Verizon Pros and Cons: All You Need to Know Before You Sign Up

Verizon is a mobile powerhouse that needs no introduction. Between its fantastic service, reliable coverage, and impressive set of cell phone plans, there is a lot to like about this major wireless provider. The plans are pricey, but customers receive a lot in return. You’ve likely seen advertisements across just about every medium talking about new-customer deals and the excellent multi-line savings from the carrier. 

We’ve put together a comprehensive list of Verizon’s pros and cons to help you decide whether or not this mobile provider is right for you. Let’s dive right in. 

Verizon Pros and Cons

There are a lot of cell phone providers on the market, making it difficult to decide which one is the best for you. In this section, we will cover the pros and cons of Verizon to help you decide whether or not this carrier is right for you. There are many factors to this decision, including data consumption, coverage, price, phone selection, cell phone plans, customer service, and more.

PRO — Phone Selection

Verizon has an online store with a wide variety of cell phones available for purchase. The latest and greatest smartphones, like the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Galaxy S24, are available, and both work on Verizon’s network, as well as much older models. Purchasing an $800+ phone is a serious commitment. If you are interested in less expensive options, you can peruse Verizon’s store and find items like the Apple iPhone 12 ($285), the Samsung Galaxy 21 ($390), or the Motorola G Power ($250). 

Along with the cell phones available in Verizon’s stores, you can also purchase unlocked cell phones from various in-store and online retailers. There are hundreds of cell phones on the market, allowing for tremendous flexibility in which phone you bring into the service. This means you can bring a new, high-power cell phone or an older, pre-owned, affordable device.

PRO — Cell Phone Plans

Verizon offers three cell phone plans, keeping their offerings simple and efficient. 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 cell phone plans: 

• Welcome Unlimited, priced at $65/55/40/30 a month per line
• Unlimited Plus, priced at $80/70/55/45 a month per line
• Unlimited Ultimate, priced at $90/80/65/55 a month per line

The Unlimited Plus plan is a little more expensive and comes with the following perks: 

• 30 GB mobile hotspot
• Device savings
• Price Guarantee
• Premium data

Regardless of the number of lines, the Unlimited Plus plan is $15 more per line on your account. This is a lot, but the premium data is handy in spaces with high data usage. It is hard to gauge how important premium data is. There are many areas around the country where Verizon’s network is strong enough to keep everyone using full-speed data.

Unlimited Ultimate doubles the hotspot data and opens up some new customer deals. This is an excellent choice for people who are willing to pay a premium for their cell phone service in order to get all the bells and whistles on their cell phone plan. 60 GBs of high-speed hotspot data is excellent for those who need to use data on laptops or tablets on the go. 

Premium data is most valuable for those in big cities. There is a lot of congestion in big cities, and Data is frequently slowed down in other areas, especially in big cities. We recommend starting on the less expensive plan and checking your data speeds for a month or two. If you notice slow data, we recommend switching to a more expensive plan if you have the budget for it. 

Alongside the base plans, Verizon offers a package of optional add-ons that each add $10 to your cell phone bill. The best part is that you can skip them entirely and stick to the base plan price, but if you find any Verizon add-ons you like, adding them to your plan always saves a few dollars on the service. 

PRO — New Customer Deals

New Verizon customers have a lot of potential deals where they can receive a new device with their switch. One deal going on right now is a new cell phone. If you are a new customer and plan on sticking with Verizon for a long time, then this deal is an excellent way to save on a new device. The downside to new customer deals on Verizon and other major providers is that they lock you into sticking with the service for two or three years. This limits flexibility, as you need to pay off the discounted device over that period, but it works out to save you a lot of money on the new cell phone. 

PRO — 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. 

PRO — Coverage

Verizon has amazing 5G and 4G LTE networks nationwide, providing their customers with fantastic coverage in almost every state. This ensures you are covered no matter where you are and where you go. Make sure to check your local coverage maps for information regarding the best cell phone coverage in your area! 

PRO — Priority Data

Verizon offers basic data and premium data, which occupy the top two tiers of the three-tier data priority breakdown, which is as follows: 

• Tier 1 Data, or Verizon’s priority data, has the maximum data speeds at all times. If tier one data is ever slowed down, it means there are no customers on the network that have access to high-speed data. This may occur at sporting events, concerts, or other large congregations of people
• Tier 2 Data, or Verizon’s basic data, retains maximum speeds after MVNO customers have their data slowed down. This is excellent in all but the most busy occasions where MVNO customers are slowed down but get slowed down before tier one data is slowed down. This tier of data keeps high speeds in almost all situations, but you may notice slowdowns in bigger cities where there are a lot of residents and commuters. 
• Tier 3 Data, or MVNO data, is always the first tier of data to receive slowdowns. Verizon MVNOs, like Visible Wireless, utilize MVNO data and are excellent ways to use Verizon’s network with affordable plan pricing. 

Verizon users have high-speed data at all times except in the biggest cities in 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. 

It is harder to predict the congestion in less populated cities and rural areas around the country. Festivals, concerts, and sporting events are common times when a lot of congestion hits the area. If you’ve ever been to a football game and tried to access your phone for just about anything, we are certain that you’ve seen what it feels like to try to use data with congestion. 

At maximum congestion, no one can load anything on their device, but major wireless customers have high-speed data in most instances. As long as you don’t sign a device or plan contract, users can test Verizon for a couple of months to gauge how well the service works for you. 

PRO — Unlimited High-Speed Data

Verizon is best for high-data users. With the data intensity of so many phone processes, regular mobile data usage will quickly rack up data usage throughout the month. With Verizon, you can use however much data you want without needing to worry about slowdowns on the horizon. 

CON — Price

There is, alas, no way around the expensive plan pricing at Verizon. Multi-line savings are a great way to lower the price, but even maximum multi-line savings is still a big bill each month. 

CON — Customer Service
Verizon’s customer service is not well-reviewed online, with many complaining about circuitous phone calls and difficulty finding solutions to particular problems.  

Customer service with cell phone providers can be, to put it lightly, a pain to deal with. That being said, patience, time, and a bit of luck will get you through most problems you have with your cell phone plan. Alongside that, many people go years without needing to contact customer service on their cell phone provider. 

Verizon Summary

Here’s a little information about Verizon! 

• What sets Verizon apart? Verizon’s reliable high-speed network is what sets them apart from the competition. There are a lot of choices when it comes to mobile networks, and it is important to know what sets Verizon apart when considering switching wireless providers. 
• What’s the price of Verizon plans? Verizon has three plans. They all have unlimited high-speed data, but the higher-tier plans have better data priority and other add-ons.  
• What kinds of plans does Verizon offer? All of Verizon’s cell phone plans have unlimited high-speed data.  
• What network does Verizon use? Verizon operates on its 4G LTE network as well as its 5G and 5G Ultra Wideband networks. This means they have coverage in the great majority of the country, with their 5G networks providing lightning-fast speeds in select areas of the country. 
• Can you bring your own cell phone? Yes! If you have a phone that works for you, you can bring your own device to Verizon. To bring your device onto Verizon’s network, you have to check your device’s compatibility, make sure your device is “unlocked,” and order a Verizon SIM card. Verizon also offers eSIM plans, making the switch even easier. 
• Does Verizon have any stores? Yes! There are many retail stores around the country. This is a great way to get some help if you run into any trouble with your account or cell phone. 

Verizon Versus Competition

There are loads of wireless providers competing for your attention. Finding the right provider is challenging, but it pays dividends in the long run. Many Americans pay way too much for their cell phone plan because they pay far more than they need. Verizon is fantastic for users who want unlimited high-speed data and are willing to pay a premium for it. Let’s look at how it holds up to the competition in MVNOs and major wireless providers. 

Verizon vs. T-Mobile

First, let’s look at Verizon compared to the major wireless network T-Mobile. These carriers have similarly priced plans and a similar phone selection. One of the bigger distinctions between these two providers is their coverage around the country. We recommend looking at local coverage maps, or coverage maps in areas you routinely travel, to decide which carrier is best for you. There are many areas around the country where Verizon’s network outshines T-Mobile, and there are many areas where the opposite is true. 

Verizon vs. Hello Mobile

Verizon has a trio of excellent unlimited high-speed data plans. The downside to these is that they are all very expensive. Hello Mobile, on the other hand, has a no-contract service that is incredibly flexible. They don’t offer unlimited high-speed data, but their plans start at only $5 a month! That plan has 500 MB of high-speed data before you get slowed down, but still! If you don’t use any data while out and about an MVNO, Hello Mobile may be the right choice for you. 

This is one example of the price discrepancy between major wireless carriers and MVNOs, which is one of the major trade-offs between companies like Verizon and those like Hello Mobile. Verizon is a clear winner if you are a high-data user. These plans have unlimited high-speed data and a guarantee that you will always be at maximum data speeds. If you are a low or mid-data user and don’t utilize your phone as much when outside of Wi-Fi — Hello Mobile is the place to be. 

Verizon vs. Mint Mobile 

Lastly, let’s examine Verizon versus Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile suffers from the same data deprioritization that all MVNOs do, but they offer an excellent set of low-data plans with easy multi-line savings. Mint Mobile contracts out their plans, which limits flexibility but allows the company to offer impressive prices on plans ranging from 5 to 35 GB of high-speed data each month. 

Similar to Hello Mobile, Mint is a great place for low-data users to find affordable plans, while Verizon Wireless is better for high-data users interested in robust plans they can use every day. 

Verizon: Review Summary

The Good

• Powerful Plans. Though these plans are expensive, all Verizon users have unlimited high-speed data and excellent coverage throughout the states. 
• Verizon’s Nationwide Network. Verizon’s 5G and 4G LTE networks provide excellent coverage throughout  the country. 
• Impressive Phone Selection. This is common among major wireless providers. There are a lot of great phones in Verizon’s store, making it easier to grab a new phone when yours kicks it without having to go through the trouble of getting an unlocked phone from a third party. 

The Bad

• Price. Though Verizon’s plans bring a lot to the table, they are all very expensive. While family plans provide a lot of savings, they can only drop the prices so much.  
• Customer Service. Verizon’s customer service leaves something to be desired. Problems may take hours on the phone, multiple calls, or compromises before they are concluded.  
• Phone Contracts. Even outside of new customer deals, Verizon’s cell phones are always available for cheap monthly payments over two or three years. Be warned! If you get a cell phone with this contract, you cannot change providers and bring your phone until you pay it off in full, effectively locking you into Verizon’s service. 

There’s a lot to like about Verizon. Excellent network, high-speed data, and a well-stocked store. There are, of course, pros and cons, but Verizon is high on our list of excellent mobile providers. If you are willing to pay a bit more for unlimited data and excellent data speeds, then Verizon is the way to go! If you want more information regarding cell phone plans in your area, you can check out Really’s comparison tool for all the information you need!