By
Moe Long Senior Writer
Updated

Best Overall
Verizon Unlimited Plus
4.5 out of 5 overall

Unlimited Plus - $75/month

  • 5G Ultra Wideband support
  • 10GB mobile hotspot
  • 4K UHD video streaming
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Best Value
T Mobile
4 out of 5 overall

15GB Prepaid Plan - $15/month

  • Generous monthly data allowance
  • Nationwide 5G
  • Attractive autopay discount
View Details
Best Family Plan
T Mobile
4.5 out of 5 overall

Unlimited (price varies per line)

  • Excellent multi-line discounts
  • Unlimited talk, text, and data
  • Nationwide 5G speeds

Verizon boasts the best overall 4G LTE coverage out of the big three carriers (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile), but its plans don’t come cheap. However, an adage says you get what you pay for—which holds true for Verizon. To give your wallet a break, a prepaid plan lets you experience the same superb service at significant savings. 

Our favorite Verizon prepaid plans include:

When curating our picks for the best Verizon prepaid plans we crunched data, analyzed plans, and performed hands-on testing. Our criteria included price, perks, monthly data allowance, multi-line discounts, and 5G connectivity. See below all of Verizon's prepaid plans at a glance:

HINT: Get the same Verizon coverage for half the price

Many people don't realize that you can get the exact same coverage as you would from a Verizon plan by going with a much cheaper MVNO, a smaller carrier that runs on Verizon's network. Visible offers unlimited everything with Big Red's 4G and 5G coverage for just $25/month. We especially love that you can opt for unlimited premium data at 5G speeds and global calling benefits, for just a few bucks more.

Best Verizon Prepaid Unlimited Plan

Verizon | Unlimited Plus | $70/mo ($60/mo discounted)

Verizon’s best overall unlimited plan is the Unlimited Plus tier. It gives you unlimited talk, text, and data plus a 25GB hotspot allocation of 5G or 4G LTE data before speeds slow to 600Kbps.

The Unlimited Plus tier includes Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband (UWB) network, which utilizes high-band, ultra-wide millimeter wave spectrum technology for low-latency, blisteringly fast mobile internet. What does this mean for you? Smoother cloud gaming, improved streaming video quality, and quicker web browsing on mobile internet. Because Verizon’s Unlimited Plus package includes Ultra Wideband 5G, we recommend it over the slightly cheaper Unlimited tier, which is limited to nationwide 5G.

Disappointingly, 5G nationwide (non-UWB) and 4G LTE video streaming are capped at 480p or DVD quality. Only 5G Ultra Wideband features 4K ultra-high definition (UHD) streaming. Additionally, there’s a risk of deprioritized data at any time. It may be harder to stream music, pull up a ticket online at the airport, or watch a YouTube video with peak network congestion. Still, we like its access to Ultra Wideband 5G. As Verizon’s 5G network continues to expand, you’ll only benefit more.

  • Pros: 5G Ultra Wideband support, unlimited 5G UWB mobile hotspot data (25GB nationwide 5G/4G LTE data followed by 600Kbps), unlimited calling/messaging/data, calling to Canada/Mexico/Guam and more, unlimited texting to over 200 international locations
  • Cons: Data deprioritization at any time, video capped at 480p (DVD quality) on 5G nationwide/4G LTE
view plan

Verizon | Unlimited | $60/mo ($50/mo discounted)

Verizon’s prepaid Unlimited offering is a great choice for a buffet of data that doesn't break the bank. You'll get unlimited talk, text, and data with 5GB of mobile hotspot. 

Unlike Unlimited Plus, you don't get 5G UWB data, instead only enjoying 5G nationwide. But since Verizon has the smallest 5G footprint, that's not a huge issue. If you just want to stream your favorite Taylor Swift albums on Spotify, read articles by kind of ok WhistleOut writers (like yours truly), and post pet pictures to Instagram, Unlimited is a solid choice.

  • Pros: Unlimited talk/text/data, 5GB mobile hotspot allowance
  • Cons: No 5G UWB, 480p video streaming on mobile internet
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Use our Verizon coverage map to view network service in your location.

Best Value Verizon Prepaid Plan

Verizon | 15GB Prepaid Plan | $45/mo ($35/mo discounted)

Want to save big with Verizon? Its 15GB prepaid smartphone plan gives you ample data and is significantly cheaper than the prepaid Unlimited or Unlimited Plus packages. Normally, the 15GB prepaid plan goes for $45/month, but taking advantage of auto-pay and loyalty discounts lowers that to an ultra-affordable $35/month. Verizon’s 15GB prepaid plan includes unlimited talk and messaging, along with mobile hotspot that uses data from your total monthly pool on this plan. You’ll enjoy nationwide 5G, though not 5G UWB, and streaming video is capped at DVD quality (480p).

We wish Verizon’s 15GB prepaid tier included dedicated mobile hotspot data. But its affordability—especially with auto-pay and loyalty discounts—makes it a compelling plan if it’s enough data for you.

  • Pros: 15GB high-speed data, nationwide 5G, unlimited talk/text, unlimited calling/messaging to Canada/Mexico/Puerto Rico and other countries, international texting
  • Cons: DVD quality video streaming, no dedicated mobile hotspot data, lacks 5G UWB
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Check out the best Verizon cell phone plans overall.

Best Cheap Verizon Prepaid Plan

Verizon | Talk & Text Prepaid Plan | $35/mo ($30/mo discounted)

Verizon's Talk & Text prepaid smartphone plan is Big Red's cheapest option and a cost-effective choice for low and no-data users. It's pretty barebones and includes just calling and messaging. If you don't use any data, or are always on Wi-Fi, Verizon's prepaid Talk & Text package is a good pick. 

However, for the price, you can get a much cheaper no-data cell phone plan by going with a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). For instance, US Mobile, Tello, and Twigby all have less expensive no-data mobile plans. But if you want to go with the mothership, this is your cheapest prepaid plan. 

  • Pros: Talk and text only, affordable
  • Cons: More affordable plans available from MVNOs
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Use our guide to the best prepaid cell phone plans to pick our service that’s right for you.

Best Verizon Prepaid Family Plan

Verizon | Unlimited Prepaid Plan | Pricing varies

Want to sign the whole fam up for Verizon? There’s good news—Verizon allows you to take advantage of multi-line discounts on any of its prepaid plans. For the most savings, we recommend the Unlimited tier as the best Verizon prepaid family plan.

While the Unlimited tier is usually $70/month for a single line, there’s a $20/line discount for each additional line up to 10 lines. So for two lines, you’d pay $120, $170 for three lines, and $220 for four lines. That’s significant savings, and the more lines you add, the better discount you’ll enjoy. Pricing still isn’t cheap, but you do benefit from America’s best network coverage.

  • Pros: Unlimited talk/text/data, significant multi-line savings, up to 5G speeds, mobile hotspot data support, unlimited calling/messaging to Mexico/Canada and more
  • Cons: No 5G UWB, mobile hotspot costs extra (but includes 10GB of 5G data), DVD-quality streaming
view plan


Take a look at our best family cell phone plans guide and hook your whole fam up with great service.

Hidden hack: Save more with Visible

Want to enjoy Verizon coverage without paying high carrier prices? Consider Visible wireless. Since Verizon powers Visible, you’ll appreciate excellent 4G LTE signals. Additionally, Visible boasts unlimited data starting at a low $25/month price.

Choosing Visible over Verizon nets you significant savings if you can live with a few minor caveats. These include being susceptible to data deprioritization at any time on the $25 plan (with a unlimited guaranteed high-speed data on the $35 and $45 plans) and mobile hotspot speeds that are capped at 5Mbps. Nevertheless, Visible’s attractively priced unlimited plans are a good deal when compared to Verizon’s prepaid unlimited package.

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Prepaid vs. Postpaid Plans


Prepaid vs. postpaid service
Plan Type Outright device ownership Switching carriers Monthly phone bill affordability Upfront cost Free or discounted device Early device upgrades
Postpaid - - -
Prepaid - - -

Non-contract plans can be pretty enticing. Benefits of a prepaid plan include:

However, there are a few downsides to prepaid plans:

  • No early upgrades
  • Higher cost upfront
  • Free phones are not common

On the flip side, a carrier contract provides several advantages:

  • Upfront savings
  • Device installment plans
  • Upgrades before paying off your phone

Of course, there are some disadvantages to having a contract:

  • Typically locked in for 18+ months
  • Pricier monthly phone bill
  • Must pay off the phone before changing carriers
  • Won’t own the phone outright

Best Verizon Prepaid Plans FAQs

Does Verizon have prepaid plans?

Verizon does offer prepaid plans. Our favorite Verizon non-contract plans include the Unlimited Plus tier, 15GB data plan, talk-and-text-only plan, and Unlimited package.

Can I bring my own device to a prepaid Verizon plan?

While Verizon provides excellent deals on devices, you can bring your own device to a Verizon prepaid plan. As long as it’s unlocked and compatible with Verizon’s bands, you should be able to activate it without issue.

Which Verizon prepaid plans come with hotspot data?

Verizon's Unlimited Plus and Unlimited prepaid plans come with unlimited mobile hotspot data. The 15GB prepaid plan offers mobile hotspot support, but usage comes out of your monthly data pool. 

What discounts are available with prepaid service?

There are two main discounts available with prepaid service: an AutoPay deal and loyalty incentive. Signing up for AutoPay automatically lowers your monthly phone bill by $5/month. With loyalty discounts, you'll save $5/month for months four through nine with a Verizon prepaid plan. Beginning with month 10, you'll enjoy a $10/month loyalty discount. Together, AutoPay and loyalty discounts can lower your bill by up to $15/month total.

What do Verizon prepaid plans include?

Every Verizon prepaid plan includes unlimited talk and text plus unlimited texting to more than 200 worldwide locations. There's also 5G support across the board. All plans support mobile hotspot. However, only Unlimited Plus offers all-you-can-use hotspot data. It comes out of your total data pool on the 15 GB monthly plan.

Can I switch my prepaid account to a standard account or my standard account to a prepaid account?

You can absolutely switch your Verizon service from a prepaid to postpaid account and vice versa. What you'll need to do is Verizon's sales department and inquire about converting your prepaid account to postpaid, or the reverse.

How good is Verizon’s coverage?

Verizon offers exceptional coverage. Its 4G LTE network blankets 70% of the United States. While Verizon’s 5G service leaves a bit to be desired—spanning just 11% of the nation—its superb 4G LTE signal strength in rural areas and cities alike makes it a solid carrier.

Moe Long

Senior Writer

Moe Long
Moe is a Senior Staff Writer with a passion for all things tech. As a writer and editor for over a decade, he specializes in researching and testing smartphones, gaming devices, and connected smart home systems. He’s been featured in publications including MakeUseOf, SmartHomeBeginner, TechBeacon, and more.

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