I had been a loyal T-Mobile customer since 2016, but my bill eventually ballooned to $113 a month even with a military discount. With Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro costing at least $100 more this year, I decided to look for a cheaper alternative.

An MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) is a wireless carrier that doesn’t operate its own network. Instead, it buys access from major carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon and resells it. Mint Mobile uses T-Mobile’s network, Visible uses Verizon’s, and US Mobile offers all three.

MVNOs are cheaper because they avoid costs like building networks, maintaining retail stores, and having many employees. They also offer simpler plans without extras like free streaming. I never used Netflix, so that perk was wasted on me. The “catch” isn’t worse service—it’s fewer things. You may get lower video resolution, less high-speed data, or different network priority. I have fast Wi-Fi and rarely deal with congestion, but I do travel overseas, so international data mattered. Some MVNOs include it; others charge extra.

Also, Apple Card Monthly Installments and the iPhone Upgrade Program aren’t available with an MVNO.