Metro is owned by T-Mobile, but what’s the real difference?

Metro by T-Cellular is simply the most recognizable pay as you go model in T-Cellular’s portfolio, adopted intently by Mint. Whereas Mint is clearly geared toward the finances section, the distinction between Metro and T-Cellular is much less apparent. In spite of everything, Metro has its personal shops and provides many options sometimes related to main carriers, akin to free cellphone promotions, streaming perks, and household reductions.

To clear up a few of the confusion, I took a deeper take a look at the two suppliers. Whereas they share many similarities, just a few notable distinctions set them aside. Interested by which one is the higher match for you? Be a part of me as I discover pricing, cellphone choice, community precedence, and extra.

Metro by T-Cellular has the lowest beginning value at $25 for its Deliver Your Personal Machine (BYOD) plans. In case you want just one line, we advocate the limitless knowledge plan. Whereas this feature isn’t accessible for multi-line customers, you may add a number of traces to Metro’s 10GB BYOD plan at the identical $25 per line.

In order for you perks like discounted or free telephones and different extras, you’ll want a distinct plan. Metro provides a 10GB plan for $40 and extra lower-data choices, but we propose Metro Flex Limitless plans as an alternative. These embrace perks like discounted units, Google One membership, Amazon Prime, and extra.

Pricing begins at $50 per thirty days and goes as much as $70 for Metro’s highest-tier plan. For a number of traces, charges drop to $38.75 and $43.75 per line (for 4 customers). Notably, Metro contains taxes and costs in its pricing, whereas T-Cellular doesn’t for pay as you go and postpaid plans.

T-Cellular is usually costlier for single-line customers, but it excels in multi-line reductions for postpaid plans. Metro provides reductions as properly, but T-Cellular is extra aggressive on this space. Because of this, T-Cellular could supply a greater deal for households, relying on the plan.

T-Cellular gives each pay as you go and postpaid choices. On the pay as you go aspect, we advocate limitless knowledge, as the restricted plans are priced too excessive. T-Cellular’s pay as you go limitless plans don’t have any knowledge caps and supply barely increased precedence than base-level plans, with pricing between $50 and $60 per thirty days. Multi-line reductions can scale back the price to $35 per line (for 4 customers).

In case you’re set on T-Cellular, postpaid plans sometimes present higher options and could also be less expensive for a number of traces.

At the decrease finish, Necessities Saver prices $50 for a single line or $33.33 per line (for 3 traces). The Necessities plan begins at $60 but drops to $25 per line for 4 customers. Nevertheless, each have the identical community precedence as Metro — to get higher-priority knowledge, you’ll want Go5G or increased.

Go5G plans begin at $75 per line but can go as little as $41 per line (for 5 customers). The premium Go5G Plus and Go5G Subsequent plans price $90 and $100 per thirty days, or $51 and $61 per line (for 5 customers).

Each T-Cellular and Metro incessantly replace their plans. For a more in-depth look, take a look at our T-Cellular plans information or go to Metro by T-Cellular’s official plans web page.

T-Cellular and Metro supply quite a lot of plans and are always updating them with new choices. For a more in-depth look, take a look at our T-Cellular plans information. In case you’re concerned with Metro by T-Cellular’s newest choices, go to its official plans web page.

T-Cellular has a transparent benefit in community precedence — apart from its budget-friendly Necessities and Necessities Worth plans, which function at the identical decrease precedence as Metro.

What does increased precedence imply? Throughout congestion, lower-priority customers expertise slower speeds. Whereas speeds often stay usable, in busy areas like downtown districts, they might drop to 1Mbps or decrease in excessive circumstances. Increased-priority plans should see minor slowdowns but usually supply higher speeds.

Protection is comparable between T-Cellular and Metro, although T-Cellular’s roaming agreements could present protection in some areas the place Metro doesn’t. These concerned with satellite tv for pc performance will likely be comfortable to know that T-Cellular permits sign-ups no matter service — together with Metro customers.

For hotspot entry, each carriers supply no less than limitless 3G hotspot use. On the excessive finish, Metro helps as much as 25GB, whereas T-Cellular pay as you go caps out at 10GB of high-speed knowledge earlier than switching to limitless 3G.

T-Cellular’s postpaid plans present the greatest hotspot choices, with Go5G Plus and Subsequent permitting as much as 50GB. Moreover, T-Cellular provides higher video streaming choices — whereas Metro is restricted to SD, T-Cellular helps SD, HD, or QHD, relying on the plan.

You may count on T-Cellular to supply considerably higher cellphone choices, and to some extent, that’s true. Whereas Metro carries lots of the most costly and high-end flagships, it tends to focus extra on finances or older flagship units, particularly when providing particular promotions like free telephones with a number of traces.

Metro nonetheless carries most main manufacturers and fashionable fashions, although T-Cellular gives a greater variety and extra particular provides tailor-made to higher-end units. Each suppliers supply insurance coverage and financing choices, no less than.

Metro’s financing by Affirm might not be as favorable as the phrases supplied instantly by T-Cellular, but many customers have had constructive experiences with it, and it gives choices just like these of the bigger carriers.

Equally, whereas Metro’s insurance coverage might need fewer options or reduce just a few corners, it’s usually extra inexpensive, providing a comparable worth general.

Whereas postpaid carriers usually supply superior customer support, Metro comes very near matching T-Cellular.

Each carriers present on-line, phone-based, and in-store customer support. Nevertheless, T-Cellular has considerably extra bodily shops nationwide than Metro. General, each carriers supply a median or higher customer support expertise in comparison with different suppliers, so there’s not a lot to distinguish them on this space.

T-Cellular has the edge on the subject of extras, particularly for many who join a postpaid plan. All postpaid plans embrace limitless calling and texting in Canada and Mexico, but there are additionally a number of plan-specific worldwide perks value noting:

• Go5G: Along with 4 full-flight streaming periods per 12 months, limitless in-flight texting, and one hour of streaming, this plan provides limitless texting and 5GB of high-speed knowledge in 11 nations, plus limitless texting and 256Kbps knowledge in 215+ areas.
• Go5G Subsequent and Plus: These two plans embrace all the advantages of Go5G, plus limitless full-flight texting and Wi-Fi, in addition to 15GB of knowledge in Canada and Mexico.

T-Cellular additionally provides extra in depth streaming choices, although once more, just for choose plans:

• Go5G: This plan features a six-month free trial of Apple TV Plus once you first join.
• Go5G Plus: Apple TV Plus is included as a free perk.
• Go5G Subsequent: Together with Apple TV Plus, you get Netflix Commonplace with Adverts and Hulu with Adverts.

There are lots of pay as you go carriers that run on T-Cellular’s community. Right here’s a fast breakdown of simply three alternate options we extremely advocate:

Google Fi

• Pricing: $20 for the Flex plan, with Limitless beginning at $50 — or as little as $25 per line for 4 or extra traces.
• Information precedence: In contrast to Metro, Google Fi gives the identical precedence as a mid-tier or increased T-Cellular postpaid plan.
• Limitless cap: Relying on the plan, you’ll get both 35GB or 50GB of high-speed knowledge earlier than vital slowdowns.
• Cellphone choice and promos: No iPhones, but glorious offers on Pixel and Galaxy units which are exhausting to beat.
• Customer support: Corresponding to or higher than Metro, although with out brick-and-mortar help.
• Notable extras: Google Fi is greatest identified for its excellent worldwide knowledge plans, which outperform even most postpaid choices.

US Cellular:

• Pricing: Restricted-data plans begin as little as $8 per thirty days, whereas limitless plans vary from $17.50 to $44 per thirty days.
• Information precedence: Varies by plan and community, with higher-priority choices accessible.
• Limitless cap: No strict knowledge caps, although most plans embrace a set quantity of precedence knowledge. After exceeding this, speeds could sluggish throughout community congestion.
• Cellphone choice and promos: Fewer particular promotions, but a comparable cellphone choice.
• Customer support: US Cellular has responsive help, although Metro has a stronger popularity and the benefit of in-store help.
• Notable extras: Distinctive amongst MVNOs, US Cellular permits switching between all three main networks and even provides a multi-network plan that permits you to use two networks concurrently.

Mint Cellular:

• Pricing: Restricted-data plans begin at $15 per thirty days (paid yearly), whereas Limitless prices $30 per thirty days (paid yearly).
• Information precedence: Decrease-priority knowledge, which can expertise slowdowns throughout community congestion.
• Limitless cap: No exhausting knowledge cap, although speeds could briefly sluggish during times of congestion.
• Cellphone choice and promos: Robust promotional offers and a good cellphone choice.
• Customer support: Mint Cellular has a combined popularity for buyer help and lacks in-store help.
• Notable extras: Finest identified for its ultra-low charges by annual cost plans.

Metro is a strong selection if you would like lots of the options and experiences supplied by T-Cellular, but don’t thoughts sacrificing community precedence to economize or keep away from locking into a conventional postpaid plan.

Whereas the service intently matches T-Cellular in lots of areas, the decrease precedence means it’s greatest for folks in areas with comparatively low community congestion on T-Cellular’s towers.

That mentioned, T-Cellular’s decrease precedence can nonetheless outperform Verizon and AT&T in sure areas, relying in your location.

In case you’re prepared to pay extra to skip the decrease precedence and a few of the different limitations related to pay as you go companies, T-Cellular will supply a greater general expertise — although at a noticeable premium.