Twigby Review
Product Description: Twigby is a cell phone carrier that provides affordable and customizable data plans.
Summary
Twigby is a cell phone carrier that provides affordable and customizable data plans. It operates as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), meaning it buys space on a large national network rather than running on its own platform.
Pros
- Customizable, budget-friendly plans
- Uses one of the U.S.’s largest networks
- No activation fees or contracts
- Attractive referral program
Cons
- Speeds may be slower at times
- No dedicated mobile hotspot data allowance
- Customer service is chat-only
- Limited service outside of the U.S.
Are you looking for a more affordable cell phone solution? Twigby is a discount cell phone service provider operating on a major carrier network, like the ones that T-Mobile and Verizon offer.
A customer-centric company, Twigby offers 100% US-based customer support and a variety of plans to fit every cell phone user. We explore Twigby’s plans and features, pricing, and pros and cons to help you decide if it’s worth using.
At A Glance
- Operates off of the nation’s largest, most reliable network
- Custom plans for each line up to five lines
- Business plans available
- Plans from as low as $10 per month, plus taxes and fees
- Bring compatible phones and your phone number
- Prepaid service with no contracts or activation fees
Who Should Use Twigby?
Twigby is suitable for anyone looking for an affordable alternative to more expensive cell phone plans from major carriers like Verizon and AT&T. Since Twigby offers plans with low and no data options, It can be a good choice for phone users who just want the basics.
Twigby is also ideal for families. Users can add up to five lines, with different data packages for each line. This way, you can customize your plans for family members with different data needs. You can also add lines or upgrade or downgrade plans at any time at no extra cost.
Twigby is unsuitable for international travelers who want full access to their data and smartphone features outside the U.S., as it doesn’t offer coverage outside the country, so limited to Wi-Fi networks and apps such as iMessage and Whats App, depending on your device.
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Twigby Alternatives
Table of Contents
- At A Glance
- Who Should Use Twigby?
- Twigby Alternatives
- What Is Twigby?
- Best Twigby Features
- Customizable Plans
- 5G Nationwide Coverage
- Mobile Hotspot
- Conference Calling
- Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting
- International Talk and Text
- Referral Program
- Twigby vs. Mint Mobile
- Twigby vs. Visible
- Twigby vs. Tello
- FAQs
What Is Twigby?
Twigby is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). In other words, it’s a wireless communications provider that doesn’t own the network it operates on. Instead, it pays for access to networks operated by large national carriers while servicing its own customer base.
Twigby launched in 2016 with the goal of crushing “one size fits all” cell phone plans by offering custom plans at affordable prices. Twigby’s leadership team consists of telecommunications veterans with a combined 100+ years working in the telecommunications field.
Best Twigby Features
Twigby is an attractive choice for those seeking a more affordable cell phone plan. Here’s a closer look at its key features.
Customizable Plans
Twigby’s best feature might be its customizable plans, all of which include the following features:
- Unlimited Nationwide Talk & Text
- 5G Nationwide Coverage
- Wi-Fi Calling and Texting
- Mobile Hotspot Access
- 6-Way Conference Calling
- Unlimited Talk to 80+ Countries
- Unlimited Global Text
- Voicemail
- Caller ID, Call Waiting, and Call Forwarding
You can choose from the following data plans:
- 2GB of high-speed data for $15 per month
- 5GB of high-speed data for $20 per month
- 10GB of high-speed data for $25 per month
- 20GB of high-speed data for $35 per month
You can even get a “no data” plan that comes only with unlimited talk and text for $10 per month.
(Hint: if you’re considering a switch to Twigby, check the Twigby website for frequent discounts on these plan rates. For example, at the time of writing — March 2024 — Twigby is offering discounts of up to $10 per month for the first three months.
5G Nationwide Coverage
Twigby users have access to 5G high-speed data coverage nationwide.
In the event that you use up all of your data in a given month, your phone automatically switches to 2G speeds for the remainder of the billing cycle. Keep in mind that while 2G may work fine for browsing the net, it’s not sufficient for streaming or gaming activities.
If you run out of data and don’t wish to run on 2G for the remainder of your billing cycle, you can purchase additional data or upgrade to a higher-tier plan.
Unfortunately, Twigby’s service is limited to the U.S. However, iPhone users outside the U.S. must connect using iMessage and FaceTime. Android users are encouraged to connect using WhatsApp when outside of the country.
Of course, both of these options require a wifi connection.
Mobile Hotspot
All Twigby plans include a mobile hotspot, which functions at the same speed as your phone data speed.
Unfortunately, Twigby’s mobile hotspot uses and deducts from your available data. So, if you use your allotted data for the month, you may need to purchase additional data. Note that mobile hotspots are not available on feature phones (non-smartphones).
Conference Calling
Twigby offers conference calling for customers at no extra charge. You can add up to five additional people to your call for a six-way conference call.
Instructions for initiating a conference call are in Twigby’s help center and may vary depending on your phone type. Twigby’s six-way calling feature works on iPhones, Androids, and feature phones.
Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting
Twigby plans include caller ID, call forwarding, and call waiting at no additional cost. Instructions for these services are similar to those of most smartphones. Other features are also available, including a SPAM filter you can add to your plan for only $1 per month.
International Talk and Text
Twigby offers unlimited international text and unlimited calling to over 80 countries. International calls must be made from U.S. locations to avoid extra charges. In addition, you are limited to 15 destination phone numbers during each billing cycle.
For example, you can call up to 15 internationally located friends or family members as often as you want during a billing cycle. However, if you call one of those 15 people on a number not included in your 15 numbers, you will be charged for the call.
Referral Program
Through Twigby’s referral program, you and the new customer will receive a $15 statement credit for every person you refer who opens a Twigby account.
Note that the people you refer must be new to Twigby, and they must reference your name and phone number during the application process.
Referral credits will be processed 45 days after the new customer starts active service, and the number of referrals you can get credit for is unlimited.
Twigby vs. Mint Mobile
Mint Mobile offers many of the same features as Twigby. The carrier boasts custom prepaid talk and text plans with various data choices.
As with other discount carriers, Mint Mobile rents space from one of the big three carriers (in this case, T-Mobile). Your phone will run on 5G and 4G LTE speeds.
A couple of glaring differences between Twigby and Mint Mobile is that Mint Mobile offers deeper discounts if you pay six or 12 months in advance.
As with Twigby, Mint Mobile is meant for use in the U.S. only. However, It has a feature called “Minternational Pass” that gives you access to cell phone use when outside the U.S.
You can purchase one of three international passes
- 1-day pass, 60 talk minutes, 60 texts, and 1GB of data for $10
- 3-day pass, 200 talk minutes, 200 texts, and 3GB of high-speed data for $20
- 7-day pass, 500 talk minutes, 500 texts, and 10GB of high-speed data for $40
Your Mint Mobile plan will include free talk to Canada and Mexico. See our full Mint Mobile review for more information.
Twigby vs. Visible
Visible is a Verizon-owned discount cell phone service. The carrier doesn’t offer the wide array of plan choices that Twigby and Mint Mobile do. Instead, you have a choice of two plans with Visible:
- Visible: Unlimited talk, text, hotspot, and 5G/4G LTE data for $25 per month
- Visible +: Unlimited talk, text, hotspot, and 5G (50GB Premium) data for $45 per month
Both prices include taxes and fees. The $25 plan includes unlimited talk and text to U.S. territories, Mexico, and Canada. However, the $45 plan includes unlimited global talk and text.
One thing to note about Visible is that its basic plan does not include data usage outside the U.S. However, with Visible +, you can use unlimited data if you traveling in Mexico, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico. Note that data speeds are reduced to 2G after you hit .5GB per day.
Twigby’s expansive list of plan choices may be a better choice for you if you use minimal data or have family plan members that use little data.
Conversely, Visible might be a better choice if you use lots of data and make a lot of international texts and calls.
Check out our full Visible review to learn more.
Twigby vs. Tello
Tello is an independent MVNO cell phone carrier running on the T-Mobile network. Like Twigby, Tello offers a variety of mix-and-match plans to fit any individual’s data, talk, and text needs.
Some plan examples include:
- No data, 100 minutes of talk, and unlimited text for just $5 per month
- Unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of data for $10 per month
- 10GB data, unlimited talk and text for $19 per month
- Unlimited high-speed data, talk and text for $25 per month
There are no contracts and you can upgrade or downgrade your plan anytime. Data speeds are 5G/4G LTE.
When it comes to international usage, Tello does offer free international calling and text to over 60 countries. Your Tello phone will work globally if you have a wifi connection. However, free calls and texts are still limited to the 60+ countries Tello offers in its plans.
Although Twigby and Tello are fairly comparable, Tello outshines Twigby for international phone usage.
Tello doesn’t offer designated family plans. However, the company does make our list of the cheapest family cell phone plans as you can purchase individual plans that are quite affordable.
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FAQs
If you choose a no-data plan, you can’t surf the web, use the group text feature, or send and receive photos without a Wi-Fi connection. You can still make unlimited texts and phone calls, and Apple users may still be able to use iMessage over Wi-Fi.
Twigby doesn’t officially offer family or shared plans. However, the low prices and customizable plans mean you could save money by purchasing multiple individual lines through Twigby.
You can upgrade your plan anytime, and the price difference you’ll pay will be prorated as of your update date. To downgrade to a lesser plan, your downgrade will take effect as of the next billing cycle.
Twigby offers a 30-money back guarantee for new users. It’s a good idea to begin the refund process at least four days before the 30-day limit if you are porting your number to a new carrier.
You can bring your own device to Twigby, but there are a few steps you need to follow before activating service. First, you need to ensure that your phone is compatible with Twigby. Then, you’ll need to get a Twigby SIM card. Once you have inserted the SIM card into your phone, you can receive cell service within minutes. For help with this process, you can reach out to Twigby customer support via online chat.