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US Mobile vs Visible by Verizon: How do they compare?
US Mobile and Visible by Verizon are both niche carriers, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. They’re otherwise chalk and cheese. One is no frills and as simple as it gets. The other is endlessly customizable and offers a range of perks for those who jump through the right hoops. But in the clash of US Mobile vs Visible, which comes out on top?
We’ve taken a look at US Mobile and Visible based on metrics such as pricing, promotions, coverage, and more to assist you in choosing between them.
US Mobile vs Visible — Pricing
Both providers offer affordable prepaid plans without long contract commitments. Visible keeps things simple, while US Mobile lets you build your own package to suit your needs.
We’ll summarize the main plans of each provider in the table below, then run you through some of the salient points.
| Plan | Cost |
|---|---|
US Mobile 2GB | $12 per line |
US Mobile 5GB | $15 per line |
US Mobile 15GB | $20 per line |
US Mobile 25GB | $25 per line |
US Mobile Unlimited Basic | $35 for one line $60 per line for two lines $75 per line for three lines $80 per line for four lines |
US Mobile Unlimited Premium | $45 for one line $80 per line for two lines $105 per line for three lines $120 per line for four lines |
Visible Basic | $25 for one line (usually $30) |
Visible Plus | $35 for one line (usually $45) |
US Mobile
When it comes to US Mobile plans, the table above doesn’t tell the whole story. There are limited and unlimited data plans, plans with just talk and text, and build-your-own plans. Add in savings for multiple lines, and you’re left with countless different iterations that are difficult to summarize in a table.
There are two prepackaged unlimited plans: Unlimited Basic and Unlimited Premium. They’re $35 or $45 for one line of service, but that drops to $20 and $30 per line if you add four lines, making it a handy provider for families. Adding lines also unlocks perks, as discussed below. Unlimited Basic offers 40GB of Premium Data, which uses the trademark Warp 5G signal of US mobile, and 5GB mobile hotspot. Unlimited Premium ups those limits to 100GB and 50GB, plus 10GB of eSIM international data.
Build your own plan.
There are four limited-data plans to choose from, not including the bespoke plans we’ll mention in a moment. The data allowance is obviously determinative of the price, which ranges from $12 per month for the 2GB plan to $25 per month for the 25GB plan. There are even two packages with no data allowance if you just need a line of service for calls and texts. They start from just $5 per month.
Finally, as we’ve alluded to, you can build your own plan. You choose how many minutes of talk you want, how many texts, and how much data, and each allocation adds a fixed dollar amount to your monthly total. For example, 500 minutes of talk costs $5, 1,000 texts is $4, and 500MB of data is $5. If that’s about what you use then you can build it for $14 per month. But it’s worth checking out the off-the-shelf packages first as they often represent a discount compared to the individual costs of what’s in them.
Visible by Verizon
Visible has two plans available, each offering unlimited talk, text, data, and hotspot usage. While there are some subtle limitations, such as hotspot speed being reduced after 50GB per month during periods of high traffic on the Visible Plus plan and no monthly usage on the basic plan, overall, the plans are highly appealing.
Furthermore, the pricing for these plans is incredibly attractive, with the basic and Plus plans typically costing $30 and $45, respectively. Visible is currently running a promotion that reduces the cost for new customers to $25 and $35, making the service even more affordable. Customers can also take advantage of unlimited data.
If you opt for the Plus plan, you will receive some extras, such as 5G Ultra Wideband (which is limited on the basic plan), unlimited roaming in Mexico and Canada, and international call and text allowances. For those who frequently travel or have friends and family abroad, the extra $10 may be worth the investment.
US Mobile vs Visible — Coverage
US Mobile claims to offer next-generation speeds and coverage. While we haven’t tested it ourselves, it’s certainly a novel approach. The operator works on both the Verizon and T-Mobile networks, giving it unusually broad access for its 4G LTE and 5G users.
We’ve already mentioned the Warp 5G, of which you can get a 100GB allocation on the top unlimited plan. US Mobile claims that its Warp 5G network is ten times faster than a standard 4G LTE network and can deliver potential speeds of up to 3Gbps where coverage is available.
Visible operates on Verizon’s network, which highlights the rewards it has received for the reliability of both its 5G and 4G LTE service. The Visible coverage map shows that it provides 4G LTE coverage across nearly all regions in the United States, with 5G service available in more densely populated areas. Additionally, the map marks specific cities where 5G Ultra Wideband is accessible.
US Mobile vs Visible— Perks and promotions
At a glance, US Mobile appears to have more potential perks than any other MVNO out there. But there’s a huge caveat to that as the majority of customers will not have access to them. A free subscription to some of the top music, video, and gaming services is available, but only if you sign up for multiple lines on the Unlimited Premium plan.
Signing up for three lines on this top-tier plan gets you to choose one service, and four lines allows you to choose two. As restrictive as that is, some of the options are quite impressive. There’s everything from Disney Plus and Netflix to Spotify Family and PlayStation Plus.
Although most smaller operators typically impose limits on hotspot data usage, Visible is an exception to this rule. However, when it comes to other benefits, Visible’s offerings are rather limited. Previously, customers could receive a free gift card with the purchase of a new phone, but it seems that this promotion has been discontinued.
Nevertheless, there is one Visible promotion that may be particularly appealing to potential customers. If you are an iPhone user considering a plan with Visible, you can enjoy a free 15-day trial without the need to order a SIM card or provide credit card information.
US Mobile vs Visible — Phone selections
US Mobile has a fairly limited phone selection. It offers the iPhone 14 range but not the latest flagships of Samsung. So you can get any of the phones in the Galaxy S22 line as well as some of the more affordable Samsungs such as the Galaxy A53, but the Galaxy S23 series isn’t on offer. Google Pixel phones are well represented in the US Mobile shop, as are some of the popular Moto handsets.
Visible has a wider range of devices on offer, including the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and the Pixel 7 Pro. There’s no sign of OnePlus on either operator, but Visible, while more streamlined than Verizon, has many of the most popular handsets available.
Which carrier is right for you?
This depends on how simple you want to make your life. Visible only has two straightforward plans, and you can even try it for free first. You’ll get a strong selection of phones to choose from if you need a new device, and the coverage is very good.
US Mobile might be the hipster choice, and you’ll certainly have more decisions to make when you sign up. But the change to customize your plan and choose your perks will appeal to many people, and overall, you can get cheaper plans than Visible. Warp 5G is also intriguing in terms of the speed claims.
Despite the differences, the two providers are aimed at the same market, so you’re likely to be happy enough either way. If you’re not sure which is right for you, but you want a carrier of this type, you might want to consider MVNOs such as Google Fi, Metro by T-Mobile, and Mint Mobile.