Visible vs. Verizon: Which carrier is better?

Visible and Verizon are popular carriers that offer great 5G services across the country. 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 

Coverage & Reception

Visible is on the Verizon network. 

Visible is a mobile virtual network operator, or an MVNO. 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. 

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.

Plan Options

Both Visible and Verizon offer premium data. 

Like most plans you’ll see on the market, both carriers offer unlimited talk and texting options with any plan you choose. Both companies offer premium data, which does not slow down no matter the amount of network traffic. Both companies also 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.

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

This plan is always depriotized.

Like most plans you’ll see on the market, Visible’s base plan has unlimited talk and text. 

Visible Base also has unlimited data with no cap – meaning you have truly unlimited data that never slows down no matter how much you use. However, the Visible base plan is always deprioritized. Your data and connection will slow down at any point of high traffic in your area. 

The plan also includes unlimited mobile hotspot data. Again, your data is deprioritized and may slow down in times of high network traffic. 

The plan costs $25 per month. 

Visible +

This plan gives you 50GB of premium data, then unlimited deprioritized data. 

Visible + gives you access to Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network, which is their network for premium data. As such, the 50GB of premium data you get with this plan will not slow down no matter how much network traffic in your area. After you use the 50GB, your data is unlimited – but subjected to the same deprioritization as the other plan. The mobile hotspot is also premium data for the first 50GB, then deprioritized after. 

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.

Verizon Plans

Verizon offers unlimited data with all of their postpaid plans.

Verizon offers 3 postpaid plans: myPlan Unlimited Welcome, myPlan Unlimited Plus, and myPlan Unlimited Ultimate. They all offer unlimited data, but at different prioritization levels. One offers unlimited deprioritized data, while the others offer unlimited premium data. The Unlimited Plus and Ultimate plans have a QCI level of 8, while Unlimited Welcome has a QCI level 9. 

You can have up to 12 lines on one Verizon plan account. Devices bought from Verizon are locked for the first 60 days after activation. Their postpaid plans renew monthly, and taxes and fees are not included with the advertised price. 

myPlan Unlimited Welcome

This plan offers unlimited, but deprioritized, data. 

This plan offers unlimited data, but your connections are subjected to deprioritization. You may experience slower speeds when in high traffic areas. The plan does not come with hotspot access, but 100GB of hotspot data can be bought as an additional add-on for $10 per month. 

The plan costs $70 per month for one line normally, and $60 per month with the Autopay discount. 

myPlan Unlimited Plus 

This plan gives you unlimited premium data. 

This plan offers unlimited premium data, which means users can use however much they want without experiencing slower speeds. The plan also includes 30GB of hotspot data, which is also premium. However, your hotspot data will be deprioritized after 30GB. The 100GB add-on is also available to include with this plan. 

The plan costs $75 per month normally, and $65 per month with the Autopay discount. 

myPlan Unlimited Ultimate 

This plan gives you unlimited premium data. 

This is Verizon’s newest and biggest plan, and it offers unlimited premium data every month. You also get 60GB of premium hotspot data, but your hotspot data becomes deprioritized after you hit that limit. 

This plan costs $85 per month without the $10 Autopay discount, which would bring the price to $75 per month.

Features

Visible offers more features included with their plans.

If you’re looking for a plan with more included features, such as international connection or domestic roaming data, it’s best to compare carriers with what they offer. Visible has more features included with their plans, while Verizon requires users to pay an additional fee for add-ons.

Domestic Roaming Data

Visible and Verizon both offer domestic roaming data on their plans. 

Mexico & Canada Connection

Visible offers talk and text in Mexico and Canada. However, Visible does not include roaming data for Mexico and Canada with Visible Base. Visible + includes roaming data that slows down to 2G speeds after 0.5GB each day. Verizon includes talk, text, and 2GB of data per day in Mexico and Canada with their postpaid plans. 

International Connection

Visible does not give you international roaming data. However, Visible + gives you international talk and text. Visible Base does not offer this feature. Verizon offers an add-on for 3 Travel Pass days per month for Welcome and Plus, but Ultimate offers international talk, text, and data included.

Video Streaming Quality

Visible’s plans stream at 480p Standard Definition. The myPlan Unlimited Welcome plan by Verizon streams at 480p Standard Definition, while the myPlan Unlimited Plus and Ultimate plans stream at 4k Ultra High Definition.

Streaming Services

Visible does not offer this feature. Verizon offers several add-ons to their plans for Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and Apple One, which includes Apple TV+. They also offer a +Play add-on, which allows you to use credit to choose between several streaming services like Max and Netflix. They also have an add on for Walmart+, which includes a Paramount+ membership. Each is $10 per month.

Music Services

Verizon includes several add-ons for Apple Music Family and AppleOne, which includes Apple Music. Each add-on is $10 per month. Visible does not offer this feature. 

Gaming Services

Verizon offers an add-on for +Play, allowing you to sign up for an XBox Game Pass. They also offer an Apple One add-on, which includes Apple Arcade. Visible does not offer this feature. 

Cloud Storage

Visible does not offer this feature. Verizon offers an add-on for 2 terabytes (TB) of Cloud Storage for $10 per month, as well as an add-on for AppleOne, which includes iCloud+. 

Device Financing

If you buy a phone from Verizon, the carrier allows you to pay for your device in installments over time. Visible does not offer this feature. 

WiFi Calling

Both carriers offer WiFi calling, which allows you to send and receive phone calls over a WiFi connection rather than cellular reception. 

Spam Protection

Visible offers spam protection on both of their plans, which blocks spam calls and protects you from potential fraud. Verizon offers call filtering and spam protection through their Call Filter program, but the app must be installed and enabled to work. 

Free Trial

Visible offers a 15 day free trial. Verizon does not offer this feature.   

Customer Service 

Visible does not have physical stores, leaving all of their customer service to online support. Verizon offers thousands of stores across the country, as well as online customer support. 

Visible is a digital-only carrier, meaning they only offer customer support online. Visible offers 24/7 chat support from a live agent. Verizon offers thousands of locations across the country, and you can find the closest store to you with their store locator. For support over the phone, call 1-800-837-4966 or 1-800-VERIZON. Customer support is also available over chat on their website and through Facebook Messenger. 

The Verdict

Visible offers the better deal overall.  

It’s hard to beat Visible’s prices, even if you’re looking for premium data. As Ericcson Mobility said, the average phone user uses only 20GB of data per month, so you can save hundreds of dollars per year with either of Visible’s plans with included features. However, if you want absolutely everything you can get out of a phone plan, such as streaming discounts and Apple Music subscriptions, Verizon is still a decent choice. 

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

Want to compare other carriers?

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