Mint Mobile Review: Cheap phone plan but is it any good?
Mint Mobile is an MVNO, I know so many acronyms everywhere. Nevertheless, MVNO stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operator, or in simpler terms, a reseller. Mint purchases in bulk from T-mobile and resells the packages to pre-paid consumers.
UPDATE:
Mint Mobile has announced a $30 unlimited plan in addition to their 3 other plans.
So how is Mint Mobile so much cheaper than T-Mobile pre-paid if it’s on the same network? it’s all about the margins and frills. From Mint you aren’t going to get the free Disney+ or Spotify or whatever new partnerships T-Mobile offers, but you will get great pricing, good coverage, and convenient packages. But that is not to say you won’t get good customer service.
I have been with Mint Mobile since 2017 (Mint Sim back then) when I had enough with AT&T and paying $70+ for a single line. When I was finally out of my contract I went online looking for options. Of course, there were standards like Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc., but then I stumbled on Mint Mobile. Honestly, what got me was their cute Fox spokesperson. Sure, Ryan Reynolds, the newcomer is supposed to be a Hollywood heartthrob, but to me, it’s all about that sassy fox. I mean c’mon, look at that fox below!
What phones will work with Mint?
Since Mint work’s on T-Mobile’s network, unlocked GSM phones will work just fine. Get your IMEI of your phone by dialing *#06# and check on Mint’s website to make sure your phone is compatible. If not, Mint offers phones on their website with the ability to pay monthly through Affirm. There are some great deals on eBay for unlocked GSM phones with tons of choices.
The entire set-up from picking your plan to making your first call is quite painless. Mint Mobile’s how-to videos are short, simple, and easy to follow.
Here is the hardest part about Mint Mobile, configuring the MMS & Data setting. If you can do this, then everything else is so easy you probably can do it blindfolded. But please don’t, who knows what you might type in that test text message!
Mint Mobile Plans (2020):
Right now there is an introductory plan that starts at $15 a month, making it $45 for 3 months. Thinking back to when I was on contract with AT&T and paying more $70+ a month I feel like doing a facepalm about how much money I was wasting. Of course, there are different tiers of data and different pre-paid buckets: 3, 6, and 12 months.
Now that you know how Mint Mobile works, let’s cover the pros and cons:
Pro
- Great pricing, including renewal pricing
- Easy to activate with great tutorials and videos
- Free Universal Sim Card
- T-Mobile Network
- 4G and they are getting ready for 5G
- Bring your own phone or buy one of theirs
- 7 Day money back
- Your data does NOT get throttled unlike many other pre-paid plans
- No contract and no overages
- Cool spokesperson, oh yeah Ryan Reynolds too
Con
- Higher renewal rates go from $15 to $25 a month for a 3-month package (lower if you get longer terms)
- 45 days to activate your sim card when you buy
- You have to buy a minimum of 3 months at a time
- There are no “extras”, just the phone plan
- You have to activate the phone yourself (online only)
- No visual voicemail (If your phone is Google Voice capable you can use that)
Conclusion:
If you are someone that just wants good phone service and doesn’t need a lot more than that, Mint Mobile is a great choice for you. Mint Mobile has good reviews with most people stating the savings being the #1 reason why they like them.
The Skinny:
The Hustle Team is an affiliate of Mint Mobile as well as users. You don’t have to click through our link, but we’d appreciate it!