• T-Mobile

  Best for multiple lines

  T-Mobile is one of the Big Three carriers in the U.S. with the largest and fastest 5G network overall. T-Mobile’s postpaid plans offer unlimited data with full 5G access on all plans and taxes and fees baked in to all but the cheapest plans. T-Mobile also offers in-flight Wi-Fi on most of its plans.

  Pros

  • Huge 5G coverage with mid-band speeds
  • Taxes and fees are included in most plans
  • Discounts for 55+, military members, veterans, and first responders

  Cons

  • Autopay required for advertised pricing
  • Video streams at 480p by default
  • Single-line plans are expensive

• Visible

  Best for one line

  Visible is a prepaid carrier owned and operated by Verizon that offers two unlimited plans on Verizon’s network. While both plans include 5G, the cheaper plan is limited to nationwide speeds. Also, taxes and fees are included with Visible — and there’s no activation fee and no autopay discounts — so what you see is what you pay.

  Pros

  • Unlimited data on both plans
  • Unlimited hotspot data
  • Taxes and fees are included

  Cons

  • Data is a lower priority than postpaid Verizon plans
  • Roaming coverage is weaker
  • Fast 5G is only available on one plan

As the big carriers continue to complicate their plans with streaming bundles, add-ons, and confusing discounts, Visible’s simplicity is a breath of fresh air. However, while Visible’s unlimited plans are an easy choice for single-line users, once you add a family member or two to the account, the value starts to swing towards T-Mobile.

T-Mobile’s vast 5G coverage is still far ahead of the Verizon network that Visible uses, but Verizon has an advantage in rural areas. If you’re looking for the fastest possible 5G and have more than one line to bring, T-Mobile is a strong choice, though Visible is still a compelling option for heavy users looking to save.

Price, specs, and availability

Visible’s cheap compared to any other carrier, with prices starting at just $25 per month. While there are other carriers offering cheaper plans, they don’t come with completely unlimited data as Visible does. Visible’s most expensive plan, Visible+, is $45 per month and ups the ante with premium data, fast 5G speeds, and more international features. Taxes and fees are included with Visible, so you know what you have to pay before signing up. To access Visible, go to their website or download the Visible app.

T-Mobile is a bit more traditional, with several plans and lots of boxes to check if you’re going to get the best prices. For its more expensive plans, taxes and fees are included, but to get T-Mobile’s best rates, you’ll need to enable autopay. T-Mobile also has family discounts, so if you can, it makes sense to bring as many lines as possible. T-Mobile has cheaper versions of its plans available for 55+, military and veterans, and first responders. These plans also get multi-line discounts.

You can sign up for T-Mobile service online or in-store. Speaking of stores, T-Mobile has locations all over the country, so if you prefer dealing with people, you can head in. This also means an employee can help you set up your phone and service to ensure your phone is working when you walk out the door.

• 	T-Mobile	Visible
  Brand	T-Mobile	Visible
  5G	Nationwide and Ultra Capacity	Nationwide (Ultra Wideband with Visible+)
  Premium data	50GB, 100GB, or Unlimtied	50GB on Visible+
  Data cap	None	None
  International calling	$0.25/minute in 215+ destinations	Mexico and Canada, 30+ countries on Visible+
  International texting	215+ destinations	Mexico and Canada, 200+ countries on Visible+
  International roaming	215+ destinations	Mexico and Canada (Visible+ only)
  Hotspot data	Up to 50GB high-speed data with unlimited 3G-speed	Unlimited (5Mbps)
  Taxes and fees	Included on Magenta and Go5G plans	Included

Mobile carrier features

The star of the show at T-Mobile is its 5G network with the strongest nationwide coverage, highest median speeds according to Ookla, and no access restrictions on its plans. Even T-Mobile MVNOs get access to T-Mobile’s fast mid-band coverage on all plans. And with the basics in check, T-Mobile also loaded its plans with features for streamers and travelers. Note that streaming in HD needs to be enabled in your account settings, and it is available to all but T-Mobile’s cheapest Essentials plans, making the experience feel more premium.

T-Mobile also added a “New in Two” feature to its top Go5G Plus plan allowing customers to upgrade in two years instead of the three that have become the norm at AT&T and Verizon. New in Two gives existing customers the same deals as new customers, making it a strong option for those who always like to have the latest tech. Also, to allow you to view exact pricing, T-Mobile includes taxes and fees in all of its plans except Essentials, Essentials Savings, and Essentials 55+.

Visible keeps its plan features much simpler, which isn’t too difficult since it only has two plans. Visible’s basic plan has unlimited data and unlimited hotspot data at 5Mbps. Visible’s more premium Visible Plus plan adds 50GB of premium data for more reliable high speeds in congested areas, but its hotspot has the same limitations as the base plan. International usage is added with unlimited roaming in Mexico and Canada, calls to 30+ countries, and texting to 200+ countries.

Visible+ gets a major 5G upgrade over Visible with access to Ultra Wideband, which is Verizon’s faster mid-band and high-band 5G coverage. Both plans have all taxes and fees included in the sticker price, so what you see is what you get. Visible doesn’t even have an activation fee. If you can get Verizon Home Internet, you can get $5 off with your Visible plan or $10 off with Visible+.

Mobile coverage and reception

Visible uses Verizon’s network for coverage, which is good news for most people. Verizon’s LTE network reaches the vast majority of Americans, but its 5G is still primarily limited to cities and larger towns. Verizon has been quickly adding 5G coverage with both nationwide and Ultra Wideband coverage, but if you drive between cities often or live in the country, you’ll see a lot of LTE. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing; as we saw in our MobileX review, Verizon’s LTE network is reliable and fast enough for most usage but still far behind T-Mobile.

T-Mobile’s main strength is its 5G network’s coverage and speed — a good strength for a carrier to have. The problem is that T-Mobile’s rural coverage just doesn’t stand up to Verizon’s. Even dropping back to LTE, T-Mobile’s coverage map has a lot more white space. It makes sense that T-Mobile would focus its network development in the places where most people live and go, but for those living well outside the city limits, T-Mobile should be approached with caution.

If you want to see how coverage stacks up where you live, you can check out Visible’s coverage map and T-Mobile’s coverage map. You can try out the T-Mobile network with an eSIM-compatible phone for three months with the T-Mobile app. If you want to test Visible, you can take it on a 15-day test drive, but it’s not available to Android users. Visible’s trial is iPhone-only, which is a drag.

One last thing to think about is roaming. On postpaid plans, carriers use roaming to fill in the gaps and, in most cases, don’t charge you for using it. Visible also has roaming in the U.S. on both plans, but if you want to go somewhere like Puerto Rico, you’re out of luck on the cheaper plan.

Phone compatibility

Visible will work with just about any phone that works with Verizon’s network. Most phones made for the U.S. market will support most of Verizon’s LTE bands, but 5G is a little trickier. It uses bands n2, n5, and n66 for nationwide 5G (which is common on 5G phones), but n77 for its mid-band coverage isn’t as common. Luckily, most of the best Android phones you can buy today will work on Visible without issue. To be sure, check your IMEI with Visible’s compatibility tool or download the Visible app.

T-Mobile’s GSM network is friendlier to international models. Although for the best results, you’ll want a phone designed for the U.S. market. For 5G, band n71 is T-Mobile’s nationwide coverage, and n41 is its mid-band coverage. To get the most out of T-Mobile’s network, you really want to have band n41, as this mid-band spectrum makes up the majority of the carrier’s high-speed 5G coverage and will be used extensively with carrier aggregation in the coming years.

If your phone is unlocked, it will probably work with T-Mobile, but you can check your IMEI with T-Mobile’s compatible checker to be sure. A network test drive with an eSIM-compatible phone using the T-Mobile app is the best way to know if the network is for you.

Plans

High-speed data and 5G coverage mean nothing if you can get a plan that fits your needs. Visible has stuck to simplicity with only two unlimited plans, but with the right price and plenty of data for anyone, they’re a good deal for light and heavy users alike. T-Mobile’s plans are more traditional and rely on family and autopay discounts to stay competitive with Visible. That being said, T-Mobile’s wide range of plans makes it easy to find one that will work.

T-Mobile’s plans

T-Mobile currently has six available plans, though the three newest plans seem poised to replace the older ones. The newest Go5G plans will undoubtedly be the first presented to you if you walk into a T-Mobile store.

The middle-of-the-road Go5G plan comes with 100GB of premium data, 15GB of high-speed hotspot data, and up to 720p video streaming. It starts at $75 per month for a single line, with discounts when you bring multiple lines. If you bring at least two lines, you also get basic Netflix included. This plan is nearly identical to the older Magenta plan with an upgrade to 720p video quality, a higher price with one or two lines, and a lower price with three or more lines.

The top Go5G Plus plan is T-Mobile’s most expensive at $90 for a single line, but you get unlimited premium data, 50GB of hotspot data, Netflix, and New in Two, the perk that allows customers to upgrade their phones every two years with the same deals as new customers. The older Magenta Max is a close comparison with 40Gb of hotspot data and a lower starting price.

Last but not least, there are two Essentials plans, both with 50GB of premium data, 3G-speed hotspot usage, and 480p streaming. Though, with these plans, taxes and fees are extra, so they’re not as cheap as they seem. With one or two lines, Essentials Savings is the cheaper plan, but at three or more lines, Essentials takes the lead.

The best way to save with T-Mobile is by bringing multiple lines. T-Mobile even has a promotion that gives customers the third line free on Essentials, Go5G, and Go5G Plus. It’s also worth keeping in mind that the four more expensive plans have taxes and fees included, so at the end of the day, dropping to Essentials isn’t quite as frugal as it seems.

Visible’s plans

Visible has two plans starting with its cheaper self-titled plan for $25 per month. This plan comes with unlimited data on Verizon’s network with access to nationwide 5G, which offers performs similarly to LTE. Unlimited hotspot data is included at 5Mbps which can be great for keeping a tablet or laptop connected when there’s no Wi-Fi.

Visible+ adds $20 to the price, taking it up to $45 per month. For your money, you get an upgrade to 50GB of premium data, full access to Verizon Ultra Wideband 5G network, and a handful of international perks. While both plans come with unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada, Visible+ takes it a step further with roaming in the two countries. International calling to 30+ countries and texting to 200+ countries is also included. You may also notice that international coverage is available in Puerto Rico, though not on the base Visible plan.

With Visible’s prices, what you see is what you get since taxes and fees are included. Visible has no family plans, so no matter how many people you sign up, it’s $25 per month minimum. Even so, Visible’s prices are competitive with most other prepaid unlimited plans. Compared to Mint Mobile, for example, Visible’s unlimited data has no high-speed data cap, while Mint cuts you off at 40GB. In fact, the only real limit to Visible’s data is a reasonably generous 200Mbps speed cap on LTE and nationwide 5G with a 3Gbps cap on Ultra Wideband.

If you’re able to get Verizon Home Internet service, you can also get $5 off with the base Visible plan and $10 off with Visible+.

Which is right for you?

T-Mobile is, without a doubt, more expensive than Visible. T-Mobile’s plans rely largely on multi-line discounts to compete on price with expensive single-line pricing. However, on average, T-Mobile can offer faster data than Visible, and its 5G network is much larger. T-Mobile’s larger plans even open up options like HD video streaming, high-speed hotspot data, and bundled streaming perks with Netflix.

T-Mobile also makes buying a new phone a bit easier on the wallet with payment plans and deals. T-Mobile’s New in Two perk is also a strong addition for those who want to upgrade their hardware somewhat frequently. If you want to buy one of the best budget Android phones, you’ll also get better compatibility with T-mobile with devices like the OnePlus Nord N20 supporting T-Mobile 5G.

T-Mobile

Editor’s choice

Best for multiple lines

T-Mobile is one of the Big Three carriers in the U.S., with the largest and fastest 5G network overall. T-Mobile’s postpaid plans offer unlimited data with full 5G access on all plans and taxes and fees baked into all but the cheapest plans. T-Mobile also offers in-flight Wi-Fi on most of its plans.

Visible is still a great choice for many people, especially those with a single line. Visible’s simple pricing makes budgeting easier and is a great choice for someone getting their first phone plan. The upgrade to Visible+ allows for an easy upgrade path if the customer finds they want a little more speed or a few more international features. Visible can also save you some money on home internet service if you can get Verizon Fios or 5G Home Internet at your house.

Visible

Runner-up

Best for one line

Visible is a prepaid carrier owned and operated by Verizon that offers two unlimited plans on Verizon’s network. While both plans include 5G, the cheaper plan is limited to nationwide speeds. Also, taxes and fees are included with Visible — and there’s no activation fee and no autopay discounts — so what you see is what you pay.