Simple, affordable plans from $15/month
- Top-notch coverage on Verizon's 4G/5G networks
- Pay by the gig or choose unlimited data
- No overage charges
The Cox brand is likely already familiar to you—as a well-established nationwide internet service provider, chances are that you've seen their commercials, or you may even already be a Cox home internet customer. But did you also know that Cox offers affordable cell phone plans, too?
Cox Mobile is an MVNO that uses Verizon's best-in-the-game 4G LTE and 5G networks to provide service, meaning you'll get excellent coverage and reliable speeds pretty much wherever you are. Rather than offering a slew of different plans, Cox keeps it simple—choose between one flexible plan that charges only for how much you use, or an unlimited plan that costs a flat rate no matter how much data you consume.
There's a catch, though—to take advantage of Cox's phone plans, you must first be a Cox internet customer. The whole service is an internet and wireless bundle. So is Cox Mobile worth switching your entire tech ecosystem for... or, for current Cox customers, worth ditching your current carrier for? Let's do a deep dive to help you decide.
|
#1
|
Cox Mobile
Pay As You Gig Plan
$15.00/mo
|
|
#2
|
Cox Mobile
Gig Unlimited Plan
$45.00/mo
+ $10 Upfront
|
Is Cox Mobile for you? Pros and cons
Cox Mobile is super affordable for each of the far ends of the data usage spectrum—unlimited data lovers, and those who only use one or two gigs per month. If you're a midrange data user, though, the pay-by-the-gig model gets expensive quickly for little relative value, so a different data package from another prepaid carrier may be a better fit.
What we love
- Great coverage on the best nationwide 4G LTE network
- Unlimited talk and text with both plans
- Flexible to your individual data usage
What could be improved
- Only open to Cox internet customers
- Pay-per-gig plan gets expensive
- Missing basic inclusions like hotspot
75/100
Cox Mobile plans
Cox Mobile only has two plans—one geared toward low-data users and one for those who want as much data as they can get. Their Pay As You Gig plan costs $15 for each gigabyte you use throughout a given month, meaning your monthly bill will vary depending on your data consumption. The Gig Unlimited plan, on the other hand, is a flat $45/month. Prices include EasyPay, which is Cox Mobile's version of AutoPay and is required to enroll in a Cox Mobile plan.
Cox Mobile plan prices
| Plan | Price | More details |
|---|---|---|
| Pay As You Gig | $15 per gigabyte | See plan details |
| Gig Unlimited | $45 per month | See plan details |
Both of these plans have data limits, of sorts—specifically, high-speed data limits, or what's commonly referred to as "premium data." On the Pay As You Gig plan, you can get high-speed data (4G LTE and 5G speeds) with up to 5GB of usage; after that, your speeds will slow down to a max of 1.5Mbps (3G speeds). With the Gig Unlimited plan, you get up to 20GB of premium high-speed data before you'll hit that deprioritization threshold.
Neither plan includes any additional bells or whistles—you won't find streaming subscriptions, cloud storage, or free international calling included. This helps keeps costs affordable, especially compared to the major phone carriers' plans.
What we like: Best-in-class coverage
Cox Mobile benefits from operating on Verizon's cellular network, which has consistently come in first place for the area coverage and reliability of its 4G LTE network. Additionally, Cox customers get access to Verzon's 5G network, which is the smallest in footprint but offers the fastest speeds where its Ultra Wideband spectrum is available.
What we like: Flexible for low-data users
For those who don't use their phone like their personal assistant (*guilty as charged*), Cox's pay-per-gig approach offers a lot of flexibility. You can use as much or as little data as you want (though high-speed data is capped at 5GB before dropping to 3G speeds) and you'll only pay for what you actually use. You don't have to worry about switching to a different plan if you need more data in a given month—you'll just pay an additional $15 once you reach another gigabyte.
What could be improved: Only open to Cox Internet customers
That's right: Currently, you can't access Cox Mobile plans without first being a Cox Internet customer. So even if these plans look like they check all of the boxes for you, you're out of luck unless you're willing to switch your entire tech setup to Cox—assuming the ISP is available in your area (which they may not be). With most other phone carriers, your only concern is the quality of coverage in your area, not whether the carrier is even accessible to you at all.
Also, depending on your current internet provider and plan, swapping over to Cox Internet might be more expensive for you in the long run, even if Cox Mobile's phone plans are cheaper than your current phone carrier.
What could be improved: Cost per gig is expensive
If you only use a gig or two per month, the Pay As You Gig plan seems like a pretty good deal—who wouldn't want to pay just $15 for your phone use? But dig a little deeper and you'll find that you can get a lot more value with other carriers. For example, Mint Mobile offers a $15/month plan that provides 5GB, rather than $15 for a single gig. With Cox Mobile, even if you go a sliver of a fraction above 1GB, you'll have to pay an additional $15, doubling your monthly cost. (We'll go into a more detailed comparison of Cox Mobile and Mint Mobile below.)
Consider, too, that you can only use up to 5GB of high-speed data—and if you used all 5GB, you'd pay a whopping $75. That's way more than you would for an unlimited high-speed data plan from another carrier like Visible, which offers unlimited premium data for just $35/month. Even the $45 Gig Unlimited plan caps your high-speed data at 20GB, the same price as Visible's more robust premium option.
What could be improved: No basic features included
While we're not asking for snazzy perks like streaming subscriptions here (which would consequently increase the overall prices of Cox Mobile's plans), we do think the carrier could throw us the proverbial bone in the form of some basic inclusions. There's no hotspot data allowance, or even general hotspot access that would draw from your overall data allotment. International calling of any kind must be purchased separately—even calls to Canada and Mexico. Nearly every other prepaid carrier minimally includes Mexico/Canada privileges, so the fact that Cox makes you pay extra for the privilege isn't a good look.
Cox Mobile coverage
A major advantage of Cox Mobile's service is its coverage. Cox uses Verizon towers to deliver reliable coverage in rural areas and major city centers. The Verizon network has been ranked #1 in the country for over a decade for its 4G LTE network (which remains the predominant cellular technology type nationwide). Here's how the 4G LTE networks break down numerically between the majors:
Cox Mobile also gives you access to Verizon's super-speedy 5G network, as long as you have a 5G-capable device to connect with. That said, Verizon is currently dead last regarding 5G area coverage, with only 12.77% of the country covered by its 5G towers compared to leader T-Mobile's 53.79% 5G coverage.
Take a look at our interactive coverage map below to get an idea of which network is strongest where you live. Toggle between Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile's 4G and 5G networks and zoom into your neighborhood. If the area is saturated in purple, you can bet that coverage will be reliable.
Cox Mobile vs. competitors
To help you determine whether Cox Mobile is the right carrier for you, it's helpful to compare it to its supporting carriers and fellow prepaid MVNOs. First, let's compare Cox Mobile to the network it operates on: Verizon.
Cox Mobile vs. Verizon
Verizon wins out in nearly all categories except for, as expected, price and coverage. Because Cox Mobile doesn't own and operate its own towers—and therefore incur the costs of powering and maintaining those towers—it's able to offer much cheaper prices to its customers than Verizon does. Plus, its no-frills plans mean Cox isn't subsidizing the cost of expensive subscriptions that are included with Verizon's plans. And obviously, the carriers come to a draw on coverage, since they operate on the same network.
Whereas Cox Mobile offers one unlimited plan, Verizon offers three, down from their previous six (!!!) unlimited offerings. Cox's plan offers 20GB of premium data, meaning your speeds will never slow before reaching that limit. Verizon's plans, conversely, offer varying tiers of unthrottled high-speed data—the base plan, Unlimited Welcome, leaves your speeds open to deprioritization at any time, while the Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Ultimate plans have no threshold at all. Each of the top-tier plans also includes high-speed hotspot data so you can work remotely—30GB on Unlimited Plus, and 60GB on Unlimited Ultimate.
While Verizon's plans no longer include baked-in streaming benefits, you can still mix and match various perks to add to your Unlimited plan and create a customized bundle. Each perk—like the Disney Bundle, Apple Music, cloud storage, extra hotspot, and more—costs an additional $10/month. Not as cheap as when they were included in the plan itself, but having the option to add them (or not!) is better than no option at all in our book.
Cox Mobile vs. other MVNOs
Though the major carriers have reigned supreme for a good long while, many smaller carriers have slowly but surely become seriously competitive, offering some of our favorite phone plans on the market.
To see how Cox Mobile Mobile stacks up against a few of the best prepaid carriers like Visible, Mint Mobile, and US Mobile, let's compare each carrier's top-tier plan offering, each of which happens to be at a similar price point.
| Cox Mobile Gig Unlimited |
Mint Mobile Unlimited | Visible+ Unlimited |
US Mobile Unlimited Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5G access | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deprioritization threshold | 20GB | 50GB | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Hotspot | N/A | 20GB | Unlimited (4G speeds) |
50GB |
| Perks | International texting included | Unlimited Mexico/Canada calling | Unlimited Mexico/Canada talk, text, and data Unlimited international texting (200+ locations) 500 international calling minutes (30+ locations) |
20GB international data Multi-line discounts Entertainment perks w/ 3+ lines |
| $45/month | $30/month | $45/month | $44/month |
Cox Mobile vs. Mint Mobile
We mentioned Mint Mobile earlier when comparing each carrier's $15 plan—in that case, Mint offers a lot more value for the price. Looking at both carriers' unlimited plans, Mint still wins out in terms of price ($30 per month vs. $45), high-speed data (50GB vs. 20GB), and inclusions (20GB of hotspot data plus Canada/Mexico calling vs. none for either feature).
Where Cox has an advantage is in its Verizon-backed coverage. Mint Mobile operates on T-Mobile's network, which ranks last in 4G LTE coverage and is especially sparse in more remote and rural areas. Its 5G network is the best and most reliable in the nation, however, so if you have strong T-Mobile 5G coverage in your area, you may be in luck.
Another notch in Cox's belt—you only have to pay a month at a time. Mint's pricing structure is a bit different—the carrier sells its plans in 3-, 6-, and 12-month blocks. After the first three months, the $30 unlimited plan only remains that price if you then lock it in for a full year—a drawback for those that prefer the flexibility of Cox Mobile's month-to-month approach. But even if you choose to re-up in just 3-month increments with Mint Mobile, the renewal price ($40/month) is still cheaper than Cox Mobile's plan.
- Best 4G LTE coverage
- Month-to-month payments
- Decent high-speed allowance
- Less value at a higher price
- Only available to Cox Internet customers
- Best 5G network
- 20GB hotspot + Mexico/Canada calling
- More high-speed data for cheaper
- Can't pay month-to-month
Cox Mobile vs. Visible
As a Verizon-owned prepaid MVNO, Visible provides the same excellent coverage you can expect from Cox Mobile. Both carriers also offer just two plans, each including unlimited talk and text. Visible doesn't provide a by-the-gig option—instead, its basic option is a fully unlimited plan for $25/month... cheaper than just 2GB with Cox's Pay As You Gig plan. The drawback—your data can be deprioritized at any time on Visible's basic unlimited plan, though in our testing, we didn't experience any slowdowns at all.
Visible's premium $35/month Visible+ plan clocks in at a little less than Cox Mobile's Gig Unlimited plan, which is why we chose to compare them apples to apples—and for that price, Visible's plan is superior in nearly every way.
Firstly, Visible+ includes unlimited high-speed premium data allowance, compared to 20GB on Cox Mobile's plan—though to be entirely fair, most people will get by just fine with 20GB of high-speed data per month. But Visible also provides unlimited hotspot access, albeit at a max speed of 10Mbps—still, that's better than Cox's lack of hotspot at all. And the international benefits with Visible+ are pretty darn good—unlimited talk and text to/from Mexico and Canada plus unlimited data roaming while traveling in those countries, with unlimited texting to another 200+ destinations and up to 500 free calling minutes each month to over 30 locations. With Cox Mobile, on the other hand, international calling is $10 to $45 per month extra with a Canada and Mexico Plan add-on or World Plan add-on, respectively (though you do get international texting).
Cox Mobile wins out in overall pricing options—the cheapest plan from Visible is $25/month, so those looking for cheaper phone plans can look toward Cox's Pay As You Gig plan, as long as you barely use much data each month. But dollar for dollar, you'll get a lot more value with either of Visible's phone plans.
- Cheaper for very low data users
- 20GB premium data allowance
- No hotspot access
- International calling is extra
- Only available to Cox Internet customers
- Unlimited hotspot
- Unlimited high-speed premium data
- Mexico/Canada talk, text and data included
- Hotspot speeds limited to 5Mbps
Cox Mobile vs. US Mobile
US Mobile offers access to three different networks—Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. That means customers who select US Mobile's Verizon network will have the exact same coverage as Cox Mobile customers, and everyone else will have poorer 4G service but broader 5G coverage.
Unlimited Premium offers the highest high-speed premium data allowance of any prepaid carrier—a truly unlimited amount of priority data. Which, if you're comparing (which we are) is significantly higher than Cox Mobile's allowance, though again, most users absolutely do not use that much mobile data in a given month.
US Mobile's top-tier Unlimited Premium monthly plan is slightly cheaper than Cox Mobile's Gig Unlimited plan, which makes it a fantastic deal. Or, if you plan to stick with US Mobile for at least a year, you can snag an annual option that brings the cost down to just $32.50/month.
US Mobile also throws in 50GB of hotspot data and 20GB of international roaming data to use in select countries while traveling abroad; Cox Mobile offers neither. But both carriers do provide unlimited international texting, and US Mobile offers free calling to Canada but not Mexico and Cox Mobile doesn't offer free calling to or from either country.
Also setting US Mobile apart are its entertainment perks, available to customers who add three or more lines to their plan. You can choose from subscriptions to Audible, HBO Max, Netflix, Spotify, and more. For now, Cox Mobile doesn't offer a family plan structure (more on this below) or any entertainment perks. Plus, the option to snag an annual plan from US Mobile for even more savings is a great deal. Overall, US Mobile offers significantly more bang for your buck.
- Best 4G LTE coverage
- 20GB premium data
- No hotspot
- No international benefits
- Only available to Cox Internet customers
- Three network options
- Unlimited premium data
- Multi-line perks and pricing
- 50GB hotspot data + 20GB global data
- No free Mexico calling
Cox Mobile vs. Spectrum Mobile
If you're also looking to switch internet carriers, Spectrum Mobile is another option. Both Cox Mobile and Spectrum Mobile require an internet plan for mobile service, so either way you'll be looking at bundled plans. Both carriers also rely on the Verizon network for service.
Check out our Cox Mobile vs. Spectrum Mobile guide for a full rundown on the differences between these carriers.
Cox Mobile family plans
Many carriers will offer a multi-line discount when you bundle multiple lines together in a given plan—some even offer the mix-and-match approach to allow each line its own individual plan. Sadly, Cox Mobile doesn't offer family plans or multi-line discounts at this time. Each person on Cox Mobile will pay either the $15/gig or the $45/month depending on your chosen plan.
You may be able to manage multiple plan payments within the same account login, which would be the login for your Cox Internet plan as well.
If you're in the market, check out our list of the best family plans that offer excellent discounts and perks, and take a look at the most popular family plan options below.
Shared plan with 4 lines
|
#1
|
XFINITY Mobile
Mobile Select Plan
$0.00/mo
|
|
#2
|
T-Mobile
Essentials Saver
$100.00/mo
with Auto-Pay - Taxes & Fees NOT included
|
|
#3
|
US Mobile
Unlimited Starter Plan
$100.00/mo
|
|
#4
|
Verizon
Unlimited Plus
$160.00/mo
+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.
+ $160 Upfront
|
|
#5
|
AT&T
Value 2.0℠
$120.00/mo
+ $140 Upfront
|
Cox Mobile cell phones
Cox Mobile offers a selection of Apple iPhones, like the fan-favorite iPhone SE (3rd gen) and Samsung Galaxy phones, including the newest Galaxy S23 series. You can even take advantage of limited-time phone deals (like hundreds off the sticker price!) when you sign up for a Cox Mobile plan. Just note that if you're in the market for a new Pixel phone, you'll be disappointed—Cox Mobile doesn't offer Google phones at this time.
Galaxy A26 5G
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 8MP, 2MP
- Front Camera: 13MP
iPhone 17e 256GB
- 6.1 inch display
- Rear Camera: 48MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
iPhone 16 128GB
- 6.1 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
Pixel 10 128GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 10.8MP, 13MP
- Front Camera: 10.5MP
iPhone 17e 512GB
- 6.1 inch display
- Rear Camera: 48MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
iPhone 17 256GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 48MP
- Front Camera: 18MP
Looking for a Pixel instead?
If you've got your heart set on a Google Pixel phone, don't worry—you can still find one from one of the budget carriers mentioned above, like Visible or Mint, as well as plenty of additional prepaid carriers. To save even more, check out our guide to the best Google Pixel deals across the market!
Moto G 5G (2026) 128GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 2MP
- Front Camera: 32MP
Edge (2025) 256GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 50MP, 10MP
- Front Camera: 50MP
Pixel 10a 128GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 13MP
- Front Camera: 13MP
Pixel 9a 128GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 13MP
- Front Camera: 13MP
Moto G Stylus 5G (2026) 128GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 13MP
- Front Camera: 32MP
Bringing your own device to Cox Mobile
Cox Mobile doesn't allow you to bring your existing phone to their network—you must purchase a new device from them to get access to one of their phone plans. We know... we're just as confused as you are.
Recap: Is Cox Mobile right for you?
Cox Mobile is a reliable carrier on the nation's best cell phone network, and we feel confident that you'd be pleased with your network's coverage and speeds. Cox also caters to different approaches to paying for your phone bill—those who only want to pay for exactly what they use, and those who prefer just having unlimited data at their disposal. Especially if you only use a tiny bit of data each month, Cox Mobile can be a great option to help you rein in your budget.
If you do use more than a single gigabyte of data in a month, you're better off going with either Cox Mobile's unlimited plan, or with a different carrier like Mint Mobile that provides smaller data packages at more reasonable prices. And even then, as evidenced above, we think other carriers offer more bang for your buck, especially if you frequently call or text internationally, or use your phone as a hotspot. And lastly, if you're not a Cox internet customer in the first place, you have no choice but to seek coverage elsewhere.
If Cox fits the bill for you, check out the Cox Mobile plans below to get started.
Pixel 10a 128GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 13MP
- Front Camera: 13MP
Pixel 9a 128GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 13MP
- Front Camera: 13MP
Pixel 10 128GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 10.8MP, 13MP
- Front Camera: 10.5MP
Pixel 10 256GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 10.8MP, 13MP
- Front Camera: 10.5MP
Pixel 10 Pro 128GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 48MP, 48MP
- Front Camera: 42MP
Methodology
Our team of mobile experts took data from proprietary research, user feedback, and firsthand experience using the network to evaluate Cox Mobile. We looked at data points such as price, plan variety, plan features, hotspot availability, coverage, and phone options. We compared Cox not only to its supporting major network, Verizon, but also to similarly priced plans from fellow MVNOs like Mint Mobile, Visible, and US Mobile—specifically looking at the quality of high-speed data and included features each carrier provides for its relative plan cost.
Cox Mobile: Frequently asked questions
What carrier does Cox Mobile use?
Cox Mobile uses the Verizon network.
Is Cox a phone carrier? Does Cox Communication offer cell phone service?
Yes, Cox Mobile is a prepaid phone carrier that operates as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and provides cell phone service specifically to Cox internet customers. So it's a great option if you're looking to bundle services.
Who can get a Cox Mobile plan?
Only Cox internet customers can sign up for a Cox Mobile plan.
Does Cox Mobile have 5G?
Yes, Cox Mobile offers access to Verizon's 5G network.
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Lauren Hannula
Managing Editor
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