US Mobile provides cheap cell phone plans that rely on two of America’s major wireless networks, but is the service worth the savings?
I signed up for the service and tested its unlimited plan using Verizon’s network.
In this US Mobile review, I’ll share my experience with the low-cost carrier and compare it to my main provider, Verizon-owned Visible.
US Mobile Review: Cheap Phone Plans on Two Major Networks
- What is US Mobile?: US Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that offers prepaid cell phone plans with no contracts.
- What towers does US Mobile use?: As an MVNO, US Mobile doesn’t own any cell phone towers. Instead, it partners with Verizon and T-Mobile to offer its customers plans that run on their 5G and 4G LTE networks.
- How much is unlimited data on US Mobile?: US Mobile now offers two unlimited plans: Unlimited Starter and Unlimited Premium. Unlimited Starter is $29 per month for a single line, but you’ll pay $50 a month for Premium. Taxes and fees are now included. The service introduced annual plans in December 2023.
- Can I bring my phone to US Mobile?: In most cases, you can bring your unlocked phone to US Mobile. If your device is not compatible, there are phones for sale through the company’s website.
- Does US Mobile have any stores?: US Mobile is an online-only company with no retail locations. It offers 24/7 customer support by phone, chat and email.
During my month-long test, I carefully reviewed the service’s overall value, call and text performance, data speeds, phone options and my interactions with customer service.
Read on to learn what you should know about US Mobile before you sign up!
Table of Contents:
- Plans and Pricing
- Network Coverage
- Additional Features
- Phone Options
- Customer Service
- Pros and Cons Summary
1. Plans and Pricing
US Mobile refreshed its data plans and added an annual payment option in December 2023. The service has streamlined its plan offerings. It has both unlimited and shareable data plans.
For this review, I’ll focus on the unlimited data plans: Unlimited Starter and Unlimited Premium.
The single-line price for unlimited talk, text and high-speed data starts at $29 per month. Taxes and fees are now included in the advertised price.
When you pay for a year in advance, you can save more. It’s $276 for 12 months.
US Mobile’s Warp 5G plans that use Verizon’s network include premium data, but GSM plans on T-Mobile’s network do not.
| US Mobile Unlimited Starter | US Mobile Unlimited Premium | |
| Monthly Price | $29 for one line 2 lines: $27/line 3+ lines: $25/line | $50 for one line 2 lines: $45/line 3+ lines: $40/line |
| Annual Plan | $276 for 12 months | $450 for 12 months |
| Data | Unlimited talk, text and data 35GB of premium data on Warp 5G (Verizon) 35GB of high-speed data on GSM 5G (T-Mobile) Speeds reduced after premium or high-speed cap | Unlimited talk, text and data 100GB of premium data on Warp 5G (Verizon) 100GB of high-speed data on GSM 5G (T-Mobile) Speeds reduced after premium or high-speed cap |
| Hotspot Data | 10GB included | 50GB included |
If you have three or more lines of Unlimited Premium, you’ll also be eligible to receive a free subscription to an audio, streaming or gaming service. Options include Audible, Max, Netflix and PlayStation Plus.
The service is offering a 30-day free trial of its unlimited plan.
In addition to the unlimited plans, US Mobile also offers shareable data plans. With these plans, multiple lines of service can use the same bucket of data.
I only recommend shareable data plans for people who don’t use a lot of high-speed data per month.
IMPORTANT: US Mobile charges $4 to mail a Starter Kit with a SIM card. I used promo code GOFREEKIT to waive the charge. You can also activate service instantly with eSIM.
2. Network Coverage
US Mobile customers get access to either Verizon or T-Mobile’s 5G and 4G LTE networks.
From its website, US Mobile has a tool where you can enter your current carrier, location or device to determine which network is best for you.
Warp 5G (formerly Super LTE Network) refers to Verizon, and GSM 5G Network is T-Mobile.
When your Starter Kit arrives, it will include SIM cards for both networks. Since my primary line is with Verizon-owned Visible, I wanted to test US Mobile on the Verizon network. That’s the black SIM card.
US Mobile also offers eSIM activation (no physical SIM card needed) with select devices.
Verizon’s network is strong from my Los Angeles test location, so the results didn’t surprise me.
I experienced no major issues with calls, texts and data speeds on US Mobile’s network.
For my testing, I spent about 120 minutes making calls using an Apple iPhone 12.
The audio was slightly fuzzy and muffled for the first few calls, but US Mobile’s customer support made a change on their end and resolved the issue.
I sent many text messages throughout the month-long test. All of them went through without a delay.
US Mobile’s data speeds exceeded my expectations. Download speeds surpassed 100 Mbps for 10 out of the 20 speed tests that I conducted using the Speedtest by Ookla app.
A download speed of 10 to 20 Mbps is typically fast enough for my needs, including video streaming.
US Mobile Speed Test Results
| Date | Download Speed (Mbps) | Upload Speed (Mbps) | Ping (ms) |
| 6/24/2021 10:16 PM | 30.9 | 2.95 | 31 |
| 6/25/2021 6:34 AM | 60.9 | 2.30 | 30 |
| 6/26/2021 8:06 AM | 48.5 | 1.04 | 31 |
| 6/26/2021 5:31 PM | 12.7 | 3.36 | 47 |
| 6/27/2021 6:48 PM | 9.54 | 0.36 | 51 |
| 6/28/2021 5:22 PM | 15.3 | 1.00 | 24 |
| 6/30/2021 6:44 AM | 147 | 23.5 | 35 |
| 6/30/2021 8:14 PM | 116 | 18.2 | 37 |
| 7/1/2021 10:39 AM | 123 | 16.1 | 31 |
| 7/2/2021 5:50 PM | 90.7 | 16.9 | 30 |
| 7/3/2021 8:11 PM | 159 | 23.1 | 28 |
| 7/3/2021 10:07 AM | 74.9 | 15.5 | 37 |
| 7/3/2021 10:04 PM | 126 | 27.3 | 35 |
| 7/4/2021 6:39 AM | 148 | 28.9 | 39 |
| 7/4/2021 11:00 AM | 96.2 | 36.4 | 27 |
| 7/5/2021 8:13 PM | 146 | 37.5 | 25 |
| 7/6/2021 6:24 AM | 149 | 38.5 | 25 |
| 7/12/21 9:43 AM | 120 | 19.2 | 28 |
| 7/13/2021 6:53 AM | 145 | 23.8 | 27 |
| 7/13/2021 1:16 PM | 76.8 | 20.1 | 34 |
With US Mobile’s new unlimited plans, data speeds may be slowed to 1 Mbps after your premium or high-speed threshold of either 30GB, 50GB or 100GB.
In the past, US Mobile marketed unlimited plans as “uncapped and unthrottled.” They’re no longer offered.
3. Additional Features
My test of US Mobile focused on the ways people most frequently use their phones: calls, texts and data. However, there are several additional features with US Mobile that are worth mentioning.
- Mobile hotspot: 10GB mobile hotspot with Unlimited Starter and 50GB with Unlimited Premium; mobile hotspot included with shareable plans
- International data: Unlimited Starter and Unlimited Premium subscribers get some international data; international data packs are available for other users to purchase
- WiFi calling: WiFi calling is now included at no extra cost
In addition, US Mobile provides Usage Analytics from its mobile app and website. Reviewing your talk, text and data history can help you determine if you’re on the best plan for your needs.
4. Phone Options
Like most cell phone service providers, US Mobile gives you the option of buying a new phone or keeping your current device.
I used an Apple iPhone 12 for my testing. To confirm that my device was compatible, I followed the instructions on US Mobile’s website and entered the phone’s IMEI number.
Since the service has two network partners (Verizon and T-Mobile), it says nearly all unlocked phones with a SIM card slot will work.
If you prefer to purchase a new unlocked phone, you can also shop through US Mobile’s website. However, there isn’t a huge selection of phones and the discounts are not great.
I purchased my test device from Apple, but I’ve bought phones from Visible and Xfinity Mobile in the past. Both companies offer frequent phone deals for new customers.
5. Customer Service
US Mobile has no retail locations where you can get help troubleshooting your phone or service, but 24/7 customer support is available by phone, live chat and email.
To evaluate the company’s customer service, I called them twice and initiated three live chat sessions.
US Mobile’s live chat is available from the app and website. Although it was faster to chat than call, I found that it required more work to explain myself over chat.
Both test calls to customer service were efficient, including one that resolved the audio issue that I mentioned earlier.
The availability of 24/7 phone support is a real plus compared to my main provider, Visible. With that service, most issues are handled over chat and there’s no 800 number to call.
MORE DETAILS: US Mobile’s Starter Kit and the included activation instructions were very easy to follow. I also liked the design of the account dashboard from the mobile app.
US Mobile: Pros and Cons Summary
If you’re thinking about switching away from Verizon or T-Mobile, US Mobile is worth considering since it offers affordable plans on both networks.
US Mobile has repeatedly improved its plan offerings in 2023 and provide an excellent value to consumers.
| Pros | Cons |
| Affordable unlimited and shareable data plans | Limited phones for sale |
| Choice of networks: Verizon or T-Mobile | Perks limited to family plans |
| Most phones are compatible | |
| Availability of 24/7 phone customer support |
My favorite alternatives to US Mobile include Visible (Verizon’s network) and Mint Mobile (T-Mobile’s network). Read my reviews of those services to compare the features that matter to you most.
If you’re a current US Mobile customer or had the service in the past, leave a comment below to add to my review!
hi michael,
thank you for the informative review, very helpful. i tried to find more information how to built a plan for only texting and calling with us mobile on its website. the site says it offers it but when i try to find information, the site loops me back over and over to “orderging a starter kit” first and then figuring out a plan later. that did make any sense, so i tried to chat. dead end, no answer of substance, just an empty promise send me a screen shot. that never came, because nobody has ever figured out how send a screen shot via chat. any ideas how to get specific info on plans and pricing? i have a phone but no sim card or number yet. thanks immo
I see specific prices right here: https://www.usmobile.com/plans
I just came from being a customer of US Mobile and their offshore CSRs are the worst I have ever experienced and I have been a cellphone user since the late 1980s when I had a 3-watt bag phone that I paid about $1.00 per minute to use. I even had to find the CEOs email and know why their CSRs are so bad: his customer service attitude is horrible!! And I truly believe when a company uses an offshore call center, part of the benefits those “employees” receive is having power over Americans. In my case, the CEO of US Mobile actually terminated my cell plan (I told him in the subject of my email to he that he had lost me as his customer) and he stated that he had informed his call center CSRs to not communicate with me. Think of what he just gave his CSRs! Not pay, but power over an American customer! I then went to Visible and had a very similar experience with their chat only CSRs: gaslighting, ignoring content of my chats, and taking an hour to get nothing done. The issue with US Mobile was not being able to get an eSIM installed on my phone; not one but three, and never did they assist me in getting one installed onto my phone. The issue with Visible was losing all service for over 24 hours and them not being able to do one thing about it, and, like US Mobile, disabling my future ability to communicate with them via chat. I cancelled that service today for breach of contract only 8 days in.
thanks 4 your article, i am a us mobile customer for almost 2 years already and referred countless ppl already to them, i love it great customer service, 24 hours, everything. i use it with a verizon unlocked device and it comes out much cheaper than page plus or tracfone etc.
one of the most amazing things about them is that they emailed me to let me know when they went down in price on my plan, so to make sure i shouldnt overpay.
for sommeone with a capped data plan, i used to pay 5 dollars extra a month for hotspot capability untill a us mobile rep told me a trick that he hell change my line to a pooled line even though its only me and over there hotspot is free! albeit only with the data i have, not extra but still at least no 5 dollar charge
Great review. I’m on Google Fi, which from a price-perspective I don’t recommend, because for some reason they bill a lot more in taxes than other MVNOs, and their plans are a little higher price on top of that. But it is nice that Google Fi use 2 networks (T-Mobile and US Cellular) simultaneously (don’t have to choose, it uses both), and phones built for Google Fi (Pixels and a few others) need no SIM and have seamless free roaming in most other countries in Europe and N. America (which I never use). Interesting that US Mobile’s plans that have unlimited data include all taxes. My taxes for 3 lines on Google Fi add up to $12/month! When I asked Google Fi customer support about it, they say they have no control over the tax/fee portion of the bill, yet my prior MVNO (Ting) at the same service address was only $4.50 in taxes/fees (vs. Google Fi’s $12). Not sure what is going on w/ Google Fi taxes. Maybe it has something to do with being on 2 networks at the same time…
…Also, roaming in Alaska had better coverage on Google Fi than what my son’s US Mobile phone got, though US Mobile was fine for him in city-limits in Alaska (Anchorage and Wasilla).
Thanks for your perspective. I do like how Google Fi uses both networks instead of one or the other.
When you tested, did you leave the phone unattended for extended periods? I have found that if I don’t use my phone at least once a day, it disconnects from the network and I have to reboot it to get it active again. During the disconnect time, it does not reactivate the phone if a call comes in or a text. I have two Samsung Galaxy phones and a NUU flip. All had the same issue. Plus they could never seem to figure out how to get MMS on any of the 3.
I didn’t have this issue. With my testing, I carry my test phone along with my main phone most places I go.
I was given my friend’s old Iphone 8 which l had unlocked to switch over to US Mobile apx 1yr ago. Periodically, tho haven’t ascertained exact frequency, l rlz l can’t make outgoing calls & texts or rcv them; rebooting the phone fixes this thus far. Ive attributed it to the older phone, although just guessing, no idea if ntwk disconnxn or phone issue, just glad l have a solution. I do use the phone many times daily, wifi & USM(VZ) ntwk.
I have this same problem. Really a hassle. No longer tolerable. In case of emergency, too much of a risk for this to continue. Will be switching.
Is your Son using GSM 5G?
Does US Mobile use both networks instead of one or the other???
It’s one or the other! You can choose though.
can you switch back and forth easily?
To change networks, you would need to get a new physical SIM card or reach out to support about eSIM.
When you sign up you get one of each sim card but you’d still have to activate whichever network you want to use. Not sure how complicated it would be to switch back and forth as some carriers say you can only use a sim once and other say you can reprogram them.
No. You choose one or the other
US Mobile uses Warp 5G which is powered by Verizon and GSM 5G which is powered by T Mobile.
I have been using Page Plus for several years. I have the $29.95 plan and my wife who uses the phone very little has the $12.00 plan. I sometimes have a difficult time understanding their support staff. Can someone please comment if this is an issue with US MOBILE please. Also how quickly can the phone numbers be ported?
Porting time varies. Sometimes it’s done the same day, but other times it takes a few days. That’s why I always sign up for a new provider about 5-7 days before my current plan is set to expire.
It was over 1yr ago, and l haven’t needed to call since switching *from* Simple Mobile, but l worked out my switch over issues with minor difficulty and recall not being frustrated w US Mobile CSRs, only prev provider who was not helpful with releasing my number to be ported to USM.
I have found Consumer Cellular to have people who speak English with an accent that sounds like they grew up in the US speaking English.
U.S. Mobile’s on-line chat customer support is pathetic. their Tech’s ? can not understand basic queries, keep repeating the same questions. Maybe a call would work better but I gave up after 2 hours of going around in circles. I told the tech at the beginning that my sim does not work in either my phone or my wife’s phone but her sim worked in both. After being dropped numerous times ”Sorry we are having server problems” and going around in circles the tech said it maybe a sim configuration problem. That’s what I said in the beginning. By that stage I’d decided to move to a better carrier. Cheap, but you get what you pay for.
My experience with US Mobile phone support has been fairly positive. Given the extremely inexpensive unlimited plans they have, I was surprised at the level of customer service they provided. I tend to avoid chat support. Usually chat support is lacking across all companies, though sometimes you get lucky.
Tmobile claims to use ATT towers, but when you are in the Thumb area of Michigan you have zero coverage. They forgot that part. I would show four bars and have no service.
That is applicable to TMobile connections only, not MVNOs. The disadvantage with MVNOs is that even though they use the same network, the priority or network coverage is not the same.
Can’t decide to switch from Verizon because I am paying $105 for two lines for 5G Start to either- Xfinity Mobile, Visible, Google Fi or US Mobile. I am just worried more about coverage, drop calls and being able to have a reliable connection all the time. Thoughts?
I’ve tried all of them except Google Fi. Xfinity Mobile is excellent. Visible is great bang for your buck, but slower data at times. And so is US Mobile. You can always do the Visible free trial to see for yourself.
Michael, thank you for your concise and objective reviews. First time viewing your videos and I find them to be succinct, understandable, and not overly long. I’m a Verizon customer with a 3 member family plan, but can no longer the cost. I pay for my mom and daughter’s service which seems to make US Mobile “easier” to manage monthly billing then “work-arounds” via Visable’s Party Pay option. My only hesitation is that my mom lives hours away (Miami,Fl). Her present Verizon service is excellent but will that change with US Mobile given her older IPhone SE? Also, I have no CC’s acct’s offering Cell phone insurance. Does US Mobile offer any?
Hi Andy. Visible’s workaround really isn’t a lot of work, but I understand. And since you have a traditional family plan, US Mobile sounds really great for you. You also should be able to get one of the perks if you choose unlimited since there are 3 lines. The service for US Mobile is the same as Verizon as long as you use the Verizon SIM card. I have tested US Mobile in Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale. In fact, I had US Mobile while driving across America. It was before the test I referred to in this article. I think you’ll be happy with the service coming from Verizon and the savings will be awesome.
I switched to US Mobile (from Verizon) largely due to this article. However, nowhere does the author or the US mobile website or signup process mention that their “unlimited” calls are for the U.S. only unless you are on their $45/month plan. Can’t even call Canada.
I feel scammed.
I’m sorry that I did not test this feature. I don’t know anyone in Canada. But Visible does include calls to Canada and Mexico — another one that uses Verizon’s network.
I’m on the Unlimited Starter plan $29/month or $23/month if you pay $276 yearly! I have unlimited calling to CANADA & MEXICO including 200 other countries unlimited! Go back and review the plans in case they changed since you saw them last! I get 35GB internet & 10GB hotspot/month.
Unlimited Roaming in CANADA & MEXICO too. I’m on the WARP service (Verizon Wireless Towers)
Curious to know the “all inclusive” cost with fees, etc. for the 5GB plan on US Mobile vs. Visible. Do you know what my bottom line monthly cost total would be for one vs. the other?
Thanks for the great info!
With Visible, it’s $25/month all-in with Party Pay. No extra fees. With US Mobile, it amounts to a few dollars for most plans.
Thank you for helping with this confusing business. I thought you should know that in looking into pricing via US Mobile’s chat today, I learned the family plan is NOT $25/line for 3 or more lines, as stated in your review and also stated very clearly on their website. It’s $25/line for the third and any additional lines, but line 1 is still $45 and line 2 $30. Here’s the quote from them via chat:
“To get onto the Family Plan, you need to have multiple lines in the same account and all of them must be on the Unlimited All plans, with AutoPay being turned ON. If these conditions are all being met, then the lines will then be billed according to the following pricing policy:
1st line: $45
2nd line: $30
All line after the 3rd: $25 per line”
Also of note, their chat bot said WiFi calling was only available for Super LTE (Verizon) on Unlimited All and Pooled plans. The representative later assured me it was now available for all plans. For some reason my confidence is low.
I’m not comfortable with this level of dishonesty and incompetence. I’ll be checking out Visible. I assume their Unlimited plan really is $25 per line. Yes?
Visible is $25/month with Party Pay. I’m a little confused though. I personally know someone who pays $75 for 3 lines on US Mobile.
The rep was firm about that pricing he gave me. I double checked with him later in the chat, quoting from the website and stating that differed from what he said. He then double downed, “assured” me his statement was correct. I have a transcript of the chat; if you’d like to see it let me know. I suppose I may have just gotten a bad rep. I’ll circle back when I have some time & let you know what I find out. On the WiFi issue as well.
@Mark — not sure what that rep is talking about. I’m on my son’s US Mobile all-in plan. He was paying $30/month per line for 2 lines ($60 total), then when I added myself and my wife and other son, he is now billed $25/line for all 5 line. — Unlimited talk, text, and data (throttled after 75 GB per line, and their throttle isn’t as slow as other providers’ throttle — their’s is 1.5mb/s). I’ve never hit the 75GB, so can’t verify that, but that is what they state (at least when I checked a few months ago). The $25/line for the all-in plan seems too good to be true, but it has been true for us. I’ll double check with my son to see if anything has changed. He auto-pays $25 five times per month, on the day of the month that each phone was activated.
I spoke with a rep over the phone today. He was excellent. I have an old Moto X4 running Android 9 and we were troubleshooting how to get WiFi calling to work. That’s a work in progress, but as for the pricing he confirmed it’s $25 for every line if 3 or more are on the account. He said perhaps the chat rep who advised me incorrectly was confused in that during the initial signup, the system bills at $45 for the first line and $30 for the second because it doesn’t know you’ll be adding a third (because of the linear flow of time, yo). So the initial month’s billing will be off and I’ll need to call to get refunds for month #1, but for all subsequent months it’ll be good at $25 per line. Based on the excellent interaction I had with the rep, and the fact I got through right away, I’ll be working hard to make US Mobile work for me.
I don’t quite understand how the free trial works. They send me a sim card, and then I’m able to put it in my existing phone and make calls with my existing number on the US Mobile network? Is that right?
US Mobile’s free trial looks more like a 14-day money-back guarantee. You go through the process of switching and if you’re not happy, they’ll refund you — as long as you don’t use a whole lot of data during the 14 days. https://www.usmobile.com/get-started
This review mentioned, “The company adds a $2 service fee and Regulatory Cost Recovery charges ($1 to $5 per line)”. I’m guessing all those dollar amounts are paid per month, and are not one-time payments. Has anyone found out what determines whether a customer pays $1 or $5 or something in between, for that “Recovery charge”? The US Mobile website doesn’t reveal that.
Yes per month. You can read about it in the fine print: https://www.usmobile.com/plans
If I sign up with us mobile with my existing phone a 6s plus and bring my phone # with it can I then buy a new phone if I choose 2 months later and swap out the 6 s plus with say an i phone 11 for example. Is it going to be easier that way compared to buying the phone now and then porting the number and inducing the new phone at the same time of signing up? thanks
Good question. You can always choose to buy a new phone later and keep your number with US Mobile or another service. I would base the decision on if you’re ready to buy a new phone.
US Mobile offers extremely poor customer service. Based on my experiences with them, I switched to another carrier. Getting US Mobile to port out my numbers to my new carrier took TEN DAYS of constantly calling them and my new carrier. US Mobile mainly focused on ‘retaining’ me and kept mis-representing the status of my port-out. It finally took a supervisor from my new carrier calling US Mobile directly for my port-out to complete. And the ‘US’ in US Mobile is misleading. They are 100% off-shore based.
Do you like your new carrier and would you recommend them?
I test many carriers. My main service is Verizon-owned Visible. You are commenting on my US Mobile review. It was solid.
The company is based in New York City. The also have offices in Montreal, London, and yes some of their customer service agents are in Karachi Pakistan, they are very nice, but again its a 100% American company.
If you are on a multiple line plan, can each line select which network they want? For example, on a 4-line plan, can two lines use Verizon, and the other two use T-Mo? Also, if on a 4-line plan, is the data cap (e.g. 100GB on the unlimited plan) shared data, or does each line get the same data limit?
The unlimited high-speed data cap is for each line. But 100GB is only for Verizon. It’s 35GB for T-Mobile. I’m not sure about mixing and matching networks. I would contact support. I don’t typically recommend T-Mobile for US Mobile since the Verizon offering is so much better.
Small but important detail: they don’t support international roaming! If you want your 10GB allocation on a premium plan, you get an eSIM card for it, with another number. They don’t support voice or text internationally, so you cannot expect continuity of service when in another country. WiFi calling works, so if you’re just sitting in a room or have a wifi egg or something, then that works.
Absurd omission on US Mobile’s part. You may want to update the review.
Their agents lie about everything. and whem caught they blame the customers.
They LIE about having 5G here in Maine, yet theur 4G signal frequently drops out and we lose networks
Go to tmobile, they lie as well but at least have service that works, and you dont have to contact them frequently becuase their service drops
I noticed when mentioning alternatives to US Mobile, NO ONE mentioned Twigby.
After several hours of research I have pretty much narrowed it down to US Mobile or Twigby since Verizon just increased my rate. The straw that broke the camels back after 20 years with Verizon.
I’ve reviewed Twigby twice. Here’s my latest article: https://michaelsaves.com/cell-phones/twigby-wireless-review/
Michael: I got a lot out of yourW review of US Mobile. I am also considering Consumer Cellular. I am a senior, not technically proficient, and still using my 20 year old Motorola flip phone. Actually, this is a CDMA 3G phone so Verizon is killing it by Dec. 30. We also have a land line for the house phone, and my wife has a smartphone which does not get used much.
So I am hoping you may have some advice that will help me decide between USM and CC.
We live in a rural part of Maryland that is served by Verizon, TMobile and AT&T. Access to good support by speaking to a person is important to me.
Thank you for any help you may offer
Consumer Cellular might be better for your needs. They will assist by phone and even at some Target locations.
Consumer Cellular also allows you to change your coverage on the fly in mid month. I had it but found it often would not connect using AT&T’s network and US Mobile was cheaper for me since I do no data.
Robert, Consumer Cellular is NOT pre-paid. They need to put that in bold letters on their page. You have to keep checking your balance to make sure you don’t go over, to get an idea how long each plan works. If you go over, automatically put you in a higher plan.
We been researching simple cell phone service for 95 yr old father. Is this correct: for a talk only service US Mobile offers a custom plan of 75 min for $2 month, no line charge? I agree the web page is confusing.
Thanks for your review and responses.
I don’t really have much insight into the no-data plans. I see they have a talk and text plan for $8, but it may have other fees. Twigby has a talk and text plan for $10 on Verizon’s network. Red Pocket Mobile’s annual plans on eBay are even cheaper.
I have US Mobile’s no data plan for $5/mo and they also charge a $2 service fee and $1.57 recovery fee for $8.57 total. I think the recovery fee varies slightly depending on the plan.
Michael: Thank you for the informative review! The key question: For a multi-line plan that needs unlimited data and mobile hotspot, do you recommend USM or one of the other plans you note?
You mention that you are on Visible. Are you staying with Visible? If so, why? What do you like better about Visible (over USM or others mentioned) for your use?
I am staying with Visible. I like the unlimited mobile hotspot because I work at coffee shops a lot. However, Visible is for single lines only! I have friends on US Mobile (3 lines) and they love it. US Mobile can be slightly more expensive than Visible in some cases because taxes and fees are extra. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad service. I recommend it.
Michael thanks for your informative description. I have a family of 4 and we are on the Verizon plan but would like something less expensive. We use are phones primarily for talk adn texting don’t need a mobile hotspot. I think US Mobile (4 lines) might be what we are looking for.
I think it’s good for a family of four. Verizon has been heavily promotional lately with its multi-line plans, specifically for four people. Might be worth calling them to see if they can work with you.
Hello Michael,
Thank you for a great review. You are familiar with both, Visible and US Mobile Unlimited providers and plans. Between the two, which one would YOU choose?
Thank you for the response!
V
I have Visible. I think Visible is a better value for an unlimited plan, but Visible has had some customer service and signup issues as of late. (I signed up in 2019, so I was not affected.) I still like US Mobile, and I like it even more if you have 3+ lines because of the pricing/perks. Just note: US Mobile adds taxes and fees, while Visible includes them in the advertised price.
Thanks for the informative article.
I only need phone and text, no data, and I am bringing my own phone. This is more of a secondary phone to keep home.
I would only want to pay for what i use. Should I choose the unlimited talk and text for $6 or is there better option with another carrier.
There is a new carrier called MobileX that may suit your needs perfectly, but I also like US Mobile in your case.
I do not see unlimited Talk and Text for $6 a month at US Mobile. There is a 500 MB, 2500 Talk and Text. That’s the one I want.
Do you have a link to the unlimited Talk and Text for $6 a month? Thanks.
On the homepage, it’s featured next to the 500 MB one.
I’ve had US Mobile for a couple of years now. I have unlimited talk & text with 1GB of data (on their Verizon service). Total cost in Upstate, NY including all fees is $11.48/mo., I let it auto-renew. And with their excellent customer service when calling in, I don’t know how you beat it! I hope it continues to work well for me. I’ve dealt with some real turkeys in the past, including Verizon itself. Having problems posting this comment, as your site claims that I’ve already posted…I’m trying to post my comments for the first time.
I got your comment! I’m glad it’s going so well. You are saving a lot!
Excellent and informative review of US Mobile.
Do you know if we’ll be able to attach an LTE smart watch to US Mobile? If so, will we be able to share the same phone number, ie: have calls ring the smart watch while the phone itself is outside of BT range?
And finally, do you know the costs? I wasn’t able to find any information about smart watches on their website.
Thanks!
They don’t currently offers smartwatch plans.
I spoke with someone at US Mobile today and although the representative wasn’t positive, he did seek out additional information while I was on hold. The response was that Verizon did not have a provision for IoT devices such as a smart watch or tablet to be added to the US Mobile plan. He did recommend using the TMobile plan which would allow IoT devices. Since I have already experienced TMobile’s horrible service in my area, I wasn’t really interested in that solution.
It seems to me that these discounted services are simply repackaged pre pay plans from the major carriers. And I am finding that these major carriers are simply taking advantage of those geeky people who want the latest tech, ie: “No discount for you Mr Dick Tracy!”
First US Mobile is NOT US based as you will see if you ever talk to customer support. 2nd they use the shady bait and switch. When you get the free trial they have you phone on great setting where you get 4 and 5 bars in signal where you normally get one or two. I thought I was in heaven because I thought I finally found a company bwith great signal for service. Sadly it was short lived because as soon as I decided to go with them after the trial with paid plans the settings where changed and the signal dropped almost off completely. I get one bar most of the time now where most other companies I got two to three. They use a shady practice where they give you the best signal in the trial then when you pay the gip you.
Personally I am trying to find a US based company with a great signal.
Do NOT use Straight Talk, they are liars and rip offs, they try to tell you you need to buy a new phone when mine is an expensive same exact model they sell on their site. To get you to get another phone they lie to your face telling you your phone is incompatible vwith their network while they disrupt your service until you do. Some of their staff said my phone was fine with their service while others continue to lie to customers to sell phones while they sell your same exact model of phone themselves.
Both if these companies are rip offs and best to find another reputable company to do business with.
This is exactly why I am looking at these reviews. Visible told me I was going to have to upgrade my phone (Motorola G Power 2021) so I did. I purchased the newest just released Motorola G Power 2023. Guess what? The new phone is not compatible with the new Visible network either. I think the reason it is not compatible is because I purchased it straight from Motorola. Anyway, I am looking at Twigby, U S Mobile and Red Pocket. Still weighing all the options and reading the reviews. I really did like Visible though.
Danny, I had a lot of compatibility issues with Visible before they switched to Verizon servers this year. My Sony Xperia 1 mk3 before was totally incompatible as it would not even register on the network. When services moved to Verizon servers suddenly my “old” phone started getting signal and working! Since my Sony died I’ve moved on – I used Pixel 3 and 4; and now I am on iPhone 12 which has been working well.
I have unlimited calls and text for my USM plan. I am also interested in using my phone for data. Right now, I only use WIFI at home for data. How do I determine how much data to buy to use data outside my home?
The average person uses about 10GB of high-speed data per month. My advice is to choose a plan and track your data usage from your phone for a month or two. Then, you can adjust plans if needed.
Thanks very much.
US Mobile is a clown show of a company. They do not operate out of the USA. I’ve had nothing but extreme issues with this company. The chat feature treats you to their total incompetence. Employees aren’t even aware that Verizon is their parent company. They are severely untrained and incompetent in trying to handle a QR code phone activation. They then try to lie to you about the capabilities of your phone and that you need to pay $30 for a eSIM card kit to be mailed to you. They are also a prepaid plan company and recently they tried to double charge me and state one of my lines expires in 16 hours after taking full payment with email receipt 2 days prior. They are completely untrustworthy and it seems like a general pattern of how they operate. I would avoid this company at any cost.
Mr. Timmermann, Thank you so much for your thorough & extensive reviews and testing, and your informed & fast responses to everyone’s Qs! I and l’m sure a great many others greatly appreciate all the work you do, very much!
Sincerely, Cory, Fairfax, Va
In case no one has noticed about US Mobile, they say it RENEWS every 30 days but they actually charge you 2 days in advance, which is every 28 days.
So if that’s the case, every 28 days comes out to 13 months. ( I usually wait TILL the actual due date and sometimes they’ll cut your line off early, they don’t even wait till the day is over)
While the service has been great, I don’t like their pricing practices and if at 28 days, which would equal to 13 months.. meh. I will most likely switch.
The plan is for 30 days but they charge you 2 days early just to make sure the card works so your line doesnt get cut off. You still get the 30 days you paid for.
Hello Michael,
Thank you for such an informative review. I have read your other ones about Visible and Mint mobile as well. I live in the Bay Area and I assume the coverage is similar to that of LA. I am wondering what your thoughts are for all 3. These were the top 3 companies I was considering (US mobile, mint, and visible). It has been a while since you’ve posted this review but I hope you can still respond. Which do you consider as the best unlimited plan and why? Thank you so much!
Visible is the best value, but you have to be OK with the drawbacks of limited customer support.
Thanks for trying to explain this mess. The cell phone business always has and still does make you want to take a shower.
I’ve been a US Mobile customer for three or four years. I’ve been on the GSM (T-Mobile) network for about a year because the Warp (Verizon) network didn’t offer wifi calling at that time. Recently I noticed that I’m not being notified on my Pixel 7 when I receive a voicemail. After two separate tech support calls @90 minutes each, they admitted defeat and sent me a new SIM card for the Verizon network, assuring me it would work there.
Today I tried to switch networks only to find that the plan I’ve been on for years is no longer available and it would cost me more to go to the Verizon plan that is offered. I decided to stay with the network I’m on and work around the lack of voicemail notification. I have noticed a decline in their customer service quality, both on the chat as well as live person line.
I have been a US mobile customer for a couple of years but recently having problems like suddenly autopay being turned off even though it’s been on autopay and therefore getting my phone turned off with no warning. Never had a phone turned off before and very difficult to get it fixed and turned on autopay and got a screenshot and still it was off the next month so this is not an acceptable issue and chat customer service was awful. Plan to look elsewhere.
I have been without service for 4 days was suppose to get Sims card today (2 day shipping )found out it wasn’t shipped until I ask them in a chat message then they mailed it out. think and read reviews before switching
I have nothing but good things to say about US Mobile. They are, along with Visible, the best two Verizon MVNOs out there. USM, with their recently updated plans, has completely erased the advantages of Visible. Where the best budget wireless carrier option was up until recently to cast your lot with some T-Mobile MVNO, these two providers have completely changed the landscape, putting the Verizon network in the running. As to what perhaps distinguishes USM is the customer service. The folks staffing the chat are competent and dedicated to resolving your issue. The ones on the phone are polite, equally competent, and speak the King’s English like it’s nobody’s business. These guys are based in Islamabad, Pakistan, and seem to come from the finest private schools that the country has to offer. They will absolutely address your concerns, and you will hang up the phone feeling that you a helpful, satisfying, and erudite discussion. Just go with US Mobile and don’t look back. It’s the smart way to the Verizon network.
Yes and theres no contract so feel free to try it out you dont have anything to lose! Right now they have a 50 day free trial.
I’m having the same issue. After about an hour with one of there support reps with no solution they hung up on me. I’m going to cancel the service.
When you have 4 lines of USM you get 2 perks so once you include $15 off twice (2 perks) the price can’t be beat.
Avoid this company!!! Every month I would turn off auto pay just to have them turn it back on. They are not consistent with billing. They recently started to bill 4-5 days before the months service is renewed. I was not obligated to pay with auto pay. My bank charges $40 each time they ran my card early because I didn’t move the funds to the card being charged. They run the card in the middle of the night even after turning off auto pay. In my case twice resulting in $80 of bank fees. Customer service refused to admit they turn off auto pay and told me to call my bank and tell them not to charge me the $40? Like I have control of what a bank can do. Avoid this company if your living week to week and won’t have funds until the actual billing date. The customer service representative was argumentative and disrespectful. This company is going down hill fast. Most customers are using the service because of money issues trying to save money. Let me reiterate, avoid this company! My friends constantly asked me why I was avoiding them because their calls and texts were not making it to my phone. If your in business for yourself this company will lose customers for you. Your customers will think you don’t return messages that you actually never received. I have been throttled down for no reason with plenty of data remaining numerous times. The phrase you get what you pay for suits this company. I moved to TMobile and couldn’t be happier!
You didnt mention that USMobile has email support also. (help@usmobile.com)……They have a sub on Reddit also where you can get help.
Ive been using USMobile for 3 months and love it. I have 2 lines on my iphone 15 one warp(verizon) and one gsm (Tmobile) on the shared data pool plan….$10 for 2GB +$8 for the second line……….when Im in an area that has bad coverage on one I just switch to the other)
I began on Visible basic plan. Chat is the only help and it’s 85% pure frustration and the left over 15% was me just figuring out my own issues. Visible is totally inadequate on help and they try hard to force you to talk to a AI bot until you demand “live agent” over and over.
Ok so i got tired of Visible basic. The constant slow network. Throttling. It’s ok but constantly experiencing deprioritization.
So I changed to Visible+ ….and found out their 50GB premium data doesn’t actually exist. It’s the same deprioritized speeds. I’m currently at 31GB of my 50GB and the whole time it’s been experiencing deprioritization. My phone is a Pixel 7 Pro.
It’s not my phone or area. Tested in another S23. Same thing. I got full bars great signal. Never once did I reach anything near 1mb in download. I never tested any speeds that were over 1mb. My prior service, Mint mobile, had speeds up to 90mb and beyond. I just left them cus they suck with their data caps and rip off prices.With Visible+ I can’t even load emails 60% of the time on any given day or night. about 40% of time things load fine. At night it gets really bad. I have to constantly turn data off and back on. Then I’ll get some apps or pages to load then it slows down to a stand still within minutes.
So frustrating. On Visible basic plan they throttle you to under 2kbs speeds after you reached 50GB. Sometimes they don’t slow you down till 70GB, ice even reached 114GB before they throttles me once. On Visible+ they its the EXACT same. in addition the no customer service is such a deal breaker that made me want to leave since the start. Now after switching to Visible+ and seeing it’s no different than the base plan (which was my last try) I’m leaving. Porting my number over to US Mobile at the end of this month.
Votes on US Mobile vs Visible are 80% votes for US Mobile and 20% for Visible.
All I ask for is good data speeds and NOT a chat AI customer service that angers you more than acts able to help.
Visible is a total fail. No difference between the base or + plans.
Hi, if I do the annual plan and I decide its not for me after 6 months, is there any pro-rated refund?
No, I don’t believe so
I just signed up for USM GSM+ monthly, got a free trial month for one line, have ported a 2nd, and will add a 3rd. I was already using a USM Verizon barebones plan for my young son’s flip phone, so in order to get any promo, I had to create a separate account, which annoyed me. I ran into bumps setting up my phone (no eSIM), but overall, seems to be working fine. Customer support is a little hit and miss, but I can’t even chat anymore with anyone on T-Mobile, and I was paying for 2 lines what I’ll end up paying for 3 on USM.
I don’t think there’s any cancelling annual plans and getting refunds, which is why I’m going monthly. And to earlier statements, when you add an extra line, you will see the multiline discount, which for Unlimited Starter, hits $25/mo for 3 lines. You can’t add all lines in one fell swoop, so they charge you full price for the first, less for the 2nd, and less again for the 3rd. Then, at your next cycle, they’ll all be discounted the same. Kinda dumb, but it’s like $6 more for a month.