These two look similar on paper, both are T-Mobile-network MVNOs with no contract and no credit check, and are almost never the right answer for the same person. Fi is built for people who travel and want network failover; Mint is built to be the cheapest brand-name unlimited in the country.
Price
- Mint Unlimited: $30/mo on a 12-month term, $40/mo on 3 months. Mint 6GB is $15/mo on 12 months, $25/mo on 3.
- Google Fi Unlimited Standard: $50/mo for one line, about $40/line at two.
- Google Fi Unlimited Premium: $65/mo for one line, about $60/line at two and $50/line at four or more.
- Both add taxes and fees on top; neither is all-in pricing.
| Mint Mobile | Google Fi | |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited, intro | $15/mo for your first 3, 6 or 12-month term | No intro rate |
| Unlimited, ongoing | $40/mo at renewal | Unlimited Standard $50/mo |
| Premium unlimited | Not offered | Unlimited Premium $65/mo |
| Two lines | Per-line prepay pricing | About $40/line on Standard |
| Premium data threshold | 50GB | 50GB Standard, 100GB Premium |
| Hotspot | Up to 20GB | 25GB Standard, 50GB Premium |
| Smaller plan | 6GB: $15/mo intro, $25/mo after | Flexible data option |
Data and hotspot
- Mint Unlimited: unlimited with a 50GB premium threshold, up to 20GB hotspot.
- Fi Unlimited Standard: 50GB before deprioritization, 25GB hotspot, HD video.
- Fi Unlimited Premium: 100GB before deprioritization, 50GB hotspot, HD video.
- On raw allowance, Mint Unlimited matches Fi Unlimited Standard's 50GB premium data at renewal for $10 less. Fi Unlimited Premium's 100GB threshold and 50GB hotspot are the standout numbers here, though Fi counts tethering against the same allowance.
Network and travel
Mint is T-Mobile only: Ultra Capacity 5G where available, and nothing when T-Mobile is weak. Fi runs T-Mobile as primary with Verizon and US Cellular failover, which matters in places where T-Mobile is thin. Internationally the gap is decisive: Fi Unlimited Plus includes full data and texting in 200+ countries with no day passes, while Mint includes free calling to Mexico, Canada, and the UK and little else.
Who should pick which
- Pick Fi Unlimited Plus if you travel internationally more than once a year. Day-pass roaming on any other carrier erases the price difference fast.
- Pick Fi if you're in a marginal T-Mobile area — the Verizon and US Cellular failover is the product.
- Pick Mint if you stay domestic and T-Mobile works at home and work. It's roughly half the price for comparable domestic service.
- Pick Mint if you can commit to a 12-month term upfront, which is where its economics are strongest.
- Pick neither if you want multi-network choice at a lower price: US Mobile Unlimited Premium at $32.50/mo lets you choose Verizon or T-Mobile at signup.
Every T-Mobile-network plan we track, ranked on price, premium data, and hotspot.
Best T-Mobile MVNO plans →Frequently asked questions
Is Google Fi worth the extra cost over Mint? +
What network does each use? +
Does Mint Mobile really cost $15/month? +
Which has better hotspot data? +
Can I use Google Fi's international data on Unlimited Standard? +
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Jean Gilles has researched personal finance, consumer technology, and wireless pricing for over a decade. He founded ShopCellPlans in 2019 and writes every review on the site.