Unlimited for less
Visible
$40/mo. at Visible
Pros
- Unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data
- Unlimited hotspot (5Mbps)
- Verizon LTE and Nationwide 5G
- Lower unlimited price
Cons
- No international service
- Fewer available phones
- No roaming or 3G service
Visible offers a great unlimited option for smartphone users that are covered by the Verizon LTE and 5G network, which is most people. With a simple flat rate, this is a great option for heavy and light data users alike.
Even more options
Verizon Prepaid
From $30/mo. at Verizon
Pros
- Verizon Nationwide 5G, LTE, 3G, and roaming
- Loyalty discount rewards consistent payments
- Mexico and Canada calling available
- Unlimited talk and text
Cons
- Unlimited plan hotspot costs extra
- Expensive for large data plans
- Autopay required for lower prices
Verizon Prepaid has some excellent options for a wide range of people whether they just need talk and text or want data for streaming. Plus, a loyalty discount for three and nine consecutive months of service rewards responsible customers.
Visible’s plan feels much more like one designed for modern smartphones. It’s fitting for people that don’t want to find Wi-Fi every time they need to download something. With unlimited everything, Visible customers can forget all about data usage. For people that need better coverage in rural areas or just don’t need much data, Verizon Prepaid’s 5GB plan is a solid option.
Visible vs. Verizon Prepaid Technically no one needs unlimited
Most of us don’t need unlimited data but it can be nice to not think about usage. If you don’t want unlimited data and don’t use more than 5GB in a month, then there is room to save some money with Verizon Prepaid and you’ll even have slightly better coverage. It might be worth it for you to determine how much data you need to make the best decision. If that sounds like too much work or you know for a fact that you need more data than that, Visible once again becomes the better value.
| Network | Verizon Wireless | Verizon Wireless |
| 5G | Nationwide (sub-6) | Nationwide (sub-6) |
| LTE | Yes | Yes |
| 3G | No | Yes |
| Roaming | No | Yes |
| International service | No | Available |
Streamers should keep in mind that both carriers restrict video streaming quality to 480p. This is fine for many people but if you watch a lot of gaming content, you might be more sensitive to the lack of a 720p 60 FPS option on YouTube. YouTube Premium users will still be able to download videos to watch later in full quality, however.
Visible vs. Verizon Prepaid Is the coverage really the same?
Coverage is going to be the same for most people. Visible, however, doesn’t have access to Verizon’s 3G network or roaming partners, so in areas that Verizon relies on these other services, Visible is left with nothing. Be sure to check out Visible’s coverage map to make sure you’re covered.
Verizon Prepaid gets the entire massive network, and that can be a great perk to someone that drives a lot or spends time in rural areas. You should still take a look at Verizon’s coverage map. Verizon Prepaid also has access to international service with Verizon’s TravelPass costing $5 or $10 per day depending on the destinations where you need service.
Calling to other countries is also available for $5 or $15 per month depending on which destinations you intend to call.
Both plans get access to Verizon’s new Nationwide 5G network coverage if you have a compatible device and one of Verizon Prepaid’s data plans. Don’t expect speeds to be too much faster than LTE for everyday use, at least not yet, but it’s nice to know the plans are ready for the next generation of wireless. Verizon’s Nationwide 5G network uses relatively small low-band frequencies for this network so for the time being, speeds are potentially much faster than the LTE network. It’s still not worth buying a new phone to experience it, at least for now.
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Visible vs. Verizon Prepaid Visible’s plan
Visible’s plan is all about simplicity. $40 per month for each line grants you unlimited LTE data alongside unlimited calling and texting on Verizon’s LTE network. In Visible’s only plan you also get an unlimited hotspot at 5Mbps. It is worth noting that there are no options for expansion, meaning what you see is what you get. However, what you get should be enough.
You can get your first month for $25 on promotion and you can also save with multiple lines with Visible’s Party Pay. If you have 2,3 or 4 lines, your cost per line comes down to $35, $30, and $25 respectively per line.
All Visible customers get access to an unlimited mobile hotspot limited at 5Mbps. While this won’t be great for HD video streaming, if you’re browsing on a notebook computer or a tablet, it’s more than adequate. Unfortunately, there is no upgrade available so this is as good as it gets.
Visible vs. Verizon Prepaid Verizon Prepaid plans
Verizon Prepaid comes in four sizes starting at talk and text only, 5GB of data, 15GB of data, and unlimited data. All plans are eligible for a $5 auto pay discount which is factored into the displayed prices. If you don’t want auto pay, you’ll need to add $5 per line to your expected bill. Of the data plans, the unlimited plan doesn’t come with mobile hotspot data though 10GB is available for $5 per month.
| Loyalty discount eligible | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Base cost (with auto pay) | $30 | $35 | $45 | $60 |
| Hotspot | – | Included | Included | $5 for 10GB |
| Calling to Canada and Mexico | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Unlike older Verizon Prepaid plans, there is no longer a multi-line discount available. There is, however, a loyalty discount that rewards customers for sticking with Verizon Prepaid for multiple months. Though this only applies to the data plans, you can save $5 per month after three on-time consecutive payments. After nine months, the discount increases to $10 per month. This is a nice bonus for long term customers, but if you’re looking for short term savings, this offer is a bit lackluster.
Visible vs. Verizon Prepaid Which phones work?
First thing’s first, Visible is compatible with most iPhones that came out after the iPhone 6. On the Android front, things are a bit more complicated. Since Visible doesn’t use the 3G network Verizon’s legacy voice network isn’t available. All phones on Visible must support VoIP on the Verizon network. Still, that leaves quite a few Android phones compatible with Visible to choose from. You should still stop by Visble’s compatibility checker to be absolutely sure your phone will work.
Verizon Prepaid knocks it out of the park here with a wider variety of phones for sale as well as a stronger list of supported devices that can be brought in. Pretty much any of the best Android phones you can buy will work on Verizon. You can check your IMEI here to know for sure. The device will need to be compatible with Verizon’s network and if you want 5G, it will need band n5 support. The easiest way to find out is with the BYOD tool.
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Visible vs. Verizon Prepaid Which should you get?
There’s no doubt that a light user can save money by going with Verizon Prepaid. There’s also the fact that international services are available on Verizon Prepaid while Visible doesn’t have any. Even with Verizon Prepaid’s loyalty discounts, prices are higher than Visible unless you need less than 5GB per month. If you’re a heavy data user that wants to forget about gigabytes and intends to keep international communication to online apps, Visible is the best option.
Unlimited for less
Visible
Simple and unlimited
$40/mo. at Visible
Visible gives you unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data for one price. Bring your own device or buy one from Visible and set it up in the app.
Plenty of options
Verizon Prepaid
More plans and more phones
From $30/mo. at Verizon
Whether you just need talk and text or lots of data, Verizon Prepaid has a plan. Save even more over time with a loyalty discount.
