Prepaid Faceoff: MetroPCS vs. Verizon Prepaid

Metro-PCS-Logo

Vs.

Verizon logo new

With the massive number of prepaid MVNOs and carrier options, it’s sometimes hard to keep track of it all and even harder to compare and decide which company is the right one for you. So, every once in a while we’re going to go through and do a Face-off of two popular companies, comparing plans and services to help you better decide. Today, we’ll look at T-Mobile’s own MetroPCS and Verizon’s prepaid division. Surprisingly, Verizon seems to be heavier with the international features and includes data rollover, but MetroPCS has more options that can appeal to both the low and high data user. Here’s how they compare:

Plan Prices  Price range? What is included?

MetroPCS – Plans range from $30 – $60

All plans on MetroPCS include unlimited talk, text, and data with various amounts of high speed data allotted. You can view the full lineup of plans here.

Verizon Prepaid – Plans range from $15 – $70

Verizon Prepaid offers two plans for basic devices that work up from 300 minutes or messages up to unlimited talk and text. All smartphone plans include unlimited talk and text with variuos amounds of high speed data. You can view the plans in detail here.

Unlimited Talk/Text  Is it offered? What is the lowest price?

MetroPCS – Yes, $30.

Verizon Prepaid – Yes, $30.

Data Ranges  What is the most and least data available?

MetroPCS – MetroPCS plans start with 1 GB of high speed data for $30/month and work up to unlimited high speed data for $60/month.

Verizon Prepaid – There is no web browsing on basic plans, and the two smartphone plans include 5 GB of high speed data for $50/month or 10 GB of high speed data for $70/month— plus any unused data carry’s over to the next cycle.

Pay-As-You-Go Rates  What are the pay-as-you-go per minute rates?

MetroPCS – N/A, no pay as you go options available.

Verizon Prepaid – N/A, no pay as you go options available.

International Calling  What options are available? What does it cost?

MetroPCS – There aren’t any international features included in the plans, but add-ons are available for purchase as follows: $10 for unlimited calling to over 75 countries and 200 additional minutes to select countries, and $5 for unlimited calling and texting to Canada OR Mexico. You can view add-on details here.

Verizon Prepaid – Neither of the basic plans have any international features, but each smartphone plan comes with unlimited texting to more than 200 countries, and unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada.

Activation Fees  How much do they cost?

MetroPCS – No activation fees.

Verizon Prepaid – No activation fees.

BYOD  Can you activate your own device?

MetroPCS – Yes, unlocked GSM devices can be activated on MetroPCS. SIM cards are available for $10, and you can check compatibility here.

Verizon Prepaid – Most Verizon devices can be activated on prepaid, and not a lot else, but can double check compatibility here.

Network/Coverage  What network does it use?

MetroPCS – T-Mobile | Coverage Map

Verizon Prepaid | Coverage Map

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