Verizon vs Xfinity Mobile: Plans Compared

Deciding between Xfinity Mobile and Verizon for your cell phone plan? We’ve dived deep into the nitty gritty details of every plan Verizon and Xfinity Mobile offers, including hotspot data, international options, pricing, and perks, so you know exactly what’s on the table for you no matter how much or how little data you need. 

Try our Plan Finder to compare phone plans across the most popular carriers.

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Verizon vs Xfinity Mobile: Similarities

• Nationwide 4G LTE and Ultra Wideband 5G network coverage. (Always check the network’s coverage map before making a decision!) 
• Some hotspot data is included with Verizon’s mid-level and premium unlimited data plans, and all Xfinity’s plans come with a baseline of unlimited 3G hotspot data – more on this below.
• Xfinity Mobile gives customers unlimited talk and text to and in Mexico and Canada; Verizon adds unlimited 3G data as well.
• The ability to bundle in multiple services, such as home internet and TV, to the mobile phone plan.
• No taxes and fees are included in plan pricing for either Verizon or Xfinity Mobile. 

Verizon vs Xfinity Mobile: Differences

• The main difference: Xfinity is an MVNO, or Mobile Virtual Network Operator. This means it leases network infrastructure from Verizon. Verizon is a wireless carrier first and foremost. 
• Xfinity Internet customers are eligible for Xfinity Mobile plans at the advertised prices. If you're not a customer, you can still get these plans, but you'll have to pay an expensive additional surcharge. Verizon plans are open to all. 
• Verizon offers multi-line discount pricing, so every additional line is cheaper to add. Each Xfinity Mobile line is added at a flat rate.
• Xfinity Mobile doesn’t bundle in extra perks, while Verizon’s mid-level and premium plans bundle in some streaming services.

What Is an Unlimited Plan?

In short, an unlimited data plan gives you unlimited data. Some of that data might be high-speed, while some of it might be slower. It all depends on what plan and what carrier you choose. Just remember that Xfinity Mobile will slow you down when you reach a certain point of data usage.

Entry-level unlimited plans give you unlimited – but deprioritized, AKA slower – data. Some plans also include a set amount of premium data. 

Mid-level unlimited plans provide a mix of high-speed data, and as much unlimited but deprioritized data as you want. 

Premium unlimited plans offer premium high-speed data, with no restrictions or limitations on speed or amount.

What Is a Capped Plan?

Some carriers still include capped mobile data plan options, which provide you with a specific amount of data to use per month. You also see these called “By the Gig” plans. These tend to be more budget-friendly, but if you’re not careful, you might find yourself completely out of data before the month is up. Not only that, but all capped plan data is deprioritized. That means your data can always be slowed down at busy times, or in busy places. 

If you do choose a capped plan, just remember to keep an eye on your data use over the month. Carriers typically let you buy more data if you need it, but those data packs are not always cheap. In general, we’d recommend capped plans only for the lightest data users, who are almost always in WiFi range and rarely need much data.

What About Hotspot Data?

We’ve discussed how the meaning of “unlimited” and “premium” are not always set in stone. How does that affect hotspot data on unlimited data plans?

Some carrier plans provide a separate hotspot allowance to your overall data budget. For instance, on mid-level and premium plans, Verizon includes a hefty amount of high-speed hotspot data. This is completely separate from your mobile premium data. After you use your hotspot data allowance, your hotspot speed will be slowed right down. However, data speeds on your mobile device won’t be affected.

Other carriers include hotspot data in your overall data allowance. This only matters for plans that only offer up to a certain amount of high-speed data before your speeds are restricted on your mobile phone. If you’re allowed to use 20 GB of unlimited data before you’re slowed, and you use 5 GB of hotspot data, then you only have 15 GB left at normal speeds until the end of the month, when your data budget resets.

In short, for heavy hotspot users, this is something to closely investigate with each plan you consider. If you’re not a big hotspot user, then don’t worry about this too much as it’s not that relevant for you.

Comparing Plans

Verizon vs Xfinity Mobile Capped Plans

Every major carrier provides unlimited data plans, but only a few continue offering the older capped data plans, too. Xfinity Mobile is one of the carriers that provides consumers with a simple By the Gig plan model, where you pay a flat fee per GB of data you use. Plus, if you have multiple lines, you can share that data allotment across all of them.  

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Verizon vs Xfinity Mobile Entry-Level Unlimited Plans

These two carriers offer some great entry-level unlimited plan options. Many carriers consider this the most basic plan, so these plans were created with light data users in mind. For example, if you’re not a big hotspot user, you mostly use your phone to check the news, you only scroll a bit on social media, and you don’t tend to upload a lot of content, then you could be considered a light data user. If so, these data options could be a good fit. 

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Verizon vs Xfinity Mobile Mid-Level Unlimited Plans

For someone who wants to save money, but still wants to have access to a good amount of high-speed, premium data, then these mid-level plans are a good fit. If you find that you only make Wi-Fi hotspots around three times a week, perhaps watch one or two weekly Netflix shows on your phone stream, upload some video content to Facebook or YouTube, and like to play mobile games on your commute, then these plans are probably a good choice for your lifestyle. 

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Verizon vs Xfinity Mobile Premium Unlimited Plans

For the heavy data user, these plans are typically the right fit. We define heavy data usage as using your mobile hotspot more than three times per week, uploading lots of content to social media, streaming multiple hours of Netflix, YouTube, Twitch, or other videos, and playing graphic-intensive games. 

If that sounds like you, then you probably agree that you’ll want a plan that can keep up with you. To make things a little easier, there’s no comparison here – Xfinity Mobile doesn’t offer comparable premium unlimited plans. However, Verizon’s Premium Unlimited plans come with truly unlimited premium data, with no restrictions on speed or amount.  

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The Bottom Line

If you’re feeling like you need a degree in Cell Phone Plans to truly understand all your options and pick the right one, try out our free, unbiased Plan Finder. Just give us a few key details – like what streaming services you want, how many lines you need, and whether you want phone upgrade options – and we instantly sort through thousands of options in seconds to show you the best plans to meet your needs.

Wondering what factors to consider when picking a phone plan? Our guide on how to choose the best cell phone plan lays it all out.