A lot of people think of an MVNO as a carrier you get to just save money; but in the last few years, these carriers have become a stronger choice even for heavy users. A data-hungry user wants to have a fast and reliable internet everywhere they go. There are more options than ever for unlimited data on the , and the prices keep coming down as well. Our current favorite is because of its simplicity compared to other carriers.
Best Overall: Visible
Visible keeps things simple like no other carrier and one of the around. Besides being easy to understand, its service is , the prices are competitive, and there are no service contracts. Utilizing Verizon's LTE network, Visible has great coverage out of the gate. You should still check the to be sure.
Unlimited talk, text, and data are all included in the $40 per month price. Unlike some other unlimited plans, all of Visible's data is LTE with download speeds around 5-12Mbps in most areas, which is more than enough for most HD streaming or social media applications. This is rounded out with an unlimited hotspot at 5Mbps. If you join a party with up to three other Visible members you can bring your monthly cost down to $25 per month.
It's worth keeping in mind that Visible doesn't support every new or unlocked phone. You will need to keep an eye on its compatibility list in the Getting Started section of its to know for sure. You can also directly. Most modern iPhones and a few Android phones are available with more being added all the time. You also won't get any international service at all. If you are a traveler, you'll need to to stay connected abroad.
Pros:
- Unlimited talk, text, and LTE data
- Simple to understand
- Verizon LTE
- Unlimited hotspot (5Mbps)
- Save with Visible Party Pay
- No roaming
- No international roaming
- Limited phone selection
Visible
Verizon LTE without limits
Visible offers a great plan with unlimited everything, including a hotspot at 5Mbps, on one of the best networks in the country.
Best World Coverage: Google Fi
Google Fi's unlimited plan offers 22GB without interruption before being slowed down. Video streams could be limited to 480p quality, but Google hasn't been specific on when quality drops. This 22GB cap is more than most people will use, and starting at $70 for one line with the price per line decreasing with more line activations up to four at $45 each, Google Fi is still a good value. You can also use your data as a hotspot at will.
Google Fi is compatible with phones that are unlocked and compatible with T-Mobile's GSM network but works even better with phones designed specifically to work with Fi. These phones will get access to Sprint's and US Cellular's networks if T-Mobile has weak service. While T-Mobile's growing footprint narrows the gap between the two tiers all the time, if you want the best service possible, you'll need the most compatible phone possible. You can at Google Fi's website.
It's also a good idea to make sure you are covered on the to be sure Fi is right for you.
One thing that sets Google Fi apart from the crowd is its international roaming capabilities. In Google Fi users can use their phone's data like normal. For the world traveler, there really is no better value from another MVNO or even the carriers.
Pros:
- Large combined network
- Support for most phones
- International coverage
- 100GB Google cloud storage
- Slowed after 22GB
- Video quality may be low
Google Fi Unlimited
A great tool for traveling abroad
Google Fi expands its service with this unlimited plan for heavy users while offering great travel benefits and coverage of Fi.
Best Value: Mint Mobile
offers four data plans with 3GB, 8GB, 12GB, and unlimited options. The unlimited plan comes with 35GB of high-speed data and 5GB of hotspot data. Once you use 35GB in a month on the unlimited plan, your data speed is reduced to 2G speeds until the end of the month, which ends up being about 1,258Kbps. If you think you're going to exceed this limit, you should consider other options.
Mint Mobile has gained recognition thanks to the discounts it offers if you are willing to buy six or 12 months upfront. You must buy three months as the minimum term. Luckily, if you're hesitant about the service, you can get the first three months for the same monthly rate as the 12-month plan. Keep in mind that renewal will be at the three-month rate unless you upgrade before the end of your cycle.
Mint Mobile uses T-Mobile's network with access to both 4G LTE and 5G for no extra cost. You can manage up to four lines on one account so if Mint is a good fit, you can bring the whole family. You can buy a phone from Mint or bring an unlocked phone compatible with T-Mobile's network. Don't forget to before signing up.
Pros:
- Multi-line savings
- 5GB hotspot
- 5G support on T-Mobile
- Great phone support
- Must buy at least three months
- Heavily throttled after 35GB
Mint Mobile Unlimited
Buy the whole year for even greater savings
Mint Mobile's unlimited plan comes with 35GB of high-speed data and 5GB of hotspot data on T-Mobile's LTE and 5G network.
Best on AT&T: Cricket Wireless
AT&T has a massive network, and for a lot of people, it's worth it to have the coverage that comes with it. Coverage is always one of the most important factors when selecting a carrier, and you before signing up for service. Luckily, Cricket has a couple of great unlimited options available.
Cricket's cheaper Unlimited plan is limited to just 8Mbps, which should be fast enough for most standard usage but if you want to do a lot of downloading, it may start to feel limiting. You can also get some nice discounts if you bring multiple lines with a five-line package coming in at $125. If you need to connect a family, that's a great value. If you need more speed, you can get the Cricket More unlimited plan which removes the speed cap and adds a 15Gb hotspot.
Cricket sells a decent array of phones from its website, such as the Samsung Galaxy S20+, but is missing the cheaper S20 option. Still, most unlocked phones should work fine on Cricket, and you on Cricket's website.
Pros:
- Vast AT&T network
- Support for most phones
- Mexico and Canada roaming
- Multi-line savings
- 480p video streams
- Data speeds limited to 8Mbps
Cricket Unlimited
A massive network with unlimited data and no contract
Cricket leverages AT&T's LTE network to offer solid rates on unlimited data. You can also get great savings with up to five lines.
Best Multi-line: Walmart Family Mobile
Family Mobile offers a large amount of data on the T-Mobile network for a fairly standard price. Where it really stands out is when it comes to adding lines. While one line with unlimited data costs just under $50 per month, adding additional lines is only $25 each. With more than one line, the value really stands out.
As always, before signing up. As far as phones go, Walmart sells plenty of devices, though most of them are lower end, there are high-end phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S20 line. With the T-Mobile network, most unlocked phones .
Family Mobile isn't perfect, with its hotspot only coming with 5GB of data as well as videos only streaming at 480p. Still, if you are fine with these drawbacks and have coverage, Family Mobile can be a great value.
Pros:
- Save with more lines
- Support for most phones
- Uses T-Mobile network
- Only 5GB hotspot
- 480p video streams
Family Mobile Truly Unlimited
Available at your local Walmart
Walmart and T-Mobile come together to offer cheap data and great coverage and adding lines come in at a flat $25 per line.
Best Family Perks: US Mobile
US Mobile's unlimited plan is a great value, but it doesn't do enough to dethrone our overall pick. While it's great to have no cap on downloads, you are limited to 5Mbps unless you are willing to spend $5 more per month. 5Mbps is more than enough for general usage, including video and audio streaming, but will be noticeable when downloading larger chunks of data such as games or backup files. There is also a speed upgrade that comes with 5GB of hotspot data for $10.
As noted in our , US Mobile makes use of both the T-Mobile and Verizon LTE networks, depending on where you live. While US Mobile suggests that its Verizon based SIM will offer faster speeds, you can expect plenty of speed on either network as long as you've upgraded your speed.
US Mobile's best value comes with three or four unlimited lines. Not only are additional lines discounted but if you sign up for three lines, you get to choose from one of US Mobile's . These include video and audio streaming services as well as gaming services like PS Plus and Stadia Pro. You get to choose two perks with four lines.
Pros:
- Two networks to choose from
- Speed and hotspot upgrades available
- 5GB international data
- Streaming perks with three or four lines
- Speed limited to 5Mbps
- No hotspot in the base plan
- Poor phone selection
US Mobile Unlimited
Two networks and plenty of data
US Mobile's unlimited plans come to life with three or four lines thanks to the addition of streaming perks such as Netflix.
Max Data: Metro by T-Mobile
Metro by T-Mobile allows users to consume a massive 35GB of data before they are subject to data deprioritization. This is good if you want to use a lot of data and want your speeds to stay suitably snappy even when the towers are getting busy. The lower-priced unlimited plan, at $50 per month, includes 5GB of hotspot data and 100GB of Google One cloud storage.
Since Metro uses T-Mobile's network, it has the same coverage a T-Mobile customer would get, but you should always you're covered. It also means that nearly any unlocked phone should work, but you can always .
Metro sells some phones from its stores; you can see the models , which are mostly lower-end devices with more expensive phones available from Samsung and Apple. You can also save some money if you have multiple lines with the cost of additional lines discounted $20. A bigger plan is available for $10 more per month that comes with more hotspot data and an Amazon Prime membership.
Pros:
- 35GB before deprioritization
- 100GB Google cloud storage
- Save with more lines
- Support for most phones
- Only 5GB hotspot
- 480p video streams
Metro by T-Mobile Unlimited
A data-focused network
Make the most of the T-Mobile network with no contracts with Metro by T-Mobile. Unlimited data with savings for each additional line are a great value.
Bottom line
There's a lot to consider with all of these different plans, but the most important factor is going to be coverage. Not all MVNOs have access to the same towers, so it's important to check each one individually. Thanks to its great price, uncapped data speeds, strong network, and unlimited hotspot, continues to stand above the rest.
While another carrier like Google Fi is compelling for its massive roaming potential, Visible is the best balance and should be suitable for nearly any user. There's only one plan, but it's easy to understand, and you'll get everything you need for heavy data usage. You don't get international roaming, but for U.S.-based customers who don't travel often, you can't do much better.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Samuel Contreras When Samuel is not writing about networking, he spends most of his time researching computer components and obsessing over what CPU goes into the ultimate Windows 98 computer. It's the Pentium 3.