Mint Mobile’s multi-month mobile plans are some of the best values in wireless with plenty of data packed in for most users. Since its plans are available in 3, 6, and 12-month increments, Mint doesn’t lure customers in with 2 or 3-year payment plans on phones like the Big Three but instead gives you a discount on service when you buy one. Mint Mobile is owned by T-Mobile and uses the carrier’s network for all of its coverage which means that just about any unlocked will work, including the best Android phones purchased unlocked or through Mint’s online store.
Mint still encourages customers to get everything from one place, often providing discounts to those that buy a phone through Mint. Presently, Mint Mobile offers $50 off of one of its yearly mobile plans meaning that you don’t need to think about a wireless bill for a year and don’t need to worry about paying a phone off to switch carriers if you find a better deal later on. Financing is also available via Affirm for those that want to spread their payments out a bit. These are the best Android phones you can buy directly from Mint Mobile or purchase unlocked to bring to Mint Mobile.
The best phones compatible with Mint Mobile
Google Pixel 8 Pro
A fantastic Android experience in every aspect
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is Google’s most capable phone and one of the best Android phones you can get. It has some of the best cameras of any phone, with a 50MP main shooter on the back and even a massive 48MP telephoto camera. The Google Tenso G3 SoC powering it isn’t the most powerful chip in a phone, but it still has plenty of power for most people.
- Excellent camera performance
- Fantastic calling features
- Performance improved over the last generation
- Seven years of software support
- The most expensive non-folding Pixel yet
- Some early overheating issues
Google has continued its iterative Pixel improvements with the latest Pixel 8 Pro keeping most of the design elements of the 7 Pro, while making some meaningful improvements. The screen brightness is significantly higher at up to 2400 peak nits making it easier to see while outdoors. The SoC powering the phone, Tensor G3, has also had some improvements compared to the G2 with the CPU gaining a core and the process moving from 5nm to 4nm.
As we have come to expect from the flagship Pixel, the cameras also get a big upgrade with the Pixel 8 Pro. While there are small changes, the primary 50MP sensor and telephoto 48MP telephoto sensor are largely the same, but the ultrawide camera has been upgraded from 12MP to 48MP while keeping the same 126 degree field of view.
Google Pixel 8 Pro review: Living up to its name
If you want to see the future of Google, the Pixel 8 Pro is the phone to buy
In our time with the Pixel 8 Pro, we saw some overheating issues during the first few days with the phone and also noticed that many of the AI features shown off were still marked as “coming soon” at launch. Still, this is one of the best phones you can get, especially if you like Google’s software. Though, one of the biggest upgrades to the Pixel 8 Pro has been the price, with a hefty $1000 price tag.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The absolute premium Android experience
The Galaxy S24 Ultra from Samsung is one of the most feature-rich phones you can buy with just about every box checked. It has an excellent camera system, one of the best displays ever fit to a phone, and the S Pen. Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC and 12GB of RAM, this is a great phone for work or play.
- Gorgeous 6.8-inch display
- Cameras can take excellent photos
- Excellent battery life
- Cameras can struggle with motion
- Very expensive
The Galaxy S24 Ultra works hard to earn its lofty name and fully earns it with a powerful SoC, excellent camera hardware, an S Pen stylus stored in the phone, and one of the best screens ever put on a phone. The S24 Ultra has a large 6.8-inch display with a beautiful 120Hz AMOLED panel with 2600 nits of peak brightness. That brightness means you’ll be able to use this phone like normal in the bright sun, and HDR content pops with more vibrant colors. Under that, you’ll find the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC with 12GB of RAM that’s plenty for any app or game you’ll find on the Play Store.
This phone is powered by a large 5,000mAh battery with support for 45W charging, so you can stay powered up. Even so, the battery should easily get you to the end of the day. You’ll need all of that power if you like taking photos with a 200MP main camera, 50MP 5x telephoto camera, 10MP 3x telephoto camera, and 12MP ultrawide camera. No matter the lighting conditions, you’ll have the hardware to get a great picture. It must be said, that Samsung’s phones do tend to struggle with fast-moving objects, which can result in graininess or blur.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: Still the best, unless you take photos
Without any meaningful changes, Samsung’s latest phablet feels like a do-over for last year’s smartphone
On Mint Mobile, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will work well with support for all of T-Mobile’s 5G bands including mmWave. If you want to try another carrier when your Mint plan runs out, this phone will work well on most other carriers, with some of the best Wi-Fi and 5G speeds out there.
Google Pixel 8
Most of PIxel’s best features for hundreds less
The base PIxel 8 has the latest nona-core Tensor G3 SoC onboard with plenty of power to run Google’s version of Android. It has a bright screen with 2000 nits of peak brightness. Compared to the Pixel 7, it also has a slightly larger battery and faster wired charging.
- Excellent camera performance as usual
- The bright display is easier to see outdoors
- 7 years of OS updates
- Lacking some Pixel 8 Pro features it’s fully capable of running
- Uneven display bezels are a bit distracting
The Pixel 8 is somewhat overshadowed by the Pro model, but it still has a lot to offer users, and realistically, it’s like the better fit for many users. Compared to the Pixel 7 before it, the Pixel 8 is a bit shorter and a bit narrower with a slightly smaller screen to match. While that can seem like a con at first glance, the smaller size makes the phone more comfortable to hold and use one-handed. There are still a lot of people that prefer a smaller phone, and it’s nice that Google has included the same powerful Tensor G3 SoC as the PIxel 8 Pro, and made a few other improvements over the Pixel 7 as well.
One of the most noticeable upgrades is the display. While 0.1 of an inch smaller, the new display runs at 120Hz, compared to 90Hz on the Pixel 7, and is much brighter at up to 2000 nits peak. That means you’ll be able to see your screen better when you’re outside in a bright environment.
Another Pixel 8 upgrade is the battery. The 4575mAh battery is slightly larger than the pack in the Pixel 7 and charges faster as well. The Pixel 8 supports wired charging up to 27 watts compared to just 20W on the older phone.
Google Pixel 8 review: The Pixel for the masses
The Pixel 8 doesn’t need every feature the 8 Pro offers, it’s packing more than enough
While the camera improvements aren’t that significant on paper, the PIxel 8 has two new camera sensors allowing for better performance. The ultrawide camera got the sensor out of the Pixel 7 Pro, which takes the field of view up to 125.8 degrees compared to just 114 degrees on the Pixel 7. As our Pixel 8 review shows, some of the biggest camera improvements with the Pixel 8 come from new software, like Magic Editor, which can automatically improve photos in the background.
Google Pixel 7a
Flagship CPU and camera performance for less
The Pixel 7a is a mid-range phone from Google with impressive hardware. Performance is strong with the same Tensor G2 CPU as the flagship model. It also has a large 64MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide shooter. Google software makes the most of these cameras with excellent processing.
- Fast Tensor G2 CPU with 8GB of RAM
- Crisp and fast 90Hz OLED display
- Great cameras
- Battery life could be better
- Price is too close to the Pixel 7
The Google Pixel 7a is a mid-range phone priced and configured to prove that you don’t need to spend a fortune to get flagship-tier hardware and performance. This phone is powered by the same Tensor G2 SoC that’s in the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro and comes with a healthy 8GB of RAM. You also get a 6.1-inch OLED display capable of a 90Hz refresh rate. You also get a large 4,385mAh battery that should have no trouble reaching the end of the day with average use, but only charges at 18W compared to 25W on the Pixel 7. If you don’t mind a few more minutes on the charger, this won’t be a huge deal to you.
On the software side, this phone launched with Android 13 and is among the first to receive new Android updates with five years of Pixel updates planned. It also comes with Google’s security chip, the Titan M2, as part of the Tensor G2 SoC which can help keep things like passwords safer. It’s also IP67 dust and water-resistant, so you don’t need to worry if it gets splashed. You can also have it in black, blue, or white with another coral color available directly from Google.
Google Pixel 7a review: If déjà vu were a smartphone
This year’s A-series is more like its flagship counterpart than ever before — for better and for worse
The biggest competition for the Pixel 7a comes from its older sibling, the Pixel 7. This phone can often be found for a similar price as the Pixel 7a with discounts. That phone comes with faster charging, a larger display, and wireless power-sharing. Still, the Pixel 7a is one of the best budget Android phones and can also see some discounts of its own. It’s also available with six months of Mint Mobile service for free when you get a bundle with a year of service.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Folds completely flat
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 is an impressive compact foldable with a snappy Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, 8GB of RAM, and a gorgeous 6.7-inch internal AMOLED display. The cover screen is large enough to control with a 3.4-inch panel with useful widgets like step counting or navigation.
- Large and useful cover display
- Folds flat with no gap
- Excellent 6.7-inch AMOLED internal display
- Battery life could be better
- No telephoto camera
Phones are getting big, and if you try to keep a modern flagship in your pocket, you won’t have room for anything else. The Samsung Galaxy Flip 5 is a compact folding phone that doesn’t take much room when folded. Unfolded, the large 6.7-inch AMOLED panel is impressive with 120Hz support and 1750 nits of peak brightness. While Samsung hasn’t managed to iron out the crease in the middle of the screen, it’s still a great display with plenty of room for your favorite apps.
On the outside, the cover display comes in at 3.4 inches covered with tough Gorilla Glass Victus 2, with two cameras peaking out from the corner. The external display is large enough to use comfortably and with widgets to control the phone, can be very useful. The cameras are a 12MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera with solid performance and Samsung’s typical saturated results. There’s also an internal 10MP camera for video calls, but for the best selfies, you can use the main cameras with the cover screen.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review: Flex Window for the win
A slightly larger cover screen makes all the difference in the world
Compatibility with Mint Mobile is good with 5G support including T-Mobile’s mid-band 5G Ultra Capacity speeds. Samsung phones work great on most US carriers, so they’re always a good option for those who like to switch carriers frequently.
OnePlus Open
Plenty of screen real-estate
With a large 7.82-inch folding display, powerful hardware, and a great camera system, the OnePlus Open is one of the best folding phones you can get. Even folded, the external 6.31-inch is nice to use with the same 2800nits of brightness as the internal display.
- Excellent look and feel
- Strong performance and good battery life
- Solid software customization for the big screen
- No wireless charging
- OxygenOS doesn?t feel as polished as the competition
One of the main things holding phones back from replacing laptops and tablets is the screen size. Folding phones, like the OnePlus Open, have a large internal display that gives you plenty of space to use multiple apps at once, or even just extra space for a single app. The Open’s internal AMOLED display comes in at 7.82 inches with 120Hz and HD support. The external display is no slouch with a 6.31-inch OLED panel running at 120Hz. Both screens offer up to 2800 nits of peak brightness so you can see them even on a bright and sunny day.
The camera system also impresses with 48MP main cameras, a 64MP telephoto camera with a 3x zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide camera. These three cameras all impress with realistic results that look great in a wide variety of lighting conditions. Powering the phone, a 4805mAh battery easily gets you to the end of the day, even with the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC under the hood and 16GB of RAM. You can also charge it quickly with 67W charging support.
OnePlus Open review: What every foldable should be
Leave it to OnePlus to supply the competition Samsung so desperately needs
This phone will work well with the T-Mobile network used by Mint Mobile with support for all of its 5G bands, including 5G Ultra Capacity bands. If you bring this phone to Mint, you should have no trouble getting excellent 5G speeds on the T-Mobile network.
OnePlus 12R
Flagship performance on a budget
The OnePlus 12R is one of the best mid-range phones you can get with a large and vibrant display, a fast SoC, and solid camera performance. This is also one of the fastest charging phones you can get with 80W charging in the U.S. and a large 5500mAh battery.
- Excellent performance
- High-end 120Hz AMOLED display
- Excellent battery life
- Only IP64-certified
- Camera quality doesn?t impress
The OnePlus 12R feels like a perfect fit for Mint Mobile with performance that defies its price, and strong 5G support. The OnePlus 12R is a budget phone that doesn’t feel all that budget when you actually use it thanks to a speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC keeping Android humming along nicely. The display is an impressive 6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED panel with 1600 bits of brightness, with a peak of 4500 nits. That’s plenty bright to use outdoors, even on a sunny day.
The camera system isn’t quite as impressive with the main 50MP cameras turning out solid photos for the price, but not quite clearing the bar set by Google’s Pixel line. Still, at this price, the photos are decent and most owners will likely be happy with the results. At least you can take pictures all day long with a large 5,500mAh battery easily taking the phone to the end of the day on a single charge. Once you do run it out, it charges up in a flash with an 80W charger included.
OnePlus 12R review: A real flagship killer for $500
A phone that packs all the power you need for the price you want to pay
The OnePlus 12R isn’t sold directly by Mint Mobile, but the unlocked version will work fine with the T-Mobile 5G network with support for 5G Ultra Capacity bands. Since you’re buying it unlocked, it will be a great option to bring with you to another carrier if you like to shop around for the best value phone plan available.
Moto G Stylus (2023)
An affordable phone with a stylus
Not many budget phones don’t do things by the book, but the Moto G Stylus (2023) does just that. By including the titular stylus, a good set of software to go along with it, and a decent processor that can get through your basic daily tasks, it’s a cheap phone that offers a lot.
- Great battery life
- 90Hz display for this price is great
- Stylus works great with software
- Slow 15W charging
- Laggy performance
- Dim screen
The Moto G Stylus is pretty unique among budget phones thanks to its namesake stylus that tucks up into the device much like the Galaxy S24 Ultra does. While its MediaTek chipset with 4GB of RAM isn’t exactly fast, basic messaging, social media, and streaming apps should work reasonably well. A nice surprise is the smooth 90Hz display, which is decent for the price point.
On the flip side, some aspects of the phone aren’t the best. The cameras on the back are only passable. While its camera performance didn’t come close to flagships like the Pixel 8 Pro, it’s passable at this price thanks to a solid 50MP sensor. When it comes to battery life, you get a 5,000mAh battery that should easily make it two days on a charge, though the slow 15W charging speeds with only a 10W charger in the box means you’ll need to give yourself plenty of time to top up. The Moto G Stylus is worth a look if you want an affordable phone that offers a decent experience with a stylus in tow.
Moto G Stylus (2023) review: Built-in pen, budget price
A solid stylus phone that costs six times less than the Galaxy S23 Ultra
This isn’t a 5G phone, so you’ll be stuck using the slower LTE network, but for most lighter users, T-Mobile’s LTE should be more than adequate. Besides that, T-Mobile’s LTE network enjoyed many of the coverage upgrades 5G did thanks to band 71, which this phone supports.
Bring your own phone to Mint Mobile
While you can get the phones listed above directly from Mint Mobile, you can also bring any of these phones (and plenty of other models) to Mint as long as it’s unlocked. Since Mint uses T-Mobile’s network, just about any unlocked phone will work, but they have a handy compatibility checker on their site, so you can be sure. If you bought your phone through another carrier, you may need to pay it off before switching.
Once you’ve made sure your phone will work and are ready to switch, Mint Mobile can be activated by purchasing a SIM kit with a physical SIM inside. Many phones from the last couple of years support eSIM, however, which can be activated in just a few minutes without needing to wait for shipping or even taking off your phone’s case. The SIM is simply downloaded to your phone replacing your old carrier’s information.
Mint Mobile has some stellar phones
Mint Mobile isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to the phones they offer with the heavy-hitters from Samsung, Google, and Apple available. These phones are available to buy outright on their own or with a Mint Mobile plan bundled in. Customers can also finance their new phone with Affirm. Keep in mind that phones bought from Mint Mobile are locked to the carrier for 60 days, but can be taken with you to another carrier after that.
We are most impressed by the Google Pixel 8 Pro. It’s Google’s magnum opus, marrying its excellent ability to make photos look amazing, software and AI features that no other manufacturer is doing, and a price point that makes it more affordable than its main competition — Samsung.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
A fantastic Android experience in every aspect
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is Google’s most capable phone and one of the best Android phones you can get. It has some of the best cameras of any phone, with a 50MP main shooter on the back and even a massive 48MP telephoto camera. The Google Tenso G3 SoC powering it isn’t the most powerful chip in a phone, but it still has plenty of power for most people.
