Best Mint Mobile phones 2025

With one of the best Mint Mobile phones, you can get the most out of the prepaid carrier and its solid 5G network infrastructure. Mint Mobile has always been excellent when it comes to device compatibility, and is even more so now that it's fully owned and operated by T-Mobile. We've tested dozens of phones over the years, and the devices listed here have been hand-picked as they work flawlessly with Mint Mobile.

One of the best MVNO carriers in the United States, Mint Mobile helps you save money by requiring upfront payment for three, six, or 12 months of service. The longer the duration of service that you get, the better are your savings. Although you can bring over your existing device to the network, we suggest getting the Google Pixel 9 via the carrier. Why? It's because by availing an incredible limited time offer, you can get a whopping $500 off one of the best Android phones, provided you also pay upfront for an entire year of service and port in your number of Mint Mobile.

However, if you don't want to take advantage of this deal, there are several other smartphones that you can use with the MVNO without any issues. These include compact flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S24, affordable options such as the OnePlus Nord N30 5G, and more.

At a glance

Best overall

Arguably the most well-rounded Android flagship currently available in the market, the Google Pixel 9 is packed with awesomeness. It all starts with the refreshed, squared off design that gives the device an industrial in-hand feel. Up front, you get a 6.3-inch OLED panel that can hit a peak brightness of almost 2700 nits and sports a 120Hz refresh rate. Needless to say, this screen is a visual delight.

Powering by Google's latest Tensor G4 chipset and 12GB of RAM, the Pixel 9 can make quick work of even the most demanding of workflows with little to no effort. Of course, this hardware also makes the plethora of AI-powered tools (e.g., Magic Editor, Call Notes) that the phone comes loaded with, work their magic. The smartphone runs Android 14 out of the box, and with support for seven years of major OS and security updates guaranteed, you can rest assured it'll continue to serve you well for a very long time.

As you'd expect from a Google smartphone, the Pixel 9 excels when it comes to photography. Its dual-lens primary camera setup is made up of a 50MP primary sensor and a 48MP ultrawide module, with everything from OIS to 4K video recording included in the mix. Backed by a 4,700mAh battery, the Google Pixel 9 supports both wired and wireless charging.

Best balance

As the middle child in Samsung's newest flagship family, the Galaxy S24 Plus comes loaded with a laundry list of features that make for a balanced yet enjoyable user experience. Even though its design is largely similar to the previous-gen model, the S24 Plus sports a flatter frame and matte-finished back panel that make it look quite awesome. The front of the smartphone is all about a stunning 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen that's every bit as stunning as you can imagine. 

Powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, the smartphone includes 12GB of RAM and 256/512GB of internal storage, and these make it capable of handling just about anything you can throw at it with little to no effort. As one of the best Android phones currently available out there, the Galaxy S24 Plus offers everything from Wi-Fi 6e to USB Type-C (3.2) in terms of connectivity options.

Talking about cameras, Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus sports a triple-lens camera setup at the back, comprising a 50MP wide-angle sensor, a 10MP telephoto unit, as well as a 12MP ultra-wide module. However, it's the software where this thing truly shines, as the Galaxy S24 Plus is one of Samsung's first phones guaranteed to receive up to seven years of OS upgrades. You have some nifty AI-powered tools included in the mix.

Best midrange

The Google Pixel 8a comes with the Google Tensor G3 SoC under the hood giving it strong overall performance, and runs Android 14 with 8GB of RAM. Compared to the last generation model, the screen has been upgraded to 120Hz refresh rate and has a maximum peak brightness of 2000 nits, so its readable even on a sunny day. 

The 64MP main camera hasn't been upgraded, but even with last year's sensor, this is still without a doubt the best mid-range camera phones you can get. It's also nice that Google is offering both a 128GB and 256GB version of this phone, so you have plenty of space to store all those photos and videos.

Another big upgrade over the previous-gen Pixel 7a is extended software support, as Google's now promising seven years of major OS and security updates. Speaking of support, the Pixel 8a is a great fit for the T-Mobile 5G network utilized by Mint Mobile with strong mid-band support.

Best on a budget

The OnePlus Nord N30 5G is a well-balanced budget phone that remains among the best cheap Android phones available in the market right now, even when you buy it unlocked. As the name implies, you get 5G support including mid-band 5G on Mint Mobile. The design has a premium look and feel, with two large camera rings on the back. Our OnePlus Nord N30 5G review noted that the phone offers great battery life with impressively fast charging speeds too, especially in its price range.

On the software side, things aren't as good, with the Nord N30 5G having Android 13 out of the box, and only one OS update. The good news is that it has begun receiving Android 14 this year, so it should be relevant for a bit longer. The 6.72-inch display is good, but it's not AMOLED, which means you won't get the vivid colors and increased contrast levels when watching your favorite movies and TV shows. 

The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 695 5G SoC, which works well for everyday tasks but can't handle more demanding workflows. But despite all that, OnePlus Nord N30 5G offers plenty of perks such as a 3.5mm audio port, a big battery, and even stereo speakers.

Best small phone

While its 6.2-inch display isn't all that compact, the tiny bezels around the screen still make the Samsung Galaxy S24 one of the best small phones you can get today. Its AMOLED panel looks beautiful with a 120Hz refresh rate and an impressive 2600 nits of peak brightness, which makes it easy to see even in the daylight. It's driven by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC as the two bigger S24 phones, along with 8GB of RAM, so you're not giving up any speed for one-handed use. You also have a 4,000mAh battery with 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, which means you may need to top up before the end of the day if you're a heavy user.

The camera system is generally top-of-the-line with a 50MP primary sensor, a 10MP 3x telephoto unit, and 12MP ultrawide module. While we find that Samsung's cameras can struggle with motion, they're still some of the best you can get. With excellent support for all of T-Mobile's 5G bands, the Samsung Galaxy S24 is a power-packed small phone to use on Mint Mobile.

Best for gaming

Although OnePlus has had its problems in the past, the company has hit a home run with its soon-to-be-superseded flagship. The OnePlus 12 is a fantastic smartphone that packs in just about everything you could want in a modern-day smartphone, at a price that's too good to resist. The design is largely the same as the last-gen model, but changes are still there. 

OnePlus 12 has a gorgeous 6.82-inch AMOLED screen that's not only the brightest of any smartphone out there but can also be used when wet. Talking about hardware, you have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC with 12GB/16GB of RAM and 256/512GB of onboard storage. Whether you like multi-tasking or playing some of the best Android games all day, this smartphone can make quick work of it all.

At the back, OnePlus 12 has a triple-lens camera system with a 50MP wide-angle unit, a 64MP periscope telephoto sensor, and a 48MP ultrawide lens. It comes with OxygenOS 14 (based on Android 14) and will get four years of major OS upgrades. The whole package is backed by a 5,400mAh battery with 80W fast-charging support. You even get super-fast 50W wireless charging for added convenience.

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Honorable mentions

All of the phones above are excellent and Android Central-approved, full stop. But they aren't the only devices that will work great with Mint Mobile's service. The following honorable mentions may not be the best of the best, but they're well suited for the MVNO carrier and might even come with some epic discounts.

How to choose

Get a phone with plenty of performance for all your needs

If you're using Mint Mobile, you're likely focused on getting great service for less money — and you want a phone that follows the same approach. Mint Mobile lets you bring any unlocked phone to its network, so your options are wide open. For the best results on T-Mobile's network, the carrier that owns Mint Mobile, you're going to want a 5G-enabled phone that supports bands n71 and n41. That gives you the best of both worlds for coverage and speeds and luckily, most of the best Android phones you can buy support these bands.

The Google Pixel 9 meets all of these requirements, including having support for 5G on T-Mobile's fastest bands. Not only that, if it turns out you don't love Mint Mobile's service, the Pixel 9 fully supports other major carriers too, including C-band 5G. You get Android 14 out of the box and years of software updates, so you're set for years to come.

Alternatively, you can take a look at the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus, which matches Google's software update policy and brings a refined design over its predecessor, all while also having a dedicated telephoto lens and a bunch of AI-based tools included in the mix. We also quite like Google Pixel 8a, as it offers all the basics in a fairly well-priced package.

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