Verizon vs Credo: Who Should You Go With?

There are a ton of wireless carriers out there nowadays, you’ll see new ones popping up on TV commercials or through ads before your comfort Youtube videos quite frequently. Most of the time you’ll tend to pay them no mind but if you’ve been thinking of switching from your current carrier then these advertisements might not be ones to ignore. With plenty of options, it’s safe to assume that you’ll need to compare and contrast your options so you can pick which one would work best for you. 

But instead of doing all of that work yourself, we’re here to do that for you! Today in the ring is Verizon vs CREDO Mobile. Verizon is well known to many and has been around for decades, while CREDO may not be in the limelight as much as Verizon, they are offering some very intriguing options that look a little different than your average cell phone plans. Let’s take a look at the two carriers and see what they have to offer so you can make your decision with ease.

• Quick Overview: Verizon and CREDO Mobile
• What the Coverage Looks Like from Both Providers
• How the Plans Compare: From Price to Features
• The Verdict

Quick Review: Verizon and CREDO Mobile

Before we go over what the coverage and phone plans look like from each provider we should first talk about the two companies as a whole, so you can get an overall idea of what to expect from each as you begin to make your decision. 

-> Verizon

What you’ll recognize most from Verizon is one of their main advertisement slogans: “we have the most nation-wide coverage,” and it’s true! That isn’t a false claim as their 4G LTE coverage spans over 70% of the country, beating out their many competitors including AT&T and T-Mobile who are a part of the “big three” alongside Verizon. You’ll find that one of Verizon’s biggest draws is reliability, you can expect to have coverage even in more rural areas from Verizo, while other smaller companies may not have that reach. 

Another big draw from Verizon is their insane level of perks you can get if you sign up for one of their “bundle” phone plans. From streaming services to cloud storage, there are many benefits to signing up for a Verizon phone plan, but we will get to all of that later.

There’s also a good variety to mix and match plans to build one that most appeals to your needs. Including prepaid plans that won’t cost as much as their postpaid plans. Verizon has been around since 2000 and has steadily climbed to be “number one” in many people’s books, which is nice to hear if you’re looking for outside sources who’ve had experience with the company you can rely upon for true commentary.

-> CREDO Mobile

You might not have initially heard of CREDO Mobile before today, but we’re here to introduce you two. Since 1985, CREDO has had a goal, and that goal has been “to build a business that works for progressive social change.” They have wanted to break and change the mold of greedy consumerism and give back to those who need it most. CREDO Mobile donates 1% of its yearly profits to a number of charities and non-profit groups advocating for LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, voting rights, civil rights, universal health care, and so much more.

And they don’t just have charitable donations to back up their intrigue, CREDO Mobile also has a range of plans that are simple and easy to understand. No need to bring out a key to understand what they’re offering, they want to make a phone plan that anyone at any age can understand and get behind. 

What makes CREDO Mobile and the match-up of Verizon and CREDO Mobile most interesting is CREDO Mobile is a MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) and that means that instead of owning their own cell towers, they piggyback signal off of another carrier’s towers to provide coverage to their customers. And in CREDO Mobile’s case, they are under the Verizon umbrella. 

This makes comparing the two especially fun as their coverage will look a tad bit similar…

What the Coverage Looks Like from Both Providers

We’ve got a look into the carrier’s as a whole, let’s go over each carrier’s coverage so you know what to expect.

Since CREDO Wireless uses Verizon’s network to provide coverage to customers, this section may look a little different than normal. 

We took note already that Verizon is the leader in 4G LTE coverage, which is great for anyone with a phone that may be in an area that normally doesn’t get phone signal, but with Verizon it does, and then you can call someone or look up the thing you need to find. When it comes to 5G coverage, Verizon loses a few credibility points as they are lower in volume compared to T-Mobile and AT&T. Both T-Mobile and AT&T have more widespread 5G coverage than Verizon, but Verizon’s 5G speeds are definitely performing at a higher rate. They’ve gotten the highest marks in “5G Games Experience, 5G Voice App Experience, and 5G Video Experience,” which means that when you’re in 5G Verizon covered area you’ll get some pretty amazing performance power.

As you research cell phone carriers, one feature you’ll find on most provider’s websites is a “Coverage” or “Coverage Map” tab, this shows off the network’s coverage all throughout the country and subsequent regions. You’re able to zoom in and out of the map, along with looking up your address to see how strong coverage is in your area. Here’s a look at Verizon’s coverage map:

Not completely pictured above, Verizon offers coverage in the majority of the United States along with parts of Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. To view the view coverage map from Verizon, click here.

And since we know that CREDO Wireless is under Verizon’s umbrella, you’ll have access to their powerful network. However, since CREDO Wireless is a MVNO, you’ll be more likely to deal with data deprioritization and throttling.

• Data deprioritization is “the temporary slowing of data speeds for certain customers in order to give priority to other customers.” This will happen when the network is congested or when you’re in a high traffic area like a concert venue or sporting event. When a lot of people are trying to all use their phone at once, the network will have to take its time transmitting those requests which is the cause for deprioritizing your data for a momentary time. This will be more likely to happen to a customer who’s under a MVNO as the parent network, Verizon, will prioritize their direct customers instead.
• Data throttling is “the dramatic slowing of your data speeds to the point that it becomes almost unusable.” And this will occur when the user goes over their monthly allotment of data, normally you’ll see a number on the plan itself or in fine print at the bottom of the website saying that when you go over x amount of data your data will be throttled until the start of your next billing cycle. 

CREDO Mobile doesn’t have their own version of a coverage map, they have an artful approximation of a map showing their coverage:

Instead of zooming in and out like a regular coverage map, you will input your zip code onto their website and they will let you know if you’re covered. Find out if CREDO Wireless covers your area here.

When you’re comparing a MVNO and an independent wireless provider, it’s good to keep note that your speeds, although on the same network, might not be the same in certain circumstances like if you’re out in a heavily populated event or are trying to use your phone at specific times of the day.

How the Plans Compare: From Price to Features

It’s time to compare Verizon and CREDO Mobile’s phone plans including their prices, data options, and features. First up we have Verizon’s postpaid plans which will probably look a bit different than your average phone plan as they are all about bundles. You can choose what perks you want and the bundle you want from their long list of benefits which we will go over. Here’s what the plans look like at face value:

Now it’s good to note that the prices listed aren’t the finalized prices you will see in checkout. For one, those are if you sign up for AutoPay and two they don’t include potential taxes and fees, so keep that in mind.

As for Verizon’s list of perks? Well here’s what you could get if you sign up for a postpaid plan if you choose to bundle and save:

• The Disney Bundle which gets you Disney+ Premium with no ads, Hulu with ads, and ESPN with ads. Original price is $18.99/mo, only 10/mo. with Verizon savings (Terms Apply).
• Netflix & Max which gives you Netflix Standard with ads and Max with ads plan. Original price is $16.98/mo, only $10/mo. with Verizon savings (Terms Apply).
• Apple One which has Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+ all in a bundle. Perfect for Apple phone users. Original price for individuals is $19.95/mo, only $10/mo. with Verizon savings and original family plans normally pay $25.95/mo, now only $20/mo (Terms Apply).
• The Walmart+ Membership which has its own benefits you can read about on the plans tab. Original price is $12.95/mo, only $10/mo. with Verizon savings (Terms Apply).
• Apple Music Family which allows six members to enjoy Apple Music. Original price is $16.99/mo and Verizon customers pay $10/mo. (Terms Apply).
• A 100GB Mobile Hotspot originally priced at $45/mo now only $35/mo. (Terms Apply).
• Smartwatch Data & Safety which is normally $20/mo is now only $10/mo. (Terms Apply).
• +play Monthly Credit, a Verizon platform that lets you manage all of your digital subscriptions from one place. You can save $5/mo off your $15/mo credit.(Terms Apply).
• 3 TravelPass Days. TravelPass lets you call, text, and use data in 210+ countries around the world. These three days, 24 hour sessions, are included each month. Originally it’s $30/mo, only $10/mo. with Verizon savings (Terms Apply).
• 2TB Cloud Storage that’s originally $14.99/mo and with the addon it’s $10/mo. (Terms Apply).

What’s great about this is if you’re already paying for any of these services you can end up saving some money. More information on how the perks work is on their website.

As for CREDO Mobile, they have five plans to look at, all coming with the same perks and benefits no matter the cost, so you can solely choose based off of how much data you need per month rather than perks and benefits:

Pretty basic when comparing it to Verizon’s phone plans but if that’s what you’re in the market for then this might look very enticing. Also remember that CREDO Mobile will donate some of your monthly service bill to a charitable foundation and/or non-profit which is amazing. 

A hidden perk that you might not know about is if you do switch to CREDO Mobile you are eligible to get an account credit up to $350 per line to cover any unexpected early termination fees or equipment charges from your previous carrier which is a huge benefit!

The Verdict

We’ve reached the part where we give you the verdict of the Verizon vs CREDO Mobile match up. Based solely on price and cost benefit we think Verizon is the better choice. You get so much more with a bundled Verizon plan than you do with a CREDO Mobile plan. 

CREDO Mobile’s plans run on the expensive side, especially when you’re comparing it to other MVNOs and not just Verizon. For only 1GB a month you are paying $35 a line which is steep. The benefits don’t outweigh the cost compared to Verizon in this case, though if you aren’t looking for flashy and don’t care necessarily about the price, CREDO Mobile is a good choice. And as much as we absolutely love the charitable donations, ultimately Verizon edges out on top. Plus you can donate to one of your favorite charities or non-profits directly if you like, there are many in the world right now that can use it. 

And if you want to compare and contrast Verizon and CREDO Mobile to over 1,200 other phone plans so you know you’re getting the service that’s right for you, then make sure to check out the REALLY compare page which allows you to look at pricing, coverage, what phone plans are available, current deals and steals, and how you can make the most of your potential phone bill.