Google Fi vs Verizon: Plans Compared

Verizon Wireless is the biggest carrier in the country, with national 4G LTE and 5G networks that stretch from coast to coast. Google Fi is a much smaller prepaid provider (or MVNO) that subleases space on T-Mobile’s network. 

If you’re trying to decide between signing up with Google Fi or Verizon, this guide will help you navigate their various plan offerings. Read on as we compare the two carriers.

Google Fi vs Verizon: Similarities

• Both offer multiple unlimited plans.
• Both Verizon and Google Fi’s plans include international travel privileges.  
• Both sell a range of mid-range and flagship smartphones, from Samsung devices, to Apple iPhones, to Google Pixel phones.
• Both Verizon and Google Fi allow you to sign up for multiple lines of service (also known as family plans), which result in cost savings. 
• Neither include taxes and fees in their advertised prices.

Google Fi vs Verizon: Differences

• Verizon's plans are postpaid, while Google Fi's are prepaid and paid for in advance.
• Verizon includes dedicated hotspot data with Simplicity, Unlimited Plus, and Unlimited Ultimate. Google Fi counts hotspot usage against your primary monthly data allowance.
• Verizon operates its own nationwide wireless network, while Google Fi runs primarily on T-Mobile's network.
• Verizon's plans generally cost more than Google Fi's, although Simplicity offers a lower-cost entry point than Verizon's traditional unlimited plans.

Google Fi vs Verizon: Unlimited Plans

Verizon now offers four primary postpaid unlimited plans: Simplicity, Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, and Unlimited Ultimate. Simplicity is the carrier's new build-your-own plan, starting at $30/month for one line with Auto Pay and a switcher discount. It includes unlimited premium data and 10GB of hotspot data while allowing customers to add optional services as needed. Unlimited Welcome is Verizon's basic traditional unlimited plan, while Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Ultimate include progressively larger hotspot allowances and additional premium features.

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Google Fi offers two unlimited plans: the entry-level Simply Unlimited, and the mid-range Unlimited Premium. 

Unlimited Premium is the way to go if you’re looking for an unlimited plan that includes lots of premium data (100GB) and international perks (data in 200+ international destinations, calls from the U.S. to 50+ destinations). It also includes a 50GB mobile hotspot allowance, although that data comes out of your overall monthly data allotment. 

Google Fi’s Simply Unlimited plan is a more modest —albeit less expensive—offering, with 35GB of monthly premium data, 5GB/month of hotspot data, and unlimited talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada.

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What Is an Unlimited Plan? An unlimited data plan is a phone plan that includes unlimited data, but not all the data in an unlimited plan is necessarily of the high-speed variety. Lower-priced unlimited plans tend to include unlimited deprioritized data (data that slows down when networks are busy). Some entry-level plans include a small amount of high-speed data as well, while others don’t. Mid-level unlimited plans typically include a mix of high-speed data, capped at a certain amount, and unlimited deprioritized data. The most pricy unlimited plans are where you'll find truly unlimited premium data.

Google Fi vs Verizon: Capped Plans

Verizon used to offer a selection of capped, or limited data, postpaid plans, but the carrier has done away with these in favor of unlimited. Google Fi, sells one capped plan: the $20/month Flexible. 

Each GB of data you add on to the Flexible plan costs an additional $10-15/month, making it a good option for those who tend to stay connected to WiFi most of the time. The plan also allows for hotspot usage, although whatever you consume counts against your overall monthly data.

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What Is a Capped Plan? Also sometimes called “By the Gig” plans, capped plans offer customers a set amount of data per month instead of unlimited data. All the data on capped plans is deprioritized, which means you may experience data slowdowns when the network is congested. Capped data plans can be a cost-effective alternative to unlimited plans if you don’t mind deprioritized data and know how much data you use in a typical month. The key is not to exceed your cap, as doing so can result in significant fees.

Google Fi vs Verizon: Coverage

Verizon’s 4G LTE network is generally understood to be the best in America, outdoing the likes of AT&T and T-Mobile. Verizon’s 5G network, while smaller and less far-reaching, is growing fast as the company installs more towers. The combination of these two networks means that Verizon offers some of the best coverage in the country. 

Google Fi makes use of larger carrier T-Mobile’s national system of 4G and 5G networks to provide its customers with generally reliable coverage. It's important to note, however, that Google Fi’s reliance on subleased network space can in some instances result in slightly inferior service. Major carriers tend to prioritize their customers ahead of those who use their networks via smaller carriers like Google Fi, Mint Mobile, and Visible, at least in times of network congestion. 

The Bottom Line

Choosing Verizon gives you the benefits of a major postpaid carrier, including excellent coverage, multiple unlimited plan options, and the flexibility to choose between traditional unlimited plans and the lower-cost build-your-own Simplicity plan. While Verizon remains more expensive overall, Simplicity offers an affordable way to get unlimited premium data without stepping up to the carrier's higher-priced plans.

Google Fi represents a different, very prepaid, experience. The Google-owned carrier offers a selection of comparatively stripped-down unlimited and capped plans, although many do come with international privileges. The big argument for going with Google Fi revolves around price—the provider's plans are far less expensive than Verizon's.