Simple Mobile vs. Straight Talk: Which Carrier is Better?

Simple Mobile and Straight Talk Wireless are two MVNOs. Simple Mobile operates on T-Mobile’s network. It offers a good set of cell phone plans, good new-customer deals, and immense multi-line savings, making it attractive for MVNO enthusiasts.

Straight Talk uses Verizon’s network to deliver awesome coverage to all its users. They have a nice set of plans that, while expensive, offer a lot of data to mid-data users to find a great plan without breaking the bank. Simple Mobile also provides affordable plans with impressive multi-line savings.

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 do the prices of their plans compare to how much data you get
• The features each carrier offers for their plans 

Coverage & Reception

Coverage is always important when choosing a mobile carrier. Both Simple Mobile and Straight Talk are MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) that leverage the networks of major carriers to provide service. Here's a detailed comparison of the coverage offered by Simple Mobile and Straight Talk.

Simple Mobile Coverage

Simple Mobile operates on T-Mobile’s network, one of the largest and most reliable networks in the United States. T-Mobile's network is known for its extensive 5G coverage, offering more area than its main competitors. This gives Simple Mobile users access to high-speed data and reliable service in cities, metropolitan regions, and suburbs. T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network also offers broad coverage nationwide, ensuring that even areas without 5G can still enjoy decent speeds and connectivity.

However, in rural areas, T-Mobile's coverage can leave something to be desired. While Simple Mobile benefits from T-Mobile’s continuous expansion, users in more remote regions might experience weaker signals or slower data speeds compared to AT&T or Verizon network users in that same area. 

Straight Talk Coverage

Straight Talk operates on Verizon’s network, providing similarly excellent coverage nationwide. Verizon’s network, known for its coverage in rural and suburban areas, provides reliable service with fewer dead zones around the country. This is a significant benefit for Straight Talk users who live in or frequently travel to remote regions. 

Verizon’s 5G network is incredibly powerful but only available in select areas nationwide. While comparable, Verizon’s 5G coverage map offers less overall coverage than T-Mobile’s. To figure out which provider is superior in your location, we recommend checking local coverage maps and seeing customer reviews of those networks in your area.

Data Priority and Congestion

Both Simple Mobile and Straight Talk users can face data deprioritization during peak times due to their status as MVNOs. This means that during periods of high network usage, their data speeds may be slower compared to those on the primary networks of T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T.

This deprioritization is more noticeable in densely populated cities where the parent network is more congested. Straight Talk users feel this congestion when Verizon’s network is strained, and Simple Mobile users feel the same when T-Mobile’s network is undergoing high usage. Verizon and AT&T tend to handle congestion better in rural areas, while T-Mobile excels in urban environments.

Plan Options

Simple Mobile Cell Phone Plans

Simple Mobile has a good set of cell phone plans that offer between 3 and 40 GB of high-speed data with various add-ons and prices. All plans come with unlimited talk and text, and Simple Mobile’s phone plans have a lot to bring to the table. Let’s break them down. 

Simple Mobile offers five cell phone plans with various price points and data allocations. Later, we will get into the fantastic multi-line savings, but this section will talk about the five cell phone plans. They all have unlimited calling and texting and some international calling and texting. Other than that, the only significant difference is the amount of data on each plan. Both unlimited cell phone plans have 40 GB of high-speed data before speeds are reduced. Like all MVNOs, Simple Mobile also reduces data speeds during periods of congestion. 

Simple Mobile’s 40 GB cell phone plan offers a fair bit of leeway for cell phone usage, but it is not the same as unlimited high-speed data. If you use a boatload of data or happen to be far away from WiFi networks for a significant part of the day, then an Unlimited Data plan from Verizon is a better bet. If you want to save, however, 40 GB of high-speed data lets you use over a GB every day. It is good to download music/video in advance and try to get on WiFi when you can. Keep an eye on your data usage, and you are likely to be good for the month! 

Multi-Line Savings

Simple Mobile has incredible multi-line savings. The price of additional lines on all but their least expensive plan is $25 per line, which makes their most costly cell phone plans absolutely fantastic. Simple Mobile’s Unlimited plan, at $50 for one line, is not very well-priced compared to the competition, but adding two more lines makes it around $35 per line, and five lines make it $28 per line. 

A $28 cell phone plan that comes with 40 GB of high-speed data and no contract is an excellent option for many MVNO users. While not as intense, adding lines to any of Simple Mobile’s cell phone plans is a great way to save on everyone’s cell phone line. 

The downside to these excellent multi-line savings is that it’s always more challenging to coordinate multi-line plans, and it makes it more difficult to switch to a new carrier since you have to do it as a group. There are certain carriers (generally, those that don’t offer multi-line savings) where the single-line plans are well-priced. Carriers like Simple Mobile incentivize multi-line plans, so we recommend going with this carrier only if you have at least two buds with which to create a multi-line account.  

Straight Talk Cell Phone Plans

Straight Talk has four main plans for its store. All of them are viable, depending on how much data you want each month, with great savings coming from creating a multi-line account. Carriers like Tello Mobile and Visible Wireless, who don’t have any multi-line savings, are able to provide more affordable prices when compared to the maximum cost of Straight Talk’s cell phone plans, but the multi-line savings from Straight Talk is an excellent choice for if you have friends or family who are willing to open an account with you. Here are the main Straight Talk plans:  

• Bronze Unlimited — $35 per month (no multi-line savings)
• Silver Unlimited — $45/37.50/30/25
• Gold Unlimited — $55/47.50/40/35
• Platinum Unlimited — $65/57.50/50/45

The savings available from these plans make them excellent choices for multiple-line accounts. Straight Talk’s Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans all come with 60 GB of high-speed data before your plan is throttled to 2G data speeds. Outside of the data, the Gold and Platinum plans both come with hotspot data (15 and 20 GB, respectively), 100 GB cloud storage, international calling, and a Walmart+ membership!

As long as you are content with using less than 60 GB of high-speed data each month, opening an account with Straight Talk is a great choice. For single-line users, we still recommend the Silver plan, as the Bronze plan only comes with 10 GB of high-speed data.

Straight Talk offers a simple family plan for all its customers. When you have multiple lines on an account, each line receives its lowest prices on Straight Talk’s 3-month contract plans, which are the shortest contracts they offer. 

Major Wireless Network vs. MVNO

Simple Mobile and Straight Talk are both MVNOs, so they have a lower data priority than any of the major wireless networks in the United States. MVNOs are amazing, but they have a few downsides compared to the more expensive and expansive major networks. 

Impact on Data Speeds

As mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), both Simple Mobile and Straight Talk can experience data deprioritization. However, the level of impact can differ based on their parent networks and how they manage congestion. Simple Mobile operates on T-Mobile’s network, while Straight Talk can leverage both Verizon and T-Mobile networks.

Simple Mobile users face frequent data deprioritization in high-congestion areas. During times of network congestion, Simple Mobile users can still experience slower speeds, particularly in heavily populated cities such as New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Miami.

Straight Talk users experience the same deprioritization when Verizon’s network is congested. Straight Talk must yield bandwidth to the main carrier’s direct customers during peak times. Straight Talk users experience noticeable slowdowns in densely populated cities. Predicting congestion in less populated areas and rural regions is more challenging. However, temporary events such as festivals, concerts, and sporting events can overload local networks, causing temporary slowdowns for both Simple Mobile and Straight Talk users.

Network Comparison

When comparing major wireless networks, Verizon and T-Mobile both offer extensive coverage and high-speed data services, but their performance can vary by location.

• Verizon: Known for its superior coverage in rural and suburban areas, Verizon generally provides reliable service with less data deprioritization. Verizon customers benefit from higher data priority, often enjoying either Tier 1 or Tier 2 data, which means MVNO customers, including those on Straight Talk using Verizon’s network, are deprioritized before Verizon's direct customers.
• T-Mobile: Excelling in urban areas with its robust 5G network, T-Mobile offers high-speed data and extensive coverage in cities. Simple Mobile users benefit from this strong network but can still face data deprioritization during peak times.

The Verdict

Both of these MNVOs bring strengths to the table. Straight Talk is an MVNO that provides large data allocations to customers who want a break from major wireless networks and their expensive cell phone plans but still use their phones a lot on mobile data. Simple Mobile has smaller data plans, catering more to customers who use less data during the month. Both providers offer incredible multi-line savings, so much so that we recommend looking elsewhere if you are planning to open a single-line account. 

We recommend Simple Mobile over Straight Talk because Simple Mobile’s cell phone plans and multi-line savings are priced more competitively relative to what you receive. Straight Talk’s data maximums are nice, but they fly too close to major wireless plan prices for our liking. Simple Mobile lets you save big on your phone bill with more affordable prices. 

It is always good to do your research before you switch carriers. With how expensive cell phones are, switching carriers means you have to have your cell phone unlocked or have a cell phone old enough that you are planning to purchase a new one with the switch. Many MVNOs operate with short or no-contract cell phone plans, which is great for swapping between plans in that carrier. While you can swap carriers too, the process is always more challenging.

We’d recommend checking your data usage before committing to a plan. Being able to limit your data consumption opens up the option for far more low-data plans that are a fraction of the cost of major wireless unlimited high-speed data plans. The downside, of course, is that it is difficult to keep data consumption low. For low-data users there are many available MVNOs that offer single-line plans under $20 a month. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Simple Mobile and Straight Talk?

Simple Mobile operates on T-Mobile’s network, providing robust 5G and 4G LTE coverage. Straight Talk, on the other hand, uses Verizon’s network exclusively. The other big difference between these carriers come from the data available in their limited-data plans. If you know how much data you need, we recommend looking at various carriers that offer that exact amount of data to find a plan that suits you. 

How does data deprioritization affect my service with Simple Mobile and Straight Talk?

Data deprioritization occurs when the network is congested, causing users on lower-priority plans to experience slower speeds. Both Straight Talk and Simple Mobile users will notice slower speeds during peak times in crowded cities or other areas.

Does Simple Mobile have better coverage than Straight Talk?

The coverage depends on your location. Using T-Mobile’s network, Simple Mobile offers excellent coverage in urban areas with extensive 5G reach. Using Verizon’s network, Straight Talk provides broader coverage in rural and suburban areas, making it a better option for those outside major cities.

In which areas is data congestion more common for both carriers?

Data congestion is common in densely populated urban areas such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Both carriers will experience slower speeds in these regions during peak times. 

How does Straight Talk’s use of Verizon’s network impact its performance?

Straight Talk users on Verizon’s network benefit from Verizon’s extensive and reliable coverage, which is particularly strong in rural and suburban areas. However, as an MVNO, Straight Talk customers experience lower data priority during network congestion compared to Verizon’s direct customers.

What is the difference between Simple Mobile and Straight Talk in data plans?

Simple Mobile offers a variety of plans with different data limits, often focusing on providing unlimited high-speed data options. Straight Talk offers similar plans, providing high-speed data up to a certain limit before throttling speeds. Both carriers provide competitive pricing, but the specifics vary. If you see one plan that stands out as a perfect fit, go for it!

Can I switch to Simple Mobile and Straight Talk easily?

Switching between Simple Mobile and Straight Talk can be straightforward, but it's important to consider your coverage needs, data priority, and pricing. Ensure your phone is compatible with the carrier you choose, and check coverage maps for your specific area.

Where can I find more information on these carriers?

For detailed reviews, coverage maps, and comparisons of Simple Mobile and Straight Talk, visit our website. We provide comprehensive guides and expert analyses to help you choose the best carrier for your needs.