Straight Talk vs T-Mobile: Plans Compared

Straight Talk wireless is a prepaid carrier owned by Verizon and operating on its 4G and 5G networks. Like an MVNO, Straight Talk is geared at customers looking for cheap phone plans who still want reliable nationwide coverage. It's a solid option for folks looking for an affordable alternative to Verizon's unlimited plans, which are aimed at users who require fast and reliable premium data. 

Verizon, of course, isn’t the only wireless network. T-Mobile is one of the country’s largest mobile carriers, offering a wide range of 4G and 5G plans. So, how does Straight Talk stack up against T-Mobile? We wanted to find out.

In this guide, we’ll compare plans from Straight Talk and T-Mobile, breaking down their coverage, plans, perks, and more. Along the way, we’ll weigh the value of both carriers so you decide which one is right for you.

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Straight Talk vs. T-Mobile: Similarities

Straight Talk and T-Mobile might seem like vastly different carriers, but the two have some major details in common. Here are the most significant:

• Both Straight Talk Wireless and T-Mobile operate on nationwide 4G and 5G networks. 
• Both carriers provide unlimited data plans.
• Both carriers offer hotspot data with their unlimited data plans.
• Both carriers allow users to pair their plans with new phones, with financing available for iPhones, Samsung phones, and more.
• Both carriers offer family plans with significant multi-line discounts.

Straight Talk vs. T-Mobile: Differences

Prepaid carriers and postpaid carriers are designed for different demographics. That’s especially evident when comparing Straight Talk and T-Mobile. Here are some of those key distinctions:

• Straight Talk operates on the nationwide Verizon 4G and 5G networks; T-Mobile operates on its own 4G and 5G networks.
• Straight Talk offers prepaid plans, which are designed for users who don’t need much data; T-Mobile offers postpaid plans, which are aimed at users who require large amounts of high-speed premium data.
• Straight Talk’s 5G plans top out at the relatively slow speed of 143Mbps; T-Mobile’s 5G plans are much faster, topping out at 357Mbps.
• Straight Talk’s unlimited plans are deprioritized during network congestion, meaning users may experience slower speeds during busy times; only two of T-Mobile’s unlimited plans are deprioritized during network congestion.
• Straight Talk offers less hotspot data (10GB, 15GB, and 20GB) than T-Mobile (50GB and unlimited). 
• Straight Talk’s perks are more practical (Walmart+ membership and 100GB cloud storage) than T-Mobile’s entertainment subscriptions (Apple TV+ and Netflix).

Straight Talk vs. T-Mobile: Coverage

Straight Talk is owned by Verizon and its plans operate on the carrier’s nationwide 4G and 5G networks. That’s a good thing for 4G: Verizon’s 4G network covers 56% of the United States, making it the second largest 4G network in the country behind AT&T. Verizon’s 5G network, though, is significantly smaller, with a footprint of just 12%. 

T-Mobile’s 4G network isn’t as big as Verizon’s, covering just 37% of the map, but its 5G footprint is the largest in the country at 29%.

If those numbers seem small, there’s a good reason: the country’s wireless networks are mostly confined to the densely populated parts of the country. While Verizon and T-Mobile’s network areas might seem small when compared with the United States map, these networks’ actual coverage is much higher. Verizon says their 4G reaches 99% of the population and that their 5G coverage is available for just under 70%. T-Mobile claims their 4G and 4G LTE service reaches 99% of Americans, with their 5G covering around 98%.  

Before activating a plan, you’ll want to do a coverage check to ensure Verizon and T-Mobile’s service is available where you live, especially if you live in a more rural part of the country. You can do that with our unbiased Plan Finder, which will highlight the carriers providing the best service in your neck of the woods.

What’s an unlimited plan?

Despite the name, unlimited data plans are more complicated than they sound. While some unlimited data plans offer truly unlimited high-speed data, most do not.

Many unlimited plans offer a limited amount of high-speed data per month. When a user exceeds that amount, their data will be deprioritized, which they’ll feel through slower speeds while using their phone.

Other unlimited plans deprioritize when the network is congested, which can happen during peak hours (like earlier in the morning or during lunch hours) or in large crowds (like at sporting events). For these plans, it doesn’t matter how much data a user has burned through—they’ll experience slower speeds during congestion to make room for the users who pay for truly unlimited data.

Want to learn more about unlimited cell phone plans? Read more in our guide to understanding unlimited data plans.

Straight Talk vs. T-Mobile: Entry-Level Unlimited Plans

Straight Talk and T-Mobile both offer entry-level unlimited plans, which are designed for people who use their phone to talk, text, browse social media, and stream music, but aren’t interested in streaming video, gaming, or using a mobile hotspot.

Straight Talk’s StraightSAVINGS Nationwide plan is a cheap way to score unlimited talk, text, and data. There is an important downside, though: the plan’s 5G speeds are significantly slower than T-Mobile’s entry-level options (the Essential Savers and Essentials plans) and is deprioritized whenever there’s congestion on the Verizon network. Unlike their other unlimited plans, T-Mobile’s Essentials plans are also deprioritized during network congestion and are further deprioritized if users exceed their 50GB data allowance.

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Straight Talk vs. T-Mobile: Mid-Level Unlimited Plans

Most people need more than an entry-level unlimited plan, one that will allow them to game, stream video, and occasionally use a mobile hotspot. Straight Talk and T-Mobile provide mid-level unlimited plans that meet those needs, with solid premium data allotments, significant mobile hotspot allowances, and international calling.

While Straight Talk’s smaller hotspots and deprioritized data might frustrate some users, their low price tags might make up for those shortcomings. If you want to save even more on these plans, you can pay for three months of service and enroll in auto pay. 

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Straight Talk vs. T-Mobile: Premium Unlimited Plans

Premium unlimited plans are designed for data-heavy users, who use a mobile hotspot more than three times a week, frequently FaceTime or Zoom, and enjoy binge-watching and gaming. If your phone is your primary entertainment center or an essential tool for your job, you likely need a premium unlimited plan.

Premium plans, though, come with premium price tags, so we suggest you research your monthly data usage before paying for one of these more expensive plans. The average cell phone user overestimates the amount of monthly data they need, often because they don’t understand how much data they use throughout the course of a month.

As a prepaid carrier, Straight Talk doesn’t offer premium unlimited plans. If you’re looking for a premium cell phone plan on the Verizon network, we recommend checking out Verizon’s unlimited plans.

T-Mobile, though, offers two premium unlimited plans. Their Experience More and Experience Beyond plans give users large amounts of premium data and free streaming subscriptions. Both plans also offer JUMP!, an add-on that allows users to upgrade to a new phone before paying off their current one. (Experience Beyond includes a complimentary Yearly Upgrade, though you'll need to stick with a device for six months and pay off 50% of its cost before getting your new phone.)

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Straight Talk vs. T-Mobile: Capped Plans

Unlike unlimited plans, capped data plans offer finite amounts of monthly data. When a user exceeds that amount, they lose service until the next month. T-Mobile is a premium carrier that only offers unlimited plans. Straight Talk, though, provides two plans that, for all intents and purposes, are capped.

The first is the Basic Phone Plan. As the name implies, this is a bare-bones option, with caps on both calling and data. It’s an outdated model, but it’s one that might work for emergency phones, children, and older family members. Fittingly, it’s only available for flip phones. 

Straight Talk’s Bronze Unlimited plan is a bit of a different story. It’s technically unlimited, meaning you’ll have service if you exceed its 10GB premium data allotment, but doing so will slow your data down to 2G speeds, rendering your phone useless beyond calling, texting, and basic web browsing.Like we said, it’s technically unlimited, but in practice it’ll feel a lot more like a capped plan.

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Straight Talk vs. T-Mobile: Perks

Prepaid carriers rarely offer perks. That’s part of the reason their prices are often so much lower than their postpaid counterparts. Straight Talk does offer some perks, though they’re limited to the carrier’s Platinum Unlimited and Gold Unlimited plans. Customers who activate those plans will score Walmart+ memberships and 100GB of cloud storage. 

T-Mobile, on the other hand, has several plans with significant perks. All the carrier’s plans include access to T-Mobile Tuesdays, which offers customers exclusive deals on food, gas, entertainment, and more. T-Mobile mid-level and premium unlimited plans also include Netflix, Apple TV+, AAA memberships, and more. 

The Bottom Line

Straight Talk is a good option for basic phone users who want reliable coverage at a low cost. We don’t recommend it for customers who use their phones for data-heavy activities like video conferencing or streaming, as the carrier’s relatively slow speeds and network deprioritization will just cause frustration.

T-Mobile’s plans are a lot more expensive than Straight Talk’s, though customers certainly get more for what they pay, with faster speeds, premium data, and better 5G coverage. It’s the better choice for high-data users seeking mid-level and premium unlimited plans.

If you want to see even more options, be sure to check out our free and unbiased Plan Finder, which scours our listings of phone plans from every major carrier to find the best option for you and your wallet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Straight Talk T-Mobile?

No, Straight Talk is not T-Mobile. Straight Talk is a prepaid cell phone carrier, owned by Verizon and operating on its nationwide wireless network.

Is Straight Talk compatible with T-Mobile?

Straight Talk is not compatible with T-Mobile—if you would like to switch from Straight Talk Wireless to T-Mobile, you can port your number by contacting T-Mobile and activating a new plan. If you purchased a cell phone from Straight Talk, though, and have paid it off in full, that phone will be compatible with T-Mobile, assuming it is 5G compatible.

Does Straight Talk Wireless offer hotspot?

Yes, Straight Talk Wireless offers mobile hotspot on all of their unlimited plans.