US Mobile Cell Phone Plans Review

There are about a million mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) out there competing to offer the cheapest unlimited data plans. We’ve reviewed pretty much all of them. To be honest, US Mobile is among the best.

US Mobile’s strengths are in its super cheap plans and variety of options. You can nab a talk and text only plan for under $5. Or you can opt for an unlimited data plan that’s just $27 a month. The prices only go down when you add additional lines. The performance ain’t bad, either.

This is why US Mobile has scored a spot on our list of the best cheap cell phone plans and the best cell phone plans under $20. Of course, there are some drawbacks to the company, like deprioritized data and poor device selection.

Put aside your other US Mobile reviews because we’ve got everything you need to know right here. Let’s dive into it.

US Mobile individual plans

Strong deals, weak perks

What we like

If you’re looking for a plan for you, yourself, and no one else, then US Mobile has plenty of options.

As you can see in the chart above, US Mobile has a huge variety of individual cell phone plans. You can get a free (when you apply WhistleOut’s discount) plan with a measly 75 minutes (and no data), an unlimited data plan for $42 a month, or something in between.

Let’s take a closer look at what we like about these plans.

Super cheap talk and text plans

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there were cell phones with small screens and manual buttons. People used these phones to make calls or send text messages. Sometimes they played a game called Snake. But that was about it.

If you want to go back to these good ol’ days (a.k.a. the ’90s), then you might want to pick up a super cheap talk and text only plan from US Mobile. Here’s a gander at the options.

As you can see, these plans are very cheap. Like, cheaper than a ticket to the movies. Cheaper than ordering takeout. Cheaper than … you get the idea.

Because these plans are so simple and affordable they’re perfect for kids (who shouldn’t be playing games and playing on TikTok all day anyways) and others who mostly use their phone for emergencies and rare outings.

Decently priced limited data plans

If a talk and text plan just won’t cut it—everybody needs to use Google Maps sometimes—then you can grab a limited data plan from US Mobile. Again, there are plenty of options.

On the lower end of the spectrum we’ve got a plan with 2.5 GB of “Ludicrous Data” (which is just US Mobile’s fancy way of saying 4G LTE data). That’s going to be enough data for those who almost never stream, game, or post to social media.

For those who like to scroll through Instagram occasionally or play a game of PUBG Mobile, the 10 GB plan might be a better option.

Two unlimited data plans

US Mobile has two unlimited plans. Each one comes with unlimited talk, text, and data. But the cheaper plan comes with “fast” data, while the pricier one comes with “ludicrous data.”

What does that actually mean? According to US Mobile, “fast” data runs at about 5 Mbps and “ludicrous” data is “uncapped,” meaning it can reach speeds of 100 Mbps or more.

These “fast” speeds should be plenty for people who don’t stream a ton of music or video on their phones. But if you game a lot or listen to podcasts all day, then you will probably want to upgrade to the “ludicrous” level. Both plans are among the best plans under $40 in the industry.

What we don’t like

Unless you’re paying top dollar for one of the best plans on the market, you’re going to have a few drawbacks to contend with. Here are the things we don’t like so much about US Mobile.

Have to pay extra for hotspot data and other perks

Mobile hotspots are awesome for those who travel a lot or live in rural areas with spotty broadband access. Unfortunately, US Mobile doesn’t automatically give users (even those with unlimited plans) mobile hotspot data.

If you want to add 10 GB of hotspot data to your plan, you have to pay $10 a month. Similarly, you have to pay an extra $5 a month to upgrade from “fast” to “ludicrous” speed data, which is the standard data speed for most other carriers.

Data throttling and deprioritization

Speaking of data speeds, some users might notice issues with US Mobile’s data speeds even if they do opt for the pricier “ludicrous speed”.

Customers who use more than 50 GB of data a month will see their data “throttled.” And all users, regardless of how much data they consume, can be “deprioritized” during times of network congestion. We’ll talk more about this throttling and deprioritization below.

How do US Mobile’s plans compare?

US Mobile’s cheap unlimited data plan will be the selling point for a lot of customers. So, we thought we’d do a quick comparison with other discount providers. This chart shows how US Mobile’s unlimited plan stacks up against the competition.

Unlimited plans comparison

US Mobile family plans

Prices so cheap that the kids could pay their own phone bill

What we like

A lot of MVNOs skimp when it comes to family plans. Some don’t have any family plans at all. But US Mobile allows you to bundle up to five lines on a single account while saving a significant chunk of change.

Up to five lines per account

US Mobile’s website has an elegantly designed tool that lets you create your ideal family plan. It’s easy to choose the specific amount of minutes, texts, and data that you want for each line, which is great for those with kids.

Here’s what it looked like when we created a plan with five unlimited data lines.

As you can see, the additional lines are cheaper than the first. Let’s talk more about those discounts.

Significant discounts

If you were to pay for three separate unlimited data plans with US Mobile, you’d be paying $111—$126, depending on which data speed you chose. But, if you bundle those three lines together in a single account, your price goes down to $81–$96. Check it out.

These savings of $30+ dollars are significant for families (kids are already expensive enough, right?).

[H4] Extra perks

US Mobile’s individual plans are stripped down to just the basics: talk, text, and data. No special features or gimmicks. But when you pay for multiple lines on a family plan you can actually get some cool perks. Here’s what’s available.

With 2 Unlimited lines: Free subscription to Slacker Plus LiveXLive, Pandora Plus, or Apple TV Plus.
With 3 Unlimited lines: Your first perk (from the selection above) plus a subscription to Disney+with Hulu and ESPN Plus, Netflix Standard, Audible Membership, Spotify Family, or Apple Music Family.
With 4+ Unlimited lines: Your first and second perks (from those above) plus a subscription to Playstation Plus or Xbox Live Gold.

Yeah, US Mobile’s perks are not a measly $5 coupon or free tote bag. Those are some serious entertainment hookups that any family would be stoked to have.

What we don’t like

We’ll make this section quick because our complaints about US Mobile’s family plans are basically the same as those for the individual plans.

Deprioritization and hotspot data

As we said before, US Mobile customers are at risk of experiencing data slowdowns due to deprioritization. This is also true with the company’s family plans.

And if you want hotspot data, it will still cost you a cool $10 each month.

How do US Mobile’s family plans compare?

US Mobile’s unlimited data family plans aren’t just cheap. They’re the cheapest. Seriously, take a look at the chart below.

US Mobile family plans comparison

US Mobile coverage and performance

US Mobile will keep you connected through Verizon and T-Mobile

US Mobile doesn’t own its own cell phone network. Instead, it uses the Verizon and T-Mobile networks to offer service to its customers (which network you end up on depends on what kind of phone you have).

Let’s review the maps for these networks.

As you can see, both networks have awesome nationwide coverage (though Verizon’s is slightly better). But even if you’re getting full bars on one of these networks, you might still experience slow data with a US Mobile plan. Here’s why …

Throttling and deprioritization

MVNOs like US Mobile lease network bandwidth from larger companies (in this case, Verizon and T-Mobile). But those networks will still prioritize the data of their own customers, which means that US Mobile customers can get kicked to the back of the line, so to speak.

Customers may see slowdowns after they hit their data cap (which is 50 GB for US Mobile’s unlimited data plans) or when the network is busy. That means you could have trouble live streaming a parade or playing a video when you’re in a crowded bar.

US Mobile cell phones and devices

You knew there had to be a downside to US Mobile

Signing up for a new phone plan often makes you eligible for sweet discounts on new phones. Unfortunately, US Mobile doesn’t have much to offer.

The only phones that the company sells are popular Apple devices and a flip phone called the NUU F4L (whatever that is). These phones don’t seem to be discounted at all from the factory price, so you might as well buy an unlocked device and put your own SIM card in there.

For instance, here’s what it costs to buy an iPhone SE (2020) from US Mobile.

US Mobile customer service

US Mobile doesn’t buck the trend of middling customer service

US Mobile is a small company, which means there isn’t any hard data about customer satisfaction. But anecdotal evidence from online forums and the company’s app ratings suggest that US Mobile customers have had some frustrating experiences with setting up hotspots and paying bills.

But let’s be honest, no mobile company has great customer service. And US Mobile does maintain a 3.5-star rating on the Google Play store and a 4-star rating on the Apple App Store.

Recap: Is US Mobile right for you?

We’ve gone through US Mobile’s plans and performance with a fine-tooth comb. But, you want to know, what’s the TL;DR version of these US Mobile reviews? We’ve got you covered.

• Individual plans: US Mobile offers a ton of options for all kinds of customers. The company offers super cheap talk and text plans and a great deal on unlimited data plans. The biggest drawback is the lack of perks and the possibility of data slowdowns.
• Family plans: US Mobile’s cheap plans get even cheaper when you add extra lines. Plus, the company will throw in some surprisingly awesome perks for plans with three, four, and five lines. These family plans pack a lot of value for a little price.
• Performance: US Mobile uses the Verizon and T-Mobile networks to provide service, which means great coverage. But customers may notice some data slowdowns due to deprioritization and throttling.

That’s all we’ve got for you. If you want to know more about US Mobile, you’ll just have to sign up yourself.

Additional recommendations

US Mobile is one of the best discount carriers in the mobile industry. But you can save on more than just your phone bill. Here are some other companies that might help you save money on your monthly bills.

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