Verizon’s add-ons can’t beat US Mobile’s low prices

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  Fast, truly unlimited 5G

  Verizon

  Verizon is one of the big three carriers with its own LTE and 5G coverage. Verizon offers several postpaid options with add-on perks plus a handful of prepaid plans. Verizon’s 5G coverage is quickly spreading with quick mid-band speeds, but you’ll still see LTE quite a bit for the next year or two.

  Pros

  • Vast LTE and 5G coverage
  • Muli-line discounts on postpaid plans
  • Simple plan structure with add-ons

  Cons

  • Taxes and fees are extra
  • Expensive for a single line
  • Auto-pay required for the best price

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  Pay for a month or a year

  US Mobile

  US Mobile is a prepaid carrier that lets customers choose between a SIM using the T-Mobile network or one using Verizon so they can get the best coverage in their area. With annual plan savings and plenty of data for most people, US Mobile’s unlimited plans are a strong value.

  Pros

  • Strong coverage on either Verizon or T-Mobile
  • Annual plan savings available
  • Taxes and fees included on all plans

  Cons

  • Data isn’t truly unlimited
  • International features can differ between SIMs

Verizon has earned a strong reputation for its vast 3G and LTE network coverage, but it hasn’t always been known to be good value. With its most recent plans, though. Verizon covers a range of budgets with add-ons that feel like a good deal. US Mobile is a more traditional prepaid carrier, and you’re largely just paying for data and a few international options. It stands out due to its annual plan payments, as well as its budget Light plan.

With coverage on Verizon or T-Mobile, you can pick the SIM that works best for where you live and work on US Mobile, and can even switch if you pick the wrong one. Overall, US Mobile feels like the stronger value compared to Verizon’s service.

Mobile carrier features

Verizon’s postpaid plans all offer unlimited data, but are separated by the inclusion of premium data, 5G Ultra Wideband access, and differences in hotspot data amounts. The two top plans also get HD video streams, with a range of 480p, 720p, and 1080p across the plans. The main way to save with Verizon is with multi-line savings with discounts per line for the more you bring.

Just don’t forget that taxes and fees are extra, so your final plan price will be a bit higher than advertised.

Verizon also offers greater BYOD and new device savings with its larger plans. If you’re on Verizon’s top plan, Unlimited Ultimate, for example, you can save the most on a new phone. New customers should be careful not to get stuck with an extended phone payment plan in which they need to stay on a more expensive plan.

Meanwhile, US Mobile offers a set amount of high-speed data with its plans, so you can get as little as 10GB or as much as 100GB with Unlimited Premium. For the vast majority of people, one of US Mobile’s plans will be a good fit, and if you can afford to pay for the whole year upfront, you can save even more. Taxes and fees are included with US Mobile, so you don’t have to pay extra recovery fees, like Mint Mobile charges.

While you have to pick between T-Mobile or Verizon coverage when you sign up for US Mobile, you don’t have to stick with it if it’s not a good fit. With Teleport, you can switch networks twice for free on most plans, then pay $2 after that. Unlimited Premium customers get unlimited Teleports.

Coverage and reception

Verizon has a strong reputation for coverage, but with 5G, the carrier has fallen behind competitor T-Mobile in terms of coverage and speed. That doesn’t mean Verizon isn’t alwys trying to improve its 5G coverage, but expect to see LTE coverage towards the edge of town or driving between cities. For the most part, Verizon LTE is still quick and plenty usable.

Verizon’s 5G network is made up of shared spectrum simply called 5G, and 5G Ultra Wideband using mid-band and mmWave spectrum. Even on plans that don’t support Ultra Wideband, they’ll still connect to those towers with a speed cap. All that to say, Verizon’s 5G network isn’t as complete as T-Mobile’s, but if the Verizon coverage map shows 5G in your area, you can get connected on any postpaid unlimited plan.

If you choose the Verizon SIM on US Mobile, called Warp 5G, you’ll get the same coverage as Verizon customers. If you choose the GSM 5G SIM, however, you’ll use the T-Mobile network. T-Mobile has a strong overall 5G footprint, but still isn’t a match for some of Verizon’s rural coverage, and it’s possible to experience some gaps in T-Mobile’s coverage. Luckily, you can switch networks using Teleport.

Phone compatibility

Most of the best Android phones made for the North American market will work on Verizon without any issues. If you’re buying a new phone and want 5G coverage, you should look for bands n2, n5, and n66 for low-band 5G, and bands n77, n260, and n261 for Ultra Wideband 5G. Of those, band n77 is probably the most important, as this is Verizon’s mid-band coverage, which is seeing rapid expansion across the country.

Popular Android models like the Samsung Galaxy S24, the Pixel 8 Pro, and the OnePlus 12 will work without issue. Even cheaper models from makers like Motorola are still a good fit for the carrier, though some cheaper models will lack mmWave support.

With US Mobile, most phones will work with either of the carrier’s networks, but you can also bring less common or international models thanks to the highly compatible T-Mobile network. That means you can bring just about any phone with you to the carrier, and if you’re looking for something a little more unique, like a Nothing Phone 2, it should work without issue using a GSM 5G SIM on US Mobile.

Plans

While US Mobile’s plans average out cheaper than Verizon’s, there are still some situations where Verizon could make the most sense. For example, Verizon has strong multi-line discounts that can greatly benefit families, as well as some extra discounts for first responders, military members, veterans, nurses, teachers, and even college students.

Verizon’s plans

To start, Verizon has four prepaid plans available with auto-pay and loyalty discounts available. On the low end, there’s a Talk &Text plan with just the basics coming in at $30 with auto-pay after one month of service. Moving up, a 15GB plan provides enough data for most people, as long as they use Wi-Fi when it’s available. The 15GB plan comes in at $35 with auto-pay after the first month.

There are two unlimited prepaid plans, with the cheaper one coming in at $50 per month after a month of service with auto-pay. This plan gets basic 5G access with 5GB of mobile hotspot data. Unlimited Plus gets 5G Ultra Wideband speeds plus 25GB of high-speed hotspot data for $60 per month after the first month with auto-pay. These two plans can also get multiple lines with a $20 discount for each one after the first.

Moving on to postpaid, Verizon’s cheapest plan is Unlimited Welcome at $65 per month for a single line. With four lines, the price comes down to $30 per line, but auto-pay and is still required. This plan doesn’t get 5G Ultra Wideband speeds, but it gets unlimited data as well as usage in Mexico and Canada. Videos are limited to 480p quality, and you’ll get the lowest device savings of any plan.

Unlimited Plus comes in at $80 for the first line, with four lines coming in at $45 per line. This plan gets Ultra Wideband speeds as well as premium data. You get 30GB of hotspot data and videos can stream at up to 720p quality. This plan also gets an upgrade in terms of new device savings as well as BYOD savings.

Unlimited Ultimate is Verizon’s top plan, coming in at $90 per month for the first line, and $55 per line with four or more lines. With full 5G Ultra Wideband speeds and 60GB of hotspot data, it’s a solid pick for heavy users. It also comes with international talk, text, and data in 210+ destinations; video streaming quality is unlocked to 1080p. This plan also enjoys Verizon’s biggest phone discounts on new devices and the largest BYOD credit.

Keep in mind that taxes and fees are separate with Verizon, so your final price will end up a bit higher than the listed plan price.

Lastly, when it comes to add-ons, you can choose from a number of options, including a Disney bundle with Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, a massive 100GB hotspot, and even subscriptions like Apple One or Walmart+. The best part is they’re all just $10 per month, which in many cases, is cheaper than subscribing on your own.

Us Mobile’s plans

US Mobile offers just five plans overall, with a shared data plan, a Light Plan, and three unlimited options. Starting with the Light Plan, you get 2GB of data with unlimited talk and text for $10 per month or $96 per year. This is a great plan for a light user, like an elderly person, who just needs the basics.

The shared data plan is called By the Gig, and it starts with 2GB of data for a single line, like the Light Plan. Additional lines are $8, and additional data is $2 per gigabyte or $15 for 10GB. With this plan, all lines share the same pool of data, but can still be a good fit for families that don’t use their phones all that much, or have good Wi-Fi access.

Moving up to unlimited, the cheapest option is Unlimited Flex, which comes in at $210 per year with taxes and fees included. That breaks down to $17.50 per month and comes with 10GB of high-speed data and 5GB of hotspot data. While it’s a bit of a stretch to call a 10GB plan unlimited, speeds only slow down to 1Mbps after your high-speed data, so it’s actually still somewhat usable.

Unlimited Starter is available with both annual and monthly payments, with the former coming in at $270, and the latter just $25 per month. This plan comes with 35GB of high-speed data, which is realistically plenty for most people, and 10GB of hotspot data. International calling requires a $3 add-on, but at least roaming in Canada and Mexico is included.

Unlimited Premium comes in at $390 for a year, or $44 per month if paid monthly. This plan gets 100GB of high-speed data, which is enough to not worry about usage for the majority of users. It also comes with 50GB of hotspot data. This plan gets international calls and texts, plus usage in Canada and Mexico. If you sign up for three or more lines with this plan, you get a free perk, which includes video streaming services and online memberships.

While taxes and fees are included, HD video streaming isn’t, so you’ll be watching your streamed videos at SD quality, which is fine for most people but not quite good enough for gaming content which has small UI elements that stream watchers want to be able to see.

Which should you get?

Verizon’s postpaid plans are compelling for their discounts, but US Mobile stands out as the better value, especially if you only need one line. US Mobile’s Light Plan is one of the cheapest options, and its unlimited plans make saving easy with annual payments available for each. US Mobile also allows service on two different networks, so you may get better performance than Verizon, especially if your area has T-Mobile 5G.

US Mobile’s best plan for most people is Unlimited Starter with 35GB of high-speed data and 10GB of hotspot data. It’s cheap enough to be a good value for families, but those with the cash can save even more with an annual plan.

While US Mobile stands out as the best value for most people, Verizon could still be a better fit for some with its excellent plan add-ons, multi-line savings, and discounts for first responders, veterans, and more. Verizon also offers stronger savings on new phones, as well as promo credit for those bringing their own device, so you can take advantage of postpaid phone savings, even if you buy unlocked.