Verizon vs. Simple Mobile: Which Carrier is Better?

Verizon Wireless is one of the three major wireless networks popular in the United States, and Simple Mobile is an MVNO that operates on T-Mobile’s network. Simple Mobile has a good set of cell phone plans, good new-customer deals, and immense multi-line savings to create an attractive service for MVNO enthusiasts.

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

Simple Mobile operates as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), offering affordable service by purchasing network access wholesale from major carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. Specifically, Simple Mobile leverages T-Mobile's robust network to deliver its services at competitive prices.

When it comes to coverage, Simple Mobile and Verizon both shine with extensive 4G LTE and 5G coverage nationwide. Depending on your location, one might have the edge over the other—Verizon excels in certain areas while T-Mobile, and thus Simple Mobile, leads in others. Checking local coverage maps is essential to determine the best option for your specific area.

A key difference between Verizon and Simple Mobile is data prioritization. Verizon customers enjoy higher data priority compared to Simple Mobile users. Here’s how it breaks down:

• Tier 1 Data: This tier enjoys the highest priority and maximum speeds at all times. Only in rare cases, like at major events, might these speeds be affected.
• Tier 2 Data: Users here experience high speeds unless the network is extremely congested. Even then, their data is slowed only after MVNO customers' data has been deprioritized.
• Tier 3 Data: This tier, used by MVNOs like Simple Mobile, is the first to experience slowdowns during network congestion. While it offers a cost-effective way to access major networks, users in busy metropolitan areas may notice more frequent slowdowns.

In essence, Verizon's plans often include Tier 1 or Tier 2 data, ensuring higher speeds and reliability, especially in densely populated regions. Simple Mobile, offering Tier 3 data, provides an excellent budget-friendly option but with a higher likelihood of slowdowns in busy areas. Whether you prioritize cost savings or consistent high-speed connectivity will guide your choice between these carriers.

Plan Options

Verizon offers various plans that provide unlimited data, while Simple Mobile offers a quartet of data plans with, importantly, an option for unlimited 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 Verizon’s cell phone plans. 

Verizon 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. 

Simple Mobile Cell Phone Plans

Simple Mobile has a good set of cell phone plans that offer between 3 and 40 GB of high-speed data with various add-ons and prices. All plans come with unlimited talk and text, and Simple Mobile’s phone plans have a lot to bring to the table. Let’s break them down. 

Simple Mobile offers five cell phone plans with various price points and data allocations. Later, we will get into the fantastic multi-line savings, but this section will talk about the five cell phone plans. They all have unlimited calling and texting and some international calling and texting. Other than that, the only significant difference is the amount of data on each plan. Both unlimited cell phone plans have 40 GB of high-speed data before speeds are reduced. Like all MVNOs, Simple Mobile also reduces data speeds during periods of congestion. 

Simple Mobile’s 40 GB cell phone plan offers a fair bit of leeway for cell phone usage, but it is not the same as unlimited high-speed data. If you use a boatload of data or happen to be far away from WiFi networks for a significant part of the day, then an Unlimited Data plan from Verizon is a better bet. If you want to save, however, 40 GB of high-speed data lets you use over a GB every day. It is good to download music/video in advance and try to get on WiFi when you can. Keep an eye on your data usage, and you are likely to be good for the month! 

Multi-Line Savings

Simple Mobile has incredible multi-line savings. The price of additional lines on all but their least expensive plan is $25 per line, which makes their most costly cell phone plans absolutely fantastic. Simple Mobile’s Unlimited plan, at $50 for one line, is not very well-priced compared to the competition, but adding two more lines makes it around $35 per line, and five lines make it $28 per line. 

A $28 cell phone plan that comes with 40 GB of high-speed data and no contract is an excellent option for many MVNO users. While not as intense, adding lines to any of Simple Mobile’s cell phone plans is a great way to save on everyone’s cell phone line. 

The downside to these excellent multi-line savings is that it’s always more challenging to coordinate multi-line plans, and it makes it more difficult to switch to a new carrier since you have to do it as a group. There are certain carriers (generally, those that don’t offer multi-line savings) where the single-line plans are well-priced. Carriers like Simple Mobile incentivize multi-line plans, so we recommend going with this carrier only if you have at least two buds with which to create a multi-line account. 

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 distinctions between Verizon Wireless and Simple Mobile is that Verizon is a major wireless network, while Simple Mobile is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). Understanding the key differences between these types of carriers can help you make an informed decision. Let’s delve into the specifics.

Data Deprioritization and Throttling

Deprioritization: Data deprioritization happens when a network is too congested to handle the current traffic levels. While this can occur on any network, MVNOs like Simple Mobile are more susceptible to it. When traffic is high, such as in densely populated urban areas or during large events, MVNO customers often experience slower data speeds. This is because MVNOs, which purchase network access from major carriers, are assigned a lower priority compared to the major network's direct customers.

Throttling: Data throttling is a deliberate reduction in data speed once a user exceeds their plan’s data limit. This is common in limited data plans. For example, once you use up your monthly data allowance, your speeds will be significantly reduced until the next billing cycle begins. Unlike deprioritization, throttling is not influenced by network congestion but is a predefined limit within your plan.

Verizon vs Simple: All About Data

Verizon Wireless:

• Higher Priority Data: Verizon customers benefit from higher priority data, categorized into Tier 1 or Tier 2. This means they experience fewer slowdowns during network congestion, maintaining faster and more reliable speeds.
• Unlimited Plans: Verizon offers unlimited data plans, reducing the likelihood of throttling. Customers with these plans enjoy high-speed data without the fear of significant slowdowns after a certain data limit is reached.
• Wider Coverage: Verizon's extensive infrastructure provides robust coverage, especially in rural areas where MVNOs might struggle more.

Simple Mobile:

• Lower Priority Data: Simple Mobile users are subject to Tier 3 data priority, making them the first to experience slowdowns during peak times. This can be particularly noticeable in major cities and crowded events where network demand is high.
• Cost-Effective Plans: Simple Mobile offers more affordable plans than major carriers. This makes it an attractive option for budget-conscious consumers, despite the potential for slower data speeds during congestion.
• Flexible Options: As an MVNO, Simple Mobile often provides no-contract plans, offering flexibility that some major carriers don’t.

Verizon vs Simple: Congestion

Urban Areas:

• Major cities like New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Miami often experience high levels of network congestion. In these areas, Simple Mobile customers are more likely to notice reduced data speeds compared to Verizon users.

Rural Areas:

• In less populated regions, both Verizon and Simple Mobile can offer decent coverage. However, Verizon's direct access to its own network infrastructure typically results in more consistent service and fewer slowdowns.

Special Events:

• During large gatherings such as festivals, concerts, and sports events, network congestion spikes. Verizon’s customers generally experience better performance due to their higher priority data, while Simple Mobile users may face significant slowdowns.

Customer Service 

Verizon has physical locations and robust online customer service offerings, while Hello Mobile only has online customer service. You can call Verizon’s customer service line on this number: 800-922-0204. You can also reach Verizon’s help pages following this link, which has answers to frequently asked questions, the option to chat, and more. 

Simple Mobile's contact information is 877-878-7908, or you can access its help page here. 

The Verdict

These two carriers have their own customer bases. If you are someone who uses a ton of data and wants to pay a premium price for premium service, then Verizon is best for you. If, however, you want limited-data options, more affordable plans, and are willing to work with less than unlimited high-speed data, then Simple Mobile is an excellent option. 

Due to data deprioritization, Simple Mobile is best for people without high-speed data when they are out and about. It is nice that users can switch to lower-data cell phone plans, but when you get to sub 10 GBs, there are other carriers out there, like Tello Mobile and Ting Mobile, that have fantastic value for low-data cell phone plans. You can get 1 GB and unlimited talk/text for less than 10 dollars with these providers! The downside to these is that their most robust cell phone plans only offer 20-30 GB of high-speed data. Regardless of your choice, there are always trade offs!  

We’d recommend checking your data usage before committing to a plan.

Want to compare other carriers?

Really.com helps users compare between features, coverage, price, 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

How do Verizon Wireless and Simple Mobile compare in terms of coverage?

Verizon Wireless offers extensive coverage across the U.S., often rated as the best for rural areas. Simple Mobile, using T-Mobile’s network, also provides strong coverage, particularly in urban areas. Check the coverage maps for both providers in your specific location to see which offers better service.

What are the main differences between Verizon Wireless and Simple Mobile’s cell phone plans?

Verizon Wireless offers a variety of plans, including unlimited data options, family plans, and plans with premium features like streaming subscriptions and international calling. Simple Mobile provides more budget-friendly plans with no contracts, focusing on flexibility and affordability. Review both providers’ plan details to find one that fits your needs.

How does the quality of customer service compare between Verizon Wireless and Simple Mobile?

Verizon Wireless is known for its comprehensive customer service, offering multiple support channels including phone, chat, and in-store assistance. Simple Mobile, as a prepaid carrier, may have more limited support options. Consider customer reviews and your personal preference for customer service when choosing between them.

Are there significant differences in data speeds between Verizon Wireless and Simple Mobile?

Verizon Wireless generally offers higher data speeds and better performance due to its extensive infrastructure. Simple Mobile, while utilizing T-Mobile’s network, may experience data deprioritization during peak times, affecting speed. If high-speed data is crucial for you, Verizon might be the better choice.

What should I consider regarding international roaming with Verizon Wireless and Simple Mobile?

Verizon Wireless offers comprehensive international roaming options, often included in their premium plans, allowing seamless connectivity abroad. Simple Mobile also provides international plans but may have more limited coverage and higher costs. Check the international offerings of both providers if you travel frequently.

Which carrier offers better value for money, Verizon Wireless or Simple Mobile?

The value depends on your specific needs. Verizon Wireless tends to be more expensive but includes premium features, robust coverage, and high data speeds. Simple Mobile offers more affordable, no-contract plans, making it a good choice for budget-conscious users who still want reliable service. Evaluate your budget, desired features, and coverage needs to decide which offers better value for you.