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Verizon vs Xfinity: mobile plans, prices and phones comparison

By Georgi Zarkov

Published: Jul 13, 2020, 9:55 AM

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Verizon vs Xfinity: mobile plans, prices and phones comparison

Verizon might be the biggest mobile carriers in the US, but being one of its millions of customers is not the only way to make use of the network coverage it provides. MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) are typically smaller carriers that don’t have their own networks but instead pay one (or more) of the major carriers fees in order to use their networks to provide wireless services.

Many MVNOs choose Verizon for their coverage and among them, Xfinity is probably the most popular one. So, if you can use Verizon’s network but with another provider, should you do it? That’s what we’re here to find out!

Before we start, however, we must mention that in order to switch to Xfinity, you must first have a subscription for residential Xfinity Internet service.

With that out of the way, let’s get to the comparison.

Verizon vs Xfinity plans comparison

As most MVNOs, Xfinity Mobile relies on simplicity. Few options that are easy to understand and cover the needs of as many users as possible. Here's how it stacks up against Verizon's prepaid plans.

Carrier	Verizon	Verizon	Verizon	Xfinity	Xfinity	Xfinity	Xfinity
Data allowance	5GB	15GB	Unlimited	1GB	3GB	10GB	Unlimited
Price	$40	$50	$65	$15	$30	$60	$45
Video streaming quality	480p	480p	480p	720p on phones, 1080p on tablets	720p on phones, 1080p on tablets	720p on phones, 1080p on tablets	480p, HD pass available for $20/month
Hotspot	Yes, max speed	Yes, max speed	+$5/month, 10GB max speed, then 600Kbps	Yes, max speed	Yes, max speed	Yes, max speed	Yes, 600Kbps

Some clarifications might be needed. You're probably wondering how come Xfinity's unlimited plan is cheaper than its 10GB plan. That's because Xfinity's limited data allowance is valid for all lines, which means you can have 4 people share 10GB of data and pay $60/month total. The price for the unlimited plan is for one line only.

Another important difference is that on Xfinity, the limited plans are "By the gig", which means that if you go over the allowance you'll be charged $15/GB. Meanwhile, if you use up all your data on Verizon, your speeds will be throttled down to 2G levels but you won't have to pay extra.

It's worth noting that Verizon will give you a discount if you stick with them for a while. $5/month after 3 months of service and $10/month on plans above $40/month after 9 months.

Overall, Xfinity's Unlimited plan is a pretty good deal. Even if you add the $20/month HD pass, you'll still get a better deal than Verizon's prepaid unlimited since it's limited to SD streaming and no hotspot unless you shell out another $5/month.

Verizon vs Xfinity phone prices comparison

Now, it's time to see what devices Verizon and Xfinity can offer you and at what prices. Both have a respectable lineup of smartphones you can choose from, so we'll focus on some of the most popular ones right now.

Phone	Verizon	Xfinity
iPhone 11	$699	$699
iPhone 11 Pro Max	$1099	$1099
iPhone 11 XR	$599	$599
iPhone SE	$399	$399
Galaxy S20	N/A	$999; $799 with number transfer
Galaxy S20 Ultra	N/A	$1,399; $1,199 with number transfer
Galaxy Note 10+	$1099	$1,099; $899 with number transfer
Galaxy S10	$749	$749; $549 with number transfer
Galaxy A51	$399	$399
Pixel 4	$799	$799

Prepaid phones aren't known for their great deals, so seeing the MSRP prices isn't a big surprise. What is a surprise, however, is that in its prepaid selection, Verizon hasn't included any of the Galaxy S20 phones. The presumption is likely that prepaid customers will be looking for cheaper devices, but still, the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the Galaxy Note 10+ are included with their $1,100 price tags.

With Xfinity, you can get $200 off your new device if you port your number from another carrier. Not a small saving if you were planning to do so anyway. Plus, Xfinity carries the Galaxy S20 series, even the S20 Ultra!

Of course, both carriers also have a slew of cheaper phones for those that are looking for a second phone or just don't feel like spending hundreds of dollars on a phone.

All in all, it seems that if you're looking to use a prepaid phone, Xfinity is the better choice. That makes sense since if Verizon makes its prepaid plans too lucrative, it might cannibalize its post-paid subscribers, which are always more valuable to carriers.