With so many mobile carriers out there, finding the right one can be tough, right? In this article, we are breaking down three of the biggest names in the game – T-Mobile vs Verizon vs AT&T – each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Comparing them is key because, let's face it, having a reliable carrier is non-negotiable these days.
So if you are wondering which one fits you best, this guide will walk you through what each carrier brings to the table, helping you choose the one that truly matches your needs.
When it comes to network reliability, Verizon usually takes the lead. With its wide coverage, especially in rural areas, it consistently delivers strong signal and dependable call quality.
T-Mobile has come a long way in recent years, offering solid reliability in many urban and suburban spots. AT&T is also strong option, particularly for 4G coverage in rural regions. Actually, it covers almost as much as Verizon when it comes to 4G. You might also want to check out:
Over four years ago, T-Mobile and Sprint joined forces to create one massive mobile network across the US. Whether that move has been a total win is up for debate, but one thing’s clear – T-Mobile now boasts the fastest 5G network in the country. Or at least, that’s what Ookla says.
The team behind the well-known Speedtest app compiled a report using user data from January to June 2025. Their findings? T-Mobile outperforms Verizon and AT&T in just about every key metric, including speed and consistency.
As for 4G LTE, the landscape is pretty even. Verizon leads in overall reliability and speed, but all the major carriers provide solid coverage across most of the US. In the end, it really depends on where you live and travel the most.
Availability
When it comes to network coverage in the US, each of the big three – T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T – has its own strengths. T-Mobile shines on the 5G front, reaching 37% of the country with standard 5G-NR (7/1 Mbps) and 26% with faster 5G speeds (35/3 Mbps). Its 4G coverage is a bit behind at 44%, but the carrier's push to expand 5G is clearly paying off, giving users access to a strong next-gen network.
Verizon still rules the 4G world with 59% coverage, though its 5G presence is smaller – around 14% for 5G-NR and 9% for the higher-speed tier. Even so, these numbers are an improvement over last year, showing steady growth in Verizon's next-gen network.
AT&T takes a more balanced approach, offering solid 4G coverage at 58% while gradually expanding 5G. Its 5G reach hits 30% for 5G-NR and 21% for faster 5G, reflecting a strategy that maintains reliable 4G access while steadily building out its next-gen network.
Ultimately, the best carrier for you depends on your needs – whether you care more about 4G or 5G – and where you live. Checking coverage maps for your area is key. If you are in a rural area, AT&T and Verizon are reliable choices. In the city and want faster 5G? T-Mobile is your go-to.
In short: if 5G in urban areas matters most, pick T-Mobile. If 4G reliability is your priority, AT&T or Verizon will serve you better, depending on your location.
T-Mobile vs AT&T vs Verizon: Plans
When it comes to plan pricing, all three carriers are pretty close. Still, T-Mobile throws in a few extra perks that help it stand out from the pack. It is always smart to compare your options – look at coverage, check the fine print, and see which one actually fits your needs and budget.
We are here to simplify that process by laying everything out in one place, so you don't have to dig through a bunch of different sites. So, here is the full breakdown of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile plans.
Verizon plans
Plan
Price
Data
Hotspot
Perks
Unlimited Welcome
$65/month for 1 line
Unlimited talk, text and data on Verizon's 5G Nationwide network (speeds slow with congestion)
No
You get unlimited talk and text when traveling in Mexico and Canada. Once you hit 2GB of high-speed data per day, you'll get unlimited 3G speeds.
Limited savings on smartphones
Up to $180 promo credit for bringing your own device.
Up to 480p HD.
Unlimited Plus
$80/month for 1 line
Unlimited talk, text and premium data on Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network.
30 GB
Again unlimited talk and text while traveling in Mexico and Canada. Once you hit 2 GB of high-speed data per day, you'll get unlimited 3G speeds.
Great offers to save on smartphones.
Up to $360 promo credit for bringing your own device.
Up to 720p HD streaming.
Up to 50% off 1 device plan (smartwatch, tablet, etc.)
Unlimited Ultimate
$90/month for 1 line
Unlimited talk, text and premium data on Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network.
60 GB
Up to 50% off 2 device plans (tablet, smartwatch, etc.)
International talk, text and data in 210+ destinations.
2GB of high-speed roaming data per day, then unlimited 3G speeds in Mexico and Canada.
10GB of high-speed roaming data per month, then unlimited 2G speeds in over 210 countries.
Ultimate Phone Upgrade eligibility.
Up to $540 promo credit for bringing your own device and up to 1080p HD streaming.
Included enhanced video calling.
Talk & Text prepaid
$35/month $5/mo Auto Pay discount after the 1st month.
Unlimited talk, text and data. Talk & Text plan is limited to 2G data speeds only.
No
Unlimited texting from the US to over 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Call Filter spam blocker.
You can have a total of 10 smartphones, tablets, Mobile Hotspots and routers on your Prepaid Family Account.
15 GB prepaid
$45/month $10/mo Auto Pay discount after the 1st month.
Unlimited talk, text and data. Once 5G or 4G high-speed data is used (including Mobile Hotspot), you will have 2G speeds the remainder of the month.
Yes
Unlimited texting from the US to over 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Unlimited calls, text and data from Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands (however, those might get limited so check with the carrier).
Call Filter spam blocker.
Up to 480p streaming.
Unlimited prepaid
$60/month $10/mo Auto Pay discount after the 1st month.
Unlimited talk, text and data.
5 GB of 5G / 4G LTE data, then speeds up to 600 Kbps the remainder of the month.
Unlimited texting from the US to over 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Unlimited calls, text and data from Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands (If over 50% of your usage in 60 days is in Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands, service may be limited or removed.)
Call Filter spam blocker.
You can have a total of 10 smartphones, tablets, Mobile Hotspots and routers on your Prepaid Family Account.
Unlimited Plus prepaid
$70/month $10/mo Auto Pay discount after the 1st month.
Unlimited talk, text and 5G.
25 GB premium Mobile Hotspot data.
Unlimited texting from the US to over 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Get 50 GB of 5G / 4G LTE premium data per month.
Up to 480p video streaming.
Call Filter spam blocker.
Unlimited calls, text and data from Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands (again if over 50% of your usage in 60 days is in Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands, services may be limited or removed.)
Includes one Global Choice country per month at no additional cost.
T-Mobile plans
Plans
Price
Data
Hotspot
Perks
T-Mobile Essentials
$65/mo. per line
Unlimited talk, text and 4G/5G data, plus 50 GB premium data
Unlimited 3G hotspot
Wi-Fi calling
SD streaming
Data at up to 128Kbps in Canada and Mexico
T-Mobile Experience More
$90/mo. per line
Unlimited talk, text and 4G/5G data, plus unlimited premium data
60 GB high-speed mobile hotspot data
Unlimited text, 15 GB of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico
Unlimited text, 5 GB of high-speed data in 215+ countries and destinations
Netflix Standard with ads On US
Apple TV+ On US
5-Year Price Guarantee
T-Mobile Experience Beyond
$105/mo. per line
Unlimited talk, text, 5G/4G data, plus unlimited premium data
Unlimited mobile hotspot included (250GB of high-speed, then unlimited at 600Kbps)
T-Satellite included
Watch and tablet lines for $5/month
5-Year Price Guarantee
Apple TV+ and Netflix Standard with ads and Hulu
Full-flight texting and Wi-Fi with streaming (where available)
Talk, text and up to 30 GB of high-speed data, then unlimited 2G data in Mexico and Canada
Unlimited text and up to 15 GB of high-speed data, then unlimited data at up to 256Kbps in 215+ countries and destinations
Stream video up to 4K UHD
Upgrade-ready every year
T-Mobile Starter prepaid
$40/month with AutoPay
Unlimited talk and text, 15 GB of premium data with unlimited 2G after
Yes, you share your 5G as a mobile hotspot
MLS Season Pass
MLB.TV (when available)
Scam Block
T-Mobile Tuesdays
Unlimited talk and text
15GB of premium data with unlimited 2G after
5-year price guarantee
T-Mobile Unlimited prepaid
$50/month, $45/month with AutoPay
Unlimited talk, text and unlimited 5G with 50 GB of premium data
Unlimited Domestic mobile hotspot at 3G speed
MLS Season Pass
MLB.TV (when available)
T-Mobile Tuesdays
5-year price guarantee
Wi-Fi calling
Scam-blocking protection
Data Maximizer
Caller ID
Unlimited Plus prepaid
$60/month
Unlimited talk, text and unlimited 5G with 50 GB of premium data
5 GB of mobile hotspot high-speed data
MLS Season Pass
MLB.TV (when available)
T-Mobile Tuesdays
Unlimited talk and text to and from the US, Mexico & Canada
Unlimited international texting to 215+ countries from the US
AutoPay monthly discount
5-year price guarantee
Data Maximizer
Scam-blocking protection
Wi-Fi calling
Unlimited music streaming
Caller ID
T-Mobile Tuesday
AT&T plans
Plan
Price
Data
Hotspot
Perks
AT&T Unlimited Starter SL
$65.99/mo. per line
Unlimited talk, text and basic 4G and 5G
5 GB of 4G/5G
Free app with Spam Call Blocking
SD streaming
Unlimited texting from US to 200+ countries
AT&T Unlimited Extra EL
$75.99/mo. per line
Unlimited talk, text, 4G/5G data, plus 75 GB premium data
30 GB hotspot data
Free app with Spam Call Blocking
Public Wi-Fi Protection
SD streaming
Unlimited texting from US to 200+ countries
Identity monitoring
AT&T Unlimited Premium PL
$85.99/mo. per line
Unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data that can’t slow down based on how much you use
60 GB hotspot data
Unlimited talk, text and high-speed data in 20 Latin American countries
Unlimited texting from US to 200+ countries
4K HD streaming
Public Wi-Fi protection
Identity monitoring
Free app with Spam Call blocking
AT&T prepaid Unlimited Essentials
$40.00/month with AutoPay, $50/mo. without AutoPay.
Unlimited text, talk and data 30GB/mo at max 3Mbps, then speeds slowed to max 1.5Mbps.
No
Unlimited text from the US to over 230 countries
Unlimited talk, text and data in and between the US, Mexico, and Canada (Limit is 25 GB in Canada).
SD streaming
Spam Call blocking
AT&T prepaid Unlimited + 10GB hotspot data
$20/month when prepaid $240 for a whole year
Unlimited text, call and data with access to 5G After 16 GB are reached, speeds are slowed to max 1.5Mbps for the month.
10 GB
Unlimited text to over 230 countries
SD streaming
Spam Call blocking
Calls to Canada and Mexico
AT&T prepaid Unlimited MAX + 25GB hotspot data
$55.00/mo. with AutoPay. $65/mo. without AutoPay
Unlimited text, call and data with 5G included However, after 30 GB, it is slowed to max 1.5Mbps.
25 GB
100 GB of AT&T personal cloud storage
Unlimited text to over 230 countries
Unlimited talk, text and data in and between the US and Mexico
Spam Call blocking
HD streaming
AT&T prepaid 5GB data
$30/month plus taxes and fees
Unlimited text, talk and 5 GB of high speed data
5 GB
Spam Call Blocking
SD streaming
Unlimited text to over 230 countries
Unused data rolls over to the next month.
AT&T prepaid Unlimited MAX Plus + 35GB hotspot data
$65.00/mo. with AutoPay and $75/mo. without AutoPay
Unlimited talk, text and high-speed data
35 GB
100 GB of cloud storage
4K HD streaming
Unused data rolls over to the next month
Unlimited text to over 230 countries
Unlimited talk and text, and use of plan date
Unlimited talk, text and plan data in the US, Mexico and Canada (5G in US only). 2G off-net speeds may apply.
Quick reminder: Most of these plans include extra fees and taxes, so double-check the details before choosing a carrier. For a deeper dive into all the plans offered, check out our dedicated articles.
T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon all support a similar lineup of devices, including top picks from Apple, Samsung, Google, and more.
You can pick up the latest Galaxy S25 series, any of the iPhone 17 models, or the Pixel 10 lineup with select plans. The newest foldables, like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7, are available, too – though they will definitely push your budget. While all three carriers have budget-friendly options, the deals on these high-end devices can vary.
Each carrier also offers trade-in programs to help you snag the newest devices for less. T-Mobile goes a step further, giving credit for "any" broken phone. Verizon offers a similar deal with its "Trade in any phone, any condition, guaranteed" program. AT&T, on the other hand, limits trade-ins to qualifying phones, giving credit based on value, or promotional bill credits as part of a device offer.
On top of that, T-Mobile gives you more phone flexibility – you can use not just phones sold directly by T-Mobile, but also unlocked devices that work on its network (and AT&T's too). Most unlocked phones should work just fine on T-Mobile.
For a closer look at the best phone deals from each carrier, don’t forget to check out:
Verizon vs T-Mobile vs AT&T: Which is best for you
Choosing between Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T really comes down to what matters most to you – price, perks, speed, or coverage. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
If budget and extras matter most, T-Mobile often comes out on top. Its plans are usually more affordable, especially for families or multiple lines, and include perks like bundled streaming services. You will also get fast speeds, truly unlimited data, generous high-speed hotspot allowances, T-Satellite support, and solid 5G coverage – though it performs best in cities rather than rural areas.
If coverage is your priority, Verizon is the go-to. It offers the most reliable nationwide network, with strong service in both urban and rural spots. Its plans tend to cost more, and while 5G Ultra Wideband is fast, it is not as widespread as T-Mobile's 5G. Verizon also offers a variety of plans, though you won't get as many freebies as T-Mobile throws in.
For a balanced option, AT&T is worth a look. Its network provides solid coverage in rural and suburban areas thanks to strong 4G LTE availability. Its 5G isn't as fast as T-Mobile's, but it is more than reliable.
In the end, the best carrier really depends on what you value most!
Unlimited plans for $15/mo at Mint!
$180
$360
$180 off (50%)
Mint Mobile is also offering an incredible bargain for those seeking unlimited data! The carrier's latest deal lets you grab any unlimited plan for just $15/mo, bringing the 12-month Unlimited plan to $180 instead of $360.
Tsveta, a passionate technology enthusiast and accomplished playwright, combines her love for mobile technologies and writing to explore and reveal the transformative power of tech. From being an early follower of PhoneArena to relying exclusively on her smartphone for photography, she embraces the immense capabilities of compact devices in our daily lives. With a Journalism degree and an explorative spirit, Tsveta not only provides expert insights into the world of gadgets and smartphones but also shares a unique perspective shaped by her diverse interests in travel, culture, and visual storytelling.
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