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Verizon's main selling points are its expansive and fast 5G Ultra Wideband network coverage and exclusive discounts on popular streaming services.
What we like
What we don't like
AT&T's standard 5G network is fast and wide-reaching, and its plans bundle in hot spot coverage and international text and calling for no extra cost.
What we like
What we don't like
Verizon and AT&T are two of the three major carriers in the US, and they're primarily known for their mainstream postpaid unlimited data plans.
Both offer a variety of other plans, including economical prepaid plans. However, we generally recommend checking out other affordable options, such as the best prepaid phone plans and the best cheap plans guides from smaller carriers if you're looking for the best savings.
MVNOs like Mint Mobile or Visible, in particular, can save you large amounts on your monthly bills.
When just looking at Verizon and AT&T, you'll find they offer similar plan prices roughly in the same ballpark. Both carriers often run promotions to entice customers to switch, so pricing can vary. At the end of the day, however, choosing between Verizon and AT&T essentially comes down to which option has the best coverage in your area.
Plan offerings and flexibility
Verizon and AT&T's mainstream plans can be classed as premium, mid-range, and entry-level. Both carriers also conveniently allow mixing plans in multi-line accounts, which adds flexibility for families and friend groups.
Verizon's and AT&T's plans are overall comparable. However, Verizon offers more incentives, including 40% off popular third-party services, like the Disney Plus streaming package, Netflix with HBO Max, Apple One, Apple Music, YouTube Premium, and more. Both carriers offer discounted tablet and smartwatch coverage, depending on which plan you choose.
AT&T stands out with more international features, including unlimited talk, text, and data between the US, Canada, and Mexico for most plans, and more included countries on the Premium and Elite plans.
| Plan | Carrier | Price (with 4 lines) | Monthly hot spot data |
| Value 2.0 | AT&T | $30 a month* | 3GB |
| Extra 2.0 | AT&T | $40 a month* | 50GB |
| Premium 2.0 | AT&T | $50 a month* | 100GB |
| Elite 2.0 | AT&T | $70 a month* | 250GB |
| Unlimited Welcome | Verizon | $25 a month** | None |
| Unlimited Plus | Verizon | $40 a month** | 30GB |
| Unlimited Ultimate | Verizon | $55 a month** | Unlimited |
*AT&T plans include a $10 discount with paperless billing and AutoPay.
**Verizon plans are price-locked for three years before increasing in price.
Overall, they're about equal, with Verizon winning with add-ons, while AT&T offers more hot spot opportunities and international capabilities bundled in. Prices are most affordable with at least four lines on an account — solo shoppers may want to consider an MVNO like Mint or Visible to save money while still receiving similarly reliable coverage.
| Plan | International coverage | Tablet/watch discounts | Streaming quality |
| Value 2.0 | US, Canada, Mexico | None | Standard definition |
| Extra 2.0 | US, Canada, Mexico | None | Standard definition |
| Premium 2.0 | US, Canada, plus 20 more | 50% off | 4K UHD |
| Elite 2.0 | US, Canada, plus 20 more | 1 free per line | 4K UHD |
| Unlimited Welcome | None | None | Standard definition |
| Unlimited Plus | None | Up to 50% off 1 plan | Standard definition |
| Unlimited Ultimate | 210+ countries | Up to 50% off 2 plans | 4K |
Coverage and data speeds
If Verizon and AT&T's coverage maps are taken at face value, almost anyone in the US should get coverage on either carrier. Reputationally, AT&T has superior coverage in rural areas, which is corroborated by its coverage map.
However, the reality is that there are many areas where either one or the other has better coverage and data speeds. The best way to find out which carrier has the best coverage is to talk to friends, family, and neighbors where you'll be needing coverage the most.
| Network | Verizon typical advertised data speeds | AT&T typical advertised data speeds |
| Mid- and high band 5G (C-band and mmWave) | 163-622 Mbps | 152-472 Mbps |
| Low-band 5G | 35-148 Mbps | 57-337 Mbps |
| 4G LTE | 11-75 Mbps | 13-79 Mbps |
Verizon and AT&T have typical advertised data speeds as a point of reference (above). Verizon has faster high- and mid-band 5G, but AT&T has faster low-band 5G networks (Sub-6GHz). With that said, Verizon's low-band 5G speeds are more than enough for most people. Both have comparable 4G LTE speeds.
Customer support
Whether customer support is effective is almost a case-by-case affair — sometimes it's quick and smooth, other times it can take a long time and get little resolved. It's usually best to approach carrier customer support expecting the worst and hoping for the best.
Based on our experience, we've had most of our issues resolved on both Verizon and AT&T, but timing can vary. Both start you off with unhelpful automated support, but it's fairly easy to get in touch with a person. Verizon and AT&T also have convenient options for call-back scheduling, so you're not waiting on hold.
Verizon and AT&T also have several physical locations, whether corporate or authorized third-party. That's helpful to get support from a human being for any issue.
The Verizon and AT&T apps have everything you need for plan management. For Verizon's app, specifically, it's easy to navigate as long as you stick to the Account tab. Other tabs like "Discover," "Shop," and "myAccess" clutter the experience
Discount eligibility
Qualified users may be able to secure a discounted rate from either carrier. To qualify, AT&T requires you to verify your eligibility by providing additional details, such as your date of birth, branch of service, school, or workplace. AT&T offers price cuts to:
- Shoppers over 55
- Military and veterans
- Retired responders
- Teachers
- Nurses
- Physicians
- Students
- Select union members.
As for Verizon, if you're comfortable disclosing additional details for verification, Verizon offers the following discounts:
Which carrier should you sign with?
Both Verizon and AT&T have generally comparable offerings, but AT&T edges the win for us with its additional hot spot and international inclusions. Verizon's extra perks do sweeten the deal, but in the end, they still rack up additional costs that you may not need from your cell plan.
Regardless, which one you pick will depend entirely on coverage — a 100GB hot spot is useless if AT&T is unreliable in your area. If both Verizon and AT&T offer equally good coverage in your area, we'd recommend AT&T for its competitive pricing and additional features.
Not ready to commit to either? Check out our roundups of the best Mint Mobile deals and the best Visible deals for savings on more affordable options. We also have a comparison of T-Mobile vs. Verizon.
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