Total Wireless Vs Straight Talk – Comparison Review 2024

Straight Talk and Total Wireless are popular budget carriers if you’re looking to save on monthly bills significantly.

They offer prepaid cellphone plans to suit a variety of budgets. There are also no contracts and this means you can cancel any time of the year without facing repercussions.

Basically, Straight Talk and Total Wireless are both MVNOs aka Mobile Virtual Network Operators. They have the same parent company which is TracFone Wireless.

While these cellular providers seem to have so much in common, there are still significant differences in their data plans, pricing, availability, and so on.

We will compare Total Wireless vs. Straight Talk to help you find the right provider.

What is Straight Talk?

Straight Talk is one of the MVNOs seeking to provide reliable and affordable cellular services to people across the United States.

Unlike many of its competitors, Straight Talk has a different approach in terms of providing service.

This MVNO operates on the networks of the big four cellular providers including T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. The preferred network depends on coverage in your area.

Straight Talk has acquired at least 25 million customers, making it the largest no-contract provider in the US.

The target of the company is mostly heavy data users on a strict budget. Not every data-hungry individual has plenty of money to spare.

This is where the budget cellular providers like Straight Talk come in. Furthermore, Straight Talk offers more personalized prepaid monthly plans.

You can pick the plan of your choice from the official retail stores like Walmart. The best part is the customers are allowed to keep their existing phones rather than buying a new one.

These are some of the features to have in mind when deciding on the right cellular provider.

Straight Talk Pros

1. There are no contracts or even a credit check
2. You’re allowed to keep your old phone
3. International calling
4. Designed for the mobile data users
5. There is a reward program
6. Includes phone installment plans

Straight Talk Cons

1. Absolutely no family plans
2. Coverage mainly depends on the particular carrier network you select

What is Total Wireless?

Total Wireless is an alternative cellular carrier founded in 2015, under the TracFone umbrella. Unlike Straight Talk, this one runs exclusively on the Verizon Network.

This means it’s majorly limited to CDMA-supported devices. Also, there might be variations in the call quality and this largely depends on the area.

Total Wireless has a lot going for it like no activation fees, no monthly fees, both personal and family plans, and affordable prices.

It also guarantees excellent coverage thanks to the Verizon network. While the individual cell phone plans are not entirely the best, the family plans are on another level. We will definitely get into the details later.

The cell phone plans cost way less than what you’d get from most competitors. That being said, the plans lack many of the features you will find with the other carrier providers.

But if you’re comfortable with cell phone plans without all of the bells and whistles, Total Wireless would be a good match.

Service plans and devices are available on the official website as well as retailers like Walmart, Target, and Dollar General.

Total Wireless pros

1. Contract-free
2. Affordable family plans
3. You can keep your old phone number
4. Excellent coverage from Verizon’s network
5. There are international calling options
6. Reward program available

Total Wireless cons

1. No unlimited data plans
2. There is no international texting
3. Few options for the basic plans
4. The plans don’t include mobile hotspots

Total Wireless vs. Straight Talk: Plans

Total Wireless has three individual plan options. The good thing about its plans is that they are all low-cost.

But that’s where the silver lining ends because this cellular provider doesn’t offer any unlimited data plans.

If you like streaming videos on your smartphone, Total Wireless might not be the best match in that regard. All the plans come with unlimited talk and texts, which is comforting.

We had mentioned just how the Total Wireless plans are decently priced compared to the other carriers like AT&T and Verizon.

As such, it’s the perfect cellular service for budgeters. However, like most affordable things, there is a catch somewhere.

In this case, you will have to do without perks and notable features commonly offered by the big carriers.

For instance, Total Wireless doesn’t offer unlimited music streaming, mobile hotspot data, or even caller ID. This means you will miss out on the digital experience.

If you’re not a heavy data user, Total Wireless will most likely work for you. Using your data for Google Maps or emailing shouldn’t be a problem.

In fact, you can get the cheapest plan that allows 1 GB of data for only $25 per month. It’s really a good deal and will surely serve the purpose.

If you require more data to accomplish your online tasks like stream videos, there is a nice solution at hand.

Simply opt for the data add-on since it doesn’t expire when your service is active. It’s actually a great way to lower data consumption because your add-on data won’t be spent.

The data in your plan is basically used up first. Also, all of the unused data is rolled over to ensure nothing goes to waste.

Here are the individual plans you get from Total Wireless;

When it comes to individual cellular plans, Straight Talk has options for everybody. As a matter of fact, this is the major selling point for Straight Talk that makes it popular among the competitors.

Also, Straight Talk offers the cheapest plans you’ll find on the market through the use of cell towers from the big carriers.

There is a good chance you’ll land on the best coverage depending on your area. This might also translate to reduced data speeds.

The three main plans from Straight Talk include unlimited data. Your data will come at 4G LTE speeds until the monthly allowance is finished.

After that, the speeds are lowered to 2G unless you opt to add extra data or top-up. You also get unlimited talks and texts with all the plans.

The one thing we like about Straight Talk’s cell phone plans is the fact that they are well-rounded and suitable for a variety of users.

Let’s see how the Straight Talk cell phone plans look like;

The plans get even more appetizing when you compare the reasonably low prices to those from big carriers like Verizon.

Therefore, there is something for your kids, grandma, video streaming family members, and just about anyone in the house.

Total Wireless vs. Straight Talk: Family plans

Total Wireless presents the best way to save a couple of bucks monthly through its family plans. Family plans are the real deal especially when it comes to cutting down on the wireless bill.

If there are several people in the house, it would be better to bundle your lines altogether and save some money.

The juicy part is that you can pack up some perks too like receiving free mobile hotspot data.

With Total Wireless, you can add up to four lines to your account. Therefore, your spouse and two kids would be perfectly covered.

Each extra line added gets unlimited talk, text, and more data for the shared data pot. At the end of the day, everyone is happy and fulfilled. After all, we live in a world ruled by technology.

Each of the lines will be on Verizon’s network which is the best in the nation. Thus, decent service shouldn’t be something you’ll worry about.

A great bonus would be the hotspot data. Each line added on the family plan gets 10GB of hotspot data for absolutely free.

When you think about it, this is more than enough to stream several movies on Netflix. How about you stream a movie while on a bus or train? So cool huh!

Straight Talk, on the other hand, hasn’t made much progress in the family plan category. It has an unlimited plan for two lines but that’s the closest you’ll get to have a family plan with Straight Talk.

In other words, this carrier doesn’t really offer family plans. Since there are zero deals for adding extra lines, you might have to move along and find other options. In this regard, Total Wireless wins hands down.

Total Wireless vs. Straight Talk: Coverage

Without a strong signal, there is no way you’ll be able to use a cellphone. You can’t possibly stream videos or even send text messages.

It all comes down to one thing and that’s the importance of great coverage. Total Wireless runs on Verizon’s and that means good coverage.

Verizon is among the top carriers with the best coverage in the country. Keep in mind, Verizon also packs the fastest data speeds.

On the other hand, Straight Talk’s network comes from all the major carriers. As such, the service can be a bit confusing.

Coverage depends on the kind of device you’ll be using with the service whether CDMA or GSM. For instance, if you bring a phone from Sprint to Straight Talk, you have to pick a SIM card designed to run specifically on AT&T.

When you buy a phone from Straight Talk, it basically uses the GSM network, either AT&T or T-Mobile.

In this regard, you have to check your area for coverage. Go for the network with the best coverage in your area.

Coverage shouldn’t be an issue for most people especially those living in metropolitan areas. Most of these areas are covered by the major networks and you can easily go for the right one.

Though data speeds are a whole different story and customers don’t always get what they want. Verizon has the best coverage and overall performance among all the big four carriers but things might be different depending on where you live.

Total Wireless vs. Straight Talk: Performance

People want a reliable cell phone service that won’t let them down when they need it the most. Straight Talk’s approach is to use a patchwork of other companies’ networks to provide its customers a reliable service.

Total Wireless, on the other hand, uses Verizon’s network. The performance of these wireless carriers all comes down to the network.

This largely relies on where you live. That being said, both carrier providers have comparable performance especially those on the Verizon network. If Verizon is unavailable you might want to look into AT&T.

Keep in mind, there is a deprioritization issue but most customers don’t notice it. If this is a huge problem, you can always switch to a direct carrier provider as opposed to an MVNO.

Total Wireless vs. Straight Talk: Phone Selection

Have you tried to buy a new phone on any one of these days? It costs half as much or even more than a mortgage. Thankfully, you can still cop up a good deal.

When you decide to sign up for a plan from Straight Talk or Total Wireless, there are definitely some deals. This way, the users get a new device for the service at an affordable cost.

We like that Straight Talk has many new devices on the menu like the latest Samsung and Apple smartphones.

The company also has some budget options from other phone manufacturers especially for the users seeking to save.

Furthermore, they allow customers to pay in installments. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

In terms of phone selection and the available devices, both Straight Talk and Total Wireless are at par.

They offer a good number of the latest smartphones on the market and this gives the users more choices to get what they want.

This way, you’ll have the device that’s right for you. For the most part, the prices are the same on both platforms.

But if you take the time to look, you will find some juicy deals on various smartphones.

Another thing is you can bring your own phone with both of the two cellphone service providers. All you need is a SIM kit from either of them and switching over would be easy.

To check whether your current phone is compatible, enter the device IMEI number on the specific website and let them do the rest.

If everything goes well, you only have to select a SIM card and then a plan. You will be up and running within minutes. Besides, this is a huge money saver.

Total Wireless vs. Straight Talk: International Calling

Straight Talk and Total Wireless also offer international calling. When it comes to Total Wireless, the customers can get a prepaid calling card.

They will use this to make international calls through a mobile app. The mobile application basically helps users call their chosen international destinations from the United States.

This operator also throws in a $10 international calling card valid for 30 days.

Straight Talk also has something up the sleeve. In this case, customers can make mobile-to-mobile calls from the US to other countries including Canada, Mexico, China, and India.

Though if you want more, there is a plan that features calls to over 1,000 destinations across the world.

The other option would be to buy a calling card especially when you don’t make calls regularly. The Global calling card costs $10 just like Total and with that, you’re able to call at quite competitive rates.

So, if you want a one-time recharge card, both Straight Talk and Total Wireless can offer that. It would be a convenient way to make international calls.

Total Wireless vs. Straight Talk: Customer service

You can’t really expect much from a budget carrier in terms of customer service. There are tons of complaints around the internet about the poor customer service people experience with both of the cell providers.

So, how does Total Wireless cope in this category?

Well, it doesn’t measure up to the bigger providers like AT&T. If you need support, reach out by phone at 1-866-663-3633 or online on their website.

We are starting to believe expecting fabulous customer service from a telecommunication company will never be a dream come true.

It is simply not in their nature. That said, some are doing better than others. From the information we gathered online, Straight Talk isn’t doing that bad in customer service.

Finally, a little bit of good news but don’t get too excited! Whenever you want to talk to a Straight Talk agent, call 1-877-430-2355.

Most of the time, you will be forced to solve issues yourself. Also, don’t expect a refund from Total Wireless if you end the service and there are unused funds in your account.

You will have to move forward with nothing or use up all your money before switching.

Total Wireless vs. Straight Talk: Which is better?

Looking closely at Total Wireless vs. Straight Talk; it’s clear there are some similarities and differences.

The choice between these two carrier services depends on what you want. On one hand, Total Wireless has straightforward plans and the best deals on family plans.

As a matter of fact, you stand a chance to save more money on Total Wireless’s family plans than with any other carrier provider.

Straight Talk, on the other hand, has plenty of plan options to keep the customers happy. But it keeps things too simple and you will certainly miss out on the extra features.

That said, the biggest difference is the fact that Straight Talk provides unlimited data while Total doesn’t have unlimited plan options at the moment.

The customers only receive a restricted amount of data depending on the plan they purchase. If you tend to use a significant amount of data daily, then Total Wireless may not be the right alternative.

Additionally, Straight Talk lacks family plans, which is really a bummer especially for the customers on a budget.

Both Straight Talk and Total Wireless let the users switch to their network easily with old phones. As such, they don’t have to get new devices for the services.

The battle between Straight Talk and Total Wireless doesn’t have a clear winner. They both have their strengths and also weaknesses.

However, always go for the network with better coverage and faster data speeds. Total Wireless operates on Verizon’s network, which is known to pack fast data speeds and a strong network.

FAQs

What is the difference between total wireless and straight talk?

The main difference between the two carriers would most certainly be their plan prices and features.

Each has its own features but we can agree the prices remain affordable for the majority of customers.

Is Straight Talk as good as Verizon?

Straight Talk is a cheap carrier but doesn’t really match up to Verizon. For starters, Verizon is a top cellphone carrier in the US with generally a strong network and faster data speeds.

Secondly, Verizon has unrolled its 5G network for even better speeds. Overall, Straight Talk speeds max out at 31.1 Mbps downloads and 15.6 Mbps uploads.

Verizon, on the other hand, is speedier with download speeds of 53.3 Mbps and 17.5 Mbps uploads.

Why is Straight Talk so slow?

There are varying reasons why Straight Talk is slow. It could be due to deprioritization since it piggybacks on the networks of the major carriers.

Also, the internet speeds can decrease after a while when you surpass the data allowance. Usually, the speeds are brought down from 4G to 2G.