Best T-Mobile MVNOs

Our team of experts knows that a carrier is more than its name, prices, and perks. To provide the fullest picture of the best T-Mobile carriers, we combined long-term experience, personal use, direct testing, independent data, and meticulous research on what each carrier currently offers.

Here are some things we did to get you the fullest picture:

• Long-term personal use: Many of our experts have been decade-long customers of many of our mobile carriers, allowing us to speak to real experiences rather than theoretical ones. 
• Free trial experience: Some of our experts even ordered eSIMS to directly compare our personal mobile carrier to competitors to get the most firsthand knowledge of a mobile carrier's services.
• Customer interviews: To ensure a well-rounded perspective, we interview real mobile customers around the country to gather critical insights about their service experience.
• Direct service testing: Our experts perform live speed tests, use the service on commutes, make video and voice calls, and open up social media across different urban, suburban, and rural environments.
• In-app testing: We explored the mobile carrier apps and official sites for user-friendliness, plan overviews, extra deals, and the helpfulness of the AI chatbot.
• Review and data analysis: Our experts compare our personal experience with external, third-party, and proprietary research to communicate an objective perspective.

For more information on how we test, check out Our Methodology.

You might think your only options are T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon cell phone plans. Think again. Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) are smaller carriers that use towers of major mobile networks. T-Mobile MVNOs all get the same widespread 5G coverage as the main provider, but plans are more affordable because the MVNO doesn't have to pay to maintain the towers.

The best T-Mobile MVNOs offer the best of both worlds when it comes to mobile service: They get excellent 5G coverage, but they also have affordable plans with adjustable amounts of data so you only pay for what you need. To put that into perspective, the cheapest postpaid T-Mobile plan costs $60 monthly, MVNOs cost between $5 to $44 monthly.

Here are our favorite T-Mobile MVNOs:

There are a ton of carriers on the T-Mobile network. So we’re going to highlight a few of our favorites up top for the TL;DR crowd:

• Mint Mobile (Best T-Mobile MVNO overall): Plans starting at $15 per month. Unlimited high-speed data. Ryan Reynolds.
• US Mobile (Best unlimited T-Mobile MVNO): Access to T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon, plus a pooled data model to share data in a family plan.
• Tello Mobile Cheapest T-Mobile MVNO): The cheapest T-Mobile MVNO to rule them all? Prices start at $5 per month.
• Red Pocket (Best value T-Mobile MVNO): Get prepaid plans across the Big Three networks. It's got some of the best international perks I've ever seen in a prepaid mobile carrier.

T-Mobile MVNOs rent T-Mobile's network infrastructure, so they are able to provide the same amazing 5G and 4G LTE coverage as T-Mobile. T-Mobile is a formidable network that works great for most people, but its weakness might be coverage (depending on where you live). If you’re in the United States you’re probably a stone’s throw away from a T-Mobile tower. The exceptions are some areas like Idaho, Wyoming, and Nebraska (but every network has dead spots in those areas).

Despite sharing the same 5G coverage area, T-Mobile MVNOs come with a risk of data deprioritization. This happens when the network owner (like T-Mobile) decides to prioritize the data speeds of its own customers over those on prepaid plans.

Deprioritization can be frustrating when you’re trying to stream, post, or download content, but it’s not a constant problem. Deprioritization is more likely when the network is congested during times of heavy use. 

Download speeds are probably the most important metric to look at when determining overall data speeds for a T-Mobile MVNO versus a T-Mobile plan. Your download speed determines how well you can stream, scroll, browse, and game on your device.

According to the latest report from OpenSignal, T-Mobile's network leads over Verizon at an impressive 83Mbps with AT&T 2Mbps behind Verizon. This speed is plenty for casual Netflix viewing, Instagram posting, TikTok scrolling, and even hotspot tethering. In fact, it might be faster than your home broadband connection.

T-Mobile takes home the gold medal in the download speed olympics. That’s respectable. But what's truly impressive are the upload speeds, which are more important now as more people work from home. T-Mobile is tops in both categories.

Yes! You don't need to buy a new phone from the T-Mobile MVNO to use their services. You can bring your own cell phone over, but there are two important requirements.

Your phone must be:

1. Unlocked: Your phone cannot be "locked" to a specific carrier (like Verizon or AT&T). If your phone was originally purchased from a different carrier, you may need to contact them to make sure it's unlocked.

2. Compatible: It needs to support the specific network frequencies and technologies used by the T-Mobile network. Since T-Mobile MVNOs use T-Mobile's towers, a phone compatible with T-Mobile's network should work. When I changed over from T-Mobile to Mint Mobile, I knew my old Samsung Galaxy would probably be just fine. It's always good to double-check though.

Pro tip: Every T-Mobile MVNO will have a compatibility checker on their website where you can enter your phone's unique IMEI number to verify its eligibility before signing up. You can also easily confirm this over online chat with any carrier rep. 

You can only switch to a T-Mobile MVNOs with an unlocked, GSM-compatible phone with VoLTE capabilities. So if you want to bring your own phone, make sure to check if your phone is compatible before switching. 

First, check if your phone uses GSM or CDMA, or is dual-band. Cellular networks use either GSM or CDSM frequency bands, with T-Mobile and AT&T using GSM and Verizon using CDMA. If your phone is unlocked or was already on a T-Mobile plan, your phone is likely compatible with a T-Mobile MVNO plan and just needs to be unlocked.

If you are on a Verizon plan with a phone that can only operate on CDMA, it isn't compatible with T-Mobile MVNO carriers. However, both RedPocket and US Mobile offer coverage on Verizon's network, so you may be able to sign up for those if you phone is only CDMA compatible.

Second, see if your phone is VoLTE compatible. This means you can make voice calls over a 4G LTE network.

Aside from the fun ads that star Ryan Reynolds, there’s a reason that Mint Mobile takes home the prize for Best T-Mobile MVNO overall. The T-Mobile MVNO offers some of the best range of data from 5GB to truly unlimited high-speed data—starting at $15 per line per month for unlimited talk and text. If you need truly unlimited high-speed data for streaming and gaming, Mint Mobile's Unlimited plan costs only $30 a month (when you pay for its annual plan). 

If you go over your data cap on Mint Mobile, you don’t get charged extra. Your data does, however, get throttled to painfully slow speeds. But you can always buy extra data whenever you want (it's so easy on the Mint app). Mint's Unlimited plan streams videos at 480p. So all you true data lovers out there probably want to take your business elsewhere. For the light data users (like me) who are mostly connected to Wi-Fi and only use data on small commutes or while out and about, the 5GB is easily going to get you through the month.

Note: Mint Mobile's prices include a three-month promotional deal, after which rates increase by $10, $15, or $20 per month—unless you choose a 12-month plan, which keeps the intro pricing. So take it from me, the 12-month plan is worth it if you want to get the smallest monthly bill. 

US Mobile prides itself on its affordability and customizability. And when I say customizability, I mean it. You can switch between all three big networks (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon), so if T-Mobile has stronger signals in your area, you can stick with T-Mobile. If you're traveling to an area where Verizon or AT&T has better service, you can switch networks with its Network Transfer function. US Mobile's Dark Star plans utilize AT&T's network and offer enhanced features, including premium data and hotspot data.

You can build your plans too: Make a plan with 300 minutes, 1,000 texts, and 2GB of data. Or you can build one with unlimited everything. You do you—go wild and express yourself.

It’s up to you how you mix and match things, but here’s some insight into the most popular plans others have chosen from US Mobile.

As you can see, there’s a wide variety of plans and prices from US Mobile. You can get US Mobile's Unlimited Starter plan for as low as $22.50 per month (on its annual option), or opt for the Unlimited Premium Dark Star plan, which offers an unlimited amount of premium data for $44 per month or as low as $29 per month with an annual plan. Compared to T-Mobile's plans that offer uncapped premium data ($90/month), the US Mobile plan is less than half the price.

So what plans are actually worth signing up for? I think that US Mobile makes the most sense for two kinds of customers: Those who want really cheap plans with a few minutes and data, and those who want a powerful but affordable unlimited phone plan. The former can find middle-ground plans for under $15 a month. The latter can get a perfectly good unlimited data plan for $25 monthly (or $22.50/monthly with an annual plan) with the Unlimited Starter plan, which offers a range of 70GB to unlimited high-speed data (depending on the network you choose).

Sure, we all love data. But do you love it enough to spend $40+ a month on an unlimited plan?  Figure out exactly how much data you actually need using our handy guide. If you primarily connect to Wi-Fi throughout the day, there's a really good chance you need 10GB or less per month. When I checked how much data I actually used, I was surprised to find it only maxes out to about 5GB per month. 

If you want to save money, Tello offers the cheapest plans on T-Mobile's network. You can add minutes and data in increments depending on what you need, so you never pay for extra features you don't end up using. This is especially useful for people who primarily use data and call their friends and family via FaceTime, WhatsApp, or Messenger.

If you don't use your phone for calling, you can get Tello's 1GB plan with no minutes for $5 monthly. For those who want a plan comparable to T-Mobile, Tello offers a true steal of a deal with its Unlimited plan: The plan offers 50GB of 4G LTE/5G high-speed data and unlimited talk and text for $15 for the first three months, and then $25 monthly afterwards. You also get 10GB of hotspot included.

All Tello plans with calling minutes include free unlimited text, free calls to 60+ countries, and free Wi-Fi calling. There are no contracts or cancellation fees, so you're free to switch up your plan features anytime. 

When it comes to MVNOs with multi-network options,  Red Pocket Mobile is one of the cheapest prepaid carriers. This carrier has plans with talk, text, and premium data starting at just $10.

Take a look at some of the most popular Red Pocket plans.

RedPocket's Unlimited Essentials costs $10 a month plan for unlimited national minutes, unlimited texts, and 1GB of data. It also lets you choose your network. So you can stick with T-Mobile, or you can hop onto Verizon’s network if you find that the coverage is actually better where you are.

As with many of the MVNOs in this article, plans get more expensive as you get access to more data, but there's a ton of value to unpack with Red Pocket. The company’s $40 unlimited plan is $20 cheaper than T-Mobile's cheapest postpaid plan, but they both offer 50GB premium data. Yup, read that again. 

If you do go with Red Pocket, just make sure that you’re signing up for a plan that works with your particular iPhone, Galaxy, or other device.

I highly recommend switching to a T-Mobile MVNO if you want to save money on your cell phone plan but still want to access T-Mobile's 5G network. T-Mobile MVNOs are more affordable, starting from $5 monthly compared to a T-Mobile postpaid plan that starts at $60 per month. I went from paying $30 per month to $15 per month when I switched to T-Mobile. No regrets.

Prices aside, the biggest thing you might worry about if you switch to a T-Mobile MVNO is the high-speed data. Many of these MVNO plans advertise unlimited data, but many offer a certain range of high-speeds that will slow down significantly after you meet that cap. If you're concerned about your data cap, look at how much data you actually use in a month, and choose an MVNO plan that matches your data use. You're likely still going to save $5 to $25 on your plan. 

My tip? If you mostly connect to Wi-Fi at work and at home, and only use your phone sparingly while you're out and about, then you probably use around 10GB of data per month. You do not need unlimited data at all.

However, a family with multiple heavy-data users may find a multi-line T-Mobile plan is actually more affordable. Also, if you need a international cell phone plan, a T-Mobile Experience plan includes international data and calling, whereas T-Mobile MVNOs may require you to purchase a day pass for international usage or not offer international coverage at all. 

Here’s a list of MVNO carriers that use T-Mobile's network: