Spectrum Mobile vs Verizon: Plans Compared

Trying to decide between service with Spectrum Mobile or Verizon? While both carriers use the Verizon network to provide coverage to their customers, the similarities pretty much end there. 

Spectrum Mobile is a smaller provider that sells very inexpensive plans that tend to be a bit pared-back when it comes to extra features. The service is limited to customers who are already signed up for Spectrum Internet—if you don’t have it, you can’t sign up. Verizon, by contrast, is America’s largest cell phone carrier, and is available to anyone. Their plans are comparatively expensive, and feature-packed. 

In this article, we’ll break down the plan offerings from Spectrum Mobile and Verizon so you can decide which one makes the most sense for you.

Spectrum Mobile vs. Verizon: Cheap Unlimited Plans

If you prioritize affordability in your quest for a cell phone plan, these cheap unlimited plans are likely to fit the bill.

First up: Spectrum Mobile Unlimited. This plan is $0/month for the first year, and $40/month thereafter. It gives you 30GB/month of premium cellular data, after which your speeds are subject to deprioritization (meaning potential slowdowns during times of network congestion). It also includes a modest 5GB high-speed mobile hotspot data allowance—enough to keep you covered if you periodically need to send some quick emails from your laptop and you’re away from a WiFi signal. 

On the other side we have Verizon’s Simplicity plan. This is the latest addition to Verizon’s plan lineup, and it’s a very affordable way to jump on the network. It costs $30/month from the jump, and includes fully unlimited premium cellular data—no slowdowns, ever—along with a handy 10GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data. If you want extra features, Verizon allows you to choose from a wide menu of them for $20-$30/month. This includes streaming subscriptions, Travel Pass days, Apple One, and more. 

Verizon also sells a plan called Unlimited Welcome. It will be a less appealing option for most would-be subscribers, coming in at $65/month and lacking any premium cellular data or high-speed mobile hotspot data allowance. As with Simplicity, you can add features on to Unlimited Welcome, but at a cheaper price point ($10-$15/month). 

Bottom line: if you're looking for a cheap way on to either the Spectrum Mobile or Verizon networks, Unlimited (Spectrum Mobile) and Simplicity (Verizon) include nice features for their respective prices.

{{cards-1}}

Spectrum Mobile vs. Verizon: Mid-Priced Unlimited Plans

Willing to pay a little more for better features? These options from Spectrum Mobile and Verizon offer more high-speed cellular data, mobile hotspot data, and international features at a higher price point. They also, conveniently, share the same name: Unlimited Plus. 

It’s important to point out that mid-priced means two completely different things for these two carriers. Spectrum Mobile’s Unlimited Plus plan costs just $20/month for the first 12 months, and $50/month thereafter; Verizon’s Unlimited Plus plan costs a comparatively expensive $80/month from the jump. 

With Spectrum Mobile’s Unlimited Plus plan, you get 50GB of premium cellular data to use each month before potential deprioritization. Verizon’s Unlimited Plus, meanwhile, offers fully unlimited premium cellular data that’s entirely free of deprioritization. 

The two plans also vary in terms of mobile hotspot data: Spectrum Mobile’s plan gives you 10GB, while Verizon’s delivers 30GB. In both cases, it’s more than what’s offered from the carriers’ cheaper plans, and can free you up to connect your other devices to a signal with more regularity. 

Both plans include excellent international usage perks: Spectrum Mobile’s Unlimited Plus gives you free calling, texting, and 10GB of premium cellular data each month in 215+ countries, including Mexico and Canada; Verizon’s Unlimited Plus plan includes unlimited talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada, along with unlimited texting from the U.S. to 200+ countries.

Bottom line: Spectrum Mobile's Unlimited Plus and Verizon's Unlimited Plus plans are designed to appeal to those looking for some nice features to go along with their cell phone plan—at very different price points. Spectrum Mobile's plan limits premium cellular data to 50GB, and even that data is compromised, since it can be slowed when the Verizon network upon which it runs is particularly busy. Verizon's Unlimited Plus plan's inclusion of unlimited premium data is a great feature, especially since it's of the purer variety, and immune to slowdowns at any time. That said, it's higher price is likely to put off bargain hunters.

{{cards-2}}

Spectrum Mobile vs. Verizon: Premium Unlimited Plans

Looking for a few more features from your unlimited plan? Both Verizon and Spectrum Mobile have some nice options—albeit at a higher price point. 

For those willing to pay a few more bucks, Spectrum Mobile’s Unlimited Plus Premium plan delivers the goods. It comes with fully unlimited premium data—no data deprioritization slowdowns, ever—along with a generous 50GB of mobile hotspot data. What’s more, it comes with a free smartwatch plan, so you can connect your Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch at no extra charge. Unlimited Plus Premium costs $20/month for the first year, then goes up to a still-reasonable $60/month after that. 

On the other side we have Verizon’s Unlimited Ultimate plan at a rather expensive $95/month. As with the carrier’s Unlimited Plus plan, it features unlimited premium cellular data that is never deprioritized. It also includes a whopping 200GB mobile hotspot data allowance, talk, text, and 10GB high-speed data in 208+ countries, and unlimited texting from US to 200+ countries. You can add-on add-on a number of streaming services and other extras for an additional $10-15/month.

Bottom line: these are both premium plans that deliver the goods, including lots of cellular and mobile hotspot data, along with an asortment of other features. However, they are priced very differently, as Unlimited Plus Premium (Spectrum Mobile) is far less expensive than Unlimited Ultimate (Verizon).

{{cards-3}}

Spectrum Mobile vs. Verizon: Coverage

Since Spectrum Mobile uses the Verizon network to provide its wireless service, you can expect similar coverage on Spectrum Mobile and Verizon. The only caveat is that during busy times on the network, Verizon prioritizes its own customers over MVNOs like Spectrum Mobile. 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 and its 5G speeds are among the fastest available. The combination of these two networks means that Verizon offers some of the best coverage in the country. 

To check Spectrum and Verizon coverage in your area, simply enter your address in our Verizon coverage map below. In place of a Spectrum coverage map, you can use Verizon as a proxy.

Spectrum Mobile vs Verizon: Similarities

• Both Verizon and Spectrum Mobile plans have nationwide coverage on the 4G LTE network and growing 5G coverage.
• Both also provide home Internet and allow you to bundle other services with mobile plans.
• Both Verizon and Spectrum Mobile include hotspot data with their cell phone plans, but not without caveats. If hotspot data is important to you, read our section on that below.
• Both mobile network carriers provide customers with (virtually) unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada; Verizon goes a step further to include unlimited data at 3G data speeds in those countries, too.
• Verizon and Spectrum Mobile offer multi-line discounts, making each additional line less expensive.

Spectrum Mobile vs Verizon: Differences

• Spectrum is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), meaning it leases network infrastructure from Verizon rather than owning it.
• After a certain amount of data usage, Spectrum Mobile slows your speeds on all but its most premium plan. Verizon offers fully unlimited premium data on Simplicity, Unlimited Plus, and Unlimited Ultimate.
• Spectrum Mobile plans are most cost-effective for Spectrum Internet customers, while Verizon's plans are available to anyone.
• Spectrum Mobile doesn't include streaming perks, while Verizon offers optional streaming and other add-ons, including through its build-your-own Simplicity plan.
• Verizon does not include taxes and fees in its advertised pricing, while Spectrum Mobile does.

The Bottom Line

Spectrum Mobile and Verizon share the same network, so coverage isn't the deciding factor—price and flexibility are. Spectrum Mobile is the better choice if you're already a Spectrum Internet customer looking for a cheap, no-frills unlimited plan with taxes and fees baked into the price. Verizon is the better choice if you want a plan open to anyone, don't mind paying more, and value guaranteed full-speed data along with the option to add streaming perks and bigger hotspot allowances. Budget-focused shoppers should lean Spectrum Mobile; anyone who wants more features and doesn't need Spectrum Internet should lean Verizon.