You may not know this but there are well over 50 cell phone carriers in the United States.
These low-cost carriers, known as MVNOs, are powered by one or more of the big 4 networks.
They generally offer much cheaper phone plans which are customizable based on your usage. This means that you can get big network coverage, without paying big network prices!
In this guide, we rank and evaluate our top picks based on coverage, plans, and overall value.
Read on to find the best cell phone carrier for your budget and needs!
The Best Cell Phone Carriers of February 2020
- Best Sprint Carrier: Tello 4GB - $19/mo
- Best T-Mobile Carrier: Mint Mobile 8GB - $20/mo
- Best AT&T Plan: PureTalk 5GB - $22.50/mo
- Best Verizon Plan: Reach Mobile 5GB - $30/mo
- Best Overall Plan: Mint Mobile 8GB - $20/mo
Cell Phone Carrier Comparison Chart
| Carrier | Nationwide Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tello | Sprint 4G LTE | 4GB | $19 |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile 4G LTE | 8GB | $20 |
| PureTalk USA | AT&T 4G LTE | 5GB | $30 |
| Reach Mobile | Verizon 4G LTE | 5GB | $45 |
Best Sprint MVNO Carrier: Tello
Pros
- Flexible plans up to 10 GB of high-speed data
- Free texting with all plans
- Change your plan any time
- Unlimited 2G data
Cons
- Only CDMA or global phones compatible
- No unlimited data plan
Best Value MVNO Plan: Tello 4GB
| Network | Sprint |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | CDMA |
| Mobile Hotspot | Yes |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | Yes - Includes Mexico, Canada & China |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 3 days |
Best Cheap MVNO Carrier: Tello 1GB
| Network | Sprint |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | CDMA |
| Mobile Hotspot | Yes |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | Yes - Includes Mexico, Canada & China |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 3 days |
Sprint National 4G LTE Coverage Without Sprint Prices
Sprint vs Tello Price Comparison
Keep your Sprint phone, number & coverage: Save $492 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | Sprint 4G LTE | Unltd* | $60/mo | $720/yr |
| Tello | Sprint 4G LTE | 4GB | $19/mo | $228/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $41/mo | $492/yr | |
Best T-Mobile MVNO Carrier: Mint Mobile
Pros
- Simple, affordable plans
- Free text and talk with all plans
- Unlimited 2G data
- Free SIM card kit
Cons
- Only GSM or global phones compatible
- Only sold in lots of 3, 6, or 12 months
- No unlimited data plan
Best Value MVNO Plan: Mint Mobile 8GB
| Network | T-Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | GSM |
| Mobile Hotspot | Yes |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - 3 mths prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | Yes - Includes Mexico & Canada |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 7 days |
Best Cheap MVNO Plan: Mint Mobile 3GB
| Network | T-Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | GSM |
| Mobile Hotspot | Yes |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - 3 mths prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | Yes - Includes Mexico & Canada |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 7 days |
T-Mobile National 4G LTE Coverage Without T-Mobile Prices
T-Mobile vs Mint Mobile Price Comparison
Keep your T-Mobile phone, number & coverage: Save $600 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | T-Mobile 4G LTE | Unltd* | $70/mo | $840/yr |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile 4G LTE | 8GB | $20/mo | $240/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $50/mo | $600/yr | |
Best AT&T MVNO Carrier: PureTalk USA
Pros
- Good plan selection
- Unlimited talk and text with all plans
- Unlimited 2G data
- Clean, user-friendly website
Cons
- No unlimited data plan
- International calling requires add-on calling card
Best Value MVNO Plan: PureTalk USA 5GB
| Network | AT&T |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | GSM |
| Mobile Hotspot | n/a |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | n/a |
| Money Back Guarantee | n/a |
Best Cheap MVNO Plan: PureTalk USA 1GB
| Network | AT&T |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | GSM |
| Mobile Hotspot | n/a |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | n/a |
| Money Back Guarantee | n/a |
AT&T National 4G LTE Coverage Without AT&T Prices
AT&T vs PureTalk USA Price Comparison
Keep your AT&T phone, number & coverage: Save $562 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | AT&T 4G LTE | Unltd* | $75/mo | $900/yr |
| PureTalk USA | AT&T 4G LTE | 5GB | $30/mo | $338/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $45/mo | $562/yr | |
Best Verizon MVNO Carrier: Reach Mobile
Pros
- Good pricing for lower data users
- Unlimited talk and text
- Unlimited data plan available
- User-friendly website and app
Cons
- No international service
- Does not sell devices
- Expensive for heavy data users
Best Value MVNO Plan: Reach Mobile 5GB
| Network | AT&T, Verizon |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | GSM & CDMA |
| Mobile Hotspot | n/a |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | n/a |
| Money Back Guarantee | n/a |
Best Cheap MVNO Plan: Reach Mobile 3GB
| Network | AT&T, Verizon |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | GSM & CDMA |
| Mobile Hotspot | n/a |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | n/a |
| Money Back Guarantee | n/a |
Verizon National 4G LTE Coverage Without Verizon Prices
Verizon vs Reach Mobile Price Comparison
Keep your Verizon phone, number & coverage: Save $465 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | Verizon 4G LTE | Unltd* | $80/mo | $960/yr |
| Reach Mobile | Verizon 4G LTE | 5GB | $45/mo | $495/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $35/mo | $465/yr | |
Best Overall Carrier: Mint Mobile
Best Value Cell Phone Plan: Mint Mobile 8GB
| Network | T-Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | GSM |
| Mobile Hotspot | Yes |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - 3 mths prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | Yes - Includes Mexico & Canada |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 7 days |
MVNO Carriers Offer the Best Value for Money
MVNOs - Mobile Virtual Network Operators - rent tower usage from the major carriers in order to provide you with the same LTE coverage, but at a lower premium.
For example, Metro by T-Mobile (formerly known as MetroPCS) is a T-Mobile MVNO. This means that if you're on MetroPCS, your phone runs on the T-Mobile network. Consumer Cellular is another T-Mobile MVNO, however, Consumer Cellular utilizes a combination approach, using the AT&T network as well to enhance carrier coverage. Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile are both solely on the Sprint network.
MVNO Benefits:
There are multiple reasons to go with these alternative wireless carriers:
- Service on the same reliable network you're used to
- Cheaper by 50% or more
- Custom plans so you don't overpay for features you don't need
- No contracts or overage charges
- Easy to bring your own phone and keep your phone number
- Great customer service ratings
- Simple to switch by ordering a SIM card online
Best Unlimited Data Plan: Tello
| Network | Sprint |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | CDMA |
| Mobile Hotspot | Yes |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | Yes - Includes Mexico, Canada & China |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 3 days |
For cheap unlimited data on the Sprint network, you can't go wrong with Tello.
- Bring your phone and number to save even more.
- They have very affordable international rates.
Best Family Phone Plan: Mint Mobile
| Network | T-Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | GSM |
| Mobile Hotspot | Yes |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - 3 mths prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | Yes - Includes Mexico & Canada |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 7 days |
Even though it doesn't technically sell "family plans", we still love Mint for the whole family for several reasons:
- You can customize the amount of data for each line.
- It's insanely cheap for the amount of high-speed data you get.
- You can add more data to a line any time you want.
- The data isn't shared - if your teenager rips through all theirs, you don't suffer for it.
- The T-Mobile network is reliable and fast.
Best Unlimited Talk & Text Plan: Tello
| Network | Sprint |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | CDMA |
| Mobile Hotspot | Yes |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | Yes - Includes Mexico, Canada & China |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 3 days |
- Wide range of cheap low usage phone plan options
- Unlimited text messaging with all plans
Best Senior Phone Plan: Twigby
| Network | Verizon & Sprint |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | CDMA |
| Mobile Hotspot | Yes |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | Yes - Includes Mexico, Canada & China |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 30 days |
Twigby - a Sprint and Verizon MVNO - is a great plan for seniors because of its flexibility and low pricing.
- You can choose basic service for devices like flip phones.
- Smartphone data is available in small increments, which means you don't pay for unnecessary data.
- Twigby offers an introductory discount for the first six months of service.
- Global texting is included with all plans.
Best Cheap Prepaid Plan: Tello
| Network | Sprint |
|---|---|
| Data Speed | 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | CDMA |
| Mobile Hotspot | Yes |
| Bring Your Phone | Yes |
| Keep Your Number | Yes |
| Contract | No - prepaid |
|---|---|
| Credit Check | No |
| Customer Service | 24/7 |
| International Calls | Yes - Includes Mexico, Canada & China |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 3 days |
While this Sprint MVNO doesn't offer the cheapest cell phone plans for data-hungry users, it's perfect for light to medium users who want to fine tune exactly what they pay for.
- Plans start at $5 a month.
- Choose between zero and 10 GB of high-speed data.
- Texting is free with all plans.
Which Network Provides the Best Coverage?
1. Verizon Coverage
Verizon has long enjoyed a reputation for being the most reliable wireless network available. Mobile performance analyst RootMetrics agrees, rating Big Red first in reliability, speed, and overall service quality.
As far as Verizon Wireless coverage, however, OpenSignal reports that T-Mobile has edged Verizon out in terms of availability. The gap is tiny though, with T-Mobile customers receiving a 4G signal 92% of the time and Verizon customers sitting at 93% 4G availability.
2. T-Mobile Coverage
As I mentioned earlier, T-Mobile has made great strides and by some measurements has overtaken long-time leader Verizon in terms of coverage and speed. This is all thanks to several technology upgrades the network continues to invest in.
T-Mobile boasts over 92% consistency with its 4G signal, and covers more than 99% of the US population. T-Mobile download speeds are no joke either, with OpenSignal reporting averages of more than 19.4 Mbps, a hefty advantage over Verizon's 17.8 Mbps.
3. AT&T Coverage
In terms of AT&T coverage, the carrier comes in third among the big four networks. Customers have a 4G LTE signal about 87% of the time, putting AT&T just ahead of Sprint coverage. AT&T's main coverage struggle is in rural areas.
As far as speed, reliability, text and call quality, and overall performance, RootMetrics puts AT&T in second place in every category it measures.
4. Sprint Coverage
Sprint has battled for years to lift itself out of last place, not only in terms of coverage but reliability and speed as well.
Sprint coverage gives you a 4G signal 86% of the time. Even though Sprint customers enjoy a fairly high percentage of 4G availability, the network labors under its lack of widespread 4G LTE service.
Recap
Regardless of whether your priority is top-notch customer service, unlimited talk and text, or a cheap prepaid plan, you can look at every cell phone carrier and plan we've researched using our cell phone plan comparison tool.
Take a look at the cell phone coverage maps first to make sure you have service where you live.
Don't forget you can also save over half on your device when you buy a refurbished smartphone!
