Verizon owns both brands, and both sell service on Verizon's network — so this isn't a coverage comparison. It comes down to price per feature, and on that measure Total Wireless wins clearly at most tiers. Straight Talk's case rests on Walmart availability and the bundled Walmart+ membership.
Key takeaways
Same owner, same Verizon network — this is a price-per-feature comparison, not a coverage one.
Total MAX 5G BYO at $25/mo beats Straight Talk Gold at $55/mo on premium data and hotspot.
Straight Talk adds ~$2.40–$4.46/mo in fees plus state tax; Total's AutoPay prices are closer to all-in.
Straight Talk's edge is Walmart availability and a bundled Walmart+ membership on Gold and Platinum.
For cheapest all-in Verizon unlimited, Visible+ at $35/mo beats both.
The price ladders side by side
- Total: STARTER $35/mo with AutoPay (unlimited 5G, no Ultra Wideband, 10GB hotspot), MAX 5G BYO $25/mo (Ultra Wideband, premium data, unlimited hotspot at 5 Mbps, 100GB cloud), MAX 5G $50/mo (same plan but lets you take a phone deal), ALL ACCESS $60/mo (unlimited hotspot at 10 Mbps, 1TB cloud, Disney+ Premium).
- Straight Talk: Bronze $35/mo (10GB, no meaningful hotspot), Silver Unlimited $45/mo (no Ultra Wideband, limited hotspot), Gold Unlimited $55/mo (Ultra Wideband, 15GB hotspot, Walmart+), Platinum Unlimited $65/mo (20GB hotspot, Walmart+, 100GB cloud).
The comparison that decides it
Total MAX 5G BYO at $25/mo gives you Verizon Ultra Wideband, premium (non-deprioritized) data, and unlimited hotspot. The closest Straight Talk equivalent is Gold Unlimited at $55/mo with a 15GB hotspot and standard MVNO deprioritization. If you own your phone, that's a $30/month gap for a better plan.
| Tier | Total Wireless | Straight Talk |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | STARTER $35/mo — unlimited 5G, no Ultra Wideband, 10GB hotspot | Bronze $35/mo — 10GB, no meaningful hotspot |
| Best value | MAX 5G BYO $25/mo — Ultra Wideband, premium data, unlimited hotspot at 5 Mbps, 100GB cloud | Silver Unlimited $45/mo — no Ultra Wideband, limited hotspot |
| Premium | MAX 5G $50/mo — same plan, lets you take a phone deal | Gold Unlimited $55/mo — Ultra Wideband, 15GB hotspot, Walmart+ |
| Top | ALL ACCESS $60/mo — unlimited hotspot at 10 Mbps, Disney+ Premium | Platinum Unlimited $65/mo — 20GB hotspot, Walmart+, 100GB cloud |
| Hotspot | Unlimited on MAX and ALL ACCESS | Capped at 15GB (Gold) and 20GB (Platinum) |
| Taxes and fees | AutoPay prices are close to all-in | Adds roughly $2.40–$4.46/mo plus state tax |
| Perk | Disney+ Premium on ALL ACCESS | Walmart+ on Gold and Platinum, about $98/year |
Both run on Verizon and both are sold at Walmart. MAX 5G BYO at $25 is the outlier on this shelf.
Where the real differences are
- Premium data — Total's MAX tiers include premium (priority) data; Straight Talk's unlimited plans are deprioritized during congestion, with video at 480p.
- Hotspot — Total MAX and ALL ACCESS are unlimited (5 and 10 Mbps respectively); Straight Talk caps at 15GB on Gold and 20GB on Platinum.
- Price guarantee — Total advertises a 5-year price guarantee across the lineup; Straight Talk doesn't match it.
- Taxes and fees — Straight Talk adds roughly $2.40 to $4.46/mo plus state tax, so a $65 Platinum line bills nearer $69 to $73. Budget accordingly.
- Perks — Straight Talk's Walmart+ membership is a real ~$98/year value on Gold and Platinum; Total answers with Disney+ Premium at $60.
Who should pick which
- Pick Total if you bring your own phone. MAX 5G BYO at $25/mo is the best-value Verizon-network plan either brand sells.
- Pick Total if you tether at all — unlimited hotspot versus a 15 to 20GB cap isn't close.
- Pick Straight Talk if you already shop Walmart weekly and would pay for Walmart+ anyway; the membership offsets much of the price gap on Gold.
- Pick Straight Talk if you want to buy, activate, and get help at a physical Walmart counter rather than online.
- Pick neither if you want the cheapest all-in Verizon unlimited: Visible+ is $35/mo with taxes and fees included.
See both against the rest of Verizon's network
We rank every Verizon-network plan on price, priority data, and hotspot.
Best Verizon MVNO plans →
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#Straight Talk
#Verizon network
#Comparison
About the author
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.
Frequently asked questions
Are Total Wireless and Straight Talk the same company? +
Both are owned by Verizon and both run on Verizon's network, but they're separate brands with separate plan lineups, pricing, and retail strategies.
Which is cheaper, Total Wireless or Straight Talk? +
Total, at nearly every comparable tier — and dramatically so if you bring your own phone. MAX 5G BYO is $25/mo with unlimited hotspot and premium data.
Does Straight Talk get Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband? +
On Gold and Platinum Unlimited, yes. Bronze and Silver are limited to standard 5G and 4G LTE.
Which has better hotspot? +
Total, clearly. MAX tiers include unlimited hotspot at 5 Mbps and ALL ACCESS at 10 Mbps, while Straight Talk caps at 15GB (Gold) and 20GB (Platinum).
Is Walmart+ worth the Straight Talk premium? +
It's roughly a $98/year value, so it offsets about $8/month. That closes part of the gap to Total on Gold, but not the difference in premium data and hotspot.
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