If you want to know more about the comparison between MetroPCS vs. Sprint, read below our detailed guide. Almost everyone in the world owns a smartphone as it has become a necessity in the modern lifestyle. This has brought about stiff competition among cellphone service providers.
With the spotlight put on them, every wireless provider seeks to outshine all the others. MetroPCS or Metro by T-Mobile and Sprint are among the notorious contenders. Before we can even talk about anything else, you should know T-Mobile owns both MetroPCS and Sprint.
The merger between T-Mobile and Sprint started in 2020 and was completed in 2021. T-Mobile and Sprint are the same company now. As we wait for more details of the merger to emerge, nothing seems to have changed for Sprint.
Are you wondering what happened to MetroPCS? It was renamed Metro by T-Mobile and still offers its own services. Here we have two companies taken under the T-Mobile wing. It won’t hurt to compare them and see how things look like. Which one has the edge, Metro by T-Mobile or Sprint? Well, we are about to find out and settle the score.
Table of Contents
Sprint overview
Sprint is one of the big four cellphone service providers. The company has been doing quite well in the mobile industry. But one of the reasons why many people go for this wireless service is the lower prices.
Sprint has notable phone deals, offers free international coverage and some of the most affordable unlimited plans. The good value plans make this service stand out among the big four networks. But there is a catch.
Sprint fails terribly in the coverage category. It has the least widespread network among all of the major carrier companies. That said, Sprint Wireless is still worth considering because of its value plans and wide range of phones available.
MetroPCS overview
MetroPCS is a budget wireless provider that is currently owned by T-Mobile. Its official name is now Metro by T-Mobile. MetroPCs is a prepaid wireless service and it wasn’t until recently that they did a reverse merger with the popular T-Mobile USA.
When they merged, the two companies offered unlimited data plans. This was a huge step because it’s something the customers really wanted. Metro by T-Mobile was launched in September 2018.
Metro by T-Mobile has plenty going for it. It carries the 5G network, launched new unlimited plans and introduced great perks like Amazon Prime and Google One storage subscriptions. As of writing Metro is one of the cheapest cellphone services you’ll ever find.
MetroPCs vs. Sprint: Coverage
Whenever you think of a potential cellphone provider, the first thing that comes to your mind is probably the coverage area. It is an important factor that will determine the kind of service you’ll receive.
The Sprint network coverage is ranked fourth-best in the country. It falls behind others like Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T. While Sprint has been dead-last in the coverage rankings, we are hopeful the merger with T-Mobile will patch up the gaping holes in the map. There is a good chance Sprint’s coverage will tremendously improve.
We don’t know for sure the percentage increase in coverage. But based on how the Sprint coverage map looks right now, the company might soon give the likes of Verizon a run for their money. With that being said, we will provide more info on the coverage as soon as details emerge from the companies.
Metro uses the T-Mobile network. Consequently, the customers benefit from T-Mobile’s vast coverage in the nation. T-Mobile has always offered solid coverage and actually covers 62% of the country.
For that reason, the Metro customers have very little to complain about when it comes to network coverage. From our standpoint, both Sprint and Metro are doing well. Of course, this is assuming Sprint’s coverage is bound to dramatically increase with the new merger.
MetroPCS vs. Sprint: Unlimited plans
The Sprint unlimited plans are just about what any customer needs. They come with unlimited talk text and data all at a very low price. Anyone can tell the plan prices are the biggest selling point for this provider. You won’t easily get unlimited plans at such cheap prices from most of the competing carrier providers.
The plan structure at Sprint is quite straightforward. Each of the plans offered consists of unlimited calls, text and data. Are you surprised like the rest of us? Don’t be because that’s how it works at Sprint wireless.
When you look at the Sprint unlimited plans keenly, you will notice there is a difference in what each offers. The Unlimited basic plans allow video streaming up to 480p and gaming streams up to 2Mbps.
If you want HD quality video streaming, you will have to go for the pricey Unlimited Plus plan. The Unlimited Plus plan also provides 50GB of mobile hotspot data and free subscriptions to none other than Hulu and Tidal. This means you will be using your data to full capacity.
It’s true Sprint’s plans are unlimited. Though, your speeds may be throttled if you use too much data in a month. The best part is they give you a whopping 50GB of data before throttling.
Believe it or not, this isn’t something you easily get from a cellphone service provider. Mostly, it will cost you an arm and a leg for such a big amount of data.
Here is an overview of the famous Sprint Unlimited plans:
| Plan | Inclusions | Price |
| Unlimited Basic Plan | Unlimited data
No contract |
$60 a month |
| Unlimited Plus Plan | Unlimited data
No contract |
$70 a month |
| Unlimited Premium Plan | Unlimited data
No contract |
$80 a month |
Metro by T-Mobile offers only two unlimited plan options for its users. Thankfully, they are also pretty cheap. As a matter of fact, the unlimited plans from Metro are way cheaper than what you get from Sprint.
What’s more, is that the company uses straight-up pricing. Do you know what this means? Of course, it’s something good and best of all cuts down costs for the customers. Metro includes taxes and other fees in the advertised prices.
As such, you won’t pay anything more than what’s advertised for the plans. Keep in mind, the prices are already on the very low end. It can’t get any cheaper than this!
Take a look at the Metro unlimited plan options:
| Plan | Inclusions | Price |
| $40 unlimited plan | Unlimited data
No contract |
$40 a month |
| $50 unlimited plan | Unlimited data
No contract |
$50 a month |
| $60 unlimited plan | Unlimited data
No contract |
$60 a month |
Sprint and Metro both have great unlimited plans. You can also tell they’re both cheap. Whichever way you decide to go, you’ll still get value for your money. However, Sprint tends to have spotty service unless you live near an urban area. That is set to change with the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint though. But for now, watch out.
Family plans
Family plans are usually all about saving on the monthly bill. Sprint has very cheap family plans. What we like about these plans is that they are robust. First and foremost, the plans really come with unlimited data.
You are given 50GB of data before being throttled but this is still more than enough data for everyone in your family. The fancier unlimited premium plan offers 100GB of shared data before you experience any slowdowns.
Just like the regular unlimited plans, Sprint’s family plans also bring along some enticing freebies. Do you want to know what perks you’ll enjoy? How about a free subscription to Hulu, Amazon Prime, Tidal and Lookout? Oh yes please!
Before we can go on, here is how Sprint’s family plans look like:
| Plan | Inclusions | Price |
| Mix and Match Unlimited Family plans | Unlimited data
3 lines |
$100 a month |
| Unlimited Basic plan | Unlimited data
3 lines |
$100 a month |
| Unlimited Plus plan | Unlimited data
3 lines |
$130 a month |
| Unlimited Premium plan | Unlimited data
3 lines |
$160 a month |
The Metro family plans are just as good as Sprints. In fact, Metro gets even cheaper when you add additional lines to your account. The main difference between these wireless service providers is the amount of data you get.
With Metro, you get a data allowance of 35GB. If you travel a lot, the more expensive family plan options would be more suitable. This is because you’ll receive more hotspot data. All in all, rest assured you’ll find a good deal with either Metro or Sprint.
MetroPCS vs. Sprint: Pros and Cons
Metro Pros
- The best-prepaid family plans
- Very affordable prices
- Operates on the T-Mobile network
- Straight-up pricing that covers the taxes and any additional fees
- A great selection of the greatest and latest smartphones
Metro cons
- There is always a risk of deprioritization
- Poor coverage in the rural areas
Sprint Pros
- International coverage
- Juicy perks including free subscriptions to Tidal, Amazon Prime and Hulu
- Discounted plans for the military service members, credit union members, seniors, AAA members and AAdvantage members
- Offers a selection of the most popular devices like Google Pixel and Samsung
- 50GB unthrottled data
- Lots of plan options
Sprint cons
- No prepaid plans
MetroPCS vs. Sprint: Cell phones and devices
You shouldn’t have any worries about what phones you can use with each of the providers. Sprint and Metro by T-Mobile support virtually almost all types of phones you can think of, including the Samsung Galaxy series, iPhones, Google Pixel, LG and so on. In fact, both services offer the latest models of these smartphones when you sign up.
Also, you don’t have to worry about fishing out tons of money to purchase a new phone. Both Sprint and metro give out discounts, promotions and price reductions on their smartphones.
Metro even has a notable selection of smartphones with a price tag under $200. Another alternative is to lease a phone through either company rather than buy it upfront. Afterward, you’ll be required to pay off the debt in monthly installments.
If you are committed to the Google Pixel phones, you might want to go with Sprint as opposed to Metro. Sprint does offer more of the Google Pixel phones compared to its counterpart. Though, they both have the newest models of these.
MetroPCS vs. Sprint: Customer service
Both companies have various options to reach out to them and all of these can be found on their websites. If you have an issue that needs correcting, you can either make a phone call or visit a nearby store.
That being said, prepare yourself to deal with poor customer service every now and then. The truth is wireless providers are notorious for having lackluster customer service. The same goes for Sprint and Metro by T-Mobile.
While Sprint’s ACSI (American Customer Satisfaction Index) score has always been low, the company really is doing its best to please the customers. On their website, you are met with a small chat window pop up asking if you need any help.
The company is also quite responsive on Twitter. But with an ACSI score of 65 out of 100, it’s clear Sprint still has a long way to go. Hopefully, the merger with T-Mobile will somehow take care of this problem. After all, T-Mobile has the highest score in customer service according to the ACSI report (75 out of 100).
Bottom Line: Which is better, Sprint or MetroPCS
We believe both cellphone service providers are great. If you are budget-conscious, both Sprint and Metro offer cheap plans and plenty of alternatives to cut down your monthly bill.
Sprint used to have the worst coverage but that might change following the merger. The only difference might be the data allowance. Spring offers up to 50GB of unthrottled data while Metro maxes out at 35GB.
FAQS
Is MetroPCS better than Sprint?
To some extent, yes. Metro not only has cheap plans and great coverage but also offers notable prepaid phone plans. Unfortunately, Sprint has been phasing out its prepaid plans and they are no longer available to new customers.
Why is MetroPCS so cheap?
Metro is generally cheap because it’s a prepaid service. It uses the T-Mobile network but you’ll find most of its plans being cheaper than the competition.
