Straight Talk: Straight Talk plan options International calling and roaming is available and is charged as you use them, depending on the country. You can also add more data at a rate of $10 for 1GB and $20 for 3GB. You can also upgrade your plan mid-cycle so you can start small and work your way up if you run out of data. For your first three-month period, you can get the 12-month pricing so you can decide if you like the service before signing up. The unlimited plan is slowed at 35GB of usage and only comes with 5GB of hotspot data. Mint offers data in three sizes and unlimited. One of Mint Mobile's biggest strengths is the simplicity of its plans. Source: Android Central / Samuel Contreras This can be a little more complicated than Mint, but Straight Talk will help you pick the right network and SIM card when you sign up, and you won't have to worry about it after that. So no matter where you live, as long as your phone is compatible, you should be able to get covered on Straight Talk with the right SIM. In time, Straight Talk will be transitioning over to the Verizon network but for the time being, there's no need to worry about it. For the most part, new customers will be on either the Verizon or T-Mobile network. Straight Talk has an advantage here since it buys coverage from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon and can give you a SIM card to match your device or the coverage where you live. T-Mobile also has the best 5G coverage of any carrier and with its Ulta Capacity 5G network covering more than 210 million people, there's a good chance you'll get some of the best network speeds around. This network has become quite competent in the past few years, and with its past upgrades, the T-Mobile network currently covers most Americans with decent speeds.

Mint Mobile only uses the T-Mobile network, but for most people, that's fine. Buying more data on Straight Talk is very reasonable at just $5 for an extra gig. Mint Mobile manages to keep things simple with plans that work for most people, with savings tied directly to how many months you're willing to buy. Straight Talk has a significant coverage advantage though if you're covered by the T-Mobile network, Mint Mobile comes cheaper for every data amount. Still, most people will be happy with one of the smaller plans. Straight Talk offers the most data of the two if you're willing to pay for it.

The simple pricing structure and discounts make Mint Mobile a great choice when you want to get as much service as possible for your money. Mint Mobile's simpler approach and data sizes work for most people. The problem is, Straight Talk gets expensive fast, especially if you want unlimited data. Straight Talk offers a ton of great options making it one of the easiest choices if you need something that works without worrying too much about network compatibility.

Mint vs you need a budget