Written by Jeff Carlson Article updated on July 15, 2026 at 3:30 AM PDT Jeff Carlson Senior Writer Jeff Carlson writes about mobile technology for CNET. He is also the author of dozens of how-to books covering a wide spectrum ranging from Apple devices and cameras to photo editing software and PalmPilots. He drinks a lot of coffee in Seattle. Expertise mobile technology, apple devices, generative ai, photography See full bio Why You Can Trust CNET 30+ Years of Experience 35 Product Reviewers 15k Sq. Feet of Lab Space CNET staff — not advertisers, partners or business interests — determine how we review products and services. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
Verizon started the year with price cuts across its line of unlimited phone plans, and then followed that up with a new Simplicity plan that appeals to switchers who want more than the basics for less. The company has always done things a little differently. Perks such as streaming services are optional add-ons, letting you choose the ones you want, if any, but that also makes picking a plan a little more complicated than it is with other providers. We're here to recommend our favorites.
Verizon's Unlimited Welcome sounds like the happiest greeter in your favorite store or restaurant. Maybe that's because Verizon dropped the prices of its unlimited plans at the end of 2025.
Verizon introduced the Simplicity plan to appeal to customers who want unlimited phone service at a more attractive price. At $30 per month (if you bring your number to Verizon, otherwise it's $45 per month), it undercuts the company's own Unlimited Welcome cost for a single line while including features not found on the previous bargain plan.
Verizon is unique among the big carriers in that it's using 5G speed as an incentive to upgrade beyond its entry-level unlimited plan. The Unlimited Welcome plan provides as much data as you want, without throttling to a slower speed after a set amount of usage, but it's restricted to regular low-band 5G speeds — even if you have a device capable of 5G Ultra Wideband and your area supports it.
Read more: Our guide to the best cell phone plans
Numi Prasarn/CNET Photo Gallery 1/3 Numi Prasarn/CNET Best Verizon plan for most people Verizon Unlimited Welcome Pros Verizon's 4G LTE network is a strong backbone Can still get perks Can mix and match plans Three-year price guarantee Cons No access to Verizon's fastest 5G networks No hotspot data included Verizon's Unlimited Welcome sounds like the happiest greeter in your favorite store or restaurant. Maybe that's because Verizon dropped the prices of its unlimited plans at the end of 2025.
If you're looking for a bare-bones plan with just the basics, it has some compelling aspects. At the top of that list is how modular Verizon's plans are. Each person on an account can pick a different plan that suits them. And whereas other providers reserve perks such as streaming services for the higher-tier plans, you can add them piecemeal to customize what you need — typically for $10 a month for each, depending on the service.
That applies to mobile hotspot data: By itself, the plan offers no way to wirelessly share your cellular connection from your phone, but for an additional $10 you can add 100GB of data.
International options include unlimited talk and text in Canada and Mexico and 2GB of high-speed data before ratcheting down to unlimited data at 3G speeds.
However, the Unlimited Welcome plan isn't as welcome when it comes to 5G data speeds. It can only tap into regular low-band 5G. Even if you had a capable device and were within range of a midband or millimeter wave 5G signal, you wouldn't be able to take advantage of Verizon's fastest 5G Ultra Wideband (“5G UW” or “5G UWB”) speeds.
There's no set amount of high-speed data before a line is throttled, so you don't need to keep an eye on your data usage — but at the same time, this plan only supports 5G, not 5G Ultra Wideband. We also like that each person on a Verizon account can have their own plan with different perks. In a family, for example, an adult could add hotspot data (for an extra $10), but it can be left off for a child who doesn’t need it, even if both of them are on Unlimited Welcome.
Families who want to keep costs low but still have options for some perks.
Samsung Photo Gallery 1/3 Samsung Runner-up for best Verizon plan for most people Verizon Simplicity Pros Straightforward pricing Unlimited 5G/5GUW high-speed data Can get perks such as the streaming bundles as paid add-ons Includes hotspot data Only Verizon plan to offer satellite texting Cons $30 price requires bringing a phone line from another provider No per-line discount pricing for multiple lines If you switch one line to Simplicity, all lines on the account must also be switched to Simplicty Verizon introduced the Simplicity plan to appeal to customers who want unlimited phone service at a more attractive price. At $30 per month (if you bring your number to Verizon, otherwise it's $45 per month), it undercuts the company's own Unlimited Welcome cost for a single line while including features not found on the previous bargain plan.
Simplicity includes 5G Ultra Wideband (5GUW) data speeds, 10GB of high-speed hotspot data and up to 50% off the price of a line for a cellular-connected watch, tablet or other device. It's also the only Verizon plan to include satellite texting. All Verizon plans now include Verizon Dollars and the company's Verizon Shine loyalty program.
You get international roaming, unlimited calling from the US to Canada and Mexico and 2GB of high-speed data when you're traveling in those countries (which drops to unlimited data at 3G speeds after). And like all of Verizon's plans, perks such as streaming services are available as add-ons.
There are actually two other varieties of the plan: Simplicity Plus and Simplicity Pro include the same features but bundle in the cost of a new phone, which can be upgraded every year. You can also upgrade yearly on the base Simplicity plan, but for an additional monthly charge.
There are a couple of caveats worth mentioning, though. Verizon offers no discount for adding more lines, unlike its other plans. For example, four Simplicity lines would cost $120 a month, whereas four Unlimited Welcome lines cost $100 (with fewer features). But the biggest issue is that if you switch one line to Simplicity, all other lines on an account must also convert to Simplicity. One of Verizon's big selling points over the years has been the ability to mix and match its plans, so this seems out of character for the carrier.
The Simplicity plan includes high-speed 5GUW data, plus hotspot data, at a lower cost than the entry-level Unlimited Welcome plan. It's also the only plan with satellite texting. Verizon recently removed activation and upgrade fees on its plan as well.
New Verizon customers who bring their number from another carrier.
Prakhar Khanna/CNET Photo Gallery 1/3 Assistive Access is likely the most effective way to curb your phone usage. It gives you these big UI buttons within apps.
Verizon is unique among the big carriers in that it's using 5G speed as an incentive to upgrade beyond its entry-level unlimited plan. The Unlimited Welcome plan provides as much data as you want, without throttling to a slower speed after a set amount of usage, but it's restricted to regular low-band 5G speeds — even if you have a device capable of 5G Ultra Wideband and your area supports it.
The Unlimited Plus plan kicks you up to those faster speeds (Verizon says it's three times faster) for $15 more. You also get 30GB of high-speed hotspot data, which drops to 3 Mbps on 5G connections and 600 Kbps on 4G LTE. The plan also discounts up to 50% off one data plan for a cellular-capable smartwatch, tablet, separate hotspot device or Hum in-car Wi-Fi device.
For international travel, you get unlimited talk, text and data while in Canada and Mexico, and unlimited talk and text from the US to those countries. Verizon's TravelPass is automatically added, which charges $12 a day when you're in 210 countries.
As with all of Verizon's unlimited plans, this one also has a three-year price lock guarantee.
If you paid good money for a phone that can handle 5G Ultra Wideband speeds, you should be able to access them. Ultimate Plus enables that, plus hotspot data.
Verizon customers who want 5G UWB speeds and hotspot data.
Since the last major update to this guide, Verizon added the Simplicity plan to its lineup, plus its loyalty program Verizon Shine and Verizon Dollars feature .
A wireless carrier saying it offers 5G is like me saying I have a car. Good for me — but what make and model is it? Does it run reliably? Can it actually get up to the top speed or will it sputter when I try to merge onto the freeway? And could I have gotten the same performance if I'd paid less for a model without extras like heated seats and a TruCoat sealant?
As you're evaluating carriers, keep the following things in mind.
Wireless coverage can make or break a plan. If you aren't getting reliably fast connections, or if calls often drop or aren't picked up, then you could be paying for more than you're getting. Fortunately, most areas of the US are blanketed by some type of cellular coverage, so there aren't as many dead zones as there used to be. (And now satellite service is starting to fill those holes.) The major companies are also putting a lot of money and effort into broadening their coverage.
On the other hand, even in a dense area, one carrier's network may be stronger than another's, or signals could be reduced because of interference. So the best approach is to ask friends or family members which services they use and if the quality is acceptable. You can also test-drive services to see how your devices work in your area. (See the FAQ below for more on how reliable coverage maps can be.)
Another thing to keep in mind: discounts. All the carriers offer additional discounts you could be eligible for, depending on your employer, military status, student status or age. Verizon has account discounts for military personnel, veterans, first responders, nurses, teachers and students of as much as $25 a month, applied to the account.
If you're 55 or older and live in Florida (but only that state), you may qualify for the Florida 55+ Mobile Discount that saves $20 a month with one line and $30 a month with two lines. It includes unlimited talk, text and data in the US, Mexico and Canada, and accesses Verizon's network at 5G/4G LTE speeds, not 5GUW.
We cover a variety of these discounts here.
Picking a wireless plan and carrier is a highly personal process. What works for you and your family's needs may be vastly different from what your friends or neighbors are looking for. Even geographically, some areas have better Verizon coverage, while others work best on AT&T or T-Mobile. The picks we make are based on more than a decade of covering and evaluating wireless carriers, their offerings and overall performance.
Specifically, we take into account coverage, price/value and perks.
Because all three major providers cover most of the country with reliable 4G LTE or 5G, this is largely a toss-up on a macro level. It's why we recommend a variety of eSIM options (see the FAQ below about coverage maps) for figuring out what works best for you in your particular location, so you can best decide what's right for you. Looking at coverage maps on each provider's website will likely show that you get good coverage even if your experience isn't full bars or the fastest speeds.
Perks are add-ons beyond the core components of wireless service (talk, text and data). This could include bundling or discounts on streaming services, extra hotspot data or the ability to use your phone internationally.
I've gone back and forth about including the Unlimited Ultimate plan in this lineup (and not just because it's the third of three plans Verizon offers). It's the most expensive one, at $85 a month for a single line, or as low as $55 a month per line for four lines, which is $30 more than the Unlimited Welcome plan. (In fact, those prices were $5 cheaper at the beginning of 2026, and then got notched up a few months later.)
But the more apt comparison is between Unlimited Ultimate and Unlimited Plus, which is a difference of just $15 per line. That's not a stretch to add unlimited hotspot data, unlimited international talk, text and data when traveling, international calling from the US (up to 300 minutes), up to 50% off two data plans for a smartwatch or tablet, 4K video streaming and the best current phone offers when buying a phone or upgrading one.
The key is that most people won't need all this. If you travel frequently, particularly out of the US, then Unlimited Ultimate makes a lot of sense. Not having to pay separately for the daily TravelPass option is worthwhile in that case. (That's why we named it as the best plan for international travelers in our Best Travel Phone Plans guide.) But the majority of people looking at Ultimate are going to be fine with Plus.
No, you can upgrade your phone and stay on the same plan. However, depending on which models you're considering, you may get better deals if you're on the Unlimited Ultimate plan.
Yes, several Verizon discounts are available if you qualify for them. If you're a teacher, nurse, student, veteran, active military or first responder, you can get up to $25 applied to your account (not per line).
Residents of Florida who are 55 and older can qualify for the Florida 55+ Mobile Discount, which saves $20 a month for one line and $30 a month for two lines.
More Verizon discount details can be found here.
The three major companies in the US — T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon — offer services directly and have robust nationwide networks that offer 4G LTE (fast) and 5G (even faster) data. They all promise coverage that blankets most of the US, and they're actively expanding 5G coverage everywhere they can.
But maps are one thing, and experience is another. That's why it's impossible to say that one carrier is objectively better than another. For example, T-Mobile's service in New York may be excellent, but Verizon might be more reliable in parts of rural Iowa. Or you may have basic 5G coverage but not faster millimeter-wave 5G.
If possible, ask neighbors, friends or family near you about which carriers they use and how fast or reliable the wireless service is. And don't forget to consider not just where you live, but also the places you frequent: Your house might get a clear signal, but your workplace could be in a cellular black hole.
You may also be able to test-drive a network — go to a carrier's store and ask if there are free ways to try out the company's service. T-Mobile offers a free three-month Network Pass, Verizon has a 30-day “trial” program, and AT&T has its own 30-day eSIM free trial program.
“5G” is an umbrella term that encompasses the current fifth-generation cellular wireless network technologies. All major carriers and phones support 5G, which can offer faster data speeds than older technologies such as 4G LTE or 3G.
Essentially, there are three types of 5G: Millimeter-wave (mmWave), which can be fast but has limited range; low-band 5G, which has slower speeds but works on a broader range; and midband, which is a balance between the two that's faster than low-band but also covers a larger range than millimeter-wave. Midband also incorporates C-band, a batch of spectrum auctioned off by the Federal Communications Commission in 2021.
Your phone's 5G connection depends on which type blankets the area you're in, as well as other factors, such as population density and infrastructure. For instance, mmWave is super fast, but its signals can be thwarted by buildings, glass, leaves or being inside a structure.
When your device is connected to a 5G network, it may appear as several variations, such as 5G, 5G Plus, 5G UW or others, depending on the carrier. Here’s a list of icons you see at the top of your phone for the major services:
AT&T: 5GE (which isn't actually 5G, but rather a sly marketing name for 4G LTE), 5G (low band), 5G Plus (mmWave, midband)
Verizon: 5G (low band, also called “Nationwide 5G”), 5G UW/5G UWB (midband and mmWave, also called “5G Ultra Wideband”)
T-Mobile: 5G (low band), 5G UC (midband and mmWave, also called “Ultra Capacity 5G”)
There's also 5G Reduced Capacity (5G RedCap), a lower-power, lower-capacity branch of 5G used by devices such as smartwatches and portable health devices; the Apple Watch Ultra 3, for example, connects via 5G RedCap.
Just around the corner is 5G Advanced, promising much faster speeds because of carrier aggregation, or combining multiple spectrums.
Unlimited plans were once rarities, but now nearly all plans — especially postpaid plans — offer unlimited data. If you're on T-Mobile, all your plans are unlimited, and Verizon no longer lets new users sign up for a shared data plan. Although everyone's wireless needs are different, we think unlimited plans are the best option for most phone users, especially when choosing a new plan.
Only AT&T still offers a tiered data plan where data flow stops when you reach the limit. For example, the AT&T 4GB plan isn't great. It has a 4GB-per-line plan that runs $50 a month for one line ($160 for four lines). Each line here gets 4GB of data, but if you go over that threshold in a month, you're paying $10 for every 2GB. That plan also doesn't include access to its 5G networks.
The company's basic unlimited plan, Value 2.0, costs $50 per month for one line or $120 per month for four lines.
If you have one or two lines and don't use a lot of data, you may be fine with a plan like this, though if you have just one line, we'd recommend switching over to T-Mobile's Essentials Saver or AT&T's $50 per month Value 2.0. Two lines of that T-Mobile plan run $80 a month, which is still $10 cheaper than two lines of AT&T's 4GB plan, and you won't have to worry about how much data you're using.
For most people, we really do believe that unlimited is the best choice when choosing a new plan.
Jeff Carlson Senior Writer Jeff Carlson Senior Writer Jeff Carlson writes about mobile technology for CNET. He is also the author of dozens of how-to books covering a wide spectrum ranging from Apple devices and cameras to photo editing software and PalmPilots. He drinks a lot of coffee in Seattle.
