At some point, you’ll need to buy your child a phone. Having the best mobile plans for them can make a big difference. Mint Mobile’s new $15 kids’ plan aims to be just that. Simple and affordable. They’re now part of T-Mobile, with the wacky Ryan Reynolds as the brand’s familiar face, and they’ve designed the plan to give kids just enough data for essential connectivity. Here’s more information about it.
Related: T-Mobile Now Owns Mint Mobile.
Mint Kids is perfect your wallet as a parent
Mint’s new mobile plan has a 5GB data treat for your kids for a monthly fee. If they exceed it, they can still stay connected at slower 2G speeds. The plan includes standard features, including hotspot access. Although it doesn’t bring parental controls or a monitoring app, you can substitute that with third-party apps or built-in phone features.
Plus, you still have the ability to monitor and control your child’s data usage. You’ll see how much data they’re using, and you can decide whether to adjust their usage or help them manage their data more effectively.
The kids’ plan starts at $15 per month, but you have to pay for three months upfront, making a total of $45 to get started. After these first three months, the price goes up to $25 per month for the same three-month plan. If you want a longer plan to save money, there are other options, like a six-month plan at $20 per month, or a twelve-month plan that keeps the $15 monthly rate with payments every three months.
Of course, Mint will encourage you to pick the twelve-month plan since it’s the cheapest in the long run — and the fastest way for them to generate revenue. But the good news is that you’re not locked into one plan. If you find that your kid needs more data, switch to a higher plan anytime. Similarly, if they’re using less, you can downgrade to a lower plan when it’s time to renew.
Bring your child’s old phone or buy a new one
Mint lets you bring your kid’s existing phone if they already have one. It needs to be a GSM-network phone that’s unlocked or used with AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, Simple Mobile, and Straight Talk. If your phone is still locked, contact your current carrier to unlock it first.
If you want to keep your current phone number when switching to Mint Mobile, you need to transfer it during the initial activation. You’ll also need a new eSIM for this process, but before doing so, confirm that your phone is eligible for a Mint eSIM and is unlocked. If it’s not compatible, you’ll have to use a physical SIM instead.
But if your kid doesn’t have a phone, buy a new one and add a protection plan. Currently, the mobile carrier is offering a range of phone deals, including a $400 discount on the Google Pixel 9, and a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 available for $1280, both with a year of unlimited service included.
