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Metro by T-Mobile vs Simple Mobile: Who Should You Go With?

August 2, 2024
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When you’re in the process of switching or signing up for a cell phone plan for the first time, there is a lot to consider and it can get pretty overwhelming quickly. You’ve got to decide how much you’re willing to spend, what type of data plan you need: limited or unlimited, if you need a mobile hotspot, international benefits, and one of the most important factors: coverage. 

As you’re juggling all of these things you’ll notice that there are a lot of cell phone carriers out there with their own set of pros and cons. Now some of these cons might be deal breakers for you and some of these pros might be exactly what you need. But since there are so many providers to choose from you’ve probably ended up with two or more competing for your subscription. 

Today we’re taking a look at two carriers that each hold their own and come with a lot to look forward to if you are a prospective customer. Metro vs Simple Mobile. Metro by T-Mobile and Simple Mobile are two solid MVNOs, but what do they look like stacked up against the other? And is one better? Let’s find out…

  • Quick Overview: Metro by T-Mobile and Simple Mobile
  • What the Coverage Looks Like from Both Providers
  • How the Plans Compare: From Price to Features
  • The Verdict
Metro by T-Mobile vs Simple Mobile

Quick Overview: Metro by T-Mobile and Simple Mobile

Before we take a look at what the coverage and phone plans look like from each provider, let’s first get a general idea of what each carrier is like, a summary of sorts- that way you can learn what to expect.

-> Metro by T-Mobile

Metro by T-Mobile, formally known as MetroPCS, and now most commonly known as just “Metro” is a part of the T-Mobile tree. T-Mobile of course being one of the “big three” in wireless alongside Verizon and AT&T. Metro has had a few names over the years but what they’ve kept the same has been their affordable prices and intriguing wireless plans. You’re getting the impeccable T-Mobile service, with prices that won’t break the bank- it’s a very interesting prospect, especially in this day and age.

We mentioned a term in the intro: MVNO, and for newly inexperienced cell phone aficionados you may be seeing this term for the first time or have seen it but are unsure of what it means. Let us explain.

 Hand holding phone in the train, with Metro by T-Mobile logo on the screen

MVNO stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operator and it is a term used to describe a smaller cell phone carrier that doesn’t own their own cell towers/infrastructure and instead piggybacks off of a carrier that does- in Metro’s case it’s T-Mobile. A lot of smaller carriers you’ll see advertisements for are all MVNOs. They provide coverage through a major network but have cell phone plans with prices that are dramatically lower than said network. With Metro by T-Mobile you are getting a direct line to T-Mobile at lower price points, however with MVNOs come the potential for data deprioritization and throttling. 

A REALLY Helpful Tip to Know

What is data deprioritization?

Data deprioritization is “the temporary slowing of data speeds for certain customers in order to give priority to other customers.” This will happen in times of network congestion and when you’re in a high traffic area like a concert or sporting event. This isn’t just a MVNO thing, this can happen with major carriers, but it is definitely more common in MVNOs. Data deprioritization is temporary and your speeds will return to normal when the network is less overloaded or when you move to a less crowded area.

What is data throttling?

Data throttling or simply, “throttling”, is “the dramatic slowing of your data speeds to the point that it becomes almost unusable.” This happens when the user goes over their data limit or “cap” for the month. Normally you’ll find this number somewhere in your plan’s information or at the bottom of the carrier’s website. These speeds are very slow compared to your everyday speeds, but they don’t last forever- when your next billing cycle starts your normal speeds will resume.

-> Simple Mobile

Simple Mobile keeps things, well, simple! Their no contract plans and flexible pricing is great for anyone on a very specific budget. And if you happen to need more data or something similar to that effect you can refill or add to your plan at any time. They want to make things as easy as can be for those who aren’t familiar with the cell phone landscape and/or aren’t interested in jumping through a thousand hoops just to get phone service. And if you love savings, you can join their rewards program for points that you can then use to save money on said service plans and add-ons. 

What’s interesting about this match-up, Metro vs Simple Mobile, is that like Metro, Simple Mobile is also under the T-Mobile umbrella. Simple Mobile is a MVNO that works with T-Mobile to provide coverage to customers, which means as we take a look at their coverage you can expect things to look a little similar.

What the Coverage Looks Like from Both Providers

Having good coverage in your area is definitely one of the most important parts of a good cell phone plan. Here’s what Metro by T-Mobile and Simple Mobile’s coverage looks like:

Since we know that both Metro and Simple Mobile are covered under T-Mobile we will talk about T-Mobile’s coverage and then take a look at each MVNOs coverage map.

T-Mobile’s 5G coverage is unmatched as they are currently the leader in the race for 5G. A huge feat for not just cell phone geeks but for the future of wireless communications as we look forward to 5G+, 5G Advanced, and Extended technologies. They’ve been number one for a little while now and with more and more people getting 5G capable phones you can expect more to flock over as they want to experience those 5G speeds. 

Though they are number one in 5G, they are number three in 4G LTE coverage with Verizon and AT&T beating them out. It’s not by a huge amount but it’s enough that those who are in more rural areas might not have the peak coverage you’d get from being closer to a city center or urban area.

Coverage maps are a great way to see an approximation of the provider’s coverage close to your neighborhood. You can see how far their coverage extends, zoom in and out of the map, along with getting a close look at your most frequently visited locations like work, your friends and families homes, and social spots. Here’s a look at Metro by T-Mobile’s coverage map:

Metro by T-Mobile’s coverage map
Coverage available in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands.

What you can’t see from this picture is when you zoom in on the Metro by T-Mobile coverage map you get a look at what type of coverage is available in your area like this:

Metro by T-Mobile’s coverage map
A closer look at 5G Ultra Capacity, 5G Extended Range, 4G LTE, 3G/2G, Partner, and “Canada and Mexico” coverage available in the Eastern United States and parts of Canada.

This allows customers to see if the coverage currently available in their area is what they are looking for which is a pretty nice feature for a coverage map to have.

We’ve got a look at Metro’s coverage map, let’s now take a look at Simple Mobile’s coverage map:

Simple Mobile’s coverage map
A screenshot of Simple Mobile’s ‘5G Nationwide, 4G LTE Data, Roaming, and International Roaming’ via their Coverage Map.

A more scaled down version when comparing it to Metro’s, but still very informative coverage map. You can see their 5G, 4G LTE Data, Roaming, and International Roaming on the map. They do also offer roaming and international roaming coverage in parts of Mexico, Alaska, and South America (not pictured above). See Simple Mobile’s Coverage Map in full here.

Hand holding phone with Simple Mobile logo on the screen
5G is advancing and there are a lot of ways to stay updated. Check out this related blog post: The Ultimate Guide to 5G Advanced.

How the Plans Compare: From Price to Features

We’ve finally gotten to the fun part: comparing the phone plans! Looking and finding your future phone plan is the best part of carrier shopping, so here’s a look at both provider’s plans starting first with these three unlimited plans from Metro by T-Mobile:

Metro by T-Mobile's Phone Plan

Then for our limited data users:

Metro by T-Mobile's Phone Plan

For a MVNO Metro is handing out some pretty sweet benefits to go along with their unlimited plans including a VIX subscription, Google One storage, and Amazon Prime in their Flex Plus plan! And if you don’t need unlimited data they have their 10GB plan for $40 a month which gets you access to T-Mobile Tuesdays which is where T-Mobile customers get free stuff, deals, and fun perks every Tuesday!

Here are Simple Mobile’s phone plans they feature “30-Day Smartphone Plans” and have three “limited” data plans and two “unlimited” plans, let’s first talk their limited plans:

Metro by T-Mobile's Phone Plan

And now onto their two unlimited 30-Day Smartphone Plans:

Metro by T-Mobile's Phone Plan

You don’t get as many fun benefits with Simple Mobile but that’s because it’s in the name: they keep it simple! Though they do offer international benefits throughout all of their plans and cloud storage in their highest tier plan. 

Simple Mobile’s unlimited data cap is 40GB and that means that after 40GBs of usage on their unlimited plans your speeds will be throttled. But if you need add-ons they have three data add-ons to browse which will kick in when you go over your normal allotment for the month:

  • 2GB High-Speed Data for $5.00
  • 5GB High-Speed Data for $10.00
  • 10GB High-Speed Data for $20.00

For Metro by T-Mobile their data speeds will throttle after 35GB of usage for their “unlimited” plans and after 5GB of their 10GB High-Speed plan.

Free Selective Focus Photography of Person Using Iphone X Stock Photo
To limit data use, connect to secure wifi spots when you’re outside.

The Verdict

We’ve got our coverage and cell phone plan information from both providers now let’s talk about the verdict. We think overall the winner today is Simple Mobile, their prices are far more budget-friendly than Metro by T-Mobile, and with their 40GB data cap and international benefits you get a taste of a few perks you wouldn’t find from other MVNOs.

If you are looking for a contract-less carrier that emulates a postpaid carrier than Metro by T-Mobile isn’t a bad pick- they offer a lot of fun perks you’d normally only find from a postpaid plan, but for the prices you might as well sign up for T-Mobile directly and get a few extra benefits with a higher data cap, along with less data deprioritization and throttled speeds. Simple Mobile is our winner today.

And if you want to compare and contrast Metro by T-Mobile and Simple Mobile 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.

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Metro by T-Mobile 5GB

5GB
data
5GB, then data stops
Hotspot access
N/A
Best for:
Light data users
More Details

Metro by T-Mobile Unlimited

Unlimited
data
Unlimited, but deprioritized, data
Hotspot access
N/A
Best for:
Heavy to average data users
More Details

Metro by T-Mobile Unlimited + 8GB Hotspot

Unlimited + 8GB Hotspot
data
Unlimited, but deprioritized, data
Hotspot access
8GB, then access stops
Best for:
Heavy data users and those who sometimes need hotspot access
More Details

Metro by T-Mobile Unlimited + 25GB Hotspot

Unlimited + 25GB Hotspot
data
Unlimited, but deprioritized, data
Hotspot access
25GB, then access stops
Best for:
Heavy data users and those who often need hotspot access
More Details

Simple Mobile 3GB

3GB
data
3GB
Hotspot access
All plan data (stops at 3GB)
Best for:
Lightest data users
More Details

Simple Mobile 5GB

5GB
data
5GB
Hotspot access
All plan data (stops at 5GB)
Best for:
Lighter data users
More Details

Simple Mobile 15GB

15GB
data
15GB
Hotspot access
All plan data (stops at 15GB)
Best for:
Light to average data users
More Details

Simple Mobile Truly Unlimited + 5GB Hotspot

Truly Unlimited + 5GB Hotspot
data
40GB
Hotspot access
5GB
Best for:
Heavy data users
More Details

Simple Mobile Truly Unlimited + 15GB Hotspot

Truly Unlimited + 15GB Hotspot
data
40GB
Hotspot access
15GB
Best for:
Heavy data users and frequent travelers
More Details

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