Loyalty Savings
Verizon Prepaid
From $30/month at Verizon
Pros
- Massive Verizon LTE network
- Loyalty savings on data plans
- Wide range of plans
Cons
- No loyalty discount on the basic plan
Verizon Prepaid brings some great discounts to its massive LTE network. Loyalty savings reduce your bill by $5 per month after three months of service and $10 after nine months. Combined with some reasonably priced data plans, Verizon Prepaid offers a great value on a great network.
Long-term savings
Mint Mobile
From $15/month (12 months) at Mint Mobile
Pros
- Unlimited talk and text
- Free calls to Canada and Mexico
- Hotspot on all plans
Cons
- You must buy at least three months
- No unlimited data option
Mint Mobile has a great range of plans that will work for most people not including very heavy users. All plans come with unlimited talk and text with 2G data after your data allotment. You have to buy at least three months at a time but if you’re willing to buy six or twelve months at once, you can save quite a bit of money.
Verizon’s collection of prepaid plans feels like a great fit for many people. While there is still support for someone who doesn’t want any data, the 5GB and 15GB plans are a great fit for many people. For those that need it, there’s even an unlimited plan. Mint Mobile’s plans are still great for many people, especially if you can afford to pay for a full year of service, but Verizon Prepaid’s new plans will make more sense to more people.
Save now or later?
Verizon Prepaid’s current plans are geared towards heavier data users with the smallest data package coming in at 5GB and going all the way up to unlimited. These new plans do away with family plans and multi-line discounts for loyalty discounts that activate after your account is active for a few months.
Mint Mobile, on the other hand, asks for your loyalty upfront with discounts being given for longer terms. Mint Mobile’s plans are a great fit for many people but the commitment to six or 12 months for the maximum savings makes it less desirable as a prepaid plan.
| Network | Verizon | T-Mobile |
| Minimum term | 1 month | 3 months |
| Smallest data package | None | 3GB |
| Largest data package | Unlimited | 12GB |
Check your coverage first
Verizon’s LTE network isn’t necessarily the fastest around but it still has the best coverage. Chances are, you’re covered by Verizon’s LTE network but you can still check the coverage map to be sure.
Mint Mobile operates on T-Mobile’s network and while it’s not as big as Verizon’s network, it isn’t far off. Unless you live in a rural area, you’re probably covered. You can check out Mint Mobile’s coverage map for more information. Click on your area to see a precise depiction of your connection quality. T-Mobile has made a lot of progress in the past couple of years expanding its network so even if you had poor coverage before, it’s worth having another look.
Which phones work on Mint Mobile and Verizon Prepaid?
You can bring your own phone to Verizon Prepaid as long as it will work with the Verizon network. You can check your IMEI on Verizon’s site to be sure. If you’re ready for a new phone, there is a decent selection of new devices available with the notable exception of the Galaxy S20 series. Still, there are plenty of solid phones to choose from though you’ll need to pay full price for them.
Mint Mobile supports almost any unlocked phone that works on T-Mobile’s network, which means almost any unlocked phone. This is great if you want to keep your phone since you’ll be able to drop your Mint SIM card in and get connected right away. If you want to check to make sure your device will work, enter your IMEI in Mint Mobile’s compatibility checker. Alternatively, you can download the Mint Mobile app from the Google Play Store.
If you’re ready for something new, Mint Mobile has a healthy selection of both Android and iOS phones including the OnePlus 8 Pro and the new iPhone SE. Phones can be financed with Affirm.
What to know about Verizon Prepaid plans
Verizon Prepaid has four plans available starting with a talk and text plan for basic phones or someone that’s willing to use Wi-Fi exclusively for data. This is the only plan that isn’t eligible for the loyalty discount. The next step up adds 5GB of data along with the ability to use it as a hotspot. If you want to make calls to Mexico and Canada, it can be added for $5 per month.
The 15GB plan and the unlimited plan come with calls to Mexico and Canada. The Unlimited plan doesn’t come with any hotspot data but for $5 per month, you can get 10GB of data.
| Talk and text | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| High-speed data | None | 5GB | 15GB | Unlimited |
| Hotspot | None | Shared | Shared | $5 for 10GB |
| Calls to Mexico and Canada | $5 | $5 | Included | Included |
| Usage in Mexico and Canada | $5/day | $5/day | $5/day | Included |
| Price | $30 with auto pay | $35 with auto pay | $45 with auto pay | $60 with auto pay |
| Price after 3 months | $30 with auto pay | $30 with auto pay | $40 with auto pay | $55 with auto pay |
| Price after 9 months | $30 with auto pay | $25 with auto pay | $35 with auto pay | $50 with auto pay |
If you’re looking to travel to Mexico or Canada, you can add talk, text, and data for $5 per day on all of these plans except the unlimited plan, which already has it included. If you need to travel to Mexico or Canada frequently, this could be a great option.
What to know about Mint Mobile plans
Mint Mobile doesn’t have a traditional contract but instead offers discounts to customers willing to buy in for a longer-term. The minimum period for Mint Mobile is three months but the real savings come with 12-month terms. Mint does offer the first three months at the 12-month price so you don’t have to commit to the full year right away.
| 3 months | $15 per month ($45 total) $25 per month renewal ($75 total) | $20 per month ($60 total) $35 per month renewal ($105 total) | $25 per month ($75) $45 per month renewal ($135 total) |
| 6 months | $20 per month ($120) | $25 per month ($150) | $35 per month ($210) |
| 12 months | $15 per month ($180) | $20 per month ($240) | $25 per month ($300) |
Add data at a rate of $10 for 1GB or $20 for 3GB if you need more. You can also upgrade to the next plan up if you feel you’ll need more every month in the middle of your billing cycle.
Which is better for you?
Both providers offer good value for long term customers, with Mint Mobile asking for a commitment right off the bat. This will be fine for many people, but not everyone looking at a prepaid phone service will be able or willing to pay for an entire year of phone service at once. If you can, Mint Mobile is a great choice and hard to beat for value.
However, more people will likely be more comfortable with the way Verizon Prepaid has set up its plans and discounts. While many people will still overbuy with an unlimited plan, the extras like roaming data will make it worth it. For most people, Verizon Prepaid will be a better fit.
Loyalty Savings
Verizon Prepaid
A great LTE network with loyalty savings
From $30/month at Verizon
Verizon Prepaid has a strong range of data plans that work for most people and savings built-in if your account stays active.
Long-term savings
Mint Mobile
Savings in bulk
From $15/month (12 months) at Mint Mobile
Mint Mobile brings the cost of data down with terms of three, six, or 12 months with longer terms getting you a great deal on your plan.
