Verizon is one of the major nationwide cellular carriers in the United States and has many different plan offerings. They have extensive coverage in the lower 48 and are a commonly used cellular provider by many full-time travelers.
Verizon Wireless also owns Tracfone, a prepaid cellular service MVNO.
Plan Variations
Verizon postpaid direct offers a variety of plans - both phone and data only. While Verizon's flagship is unlimited call, text, and data smartphone plans, they also offer some capped data bucket phone plans, as well as some data-only plans for data-only devices and tablets.
**TOP PICKS**
5G Get More
- Device: Smartphones
- Data: Unlimited On Device, No Network Management, 50GB High Speed Mobile Hotspot Data
- Price: $90/mo
- Notes: Hotspot data slowed to 3 Mbps on 5G UW, and 600 Kbps on 5G NW/4G LTE
- More Info: View the 'Phones' tab on this page
Premium Mobile Hotspot Plan
- Device: Hotspots, Tablets, & Routers
- Data: 150GB High-Speed Hotspot Data (other tiers available)
- Price: $80/mo when added to unlimited smartphone plans, $110/mo standalone
- Notes: Speeds go to 600 Kbps after the cap is reached on LTE/Nationwide 5G and 720p video resolution. 5G UW areas have 3 Mbps speeds after cap and 4K UHD video. Verizon also offers prepaid versions of these plans for slightly lower prices with some drawbacks.
- More Info: View the 'Data Plans' tab on this page
For more plans that provide lots of data: Top Pick Data Plans Guide
Phone
Unlimited Phone Plans
Verizon's current family of 'mix-and-match' unlimited phone plans were modified slightly on January 5th, 2022, after being revamped on August 20th, 2020, and updated for 5G Nationwide on October 13, 2020. These plans were initially introduced on August 5th, 2019. Verizon currently offers four different unlimited plans, each with its own terms of service. Additionally, Verizon offers a 55+ Unlimited plan to seniors with a Florida billing address.
Verizon treats its 5G coverage as two separate entities: 5G Ultra-Wideband (5G UW) and 5G Nationwide (5G NW).
Hotspot and tablet plans can be added to phone lines; see the Data Plans tab for more information.
Currently Available Plans
- 5G Get More - $90/Month **TOP PICK**
- 5G Do More - $80/Month
- 5G Play More - $80/Month
- 5G Start - $70/Month
Prices above include an autopay discount of $10/line. Per line rate decreases with additional lines.
Specifications:
- Carrier Networks Used: Verizon
- Carrier Relationship: Direct
- Plan Types Available: Smartphone
- Device Types Permitted: Smartphone
- Unlimited: Yes
- High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use:
- 5G Get More: 50GB, then 3 Mbps on 5G UW, or 600 Kbps on 5G NW/4G LTE.
- Do More/Play More: 25GB, then 3 Mbps on 5G UW, or 600 Kbps on 5G NW/4G LTE.
- Start: 5GB (starting 6/16/22)
- Data Boosts of 5GB of LTE mobile hotspot data can be added for $35 (up to 20 data boosts per billing cycle).
- Throttling: Full speed on device, mobile hotspot throttles noted above.
- Network Management:
- 5G Get More: None.
- 5G Do More/5G Play More: None on 5G UW. On 5G NW/4G LTE, after 50 GB.
- 5G Start: Always
- Video Streaming Resolution:
- 5G Get More/ 5G Do More/5G Play More:
- On 5G UW: 4K UHD if activated, otherwise 720p.
- 5G NW/4G LTE: 720p if activated, otherwise 480p.
- Start: 480p
- 5G Get More/ 5G Do More/5G Play More:
- 5G Access:
- 5G Get More/5G Do More/5G Play More: 5G UW and 5G NW
- 5G Start: 5G NW
- On 5G UW, uploads may happen on 4G LTE, depending on location.
- eSIM: Yes
- Device Purchase Required: No, but can purchase a device
- Plan Period: 30 days
- International Roaming:
- All plans unlimited call/text in Mexico and Canada, and 0.5GB/day of high-speed data per line (then 2G after 0.5GB).
- If more than 50% of your talk, text, or data usage in a 60-day period is in Canada or Mexico, use of those services in those countries may be removed or limited.
- Travel Pass provides unlimited call/text and 0.5GB/day of high-speed data per line in 185+ countries. Travel Passes can be purchased for $10/day.
- 5G Get More and 5G Do More plans include one Travel Pass per month and you can bank up to 12 passes.
- All plans unlimited call/text in Mexico and Canada, and 0.5GB/day of high-speed data per line (then 2G after 0.5GB).
- Domestic Roaming: Yes
- Data Roll Over: No
- Overage Charges: No
- Lines Permitted Per Account: 10
- Extras:
- 5G Get More: Disney Bundle (Disney +, Hulu, and ESPN+), Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass, Apple Music, 1 TravelPass day/month, 600GB Verizon cloud storage, and up to 50% off a watch, tablet, hotspot, or Hum plan.
- 5G Do More: 1 TravelPass day/month, 600GB Verizon cloud storage, and up to 50% off a watch, tablet, hotspot, or Hum plan. Also 6 months of Disney+, Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass, and Apple Music.
- 5G Play More: Disney Bundle (Disney +, Hulu, and ESPN+), and Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass. Also Apple Music for 6 months.
- 5G Start: 6 months of Disney+, Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass, and Apple Music.
55+ Unlimited
An unlimited plan for seniors with a Florida business address, based on the Start plan with a discount. Starting at $60/line.
Pricing Grid Comparison
Data Plans
Verizon offers data plans for hotspots, tablets, laptops, and smartwatches.
Mobile Hotspot Plans
Introduced in July 2021, these plans allow use on connected devices such as mobile hotspot devices, tablets, and cellular embedded routers.
Currently Available Plans
The pricing for the Premium and Pro plans depends on whether or not you have it bundled with a phone plan. The first price listed below is the bundled price, the second is the standalone pricing. Plus and Essential plans can only be added to accounts with eligible smartphone lines, and there is a 50% discount available on these lines for each Get More and Do More smartphone on the account.
Available Bundled with other lines or standalone :
- Premium - 150GB - $80/$110 **TOP PICK**
- Pro - 100GB - $60/$90
Must be added to other lines (like mix-and-match plans):
- Plus - 50GB - $40 (50% discount with Get More / Do More)
- Essential - 15GB - $20 (50% discount with Get More / Do More)
Video Overview
Specifications:
- Carrier Networks Used: Verizon
- Carrier Relationship: Direct
- Plan Types Available: Data Only
- Device Types Permitted: Hotspot, Router
- Unlimited: No
- Throttling: Yes, after high-speed data caps have been met
- On 5G UW (Premium, Pro, and Plus plans), speeds are reduced to 3 Mbps after data cap
- On 5G Nationwide/4G LTE, data is slowed to 600 Kbps after data cap
- Network Management: None
- Video Streaming Resolution:
- On 5G UW (Premium, Pro, and Plus plans), streaming is up to 4K UHD
- On 5G Nationwide/4G LTE, streaming is 720p
- 5G Access: Yes
- Premium, Plus and Pro have access to both 5G UW and 5G Nationwide
- Essential has 5G Nationwide only
- eSIM: No
- Device Purchase Required: No, but can purchase a device
- Plan Period: 30 days
- International Roaming: Yes
- Domestic Roaming: Yes
- Data Roll Over: No
- Overage Charges: No, but additional data can be added for $35 for 5GB.
- Lines Permitted Per Account: 20
- Where to Purchase: Verizon
Tablet Plans
Verizon tablet plans can either be added to a smartphone plan or purchased as a standalone plan.
Currently Available Plans
- Unlimited Plus: $90 standalone or $30 if added to a phone plan
- Unlimited: $80 standalone or $20 if added to a phone plan
Specifications
- Device Types Permitted: Tablets
- Unlimited: Yes
- High Speed Mobile Hotspot Use:
- Unlimited Plus: 30GB. Then unlimited at 3 Mbps when on 5G UW and 600 Kbps when on 5G NW or 4G.
- Unlimited: 15GB. Then unlimited at 600 Kbps.
- Throttling: No
- Network Management: Yes
- Unlimited Plus: After 30GB on device; always for hotspot data.
- Unlimited: After 15GB; always for hotspot data.
- Video Streaming Resolution:
- Unlimited Plus: 4K UHD when on 5G UW and 1080p when on 5G NW or 4G/LTE
- Unlimited: 1080p
- 5G Access:
- Unlimited Plus: 5G UW
- Unlimited: 5G NW
- Where to purchase: Verizon
Laptop Plans
With the introduction of the Lenovo Flex 5G laptop, Verizon rolled out plans for the Lenovo 5G device as well as other laptops, including Chromebooks, with integrated cellular modems.
There are two available options:
-
- Unlimited: $20/month when added to an existing plan, or $80/month without an existing plan.
- 15GB/month of 5G Nationwide/LTE data, then unlimited at 600 Kbps
- 15GB/month of 5G Nationwide/LTE hotspot data (counts against the on-device data cap)
- 720p streaming
- No access to Verizon 5G UW network
- Unlimited Plus: $30/month when added to an existing plan, or $90/month without an existing plan.
- Unlimited 5G Ultra Wideband data, both on-device and mobile hotspot
- 30GB/month of 5G Nationwide/LTE data, then unlimited at 600 Kbps
- 30GB/month of 5G Nationwide/LTE hotspot data (counts against the on-device data cap)
- Unlimited 4K video streaming on 5G UW, 720p on 5G Nationwide and LTE
- Unlimited: $20/month when added to an existing plan, or $80/month without an existing plan.
Smartwatch Plans
Verizon offers Smartwatch Plans with 15GB of high-speed data for $10/month.
Shared Data
Shared Data Plans
Verizon offers Shared Data Plans, where data can be shared amongst multiple devices. Smartphones, tablets, hotspots, laptops, and watches can all be used on these plans.
There is a base account access charge each month, and at least one phone line must be added. Additional phone lines or lines for data devices can then be added, but all lines share the same (small) bucket of data.
Currently Available Plans
- 10GB - $65/month
- 5GB - $55/month
- Plans include one phone line. Additional phone lines are $25/month, and data lines can be added for $10/month for tablets, hotspots, laptops, smartwatches, and HumX device. Data lines for Hum+ device and streaming cameras are $5/month.
- Prices include $10/month discount for signing up for auto-pay.
Shared Data Plan Specifications
- Carrier Networks Used: Verizon
- Carrier Relationship: Direct
- Plan Types Available: Phone, data
- Device Types Permitted: Smartphone, hotspot, tablet, laptops, smartwatches, streaming cameras, HumX, and Hum+
- Unlimited: No
- High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use: All data available for mobile hotspot use.
- Throttling: No
- Network Management: No
- Video Streaming Resolution: Not specified
- 5G Access: Yes, on 5G Nationwide network only.
- Device Purchase Required: No, but can purchase a device
- Plan Period: 30 days
- International Roaming: No. Travel Pass can be added for $5/month.
- Domestic Roaming: Yes.
- Data Roll Over: Yes. Unused data expires after one month.
- Overage Charges: No
- Lines permitted per account: 10 phone lines, 20 connected devices
- Extras:
- Safety Mode & Data Boost: Verizon's tiered data plans include the ability to turn on 'Safety Mode' to eliminate the risk of surprise overage charges for using too much data. With Safety Mode enabled, data will simply be slowed down for the remainder of the month to 2G-speed (128 Kbps) once the high-speed data is used up. If you do need more fast data, you can manually purchase a "Data Boost" for 1GB/$15 as needed.
- Verizon Up Rewards
Additional Resource: Verizon's Shared Data Plans FAQ Page
Connected Car
Connected Car Plans
Verizon provides Connected Car plans for certain car manufacturers. In order to utilize these plans, you must have a car that is equipped with Verizon Wi-Fi capabilities or a Hum Connected Car device.
Plans are described as "unlimited" but only the first 15GB is high speed. The remainder of the data used is capped at 600 Kbps speeds.
Currently Available Plans
- Unlimited/15GB at high speed + In Vehicle Wi-Fi: $20/month if added to a phone line; $75/month if purchased standalone
- Unlimited/15GB at high speed (for Hum device only): $10/month
Business
Business Plans
Verizon offers business plans for smartphones, tablets, and data devices. See our Gear Center entry for more details.
News, Videos, & Status
Videos
News Stories
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Shopping for Cellular Data Plans
Finding the right plans for your needs is no easy task - quite simply mobile travelers using cellular data as their primary way online is not how most carriers have designed their plans. Many of us want plans that provide copious amounts of data.
Here's our video going over ways to get LOTS of data for use in your travels:
But a data plan alone will not keep you online. You also need the right gear, signal enhancing strategy and planning your travels around the options you carry with you. Head on over to our collection of guides:
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Top Data Plan Picks
Our constantly updated list of the BEST data plans.
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Which Carrier is Best?
Is Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile or Dish best for your travels?
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Selecting Data Plans
Our deep dive into understanding data plans and shopping for them.
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Data Plan Pricing Grid
Our always updated spreadsheet comparing all data plans suitable for mobile internet.
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Getting LOTS of the Data
Learn how to get lots of cellular data in your mobile internet arsenal.