Best Visible phone plan in 2023

• Visible+
  

  
  The full package
  

  If you’re looking to get the most out of Visible’s service, Visible+ takes things up a notch with increased data speeds on 5G plus premium data. Visible+ also adds international roaming in Mexico and Canada, and you can call 30+ countries and text 200+ countries.

  
  Pros
  

  • Full 5G data speeds with Ultra Wideband
  • Includes 50GB of premium data
  • International calling and texting

  
  Cons
  

  • More expensive
  • No family plan savings
  • Hotspot limited to 5Mbps

• 
  

  Visible
  

  
  Entry-level unlimited
  

  Visible’s base plan comes with unlimited data on Verizon’s LTE and Nationwide 5G networks. This plan comes with unlimited hotspot data at 5Mbps and calling and texting to Mexico and Canada. While it lacks the fast 5G speeds of the premium plan, it’s still quick enough for many people.

  
  Pros
  

  • Unlimited data on Verizon’s LTE and Nationwide 5G networks
  • Unlimited hotspot data (5Mbps)
  • Taxes and fees included

  
  Cons
  

  • No family plan savings
  • Slower 5G speeds than many other prepaid carriers on Verizon

Visible is a prepaid carrier owned and operated by Verizon, so it’s no surprise that its plans all run on the Verizon network. What is more surprising, is just how cheaper these plans are than Verizon’s own postpaid plans, especially for single-line accounts. Visible launched its service with a single unlimited data plan but has since expanded the service to two plans with the premium Visible+ plan upgrading the data experience as well as bringing along multiple international features.

Verizon’s 5G network isn’t offering the coverage of T-Mobile or AT&T just yet, but as the focus of future network upgrades, it’s good that Visible customers get access. While the cheaper Visible plan only comes with limited 5G access, it should still be fast enough for most people. For those that want better network performance, Visible+ offers premium data and full 5G support, so customers can get closer to premium postpaid performance without paying nearly as much.

Visible, a prepaid carrier owned and operated by Verizon Wireless, offers only two wireless plans — both with unlimited data for those who want to stick with Verizon coverage. Visible’s most basic plan is Visible and typically costs $30 per month, though a current promotion brings that down to $25 for new customers who sign up before the end of May 2023. That same promotion brings the price of Visible+, the higher-end plan, down from $45 to just $35. Visible+ brings with it faster data speeds on 5G, premium data, and some improved international features.

Mobile carrier features

Visible keeps its features fairly basic. There are no limited data plans, so there’s no need for data upgrades. The speeds you get depend on the plan you choose and the network congestion level in your area. If you want the best speeds possible out of Visible, you’ll need to sign up for the Visible+ plan, allowing you to get 50GB of premium data per month and access to full Ultra Wideband 5G speeds.

If you have access to Verizon’s home internet service, be it Fios or 5G Home, you can get a discount with your Visible plan. The base Visible plan gets $5 off per month, and Visible+ gets $10 off per month. Admittedly, these aren’t as good as Verizon’s postpaid plans, which can enjoy up to 50% off home internet service, but Visible’s low prices still keep the prepaid carrier in the lead with both services.

Visible also allows you to add an Apple Watch to your account for just $5 per month. It’s a bit of a drag that this plan isn’t yet available for the best Android smartwatches, but it’s nice to have if you or one of your family members are embedded in the Apple ecosystem.

One thing Visible doesn’t have is family savings. While several carriers will use multi-line discounts to convince customers to bring as many lines as possible, Visible doesn’t offer any savings like this, so if you have more than a couple of lines, you might be able to find a better deal. Of course, there are Verizon’s postpaid plans like Welcome Unlimited or 5G Start, but these plans aren’t quite as straightforward, with things like taxes and fees costing extra. If you want to stick with prepaid, US Mobile offers two unlimited plans that compare favorably to Visible with discounts for multiple lines.

Mobile coverage and reception

Visible uses Verizon’s network for all of its coverage, so when it comes to the places you’ll have signal, both plans are identical. If you have Visible+, though, you’ll likely get higher speeds than the base Visible plan in a head-to-head comparison. This includes full access to Ultra Wideband 5G (Verizon’s fastest type of 5G) and premium data. And since Visible+ comes with 50GB of premium data each month, your data will be treated as a higher priority than the base plan.

Truthfully, the importance of premium data depends on the area you live in. For instance, when dozens of devices are connecting to a single phone tower, they may have to wait in line while the network directs the traffic. Premium data allows your device to cut in line a bit for faster speeds and better responsiveness. The importance of this feature depends on how many devices are trying to connect and the quality of the network deployment in an area. In an area with a lot of people, like an outdoor event in a large city, the benefits of premium data will be much more apparent.

Like premium data, the performance of 5G on Visible isn’t easy to predict. You can check

Visible’s coverage map

to get an idea of where Ultra Wideband 5G is available, but it doesn’t tell the whole store. Ultra Wideband 5G on Verizon is made up of C-band and mmWave, with C-band offering much more coverage from a single tower. C-band 5G uses a spectrum around 3.7GHz which Verizon has enough of for speeds much higher than LTE, but the coverage is weaker. In general, a low-frequency signal, as used for nationwide 5G, will travel faster, but there’s much less of it available to carriers.

To make a long story short(er), you need more C-band towers to cover the same area as LTE and nationwide 5G. That means Verizon will need to build many more new towers or small cells in addition to upgrading its old towers. It’s simply going to take Verizon a longer time to fully deploy C-band coverage compared to LTE and nationwide 5G coverage.

Phone compatibility

If you’re coming from Verizon and your phone was made in the past few years, there’s a good chance you can bring it to Visible. In fact, you can bring just any of the best Verizon phones to Visible as long as you purchase it unlocked. Visible’s nationwide 5G uses bands n2, n5, and n66, while Ultra Wideband uses n77 for C-band and n260 or n261 for mmWave. For the best results, your phone should support as many of these bands as possible, though the most important bands for most people will be nationwide 5G and C-band.

Recent Samsung Galaxy phones like the Samsung Galaxy S23+ — and Google Pixel phones like the Pixel 7 — support these bands, so there’s a good chance you can find a phone that works for you. One thing to remember is that phones purchased from Verizon often come with a 36-month payment plan, and if you got a discount on it, you may need to stay on your current plan to keep getting that discount. You have to pay for the phone in full one way or the other, so keep that in mind before jumping ship.

Plan details

If Visible’s Verizon-based coverage and network work for you, the last most important choice remaining is which plan to get. The base plan is likely more than enough for many users shopping in this price range, but what may not be expected is that it’s also adequate for heavier users. If you frequent speed test apps or like to download large files off of Wi-Fi, the speed deficiencies of the cheaper plan will be more apparent, but for general use, there’s a good chance you don’t even need to consider the premium Visible+ plan.

Visible+ plan features

Visible+ is Visible’s most expensive plan ever, but even so, it comes with features that compete with many premium postpaid plans. Like all Visible plans, you get unlimited talk and text in the U.S. as well as talk and text to Mexico and Canada. Visible+ also includes unlimited roaming in Mexico and Canada; if you need to travel frequently, Visible+ can pay for itself in no time. Calling 30+ countries is included, as well as texting to 200+ countries.

That being said, this plan’s biggest strength is data. You get unlimited data on Verizon’s LTE and 5G networks with 50GB of premium data. When you have premium data, your connection is treated as a higher priority than those without, so when there’s a lot of congestion, your connection can feel more responsive. If you live or work in a dense area, this effect will be much more noticeable than in a rural area or small town. After the 50GB, you still get unlimited data, though you may notice a little slowdown. Still, 50GB is quite a lot of data, and most people won’t need all of it in a month.

This plan can also fully utilize all of Verizon’s Ultra Wideband 5G bands, including mmWave and C-band, for speed much faster than LTE. While this network isn’t as nearly as widespread as nationwide 5G or LTE, it can be great for keeping your data fast and responsive in the areas with coverage, which are mostly built-up urban and suburban areas. In addition, if you need data on another device like a tablet or laptop, both Visible plans come with unlimited hotspot data at 5Mbps. Visible+ customers can also get $10 off Verizon Home Internet, so you could also stand to save compared to your current home ISP if you switch.

Visible plan details

The base Visible plan is still one of the best values when it comes to wireless plans, thanks to its cheap unlimited data. Visible’s unlimited data stands out for being truly unlimited with no high-speed data caps, as seen on unlimited plans from other prepaid carriers like Mint Mobile or Google Fi. This plan has a 200Mbps speed cap for 5G, but that’s more than enough for anything you can do on a phone. Besides that, you can download as much as you’d like and stream for hours a day without looking at your data usage.

This plan has 5G access, but it’s limited to nationwide 5G, which is quite a bit slower than Ultra Wideband. Even so, nationwide 5G and LTE on Verizon are generally quick enough that you shouldn’t notice much difference outside of large downloads and uploads. Like with Visible+, you get unlimited hotspot data with a 5Mbps limit for your other devices.

Of course, talk and text are also unlimited. If you have friends or family in Mexico or Canada, you can call and text them for free with this plan, but you don’t get any of Visible+’s other international features. If you are able to get Verizon Home Internet service, you can get $5 off with this plan.

Which is right for you

The biggest reason to choose Visible+ over Visible for most people is the international features. These international features are not only competitive with other prepaid carriers but also with postpaid plans that cost quite a bit more. For $10 more per month with the current promotion, heavier phone users with an appetite for responsive data may find the upgrade to Visible+ worth every penny, especially when you consider that Verizon’s cheap 5G plans — 5G Start and Welcome Unlimited — don’t come with premium data or Ultra Wideband access while costing more per line for one or two people.

The base Visible plan is a great entry point and truth be told, many people will be perfectly happy with the data speeds they get. Its unlimited hotspot data means you can stay connected from the road or a coffee shop without searching for Wi-Fi or worrying about insecure public Wi-Fi. At $25 per month with the current promotion, it’s a phenomenal value. Not to mention that the money saved over a postpaid plan can be put towards getting one of the best Android phones unlocked, giving you the flexibility to switch carriers without having to pay off an expensive device first.