Visible is a prepaid cell phone carrier that is known as a flanker carrier.
A flanker carrier is a carrier that is owned and operated by a major carrier but marketed under a different name.
In the case of Visible, it is owned by Verizon.
The main purpose of flanker carriers, like Visible, is to target different demographics or market segments than the primary brand. Not everyone can afford Verizon’s expensive rates, so Visible acts as an affordable prepaid option to appeal to more price-sensitive consumers. Instead of competing directly with Verizon, Visible is primarily competing against other prepaid flanker carriers like Cricket Wireless, which is owned by AT&T, and Metro by T-Mobile, which is owned by T-Mobile.
If Verizon didn’t offer a low-cost prepaid service, then they would potentially lose a lot of customers who would sign up with the other prepaid options.
Thankfully for you, this means there are plenty of options to choose from.
Savvy shoppers will realize they can get the same network coverage at a fraction of the price from these prepaid carriers.
Visible was first launched in 2018. It was invite-only, and the service was exclusively for iPhone users. Today, Visible is available for everyone, and the service works on all iPhones and Android phones that are compatible with the Verizon network.
Yes, it turns out Visible is quite good.
What makes it good?
Visible offers the single best-value unlimited data plan in the industry:
Truly unlimited data for just $30 per month.
All taxes and fees are included, too. If you use our compare plans tool, you simply cannot find an unlimited plan that is a better value.
Visible also includes unlimited mobile hotspot data, and they support great features like 5G access, eSIM, Wi-Fi calling, 2FA, and adding an Apple Watch to your account.
If you want, you can even bump up to the Visible+ plan for $45 per month. This includes extra features like 50GB of premium data, 500 minutes of free international calling to over 30 destinations, and free data roaming in Canada and Mexico.
The biggest downside to Visible is that because they are online only, customer support is also only available online. You’re not able to go to a physical store for help and support like you can with Verizon.
And Visible’s online support still has room for improvement.
That said, once you’re set up with a new cell phone service, you typically don’t need to contact support. And Visible’s unlimited plans can save you a lot of money and still give you excellent coverage on the Verizon network.
Bottom line: Yes, I think Visible is worth it. At the trade-off of slightly lower-quality online support, Visible’s unlimited plans give you a combination of great value and exceptional coverage. Get started
Limited-Time Deal: Visible is currently offering new customers $15 off (33% discount) the Visible+ plan. Use code VISIBLE35 at checkout. Don't miss this deal.
Visible offers two simple cell phone plans to choose from:
Visible Base is $30 per month.
It includes unlimited deprioritized data with speeds up to 200Mbps, unlimited hotspot data with speeds up to 5Mbps, and 480p video streaming. You also get free international texting to Canada and Mexico, as well as free international calls to Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Saipan.
Visible+ is $45 per month.
It includes 50GB of premium data, the fastest 5G speeds available, unlimited hotspot data at 5Mbps, and up to 4K video streaming when connected to Veirozn’s 5G Ultra Wideband network.
Visible+ also adds in a couple of extra features, like 500 minutes of free international calling to 30+ destinations, and free talk, text, and data roaming in Canada and Mexico.
I think most people will be happy with the $30 Visible Base plan.
However, if you feel your data speeds are slow, then bumping up to the $45 Visible+ plan can make a difference thanks to it’s 50GB of premium data.
Suggested: What is Premium Data? Network Priority Levels Explained
You can see a full breakdown of Visible’s plans and included perks and features below:
Visible offers a referral program.
You get a unique referral code when you create your Visible account.
When you share your referral code with a friend and they use the code to sign up, you get $20 off your next month of service.
You can learn more about Visible’s referral program here.
Update: Visible is currently offering new customers $15 off (33% discount) the Visible+ plan. Use code VISIBLE35 at checkout. Don't miss this deal.
No discounts or referral programs are available at this time.
Visible does not offer family plans.
Each line will need its own separate account.
You might feel concerned that you’re missing out on family discounts offered by other carriers.
Rest assured, Visible gives everyone the best prices available.
For example, on Verizon, it takes four lines to drop the price of the Unlimited Plus plan from $80 per line to $45 per line.
Meanwhile, Visible+ starts at $45, even for a single line.
The pricing is the same on Visible regardless of how many lines you have, and each line is getting the best price available.
Visible offers a smartwatch plan for Apple Watch.
You can add an Apple Watch plan to your account for just $5 per month.
That’s 50% less than the $10 most carriers charge to add an Apple Watch line to your account.
Visible does not offer plans for tablets or hotspot devices at this time.
A common question people ask is, “how good is Visible coverage?”
Visible uses Verizon towers for coverage, so the service is excellent.
You can check Visible coverage in your area using their coverage check tool, or by using the free resources below:
The above data points come from the FCC.
Check Verizon coverage in your area by using Verizon's official coverage map.
You can also check coverage using third-party maps like CoverageMap.com.
You can test cellular performance in your area by using the SpeedSmart app and running a speed test.
The above information comes from the FCC.
You can check AT&T coverage in your area by using AT&T's official coverage map.
You can also check coverage by using third-party maps like CoverageMap.com.
You can contribute to the CoverageMap.com project by downloading the SpeedSmart app and running a speed test while connected to a cellular network.
The above information comes from the FCC.
Check T-Mobile coverage in your area by using T-Mobile's official coverage map.
You can also check T-Mobile coverage by using third-party maps like CoverageMap.com.
You can contribute to the CoverageMap.com project by downloading the SpeedSmart app and running a speed test while connected to a cellular network.
Visible supports visual voicemail, voice over LTE (VoLTE), Wi-Fi calling, MMS, mobile hotspot, up to 4K video streaming, domestic roaming, free international texting, eSIM, and 5G.
The Visible+ plan also supports talk, text, and data roaming in Canada and Mexico, as well as international calling.
Visible does not support international talk, text, or data roaming outside of North America, and they do not support managing multiple lines under a single account.
Visible works with most new iPhones and Android phones.
You can check to see if your phone works with Visible by using their compatibility checker.
If you need a new device, you can either purchase a phone directly from Visible, or you can purchase an unlocked phone directly from the manufacturer.
Again, just check to make sure the model you want will work on Visible’s network.
If it’s a phone from Apple, Samsung, or Google released within the past three years, then you’re probably okay, but it’s always good to double-check.
Visible supports international texting, international calling, and international roaming in Canada and Mexico.
Visible does not support service outside of North America.
Visible does not have any service add-ons at this time.
Visible customer service is available 24/7.
You can contact Visible service via the chat feature in the app or on the website, by tweeting @visiblecare on Twitter, or by reaching out on Facebook Messenger.
