For years, Verizon and T-Mobile have been at each other's throats, striving for the number one position and the attention of consumers throughout the nation.
How do you decide which network is best for you?
Just as important - how do you get the best price on cell phone service on the T-Mobile and Verizon networks?
We're going to answer both of these questions and also address customer service, plans and pricing, and the cheapest cell phone deals.
T-Mobile vs Verizon: Plans
Best cheap T-Mobile phone plan
- T-Mobile 5G & 4G LTE network
- Unlimited talk and text with 5GB data
- Instant online activation
Cheapest T-Mobile unlimited data plan
- T-Mobile 5G & 4G LTE network
- Unlimited talk, text and data
- Instant online activation
T-Mobile unlimited data plans
| Plan | Data | Monthly Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile Essentials | Unlimited | $65 | $780 |
| T-Mobile Magenta | Unlimited | $75 | $900 |
| T-Mobile Go5G | Unlimited | $80 | $960 |
| T-Mobile Magenta MAX | Unlimited | $90 | $1,080 |
| T-Mobile Go5G Plus | Unlimited | $95 | $1,140 |
T-Mobile vs Tello comparison
Keep your T-Mobile phone, number & coverage: Save $630 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G/5G Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | T-Mobile 4G & 5G | Unlimited | $75/mo | $900/yr |
| Tello | T-Mobile 4G & 5G | Unlimited | $25/mo | $270/yr |
| Savings | $50/mo | $630/yr | ||
Best cheap Verizon phone plan
- Verizon, AT&T & T-Mobile 5G & 4G LTE networks
- Unlimited talk and text with 10GB data
- Instant online activation
Cheapest Verizon unlimited data plan
- Verizon 5G & 4G LTE network
- Unlimited talk, text and data
- Instant online activation
Verizon unlimited data plans
| Plan | Data | Monthly Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Unlimited Welcome | Unlimited | $70 | $840 |
| Verizon Unlimited Plus | Unlimited | $75 | $900 |
| Verizon Unlimited Ultimate | Unlimited | $85 | $1,020 |
Verizon vs Visible comparison
Keep your Verizon phone, number & coverage: Save $600 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G/5G Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | Verizon 4G & 5G | Unlimited | $75/mo | $900/yr |
| Visible | Verizon 4G & 5G | Unlimited | $25/mo | $300/yr |
| Savings | $50/mo | $600/yr | ||
Plan features
- 4G & 5G data speeds: Since MVNOs operate on the big three cellular networks you'll pay less without sacrificing speed. More and more are adding 5G coverage all the time so you can expect high-speed data.
- Unlimited talk and text messaging: Finding a new unlimited plan has never been easier. Virtually all small carriers include unlimited text and calls in their plan options. Compare cheap talk and text plans with or without data.
- International calls to Canada and Mexico: International calling is a must for many people. Luckily MVNOs offer some of the best international phone plans, with free calling to certain countries like Canada and Mexico, and discounted rates on others.
- Multiline discounts: Low-cost carriers also offer some of the cheapest family cell phone plans, with multi-line discounts.
- Wi-Fi calling: This feature is handy when you're out of your service area, allowing you to make calls over the internet instead of on your cellular connection.
- Tethering/hotspot data: Many low-cost carriers allow you to use your phone as a hotspot. Pick an MVNO with the best mobile hotspot plans so you can share your mobile hotspot data with other devices.
- HD video streaming: Just like the big guys, some MVNOs offer HD video streaming and some don't. Read the fine print to find the option you want.
T-Mobile vs Verizon: Coverage
T-Mobile coverage map
Verizon coverage map
Compare network performance
| NETWORK | OVERALL | RELIABILITY | SPEED | DATA | CALL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Coverage | 95 | 96 | 94 | 96 | 94 |
| T-Mobile Coverage | 86 | 88 | 82 | 89 | 82 |
Source: Rootmetrics
T-Mobile vs Verizon: Family plans
T-Mobile family plans
| Plan | 1 line | 2 lines | 3 lines | 4 lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile Essentials | $65 | $100 $50/line | $120 $40/line | $140 $35/line |
| T-Mobile Magenta | $75 | $130 $65/line | $156 $52/line | $180 $45/line |
| T-Mobile Go5G | $80 | $140 $70/line | $171 $57/line | $200 $50/line |
| T-Mobile Magenta MAX | $90 | $150 $75/line | $186 $62/line | $220 $55/line |
| T-Mobile Go5G Plus | $95 | $160 $80/line | $201 $67/line | $240 $60/line |
Verizon family plans
| Plan | 1 line | 2 lines | 3 lines | 4 lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Unlimited Welcome | $70 | $120 $60/line | $135 $45/line | $140 $35/line |
| Verizon Unlimited Plus | $75 | $130 $65/line | $150 $50/line | $160 $40/line |
| Verizon Unlimited Ultimate | $85 | $150 $75/line | $180 $60/line | $200 $50/line |
T-Mobile vs Verizon: Data plans
T-Mobile data plans
| Carrier | Network | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tello 1GB plan | T-Mobile 5G/4G Coverage | 1GB | $5/mo |
| Tello 2GB plan | T-Mobile 5G/4G Coverage | 2GB | $6/mo |
| Tello 5GB plan | T-Mobile 5G/4G Coverage | 5GB | $10/mo |
| Tello 10GB plan | T-Mobile 5G/4G Coverage | 10GB | $15/mo |
| Mint Mobile 5GB plan | T-Mobile 5G/4G Coverage | 5GB | $15/mo |
Verizon data plans
| Carrier | Network | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible unlimited data plan | Verizon 5G/4G Coverage | Unltd | $25/mo |
| Total Wireless 15GB plan | Verizon 5G/4G Coverage | 15GB | $30/mo |
| Visible unlimited data plan | Verizon 5G/4G Coverage | Unltd | $35/mo |
| Total Wireless 40GB plan | Verizon 5G/4G Coverage | 40GB | $40/mo |
| Visible unlimited data plan | Verizon 5G/4G Coverage | Unltd | $45/mo |
T-Mobile vs Verizon: Phone deals
T-Mobile cell phone deals
Verizon cell phone deals
T-Mobile vs Verizon: Customer service
| NETWORK | TRUSTPILOT RATING |
|---|---|
| T-Mobile user rating | 1.5 |
| Verizon user rating | 1.3 |
T-Mobile vs Verizon FAQs
Verizon consistently comes top with its 4G LTE coverage, but T-Mobile has faster data speeds.
Both carriers offer different benefits, so it depends on what you need from your cell phone plan. Verizon has better overall coverage, whilst T-Mobile's data speeds are faster.
Recap
With all of the major wireless networks so close in coverage and reliability, it's up to you to decide which one works better for you.
One thing is crystal clear, though - MVNOs give you the same quality service for much less money.
Finally, to see all the best plans side-by-side, use our comparison tool to find a cheap cell phone plan.
MoneySavingPro methodology
We're here to bring transparency to telecoms, putting power back in your hands. This guides everything we do.
- We've got high standards. We use our industry expertise to find carriers that reach these standards. We all deserve the best value for money, choice, and customer experience.
- We care about accuracy. MoneySavingPro is run by cell phone geeks and money-saving obsessives. Our content team researches everything thoroughly so that information you read here will give you the whole picture. Everything we do is backed up by the data.
- We keep things simple. It's our job to break down what you need to know, so you can make informed choices.
