Verizon MVNOs aren't quite as popular as ones powered by other carriers, but if you know where to look, there are still some solid choices to be found.
The four big wireless service providers in the United States are AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Each one has their own unique set of deals and features, but these aren't the only options you have to choose from.
Which unlimited plan should you buy?
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (or MVNOs for short) are other providers that harness the network of the Big Four carriers so you can still choose the one that has the best coverage in your area while having more flexibility over what you spend. If you're in the market for an MVNO that's powered by Verizon, these are the top ones we recommend the most.
Note: No matter which Verizon MVNO you choose, you'll need to have a phone with the following CDMA bands:
- 3G: 800Mhz (BC0), 1900Mhz (BC1)
- LTE: 700Mhz (Band 13), 1700/2100Mhz (Band 4), 1900Mhz (Band 2)
Visible
Visible is the first, and one of the most unique, MVNOs on this list. Rather than going into a store to get started with your new phone service, everything with Visible is handled through its mobile app. This includes creating an account, paying your bill, etc.
There's just one plan to choose from at Visible, and it costs $40/month. For that price, you get unlimited talk, text, and 4G LTE data with speeds up to 5Mbps. Mobile hotspot is included, there aren't any annual contracts, and Visible prides itself on offering access to fast customer service that's powered by real people.
Visible's phone select does favor iOS, but you can also buy the Galaxy S9 and S9+. Alternatively, if you trade in any old Android phone that at least turns on, you can get the company's Visible R2 phone for free.
Straight Talk
If you live in a town that has a Walmart, it's kind of impossible to not hear a thing or two about Straight Talk Wireless. Straight Talk plans are sold in-stores at Walmart and online, and similar to another pick on this list, it uses the service of all four major carriers to cover as many customers as possible — including Verizon.
There are four unlimited plans to choose from, with the cheapest one costing $34/month for 3GB of 4G LTE. Jumping up to $44/month will give you 25GB of LTE to use, and if you want to go big with the $55/month plan, you'll have unlimited LTE speeds for the entire month (although Straight Talk has the right to throttle your speeds after you use 60GB). Also, if you want to be able to talk to friends or family overseas, Straight Talk has an international plan that comes with 25GB of LTE and unlimited calling/texting to Mexico, China, Canada, and India for $60/month.
You can buy a phone directly through Straight Talk, including devices like the Galaxy S10 series, Galaxy Note 9, and more.
Total Wireless
Another great option to consider when looking for Verizon MVNOs is Total Wireless. Plans start out as cheap as $23.70/month for unlimited talking and texting if you don't need any data, but if you're like us, you'll want to spend the extra money for the $33.20/month plan that comes with 5GB of LTE data. Alternatively, you can step up to a 25GB option that'll set you back $47.50/month.
Unlike Straight Talk, Total Wireless has the option of signing up with family plans, and they work out as follows:
- 2 lines with 15GB of shared data ($57/month)
- 3 lines with 20GB of shared data ($80.70/month)
- 4 lines with 25GB of shared data ($95/month)
Total Wireless lets you add 5GB of Carryover Data for $10 no matter which plan you choose, and with Carryover Data, any that's unused carries over to the next month without any hassle. The Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e stand out as Total Wireless's best phones, but if you already have a device that works with Verizon's network, you can just get a SIM card and use that instead.
US Mobile
US Mobile is an MVNO you may not have heard of before, but it's one you'll definitely want to check out.
It uses a combination of T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon to power its service, but if you bring over a Verizon-capable phone, you'll gain access to Verizon's network which US Mobile dubs as its "most reliable 4G LTE coverage."
Service plans with US Mobile are highly customizable. You can pick and choose how much talk, text, and data you need with a Custom Plan, or go with the Unlimited Plan and get unlimited talk, text, and data with your choice of how fast you want it to be. If customization's your thing, US Mobile absolutely nails this.
Add that together with easy-to-manage family plans, a referral program, and the abiliy to try out US Mobile for free, and there's a lot to like here.
Xfinity Mobile
Xfinity Mobile launched in April 2017, and while it's only available for subscribers of Comcast's Xfinity home internet service, it's a pretty good deal for those that are. Xfinity Mobile comes with unlimited nationwide calling and texting, access to more than 18 million Wi-Fi hotspots, and 100MB of shared monthly data that's included by default with your regular Internet plan. If you need more data (which you likely will), you can either pay $12 per 1GB that you use or pay $45/month for unlimited 4G LTE speeds. No matter if you pay by the GB or go unlimited, you may see reduced speeds after you hit 20GB.
Unlike the other MVNOs on this list, Xfinity Mobile doesn't let you bring over your existing phone. All of the big Samsung and Apple devices are here to choose from, including the Galaxy S10 and iPhone XS, and Xfinity Mobile offers financing to make the devices as affordable as possible.
Spectrum Mobile
Similar to Xfinity Mobile, Spectrum Mobile is only available for people that subscribe to Spectrum's home internet service. It uses Verizon's LTE network for calls, texts, and data, in addition to Spectrum's network of hotspots around the country.
You'll pay $45/line for unlimited LTE usage or $14 per each GB that you use. The unlimited option is subject to data throttling after you use 20GB, mobile hotspot is included for free, and there's a $10 one-time activation fee for each line that you add.
Spectrum Mobile has a decent collection of phones to choose from, including the entire Galaxy S10 lineup, the Galaxy Note 9, iPhone XS, and more.
Page Plus Cellular
For our last pick, we recommend checking out Page Plus Cellular. I actually used Page Plus some years back when I used to rely on Big Red's service to communicate with the outside world, and while there's nothing here that's groundbreaking, it's a solid MVNO with some good plans worth checking out.
Page Plus plans start out at just $10/month with automatic billing turned on, and while you'll only get 500 call minutes and texts with 100MB of data, it's a dirt cheap option that just may work for some folks that only use their phone here and there for basic communication.
Unlimited plans start out at $27/month with auto-billing, and this includes 3GB of 4G LTE data before being slowed down to 2G. The two other plans cost $36/month and $50/month and come with 8GB or unlimited LTE data, respectively. No matter if you choose the $27, $36, or $50 plan, they also come with unlimited international texting and a $10 credit for international calling.
Page Plus's phone selection is pretty decent, including the Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 9, Google Pixel 3, Moto Z3 Play, and a bunch of iPhones. If none of those strike your fancy, there's always the option to get a SIM card and bring your own device.
Your pick
What would you choose if you need Verizon's coverage without having to pay Verizon's prices? Let us know!
Alternative carriers (MVNOS)
- What is an alternative mobile carrier?
- What are the advantages of going with an alternative carrier?
- How to make sure your phone works on a prepaid alternative carrier
- 8 Important Considerations When Switching To An MVNO
- These are the cheapest data plans you can buy in the U.S.
- Mint SIM vs. Cricket Wireless: Which is better for you?
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