Xfinity Mobile vs. Verizon Wireless Cell Phone Plans Review

Verizon Wireless is one of the biggest names in the cell phone industry. The company offers powerful cell phone plans with great coverage and tons of data. But they are expensive. That’s where Xfinity Mobile comes in.

Xfinity’s cell phone service offers unlimited data plans that are cheaper than Verizon’s. But there’s a catch: You have to be an existing Xfinity Internet customer to sign up. Also, the carrier’s plans tend to offer less full-speed data.

So, which one is better for you, Xfinity or Verizon? We’ll go over everything you need to know in this article.

• What to look for
• Plans and prices
• Data performance
• Coverage
• Phones and devices
• Customer service
• Recap
• FAQ

What are the ingredients for a great cell phone plan? We think (and write) about this stuff all day, so we like to think we’ve learned a thing or two. Here’s what to look for when you’re considering a new mobile plan:

• Data caps: Most unlimited data plans aren’t really unlimited. Check the fine print for information about a data cap. Some carriers (like T-Mobile) do offer unlimited data without a soft cap, but you'll sometimes pay a steeper price for it. Many cheaper plans will significantly slow your data speeds after you use a certain amount (usually 20 to 50 GB).
• Coverage: There are three major networks in the U.S. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon all have huge coverage areas, but some are better in certain areas. Check out a coverage map before you sign up.
• Deals: Many companies will offer amazing introductory deals but gauge their prices after the first three months. Be sure to read the fine print and get a deal that will last you in the long run.

Xfinity and Verizon both offer a wide variety of cell phone plans, which can make it hard to compare the two carriers. We’ve broken it down into three different sections: unlimited data plans, limited data plans, and family plans.

We’ll start with everyone’s favorite: unlimited data plans.

It might seem like all unlimited data plans are the same. You get limitless talk, text, and gigs, right? Wrong.

Despite the name, unlimited data plans are rarely truly unlimited. Almost all of them have some sort of soft (or hard) data cap. Once you blow through your allotted data, your speeds can be drastically reduced.

Also, different unlimited plans come with different policies and perks around things like hotspots, international calling, and free add-ons.

Verizon Wireless’s unlimited data plans tend to offer more unthrottled data and more perks than Xfinity Mobile does. That said, the prices are higher. Here’s a look at the options.

Verizon’s Unlimited Plus plans (both the prepaid and the postpaid) come with sizable chunks of hotspot data and truly unlimited data that is never throttled. If you’re okay with having your data occasionally deprioritized, you can always go for the cheaper versions.

Xfinity Mobile’s unlimited data plans are much more affordable than Verizon’s while offering many of the same perks. That’s one of the reasons the carrier tops our list of the best cell phone plans. Xfinity Mobile doesn't list their standalone prices, but you won't spend more than $50 for unlimited data.

The biggest drawback is that all of Xfinity Mobile’s plans have soft data caps. The caps for the company’s unlimited data plans are:

• Unlimited Intro Data: 20 GB
• Unlimited Plus Data: 30 GB
• Unlimited Premium Data: 40 GB

You won’t get any hotspot data with the Unlimited Intro plan. With the Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Premium plans, you’ll get 5GB and 15GB, respectively.

If you don’t need all the data, then there are several limited-data plans from both Verizon and Xfinity. These plans are prepaid and are rather stripped down.

Here’s a look at Verizon’s limited-data options.

As you can see, there’s only a $5 difference between the talk-and-text-only plan and the 15GB-a-month plan. Unless you’re sure you don’t need any data for Google Maps or posting selfies on Insta, we recommend going to the 15GB Prepaid option.

Folks who don’t need 15GB should definitely check out Xfinity phone service. It has a significantly cheaper 1GB plan.

All of Xfinity Mobile's plans come with unlimited talk and text. They also let you use your (limited) data as hotspot data. Other than that, there aren’t really any perks to speak of. You can check out Xfinity Mobile's site to learn more about prices.

We always say it: The best way to knock a bunch of money off your cell phone bill is to get a family plan. When you bundle up with your kids, partner, parents, siblings, and close friends, you can all save a bunch.

Both Verizon and Xfinity offer family plans with up to 5–10 individual lines. Let’s peek at Verizon’s plans first.

The plans you see here are essentially the same as the unlimited data plans that we discussed above, but when you break down the cost per line, it’s a lot cheaper. Normally, four lines on the Unlimited Welcome plan would cost you over $250 a month. When you bundle up in a family plan, it’s less than half the price! That’s wild.

The savings with Xfinity Mobile are almost as good. 

Four lines on Xfinity Mobile's Unlimited Premium Plan saves you $60 a month. The discount may not be as steep as Verizon’s, but it's nothing to sneeze at.

Xfinity Mobile and Verizon Wireless actually use the same 4G and 5G networks. That means that the wireless data performance is, ideally, the same with both carriers. However, there are some important differences.

Because Xfinity Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), it doesn’t own its own cell phone towers. Instead, it leases the network bandwidth from Verizon to give its customers service. That means that Xfinity customers may experience slower speeds on the network, especially after they’ve used up their data allotment.

This is also true for Verizon Wireless’s cheaper unlimited plans (Unlimited Welcome and Unlimited Prepaid). On these plans, customers can have their data deprioritized when the network is busy.

So, how fast will your data be? When you’re not experiencing deprioritization or throttling, you should get around 30Mbps or more, depending on where you are.

One way that Xfinity compensated for its sometimes slower data speeds is with a huge network of internet hotspots. The company operates over a million of these hotspots throughout the country, and Xfinity Mobile customers can connect to them for free. When you’re connected, you don’t need to use your mobile data, and your speeds will likely be much faster.

Because Xfinity Mobile uses Verizon’s cell phone towers to power its service, the coverage map for the two carriers is exactly the same. This is good news because Verizon actually has the best nationwide coverage in the U.S. Which means using a prepaid service like Xfinity Mobile will have better coverage than Tello, which uses T-Mobile's network.

You can see how Verizon and Xfinity’s 4G LTE and 5G coverage looks in your area with this nifty interactive map.

Both carriers have an impressive phone selection with options from Apple, Samsung, Google, and other major companies. In general, Verizon Wireless has better deals on new devices and better policies about trading in and upgrading old devices.

You can check out deals on the best Xfinity Mobile phones and Verizon Wireless phones in this chart. Just click on the phone you want to see all of the plans available from both providers with that particular model.

If you don’t want to spend the big bucks on a new phone, you can always bring your own device with Xfinity and Verizon. You’ll even be able to keep your old number. Nice.

Most cell phone companies are notoriously bad at picking up the phone. (Odd, right?) But Xfinity and Verizon both do an okay job with customer service. Notice we didn’t say an “amazing job.”

Both companies score pretty high on the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s Satisfaction Benchmarks. Check out their scores for the last two years in this chart.

You can reach these carriers using the following numbers:

• Xfinity Mobile customer service: +1-888-936-4968
• Verizon Wireless customer service: +1-800-837-4966

But the best way to get help with your cell phone plan is to head into a brick-and-mortar store. There are plenty of Xfinity Mobile stores and Verizon Wireless retail locations. Just ask Google!

So, which one is better, Xfinity Mobile or Verizon? Well, Xfinity Mobile is generally cheaper, but Verizon offers more full-speed data. You’ll just have to decide what your priorities are. Here’s a quick recap to help you make up your mind.

• Plans and prices: Verizon has several unlimited data plans starting at $65 a month with AutoPay. Xfinity has cheaper unlimited data plans for no more than $50 a month. If you want a low-data plan with unlimited talk and text, Xfinity has more options.
• Data performance: Both companies use the same network. But because Verizon owns the network, its customers are likely to see better performance. Plus, Verizon’s pricier plans come with truly unlimited full-speed data.
• Devices and deals: You can get all of the latest phones from both Xfinity and Verizon, but Verizon tends to offer better deals (especially at sign-up).
• Customer service: Xfinity Mobile’s customer service scores slightly higher in independent surveys, but Verizon still does okay.