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 and Total by Verizon, which are both prepaid cellular service MVNOs.
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**
Unlimited Ultimate, Unlimited Ultimate w/ 100GB Mobile Hotspot Add-on, and Unlimited Plus w/ 100GB Mobile Hotspot Add-on
- Device: Smartphones
- Data: Unlimited On Device, No Network Management, 60-160GB High Speed Mobile Hotspot Data
- Price: $90-$100/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: $60/mo when added to eligible unlimited smartphone plans. Standalone: $110/mo 1 line or $80/mo additional lines.
- Notes: Speeds go to 600 Kbps after the cap is reached on LTE/Nationwide 5G and 1080p 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
Smartphone
Smartphone Plans
Verizon introduced the myPlan family of plans in May 2023.
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.
Specifications:
- Plan Names:
- Unlimited Ultimate - $90/month **TOP PICK**
- Unlimited Ultimate w/ 100GB Hotspot Add-on - $100/month **TOP PICK**
- Unlimited Plus w/ 100GB Hotspot Add-on - $90/month **TOP PICK**
- Carrier Networks Used: Verizon
- Carrier Relationship: Direct
- Plan Types Available: Smartphone
- Device Types Permitted: Smartphone
- Unlimited: Yes
- High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use:
- Unlimited Ultimate: 60GB
- Unlimited Ultimate w/ 100GB Hotspot Add-on: 160GB
- Unlimited Plus w/ 100GB Hotspot Add-on: 130GB
- Throttling: No
- Network Management: None
- Video Streaming Resolution:
- Unlimited Ultimate: 4K UHD on 5G UWB; 1080p on 5G NW/4G
- Unlimited Plus: 4K UHD on 5G UWB; 720p on 5G NW/4G
- 5G Access: Yes
- eSIM: Yes
- Device Purchase Required: No, but can purchase a device
- Plan Period: 30 days
- International Roaming:
- Unlimited Ultimate: 10GB in 210+ countries, then 3G speeds
- Canada/Mexico: 2GB/day, then 3G speeds
- 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
- TravelPass can be added for $10/month for talk/text/data in 210+ countries
- Domestic Roaming: Yes
- Data Roll Over: No
- Overage Charges: No
- Lines Permitted Per Account: 10
- Extras: Can be added for $10/month
- 100GB Mobile Hotspot Data
- Netflix & Max (With Ads) - Includes Netflix (with ads) and Max (with ads)
- Disney Bundle - Includes Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu
- Apple One - Includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+
- WalMart + Membership - Also includes Paramount+
- Apple Music Family
- Smartwatch Data & Safety
- Verizon +Play
- 3 International Travel Pass Days (2GB of data/day)
- 2 TB Cloud Storage
- Price:
- Unlimited Ultimate - $90/month
- Unlimited Ultimate w/ 100GB Hotspot Add-on - $100/month
- Unlimited Plus w/ 100GB Hotspot Add-on - $90/month
- Prices above include an autopay discount of $10/line. Per line rate decreases with additional lines.
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
We only track smartphone plans that meet our criteria for mobile internet, which is having at least 50GB of mobile hotspot data. Other smartphone plans may be available from the carrier other than those listed here.
If you want information on other available smartphone plans, our friend Stetson Doggett manages the website Best Phone Plans, which provides comprehensive information on all plans provided by each carrier.
Data Plans
Verizon offers data plans for hotspots, tablets, laptops, and smartwatches.
Data Plans
Currently Available Plans
- Hotspot Plans:
- Premium: 150GB. **TOP PICK**
- $60/month if bundled with a qualifying unlimited phone plan.
- Standalone pricing: $110/month 1st line; subsequent lines $80/month.
- Pro 100GB.
- $40/month if bundled with a qualifying unlimited phone plan.
- Standalone pricing: $90/month 1st line; subsequent lines $60/month.
- Plus: 50GB.
- $20/month if bundled with a qualifying unlimited phone plan.
- $40/month if bundled with a non-qualifying phone plan.
- Essential: 15GB.
- $10/month if bundled with a qualifying unlimited phone plan.
- $20/month if bundled with a non-qualifying phone plan.
- Premium: 150GB. **TOP PICK**
- Tablet Plans:
- More Unlimited:
- $15/month if bundled with an unlimited phone plan.
- Standalone pricing: $90/month 1st line; subsequent lines are $30/month.
- Unlimited:
- $10 if bundled with an unlimited phone plan.
- Standalone pricing: $80/month 1st line; subsequent lines $20/month.
- More Unlimited:
Bundled discount details:
- Phone plans that qualify for the bundling discount are: Unlimited Plus, Unlimited Ultimate, Get More Unlimited or Do More Unlimited smartphone plans.
- Plus and Essential plans are not available standalone - they must be added to accounts with a smartphone lines.
- Unlimited Ultimate can get the applicable discount on two eligible connected device plans; all other plans can get the discount on one connected device plan.
Specifications:
- Carrier Networks Used: Verizon
- Carrier Relationship: Direct
- Plan Types Available: Data Only
- Device Types Permitted: Hotspot, Router
- Unlimited:
- Hotspot plans: Yes, but speeds limited after cap.
- Tablet plans: Yes, on device only. Hotspot data speeds are limited after cap.
- High Speed Mobile Hotspot Use:
- Premium Hotspot: 150GB.
- Pro Hotspot: 100GB.
- Plus Hotspot: 50GB.
- Essentials Hotspot: 15GB.
- More Unlimited Tablet: 30GB.
- Unlimited Tablet: 15GB.
- Throttling: Yes, after high speed caps are met.
- Premium, Pro, and Plus Hotspot: 3 Mbps on 5G UW and 600 Kbps on 5G NW/4G.
- Essentials Hotspot: 600 Kbps.
- More Unlimited Tablet: 3 Mbps on 5G UW and 600 Kbps on 5G NW/4G
- Unlimited Tablet: 600 Kbps.
- Network Management: None
- Video Streaming Resolution:
- Premium, Pro, and Plus Hotspot: Up to 4K UHD on 5G UW; 1080p on 5G NW/4G
- Essentials Hotspot: 1080p
- More Unlimited Tablet: Up to 4K UHD on 5G UW; 1080p on 5G NW/4G
- Unlimited Tablet: 1080p
- 5G Access: Yes
- 5G UW: Premium, Plus and Pro hotspot plans, and More Unlimited Tablet plan.
- 5G NW: Essentials Hotspot and Unlimited Tablet plans.
- eSIM: No
- Device Purchase Required: No, but can purchase a device
- Plan Period: 30 days
- International Roaming:
- Canada/Mexico: 2GB/day, then 3G speeds.
- 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.
- TravelPass can be added for $10/month for talk/text/data in 210+ countries.
- Domestic Roaming: Yes
- Data Roll Over: No
- Overage Charges: No
- Lines Permitted Per Account: 20
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
- More Unlimited: $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.
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.
Home Internet
Home Internet
We track information on Verizon's Home Internet Plans and equipment here: Verizon Home Internet
News, Videos, & Status
Videos
News Stories
Alternatives to Consider
Also consider some of our other top pick data plans:
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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:
-
Top Data Plan Picks
Our constantly updated list of the BEST data plans.
-
Which Carrier is Best?
Is Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile or Dish best for your travels?
-
Selecting Data Plans
Our deep dive into understanding data plans and shopping for them.
-
Data Plan Pricing Grid
Our always updated spreadsheet comparing all data plans suitable for mobile internet.
-
Getting LOTS of the Data
Learn how to get lots of cellular data in your mobile internet arsenal.
Mobile Internet Resource Center (dba Two Steps Beyond LLC) is founded by Chris & Cherie of