PlanCheck

How Much Is Your Carrier
Really Costing You?

Build your plan. See the damage.

How do MVNOs cost so much less?
Same towers, same signal. MVNOs lease access to Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T networks. Your calls, texts, and data travel on the exact same infrastructure.
No stores, no stadium naming rights. MVNOs skip the 5,000+ retail locations, massive ad budgets, and sponsorship deals that carriers pass on to you.
Online-only, lean operations. Lower headcount, no commissioned salespeople, no in-store upselling. Savings go directly to lower prices.
No lock-in subsidies. Carriers spread phone costs across 36-month contracts to make plans look cheaper. MVNOs just… charge less.
The trade-off: during peak congestion, some MVNOs may see briefly slower speeds. In practice, most users can't tell the difference.
What's your total monthly bill?
Everything included — your total all-in cost
/mo
Lines
/mo
That's $0/line/month
Days abroad per year
days/year
Note: With a travel eSIM you may not have your regular phone number for calls/texts. eSIMs typically cost $3–8 for a few GB — enough for maps, messaging, and light browsing. Not a full replacement, but a real option for data abroad.
What phones will your household use?
Select 1 phone
New or used?
You could save
$0
Pro tip: Buying used or keeping your current phone saves even more. Last year's flagship is 90% as good at 60% of the price. Check Back Market or Swappa for deals.
Fine-tune your plan
Save more or get more features

The Fine Print

How we calculate: Your per-line monthly cost × 36 months = carrier total. We compare that to buying a phone outright + MVNO service for the same period.

MVNO pricing: Visible+ includes taxes at $35/line with priority Verizon data. US Mobile Premium includes taxes at $44/line with multi-network choice. US Mobile Starter includes taxes at $25/line. US Mobile Pooled pricing is $10 first line + $8/additional + $2/GB shared data, all taxes included.

Used phone estimates: Used/refurbished prices are approximated at ~70% of retail. Actual prices vary by condition, seller, and market. Check Back Market, Swappa, or manufacturer refurbished stores for real prices.

Why 36 months: That's the standard term for carrier "free" phone deals. It's also a reasonable planning horizon for a phone purchase cycle.

Your number, your result: We use only what you enter. No assumptions about carrier, plan, or trade-in value.

FTC Affiliate Disclosure

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up through one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This doesn't affect our math or recommendations.

Pricing last verified: March 1, 2026