Two months into 2026, one theme is crystal clear: the price gap between big carriers and MVNOs has never been wider. And more people are finally noticing.
Mint Mobile's $15/month unlimited deal — which launched in January — is still available and drawing significant attention. Meanwhile Verizon's Visible continues holding the line at $25/month unlimited on Verizon's own network, and US Mobile offers multi-network flexibility starting under $15.
What's driving the MVNO surge? MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) use the exact same physical towers as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon — they just don't build or maintain them. That lets them skip the retail overhead and pass savings directly to customers. The coverage experience is functionally identical for most users.
The numbers:
- Mint Mobile: $15/mo unlimited (promo, T-Mobile network)
- Visible: $25/mo unlimited (Verizon network)
- US Mobile: $25/mo unlimited (choose Verizon or T-Mobile)
- Cricket Wireless: $30/mo unlimited (AT&T network)
- Verizon comparable plan: $65–$80/mo
- AT&T comparable plan: $65–$90/mo
The one real trade-off: During peak congestion, MVNO subscribers are typically deprioritized below the host carrier's direct customers. In dense urban areas at rush hour, you may notice slightly slower speeds. For most users in most situations, it's undetectable.
→ Compare every MVNO and major carrier side-by-side in our free plan tool.