What Is an MVNO? Small Carriers on Big Networks

An MVNO, or mobile virtual network operator, is a small carrier that doesn't run its own cellular tower network. Instead, MVNOs piggyback off one of the major carriers—AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile. Typically, MVNOs provide more affordable cell phone plans than their parent carriers, don't require a credit check to sign up, and are more flexible. 

However, smaller carriers usually forgo high data and perks in favor of wallet-friendly pricing. Therefore, an MVNO is a great choice if you prefer prepaid phone plans, appreciate affordability, and want to avoid a credit check.  

What is an MVNO?

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A "mobile virtual network operator," (MVNO) is a smaller carrier that doesn't operate its own towers. Instead, MVNOs sell mobile services using the network of a major wireless carrier. Because MVNOs buy data, minutes, and text messages from major networks at wholesale prices, they can resell them to you at much lower prices.  

Essentially, MVNOs are like Costco or Sam's Club, but for mobile service. Affordability is one of the main benefits of going with a smaller carrier. You'll generally pay significantly less for the same great network service with a mobile virtual network operator than a larger cell phone company.

Additionally, most MVNOs are prepaid carriers, so you'll pay upfront at the beginning of your billing cycle before getting service. Conversely, traditional postpaid plans let you pay at the month's end after receiving service.

Why are MVNOs so cheap?

The low price of MVNOs is largely because MVNOs don't have to maintain their own physical networks. However, there are other factors such as:

• Many MVNOs are completely online and don't have any brick-and-mortar stores. 
• Most smaller carriers lack plan perks like streaming services.
• MVNOs offer fewer phone deals like free or discounted devices.
• With an MVNO, your data may be deprioritized at any time, although many smaller carriers offer high-speed data thresholds.
• Some MVNOs (like Mint Mobile) sell service in bulk via multi-month packages to ensure cheap plan prices

Overall, MVNOs focus on maintaining low overhead. With a skinny model that does not offer perks, operate cellular tower networks, or sometimes even have physical stores, smaller carriers save themselves, and ultimately you, money.

Pros and Cons of MVNOs

Top MVNO carriers and plans

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If you know which network you want your cell phone plan on, you'll need to know which network each MVNO uses. This is also something you'll need to know if you want to bring your current phone to your new carrier—not all phones are compatible across all wireless networks. Note that some MVNOs use multiple networks, allowing you to choose which one to use when you sign up. Here’s an MVNO comparison of the best cell phone companies powered by Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T.

Best Verizon MVNOs

Verizon is renowned for its excellent 4G LTE coverage but notorious for pricey plans. Thankfully, plenty of smaller carriers run on Verizon's network, giving you the same great mobile connectivity at an attractively low price. Our favorite Verizon MVNOs include Visible Wireless, US Mobile, and Twigby Mobile. 

Visible

• Unlimited plans starting at $25/month
• Unlimited mobile hotspot data (capped at 5Mbps, 10Mbps, and 15Mbps)
• Unlimited talk and text with Mexico and Canada

With its affordable prices, generous data allowance, and unlimited mobile hotspot allowance, Visible is the best Verizon MVNO for most folks. You can choose from three unlimited plans, the $45/month Visible+ Pro plan, $35/month Visible+ plan, and the $25/month Visible plan. All packages feature unlimited talk, text, and data with unlimited hotspot data capped at 14Mbps, 10Mbps, and 5Mbps, respectively.

Its premium Visible+ Pro and Visible+ plans give you 5G Ultra Wideband access for the fastest possible mobile data speeds, while the base Visible plan is limited to slower but still plenty quick 5G Nationwide service. 

When comparing Visible vs. Verizon, Big Red provides more plans and perks with higher mobile data and hotspot allowances. But Visible's pricing severely undercuts its parent carrier, so it's a great choice unless you're a hardcore mobile gamer or remote worker requiring the fastest 5G available. 

US Mobile

• Three unlimited plans starting at $25/month for a single line
• Generous mobile data and hotspot allowances with Unlimited Premium
• Choose your own network

US Mobile is a solid Verizon alternative that offers lots of premium data, heaps of hotspots, and optional perks. You'll enjoy several plans, including three unlimited data packages. 

US Mobile punches well above its weight class with unlimited premium high-speed data and a whopping 50GB of mobile hotspot tethering on its top-shelf Unlimited Premium plan. In fact, we praised this smaller carrier in our US Mobile vs. Verizon head-to-head.

Of course, Verizon delivers more perks, loads of physical stores, but at almost twice the cost it's hard to compete. For savings without compromise, US Mobile is an outstanding Verizon MVNO. Notably, US Mobile lets you pick between a Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile SIM card, so you can select the carrier with the best coverage in your area. The carrier's TelePortal feature also allows you to toggle between networks in a given month, choosing the one with the best service wherever you are, though we found the process to be rather difficult.

Twigby Mobile

• Plans as low as $15/month
• Flexible low- and no-data plans
• Awesome promo pricing

On a budget, we recommend wallet-friendly carrier Twigby Mobile. We like Twigby's affordable access to Big Red's network, flexible phone plans, and international calling/texting benefits. In particular, we recommend its limited data plans which start at just $15/month for 2GB of data. 

Plus, Twigby gives you great promotional discounts on your first three months’ of service— the promotional price for new customers on the 2GB plan is only $5/month initially, then bumps back up to $15/month. If you mostly stick to talk on the phone and messaging with occasional data usage like streaming music on your phone, Twigby’s 2GB, 5GB, or 10GB high speed data plans are cost-effective alternatives to pricier unlimited offerings.

Although its phone selection pales compared to Verizon's, you can always bring your own device (BYOD). Additionally, Twigby Mobile's 20GB plan is less competitively priced than other carriers like Visible and US Mobile, but its more limited data plans are super cheap.

Check out the most popular plans from some of the best Verizon MVNOs below:

Best T-Mobile MVNOs

T-Mobile sports the most overall 5G coverage, so if you want blisteringly-fast mobile data speeds, the Un-carrier is an excellent choice. Since its plans can get pretty pricey (a single line on T-Mobile's premium Experience Beyond sets you back an astronomical $100/month), a smaller carrier saves you a lot. The best T-Mobile MVNOs are Mint Mobile, Google Fi, and Tello.  

Mint Mobile

• Affordable unlimited plan
• Great family plan deal
• Nice international calling features

Mint Mobile is a big-small carrier that's become a true household name thanks to its superb marketing by Ryan Reynolds. Moreover, Mint's ultra-competitive pricing, including an unlimited plan for just $30/month ($15/month for new customers), makes it an incredible value.

We love Mint's extremely competitive prices, solid international calling features, and fantastic family plan. However, for Mint Mobile's best possible pricing, you'll need to pre-pay for a year's worth of service upfront. While that can be a big one-time expense, your per-month breakdown is significantly cheaper than T-Mobile.

Google Fi

• Solid perks (cloud data storage, YouTube Premium)
• Great unlimited plan hotspot
• Available second SIM card for data on other devices like tablets and smartwatches

Google Fi is a good T-Mobile alternative that offers sweet perks like cloud data storage and YouTube Premium. You'll also enjoy neat international calling benefits, plus a second SIM card for data on other devices, making Google Fi a great choice for mobile hotspot usage. Prices could be better, and its phone selection isn't huge, but Google Fi plans are still less expensive than comparable T-Mobile offerings. Learn more in our hands-on Google Fi vs. T-Mobile review.

Tello

• Cheap data plans from $5/month
• Good international calling features
• Everything from no-data to unlimited plans available

Tello delivers terrific T-Mobile-powered coverage at low prices. Tello is one of the cheapest MVNOs, with service starting at just $5/month, with an unlimited plan costing merely $25/month. In our Tello review, we enjoyed its great nifty international calling benefits, lack of hidden fees, and customizable plans. While its high-speed data limits are underwhelming, Tello remains a good option for folks who don't constantly stream videos on their phones (off Wi-Fi, at least).

Peruse some of the most popular plans from the top T-Mobile MVNOs below:

Best AT&T MVNOs

AT&T provides the second-best 4G LTE and 5G networks, making it an excellent choice that balances reliability with blazing-fast mobile data speeds. But Big Blue isn't the cheapest. The best AT&T MVNO carriers are Cricket Wireless and Consumer Cellular.

Cricket Wireless

• Several unlimited plan options and limited data tiers
• Great perks like HBO Max with ads and cloud storage on its top-tier unlimited plan
• Lots of hotspot with its top-tier unlimited plan

Cricket Wireless brings a lot to the table, including a trio of unlimited plans. Where many smaller carriers forego perks and physical stores, Cricket offers both. So if you need to change your plan, buy a new phone, or seek troubleshooting, just pop into a brick-and-mortar store near you (Cricket Wireless stores are so common, there's even one along my usual running route). Its unlimited plans lack high-definition streaming on mobile internet (but Wi-Fi removes that restriction), though that's fine by us considering its uber-affordable monthly bills.

Consumer Cellular

• Ultra-competitive AARP discount
• Easy to find in stores

Consumer Cellular is best known for its AARP discount (fun fact: anyone of any age can join AARP). The MVNO stalwart provides plenty of amenities like Wi-Fi calling, flexible plans, and exceptional customer support. Plus, you can find Consumer Cellular phones in stores like Target, Walmart, and Consumer Cellular's shops. Prices are merely average but still lower than its parent company. Consumer Cellular also gives you a choice of T-Mobile SIM cards, so it’s also a great alternative to the Un-carrier.

While these are the best mobile virtual network operators on each carrier, this is by no means a comprehensive list. 

How to switch to an MVNO

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Making the switch to an MVNO is simple: 

1. Contact your current carrier to unlock your phone.
2. Choose a new phone plan.
3. Select a new phone or bring your own device to the network.
4. Provide your current account information to your new carrier so they can port your number. 

When bringing your own device, just visit your desired carrier's website, order an eSIM or SIM card, and select a cell phone plan. After you receive your SIM card, pop it in your phone—MVNO eSIM support makes this even more seamless since you can activate your new service in minutes. 

Alternatively, you can snag a new phone through your MVNO. While you'll often have to pay the full cost of that device upfront, most smaller carriers sell a nice selection of smartphones. However, many MVNOs partner with third-party financing companies, such as Affirm or SmartPay, to provide customers with a monthly installment plan. 

Learn more about switching to our favorite MVNOs with our helpful guides:

• How to Switch to Mint Mobile
• How to Switch to Visible
• How to Switch to US Mobile
• How to Switch to Ultra Mobile
• How to Switch to Tracfone
• How to Switch to Total Wireless
• How to Switch to Straight Talk
• How to Switch to Metro by T-Mobile
• How to Switch to Google Fi
• How to Switch to Cricket
• How to Switch to Consumer Cellular
• How to Switch to Boost Mobile