UScellular vs. US Mobile: Which carrier is better?

UScellular and US Mobile are popular prepaid carriers that offer a lot of great features with their plans. Each carrier has its positives and negatives, but 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 

Unsure of what you need out of a plan? Check out our guide on how to choose the best phone plan. 

Coverage & Reception

US Mobile is on the Verizon network, while UScellular is on all networks – including their own!

UScellular and US 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. US Mobile is an MVNO of Verizon, and UScellular uses infrastructure from all three big networks. They also have their own towers in select areas. 

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.

However, T-Mobile’s 5G coverage and access is hailed as the best coverage overall. 

Plan Options

UScellular and US Mobile both offer premium data and many features with their plans. 

Like most plans you’ll see on the market, both carriers offer unlimited talk and texting options. US Mobile also offers limited talk and text. Both carriers offer premium data, which does not slow down no matter the amount of network traffic. UScellular and US Mobile both deprioritize data on certain plans, meaning you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas.

UScellular Plans

UScellular offers several plans to choose from, with some including premium data and the option to bring your own device.

UScellular is unique, as it offers prepaid and postpaid plans. All except one of their prepaid plans include limited data. Otherwise, UScellular plans are postpaid. They all feature premium data as well. 

They offer two versions of their postpaid plans – promotional unlimited and unlimited evolved. Their promotional plans offer an option to bring your own device and a $10 Autopay discount, while their Evolved line offers a $5 Autopay discount and allow you to purchase devices with them. They encourage users to go with the Unlimited Evolved plan to save more money if there are multiple users on the account. 

If you purchase your phone from UScellular, your device will be locked for 120 days after activation. The plans they offer renew monthly, and taxes and fees are not included with the advertised price. 

Prepaid 2GB

This is the smallest plan US Cellular offers, and it gives you 2GB of premium data each month with included hotspot access. Once you run out of data, speeds slow to 2G and hotspot access stops completely. 

The Prepaid 2GB plan costs $25 per month. With this plan, you get 2GB per month for $12.50 per GB. 

Prepaid 5GB

This plan comes with 5GB of premium data as well as included hotspot access. After the cap, users get 2G speeds and hotspot access stops completely. 

This plan costs $30 per month, and you get 5GB per month for $6 per GB. 

Prepaid 8GB

This plan comes with 8GB of premium data as well as hotspot access. Once you use up the 8GB, speeds slow to 2G and you lose hotspot access. 

This plan costs $35 per month, and you get 8GB per month for $4.38 per GB. 

Prepaid Unlimited 

This is the smallest unlimited plan that US Cellular offers. It gives you 15GB of premium data each month with hotspot access included. Once you use 15GB, speeds slow to 2G and hotspot access stops. 

Prepaid Unlimited costs $40 per month. With this plan, you get 15GB per month for $2.67 per GB. 

Prepaid Unlimited Plus

As the biggest prepaid plan US Cellular offers, this plan gives you 35GB of premium data each month. It slows to 2G speeds after that limit. At 2G speeds, users can expect to still be able to send texts and emails or browse the internet, but playing games or streaming video will be difficult without WiFi. It also offers hotspot access that stops at the same cap. 

With this plan, you get 35GB per month for $1.57 per GB. 

Basic Unlimited (BYOD)

With this version, the plan also comes with 100GB of deprioritized data. It slows down to 3G speeds after the cap. This plan comes with 100GB of deprioritized data and is the smallest postpaid plan US Cellular offers. It doesn’t include hotspot access. Once you use up the 100GB, the plan slows down to 3G speeds. At this speed, users can still send texts and emails or browse social media, but playing games and streaming video may be slower without WiFi. 

This version of the plan allows you to bring your own device, and you can also purchase a hotspot add-on.

The BYOD version of this plan costs $40 before the $10 Autopay discount. With this plan, you get 100GB per month for $0.40 per GB. 

Basic Unlimited

With this version, the plan also comes with 100GB of deprioritized data. It slows down to 3G speeds after the cap. 

The plan costs $35 before the $5 Autopay discount.  With this plan, you get 100GB per month for $0.35 per GB. 

Everyday Unlimited (BYOD)

With Everyday Unlimited, users get 50GB of premium data each month. After 50GB, speeds slow to 3G speeds. This plan also comes with 25GB of hotspot data, and access stops at that cap. This version of the plan allows you to bring your own device. 

The BYOD version of this plan costs $50 before the $10 Autopay discount, and $40 after. At full price, you get 75GB per month for $0.67 per GB. 

Everyday Unlimited

This plan is the same as the other Everyday Unlimited plan, as it offers 50GB of premium data and 25GB of hotspot data. Speeds slow down to 3G after the 50GB cap, and hotspot access stops once you use that allotment. 

This plan costs $45 per month before the $5 Autopay discount. At full price, you get 75GB per month for $0.60 per GB. 

Even Better Unlimited (BYOD)

This is the biggest plan US Cellular has to offer. It gives its users unlimited premium data and 50GB of hotspot data. Once you reach the hotspot cap, your access stops completely. This version of the plan allows you to bring your own device. 

The BYOD version of this plan costs $60 before the $10 Autopay discount. 

Even Better Unlimited

This is the same plan as the BYOD version of Even Better Unlimited. It offers unlimited premium data and 50GB of hotspot data that stops at the cap. 

This plan costs $55 per month before the $5 Autopay discount. 

US Mobile Plans

US Mobile offers premium data and a flexible data plan, among others. 

US Mobile offers a variety of plans, including several unlimited and limited data plans. They also offer a plan with customizable data, where you buy as much data as you use. You can have an unlimited number of lines with your phone plan. US Mobile’s QCI tier on T-Mobile is 7 and tier 8 on Verizon. 

US Mobile offers premium data with their plans, which means your data will not slow down in times of high traffic or network congestion.

Their plans all include unlimited talk and text, except for the 500MB plan. This plan includes 500 minutes of voice and 500 text messages. 

If you purchase your phone from US Mobile, your device will be sold to you already unlocked. 

The plans they offer renew monthly, and taxes and fees are included with the advertised price. 

Kosher Plan

This plan only offers unlimited talk and text, no data. 

This plan doesn’t offer data. As such, users do not have hotspot access or the ability to stream video without WiFi. 

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The plan costs $7.50 per month. 

Light Plan

This plan gives you 500 minutes and 500 text messages. 

This plan gives you 500MB, or 0.5GB of premium data. Your data will stop after this allotment is used. It can be used as hotspot data, but stops at the same cap. 

The plan costs $5 per month. At this rate, you get 500MB at $10 per GB. 

2GB

This plan gives you 2GB of premium data. 

Like other US Mobile plans, you get premium data with this plan. Data stops after 2GB. You can use all of your plan data as hotspot data.

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The plan costs $10 per month, so $5 per GB.

6GB

This plan gives you 5GB before slowing down. 

This plan, like the others US Mobile offers, gives you premium data. Data then slows to 2G speeds. This plan also includes hotspot access with all plan data. 

The plan costs $18 per month. At this rate, you get 6GB at $3 per GB. 

12GB

This plan gives you hotspot access. 

12GB of premium data is included with this plan, and then data access stops at that cap. Hotspot access is also available. 

The plan costs $25 per month. At this rate, you get 12GB at $2.08 per GB. 

Shared Data

This plan gives you the option to choose how much data you pay for.

With US Mobile’s shared data plan, users can choose the exact amount of data they use and buy. After you run out of data, your speeds will slow to 2G speeds. This allows for browsing the internet and sending texts or emails, but streaming video or playing games will be difficult. The amount of data you purchase can also be used as hotspot data, and stops once you run out of your specific data allotment. 

The plan costs $9 per line per month, and $2 per GB. After you buy 30GB, this plan costs $16 per 10GB. 

Unlimited Starter

This plan gives you 20GB of premium before slowing down. 

The Unlimited Starter plan that US Mobile offers gives users 20GB of premium data to work with before slowing down to 2G speeds until the next month. This plan does not include hotspot access.

The plan costs $25 per month. At this rate, you get 20GB at $1.25 per GB.

Unlimited Essentials 

This plan gives you 50GB premium data. 

The Unlimited Essentials plan is a slight upgrade from Unlimited Starter, which offers 50GB of premium data each month. Speeds slow to 2G after the cap. You also get 5GB of hotspot data, and that access stops once you hit your limit. 

This plan costs $40 per month for one line. You get 55GB per month for $0.73 per GB. 

Unlimited Premium

This plan gives you 100GB of premium data. 

As US Mobile’s biggest plan, this plan gives users 100GB of premium data. After 100GB, data slows to 2G speeds. This plan also gives you 50GB of hotspot data, which stops after the cap. Plans with 3+ lines also have access to several perks that US Mobile offers, such as streaming services and music subscriptions. Only one perk can be chosen at a time, but plans with 4+ lines can choose an additional perk. 

The plan costs $45 per month. At this rate, you get 150GB at $0.30 per GB. 

Features

US Mobile offers several perks on their Unlimited Premium plans.  

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. US Mobile offers perks, like streaming services or music services, with Unlimited Premium plans with more than 3 lines. You have over a dozen perks to choose from. Plans with 3+ lines can choose 1 perk, and lines with 4 or more can choose an additional one. If you have a different plan or an Unlimited Premium plan with less than 3 lines, you do not have access to these perks.  

Domestic Roaming Data

UScellular offers domestic roaming data on their plans. US Mobile offers domestic roaming on all plans except their No Data plan. 

Mexico & Canada Connection

UScellular offers talk in Mexico and Canada on all plans except their Prepaid 2GB and 5GB plans as well as text and data on all unlimited plans. US Mobile offers talk, text, 1GB of data in Canada and 3GB of data in Mexico for their Unlimited Premium Plan. They also offer call and text in their Unlimited Starter, Unlimited Essentials, and Shared Data plans. The rest of their plans require additional add-ons for connection in Mexico and Canada. Unlimited Starter and Shared Data also have access to these add-ons. 

International Connection

US Mobile offers international talk, text, and 10GB of data on Unlimited Premium plans. Their Unlimited Starter, Essentials, and Shared Data plans include international calling and texting. All other plans require additional add-ons for international connection. Unlimited Starter, Essentials, and Shared Data also have access to these add-ons. UScellular does not include this feature.  

Video Streaming Quality

UScellular includes 1080p HD resolution on Prepaid Unlimited Plus and Even Better Unlimited, 720p HD resolution on Prepaid Unlimited and Everyday Unlimited, and 480p SD resolution on all other plans. All US Mobile plans stream at 720p High Definition. 

Streaming Services

US Mobile allows you to choose between a subscription to Apple TV+, Netflix Standard, Max, or a bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ if you have not chosen another perk on a 3+ line plan of Unlimited Premium. UScellular does not offer this feature. 

Music Services

US Mobile allows you to choose between a subscription to Slacker Plus LiveXLive, Pandora Plus, Audible, Spotify Family, or Apple Music Family if you have not chosen another perk on a 3+ line plan of Unlimited Premium. UScellular does not offer this feature. 

Gaming Services

US Mobile allows you to choose between a subscription to Playstation Plus, XBox Live Gold, Stadia Pro, and Apple Arcade if you have not chosen another perk on a 3+ line plan of Unlimited Premium. UScellular does not offer this feature.

Cloud Storage

UScellular and US Mobile do not include this feature.  

Device Financing

If you buy a phone from UScellular, they allow you to pay for your device in installments over time. US 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

All UScellular plans offer spam protection included. US Mobile does not offer this feature.

Free Trial

US Mobile offers a 50 day free trial. UScellular does not include this feature.   

Customer Service 

US Mobile does not have physical stores, leaving all of their customer service to online support, while UScellular offers stores across the country. 

US Mobile is a digital-only carrier, meaning they only offer customer support online. They offer 24/7 support over the phone at 1(878)-205-0088, and over email at [email protected]. UScellular offers several stores across the country, which can be found through the store locator. They also have chat and phone support at (888) 994-9400. Hours vary depending on your timezone. 

The Verdict

US Mobile’s Unlimited Premium plan offers the best deal. 

As US Mobile offers 100GB of premium data and 50GB of hotspot data with their biggest plan,  they offer the best deal between the two carriers. If you’re looking for a limited data plan, US Mobile’s limited data plans are also a great deal. However, US Mobile’s Shared Data plan is more expensive, so the other limited data plans they offer are the better choice. 

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

Want to compare other carriers?

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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!