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Bulk savings
Mint Mobile
Pros
- Large T-Mobile network
- Hotspot on all plans
- 5G access included
- Multi-month discounts
- Unlimited plan available
Cons
- No multi-line discount
Mint Mobile delivers a solid network experience on T-Mobile's network with access to LTE and 5G if you have a phone that supports it. Mint has four plans to choose from, all of which get significantly cheaper if you're able to buy six months or a year upfront. If you know you have great T-Mobile coverage, Mint can be a great way to save.
Family savings
AT&T Prepaid
Pros
- Great coverage on the AT&T LTE network
- Unlimited available
- Discounts for multiple lines
- Multi-month discounts
- Data rollover
Cons
- 5G access is only on the top plan
- More expensive plans
AT&T Prepaid leverages AT&T's network to deliver great savings in a variety of ways. You can mix and match a family plan with multi-line saving and autopay discounts. You can also save with the 8GB plan with three or 12 months upfront. Data rollover helps you make the most of your smartphone, and 5G access is included with the Unlimited Plus plan.
Mint Mobile and AT&T Prepaid are based on completely different LTE and 5G networks that have both improved a lot this year. AT&T and T-Mobile trade blows for coverage and data speed depending on where you are and whether or not you have 5G. It's safe to say that most people should have at least LTE coverage on both networks. For a single, Mint Mobile has some of the best cell phone plans you can get, but when you start adding more lines, AT&T Prepaid's multi-line discounts can put it back on top.
Mint Mobile vs. AT&T Prepaid: How many lines do you need?
You can save a lot of money with a single line on Mint Mobile. The reduced introductory price, in addition to the discounted rates for buying more months at once, makes it an easy choice as long as you don't have multiple lines. While you can manage multiple lines from one account on Mint, there are no discounts for doing it. AT&T Prepaid wants you to bring the entire family and maybe a friend too. To do that, AT&T offers rather significant discounts for customers that are willing to bring four or five lines with them.
| Mint Mobile | AT&T Prepaid | |
|---|---|---|
| Network | T-Mobile | AT&T |
| 5G access | All plans | Unlimited Plus |
| Minimum period | 3 months | 1 month |
| Maximum period | 12 months | 12 month |
| Data rollover? | No | Yes |
| International | Available | Available |
| Multi-line discount | None | Available |
| Multi-month discount | All plans | 8GB plan (3 or 12 months) |
Mint Mobile vs. AT&T Prepaid: Mint Mobile's Plans
With Mint Mobile, you save money by buying data in bulk. Your savings increase with longer service terms. If you don't feel comfortable making that jump right off the bat, you can start with a three-month plan and renew it for 12 months to keep your introductory price even longer.
Each plan has a promotion that gives you the first three months for the same monthly cost as if you bought the whole year. This is great if you're unsure if Mint Mobile is the right fit for you if the 7-day guarantee isn't enough. You'll need to pay attention, though. After your three months end, your price will return to standard rates.
If you need a lot of data, you can go with Mint's unlimited plan that includes 35GB of high-speed data and 5GB of mobile hotspot data. All plans come with 5G connectivity if you have a compatible phone.
| 4GB | 10GB | 15GB | Unlimited | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months (introductory price) | $15/mo. ($45) | $20/mo. ($60) | $25/mo. ($75) | $30/mo. ($90) |
| 3 months | $25/mo. ($75) | $35/mo. ($105) | $45/mo. ($135) | $40/mo. ($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) |
You can add more high-speed data at a rate of $10 for 1GB or $20 for 3GB if you run out. You can also upgrade to the next plan if you feel you'll need more every month in the middle of your billing cycle.
Mint Mobile vs. AT&T Prepaid: AT&T Prepaid's plans
AT&T has four main plans plus one multi-month plan. The cheapest plan comes with 5GB of data, unlimited talk, and text. Next up is a 15GB plan with all of the same features plus usage in Mexico and Canada. Both of these plans have rollover data. Finally, there are two unlimited plans, the cheaper of which comes with no hotspot data, 5G access, or slowed when the network is congested.
The most expensive plan is Unlimited Plus, and it comes with 5G access, 10GB of hotspot data, HD streaming, and 22GB of high-speed data before being potentially slowed during congestion. If you want to watch HD video, be sure to disable Stream Saver in your AT&T account settings.
You can save with each of these monthly plans by signing up for autopay as well as bringing multiple lines. Each additional line up to five lines is reduced by $10 to $20 per line. You can also mix and match your plans. Keep in mind that only Unlimited and Unlimited Plus are eligible for auto-pay discounts.
There is also an 8GB plan available in three or 12-month chunks. Buying the full 12 months brings the monthly cost down to $25 per month and three months costs $33 per month. You will need to pay for the full term upfront like Mint Mobile. The 8GB plan also comes with HD streaming.
Mint Mobile vs. AT&T Prepaid: Get the right coverage
In years past, it would've been a foregone conclusion that the AT&T network was going to be better than T-Mobile's, but continued investment and additions, such as band 71, have helped the T-Mobile LTE network. AT&T has continued to invest in its network as well, and now both carriers trade blows for the fastest network.
Of course, you should check your coverage on both AT&T as well as Mint Mobile to be sure you will have a solid connection at home and anywhere you might go. Be sure to select "AT&T Prepaid" to see an accurate map since AT&T, like most carriers, provides more roaming coverage to postpaid customers than prepaid.
As far as 5G goes, T-Mobile's network is much larger and will grow faster in the next year, thanks to a spectrum advantage. Still, AT&T's 5G network is making up ground though it will be quite a while before it can match T-Mobile's capacity and coverage nationwide. It's also worth remembering that AT&T only offers 5G on the Unlimited Plus plan disappointingly.
Mint Mobile vs. AT&T Prepaid: International
Both Mint Mobile and AT&T Prepaid offer international calling. The rates to other countries can vary quite a bit, so you should check before you call. On AT&T Prepaid, you get free talk, text, and data usage in Mexico and Canada on all plans except the 5GB plan. You also get free calls and texts to Canada and Mexico. There are also add-on packages available containing a larger amount of service. You'll need to sign in to your AT&T account to see your options. If you need to make an international call with the 5GB plan, you'll have to pay a separate rate per minute that varies by country.
Mint Mobile's simplicity is refreshing with a flat rate of $0.05 per text, $0.25 per minute, and $0.20 per megabyte for countries on the supported list. Service in Mexico and Canada is reduced to $0.02 per text, S0.06 per minute, and $0.06 per megabyte. Mint Mobile includes calling to Mexico and Canada on all of its plans.
Mint Mobile vs. AT&T Prepaid: Which phones work?
AT&T Prepaid and Mint Mobile both sell phones on their websites. Mint Mobile offers many of the high-end devices you would expect from any carrier, such as the Galaxy S21 series or the Pixel 5 series phones. Mint Mobile also sells a selection of cheaper phones that will be a solid value to those that don't need a ton of power or wants a cheaper secondary phone.
AT&T Prepaid also sells phones on its website though these phones are cheaper devices. There are some decent devices available, but if you want something more premium, you'll need to buy it elsewhere and use the BYOD option to use it with AT&T Prepaid.
Both networks are compatible with all of the best Android phones though 5G on AT&T isn't supported on as many devices as T-Mobile. OnePlus phones, for example, work flawlessly with T-Mobile's 5G network but will be stuck on LTE with AT&T. You'll be able to check your phone when you sign up for service or by checking your IMEI in the BYOD tool on either carrier's website.
Mint Mobile vs. AT&T Prepaid: Which one should you get?
The answer here isn't that cut and dry. AT&T Prepaid offers a great value for a lot of people thanks to its multi-line discounts, but its more limited phone selection and higher cost with only one or two lines make it a tougher sale. With Mint Mobile, you get a much simpler approach with simple data packages and terms coming in three different sizes. If you have only a couple of lines and are willing to buy more months in advance, Mint Mobile is an easy choice.
Bulk savings
Mint Mobile
Great savings even on one line
Get plenty of data with 5G access and mobile hotspot included. Save money on your plan when you buy six months or a year upfront.
Family savings
AT&T Prepaid
Save more with the whole family
Mix and match AT&T Prepaid plans to make the perfect family plan with rollover data, mobile hotspot, and multi-month savings.
