Spectrum Mobile vs Verizon: Plans Compared

If you’re looking for a point-by-point Spectrum Mobile and Verizon comparison, we’ve got all the details for you here. We take a look at capped plans, unlimited data plans,  what perks these carriers offer, and all the benefits you can expect. 

Want to check out the best cell phone plans at other top carriers? Feel free to try out our Plan Finder.

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Spectrum Mobile vs Verizon: Similarities

• Both Verizon and Spectrum Mobile plans have nationwide coverage on the 4G LTE network and growing 5G coverage.
• Both also provide home Internet and allow you to bundle other services with mobile plans.
• Both Verizon and Spectrum Mobile include hotspot data with their cell phone plans, but not without caveats. If hotspot data is important to you, read our section on that below.
• Both mobile network carriers provide customers with (virtually) unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada; Verizon goes a step further to include unlimited data at 3G data speeds in those countries, too.

Spectrum Mobile vs Verizon: Differences

• Spectrum is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), which means it rents cell tower infrastructure from another network. Spectrum Mobile specifically leases from Verizon’s network. Verizon towers are, of course, owned by Verizon.
• After a certain amount of data usage, Spectrum Mobile slows your speeds down.
• On Verizon’s mid-level and premium unlimited data plans, you always get access to the fastest speeds available on the network.
• Spectrum Mobile phone plans are most cost-effective for Spectrum Internet or TV customers, since otherwise Spectrum adds a hefty monthly fee to your plan. Verizon plans are available to everyone at the advertised prices.
• Verizon offers multi-line discounts, meaning the more lines you add, the cheaper each additional line is. This is useful for family plans. Spectrum Mobile plans are a flat rate per single line.
• Spectrum Mobile doesn’t include any streaming perks in its cell phone plans, however, it does offer an Anytime Upgrade option; Verizon’s plans feature bundled benefits like optional discounted streaming subscriptions in the monthly bill.
• Verizon provides its mobile service customers with some extra hotspot data with its mid-level and premium unlimited plans. Spectrum Mobile includes some hotspot data in all its unlimited plans.
• Verizon does not include taxes and fees in its plan pricing, while all Spectrum Mobile plans include taxes and fees in the listed price.

What Is an Unlimited Plan?

To understand what mobile carrier plans can offer you, you should understand what kind of data typically comes in an unlimited data plan. It’s slightly more complicated than it sounds. The key detail to keep in mind is that all unlimited plans include unlimited data, but not all that data usage is necessarily going to be high-speed. ‍

Entry-level unlimited plans give you access to unlimited deprioritized data. You may find some plans that include some amount of high-speed data, but not all plans do. 

Mid-level unlimited plans offer a mix of high-speed data and the same unlimited, deprioritized, data you’d get on an entry-level plan.

Premium unlimited plans provide unlimited high-speed data, with no restrictions on data speeds.

What Is a Capped Plan?

What about capped plans? Also called By the Gig plans, these plans have a monthly allotment of data to use per month, which can run out. All capped plan data is deprioritized, so you might find your data slows down when the network is busy, like when you’re in a busy airport or a crowded concert venue. 

While capped data plans are typically more cost-effective than unlimited plans, they’re only suitable for customers who don’t mind deprioritized data and don’t use very much of it. If you opt for one of these plans and then run out of your monthly data allotment, you will have to buy more. Some providers charge overage fees for going over the limit. 

What About Hotspot Data?

When a carrier offers unlimited data, it’s normal to wonder whether that counts toward hotspot usage too. But if you love using a hotspot, let this be your reminder to always check the fine print on hotspot data allowances.

Most plans with truly premium data offer a premium hotspot allowance, too. Verizon’s unlimited plans do. For example, on one of Verizon’s plans, you might get 50 GB of premium data per month, with an additional 10 GB of premium hotspot data in addition to those 50 GB.

However, with other carriers like Spectrum Mobile, once you reach a specific level of usage your data will be subject to further slowdowns. Any hotspot data you get is included in that cap.

For instance, on an unlimited data plan with Spectrum Mobile, you may have 30 GB of premium data. Of that allotment, you can use up to 5GB for hotspot usage. Once you’ve used those 5 GB up, you'll only have 25 GB of data to use before you end up in the "slowdowns" area. While you will still have hotspot data after that limit, it will be so slow that it's virtually unusable.

In short, if you’re a heavy hotspot user, make sure to look for plans that include a separate amount of data for hotspots.

Comparing Plans

Spectrum Mobile vs Verizon Capped Plans

Only Spectrum Mobile offers capped data plan options. Their By the Gig model of capped data charges a flat rate per gigabyte of data you consume. The benefit is that you can share your data allotment across all the lines on your account, so multiple people can share the same cap of data. This is most useful for customers that don’t use very much cellular data, but still need to have access to some data while on the go.

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Spectrum Mobile vs Verizon Entry-Level Unlimited Plans

Now let’s compare the most cost-effective unlimited plans from Verizon and Spectrum Mobile. These plans are a good fit for you if you don’t use much data, and rarely if ever use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. If you find that you mostly use your data to check out today’s news, catch up on social media, send emails, and not much more, these plans are most likely a good fit for you.

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Spectrum Mobile vs Verizon Mid-Level Unlimited Plans

What if you want at least some high-speed data, but you’re not ready to compromise on price? These mid-level unlimited plans are a good balance between an affordable price and a good amount of high-speed data. For an average data user who makes a hotspot between one to three times weekly, these plans will suit your data needs. This level of plan fits a customer who streams the odd YouTube video, plays a few mobile phone games, and catches up on social media for around an hour every day. 

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Spectrum Mobile vs Verizon Premium Unlimited Plans

For the user who needs premium data with no limits, this plan is most likely the best fit. In this instance, there’s no comparison since Spectrum Mobile doesn’t offer a premium unlimited plan. This plan is worth consideration for heavy data users who use their smartphone to connect as a mobile hotspot upwards of three times every week, post content to social media apps, stream YouTube videos and shows and enjoy playing graphic-intensive games. If that’s you, the Verizon unlimited plan below offers you all the premium data you can use, with no need to ever worry about data slowdowns.

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The Bottom Line

In addition to our carrier phone plan comparison pages like this one, our free, unbiased Plan Finder is another great way to help you quickly compare cell phone plans based on your criteria. All you have to do is answer a few questions so we know what matters most to you, like hotspot data, early phone upgrades, or streaming services, and we’ll provide you with a shortlist of the best phone plan deals to meet your needs.

Still considering what plan features are right for you? Our article on how to choose the best cell phone plan is worth a read.