Visible is a prepaid carrier with only two simple unlimited plans with no added fees or taxes. If you want worry-free unlimited data on your phone with Verizon’s vast LTE and 5G coverage, Visible is a strong pick. Visible, however, lacks flexibility for heavier users or users that need high-speed hotspot data.
Verizon Wireless is one of the Big Three carriers that builds and maintains its own LTE and 5G network. Verizon can be strong value for those that use a lot of subscription services like Walmart+ and Apple One which are cheaper when bought as a Verizon add-on.
Mint Mobile
All plans for $15
Mint Mobile has cut prices across its plans, meaning you can getanyMint plan for just $15 for the first three months. That means you could get three months of unlimited data for just $45, with no contract and no commitment — though you’ll have to be new to Mint to take advantage.
Verizon Wireless has a lot of dedicated customers that have been willing to pay a bit more for a reliable network with great coverage. While Verizon’s older plan stack was complicated and bloated, its current offering of three plans and a smorgasbord of add-ons is a lot easier to wrap your head around. Even so, Visible’s plans are much simpler with just two choices and unlimited data on both. Visible also bakes in its taxes and fees, so it’s easy to know exactly how much your bill will be, and the carrier can’t sneak in price increases disguised as fees.
Visible is, without a doubt, the simpler and cheaper pick, but Verizon offers many more perks and gets a lot closer on price when you bring multiple lines. If you’re willing to do the math and bring the family along, you can get some competitive rates along with discounts for upgrading your phone. Heavier users may also find Verizon’s higher speeds in congested areas and high-speed hotspot data worth the extra cash.
Mobile carrier features
Visible has managed to stand out in a sea of other prepaid carriers thanks to its low price, simple billing, and unlimited data. For example, other prepaid carriers advertise unlimited plans with a high-speed cap, usually around 35GB. Visible’s data speeds can be lower than Verizon, but in general are high enough for everyday use, and if you stay away from speed tests, you might not even notice. If you want a little more network performance, you can upgrade to Visible+, which comes with 50GB of premium data, Ultra Wideband 5G support, and upgraded hotspot speeds.
With Verizon’s plans, taxes and fees are extra, so you’ll need to go through more steps before you know how much your plan will cost you. Fees are with most carriers, but they can muddy the waters a bit when you’re trying to keep track of your bill. For example, in the past, carriers have raised prices on customers using older plans by implementing new fees. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on your extra fees when calculating how much you could save by switching carriers.
It’s worth noting that Verizon’s best prices require paper-free billing and auto-pay to be enabled. Speaking of billing, Verizon offers multi-line discounts on its postpaid plans. The more lines you get, the lower the per-line price, with the best prices for five or more lines.
Multi-line and auto-pay
Taxes and fees
Mobile coverage and reception
Verizon and Visible share the same network, so coverage is very similar. That, however, does not mean performance will be the same. Carriers prioritize certain plans over others, so when a tower is congested, plans with premium data can be faster than cheaper prepaid options. Visible’s base plan is a low priority, but Visible+ comes with 50GB of premium data per month, so if you live in a congested area and don’t want to give up any speed, Visible+ could be worth the upgrade.
Data prioritization is less of an issue on Verizon’s latest Ultra Wideband 5G coverage since, as the name implies, it has more capacity than low-band 5G or LTE. If your phone supports Verizon’s latest C-band 5G coverage, the extra capacity can smooth over these priority differences. Overall, the impact of network prioritization depends heavily on where you live and how strong Verizon’s network is in that area. If you’re unsure if Visible’s base plan will be fast enough, you’re able to start with it and upgrade to Visible+ if needed.
Phone compatibility
Visible works with a wide range of smartphones, including iPhones and Androids. While there can be some compatibility issues with carrier-branded devices for things like visual voicemail, there’s a good chance you can bring your current unlocked phone to Visible. You can checkVisible’s BYOD compatibility toolbefore joining to be sure. As Visible uses Verizon’s network, any phone that works on Visible will work on Verizon without issue. You can checkVerizon’s BYOD toolto be sure.
To get the most out of Verizon’s 5G network, your phone should support multiple 5G bands, including bands n2, n5, and n66 for nationwide 5G. For Ultra Wideband 5G, band n77 (C-band) makes up most of the carrier’s fast 5G footprint. In some cities and other venues like sports arenas and airports, you may be able to connect to mmWave 5G bands at n260 and n261.
Keep in mind that to get the benefits of Ultra Wideband, you’ll need a plan that supports it, such as Visible+, Verizon Unlimited Plus, or Verizon Unlimited Ultimate.
When it comes to plans, Visible takes the crown in simplicity, but Verizon has a ton more features. Visible keeps things simple with its plans focusing on unlimited data, while Verizon’s postpaid plans most differentiate themselves with different subscription perks. Verizon also offers multi-line savings to encourage customers to bring the whole family to the carrier. Visible is much more focused on the single-user experience and, with one or two lines, can be a lot cheaper than a comparable plan at Verizon.
Visible’s plans
Visible has just two plans to choose from, and they both get unlimited data. The base plan, called Visible, comes in at $25 per month with taxes and fees included. This plan has unlimited talk, text, and data with unlimited hotspot data at 5Mbps. In addition, it comes with Spam Protection to help reduce the number of spam calls you get and includes unlimited calls and texts to Mexico and Canada.
Visible+ comes with all the features of the cheaper plan but adds in faster 5G support with full-speed Ultra Wideband 5G access and 50GB of premium data per month. Mobile hotspot data is also upgraded to 10Mbps, which is plenty for SD0qulaity video streaming and basic browsing. The international features also get a shot in the arm with unlimited talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada, as well as calling 30+ countries and texting to 200+ countries.
Visible limits both of its plans to 480p video streaming. On the base plan, this limit is par for the course compared to other price-competitive plans, but with Visible+ advertising a “Premium Network Experience,” it feels quite basic.
If you have an Apple Watch, you can get service on it for $10 per month with the base Visible plan or for free if you get Visible+. Unfortunately, thebest smartwatches for Androidaren’t supported.
$25 per month ($275 per year)
$45 per month ($395 per year)
Nationwide
Nationwide and Ultra Wideband
Talk and text
Unlimited (50GB premium)
Unlimited (5Mbps)
Unlimited (10Mbps)
$5 off Verizon Home Internet
$10 off Verizon Home Internet
Verizon’s plans
Verizon has gotten its postpaid selection down to just three options with Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, and Unlimited Ultimate. These plans are more of a starting point with the main differences being the 5G speed available, premium data, hotspot data, and international features. From there, you pick any add-ons you want to include with your plan for $10 each.
Plan add-ons include options like a Disney bundle, Walmart+, and Apple One, plus add-ons like 100GB of mobile hotspot or data for your smartwatch. All of these add-ons come in at $10 per month, which is less than most would cost separately. It’s also worth pointing out that you can change or cancel these add-ons anytime, so you’re not stuck paying for a service you don’t use like with a traditional plan. These add-ons can also be added to older plans if you don’t want to switch, such as Welcome Unlimited.
It’s also worth noting that if you don’t want any add-ons, Unlimited Plus comes in at $10 less than 5G Get More Unlimited, which offers the same unlimited premium data, albeit with less hotspot data.
Unlimited Welcome
Unlimited Plus
Unlimited Ultimate
Price (per month)
1 line: $65
1 line: $80
1 line: $90
4 lines: $120
4 lines: $180
4 lines: $220
Nationwide 5G
Ultra Wideband 5G
Unlimited Premium
Unlimited Welcome is a basic entry point which will work for most people with unlimited data, unlimited talk and text, and not much more. you may still add as many add-ons as you like, and you can even get Verizon Home Internet for $40 per month. Unlimited Plus adds premium unlimited data and 30GB of high-speed hotspot data to use on other devices. With this plan you can get Verizon Home Internet for as low as $25 per month and can also get 50% off a connected device plan, like a tablet or smartwatch. Finally, Unlimited Ultimate comes with 60GB of hotspot data, 50% off two connected device plans, and high-speed internationa talk, text, and data.
Which is right for you?
If you’re looking for the cheapest unlimited plan, Visible is the best deal with its $25 plan offering plenty of speed for most people. Verizon’s Unlimited Welcome plan gets close with four lines at $30 per line, but since Visible doesn’t charge extra for taxes and fees, it’s still the clear winner on value. And if you want performance more similar to Veirzon’s postpaid plans, Visible+ comes with 50GB of premium data which is plenty, even for heavy users.
With the strength of the Verizon LTE and 5G network behind it, Visible is one of the best deals you’re able to get anywhere with one or two lines. While some people are willing to pay a bit more for Verizon’s premium data and higher-resolution video streaming, most people will be happy to give up those features for Visible’s massive savings.
Cheap and unlimited
Visible is a prepaid carrier owned and operated by Verizon Wireless. Visible has just two plans available with unlimited 5G data, low prices on a single line, unlimited hotspot usage, and no extra fees. If you want faster data, you may upgrade to Visible+ with 50GB of premium data.
One of the biggest reasons to choose Verizon over Visible is Verizon Home Internet. With one of Verizon’s premium unlimited plans, you’re able to get Verizon Home Internet for just $25 per month. This includes both LTE Home and 5G Home Internet with discounts for those with Fios access. With Verizon’s 5G Home Internet delivering speeds close enough to a cable that most people wouldn’t even notice a difference, the savings could very well make Verizon a viable option.
If you’re bringing multiple lines with you, Verizon can make a lot of sense thanks to its multi-line discounts. Verizon also includes many more subscription service perks like Disney+ or Apple Music. If you’re already paying for these services, the price could work out in the end. Verizon’s top plans also include premium data, high-speed hotspot data, and 720p video streams.
Choose your own perks
