When it comes to buying a smartphone, there’s a huge list of devices to choose from. Today’s market is flooded with handsets spread across different price tiers and niche sectors. Then, we have mobile carriers offering various discounts, deals, or monthly payment plans to make the purchase of that one expensive handset that much easier for the customer.

One of these carriers Verizon Wireless… you know — only the largest wireless telecommunications provider in the US currently. Chances are, you may be looking to sign a new contract with Verizon and may be wondering which of their phones would make for a good purchase. The phones come with a plan, however, and it’s good to be well-informed about those as well.

How to pick your plan

Verizon phones: Your options explained

Verizon offers 54 smartphones right now, of which 19 are iPhones, 18 are Samsung phones and Motorola, LG and Google have 12 in total. The first choice is obvious: iOS or Android. Most users have made the choice years ago and are mostly keeping to the same operating system, but jumping ship is not uncommon. 

Although Apple releases only a handful of phones each year (unlike Samsung), it keeps some of its older models at reduced prices to serve as budget options. This means that even if you’re working on a tight budget, a decent iPhone is still an option. Right now, you can get an iPhone 7 for $0/month and go as high as $45/month for the iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Samsung phones from Verizon also vary wildly in prices. You can get one as cheap as $5/month and go up to $58/month for the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Meanwhile, the Google camp is quite small, with just the latest Pixel 4s and the budget Pixel 3a available right now. 

We combed through Verizon’s selection and picked out the best phones depending on what you’re looking for. Here they are:

Best Verizon phones, a summarized list:

Best Apple Phone

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

Choosing the most expensive iPhone as the best one might seem like cheating but there’s a good reason for it. Besides all the “Pro” extras this phone is packing, which are honestly not that many, the 11 Pro Max has other iPhones beat in one very important aspect: battery life. All models from last year’s 11 family have bigger batteries than before but the Pro Max is the absolute champ in that regard. Couple that with the gorgeous OLED display and the improved camera system, and you have a no-compromise smartphone. 

Best Android

Samsung Galaxy S10+

Now, following the train of thought from above, you might expect the Galaxy S20 Ultra to be our “best Android” suggestion. And while it is a top-notch phone, no doubt about it, it’s just too expensive. The S20+ isn’t much cheaper either, but it did manage to find a spot on our list anyway. 

Best 5G phone

Samsung Galaxy S20+

The carrier still has only a few 5G phones and among them the Galaxy S20+ offers the best value right now. With it, you should be future-proof for the next couple of years at least. Can’t settle for a 2019 model? Pick the Galaxy S20+!

Apple iPhone XS

The iPhone XS might come as a bit of a surprise, but Verizon currently offers it starting at $24.99/month and for that price, it’s a really great option. Yes, the display is on the smaller side, but compact phones are hard to come buy these days, your other alternative would be the 11 Pro, which costs almost $42 a month.

The performance of the iPhone XS is still top-notch, you have Face ID and software support for many years to come and a high-resolution OLED display, unlike the iPhone 11, which comes at about $5/month more. The only drawback is not so much the missing ultra-wide-angle camera, but rather the lack of Night mode for shooting in low light. If you can live without it, however, the iPhone XS is an amazing value proposition.

Best battery phone

Moto G7 Power

It will struggle with heavy 3D games and the photos it takes won’t blow you away, but at the end of the day, that’s not what it was designed to do. If battery life is of the highest priority for you, the Moto G7 Power should be in your pocket. Best of all? It’s just $5/month!

Best budget-friendly phone

Samsung Galaxy A51

The Galaxy A51 has four cameras: 48MP main one, an ultra-wide-angle one, a macro lens and a depth sensor. Yes, the telephoto is missing, but crops from the 48MP sensor are almost as good as a 2x optical zoom, so you won’t miss it that much. All that for $10/month? The Galaxy A51 is a budget option that’s hard to beat.