Boost Infinite vs. Ting Mobile: Which carrier is better?

Boost Infinite, also known as Boost Mobile, and Ting Mobile are popular MVNOs that offer great prices on their plans. Both Boost and Ting have plans that are built around anyone’s budget. But, like every carrier, each has its positives and negatives, so which offers better phone plans? Let’s put them head to head and see which brand comes out on top. 

In this article, we plan to discuss the ins and outs of both carriers and what they offer. We’ll also cover:

• What the coverage of both carriers looks like
• How prices of their plans compare to how much data you get
• The features each carrier offers for their plans 

Coverage & Reception - How do Boost Infinite and Ting Compare?

Boost Infinite and Ting Mobile are both on several networks. 

Boost Infinite and Ting Mobile are mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs. This means that they purchase service access wholesale from one of the three major networks that own infrastructure across the country – AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile – giving customers service at a much cheaper price. Ting Mobile is an MVNO of both Verizon and T-Mobile, and Boost Infinite is an MVNO of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Dish.

REALLY Looks: Why is Boost Infinite on several different networks? And is it actually just Boost Mobile?

Boost Infinite was a postpaid wireless company that was the “sister” of Boost Mobile, which was entirely its own separate service. Back when the Sprint and T-Mobile merger was afoot, Dish Network ended up getting into the ring and fought to acquire Boost Mobile, they ended up successfully doing so in the summer of 2020. And just two years later the open beta of Boost Infinite was brought into the world with full access to customers released in the following year.

However, earlier this year (July 2024), it was announced that the parent company of both Boost Mobile and Boost Infinite would merge, combining its Boost Mobile and Boost Infinite subsidiaries into one brand: Boost Mobile.

Originally Boost Mobile just had prepaid plans, while Boost Infinite just had postpaid plans, but now it’s all under one name: Boost Mobile, and Boost does both prepaid and postpaid cell phone plans now. 

⭐For the sake of ease and less confusion we will refer to Boost Mobile and ⭐ Boost Infinite as “Boost” throughout the article, since they are no longer separated.

Coverage is dependent on compatibility and location. You may be under just T-Mobile or AT&T, or you could have multiple thanks to the “rainbow SIM” (A rainbow SIM card functions the same as a regular SIM card but instead of it being linked to one wireless provider it can instead link and switch between a few different carriers- providing the user with coverage from multiple different cell towers). More information can be found from Boost’s website and Help Center.

But let’s get back into MVNOs: A common aspect of MVNOs you should know about is they are more likely to subject users to data deprioritization and throttled speeds. 

• Data deprioritization is “the temporary slowing of data speeds for certain customers in order to give priority to other customers.” Which means that those who are direct customers of the “parent” company will get network priority when you’re in a high traffic area like a concert hall or sports stadium, or when there’s network congestion.

• Throttling is also more likely to occur with MVNOs and “the dramatic slowing of your data speeds to the point that it becomes almost unusable.” This will happen when you go over a certain number of gigabytes of data for the month, which is referred to as a “data cap.” You’ll see this number displayed somewhere on your carrier’s website. Your normal speeds will slow down until the start of your next billing cycle.

Often, the quality of coverage comes down to your area. One carrier’s coverage may be better in New York, while another’s coverage may be better in California. It’s important to compare between providers on a coverage map of your specific city. Ookla’s coverage map allows you to see where cellular towers are located and which company owns them. This coverage map provides information about coverage from 2G to 5G for several providers. 

Verizon has the most nation-wide 4G LTE coverage out of every wireless carrier in the country which is no small feat. Covering over 70% of the country, Verizon has had it’s footprints all over the map giving reliable coverage to even the most rural of areas when it comes to LTE.

T-Mobile’s 5G coverage and access is hailed as the best coverage overall. So you can expect some pretty solid 5G speeds for any MVNO under the T-Mobile umbrella. Their 4G LTE isn’t as widespread as their two major competitors, Verizon and AT&T, but it’s by no means a dealbreaker. 

AT&T are very much considered to be the “middle of the pack” when comparing it directly to Verizon and T-Mobile. Their 4G LTE sits comfortably between the two, behind Verizon but ahead of T-Mobile, and their 5G network is above Verizon but below T-Mobile. 

• There isn’t a ton of concrete information on the Dish Wireless Network but what we do know now is qualifying Boost customers will become a part of America’s Smart Network™ which is “a nationwide ecosystem of the most advanced network coverage in the palm of your hand,” built by Dish Network. TLDR: It looks like anywhere your 5G coverage may dip, Dish Wireless may pick up some of the slack if available.

Another good way to look at your coverage options is to go directly to the source and see what the Coverage Maps look like from the websites themselves, here is the Boost Coverage Map. Ting however, doesn’t have a visual coverage map, the only way to see if you are covered in your area would be to go to their “Coverage” page and type in your ZIP, there they will say if you are covered or not.

Plan Options - A Close Look at Boost vs. Ting

Boost offers five unlimited plans, while Ting Mobile offers a flexible data plan. 

Like most plans you’ll see on the market, both carriers offer unlimited talk and texting options with any plan you choose. Ting Mobile offers several limited and unlimited plans as well as a flexible data plan. Boost offers five unlimited plans with varying features. Both companies deprioritize data, which you know means you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas.

Boost’s Unlimited Plans

Boost offers three regular unlimited plans and two special “infinite” access unlimited plans for its users. 

We’re talking only about Boost’s postpaid plans, meaning you pay for the previous month of service after you use it. They offer five plans in total, each one is unlimited. Additional add-ons, like hotspot access and extra high speed data, cost $10 per month. Their QCI tier is 7 on T-Mobile, 8 on AT&T, and 9 on Dish.

You can have up to five lines on an account. If you purchase your phone from Boost, your device will be locked until you pay off your phone. The plans they offer renew monthly, and taxes and fees are not with the advertised price. In the past we’ve reviewed the Boost Mobile brand before, there are Pros and Cons with Boost Infinite to be aware of.

Boost also has two other unlimited plans called “Infinite Access for iPhone” and “Infinite Access for Galaxy” which we will go over in detail after we take a look at Boost’s base unlimited plans:

Unlimited

This plan offers 30GB of high-speed, premium data. 

This plan offers 30GB of high speed, premium data before slowing to unlimited data at 512kbps, or 3G speeds. 3G speeds still allow you to browse the internet and send texts or emails, but streaming videos may be more difficult. The plan does not include hotspot access, but an add-on is available for $10 per month. You can use up to 30GB in hotspot data with the add-on. 

The plan costs $25 per month. At this rate, you get 30GB at $0.83 per GB. 

Unlimited+

This plan has a mobile hotspot attached.

This plan offers 40GB of high speed, premium data before slowing to unlimited 3G speeds. This plan does have hotspot access which takes data from your monthly unlimited package. This plan has up to $300 Device Savings according to their page.

The plan costs $50 per month. At this rate, you get 40GB at $1.25 per GB. 

Unlimited Premium

This plan has 50GB of high-speed, premium data.

This plan offers 50GB of high speed, premium data before slowing to unlimited 3G speeds. This plan also has hotspot access which again, takes data from your monthly unlimited package. This plan has up to $430 Device Savings according to their page. 

The plan costs $60 per month. At this rate, you get 50GB at $1.20 per GB. 

Next we have Boost’s “Infinite Access for iPhone” and “Infinite Access for Galaxy” plans:

These two plans are under their “Buy Now, Pay Later” section where every year you’ll be able to save up to $1000 on a brand new iPhone and $800 on a brand new Samsung Galaxy. Then you can sign up for their “Buy Now, Pay Later” program where they require Autopay and a soft credit check at account creation.

Infinite Access for iPhone

This plan gets you limited time $1000 off of all iPhone 16 models.

This plan offers 30GB of high speed, premium data before slowing to unlimited 3G speeds. The plan does not include hotspot access, but an add-on is available for $10 per month, where you can use up to 30GB in hotspot data with the add-on. 

When you purchase an Infinite Access for iPhone plan you will pick and buy your iPhone (you can choose $0 down today + taxes, or pay for the phone fully at check-out), and then every year you can request a free annual upgrade where Boost will send you the new iPhone and you send your old one back.

The plan costs $65 per month. At this rate, you get 30GB at $2.16 per GB. 

Infinite Access for Galaxy

This plan gets you up to $800 in device savings.

This plan also offers 30GB of high speed, premium data before slowing to unlimited 3G speeds. The plan does not include hotspot access, but an add-on is available for $10 per month, where you can use up to 30GB in hotspot data with the add-on. 

Just like Infinite Access for iPhone, when you purchase an Infinite Access for Galaxy plan you will pick and buy your Galaxy (choose $0 down today + taxes, or pay for the phone fully at check-out), and then every year you can request a free annual upgrade where Boost will send you the new Galaxy and you send your old one back.

The plan costs $65 per month. At this rate, you get 30GB at $2.16 per GB.

Ting Mobile Plans

Ting Mobile offers two unlimited and two limited plans, as well as a pay-as-you-go plan. 

Ting Mobile offers varying unlimited and limited plans with the ability to include an unlimited number of lines on your plan. Any fast data you don’t use will roll over to the next month. Just like Boost, there are Pros and Cons with Ting Mobile, which should be looked into before signing up. Their QCI tier changes depending on which network you choose. If you choose T-Mobile, your QCI tier will be 7. It will be tier 9 on Verizon’s network.

Their “Set 5” and "Set 12” plans refer to the amount of data you’re getting per month. And their unlimited plans have set amounts of “fast data” per month.

They also offer a pay-as-you-go, or flexible, plan, where you pay for the exact amount of data you use.

If you purchase your phone from Ting Mobile, your device will be sold to you already unlocked. The plans they offer renew monthly, and taxes and fees are not included with the advertised price. 

Flex Plan

This plan gives you a rate of $5 per GB. 

As a flexible plan, Ting Mobile allows you to pay for the exact amount of data you use. Any data you buy can be used as hotspot data. 

The plan costs $10 per month, and each GB you use is $5. For example, if you used 1GB, you’d pay $15. 

Set 5 Plan

This plan gives you 5GB, then slow data afterwards. 

Ting Mobile gives you 5GB of data with this plan, and all plan data can be used as hotspot data if you need. After the cap, you are able to still have data but it’s slowed to 2G speeds, or 128 kbps and that’s unlimited. With those speeds you can send text messages and emails or browse websites, but not much else. 

The plan costs $25 per month. At this rate, you get 5GB at $5 per GB. 

Set 12 Plan

This plan is 12GB with hotspot data and unlimited slow data. 

The “Set 12” Plan gives you 12GB of data, and all of it can be used as hotspot data. Again, just like the Set 5 plan, you get unlimited data, but the speeds are slowed to 2G speeds after using the 12GB.

The plan costs $35 per month. At this rate, you get 12GB at $2.92 per GB. 

Unlimited Plan

This plan slows down after 22GB of full speed data. 

Ting Mobile’s first unlimited plan gives you 22GB of fast data before slowing down to 2G speeds for the rest of the month. The plan also gives you separate hotspot data, which stops after 12GB. 

The plan costs $45 per month. At this rate, you get 22GB of full speed data and 12GB of hotspot data at $1.32 per GB. 

Ollo^TM Unlimited Pro Plan

Their biggest plan gets you 35GB of fast speed data and 18GB of hotspot data. 

Ollo^TM Unlimited is Ting Mobile’s biggest plan, which gives you 35GB of fast speed data before slowing down to 2G speeds. You also get an additional 18GB of hotspot data, which stops after you reach that cap. 

The plan costs $55 per month. At this rate, you get 35GB of full speed data and 18GB of hotspot data at $1.04 per GB. 

Features - Boost vs. Ting

While both carriers offer pretty good deals for their customers, there are some differences in the features and benefits that may entice you to pick one over the other. If you’re a frequent traveler, talk to your international friends and family a lot, or are looking for a bit more “perk” with your plan then this section will break down all of that juicy info so you can know what you’re potentially gonna get.

Both carriers offer additional features for a fee.

If you’re looking for a plan with more included features, such as international connection or domestic roaming data, it’s best to compare carriers with what they offer. Ting Mobile offers international connectivity at pay-per-use rates, and Boost also offers add-ons for their Infinite Unlimited base plan. They also offer several features with their Infinite Unlimited Plus and Infinite Access for iPhone plans. 

Domestic Roaming Data

Boost Mobile plan includes “100 minutes per month of domestic voice roaming, all at no additional charge. International voice, SMS texting, and data roaming aren't covered” as per their website.

And for Ting, according to their Help Center, under “Roaming while using hotspot” — “Ting Unlimited plans will support up to 100MB for domestic and international roaming. The domestic roaming will not have additional charges, but using your hotspot for international roaming will have additional charges after the 100MB.”

Mexico & Canada Connection

Boost’s Unlimited Premium, Infinite Access for iPhone, and Infinite Access for Galaxy plans comes with unlimited talk & text and 5GB of data while roaming in Canada and Mexico. To get talk, text, and data to Mexico and Canada on their other plans, users can purchase an additional add-on for $10 per month. 

Ting Mobile offers pay-per-use rates on talk, text, and data for both Mexico and Canada. Talk rates for while you’re in Mexico and Canada are $0.30 per minute, text rates are $0.12 per message, and data rates are $0.20 per MB. 

International Connection

Every Boost plan except for their base $25/mo. Unlimited plan comes with Global Talk & Text. There is an additional add-on users can purchase for $10 per month for their other plan.

Ting Mobile offers varying pay-per-use rates depending on the country and do not offer international roaming outside of North America:

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Video Streaming Quality

Boost’s plans stream at 480p Standard Definition. All Ting Mobile plans offer 1080p High Definition streaming but do drain your data usage.

Streaming Services

Boost and Ting Mobile do not offer this feature.

Cloud Storage

Boost and Ting Mobile do not offer this feature.

Device Financing

If you buy a phone from Boost, they allow you to pay for your device in installments over time. However, through Boost, in order to pay for it in installments overtime, you will need to qualify for their “Buy Now, Pay Later” program. 

Ting Mobile does not offer this feature.

WiFi Calling

Both carriers offer WiFi calling, which allows you to send and receive phone calls over a WiFi connection rather than cellular reception. 

Spam Protection

Boost and Ting Mobile do not offer this feature.

Free Trial

Boost and Ting Mobile do not offer this feature.

Customer Service 

The Boost Brand, specifically under Boost Mobile has several locations, and Ting Mobile does not have any physical stores. 

Boost (Mobile) has multiple stores in the country, you can use their store locator to find the closest one near you. They also offer support over the phone at (833) 212-6678. Ting Mobile is also digital-only, so they offer chat support 24/7 and phone support at the number 1-855-846-4389. 

The Verdict

Boost offers a better deal on unlimited plans.

Because of the price per GB and included features, Boost’s Infinite Unlimited Plus plan offers the best deal between both carriers. And, the best deal overall is the Infinite Access for iPhone plan that includes the newest iPhone each year. 

We’d recommend checking your data usage before committing to a plan.

Want to compare other carriers?

Really.com helps users compare between features, coverage, price, reviews, and more!

We’ve compared Boost with other carriers before: Boost Infinite vs. Boost Mobile: Which carrier is better?

And if you want to compare and contrast Boost and Ting to over 1,200 other phone plans so you know you’re getting the service that’s right for you, then make sure to check out the REALLY compare page which allows you to look at pricing, coverage, what phone plans are available, current deals and steals, and how you can make the most of your potential phone bill.