or 12-month plan.

You can use your plan’s data allotment for a hotspot, although the Unlimited plan provides an additional 10GB of dedicated hotspot data. Mint also offers free calls and texts to Mexico and Canada, and a nifty referral program that can get you $45 credit up to four times per year.

Compared to T-Mobile’s cell phone plans, you’re looking at a price difference of at least $25 to $60 monthly.

If you live in a rural area, travel frequently throughout the U.S., or just know Verizon has the best network in your area, then Visible is the MVNO for you. Visible Wireless offers incredible deals on unlimited data plans that get coverage in nearly every corner of the country.

Pros:

• Truly unlimited hotspot data on all plans
• Unlimited premium data on top two plans
• Inner Circle family plan model

Cons:

• Basic plan can be deprioritized
• No customer service phone number
• Starting prices on higher side

Visible Wireless offers just three plans: The Visible Plan, the Visible+ Plan, and the Visible+ Pro Plan. Each plan comes with unlimited talk, text, and data. The basic Visible $25 plan blocks high-risk spam and robocalls, gets unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada, captures up to 480 SD quality video, and provides unlimited use of your phone as a mobile hotspot. Maybe most importantly, Visible offers truly unlimited hotspot data on ALL of its plans.

The $35 monthly Visible+ plan and $45 Visible+ Pro plan come with an upgraded experience. You get unlimited premium data on Verizon’s 5G and 5G LTE networks when 5G Ultra Wideband is unavailable. You won’t ever get deprioritized due to congestion. The main differences between Visible+ and Visible+ Pro are video quality, international perks, and hotspot speeds.

Visible+ Pro offers 500 minutes to 85+ countries, unlimited texting to 200+ countries, two days of Global Pass, and up to 15Mbps hotspot speeds. With Visible+, you don't get any international calling or texting beyond Mexico and Canada, only get one day of Global Pass, and up to 10Mbps hotspot speeds.

Visible recently introduced a new family plan model called Inner Circle. You can connect multiple lines while each person manages their own bill, and you can get discounts on eligible plans.

US Mobile offers one of the best value MVNO plans right now, especially if you want AT&T coverage. You can go from AT&T's most basic plan at $65.99 per line down to US Mobile's Dark Star plan (on AT&T's network) for $44 and ... well, you can do the math. You can also get 30 days of service for free with 30GB of premium data, 5GB of hotspot data, and unlimited talk and text when you transfer your number.

US Mobile offers network coverage with all the major carriers, which it coins Dark Star for AT&T, Warp for Verizon, and Light Speed for T-Mobile. You can switch between networks depending on which network is strongest in your area. There are slightly different terms depending on the network you select.

Pros:

• Network flexibility
• Mix-and-match data plans
• Generous 30-day free trial

Cons:

• Intense amount of plan choices
• No truly unlimited data plans
• Annual plans are cheaper than monthly plans

US Mobile offers either By the Gig plans or Unlimited plans from $10 to $44 monthly. The By the Gig option comes with unlimited talk and text, plus your choice of how much data you want to add. For each additional line, you pay only $8, and you can share your data across multiple lines.

If you want an all-inclusive plan that offers the same data speed priority as most AT&T cell phone plans, you can opt for US Mobile’s Unlimited Premium plan on the Dark Star network. It normally costs $44, but you can get it for $35 for 12 months with the promo code SUPER35. You get unlimited talk, text, and priority data, as well as unlimited hotspot data. The plan includes free network transfers, international calls and texts from the U.S., and up to 20GB of data in supported countries. Want to get it for cheaper than $35? Pay annually and enjoy Unlimited Premium Dark Star for just $24 per month or $299 a year.

Not everyone wants—or needs—an unlimited data plan. Tello allows you to choose whatever amount of minutes and data you need, so you don’t waste money on your cell phone plan. This is especially useful for seniors who use a smaller amount of data or prefer to use Wi-Fi at home and call friends and family via FaceTime, WhatsApp, or Messenger. Since Tello is a T-Mobile MVNO, you should get strong coverage and data speeds. Here’s a look at just a few of the options from Tello.

Pros:

• One of the cheapest starting prices
• Customizable family plans
• Free and instant upgrades and downgrades

Cons:

• Hard data cap
• Data deprioritized during high traffic
• No extra freebies or perks

You can mix and match data, talk, and text needs on each of your Tello lines. Tello’s cheapest deal costs $5 monthly for either 1GB of data and no minutes, or 100 minutes and no data. Tello also offers an Unlimited plan, which costs $25 monthly for 50GB of full 4G/5G LTE data and 10GB hotspot data.

Another great thing about Tello is you can upgrade and downgrade your plan at any time—instantly and for free. This makes its already flexible plans even more flexible. 

Red Pocket Mobile offers family plan discounts, low prices, and great coverage on T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T networks. You can mix and match different networks, or use the same network for each line on your plan. The family plan costs $30 per month for the first line, and then $20 per month for up to 4 additional lines. Family plans include unlimited talk, text, and 20GB of high-speed data per line per month. 

Pros:

• Coverage across T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T
• Premium data on all plans
• Robust international benefits on each plan

Cons:

• Higher prices when promo prices end
• Severe deprioritization after hitting data cap
• Only premium plans offer separate hotspot data

For one line, Red Pocket Mobile offers plans from $10 to $40 per month, with Unlimited Plus, Premium, and Elite plans including a 50% discount for your first month of service. You also get free international calls to 20+ to 80+ countries depending on the plan you choose.

On top of that, Red Pocket may be the best MVNO for international use. It provides increasing levels of international calling and roaming features on each of its plans. All plans include roaming in Mexico and Canada (100 minutes, 100 Texts, and 1GB of data per cycle), and all plans include a Global Passport for international roaming. Its premium plans include roaming in 25 to 50+ countries as well. 

At Reviews.org, we value comparing and contrasting different cell phone carriers and focusing on the aspects of a plan that matter most: Affordability, transparent pricing, coverage, and service quality. We researched dozens of MVNO cell phone carriers that operate on all three of the major U. S. networks and narrowed down our list of the best by focusing on these criteria:

• Price: Does the MVNO offer good deals? Do prices go up after a promo period? Is payment required up front, or month to month?
• Network coverage: What network does it use, and where are there coverage gaps? T-Mobile MVNOs tend to have better 5G availability, whereas Verizon MVNOs have great rural coverage.
• MVNO data allowance and performance: How much priority data does the MVNO give users? Do customers think it is sufficiently fast? When does the customer get throttled data?
• Perks: What extra features and discounts do you get with this MVNO?
• Customer service: How do customers and third-party reviewers rate the company’s customer service?

All in all, we think about the factors that would most likely cause someone to switch from their regular, “Big Wireless” carrier, to an MVNO, and what would make that switch worthwhile.