Mint Mobile makes mobile data easier than Straight Talk
Simple data savings
Mint Mobile
From $15 per month at Mint Mobile
Pros
Large T-Mobile network
Compatible with most phones
Simple plans
Hotspot on each plan
Cons
Max of 12GB of data
Only one network
One of Mint Mobile's greatest accomplishments has been making choosing the right phone plan simple. With three data sizes and three duration amounts, it's easy to find out which package works for you. You save money by buying more months at a time making Mint Mobile an even better deal.
Great variety
Straight Talk
From $30 per month at Straight Talk
Pros
Choose from four networks
Bring nearly any unlocked phone
Unlimited plan available
Cons
Plans get expensive
Hotspot not available with all plans or networks
Straight Talk has a large variety of plans starting at just 100MB and going up to unlimited data. You can also use any of the four major carrier networks depending on which one has the best coverage for you or works with your phone. You can even save some money with multi-line plans or by buying longer terms up to a year.
Straight Talk offers a ton of great options making it one of the easiest choices if you just need something that works without worrying too much about network compatibility. Still, Mint Mobile's simpler approach and data sizes that work for most people help it to be a great choice when you want to get as much service as possible for your money.
Spoiled for choice
Straight Talk's name implies simplicity but as you get deeper into its plans, it gets progressively more difficult to keep the facts straight. While just about anyone can find a Straight Talk plan that will work for them, it's easy to overbuy data and doesn't offer much in the way of discounts. Mint Mobile manages to keep things simple with plans that work for most people with savings tied directly to how many months you're willing to buy. Someone that used more than 12GB of data regularly will find better options with Straight Talk but most people will be well served by Mint's options.
Mint Mobile
Straight Talk
Network
Value
Value
Hotspot
Value
Value
Minimum data
3GB
100MB
Maximum data
12GB
Unlimited
Minimum term
3 months
1 month
Maximum term
12 months
12 months
Coverage
Mint Mobile only uses the T-Mobile network but for most people, that's fine. This network has become quite competent in the past few years and with its past upgrades, the T-Mobile network currently covers the majority of Americans with decent speeds. You can check your coverage with Mint Mobile to be sure.
Straight Talk has an...