Mint Mobile’s annual unlimited plan is now 50% off for the first year

Mint Mobile is known for its annual plans that offer access to T-Mobile’s network at a fraction of the price of postpaid, but its latest promotion is on a whole other level.

The T-Mobile-owned brand commonly runs a promotion that lets new subscribers try out unlimited service for the equivalent of about $15 a month for the first three months, paid upfront at $45. After the promotion ends, the price goes up to $360 per year, or the equivalent of $30 a month. While three months was already a fairly long discount period, for a limited time, Mint Mobile is offering that low $15-a-month rate for an entire year. As you’d expect, the only catch is you’ll have to pay a total of $180 upfront.

At least on paper, this is an excellent deal for unlimited service, but is Mint Mobile’s service any good? For the most part, yes. I go into a lot more detail in my Mint vs T-Mobile comparison, but in short: there are certainly some trade-offs compared to postpaid, like the lack of in-store customer service, but you’ll find Mint still offers a lot of the same perks as a big carrier, including device financing and insurance options.

Probably the biggest sacrifice will be the network priority you receive. Mint Mobile runs at the same priority as T-Mobile’s entry-level plans but offers lower priority than T-Mobile’s mid-range or higher offerings. It’s also worth noting that, while you do have unlimited data, the truth is that after 35GB of data, you could see further deprioritization during times of congestion. In most cases, the service is still quite snappy and performant, especially outside major peak hours, but it can vary depending on how congested your city or region is.

Ultimately, Mint is worth it as long as you keep your expectations in check. It might not offer all the bells and whistles of a postpaid or more expensive prepaid provider, but you’ll save a fair amount while still getting a level of service that’s very similar. Mint Mobile’s unlimited sale price ends on September 18, so you’ll want to sign up before then if interested.