GoKawiilJoe Maring / Android Authority
Verizon recently unveiled its new budget-oriented Simplicity plan, alongside its new One bundle. Both plans have been well received, but it’s the budget plan that is making the most waves.
I get the appeal. Verizon Simplicity is cheaper than just about any other postpaid plan out there, its terms are easier to understand, and you don’t need a bunch of lines to get a good price here.
If you’re going to stick with postpaid Verizon service, this is a no-brainer over MyPlan Welcome and, in some cases, even higher-tier plans. You lose a few things, but you’ll typically pay less overall unless you are bringing tons of lines when you join.
As much as I find this easy to recommend for existing Verizon customers, what if you’re coming from a prepaid plan or another postpaid carrier? That’s where the Verizon Simplicity plan starts to show its cracks.
Are you impressed by Verizon's new Simplicity plan? 10 votes Yes 20 % No 70 % I'm not sure / Undecided 10 %
The very real downsides to Verizon Simplicity
The big carriers have gotten pretty good at hyping new plans without shining the light on very real flaws, and the Verizon Simplicity plan is no different.
First, it’s important to understand that this plan doesn’t offer free phones or other subsidized offers; you either pay full price outright or sign up for a 36-month payment plan. Even worse, when you switch to Simplicity, you’ll instantly lose all existing account credits that might apply to your current device. For those with free phones, that means you’ll have to pay the remaining balance out of pocket.
There are also no multi-line discounts, so Verizon’s Unlimited Welcome plan is actually cheaper at $25/month per line for four people. Want better subsidized phone offers, 30GB of hotspot access, and a few other higher-end perks? Unlimited Plus offers all that for just $5 more per line for customers with four or more lines.
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