Straight Talk vs. Republic Wireless: Which Carrier is Better?

Republic Wireless has recently merged with Boost Infinite to provide fantastic MVNO coverage to all its customers. Boost Infinite has merged with Boost Mobile, providing excellent service with the same plans. This carrier uses all three major wireless networks to create powerful multi-network coverage for all its users. Boost Mobile has a simple set of cell phone plans, great new-customer deals, and fair data allocations for low- and mid-data customers. This MVNO gives users the ability to switch between all three major wireless networks depending on which one is strongest at the time, helping users evade congestion in areas with larger populations. 

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. To top it off, they have comprehensive multi-line savings that make it perfect for groups of two or three. 

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

Straight Talk and Boost Mobile are both MVNOs. Boost Mobile utilizes all three major wireless networks in the United States to deliver unparalleled coverage to all its users. Between Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, you can rest assured that you will always have the highest and most reliable data speeds that current technology can offer. Boost Mobile’s smart switching lets your device detect the best speeds and hop onto that network without any manual input on your end, keeping your signals strong wherever you are. Make sure to check your local coverage maps for information regarding the best cell phone coverage in your area! 

This gives Boost Mobile the upper hand over Straight Talk, which is exclusively on Verizon’s network. Verizon’s network is no joke. There is a lot of overlap between only Verizon and all three major networks because each one has incredible overall coverage. If Verizon has great coverage in your area, the difference you would see between Boost and Straight Talk is minimal. If Verizon’s network is a bit spottier in your area, however, Boost Mobile will really shine. 

Boost Mobile and Straight Talk are both MVNOs, so they have a lower data priority than major wireless networks. When a network has more traffic than it can handle, the owning company (AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon) throttles certain customers' data. Major networks generally divide data into three tiers: premium, basic, and MVNO. 

As an MVNO, you always have the lowest-tier data. This data is the first to experience slowdowns, but the upside is that these plans are generally more affordable than plans at major wireless networks. 

So, major wireless networks offer tier 1 and tier 2 data, while Straight Talk and Boost Mobile offer tier 3 data. The major downside comes with congestion. With an MVNO, customers get slower data speeds whenever there’s stress on the network, which ensures that major wireless customers receive high-speed data for as long as possible.

Plan Options

Straight Talk offers various plans that provide limited data, similar to Boost Mobile. Along with high-speed data, both carriers offer unlimited talk and text along with various features and add-ons. First up, let’s talk about Straight Talk’s cell phone plans. 

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. 

Boost Mobile Cell Phone Plans

Boost Mobile has a simple set of cell phone plans that all provide 30 GB of high-speed data with various add-ons and price points. All plans come with unlimited talk and text, and Boost Infinite’s phone plans have a lot to bring to the table. Let’s break them down. 

• Infinite Access for iPhone — $65
• Infinite Access for Galaxy — $65
• Unlimited Premium — $60
• Unlimited Plus — $50
• Unlimited — $25

Infinite Access

With Boost Mobile, you have, for all intents and purposes, three plans from which to choose. Let’s start with the most expensive, the Infinite Access for iPhone or Galaxy. These plans come with two huge features that work to justify the price. Infinite Access customers receive free device trade-ins every year, ensuring they keep abreast of the latest and greatest devices. The iPhone plan receives the latest iPhones, and the Galaxy plan receives the latest Galaxy S series every year. In addition to this, these plans have access to America’s Smart Network, which comprises all three major wireless networks. 

With these plans, Boost Mobile customers can jump between all three major wireless networks, depending on which one is strongest in their area. This is a great way to evade slow data speeds, especially for travelers who are often in areas where the networks don’t all have 5G coverage. 

Unlimited Premium 

Boost Mobile’s second most expensive plan, Infinite Unlimited, has access to America’s Smart Network and lets the customer trade in an old device for an iPhone 15! This plan costs $60, saving you $10 a month or $120 a year. This plan provides great value to people who aren’t as interested in the stream of new devices that come with Boost Mobile’s most expensive cell phone plans.

The downside to this plan is that it only comes with 50 GB of unlimited high-speed data. This is a big data allocation, but you might run out of data if you are a frequent mobile user. Running out of high-speed data in the middle of the month is never good. Sixty dollars a month is still a huge price tag for limited MVNO data; however, with major wireless plans, starting at around $65 for single-line plans.  

Unlimited Plus 

Unlimited Plus is a similar plan, a little less expensive at $50 a month and offering 40 GB of high-speed data. We bundle this one together with Unlimited Premium, where it’s a sizeable data allocation and more expensive than we would like. 

Unlimited

Rounding out Boost Mobile’s cell phone plan is their Unlimited plan at $25 a month. This is far more reasonably priced and gives single-line users the opportunity to save big on their cell phone plans. Devoid of add-ons, Unlimited asks customers to pick one major wireless network and makes them use that one exclusively with around 30 GB of high-speed data each month. Being confined to one major wireless network still lets you pick out the strongest one in your area, and as long as you don’t travel too often to remote corners of the map, you should stay covered all the time! 

Major Wireless Network vs. MVNO

Both of these carriers are mobile virtual network operators. They offer similar cell phone plans in terms of pricing, high-speed data, and coverage. We want to highlight some differences between MVNOs and major wireless networks, to help you decide if an MVNO is right for you or not. 

Major networks maintain their own extensive infrastructure across the country, ensuring broad coverage and reliable service. MVNOs piggyback off of that infrastructure but offer lower data priorities and are more likely to receive congestion. Major networks prioritize their own customers during times of network congestion, so they will always have faster data speeds and more consistent service quality, but the amount of congestion you receive is highly dependent on your location. Big metropolitan areas cannot keep up with bandwidth usage than suburban and rural areas, even though the networks are stronger in cities. 

MVNOs lease network access from major carriers. This allows them to offer competitive pricing and a variety of plan options tailored to different needs. Many MVNOs focus on providing budget-friendly plans with features like international roaming or data rollover, appealing to cost-conscious consumers. Despite these benefits, MVNOs face limitations in data speed and high-speed data limits compared to major networks. They have lower priority on the network during busy periods, which means users have slower data speeds more frequently. MVNOs will also throttle user data after hitting a certain peak, so make sure to read the fine print in any “unlimited” plan from an MVNO. It may have unlimited 3G data, but only 30 or so GB of high-speed data before you are throttled down to lower data speeds for the rest of the month.

Another consideration is customer service quality, where major networks often boast dedicated support systems, while MVNOs may vary in their service responsiveness and availability. Ultimately, the choice between a major network and an MVNO depends on individual needs for coverage, speed, plan flexibility, and budget considerations.

Customer Service 

Boost Mobile's contact information is (833) 502-6678, or you can access its help page here. For Straight Talk, you can contact them here: 877-430-2355 or access their help page here. 

The Verdict

We like both these carriers, but Straight Talk wins out. Boost Mobile’s cell phone plans are too expensive, in our eyes, for the data and add-ons they provide. One of the best parts about MVNOs is that they offer affordable cell phone plans, but Boost’s plans, all but their basic unlimited plan, are much too similar to the prices of major wireless networks for our liking. 

Straight Talk, though expensive, provides a great data plan for medium-data users. There are better MVNOs if you are a low-data user, like Tello Mobile, which offer incredibly cheap cell phone plans. These plans prioritize affordability, often coming with only a few GB of high-speed data. 

MVNOs offer the most benefits when you don’t need unlimited high-speed data because they offer great plans that the major networks do not match. Once you start looking at cell phone plans between $40 and $70 from an MVNO, well, it becomes very similar to what you would pay at a major wireless network, and with a major network, you receive many other benefits. 

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. 

Want to compare other carriers?

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

Are you still unsure which carrier to choose or which phone plan to pick? Use really.com to compare your top choices and find the best deal to fit your needs. Really allows you to compare and sort between most phone plans on the market without the hassle!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I choose the right cell phone provider? 

Choosing the right provider depends on your location, budget, and data usage. Research the coverage maps of major providers in your area to determine which one has the best coverage for you. Also, consider customer reviews for each provider's service quality and customer support.

Is Straight Talk getting shut down?

There is no indication that Straight Talk is getting shut down. Verizon acquired Tracfone in the beginning of 2024, and Tracfone owns Straight Talk. Now, all Straight Talk users use Verizon’s network, but that is the only major change. 

What's the deal with Straight Talk?

Straight Talk is an MVNO that uses Verizon’s network to deliver fantastic coverage to users nationwide. They have a mixture of low- and medium-data plans as well as exceptional multi-line savings. 

How can I talk to Boost Mobile customer service?

You can reach Boost Mobile customer service by dialing 611 from your Boost Mobile phone or by calling (833) 502-6678 from any phone. Boost Mobile’s customer service does a great job making sure customers receive the help they need. 

What is the number to pay the Boost Mobile bill?

To pay your Boost Mobile bill over the phone, dial 611 from your Boost Mobile phone or call (833) 502-6678. There is also an online portal that makes it easy to use an automatic payment for your cell phone bill. There are a lot of resources to ensure you can set up a seamless payment method. 

What carrier owns Boost Mobile?

Dish Network Corporation owns Boost Mobile.

Does Boost give a free phone?

Boost Mobile occasionally offers promotions that include free phones with certain plans or when switching carriers, but availability can vary. It's best to check their current offers for details. 

Should I use an MVNO or a major wireless provider?

It depends on your priorities. MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) often offer more affordable plans with similar coverage since they use the same network that major providers use. However, major providers may offer better perks, such as higher data speeds, broader coverage, and more premium features. Evaluate your budget and needs to make the right choice.