5 Of The Best T-Mobile Alternatives If You're Switching Mobile Service Providers
As great as T-Mobile can be, it's far from a perfect option. Sure, the major provider offers everything from entertainment perks to special home internet deals to national 5G coverage. But like every carrier, for all of T-Mobile's fair share of pros, its cons might not make it the best fit for you.
The brand's plans have been set at increasingly high prices, with its Go5G plan tying with Verizon as one of the most expensive options. Additionally, while T-Mobile's 5G network is rated among the best nationwide, its 4G/LTE coverage is far weaker when compared to other providers, especially in rural areas. Any of these factors may indicate that T-Mobile isn't the best fit for you or your lifestyle.
The good news is that you don't always have to turn to the big boys to get great all-around service. There's no shortage of smaller mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) that use the wireless capacity of the bigger providers, delivering some of the same nice perks at a more affordable rate. The following selection was chosen based on a combination of data offered, cost factors, user reviews, and industry opinions. More about our selection process can be read at the end of this article.
Mint Mobile
Mint Mobile's reputation has only grown since its introduction in 2016. With prices for other carriers spiking in recent years, Mint has remained ahead of the curve by keeping its overhead costs low and offering plenty of perks and discounts while still providing exceptional service.
Mint, an MVNO under T-Mobile's network, currently offers an introductory rate for all its plans at $15 for the first three months, equating to $45. While that means you have to pay a bit more upfront, it still makes for a safe way to test out the service and see if it's right for you, whereas T-Mobile doesn't allow for such a safety net. Additionally, you can download the Mint Mobile on the iOS App Store or Google Play for a one-week free trial of the service. After the three-month period comes to an end, you have the choice of paying $25 a month for 5GB, $35 a month for 15GB, $45 a month for 20GB, or $40 for Unlimited data. Compared to T-Mobile's cheapest plan which starts at $50 for one line, it's easy to see Mint's value.
Mint's tethering hotspot is part of your overall data allowance, meaning that the more you use your phone as an internet source the faster you'll run out of data, which may be a deal breaker if you travel a lot. Also keep in mind that after your initial three months with the provider, you will have to commit to paying a higher rate if you only commit to three or six months of service. You only get the best price if you buy a full year of service.
Google Fi
Of the many MVNOs under T-Mobile, Google Fi is easily one of its most versatile and dependable. No matter your lifestyle, there's bound to be a Google Fi plan that has what you need and then some.
Google Fi carries three distinct plans to choose from. Flexible allows you to only pay for the data you use, with a base price of $20 a month with every additional line costing $15 plus an added $10 per gigabyte, with your data slowed down once you hit 15GB. Next is Simply Unlimited, which goes for between $50 and $150 per month for between one and six lines. Its 35GB of data and additional 5GB of hotspot tethering is more than sufficient for most. If not, then there's the Unlimited Plus plan that goes from $65 for one line to $240 for six and 50GB of data plus free 100GB of Google One storage.
What sets Google Fi apart from the crowd is its travel capabilities. While T-Mobile makes you pay $0.25 per minute for most international calls, the Unlimited Plus Google Fi plan allows you to call 50 countries outside North America for free with affordable options for other locations. Similarly, unless you're an iPhone user, your hotspot service will also work smoothly when traveling outside the United States. While most of its best perks require you to be on its premium plan, it doesn't change Google Fi's rightful place as one of the best bang-for-your-buck phone plans on the market.
Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile is yet another economical option for those seeking a good alternative to more pricey providers. Its wide array of unlimited plans, flexible pre-pay options, and generous data allowance have made Boost a very attractive choice.
Three out of Boost's four plan options offer unlimited coverage. Buyers can choose between a 5GB plan for $15 a month, Unlimited without mobile hotspot for $25, Unlimited plan with 12GB of mobile hotspot for $40, or Unlimited Plus with 30GB of mobile hotspot for $60. Given the bare bones allotment for the $15 plan, you're probably best off going with the $25 option, which platforms such as Whistle Out and Clark have commended as providing more than sufficient 4G/LTE and 5G coverage and download speed. While Boost offers three-month and yearly plans, with one of its yearly plans even going as low as $8.33 a month for 1GB of data, customers are not required to sign up for one as is the case with Mint Mobile.
There are some notable factors to keep in mind with Boost. Signing up online can be a tricky process, as the site will not let you know if your phone is eligible to pair with the service or not before paying. Additionally, if using your older phone, there's a $25 activation fee which is not disclosed right away online. As a result, it's best to sign up in person at a T-Mobile store. You are also unable to choose between AT&T and T-Mobile as your network provider when signing up, which can be an issue if you live in an area where one service is weaker than the other.
Visible
While T-Mobile has plenty of great MVNOs under its belt, that doesn't mean other major providers should be left out of the conversation. If Verizon is a better option for your area, then Visible might be your best bet, with numerous perks worth discussing. This plan delivers on Verizon's acclaimed 4G/LTE and 5G network while cutting down on much of the confusion of other brands with only two simple unlimited plan options.
Its Basic Unlimited plan offers unlimited talk and text in all of North America along with unlimited data and hotspot for only $25 per month. For only $20 more a month, you can get the Visible+ Premium Unlimited plan with the same features at greater speed, along with additional international perks such as 2GB data use in Mexico and Canada and calls and texts to over 200 countries. It even grants users a monthly Global Pass day, which allows for 2GB of high-speed data and unlimited minutes and texts in more than 140 countries, with the ability to get more during the month for an additional $10 per day. It's important to note that the Global Pass days do not roll over month-to-month. Additionally, you can get data for your smartwatch for no additional charge, which is also a nice perk.
There isn't much bad about Visible, although you should check to ensure your area works well with Verizon's service. Visible also has removed some helpful features in recent years, most notably its Party Pay program, which offered special discounts and individual billing for multiple lines.
Tello
If money is your biggest conundrum with T-Mobile but you still want to be on its 5G and 4G/LTE network, then Tello is worth looking into. Whereas other providers only offer you a handful of plans to choose from, Tello puts you in charge of picking what works best for you.
Tello sets itself apart from the competition by allowing users to customize their plan by letting them choose how much data and texting minutes they intend to use per month. These plans can go as low as $5 a month for no data and 100 text messages and up to $25 for unlimited text and data. Even at its highest, Tello tops a good majority of other providers when it comes to prices. Additionally, you can call and text for free to Mexico, Canada, and India, along with more than 60 other countries with whatever minutes are left on your account.
Tello currently holds a stellar 4.5 rating on TrustPilot, a significantly higher score than even Mint Mobile and Visible. Keep in mind that if you rely on your phone a lot for internet connection, it will likely run out quickly with only 5GB of hotspot tethering.
Why we chose these plans
When deciding what phone plans made this list, they needed to offer a significant advantage over T-Mobile. In most cases, this was cost-related, given how expensive T-Mobile's plans have gotten over time. Most of these provider's most expensive unlimited plans were in the $60 range, often only being slightly more expensive than T-Mobile's cheapest plan options. Others, such as Google Fi, offered significantly better call, text, and data perks for travelers and frequent data users compared to T-Mobile. Ultimately, we aimed to find as diverse an array of budgetary and lifestyle options as possible to accommodate a wide range of needs.
Overall reception to these brands was also important. While we have had our own experience with and written about some of these providers before, it was crucial that our picks were also well-regarded by other users and industry professionals. Trusted platforms such as Whistle Out, Wired, TrustPilot, and Tom's Guide all gave these carriers their seals of approval, oftentimes testing each out for a month or so before recommending them.