Visible vs. Verizon Wireless: Plans, Pricing, Data and More

Whether you’re looking for a way to save money on your cell phone bill or you’re trying to decide if it’s best for you to stick to one of The Big Three, you may be weighing the differences between Verizon Wireless and Visible.

In this article, I’ll take a close look at Verizon Wireless and Verizon-owned Visible to help you determine which service provider offers the best plan for you.

I’ve researched hundreds of phone plans and have tested out several service providers (including Visible and other Verizon-owned MVNOs) to compare the features that matter most.

Visible vs. Verizon Wireless: Which Should You Get?

Verizon Wireless is a well-known cell phone service provider. In fact, it’s one of “The Big Three” along with T-Mobile and AT&T. Verizon offers four different 5G unlimited data plans and four prepaid plans. 

Visible is a smaller, more affordable option with the same network coverage. It’s actually owned by Verizon Wireless.

Visible offers two different prepaid unlimited data phone plans, though they come with fewer benefits than you’ll get with a postpaid plan.

When you’re trying to decide which cell phone service provider to use, consider your needs first. Are you looking for the cheapest unlimited option? Visible. The best international features? Verizon. 

In this guide, I’ll walk through the key features that you should consider when deciding between Visible and Verizon Wireless. 

Table of Contents:

• Plans and Pricing
• Data
• Mobile Hotspot
• Coverage
• International Features
• Family Plans
• Phone Selection
• Final Thoughts
  

Below, you’ll find direct comparisons between Visible and Verizon Wireless to help you decide which option is right for you.

Plans and Pricing

One of the most important things to consider is whether your cell phone provider offers a plan that meets your needs. 

Visible offers two cell phone plans: Visible and Visible+. Both include unlimited talk, text and data with access to Verizon’s 4G/LTE and 5G nationwide networks. Visible plans range from $30-$45 per month with taxes and fees included. 

Verizon offers four different 5G unlimited plans. Like Visible, these plans include unlimited talk, text and data. They offer access to the same 4G/LTE and 5G nationwide networks plus Verizon’s 5G “Ultra Wideband” network. They also include additional streaming and storage. Verizon’s plans cost $70-$90 monthly plus taxes and fees for one line. 

In the table below, you can see a full list of Visible’s cell phone plans as well as Verizon’s 5G unlimited plans (with an autopay discount included).

Plan	Data Deprioritization	Price	Multi-Line Discounts	Mobile Hotspot	Benefits
Visible	Anytime	$30 (taxes & fees included)	No	Unlimited with speeds up to 5Mbps	Spam Protection
Visible+	After 50GB	$45 (taxes & fees included)	No	Unlimited with speeds up to 5Mbps	Spam Protection
Verizon 5G Start	Anytime	$70 (taxes & fees extra)	2 lines for $60 3 lines for $45 4 lines for $35 5+ lines for $30	5GB high-speed data before unlimited reduced speeds	6 months of Disney+, discovery+, Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass and Apple Music Spam Protection
Verizon 5G Do More	After 50GB	$80 (taxes & fees extra)	2 lines for $70 3 lines for $55 4 lines for $45 5+ lines for $40	25GB high-speed data before unlimited reduced speeds	6 months of Disney+, discovery+, Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass and Apple Music Verizon Cloud 600GB Spam Protection
Verizon 5G Play More	After 50GB	$80 (taxes & fees extra)	2 lines for $70 3 lines for $55 4 lines for $45 5+ lines for $40	25GB high-speed data before unlimited reduced speeds	Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass 6 months of discovery+ and Apple Music Spam Protection
Verizon 5G Get More	After 50GB	$90 (taxes & fees extra)	2 lines for $80 3 lines for $65 4 lines for $55 5+ lines for $50	50GB high-speed data before unlimited reduced speeds	Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass Apple Music Verizon Cloud 600GB Spam Protection

As you can see, Visible offers cheaper plans for one line but no multi-line discounts. Additionally, Visible’s plan price includes taxes and fees. You can learn more about Visible’s plans and pricing in our full review.

However, Visible doesn’t offer high-speed mobile hotspot. Plus, Verizon plans offer more benefits and options with four different 5G unlimited plans. 

In addition to Version’s 5G unlimited plans, Verizon offers a One Unlimited for iPhone plan exclusively for Apple customers. It costs $90 per month and includes unlimited premium network access as well as Apple One connectivity (Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and iCloud+). Verizon also offers a Welcome Unlimited plan for $65 per month with unlimited access to 5G Nationwide data. You can check out the details of each plan on Verizon’s website.

It’s worth mentioning that Verizon also offers a selection of prepaid plans. Verizon Prepaid plans range from $40 to $75 per month and offer 5GB of data to unlimited data, though deprioritization can occur anytime. You can check out the details of Verizon Prepaid plans here.

Data

When it comes to data, you’ll find a variety of unlimited options between Visible and Verizon. However, not all of these unlimited plans offer access to the same type of data: Customers may experience deprioritization (slower speeds) at different times. 

In the table in the above section, you can see when deprioritization may occur for customers on each plan. For Visible’s basic plan and Verizon 5G Start, deprioritization may happen at any time when there’s heavy traffic on the network.

Visible+, Verizon 5G Do More, Play More and Get More plans offer 50GB of high-speed access to Verizon’s 5G Nationwide and 4G/LTE networks before deprioritization. Once customers on these plans have used 50GB of data, they may notice slower speeds during times of congestion. 

Verizon 5G Get More is the only plan that offers truly unlimited access to high-speed data where customers’ data cannot be deprioritized based on usage. If you need truly unlimited high-speed data, Verizon 5G Get More is the best plan for you.

However, all of Verizon’s 5G unlimited plans (Start Unlimited excluded) as well as Visible+ offer access to Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network, which is different than Verizon’s Nationwide 5G network. If you’re using a 5G Ultra Wideband-capable device and inside a 5G Ultra Wideband coverage area, you’ll have access to Verizon’s fastest premium data on any of these plans. 

According to Verizon’s website, here’s the difference between 5G Ultra Wideband and 5G nationwide: 

• 5G Ultra Wideband is Verizon’s highest-performing 5G. The network uses a high-band (mmWave) and mid-band (C-band) spectrum to deliver a faster 5G experience. 5G Ultra Wideband provides speeds up to 10 times faster than 5G Nationwide.
• 5G Nationwide is the everyday 5G available across the country. This service uses a low-band spectrum to provide solid coverage with performance comparable to 4G LTE.

To find out whether or not you live in a 5G Ultra Wideband-covered area, check out the coverage section later in this article.

Mobile Hotspot

With a mobile hotspot, you can share cellular data with nearby devices like other phones, laptops and tablets. Fortunately, all of Visible and Verizon’s plans offer unlimited mobile hotspot. Of course, the meaning of “unlimited” varies from one plan to the next. 

First, we’ll take a closer look at Visible’s plans. Both Visible and Visible+ include unlimited mobile hotspot, but both plans have max data speed caps at 5Mbps. 

The difference between the two plans is deprioritization. With Visible’s basic plan, you may notice slower mobile hotspot speeds at any time. Visible+ offers 50GB of premium data before deprioritization. 

Verizon also offers unlimited mobile hotspot with each 5G Unlimited Plan. Verizon 5G Start Unlimited includes 5GB of premium mobile hotspot before unlimited lower-speed data. With this plan, speeds are limited to 500Kbps after 5GB and customers may notice lower speeds when the network is congested. 

Verizon’s Play More and Do More plans include 25GB of premium mobile hotspot before decreased speeds. If you’re on a 5G Ultra Wideband capable device and in an area with Ultra Wideband coverage, speeds will be limited to 3Mbps. On Verizon’s 5G Nationwide or 4G/LTE network, speeds will be limited to 600Kbps. 

Finally, Verizon’s top-tier Get More Unlimited Plan includes 50GB of premium mobile hotspot data. After 50GB, customers may experience deprioritization and speeds will be limited to 3Mbps or 600Kbps depending on the network. 

Ultimately, all of Visible and Verizon’s plans offer unlimited mobile hotspot. However, each plan offers a different amount of premium data. Verizon’s plans offer faster speeds and a higher allotment of premium data on average. However, you’ll also find 50GB of premium hotspot data (with max 5Mbps speeds) with Visible+. 

Coverage

Visible and Verizon offer access to the same towers. That means that your coverage is going to be about the same with either cell phone service provider. 

I checked out each provider’s coverage map. Here, you can see a screenshot of Verizon Wireless’ coverage map with covered areas colored in and red indicators where you’ll find Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband coverage: 

To see if you’ll have coverage in your area with Verizon, visit the Verizon Wireless website and enter your address or ZIP code on the interactive map. 

Visible also offers an interactive map online that shows seemingly identical coverage. Below, you can see a screenshot of Visible’s coverage map: 

To see if you’ll be covered before switching to Visible, enter your address or ZIP code on Visible’s coverage map online.

International Features

Almost all of Visible and Verizon’s plans include unlimited talk and text from the United States to Mexico and Canada. Visible’s basic plan is the only plan from either provider that doesn’t offer unlimited talk, text and data roaming in Mexico and Canada. With Visible+, data speeds are reduced to 2GB after 0.5GB/day when connecting outside of the U.S. 

All of Verizon’s plans also include unlimited talk, text and data when traveling in Mexico and Canada. Data speeds are reduced to 2G after 0.5GB/day when connecting outside of the U.S. as well. Verizon’s plans all include international texting from the U.S. to over 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Unlike Visible, Verizon does offer a few international add-on options. You can get a TravelPass for $10 per line per day plus taxes and fees. It allows you to use your phone just like you do in the states with unlimited calling, texting and 4G/LTE data. Verizon’s 5G Do More and 5G Get More Plans include 1 TravelPass day per month accumulating up to 12 days each year.

You can learn more about Verizon’s TravelPass online. You can also check out more of Verizon’s international add-on options including an international monthly plan for $100 on Verizon’s website.

As you can see, Verizon offers better options for international roaming outside of North America. However, if you just need roaming in Mexico and/or Canada, Visible’s basic plan is the only option that doesn’t include it. Still, you can expect reduced speeds in Mexico and Canada with any of these plans unless you use a TravelPass with Verizon.

Family Plans

If you’re looking for a family plan, know that you won’t find any multi-line discounts with Visible. However, if you’re shopping for only two lines, you’ll likely still be able to save with two lines on Visible. 

Below, you can see much you can expect to pay per line depending on the number of lines you have on your family plan. Note that Visible prices include taxes and fees while Verizon’s taxes and fees are extra. Additionally, Verizon’s plan prices include an autopay discount.

Plan	Price Per Line for 1 Line	Price Per Line for 2 Lines	Price Per Line for 3 Lines	Price Per Line for 4 Lines	Price Per Line for 5+ Lines
Visible	$30	$30	$30	$30	$30
Visible+	$45	$45	$45	$45	$45
Verizon 5G Start More	$70	$60	$45	$35	$30
Verizon 5G Do More	$80	$70	$55	$45	$40
Verizon 5G Play More	$80	$70	$55	$45	$40
Verizon 5G Get More	$90	$80	$65	$55	$50

As you can see, Verizon offers more multi-line discounts. However, Visible still offers cheaper plans overall.

Phone Selection

Both Verizon Wireless and Visible allow you to bring your own phone to the network. As long as your phone is paid off, unlocked and compatible, this is a great way to save the most money with either provider. Follow these steps to find out if your phone is unlocked.

You can check your phone’s compatibility online using your IMEI number with Visible or Verizon Wireless. 

Alternatively, you may be looking to purchase a new phone through your service provider. Both Verizon Wireless and Visible offer a selection of phones that you can buy outright, pay on a monthly installment plan or get for “free” when you switch to the new provider. 

As of October 2022, Verizon Wireless offered 88 different smartphones. You can check out the full selection online. Of those 88 phones, 25 devices were available for free via billing credits over 36 months. 

Visible offered 38 different phones for sale. Two models were available for free with an eligible trade-in: the Visible Midnight or the Blade A3 Prime. You can check out the full selection of phones available from Visible online.

Both Verizon Wireless and Visible offer some of the newest smartphones available including the iPhone 14 series and the new Google Pixel 7.

Even if you do need a new phone, you may find a better deal elsewhere. Before you make your final choice, be sure to check out our top picks for the best places to buy unlocked phones. Once you buy an unlocked phone, you can bring it with you to Visible or Verizon Wireless to avoid buying a new one through the provider. 

Final Thoughts

To help you determine whether you should opt for Verizon Wireless or Visible, I took a closer look at seven different elements of each phone service provider including plans and pricing, data and hotspot, coverage, phone selection and more. 

After considering each of these categories, here’s where each provider came out on top: 

I didn’t highlight either phone service provider as the best for phone selection, although Verizon Wireless did offer a bigger selection as of October 2022. Instead, I recommend that you bring your own unlocked device to either phone service provider in order to save the most money. You can check your phone’s compatibility online at each provider’s website.

Ultimately, Verizon Wireless and Visible provide access to the same networks, so you get the same coverage throughout the country with either provider. You’ll also find unlimited mobile hotspots with any of Verizon or Visible’s plans. 

Finally, both Verizon and Visible offer access to Verizon’s highest-performing 5G network: 5G Ultra Wideband. However, access to 5G Ultra Wideband isn’t offered with either company’s lowest-tier plan (Visible or Verizon 5G Start Unlimited).

If you’re thinking about switching from Verizon Wireless to Visible, here’s what you’ll lose: international features, high-speed mobile hotspot, streaming and a multi-line discount. However, you’ll still have access to Verizon Wireless’s high-speed data and you’ll keep the same coverage.

I tried out Visible myself earlier this year, and you can read about my full experience here. You can also see how Verizon holds up to the other two major cell phone service providers in this unlimited plans comparison.

For more options, check out our top picks of the best Verizon MVNOs or the best overall cell phone plans available this year. If you do decide to switch providers, check out this guide that we put together to take you step-by-step through the process. 

Finally, be sure to visit the Clark.com community and check out the latest conversations around cell phones.