T-Mobile vs Verizon: Plans Compared

Considering T-Mobile versus Verizon? Here's how T-Mobile unlimited plans and Verizon unlimited plans compare head to head when it comes to coverage, multi-line discounts, perks, pricing, and more.

If you want to find and compare plans from other top carriers, try our Plan Finder.

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T-Mobile vs Verizon: Similarities

• T-Mobile and Verizon both offer their customers 4G LTE coverage. Both providers also are actively expanding their 5G coverage. 
• Both carriers own the network infrastructure rather than renting from other companies. This is a benefit for T-Mobile and Verizon customers since renters get deprioritized data (read: slower speeds) when networks get busy.
• Verizon and T-Mobile provide multi-line discounts, so the monthly per-line cost is lower for additional lines. 
• Both T-Mobile and Verizon offer bundled perks, including streaming services.
• Both T-Mobile and Verizon provide best-in-class international capabilities. If you're planning on using your wireless plan to stay connected while traveling abroad, you can't go wrong with either carrier.

T-Mobile vs Verizon: Differences

• T-Mobile includes taxes and fees in its mid-level and premium plan pricing, while Verizon does not include taxes and fees in any plan pricing.
• T-Mobile includes hotspot data in its unlimited plan pricing, while Verizon only includes hotspot data on its mid-level and premium unlimited plans. With Verizon, you do have the option of adding 100GB of hotspot data to any of its plans.

What Is an Unlimited Plan?

Before we begin to compare T-Mobile and Verizon’s plans, let’s briefly review what an unlimited plan is. As the name suggests, all unlimited plans include unlimited data. But not all of that data is necessarily high-speed. ‍

Entry-level unlimited plans provide unlimited data, but it's usually subject to slowdowns, also called deprioritization, when the network is busy. 

Mid-level unlimited plans include a combo of high-speed data and unlimited deprioritized data. 

Premium unlimited plans offer top-of-the-line high-speed data at all times.

T-Mobile vs Verizon Entry-Level Unlimited Plans

If you’re hunting for the best bargain unlimited plan from T-Mobile or Verizon, the entry-level plans below are the most similar. These plans are a great fit for light data users who only rarely use their phones as a mobile hotspot, if ever. They primarily use their phone’s Internet connection to browse the news, quickly check emails, and stream a YouTube video on occasion, but that’s about it.

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T-Mobile vs Verizon Mid-Level Unlimited Plans

If you’re searching for a middle-of-the-road unlimited plan that strikes a good balance between price and speed, the following T-Mobile and Verizon plan comparison might be what you’re looking for. These plans work well for average data users who use their phone as a mobile hotspot around one to three times per week, play some mobile games, stream a few shows a week, and scroll social media for up to an hour a day.

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T-Mobile vs Verizon Premium Unlimited Plans

For the user with high data needs, a premium unlimited plan might be the way to go. If you find yourself using your phone as a mobile hotspot more than three times per week, you want to scroll and upload videos to social media apps without limit, watch all your favorite shows on streaming services, and play graphic-intensive games, you’ll want a plan that can keep up with your heavy data usage. The T-Mobile and Verizon unlimited plans below provide you with all the premium data you need without any deprioritization.

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The Bottom Line

Be sure to try out our free, unbiased Plan Finder to help you pick the right T-Mobile or Verizon unlimited plan. We sort through thousands of options in seconds to show you the best plans to meet your needs. You’ll also be able to compare plans from other carriers. Our Plan Finder lets you select the number of lines you need, whether you want hotspot data, and which streaming services you’d like to include in your plan, so you can grasp the total cost before you sign up with the carrier. Want more guidance? Check out our article on what to look for in a wireless plan.