Verizon’s powerhouse plans are among the best in the industry, but some may opt for Reach’s charitable giving.
Reach Mobile vs. Verizon Wireless Review
7 min readVerizon is known for its reliable nationwide coverage, powerful unlimited plans, and a 5G network that offers impressive speeds. Reach is a smaller prepaid carrier that offers a significantly cheaper unlimited data plan compared to Verizon. On top of that, Reach also gives a portion of your cell phone bill to charity.
Reach Mobile uses T-Mobile's network to provide coverage for its users, which isn't quite as reliable as Verizon's network. Still, if you want an unlimited plan at the fraction of the price and contribute some of your bill to charity, Reach Mobile could be perfect for you.
Reach Mobile vs. Verizon plans and prices
Winner: Verizon offers more data, faster speeds, and tons of perks, but some may still like Reach’s promo prices
The chart above is a comparison between Reach’s unlimited data plan and one of Verizon’s unlimited plans. While it may look like Reach offers the same thing for half the price, the story is actually a lot more complicated than that. Here’s everything you need to know, beginning with Reach.
Reach Mobile’s plans
With Reach Mobile, you’ve got five basic choices: a 2 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB, 15 GB, or unlimited data plan. No matter which one you choose, you’ll get mobile hotspot data, HD video streaming, and unlimited talk and text. Just take a look at the chart below.
Reach Mobile plan prices
Judging by this chart, Reach’s prices are incredibly cheap. But keep in mind that these are just the promo prices, and your cost will go up by $10/month once the deals expire. Even without the promo pricing, Reach's $45/month unlimited plan beats the price of any unlimited plan from Verizon.
Looking for a cheaper cell phone plan?
Reach’s plans are cheaper than Verizon’s, but there are other carriers that are way cheaper. In fact, Mint Mobile’s regular prices are about the same as Reach’s promo prices.
Compared to other smaller MVNO carriers, you pay a few extra dollars for Reach's unlimited plan. But unlike other carriers, a portion of your bill helps underprivileged folks. For comparison, here's what unlimited plans look like from other prepaid carriers:
Data caps and deprioritization
Weird fact of the day: most “unlimited data” plans aren’t truly unlimited. Instead, they have a data cap. After you reach your cap, you’ll still get data, but it will be dramatically slower, meaning you might have problems with streaming, scrolling, and other basic functions.
Unfortunately, Reach Mobile has one of the lowest data caps we’ve ever seen on an unlimited data plan. It’s just 20 GB, which many people can burn through in a week or less. So, if you need a reliable, high-speed data plan for Zoom meetings at work, you might want to go with Verizon.
But the bad news doesn’t really end there. Reach’s data will never be as reliably fast as Verizon’s, even before you reach the data cap. That’s because the company is an MVNO and its customers will always be at risk of having their data deprioritized (slowed down) when the network is congested.
Reach Mobile’s charitable contributions
So, if Reach isn’t the cheapest or the most powerful carrier, why would people choose it? For many, it comes down to the company’s awesome charitable giving. “Get a plan, give a plan” is one of the company’s mottos, and it's got the data to back it up.
Reach has partnered with programs that provide cell phones and service to women in poor and rural areas throughout the globe. You can use the Reach Mobile app to see just how much talk, text, and data you’ve contributed to Reach’s program.
Verizon Wireless’s plans
Verizon is a giant in the mobile industry that has tons to offer for all kinds of customers. Just take a look at all of these cell phone plans the company sells.
Verizon Wireless plans and pricing
When it comes to Verizon’s lower-tier plans—like the Basic Phone Plan or the 10 GB plan—things are pretty straightforward. And, to be honest, the deals aren’t the best. If you want a plan with just a little bit of data, you’re better off going with Reach (or another MVNO like Mint Mobile).
But Verizon’s two unlimited postpaid data plans are a different story. These plans are some of the most powerful on the market. Here’s what you need to know about them.
- All of these plans come with unlimited talk, text, and data, access to Verizon’s 5G network, and cool perks like a discounted Disney+ subscription (which we highly recommend).
- Unlimited Welcome is the cheapest Verizon unlimited plan. It has no hard data cap but on this plan your data can always be slowed down due to deprioritization (much like on Reach’s plans). You don’t get any mobile hotspot data.
- Unlimited Plus gives you access to Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network (faster data speeds, no slowdowns) and 30GB of mobile hotspot data every month.
In short, Verizon’s two unlimited plans are pricey powerhouses that will satisfy those who work, game, stream, and post on their phones all day.
Deals for first responders, students, military and more
Verizon is all about hooking up hard working people with a good deal. Check out these discounts on unlimited data plans for first responders, military, nurses, teachers, and students!
Reach vs. Verizon plans: The bottom line
To summarize all of the above: Reach’s lower-data plans are a decent deal for those who don’t need much data and want to give back. But when it comes to unlimited data and perks, Verizon is definitely the way to go.
Reach Mobile vs. Verizon Wireless family plans
Winner: Verizon has the family plan deals, while Reach comes up short
When it comes to family plans there really isn’t any competition between Verizon and Reach. That’s because Reach Mobile doesn’t really do family plans. Yes, you can add an additional line to your account, but you won’t see any cost savings when you do.
Here’s an example to illustrate the difference. Let’s say you, your spouse, and your two kids all want unlimited data plans. If you sign up for a four-line unlimited data plan from Reach, it will cost you more than if you signed up from Verizon. Take a look.
Reach vs. Verizon family plan comparison
Reach’s plan costs a good bit more, while offering way less. You’ll still have that 20 GB data cap, data deprioritization, and a lack of perks.
Verizon, meanwhile, offers pretty awesome deals on all of its plans when you add extra lines. If you’ve got more than one person who wants a cell phone plan in your family, there’s really no reason to not bundle together with Verizon.
Reach Mobile vs. Verizon Wireless coverage
Reach uses T-Mobile's network and Verizon uses, well, Verizon's network
Reach Mobile used to use Verizon's network to provide coverage for users, but apparently those two companies broke up at the beginning of 2022 and now Reach has paired up with T-Mobile.
Verizon technically covers more of the United States than T-Mobile, but it's still a pretty close call. Take a look at the coverage maps below to get an idea of the coverage difference:
Verizon coverage map
T-Mobile coverage map
Where T-Mobile (and by extension, Reach Mobile) wins over Verizon is in data speeds. T-Mobile's 5G network isn't quite as fast as Verizon's 5G network, but it's much more widely available.
As you can see, Verizon comes in a close second place, behind T-Mobile. But keep in mind that Reach customers won’t always get top speeds due to deprioritization. The nice thing about about paying for a big carrier like Verizon is that you won't get your speeds deprioritizited when the network gets congested.
Reach Mobile vs. Verizon phones and devices
Winner: Verizon has more variety, but some will like Reach’s deals on discount devices
If you’re ready to replace that old iPhone with a busted screen, then you’re in luck. When you sign up for a new plan from Reach or Verizon, you can nab a good deal on a brand-new phone.
If you want a new flagship phone from a major company, like the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the iPhone 14, then Verizon has a way better selection. But Reach comes in with some sweet deals on cheaper devices, like the Pixel 6. These WhistleOut charts will show you the most popular phones that each company is selling right now.
Reach Mobile phone deals
Verizon phone deals
Recap: Which carrier is right for you?
Which will it be? Are you a do-gooder who wants a cheap plan from Reach or a data-lover who wants a powerhouse plan from Verizon? Maybe a quick recap will help you decide.
Plans: Reach’s plans are relatively affordable and offer a decent amount of data, but data slowdowns and price changes will drive many away. Verizon’s plans aren’t the cheapest, but otherwise they’re basically the best if you like tons of data, great coverage, and fast speeds.
Family plans: Verizon is the clear winner in this category because it offers steep discounts on multi-line plans. Reach, on the other hand, offers no family plan discounts or perks to speak of.
Coverage and performance: Reach uses T-Mobile to provide network coverage and Verizon uses (you guessed it) Verizon. Verizon offers more coverage overall, but T-Mobile makes up for it with faster average data speeds. Since Reach Mobile is an MVNO carrier, your data speeds can be throttled when the network gets busy.
Methodology
Our research for this comparison article began with the basics. We used WhistleOut’s comparison charts and public data from Reach and Verizon to evaluate every single plan offered by both carriers, and established a comparison based on prices, data caps, deprioritization, perks, and other features.
Then we used our own proprietary data from over 100,000 customers, as well as online customer reviews, to rate the performance of each carrier in several categories, including data speed and data deprioritization. We looked at the fine print to understand how price changes, phone deals, and other aspects of each carrier’s service can affect potential customers.
We think our final review looks at every angle, providing our readers with useful information and honest recommendations. You can read our article about how we rate cell phone plans if you’d like to learn more about our process.
Frequently asked questions about Reach vs. Verizon
Still have pressing questions about Verizon vs. Reach? Hopefully we've got you covered with this FAQ, but if not, drop us a line in the comments, and we'll try to get you an answer.
There's four main things to consider when choosing the right cell phone plan for you:
Data: You need data for pretty much everything—streaming, gaming, posting, working, etc. So make sure your plan has enough data to support your habits.
Price: Cell phone plans are cheaper than they used to be. You can make sure you’re getting the best price available using tools like WhistleOut’s comparison charts (seen in this article).
Coverage: There are three major networks in the US. Check coverage maps to see which one has the best coverage in your city or town.
Features: Special features like hotspot data, international benefits, and HD video streaming aren’t included in every plan. Read through the fine print to make sure you’re getting all the features you want before you sign up.
Verizon’s 55+ unlimited data plans start at just $60 a month. When you go up to two lines, it’s just $80 (or $40 per line). That’s an amazing deal. You can learn more on Verizon’s website.
Technically, Verizon’s cheapest plan is the Basic Phone Plan, which comes with unlimited talk and text, plus 500 MB of data. But it's not available for smartphones. Take a look.
Verizon’s cheapest unlimited data plan is the 5G Start Plan, which costs $70 a month (or $60 if you’re a first responder or teacher or student).
Reach Mobile uses T-Mobile's network.
We think that Reach Mobile has some cool things going for it: affordable plans, great coverage, and an awesome charitable giving program.
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