Google Fi vs. Verizon Prepaid: Which carrier is better?

Google Fi and Verizon Prepaid offer some of the most popular plans in the wireless industry, as they offer premium data at great rates. Each carrier has its positives and negatives, but which offers better phone plans? Let’s put them head to head and see which brand comes out on top. 

In this article, we plan to discuss the ins and outs of both carriers and what they offer. We’ll also cover:

• What the coverage of both carriers looks like
• How prices of their plans compare to how much data you get
• The features each carrier offers for their plans 

Unsure of what you need out of a plan? Check out our guide on how to choose the best phone plan. 

Coverage & Reception

Google Fi is on the T-Mobile network. 

Google Fi is a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO. This means that they purchase service access wholesale from one of the three major networks that own infrastructure across the country – AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile – giving customers service at a much cheaper price. Google Fi is an MVNO of T-Mobile. Verizon Prepaid is a subsection of Verizon, which is one of the major phone networks. 

Often, the quality of coverage comes down to your area. One carrier’s coverage may be better in New York, while another’s coverage may be better in California. It’s important to compare between providers on a coverage map of your specific city. Ookla’s coverage map allows you to see where cellular towers are located and which company owns them. This coverage map provides information about coverage from 2G to 5G for several providers.

However, T-Mobile’s 5G coverage and access is hailed as the best coverage overall. 

Plan Options

Google Fi and Verizon Prepaid offer premium data. 

Like most plans you’ll see on the market, both carriers offer unlimited talk and texting options with any plan you choose. Both carriers offer premium data, which does not slow down no matter the amount of network traffic. Both carriers also deprioritize data, meaning you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas.

Google Fi Plans

Several plans offer unlimited data with premium data at a cap. 

Google Fi offers 2 unlimited plans and one plan with pay-per-use data. Each of its unlimited plans offer a limited amount of premium data. Each plan allows up to 6 lines and renews monthly. Google Fi is on QCI tier 6 of 9.

Image courtesy of Google Fi’s website. 

Flexible 

This plan allows you to pay for the exact amount of data you use each month. 

Google Fi’s Flexible plan is unlike a lot of other plans on the market, as it allows you to pay a set amount per month for talk and text features. Users then pay for only the amount of data they use. After 15GB of data, your speed is slowed to 256 kbps, or 3G speeds. You can still send texts, emails, and use social media with little issues. Streaming video will be much more difficult. 

The plan also includes the ability to buy mobile hotspot data, and all plan data can be used as hotspot data. 

The plan costs $20 per month, plus $10 for each GB you use. For example, you’d pay about $70 per month if you used 5GB.

Simply Unlimited 

This plan gives you 35GB of premium data before slowing down. 

The Simply Unlimited plan gives you 35GB of premium data. Premium data means your data will not be deprioritized in times of high traffic and congestion. After 35GB, data slows down to 3G speeds. 5GB of hotspot data is also included in the plan, then stops after that allotment. 

The plan costs $50 per month. At this rate, you get 35GB at $1.42 per GB. 

Unlimited Plus

This plan is 50GB of premium data. 

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan has 50GB of premium data. Connection is then slowed down to 3G speeds. You can use all 50GB of plan data as mobile hotspot data, but hotspot data stops after the 50GB. 

The plan costs $65 per month. At this rate, you get 50GB at $1.30 per GB. 

Verizon Prepaid Plans

Verizon offers prepaid plans with several amounts of data.

Verizon’s Prepaid section offers 1 no data plan, 1 limited data plan, and 2 unlimited plans. Their data plans include deprioritization, and their Unlimited Plus plan includes premium data. Premium data does not slow down, even in times of high network congestion and traffic.

They also offer a plan with no data, which means you cannot access social media, email, or the internet without a WiFi connection. 

A Verizon Prepaid plan can have up to 10 lines. If you purchase your phone from Verizon, your device will be locked for 60 days after activation. The plans they offer renew monthly, and taxes and fees are not included with the advertised price. All plans come with an Autopay discount that is applied after the first month. 

No Data 

This plan does not offer data included with the plan, only unlimited talk and text. 

This plan includes unlimited talking and texting, but does not include data or hotspot access. The plan costs $35 per month normally, and $30 per month with the Autopay discount.

15GB 

This plan gives you 15GB before slowing down your data. 

This plan gives users 15GB of deprioritized data which slows down to 2G speeds after this cap. You will still be able to send texts and emails or browse the internet, but streaming video or playing video games will be very difficult. This plan also gives you mobile hotspot access with the 15GB, which stops after the 15GB cap. 

The plan costs $45 per month normally, and $35 per month with the Autopay discount. At this rate, you get 15GB at $2.33 per GB. 

Unlimited

This plan gives you unlimited, but deprioritized, data. 

This plan offers unlimited data without a cap, which means your data will not slow down because of the amount you use. However, this plan is deprioritized and will face slower speeds during high network connection. This plan also gives you 5GB of full speed data for hotspot access, which is then slowed to 600kbps, or 3G, speeds after this cap. 

The plan costs $60 per month normally, and $50 per month with the Autopay discount. 

Unlimited Plus 

This plan gives you 50GB of premium data, then deprioritized data. 

As Verizon’s biggest prepaid plan, this plan offers 50GB of premium data included. After the 50GB cap, this plan becomes deprioritized. This plan also offers 25GB of premium hotspot data, which is also deprioritized after the cap. 

The plan costs $70 per month normally, and $60 per month with the Autopay discount. At this rate, you get 75GB at $0.80 per GB.   

Features

Google Fi offers more features than Verizon Prepaid.  

If you’re looking for a plan with more included features, such as international connection or domestic roaming data, it’s best to compare carriers with what they offer. 

Domestic Roaming Data

Google Fi and Verizon Prepaid offer domestic roaming data on their plans. 

Mexico & Canada Connection

Google Fi offers talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada included with both its unlimited plans. However, only text is included in their Flexible plan. Talk and data are pay-per-use. Verizon Prepaid plans include talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada. However, their No Data plan requires users to pay $5 per day to use these capabilities.  

International Connection

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan includes international text and data. Calling internationally is pay-per-use outside the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Simply Unlimited plan does not include international connection, and the Flexible plan includes international texting, but talk and data are pay-per-use. Calling costs $0.20 per minute. All Verizon Prepaid plans include international text. 

Video Streaming Quality

Google Fi offers 4k Ultra High Definition streaming for their Flexible plan and 480p Standard Definition streaming for their unlimited data plans. Verizon Prepaid’s 15GB and Unlimited plans stream at 480p Standard Definition, and their Unlimited Plus plan streams at 4k Ultra High Definition. Both carriers offer No Data plans that require WiFi to stream video. 

Streaming Services

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan offers a free subscription to Youtube Premium. Verizon Prepaid does not offer this feature. 

Cloud Storage

Google Fi’s Unlimited Plus plan offers 100GB of Google One. Verizon Prepaid does not offer this feature.  

Device Financing

If you buy a phone from either carrier, they allow you to pay for your device in installments over time. 

WiFi Calling

Both carriers offer WiFi calling, which allows you to send and receive phone calls over a WiFi connection rather than cellular reception. 

Spam Protection

All Google Fi plans offer spam protection included. Verizon Prepaid offers protection from spam and fraud calls with the app Digital Secure.  

Free Trial

Google Fi offers a 7 day free trial. Verizon Prepaid does not offer this feature. 

Customer Service 

Google Fi does not have physical stores, leaving all of their customer service to online support. Verizon offers thousands of stores across the country, as well as online customer support.  

Google Fi is a  digital-only carrier, meaning they only offer customer support online. Google Fi offers 24/7 customer support over chat and over the phone at 1-844-TALK-2-FI. Verizon offers thousands of locations across the country, and you can find the closest store to you with their store locator. For support over the phone on prepaid plans with Verizon specifically, users can call 1-888-294-6804 on Mon. through Sat. at 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST on Sunday. 

The Verdict

Verizon Prepaid offers a better price, but Google Fi’s included features may make up for the difference.  

Since Google Fi offers Youtube Premium and Cloud Storage features with Unlimited Plus, the more expensive price is justified. However, if you’d prefer additional hotspot access over Youtube Premium and Google One, Verizon Prepaid may be the better option for you. Verizon Prepaid is also the better option when it comes to limited data plans, as the Flexible plan Google Fi offers is very expensive. 

We’d recommend checking your data usage before committing to a plan.

Want to compare other carriers?

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