Mint Mobile and Visible are two of the names that come up first when people look for a cheap unlimited plan. They look alike on paper: online-only, prepaid, no contract, an unlimited plan around $25 to $30 a month. Underneath, they work very differently. One runs on T-Mobile and makes you pay months in advance; the other runs on Verizon, bills monthly and includes taxes in the price. This guide puts them side by side so you can see which one fits you.
What you actually pay
The two brands price their plans in very different ways, which makes the headline numbers misleading.
- Mint Unlimited is sold in terms of 3, 6 or 12 months, paid at once. On the 12-month term it costs $360 a year, or $30 a month. New customers can currently buy a 6-month term for $10 a month ($60 up front); after that it renews at the regular 6-month price of $35 a month. Taxes and fees come on top, added at checkout.
- Visible costs $25 a month, billed monthly, with taxes and fees included. If you prefer, you can pay for a year at once: $275 for the basic plan or $375 for Visible+, which brings the monthly average down further.
To compare fairly, we use the Pickr Price: the average monthly cost over the first 12 months, with intro offers and up-front payments worked in. Here is how the plans stack up for one line:
| Plan | How you pay | Pickr Price /mo | Two years, one line | Taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mint Unlimited, 6-month intro | $60 for 6 months, then $35/mo | $22.50 | $690 | Extra |
| Mint Unlimited, 12 months | $360 per year | $30 | $720 | Extra |
| Visible | $25 every month | $25 | $600 | Included |
| Visible+ | $35 every month | $35 | $840 | Included |
Two-year totals assume you keep the same plan and, for the Mint intro, renew on 6-month terms. Mint's renewal price applies to the regular 6-month term; switching to a 12-month term at renewal brings it to $30 a month.
What this shows: the Mint intro offer is the cheapest first year, but it is an intro price. From month seven you pay more than Visible, and taxes still come on top. Over two years the basic Visible plan is the cheapest of the four, even before Mint's taxes and fees (which depend on where you live) are added.
Network: T-Mobile vs. Verizon
This is the decision that matters most, and it has nothing to do with price. Mint uses T-Mobile's network (T-Mobile owns Mint). Visible uses Verizon's network (Verizon owns Visible). Each gets the same towers as its parent's own customers.
T-Mobile is known for fast 5G in and around cities; Verizon for wide coverage, including rural areas. Neither is better everywhere. Before choosing, check the coverage map on each carrier's website for your home address, your work and any place you travel to often, or ask neighbors which network works for them. A cheap plan on a network with weak signal at home is no bargain.
If you cannot decide, US Mobile lets you pick Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile per line and switch later.
Speed when towers are busy
Both brands are cheaper partly because their customers get lower priority than the big carriers' premium plans when a tower is congested. On a quiet tower you will not notice; in a packed stadium or at rush hour you might. Our guide MVNO vs. major carrier explains how deprioritization works in practice.
- Mint Unlimited: unlimited, may be slowed after 50 GB when busy. Mint also runs with lower priority than T-Mobile's own premium plans.
- Visible (basic): no premium data at all. Visible's own wording is that in times of traffic your data may be temporarily slower than other traffic. It also does not use Verizon's fastest 5G Ultra Wideband network.
- Visible+: unlimited premium data, 5G Ultra Wideband. This is one of the cheapest ways to get priority data on Verizon.
If you use a lot of data in crowded places, Visible+ at $35 is the stronger plan of the four. If you mostly use Wi-Fi at home and work, the basic plans are fine.
Hotspot and video
| Mint Unlimited | Visible | Visible+ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotspot | Up to 20 GB | Unlimited at up to 5 Mbps | Unlimited at up to 10 Mbps |
| Video | Standard definition | Up to 480p | Up to 1080p on 5G Ultra Wideband, 720p elsewhere |
The hotspot difference is worth a second look. Mint gives you a set amount: up to 20 GB a month. Visible gives you an unlimited amount at a capped speed. At 5 Mbps you can work on email, documents and video calls in normal quality, but downloading a large file or streaming in HD to a laptop will feel slow. If you tether a laptop for real work, Visible+'s 10 Mbps cap or Mint's 20 GB allowance will serve you better than the basic Visible hotspot.
Calls and travel abroad
- Visible includes unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada. Visible+ adds roaming in Mexico and Canada (2 GB of high-speed data a day) and one Global Pass day per month for use in other countries; extra Global Pass days start at $5 a day.
- Mint includes calling to Mexico and Canada. For data abroad, a travel eSIM is usually cheaper than Mint's add-ons.
For trips outside North America on either brand, our guide to the best eSIMs for travel compares the cheaper options.
Signing up and switching
Both brands are online only, with no stores. You sign up on the website or in the app, bring your own phone, and can keep your number by entering your old carrier's account number and transfer PIN. Our step-by-step guide on keeping your number when you switch shows where to find both.
Two things to check first: that your phone is unlocked, and that it is compatible with the network you are moving to. Both carriers have a compatibility checker on their site. If you buy a phone from Visible, keep in mind that since January 2026 it unlocks only after 365 days of paid service, on request.
Who should pick which
Choose Visible if:
- Verizon's signal is strong where you spend your time.
- You want to pay month to month with no money tied up in advance.
- You like knowing the exact price: $25 is what you pay, taxes included.
- You want priority data without paying big-carrier prices: then go for Visible+ at $35. (Visible+ Pro at $45 adds 4K video, a 15 Mbps hotspot and a smartwatch line.)
Choose Mint if:
- T-Mobile's signal is strong where you spend your time.
- You are a new customer and want the lowest possible first six months.
- You are comfortable paying $360 for a year at once to lock in $30 a month.
- You want a fixed hotspot allowance (up to 20 GB) rather than a speed-capped one.
Visible plans in detailMint Mobile plans in detail
Ready to switch? Go straight to Visible or Mint Mobile, or compare both against every other plan in our phone plan comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mint Mobile cheaper than Visible?
On the sticker, often yes: Mint Unlimited costs $30 a month on a 12-month plan, and new customers can get 6 months for $10 a month. But Mint adds taxes and fees at checkout and makes you pay months in advance, while Visible's $25 a month already includes taxes and fees and is billed monthly. Only the Mint intro offer beats Visible in the first year; over two years the basic Visible plan costs less.
Which network does each one use?
Mint Mobile runs on T-Mobile's network and is owned by T-Mobile. Visible runs on Verizon's network and is owned by Verizon. Coverage where you live and work matters more than anything else in this comparison.
Do Mint and Visible have priority data?
Mint Unlimited may be slowed after 50 GB in a month when the network is busy. The basic Visible plan has no priority data at all, so it can be slowed on any busy tower. Visible+ ($35 a month) includes unlimited premium data, which Visible says is not slowed by prioritization.
Can I use my phone as a hotspot?
Yes, on both. Mint Unlimited includes up to 20 GB of hotspot data a month. Visible includes an unlimited hotspot, capped at 5 Mbps on the basic plan and 10 Mbps on Visible+, which is enough for email and browsing on a laptop but slow for large downloads.
Do I need to pay up front?
For Mint, yes: plans are bought for 3, 6 or 12 months at a time. Visible is billed month to month, with an optional annual payment ($275 a year for the basic plan) if you want a lower monthly average.
Facts checked against carrier and provider websites, FCC publications and independent network tests on October 31, 2026. Found something out of date? Let us know.