Visible vs. Tracfone: Which carrier is better?

Visible and Tracfone are prepaid carriers that offer great prices on their plans. Each carrier has its positives and negatives, but which offers better phone plans? Let’s put them head to head and see which brand comes out on top. 

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 prices of their plans compare to how much data you get
• The features each carrier offers for their plans 

Unsure of what you need out of a plan? Check out our guide on how to choose the best phone plan or even check out an amazing pros and cons of Visible article we recently wrote.

Coverage & Reception

Visible is on the Verizon network, while Tracfone uses all three big networks.

Visible and Tracfone are mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs. This means that they purchase service access wholesale from one of the three major networks that own infrastructure across the country – AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile – giving customers service at a much cheaper price. Visible is an MVNO of Verizon, while Tracfone uses all three big networks. If you choose Tracfone, you can pick which network you want to use.

Often, the quality of coverage comes down to your area. One carrier’s coverage may be better in New York, while another’s coverage may be better in California. It’s important to compare between providers on a coverage map of your specific city. Ookla’s coverage map allows you to see where cellular towers are located and which company owns them. This coverage map provides information about coverage from 2G to 5G for several providers.

However, T-Mobile’s 5G coverage and access is hailed as the best coverage overall. 

Plan Options

Visible offers truly unlimited data, and Tracfone offers limited talk, text, and data options. 

Like most plans you’ll see on the market, both carriers offer unlimited talk and texting options to choose from. However, Tracfone also offers limited talk and text options. Visible offers premium data, which does not slow down no matter the amount of network traffic. Both companies deprioritize data, meaning you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas.

Visible Plans

Both Visible plans offer unlimited data. 

Visible only offers 2 plans – Visible Base and Visible+. Visible+ offers more features as well as premium data. Both plans offer a hotspot, with the data coming from your overall plan data. As an MVNO on Verizon’s network, Visible is on QCI tiers 8 and 9. Visible+ has higher priority for its 50GB of premium data, tier 8, which will be further explained below. Visible Base is on tier 9. Want some more info on Visible? Check out our Visible Wireless Pros and Cons article for a longer look into this awesome MVNO.

It’s also important to note that Visible is a single line carrier – meaning you can only have one phone on an account. If you’re buying a plan for your family or with your significant other, you need to make separate accounts with separate plans for everyone. 

If you purchase your phone from Visible, your device will be locked for the first 60 days after activation. Both plans they offer renew monthly, and taxes and fees are included with the advertised price. 

Visible Base

Visible’s base plan offers unlimited talk, text, and data on Verizon’s 5G and 4G LTE networks for just $25 per month. There are no data caps, but your speeds may be deprioritized during times of network congestion. For most users, this is a great option that balances affordability and reliable performance, especially if you're not in a high-traffic area. The plan also includes unlimited mobile hotspot usage, with speeds capped at 5 Mbps—perfect for basic tasks like browsing and messaging.

The plan costs $25 per month. 

Visible+

For $45 per month, the Visible+ plan provides all the perks of the base plan, plus 50 GB of premium data, ensuring faster speeds without deprioritization even during busy times. This plan also grants access to Verizon’s ultra-fast 5G Ultra Wideband network. In addition, Visible+ includes international calling to over 30 countries and texting to 200+ countries, making it ideal for frequent travelers or those who need enhanced connectivity.

At this rate, you get the 50GB of premium data at $0.90 per GB. 

The plan costs $45 per month, with a $10 welcome discount for the first month.

Does Visible sound promising? We’re glad to hear it! If, however, you are more interested in a major wireless network, many offer prepaid and postpaid options. There are various pros and cons of prepaid and postpaid plan options. Both Visible and Tracfone are prepaid plans, making them great options for those interested in shying away from 

Prepaid and postpaid plans each offer distinct advantages and drawbacks. Prepaid plans are ideal for those seeking flexibility, as there are no contracts, and they don’t require credit checks. With prepaid, you pay upfront, which gives full control over spending and eliminates the risk of surprise bills. However, these plans often come with fewer perks, such as streaming subscriptions or device financing, and often come with limited high-speed data. Paying upfront is definitely a drawback for prepaid plans. 

On the other hand, postpaid plans provide access to premium features like device financing, priority customer support, and bundled perks. These plans often offer higher data caps and better speed tiers, along with family plan options to reduce total costs. However, they usually require a credit check and may lock users into long-term contracts. It is important to look into the meat of any plan, be it prepaid or postpaid, to find the one that makes the most sense for you. 

Want a quick look into the difference between prepaid and postpaid plan options? Check out our article discussing the differences between AT&T and AT&T Prepaid for more info!

Tracfone Plans

Tracfone doesn’t offer unlimited plans. 

Tracfone offers 12 different limited plans with varying amounts of minutes, texts, and data. Some plans offer multiple months of service, ranging from 2 to 12 months. All Tracfone plans include rollover capabilities, so any unused minutes, texts, and data will roll over to the next month of service. Their service is on QCI tier 9 on Verizon, tier 8 on AT&T, and tier 7 on T-Mobile.

It’s important to note that the Autopay discount with any plan you choose only lasts for the first 2 months of service. Afterwards, service will be at full price. 

You can get up to 5 lines on a Tracfone plan. If you purchase your phone from Tracfone, your device will be locked for 60 days on the Verizon Network and 12 months on T-Mobile or AT&T after activation. The plans they offer renew at varying times, and taxes and fees are not included in the advertised price. Tracfone, like any other company, has its strengths and weaknesses. Want to learn more? Check out our Tracfone Pros and Cons article for more information!

No Data

This plan gives you unlimited talk and text. 

Like the title suggests, this plan doesn’t offer any data. You do, however, get unlimited talk and text each month without any limits. 

The plan costs $15 per month, and $10 with the 2 month Autopay discount. 

500MB Monthly 

This plan offers limited talk, text, and data. 

This is the smallest plan Tracfone offers because you get 500 minutes, 500 texts, and 500MB of full speed data each month. Access stops at the cap, and the plan doesn’t include hotspot access.  

The plan costs $15 per month, and $14.25 with Autopay. At full price, you get 500MB at $30 per GB. 

500MB 2 Months 

This plan gives you half a gigabyte each month. 

This plan offers 500 minutes, 1000 texts, and 500MB of full speed data each month. Access stops once you reach your monthly cap. You pay once every 2 months, but access renews each month. 

The plan costs $25 per 2 months and $12.50 per month. It costs $23.75 with Autopay. At this rate, you get 2GB at $6.25 per GB. 

1GB 2 Months

This plan gives you limited talk, text, and data. 

This plan gives you 750 minutes, 1000 texts, and 1GB of full speed data each month. Your access for these stops at the cap. You pay once every 2 months, but access renews each month. 

The plan costs $35 per 2 months, and $17.50 per month. It costs $33.25 with Autopay. 

1.5GB 3 Months 

This plan does not give you an Autopay discount.

This plan gives you 750 minutes, 1000 texts, and 1.5GB of full speed data each month. Access stops once you hit these caps. You pay once every 3 months and access renews each month. 

The plan costs $45 per 3 months and $15 per month. At this rate, you get 1.5GB per month at $10 per GB. 

1.5GB Annual

This plan does not give you an Autopay discount.

This version of the plan gives you 1500 minutes and 1500 texts. You also get 1.5GB per month. Once you hit the caps, access stops until the next month. You pay once per year and access renews each month. 

The plan costs $125 per year, and $10.42 per month. You get 1.5GB per month at $6.95 per GB. 

2GB Monthly

You pay monthly with this version. 

This plan includes unlimited talk and text and 2GB of data. Data stops at the cap, and it does not offer hotspot access. 

The plan costs $20 per month at full price, and $15 with the Autopay discount. At full price, you pay $10 per GB. 

2GB 3 Months 

This plan does not give you an Autopay discount.

Unlike the other version of this plan, you get 750 minutes and 1500 texts each month. You also get 2GB of data. However, all of your access stops at these limits.

The plan costs $50 per 3 months, and $16.67 per month. At this rate, you get 2GB at $8.33 per GB. 

3GB 

This plan doesn’t give you hotspot access.

The 3GB plan gives you 3GB of full speeds, but no hotspot access. Again, you get unlimited talk and text.

The plan costs $25 per month, and $20 with Autopay. At full price, you pay $8.33 per GB. 

5GB 

This plan gives you full speeds. 

The 5GB plan gives you 5GB of full speed data as well as unlimited talk and text. 

The plan costs $30 per month, and $25 with Autopay. At full price, you pay $6 per GB. 

10GB 

This plan gives you unlimited talk and text. 

This plan gives you 10GB at full speeds and unlimited talk and text each month. You don’t get hotspot access, and data stops at the cap. 

The plan costs $40 per month at full price, and $35 with the 2 month Autopay discount. At full price, you pay $4 per GB.