For years, navigating the landscape of family cell phone plans has been a complex task. Verizon, with its previous Play More plan, stood out as a strong contender, largely due to its inclusion of the Disney bundle (ad-free Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and Hulu with ads) and perks like Google Play Pass or Apple Arcade directly within the plan’s price. This bundled approach offered significant value to families seeking both connectivity and entertainment.
However, the wireless carrier has recently revamped its plans, moving away from automatic inclusion of perks like the Disney bundle, Apple Arcade, and Google Play Pass. While this might seem like a step back, Verizon remains a compelling option for those seeking the best perks, albeit with a slightly different approach.
The key change lies in the shift to an a-la-carte perk system. Instead of pre-selected bundles, Verizon now offers a variety of perks at a flat rate of $10 per month per perk. This allows subscribers to customize their plans by selecting only the services they truly want and need. Importantly, this perk system is now accessible even with Verizon’s more affordable plan, Unlimited Welcome.
The Unlimited Welcome plan is priced at $65 per month for a single line or $120 per month for four lines. It provides unlimited talk, text, and data, catering to essential communication needs. However, it does not include access to Verizon’s ultra-fast 5G Ultra Wideband network or dedicated hotspot data. For users requiring these features, the step-up option is the Unlimited Plus plan, priced at $80 for a single line or $180 for four lines.
Both the Unlimited Welcome and Unlimited Plus plans offer the $10 per month perk add-on. The selection includes popular services like the Disney Bundle (typically $15/month separately), Apple One Individual (around $17/month value), Apple Music Family (shared with up to five, normally $17/month), and Walmart Plus (normally $13/month, including Paramount Plus Essential).
Beyond entertainment, Verizon’s perk options extend to practical add-ons such as 100GB of additional hotspot data (usually $45/month), 2TB of Verizon cloud storage (typically $15/month), and international data access with a 3-day TravelPass (normally $10/day).
The flexibility of this system is a major advantage. Perks can be activated or deactivated as needed, and customers can even choose to forgo perks entirely. Multiple perks can be added to a single line, offering significant customization.
Determining if this new structure is beneficial for your family requires a bit of analysis. Creating a simple spreadsheet to compare the cost of your current services versus Verizon’s plans with desired perks can be insightful. While potential savings are achievable by bundling services through Verizon, it’s also possible that your existing setup might be more cost-effective.
Verizon also provides the option to “mix and match” plans across lines. This is particularly useful for families where not every member requires premium features like 5G Ultra Wideband. Some lines can be on the Unlimited Welcome plan, while users needing faster speeds can opt for Unlimited Plus.
AT&T offers a similar “mix and match” approach with their unlimited plans. However, currently, they do not provide any streaming perks. In contrast, T-Mobile’s perk offerings typically require all lines to be on the same plan, limiting flexibility.
For families primarily interested in saving on one or two specific services like the Disney bundle, Verizon’s new perk system can be advantageous. For instance, a family of four could opt for the $120 Unlimited Welcome plan, add the Disney bundle perk for $10, resulting in a total monthly cost of $130 for both comprehensive cell service and family entertainment.
Furthermore, Verizon extends additional discounts to teachers, nurses, military personnel, and first responders, offering opportunities for even greater savings on these family plan cell phone options. By carefully considering your family’s needs and desired perks, Verizon’s adaptable plans remain a strong contender in the search for the Best Family Plan Cell Phone.
