Enough of everything
Visible
$40/mo. at Visible
Pros
- No contract
- Unlimited talk and text
- Unlimited LTE data
- Unlimited hotspot (5Mbps)
Cons
- Fewer phones
- No 3G or roaming access
Visible has an impressive set of features, especially considering the price. With one of the largest LTE networks combined with an unlimited package including hotspot connectivity, Visible is about as close as it comes to hassle-free wireless.
More is more
Verizon Wireless
From $35/mo. at Verizon Wireless
Pros
- More coverage
- Faster speeds
- Larger phone selection
Cons
- More expensive for one line
- Contract required
- Credit check required
One of the strongest and most consistent networks available, Verizon Wireless continues to set the bar in wireless service. With some of the fastest speeds and a massive LTE network with 3G and roaming filling in many gaps, it’s one of the best wireless experiences available.
Most people would prefer a cheap and simple cell phone plan over trying to guess how much data and how many minutes they’ll need over the next few months. While Verizon Wireless offers a large array of plans making it possible to find something that fits anyone’s needs precisely, Visible’s approach to giving you everything means that you will never have to wonder if you have enough data or minutes.
You’ll just have to think a bit more about whether you will have coverage.
Mostly the same network
Let’s be clear, Verizon Wireless postpaid customers will often have a larger and more consistent network thanks to prioritization. This means your speeds will be slightly slower on Visible but at an estimated 5-12Mbps download speed, most people should be quite happy with the service.
Verizon’s network will be noticeably larger if you stray away from more populated areas. This is thanks to Verizon customers getting access to not only Verizon’s older 3G towers but also LTE roaming towers. Verizon phones will connect the LTE if at all possible but if there is no signal available, they can fall back to the other networks.
Visible uses LTE exclusively and while the coverage is getting closer all the time to what Verizon has, the LTE network is still a bit smaller. Most people will find this to be an easy tradeoff considering that most people are still covered on Visible and Visible will let them use so much more of the network for less.
| Network | Verizon LTE | Verizon LTE, 3G |
| Roaming | None | Yes |
| Credit check | No | Yes |
| International roaming | No | Available |
| International calling | No | Available |
| Data plans | Unlimited only | From $35/mo. |
| Unlimited plan | $40/mo. | From $70/mo. |
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Let’s talk about 3G and roaming
Visible uses the Verizon LTE network for service and nothing else. This isn’t much of an issue for most people in the United States but can become apparent when you travel. Verizon’s LTE network is focused on providing coverage where most people live and work and for the most part it succeeds.
There are a few gaps and Verizon fills those by either relying on its older 3G network or buying data from other providers for roaming. Visible doesn’t get access to 3G or the roaming networks.
These screenshots were captured in August 2019 and may not be accurate today.
Make sure to check the coverage map for Visible and Verizon to ensure you have coverage in all the places you might need it.
It’s also worth noting that Visible doesn’t support any international calling or roaming. If you need to call another country or need service while traveling, you’ll need something else. Verizon does offer what it calls international TravelPasses for its plans. In Mexico and Canada, it comes to $5 per day, and in more than 185 other countries the cost is $10 per day.
Do you need an unlimited plan?
Probably not. Unlimited service mostly exists to offer peace of mind so people don’t need to think about how many bytes or messages they send. With Visible, unlimited is the only option. Visible’s unlimited plan can become an afterthought and you can use your phone to stream or browse without thinking about the cost.
Verizon offers unlimited plans as well starting at $70 per month for one line. It’s worth noting that if you plan to have multiple lines the price per line will come down. The price per line for entry-level unlimited service is $70, $60, $45, and $35 for one, two, three, and four lines respectively. This plan will be most comparable to Visible, though it lacks hotspot support.
Verizon’s more expensive plans offer features such as Apple Music, HD streaming, 5G support, and premium LTE data. The so-called premium LTE data is the same as normal LTE data except that it is prioritized during times of congestion. This will almost always be faster than Visible, but probably not significantly so. It’s nice to have but not really missed if you don’t.
Besides that, Verizon has shared data plans starting at $35 per month for 2GB of premium LTE data, $50 for 4GB, $70 for 8GB, and strangely $40 for 5GB if you scroll over. Even cheaper plans are available without data but I can’t recommend a plan without data on a smartphone.
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What if you have other devices?
Verizon offers hotspot service with it’s more expensive unlimited plans, starting at 15GB of premium LTE data on both the Play More and Do More unlimited plans and moving up to 30GB on the Get More Unlimited plan. This will be more than enough for most uses but could be an issue with a lot of streaming video.
It’s worth noting that 5G connections will get a fully unlimited hotspot but that requires both a 5G device and 5G coverage, which is in its infancy.
Visible, on the other hand, continues the trend of simplicity and offers unlimited hotspot data at a speed of 5Mbps. That should be enough speed for 480p and some 720p video streaming depending on the site. This is a good enough solution for most people that need to share internet on the go.
What phones work?
Both Visible and Verizon are more than happy to sell or finance a phone for you. Verizon does have a stronger offering of phones but Visible’s growing collection has something that will work for most people.
If you already have a device and you want to know if it will be supported, you’ll need to use the BYOD compatibility tools for both Visible and Verizon. Support on one doesn’t necessarily mean it will work on the other even though the Verizon network is used for both carriers.
Visible’s network is all digital, which means that all of your calls on Visble will use VoLTE. VoLTE is still a little new for carriers in general, so for now, extra care is being taken to make sure devices work flawlessly. The list of supported phones is expanding all the time so you will need to check for new phones on Visible’s help page.
Currently, all iPhones after the iPhone 6 are supported on Visible, as well as Samsung’s Galaxy S9 series, the Google Pixel 3 series, the G7 Power from Motorola, and the Visible R2 from ZTE.
So which should you get?
If you’ve confirmed you have coverage on Visible’s LTE network, Visible is your best bargain. While it is possible to build a cheaper plan on Verizon Wireless, you won’t get the same amount of data and you certainly won’t get Visible’s unlimited hotspot. As long as you know you’re covered by the Verizon LTE network, Visible is a simple and complete network that works for nearly every smartphone user.
Enough of everything
Visible
One plan fits all
$40/mo. at Visible
Visible’s simple unlimited plan with no contract on one of the best LTE networks available. Stay connected on more devices with an unlimited hotspot.
More is more
Verizon Wireless
The king of coverage
From $35/mo. at Verizon Wireless
Verizon is known for its fantastic data network and continues to stand above with plans designed to fit everyone’s needs and a ton of options available.
