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Metro by T-Mobile vs. Verizon Prepaid: Which Carrier is Better?

August 15, 2024
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Verizon is a major wireless carrier with incredible cell phone plans, a high-speed network, and many add-ons to make every plan unique to you. They also offer a pre-paid set of cell phone plans that have less data, are a bit less expensive, and have no contract. When looking into Verizon, as a major wireless carrier, caters to high-data users and those who want high-priority data to ensure maximum data speeds whenever possible. 

Metro by T-Mobile is an MVNO that operates on T-Mobile’s network. It provides affordable plans with the caveat that it is more likely to experience data deprioritization than major wireless providers. Metro has a more expensive set of plans (relative to MVNOs) that come with a good data allocation, which is pretty high relative to other MVNOs. 

In this article, we plan to discuss the ins and outs of both carriers and what they offer. We’ll also cover:

  • What the coverage of both carriers looks like
  • How do the prices of their plans compare to how much data you get
  • The features each carrier offers for their plans 

Coverage & Reception

Verizon Prepaid and Metro by T-Mobile are two popular carriers. Verizon’s prepaid offerings are rather expensive but offer access to Verizon’s nationwide network with higher data priority than is available with MVNOs. Verizon has a few active networks, including: 

  1. 5G Ultra Wideband (UWB): Verizon's high-band millimeter-wave 5G network offers extremely fast speeds and low latency. Where active, this delivers lightning-fast speeds. 
  2. 5G Nationwide: A combination of low and mid-band spectrum providing extensive 5G coverage nationwide. While not as fast as 5G UWB, it provides fantastic reception across a wider area than Verizon’s UWB. 
  3. 4G LTE: Verizon's 4G LTE network is extensive and serves as the backbone of its nationwide coverage, ensuring connectivity in areas where 5G has yet to roll out.

These three networks work in conjunction to deliver extraordinary nationwide coverage. Looking at Verizon’s coverage map, you can see that there’s just about complete coverage across the entirety of the continental USA. The pockets of spotty coverage exist in areas where population counts are low — lonely interstates, inhospitable terrain like dense forests and imposing mountains, etc. During long drives, it is common to see points of low or no coverage, but they are usually few and far between. 

Metro by T-Mobile uses, if you can imagine, T-Mobile’s network! T-Mobile also has a strong combination of networks that provide excellent nationwide coverage, with the fastest networks clustered around major metropolitan areas. T-Mobile has a higher total percentage of 5G coverage throughout the country, but it is pretty comparable when things are all said and done. T-Mobile has a few active networks, including: 

MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) experience less consistent data reception compared to major networks. MVNOs rent bandwidth from major wireless networks, but data consumption, especially in major metropolitan areas, often exceeds these networks' capacity. As a result, major networks have divided data priority into three tiers: premium major network data, basic major network data, and MVNO data.

MVNOs always use the lowest-priority data, meaning MVNO users experience slower data speeds during times of high network usage. This can be unpredictable, leading to potential data slowdowns throughout the day when using mobile data. To understand the quality of coverage in your area, we recommend checking local reviews for MVNO carriers, as users of services like Metro by T-Mobile can provide valuable insights about their experiences.

Interested in a detailed breakdown of major wireless networks and MVNOs? Check out our website!

Metro by T-Mobile infographic
Check your data consumption before you choose a new cell phone plan. 

Plan Options

Verizon Prepaid and Metro by T-Mobile offer plans with varying amounts of high-speed data. Along with high-speed data, both carriers offer unlimited talk and text along with various features and add-ons. First up, let’s talk about Metro’s cell phone plans. 

Metro Mobile Cell Phone Plans

Metro by T-Mobile’s unlimited plan provides unlimited high-speed data, which separates them from other MVNOs. Few MVNO data plans offer the same. Metro Mobile has four cell phone plans. Three are unlimited plans, and the last is a 10 GB plan. Each plan comes with unlimited talk and text, as well as the same 5G and 4G LTE coverage that T-Mobile users get. The phone plans at Metro Mobile are competitively priced and come with a variety of benefits and shortcomings, just like their competitors. Their four major plans are:

Metro Mobile Cell Phone Plans

MetroFlex Plus

Metro Mobile’s most expensive cell phone plan offers a huge selection of add-ons on top of their unlimited high-speed data. The difference between Metro Mobile’s three unlimited cell phone plans is the hotspot data and additional add-ons like international messages and subscription services. With MetroFlex Plus, you receive 25 GB of hotspot data, an Amazon Prime membership, a 1-year VIX Premium subscription, and a 100 GB Google One membership. That’s a lot of add-ons!

The downside, of course, is the price of this plan. A $70 MVNO is a steep price. The multi-line savings are great, but it is still around $44 a month per line. 

MetroFlex UP

This cell phone plan comes with 25 GB hotspot data, the Google One membership, the VIX subscription, and unlimited international texting. Along with unlimited high-speed data, this plan and all three unlimited plans have a soft cap of 35 GB. After you use 35 GB of data, you become further susceptible to data throttling in times of congestion. That means you will get slower data speeds than other Metro by T-Mobile customers as well as T-Mobile customers. 

MetroFlex Start

The basic unlimited plan from Metro still comes with 8 GB of hotspot data, as well as the Google One and VIX memberships. These are nice, but they add to the significant price tag of this unlimited plan. Paying $50 a month for an MVNO is still a hefty price tag, even if it does come with unlimited high-speed data. 

10 GB plan

Coming in at $40 a month with no multi-line savings, Metro’s limited-data plan is not very well priced compared to other MVNO plans that provide this amount of data. This means Metro is best for people who want unlimited high-speed data. If you are interested in limited-data plans where you can save big on your monthly phone bill, we recommend looking at providers like Tello Mobile, Mint Mobile, and Ting Mobile. 

Low-data providers have fantastically priced cell phone plans that provide single-digit GB of high-speed data. This data allocation does not give you a lot of wiggle room when it comes to data usage, but it is a fantastic way to get a phone number with unlimited talk and text, and, of course, you can use as much data as you want on WiFi. 

Verizon Pre-Paid Cell Phone Plans

Verizon offers four pre-paid cell phone plans, which vary in data allocation. The price of these cell phone plans varies tremendously based on how many lines are on your account. We recommend at least three lines on this major provider, as it saves $30 on each line each month. These are Verizon’s pre-paid cell phone plans: 

  • $35 — Talk and text only
  • $45 — 15 GB of high-speed data 
  • $60 — Unlimited high-speed data 
  • $70 — Unlimited high-speed data with 20 GB hotspot data

For starters, don’t get Verizon’s talk and text-only cell phone plan. It is far too expensive and doesn’t give you the main benefit of using a major wireless network, which is, well, the network. If you truly don’t need high-speed mobile data, then an MVNO cell phone plan is perfect for you. Carriers like Tello Mobile, Ting, and Mint Mobile all have super-affordable low-data cell phone plans that let you save big on your mobile bill. 

Verizon’s other three prepaid cell phone plans all have benefits, including fantastic multi-line savings, which we will get into later! Their 15 GB data plan is good for low-data users, which gets you some high-speed data to use in emergencies while saving you money compared to their unlimited data plans. Their premium unlimited plan, on top of the 20 GB hotspot data, also has 50 GB of premium wireless data, which means you will almost never receive data slowdowns. If you find yourself regularly using hotspot data, then the extra $10 is very worthwhile! 

These cell phone plans are similarly priced to Verizon’s postpaid cell phone plans. All things being equal, we recommend AT&T’s postpaid plans because they offer greater benefits for the price. Major wireless networks offer lots of add-ons, features, and more, with the caveat that they are very expensive. Verizon pre-paid toes the line between a postpaid major wireless network and an MVNO, which offers much more affordable cell phone plans without the bells, whistles, and data priority you receive from major networks. 

We recommend Verizon pre-paid for people who are interested in trying out a major wireless network without committing to a contract on their service. It is hard to find concrete differences between the three major wireless networks. They all have impressive nationwide coverage, offer great high-speed data, and a robust cell phone store. Trying out a major wireless provider's pre-paid plan is a great way to see how their reported coverage map holds up in your area. You may find holes in their network that make it very frustrating to use their service or find that their coverage is exceptional in your area. 

Multi-Line Savings

Verizon’s multi-line savings are the same for every plan, which decreases the cost of each line as you add more to the account. This is the biggest way to save money on Verizon Wireless. Let’s break down how much you save with Verizon's pre-paid multi-line savings. 

In brief, the prices of single-line Verizon pre-paid plans are $35, $50, and $60 per line, respectively. The prices of the same lines with a five-line account are $35, $30, and $44, respectively. There are no multi-line savings on Verizon’s 15 GB plan, but you receive significant savings from both of their unlimited plans. Verizon’s Unlimited plan multiple-line savings rack up to 40% off each month! 

Verizon logo on the wall
There are lots of cell phone plans in the United States. Make sure to do your research so you can pick out the right one!

Major Wireless Network vs. MVNO

One of the biggest differences between Verizon Prepaid and Metro by T-Mobile is that Verizon is a major wireless network, while Metro is an MVNO. There are several key differences between these kinds of carriers. Let’s get into it.

Data throttling and data deprioritization are two key differences between major wireless networks and MVNOs. 

Deprioritization

Data deprioritization occurs when a network is too “busy” to handle the current level of traffic. This happens all the time across the country, but the frequency of deprioritization is hard to quantify. 

Certain plans from major wireless networks will also allocate an amount of data on the premium tier before deprioritizing your account for the rest of the month. This gives you a pool of congestion-free data each month; you have a higher risk of slowed-down data once you use it up.

Throttling

Data throttling occurs when you are on a limited data plan and use up all your data for the month. This is completely separate from network congestion. This is the dramatic slowing of data, where speeds will be a lot slower than those who’ve just been deprioritized. At the beginning of next month, you will get a new data allocation and return it to high speeds. 

As an MVNO, Metro’s data fluctuates far more than Verizon’s data, as Metro receives data deprioritization far more. This makes Metro, among other MVNOs, unreliable in terms of data speeds. Anytime there is a danger of congestion within T-Mobile’s network, the high-speed data given to Metro’s customers is slowed down to allocate more bandwidth to major wireless customers. 

This congestion is seen most in big cities around the United States. In those cities, the network is stronger but not strong enough to handle the city's residents and the commuters coming in for work. Places like New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Miami, to name a few, are all areas where MVNOs experience a lot of congestion. 

Customer Service 

You can call Metro’s customer service line on this number: 888-8-METRO-8. You can reach Metro’s help pages following this link, which has answers to frequently asked questions, the option to chat, and more. 

Verizon’s contact information is 800-922-0204. You can also reach Verizon’s help pages following this link.

The Verdict

Metro is on the expensive side for MVNOs, providing pricing and multi-line savings that are very similar to what you see at T-Mobile. It is best for high-data users who use lots of data each month but don’t rely on the data priority that makes major networks so strong. We love unlimited high-speed data in MVNO plans, but Metro’s plans are very expensive. 

Overall, we recommend Metro by T-Mobile over Verizon Prepaid. Verizon Prepaid’s plans are too expensive for us to recommend them, even though they are from a major wireless carrier. If you want the bells and whistles of a big carrier, we recommend Verizon’s post-paid plans over their prepaid plans, as the post-paid plans are better priced, have great add-ons, and awesome multi-line savings. 

We hope this article has answered all your questions regarding Metro by T-Mobile vs. Verizon Prepaid! 

Want to compare other carriers?

Really.com helps users compare features, coverage, prices, reviews, and more!

Are you still unsure which carrier to choose or which phone plan to pick? Use really.com to compare your top choices and find the best deal to fit your needs. Really allows you to compare and sort between most phone plans on the market without the hassle!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile the same?

No, T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile are not the same. T-Mobile is a major wireless carrier, while Metro by T-Mobile is its prepaid subsidiary. T-Mobile offers a few prepaid cell phone plans that offer limited high-speed data, like these MVNOs, but those are still a part of T-Mobile proper, where users have a higher data priority and access T-Mobile’s robust support network. 

How much high-speed data does Metro by T-Mobile's plans provide?

Metro by T-Mobile offers several plans with different amounts of high-speed data:

  1. $30/month plan: 5GB high-speed data.
  2. $40/month plan: 10GB high-speed data.
  3. $50/month plan: Unlimited high-speed data.
  4. $60/month plan: Unlimited high-speed data with 15GB of hotspot data,

These plans may change, so it's always a good idea to check the latest details from Metro by T-Mobile

What are the pros of Verizon Prepaid?

The best part of Verizon Prepaid is that there are no contracts and no commitments. This is a nice way to gather information on whether or not Verizon is right for you without locking yourself into any long contract.

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Metro by T-Mobile 5GB

5GB
data
5GB, then data stops
Hotspot access
N/A
Best for:
Light data users
More Details

Metro by T-Mobile Unlimited

Unlimited
data
Unlimited, but deprioritized, data
Hotspot access
N/A
Best for:
Heavy to average data users
More Details

Metro by T-Mobile Unlimited + 8GB Hotspot

Unlimited + 8GB Hotspot
data
Unlimited, but deprioritized, data
Hotspot access
8GB, then access stops
Best for:
Heavy data users and those who sometimes need hotspot access
More Details

Metro by T-Mobile Unlimited + 25GB Hotspot

Unlimited + 25GB Hotspot
data
Unlimited, but deprioritized, data
Hotspot access
25GB, then access stops
Best for:
Heavy data users and those who often need hotspot access
More Details

Verizon Prepaid 15GB

Prepaid 15GB
data
15GB
Hotspot access
All plan data (access stops at 15GB)
Best for:
Light to average data users
More Details

Verizon Prepaid No Data

Prepaid No Data
data
None
Hotspot access
Not included
Best for:
Those who don’t use data
More Details

Verizon Prepaid Unlimited

Prepaid Unlimited
data
Unlimited deprioritized data
Hotspot access
5GB
Best for:
Average to heavy data users
More Details

Verizon Prepaid Unlimited Plus

Prepaid Unlimited Plus
data
50GB premium
Hotspot access
25GB premium, deprioritized after
Best for:
Heavy data users
More Details

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