Verizon Simplicity, Verizon Shine, and Verizon Dollars: What You Need to Know

I’ve been a Verizon customer since T-Mobile and Sprint merged, and I’ve always had consistent luck getting solid service, even in crowded environments and intense weather. This year, I moved states and added on Verizon Home Internet, which has also been a positive experience and is cost-effective since I get to bundle it. I already have the most expensive Verizon service plan. I also bought a new device, added a cellular plan for my Apple Watch, got YouTube Premium along with Hulu and Spotify … there’s a good chance that I’m paying my power bill through Verizon and I just haven’t realized it yet. (The last part is a joke.)

Verizon just announced the new Verizon Simplicity Plan meant to reward loyal customers like me and make all these bits and pieces feel a bit less confusing. At $45, it’s priced like an entry-level plan but offers top-tier network service, plus access to perks usually reserved for premium plans, like travel passes and discounted bundled streaming services. There’s also a new rewards program with cash back and Monday freebies. The new Simplicity plan just launched today, so I checked it out. Spoiler alert: I ended up deciding to switch up my service plan as a result.

Verizon Simplicity

Verizon Simplicity is a phone plan that costs $45 per month per line (or $30 per month for eligible new Verizon customers). That base price gets you 5G phone service with unlimited data, talk, and text; International roaming and satellite texting; 10 gigabytes of mobile hotspot data; plus Verizon Dollars, call filtering, and Verizon Family (a parental controls app). You might be able to bring your own phone, too. If you enroll in Verizon Loyalty, you won’t have to deal with any activation or upgrade fees, either.

After you get that baseline down, you can also add bundles to your line. For example, the Movie Lovers bundle adds on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ (with ads) and Netflix and HBO Max (with ads) for $23 a month. Those services would cost $40 per month purchased separately. Families might want to check out the bundles that come with Apple Music or YouTube Premium, plus Verizon Family Plus, for an extra $20 per month rather than $31. Another bundle gives you Google AI Pro, a 100GB mobile hotspot, and a second phone number for $30 per month instead of $75.

These bundles are especially enticing if you would be paying for these services separately anyway. (I do really wish there were a way to get the streaming services without ads, but I have yet to figure this out.) Especially when phone bills can feel so complex, I like how simple this option is, and I’m going to be switching as soon as I finish writing this story. There’s also a new Home Internet bundle, Verizon One, which combines your mobile service and your home Internet for $70 per month. Alas, I am not a new customer, so I can’t get in on it. It still seems like an excellent deal if you’re paying for those services separately and you’re bringing your own device.

Verizon Dollars and Verizon Shine

Verizon Dollars are basically 3% cash back that you’ll get when you pay your bill, including on the cost of perks and other add-ons—not just your phone service. Dollars can be redeemed on gift cards, device purchases, products from the Verizon Store, and other third-party offerings. This program starts in July. So far, examples of stores where you can redeem Verizon Dollars include Wayfair, Target, and Starbucks.

There’s also Verizon Shine, which has different contests you can enter each Monday as well as “daily drops” and access to special seating and tickets for live events. This is a lot like T-Mobile’s popular Tuesday in-app promos, which occasionally feature great giveaways that have resulted in mogging Wingstop. Old head Verizon customers like me will remember that the company used to have a rewards program where you could snag coffee shop gift cards and other similar items, so I’m happy to see something similar make a return. In the past, these items would get claimed very quickly, so I’m curious to see how fast this week’s drops go: Free $5 Starbucks gift cards, FIFA wine tumblers and water bottles, and other merchandise. Right now, Verizon Shine’s Epic Win Monday contest winner will get to attend the FIFA World Cup finale with David Beckham. Not too shabby.

Verizon says future rewards will include items and/or gift cards from Amazon, Ulta, Dunkin’ Donuts, TopGolf, and more. I wouldn’t say that checking my phone service app has been a high priority of mine thus far in my life, but I love free stuff, so apparently I’m going to be hanging out in the Verizon app on Mondays going forward.

All in all, I think these offerings are worth checking out whether you’re an existing Verizon customer or a potential new one. Any chance to save money is a win in my book. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a free gift card to claim.