Leaving Verizon made sense on paper — until I calculated the real cost of switching

For the past year or so, I have treated it as a matter of fact that I am in the process of leaving Verizon. That may sound like a long time to be perpetually “in the process,” but, like many others, I was originally drawn in by free phone promotions. I knew they would cost me more in the long run, but at the time, I had few other affordable options.

By late last year, I had fully paid off all but one device on our account. I was seriously considering paying the remaining balance in one lump sum and switching to prepaid. I was confident that I would be out from under Verizon ahead of 2026. Then things changed, and now I am no longer certain I will leave Verizon anytime soon.

How did I go from being adamant about leaving to suddenly being unsure? It started in November, when I was offered a $20 discount on each of two lines and a $10 discount on a third. Because I was already on a slightly cheaper legacy plan, these discounts reduced my bill by a meaningful amount. Even so, the numbers still leaned slightly in favor of prepaid.

When Verizon first introduced a free line offer back in June, I gave it serious consideration. I calculated that it would likely be cheaper than keeping my younger son on prepaid, even after accounting for the taxes and fees that would still apply. Ultimately, I passed, largely because I did not want to add another line when I already had one foot out the door.

This time, however, things felt different. Immediately after the price discounts, I decided to take the offer, despite lingering hesitation about adding a new line. While the free line promotion is limited to 36 months, it made sense as a short-term win. More importantly, it did not materially change my long-term plan. I could continue paying down the final device on our account while saving a bit on my son’s line. Once that phone is paid off, I retain the flexibility to leave if a better deal presents itself elsewhere.

Right now, I am in no rush to leave. With all my savings, I’m finding I pay roughly the same as I would with a prepaid carrier that offers higher-priority data and features, such as Visible on select plans. I might still save $50-$75 a year by switching to a comparable prepaid plan instead of postpaid, but staying with Verizon is worth it to me for a few reasons.

First, while it’s not as important to me as it is to some, Verizon offers slightly more responsive customer support than its prepaid brands like Visible. It’s also important to note that leaving Verizon right now would mean paying about $500 in a lump sum to pay off my final device.

To be clear, it doesn’t mean I’ll never leave. In fact, I’d say it’s very likely that, eventually, I’ll find the math fully favors prepaid. Still, sticking with Verizon for the immediate future means I can slowly pay off the phone at my own pace. I can take my time, explore my options, and also wait around to see if Verizon is desperate enough to give customers like me other reasons to stay even longer.

Of course, I get that everyone’s situation is different. For many, prepaid is still the better choice. I just am less certain I need to decide anytime soon.