Buy in bulk
Mint Mobile
Pros
- Cheaper monthly rates
- Lots of plan options
- Unlimited talk and text
- Free hotspot access
- Works with most unlocked phones
Cons
- Coverage isn't quite as dense as Visible's
- Only 5GB hotspot data on unlimited plan
Mint Mobile uses T-Mobile to power its network, and while that means coverage isn't quite as expansive, you get a lot of bang for your buck. Plans are sold in bulk, meaning you have a bigger upfront cost but save a lot of money month-to-month. And, unlike Visible, you can use Mint Mobile with just about any Android phone.
No data limits
Visible
Pros
- Unlimited talk, text, and data
- Verizon's LTE and 5G network
- Free hotspot access
- Taxes and fees included
- Save more with Party Pay
Cons
- Only works with select Android phones
- No roaming
- Hotspot speed capped at 5Mbps
Want access to Verizon's incredible LTE network for a fraction of the cost? That's what Visible brings to the table. For just $40 per month all-in, you get unlimited talk, text, and data. There's an unlimited hotspot at 5Mbps, and 5G support is included with the right phone. If you've got great Verizon coverage, Visible can be a nice fit.
Visible and Mint Mobile are two of the most compelling carriers you'll find if you want a great deal on a lot of data and some of the best cell phone plans today. Visible is the easy choice and offers an insane amount of value for just $40 each month if you need the best possible coverage and have one of few supported Android phones. However, Mint Mobile is the better fit if you don't have a phone that works on Visible and already have good coverage with T-Mobile's network. Just be prepared to spend more money upfront.
Visible vs. Mint Mobile: What is Visible's plan like?
With Visible, things couldn't be simpler. There's just one plan to choose from, and it comes with unlimited talk, text, LTE, and 5G data. Visible expects customers to get LTE data speeds at 5 to 12Mbps, and many people see much more than that. For the most part, we got these speeds or better in our review.
Visible's LTE speed will be more than enough for most activities, including music and video streaming and social media. Visible will be slowed down like most other prepaid carriers in times of congestion, but it can lead to some unexpected delays.
Visible is also including 5G connectivity where it's available. Visible's 5G access is limited to 200Mbps, but since most of Verizon's 5G network is sharing LTE spectrum via DSS, you probably won't see speeds much faster than that most of the time.
Visible's plan includes free mobile hotspot usage (speeds are limited to 5Mbps) and costs $40 per month all-in — meaning that taxes and fees are included in the price. In other words, you'll pay exactly $40 for your bill every single month and not a penny more. Although, you can easily pay as low as $25 per month without needing to leave Visible's site.
Visible Party Pay allows you to join a party of other Visible customers, and as long as the party has four members or more, your bill is just $25 per month. While you used to need to know someone else with Visible or find a group on another site, Visible has launched a new community feature for its customers where they can easily join a party and reduce their bill. You can also get your next bill for $5 if you refer someone else to sign up.
Visible vs. Mint Mobile: Mint Mobile plan breakdown
Mint Mobile has a different way of doing things. Mint Mobile sells in bulk rather than paying for your plan month-to-month, as you do with just about every other provider. This means, you pay a higher upfront price, but you're saving a lot of money if you look at the monthly rate.
| 4GB | 10GB | 15GB | Unlimited | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months | $15/mo. ($45) $25/mo. renewal ($75) |
$20/mo. ($60 total) $35/mo. renewal ($105 total) |
$25/mo. ($75) $45/mo. renewal ($135 total) |
$30/mo. ($90) $40/mo. renewal ($120) |
| 6 months | $20/mo. ($120) | $25/mo. ($150) | $35/mo. ($210) | $35/mo. ($210) |
| 12 months | $15/mo. ($180) | $20/mo. ($240) | $25/mo. ($300) | $30/mo. ($360) |
If you need more data, it can be added at a rate of 1GB for $10 or 3GB for $20. You also can upgrade mid-cycle by paying the price difference if you find that you run out of data regularly.
You can buy plans in three, six, and 12-month increments with your choice of 4GB, 10GB, 15GB, or Unlimited LTE data. Unfortunately, the Unlimited plan is slowed to 2G speeds if you exceed 35GB of usage. Unlimited is also limited to 5GB of high-speed hotspot data. Even so, Mint Mobile has a package that will work for just about anyone.
Your monthly rate is cheaper as you buy more months in bulk. For example, if you got 15GB of data on a 12-month plan, you'd spend $300 upfront with that working out to $25/month. For comparison's sake, a three-month plan for 15GB of data retails for $45 per month (although it's currently discounted to $25 per month for your first three months). Mint Mobile allows for a lot more customization than Visible, and for almost all of the plans, your monthly rate is lower.
While Mint Mobile does not offer any discounts for having multiple lines on one account, Mint Family does allow you to manage them together. One benefit is that each person can have the amount of data that makes the most sense to them, and you can even request and share extra data from one line to another.
Visible vs. Mint Mobile: What is coverage like on Visible and Mint Mobile?
Both Visible and Mint Mobile have interactive coverage maps, allowing you to enter in your ZIP code and get a precise look at the coverage in your area so you can see what's best for where you live. Both have 5G coverage, though T-Mobile's 5G network is quite a bit larger than Verizon's at this point.
Verizon powers Visible, and over the years, Verizon's established itself as having the best coverage across the United States compared to every other carrier out there. Especially if you live in a rural area, chances are Verizon's got your back where other networks drop the ball.
It's worth mentioning that Visible does not support 3G and does not get access to Verizon's roaming partners. If you're currently on Verizon and have great coverage, it's worth double-checking the map anyways.
Comparatively, Mint Mobile uses T-Mobile. T-Mobile's network has improved a lot and is now better than it's ever been, but there are many places where Verizon's network is still superior. If you're only looking at 5G, though, T-Mobile is a clear winner. Most modern phones support T-Mobile's entire LTE network, but it might be time to upgrade if you use an older device. Much of T-Mobile's network improvement comes down to its 600MHz spectrum.
Luckily, Mint Mobile's online coverage map shows you exactly what kind of service you can expect so that you can be sure.
Visible vs. Mint Mobile: Only Mint Mobile offers international roaming
When it comes to international travel, Mint Mobile stands alone since Visible doesn't offer any international roaming. To stay connected while you're traveling abroad, all you have to do is purchase an UpRoam credit of $5, $10, or $20 that's added to your internatioanl roaming balance.
Mint Mobile charges $0.05 per text message sent, $0.25 per minute for calls, and $0.20 per megabyte in quite a few countries. In Mexico and Canada, prices are lower at $0.02 per text, $0.06 per minute, and $0.06 per megabyte. Mint's international pricing is pretty competitive, even with other carriers that offer international roaming.
Mint Mobile and Visible both offer free calling to Mexico and Canada for customers in the US.
Visible vs. Mint Mobile: What phones can you get on Mint Mobile and Visible?
A great carrier isn't so great if you can't use your phone on it, and unfortunately, that's where Visible takes a stumble.
Visible's network is all digital, which means that all of your calls on Visible will use VoLTE. VoLTE is still a little new for carriers in general, so for now, extra care is being taken to make sure devices work flawlessly. The list of supported phones has the biggest phones, but if you're the type that likes to try out less popular Androids, your device might not be supported.
Currently, all iPhones after the iPhone 6 are supported on Visible and numerous Android phones such as Samsung's Galaxy S21 series, the Google Pixel 4 and 5 series, the G7 Power and Z4 from Motorola, and OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro.
Mint Mobile really shines when it comes to supported phones. Since it's a GSM network, you can bring over virtually any unlocked Android phone and have it work perfectly fine. Of course, mint Mobile does sell devices, but if you already have one you'd like to use, you can get a SIM card for free and be on your way to great service. You can also buy an unlocked phone that works with Mint and bring it.
If you get a device that supports T-Mobile's 5G network, you will be able to access it on every Mint Mobile plan for no extra cost.
Visible vs. Mint Mobile: Which should you get?
Visible is a great fit for many people, and with Verizon's network backing it, pretty much everyone will have solid coverage except for its 5G offering, which is a bit on the spotty side. Though Visible is let down by its lack of phone support, very few prepaid options come close in value if you need unlimited data with an unlimited hotspot.
Mint Mobile takes the lead as a better overall pick thanks to massive phone support, a wide range of plans, and international options. While its plans are more complex, they're still simpler than most carriers with a straightforward way to save. With the growth of the T-Mobile network, including 5G, and the recent addition of an unlimited plan, Mint Mobile is the better choice for most people.
Buy in bulk
Mint Mobile
Save more by planning ahead
Mint Mobile saves you money by selling cell service in bulk. It also has strong support for unlocked phones, including 5G phones.
No data limits
Visible
For the data-hungry
Get Visible's simple unlimited plan on one of the best networks with LTE and 5G and even an unlimited hotspot.
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