Mint Mobile vs Visible: A Comparison
If you’re looking for an alternative to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, there are a lot of prepaid carriers available in the US. Some are small independent companies; others belong to telecoms or one of the three major cellular networks. Two of the more popular prepaid carriers are Visible and Mint Mobile. Both are known for offering a lot of value, but there are a lot of differences between the two. In this guide, we compare Mint Mobile vs Visible to help you decide which carrier is right for you.
It should be noted that Visible is actually owned by Verizon, while Mint Mobile is an independent company (for now) and is partially owned by actor Ryan Reynolds. With that out of the way, let’s start by taking a look at a chart that shows how plans, pricing, data, and perks compare. From there, we’ll break down each section and give you a little more insight into the differences.
Plan Comparison:
| Plan | Cost | Talk & Text | Data | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mint 5GB | $75 for three months $120 for six months $180 for 12 months | Unlimited | 5GB LTE/5G access | Hotspot up to data limit |
| Mint 15GB | $105 for three months $150 for six months $240 for 12 months | Unlimited | 15GB LTE/5G access | Hotspot up to data limit |
| Mint 20GB | $135 for three months $210 for six months $300 for 12 months | Unlimited | 20GB LTE/5G access | Hotspot up to data limit |
| Mint Unlimited | $120 for three months $210 for six months $360 for 12 months | Unlimited | 40GB premium data Unlimited 4G/5G | 10GB hotspot access |
| Visible | $30 per month | Unlimited | Unlimited 4G LTE and 5G Nationwide | Unlimited hotspot access Unlimited talk and text in Mexico and Canada |
| Visible Plus | $45 per month | Unlimited | Unlimited 4G LTE and 5G Nationwide 5G Ultra Wideband access Premium network experience | Unlimited hotspot access Unlimited talk and text in Mexico and Canada International calling to 30 countries International texting to 200 countries |
Pricing and Value:
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority If all that matters to you is saving money, Mint Mobile wins the battle here but not without a catch. Unlike Visible, Mint Mobile requires you to pay for either 3, 6, or 12 months of service in advance. The best savings are definitely found in the 12-month plans, which can range from $180/yearly to $360/yearly. Translating that into a monthly rate, that’s like paying around $15 to $30 a month for service.
Don’t worry; you don’t have to jump right into paying a whole year at once to see the best rate. Mint Mobile offers an introductory 3-month plan that discounts down to the same low rates you’d see with the yearly plan. Once the first three months are up, you’ll have to pay more for the next three months or upgrade to a six or 12-month plan for better rates.
Mint Mobile is cheaper, but Visible has better unlimited data options. If you don’t mind the idea of paying once and then forgetting about it for a whole year, Mint Mobile makes a lot of sense. It’s probably less of a good deal if you only want to stick to the three or six-month plans. Unfortunately, the savings also start to evaporate when we talk about unlimited data.
Mint Mobile coverage vs Visible: How do they compare?
Mint Mobile and Visible are both prepaid services, but Visible’s parent company is Verizon. This means it technically owns its own towers. Mint Mobile is in talks to join T-Mobile, but for now, it is simply an independent company that licenses access to T-Mobile’s network. This is called an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator). In reality, this doesn’t make a huge difference in terms of coverage or reliability, but it does mean Visible has a bit more control over the network it uses than Mint Mobile does.
Coverage Comparison:
There are certainly pros and cons for each carrier when it comes to coverage. Let’s start with Visible.
Visible is backed by the world’s more extensive network. Verizon tends to be a reliable option for both city dwellers and rural folks, though it’s not without dead zones. While postpaid Verizon accounts have the advantage of roaming arrangements to fill in any holes, the same won’t apply to Visible’s prepaid service. The good news is it will rarely be an issue.
I live in the middle of nowhere, Missouri, and have traveled across the Midwest extensively. In my time, I’ve found the service rarely has dead zones, but there are some areas in Nebraska and Kansas in particular that really only are served by US Cellular.
Mint Mobile, on the other hand, uses the T-Mobile network. While it’s not as extensive as Verizon’s network, it is getting very close. T-Mobile has done a wonderful job spreading LTE and 5G to nearly every corner of the US. Even in rural areas like Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, I have no trouble using T-Mobile or any MVNO that works with its towers. Just like Verizon, you will run into pockets where coverage is non-existent, so it’s always good to check the Mint’s official coverage map to make sure the carrier will be a good fit for you.
Overall, Visible has a slight advantage when it comes to coverage, but the gap is much smaller than it used to be.