Complete List of Verizon MVNOs 2020

A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) is an "alternative carrier" that leases coverage from one of the "Big Four" carriers (Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile) and sells it for less. If one of the Big Four has excellent coverage in your area, but you're looking for something a little cheaper, then consider going with an MVNO. Luckily, many of the best MVNOs use Verizon's network.

To work on Verizon-based alternative carriers, your phone must be approved for use by Verizon. You should always be sure to check your phone's IMEI with any carrier before committing to a new service. To be compatible with this network, your phone must support the following frequencies:

• 3G: 800Mhz (BC0), 1900Mhz (BC1)
• LTE: 700Mhz (Band 13), 1700/2100Mhz (Band 4), 1900Mhz (Band 2)

What about 5G?

Verizon has officially launched its nationwide 5G network with millions of people getting coverage thanks to DSS or Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, which allows towers to share spectrum between LTE and 5G connections. Unlike its earlier Ultra-Wideband (UWB) 5G network, this newer nationwide 5G network is available to customers on all Verizon Wireless plans.

While only a handful of MVNOs have officially started offering 5G service, nationwide 5G will likely become available on these carriers much sooner than UWB, similar to T-Mobile's deployment. Nationwide 5G does require a software update for current 5G phones, so there's no guaranteed timeline for access. US Mobile was one of the only MVNOs to offer UWB 5G with a special plan early on.

Without further ado, here are the MVNOs that are powered by Verizon.

Affinity Cellular

Affinity Cellular is an Iowa-based carrier that operates primarily based on awarding discounts to members of various clubs. The biggest club to which it offers discounts is the American Automobile Association (AAA). If you sign up for a contract, you receive five AAA dollars.

On its "About Us" page, Affinity states that it aims to serve those people who "depend on the benefits and security a cell phone provides but certainly are not using it every minute of every day."

Plans start at $10 per month for 10 voice minutes, $1.50 per month for 100 texts, or $1 per month for 50 texts and 5MB of data. This plan can be a good choice for a backup phone. If you need more out of your plan, you can step up to a more standard plan with up to 10GB of data with unlimited calls and texts coming in at $50 per month.

Best Cellular

Best Cellular provides service on three networks, including Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon, and plans are available for both basic phones and smartphones. The basic phone plans start at $15 per month with 500 minutes, 100 texts, and 100MB of data. If you need more, you can upgrade to the $19 or $35 plan, with the latter offering unlimited talk and text as well as 500MB of data.

The smartphone plans all come with unlimited talk and text with data amounts from 1.5GB, 3GB, 4GB, and 10GB at $40, $50, $55, and $60 per month, respectively. The strongest feature of Best Cellular is being able to choose whichever network works best for you so you can be sure you have coverage.

Boom! Mobile

Boom Mobile operates on three different networks. For Verizon service, you'll want to stick with service on the Boom Red network. Official 5G support on Boom is only on the AT&T network, however.

Plans start at $13 per month with 250 minutes and unlimited texts plus 250MB of data. You can also bump up to unlimited data for $65 per month. There are more plans available, including shared data plans for multiple lines as well as three-month bundles.

You can take things up to 20GB of data with unlimited talk and texts at $60 per month. If you know exactly how much you'll need, Boom will have a package that fits, as long as you don't need more than 20GB.

Credo Mobile

Credo is a major player in the MVNO market, operating as a division of Working Assets. Working Assets has been around in various iterations since 1985, with a core tenet of helping nonprofits through donations. Credo operated as Working Assets Wireless, changing to Credo in 2007 and only started using the Verizon network in 2016.

The aptly named Credo operates in the name of social change and has since its inception. It maintains a strict environmental policy, offering free phone recycling, and it prints bills on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. It also uses carbonfund.org's "carbon-free" program to offset its electricity and shipping costs.

If you want to support social change and a carrier with an immense sense of social responsibility, Credo is an awesome choice. You even get to vote on which organizations get donations — organizations like Planned Parenthood, Bend the Arc, the Indigenous Environmental Network, and more.

Plans start at $43 per month for 1GB of 4G LTE, unlimited talk and text, and tethering. You can also go with 3GB, 9GB, or unlimited data plans if you need more. You'll also save money per line, up to five lines.

Eco Mobile

Eco's a great carrier if you're looking for great international calling rates, with unlimited international calling available for free on plans that cost $30 per month and up.

Plans start at $20 for unlimited talk, text, and 100MB of data. Going up, 2GB of data, unlimited talk, text, and international calling is $30 per month. All plans get voicemail, caller ID, call waiting, three-way calling, MMS (picture and video messaging), and domestic calling.

EcoMobile offers service on three of the major carrier's networks, Verizon included, and you're able to bring your own Verizon-compatible device. Smartphones, tablets, and data hotspots are all supported.

EnTouch Wireless

EnTouch Wireless has three main plans starting at $20/month and moving up to $30/month and $50/month. The cheapest plan gets you unlimited talk and text with 500MB of data, confusingly called "1/2 GIG" on the website. At $30/month, you move up to 1GB of data with unlimited talk and text, and the $50/month plan comes with unlimited talk and text with 4G of data. Even if you're eligible for a Lifeline discount of $10/month, this isn't the strongest carrier for data users.

GreatCall

GreatCall has two Jitterbug phones and keeps things as simple as possible. You can start as low at 250 minutes for $15 per month and can get unlimited talk and text for $40 per month. Beyond that, you can add up to 2.5GB of data for $15.

You also get features like 5Star urgent response to help someone in an emergency. This can be a good option for a caregiver looking to support an older adult.

Net10 Wireless

Net10, owned by TracFone, uses all of the Big Four's towers to help with coverage, which means you get solid coverage for a little less than you'd spend going with one of the biggies. The nice thing is that, because Net10 uses everyone, you get to bring pretty much any phone you have — just know that if your phone isn't CDMA-compatible, then it likely won't connect to Verizon's network when you use Net10.

All smartphone plans come with unlimited talk, text, and 2G data. $20 per month gets you 1GB of 4G LTE, with more plans available at 4GB, 8GB, 10GB, and even 12GB. The smaller plans are great values, but the larger data amounts aren't as good as some other carriers. The network flexibility still makes Net10 Wireless a welcome option.

Page Plus Cellular

Page Plus is a pretty run-of-the-mill MVNO operating on Verizon's network. Plans start at $12 per month for 500 minutes, 500 texts, and 100MB of LTE data. If you regularly use your phone, you'll want the $30/month plan that features unlimited domestic calling, $10 of international calling credit, unlimited global text, and 3GB of 4G LTE. You can also get an 8GB and unlimited plan at $40 and $55 per month, respectively.

Page Plus also offers pay-as-you-go plans starting at $10 for 166 minutes lasting 120 days.

Puppy Wireless

Puppy Wireless' logo features a little spaniel pup with headphones in, shaking its head. It's adorable, and Puppy Wireless knows this — who doesn't love puppies?! Its website is rather confusing since you pick your plan based on your coverage and the color-coded network. So you enter your zip and then get your choice of networks. It would be way more convenient just to pick from a list of plans and have the carrier put you on the right network, no?

Simple, budget plans start at $10 per month and offer 250 minutes, 250 texts (no video or picture messaging), and 100MB of data. Prices rise from there with an unlimited talk and text plan with 10GB of data coming in at $54 per month.

Reach Mobile

Reach Mobile calls itself a socially-conscious mobile service working with nonprofit organizations to connect women and families that can't afford phone service.

Plans start at $35 per month with 3GB of data and unlimited talk and text on all plans. From there, you can go up to 5GB, 10GB, or unlimited amounts of data depending on your needs, and it all tops out at $75 per month. You can also add up to six lines at $20 per month per line.

Ready Mobile

Ready Mobile keeps things simple, with four plans starting at $30 per month. According to its fair use policy, all plans come with unlimited talk and text, which is 5,000 minutes and 5,000 texts. You can get 1GB of data for $30 per month, 2GB for $40 per month, 4GB for $50 per month, and 10GB for $90 per month.

Ready Mobile isn't the best value for data users, but its Groove car add-on can help reduce distractions while driving.

Red Pocket Mobile

Red Pocket uses all of the big carriers and has several plans to choose from. The first plan is $10 per month and gets you 500 minutes, 500 texts, and 500MB of 4G LTE. You can then buy extra texts, minutes, and LTE. The second plan is $15 per month and gets you 1000 minutes and unlimited texts, with 1GB of 4G LTE. At $19 per month, your calling and texting are unlimited, with 1GB of LTE data.

The $30, $40, and $60 plans have unlimited talk and text with 3GB, 5GB, and 10GB of LTE data. These data plans also get unlimited 2G data once you run out of high-speed data. With Red Pocket, you get more data with the Sprint or AT&T network, so it might be worth checking out coverage on those networks.

Selectel Wireless

Selectel Wireless breaks its plans up into six categories with a mix of features. The base plan, aimed at seniors for $15 per month, comes with 500 minutes, unlimited texts, and 100MB of data. The remaining categories are for kids, you, the average user, more data, and streamers. Each plan costs more than the last, with the biggest service plan coming in at $60 per month with a massive 32GB of high-speed data.

The $40 plan for the average user is appropriately named with 8GB of LTE data. Selectel can be a great fit for most people thanks to its range of prices, including its largest plan with more LTE data than many other carriers' unlimited plans.

Spectrum Mobile

If you already have Spectrum for your home internet provider, you can gain access to Spectrum Mobile. Plans come in two flavors, and both include unlimited talk and text. The unlimited plan comes in at $45 per month, with 20GB of high-speed data. The other plan offers data at $14 per gigabyte. For average smartphone users, paying by the gig can add up quickly, but it will be a great fit for a lighter user or one that makes greater use of Wi-Fi.

It's also worth noting that Spectrum Mobile officially includes support for nationwide 5G.

Straight Talk

Straight Talk has a plan for just about any need, starting at 1,500 minutes with 100MB of data for $30 and working up to unlimited data for $55. There is also an unlimited international plan available for $60.

Data plans are available at 3GB and 25GB with 2G speeds after and more high-speed data can be added. You can also buy plans at three, six, or 12-month intervals. Straight Talk utilizes all of the major carriers, so you can bring just about any unlocked device.

Ting

Ting doesn't have phone plans in a traditional sense. You only pay for what you use with a $6 starting price for the first line. If you don't use any minutes, texts, or data, you don't have to pay any more than that.

Data can be inexpensive under 2GB with a maximum cost of $20, but data comes in at $10 per GB once you go over it. This can get expensive quickly. If you are looking for a simple phone service with little waste for a light user, Ting can be a great way to save money.

Total Wireless

Total Wireless is another TracFone-owned carrier that offers average MVNO rates for data plans. Its cheapest data plan is $24/month for unlimited talk and text and 1GB of 4G LTE. A great add-on feature is 5GB of 4G LTE for $10, and if you don't use that extra 5GB up by the end of your month, you can carry it over to your next billing month. There are also 5GB and 25GB plans available for single lines.

Total's family plans share data, and you can get up to 100GB of data for 4 lines to share for $95/month. Not bad at all.

TracFone

TracFone has been around since 1996 and owns multiple MVNOs, which it operates on various networks.

Its cheapest data plan is $20 per month for 1GB of 4G LTE and unlimited talk and text. You can increase your data amount for $5 more each month per additional gigabyte. One nice feature is Unlimited Carryover, so you don't lose your unused data. This means you can build up a pool of data that you can use if you need to.

TracFone also has plenty of options for different intervals, such as 30, 60, and 90-day terms. TracFone is perfect for folks who constantly travel to the U.S. and don't want to buy a local SIM or pay outrageous roaming fees.

US Mobile

US Mobile believes mobile providers should offer plans that are simple and offer great value. As such, you're able to build your own plan based on your specific usage needs. Barely use your phone to talk? Minutes start at just $2 for 75 minutes. It's an ideal choice for those who want to be in full control of their mobile plan.

US Mobile offers nearly any combination of minutes, texts, and data, including an unlimited plan at $40 per month. You can upgrade your unlimited plan to high-speed data with hotspot connectivity for $10 more per month. US Mobile is also one of the only prepaid carriers to support mmWave 5G on Verizon's network.

Visible

Visible is a prepaid carrier that uses the Verizon network. With simplicity as its stated goal, Visible offers only one plan at $40/month. This plan includes unlimited talk, text, and data and no annual contracts. Data will be slowed during high congestion times, but this has become the norm for unlimited plans.

This plan also includes a mobile hotspot, which is limited to 5Mbps; however, it's still a nice touch and can be very helpful in a pinch. One thing to keep in mind is that this is all done with no storefronts. If you have a question or a problem, you will have to solve it remotely.

Xfinity Mobile

Xfinity for Comcast has many customers in the U.S. If you are one of those customers, you have access to Xfinity Mobile. You can either go with an unlimited plan for $45 per month, which is slowed at 20GB of data usage, or sign up for one of three data packages. Data plans come in at 1GB for $15, 3GB for $30, and 10GB for $60 per month.

Xfinity Mobile recommends starting with the smallest data plan and upgrading as needed. However, if you know you'll need more than 10GB, the unlimited plan makes the most sense for you. Xfinity also lists support for nationwide 5G.