Total by Verizon Pros and Cons: All You Need to Know Before You Sign Up

Total is an MVNO that operates on Verizon’s network. Between its fantastic service, reliable coverage, and impressive set of cell phone plans, there is a lot to like about this MVNO. The plans are pricey, but multiline savings make their plans much more reliable. There is a lot to like about this service, and we will get into that in this article. 

Total is known for no-contract cell phone plans and fantastic multi-line savings. Starting with a prepaid cell phone plan is an excellent way to try out Total’s service firsthand. We’ve put together a comprehensive list of Total’s pros and cons to help you decide whether or not this mobile provider is right for you. Let’s dive right in. 

Total by Verizon Pros and Cons

There are a lot of cell phone providers on the market, making it difficult to decide which one is the best for you. In this section, we will cover the pros and cons of Total to help you decide whether or not this carrier is right for you. There are many factors to this decision, including data consumption, coverage, price, phone selection, cell phone plans, customer service, and more.

PRO — Phone Selection

Total has an online store with a wide variety of cell phones available for purchase. The latest and greatest smartphones, like the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Galaxy S24, are available, and both work on Total’s network, as well as much older models. Purchasing an $800+ phone is a serious commitment. If you are interested in less expensive options, you can peruse Total’s store and find items like the Apple iPhone 12 ($285), the Samsung Galaxy 21 ($390), or the Motorola G Power ($250). 

Along with the cell phones available in Total’s stores, you can also purchase unlocked cell phones from various in-store and online retailers. There are hundreds of cell phones on the market, allowing for tremendous flexibility in which phone you bring into the service. This means you can bring a new, high-power cell phone or an older, pre-owned, affordable device.

PRO — Cell Phone Plans

Total offers four pre-paid cell phone plans, which vary in data allocation. The price of these cell phone plans varies tremendously based on how many lines are on your account. We recommend at least three lines on this major provider, as it saves $30 on each line each month. These are Total’s pre-paid cell phone plans: 

• $30 — 5 GB of high-speed data
• $40 — 15 GB of high-speed data 
• $50 — Unlimited high-speed data 
• $60 — Unlimited +

Total’s four cell phone plans have their own benefits and drawbacks, including fantastic multi-line savings. Starting with their least expensive cell phone plan, 5 GB for $30 is not that well priced compared to the competition. Five GB is a very low data threshold, making this a plan for people who basically only use their phone on WiFi. If you are in this category of data user, we recommend looking at plans from super affordable MVNOs like Tello Mobile or Ting. They have low-data cell phone plans (1-5 GB) priced less than $10. That being said, it is great for a $30 option, along with this carrier’s higher-priced plans. 

Total’s 15 GB data plan is good for low-data users, which gets you some high-speed data to use in emergencies while saving you money compared to their unlimited data plans. The 15 GB plan also has great multi-line savings, whereas Total’s 5 GB plan does not benefit from multiple lines. With Total’s 15 GB cell phone plan, you have a bit more data and can do more routine activities when out and about. 

Total’s two unlimited plans provide awesome value. Both their Unlimited and Unlimited+ cell phone plans offer unlimited high-speed data! This is an amazing benefit for high-data users who are looking for a cell phone plan that’s more affordable than what’s available at major wireless networks. Many MVNOs only offer between 30 and 50 GB of high-speed data before speeds are reduced to 2G or 3G, both of which are super slow! You cannot get much done at those speeds. 

PRO — Multi-Line Savings

Total’s multi-line savings provide tremendous value to all but their 5 GB cell phone plan, which decreases the cost of each line as you add more to the account. This is the biggest way to save money on Total. Let’s break down how much you save with Total multi-line savings. 

In brief, the prices of single-line Total by Verizon plans are $30, $40, $50, and $60 per line, respectively. The prices of the same lines with a five-line account are $30, $25, $27, and $29, respectively. There are no multi-line savings on Total’s 5 GB plan, but you receive significant savings from their 15 GB and both of their unlimited plans. Total’s plan multiple-line savings rack up to 50% off each month! 

PRO — Coverage

Verizon has amazing 5G and 4G LTE networks nationwide, providing their customers with fantastic coverage in almost every state. Total by Verizon leverages this amazing network with its affordable plans to provide amazing service to everyone around the country. This ensures you are covered no matter where you are and where you go. Make sure to check your local coverage maps for information regarding the best cell phone coverage in your area! 

PRO — Unlimited High-Speed Data

Total is best for high-data users. With the data intensity of so many phone processes, regular mobile data usage will quickly rack up data usage throughout the month. With Total, you can use however much data you want without needing to worry about slowdowns on the horizon. 

CON — Price

There is, alas, no way around the expensive plan pricing at Total. Multi-line savings are a great way to lower the price, but even with five cell phone lines, their prices are higher than many low-data MVNOs. 

CON — Customer Service
Total’s customer service is not well-reviewed online, with many complaining about circuitous phone calls and difficulty finding solutions to particular problems.  

Customer service with cell phone providers can be, to put it lightly, a pain to deal with. That being said, patience, time, and a bit of luck will get you through most problems you have with your cell phone plan. Alongside that, many people go years without needing to contact customer service on their cell phone provider. 

CON — Data Deprioritization

Total by Verizon operates on tier three data, which is true of all MVNOs. This is true of all MVNOs, where increased risk of congestion is one of the big drawbacks to their affordable service. In general, there are three tiers of high-speed data and congestion. The three-tier data priority breakdown is as follows: 

• Tier 1 Data has the maximum data speeds at all times. If tier-one data is ever slowed down, it means there are no customers on the network that have access to high-speed data. This may occur at sporting events, concerts, or other large congregations of people
• Tier 2 Data retains maximum speeds after MVNO customers have their data slowed down. This is excellent in all but the most busy occasions where MVNO customers are slowed down but get slowed down before tier-one data is slowed down. This tier of data keeps high speeds in almost all situations, but you may notice slowdowns in bigger cities where there are a lot of residents and commuters. 
• Tier 3 Data, or MVNO data, is always the first tier of data to receive slowdowns. Total by Verizon utilizes MVNO data and is an excellent way to use Verizon’s network with affordable plan pricing. 

Total by Verizon users have high-speed data whenever there isn’t congestion in Verizon’s network. This is hard to predict. Festivals, concerts, and sporting events are common times when a lot of congestion hits the area. If you’ve ever been to a football game and tried to access your phone for just about anything, we are certain that you’ve seen what it feels like to try to use data with congestion. 

At maximum congestion, no one can load anything on their device, but major wireless customers have high-speed data in most instances. As long as you don’t sign a device or plan contract, users can test Total by Verizon for a couple of months to gauge how well the service works for them. 

Total by Verizon Summary

Here’s a little information about Total by Verizon! 

• What sets Total apart? Total’s awesome unlimited high-speed data plans are what sets them apart from the competition. There are a lot of choices when it comes to mobile networks, and it is important to know what sets Total apart when considering switching wireless providers. 
• What’s the price of Total plans? Total has four plans. With maximum multi-line savings, Total’s 5 GB plan is $30 a line, 15 GB plan is $25 a line, their Unlimited plan is $27 a line, and their Unlimited Plus plan is $29 a line. 
• What kinds of plans does Total offer? Two of Total’s cell phone plans offer limited high-speed data, while the other two offer unlimited high-speed data! All but Total’s least expensive cell phone plan offers significant multi-line savings. 
• What network does Total use? Total uses Verizon’s 4G LTE network as well as its 5G and 5G Ultra Wideband networks. This means they have coverage in the great majority of the country, with their 5G networks providing lightning-fast speeds in select areas of the country. 
• Can you bring your own cell phone? Yes! If you have a phone that works for you, you can bring your own device to Total by Verizon. To bring your device onto Total’s network, you have to check your device’s compatibility, make sure your device is “unlocked,” and order a SIM card. 
• Does Total have any stores? Yes! There are many retail stores around the country. This is a great way to get some help if you run into any trouble with your account or cell phone. 

Total by Verizon Versus Competition

There are loads of wireless providers competing for your attention. Finding the right provider is challenging, but it pays dividends in the long run. Many Americans pay way too much for their cell phone plan because they pay far more than they need. Total is fantastic for users who want unlimited high-speed data and are willing to pay a premium for it. Let’s look at how it holds up to the competition in MVNOs and major wireless providers. 

Total by Verizon vs. Verizon

Verizon is the clear winner when it comes to data speeds and plan add-ons, but their plans come at a serious premium. Their plans all run at around double the price of Total, and at the end of the day, both companies use the same network. If you are willing to weather periods of low data speeds due to high-volume use, Visible is the big winner. 

Total by Verizon offers limited-data plans, which Verizon does not, but their real strength is in the unlimited cell phone plans, which are both at lower price points than what Verizon offers. Especially when you have a few lines on your account, the multi-line savings from Total make it an excellent choice for unlimited high-speed MVNO data! 

Total by Verizon vs. Spectrum Mobile

Spectrum Mobile is another MVNO that runs on Verizon’s network. Their unlimited plans are priced a bit higher than Total’s, but Spectrum has a strange limitation on their users. In order to use Spectrum Mobile, you must also be a Spectrum Internet customer. They have a fantastic internet and phone bundle that lets users save big time, but Spectrum Internet is not available in many areas of the country. 

If you have Spectrum Internet and are interested in an MVNO, we recommend checking out their phone and internet bundle! It provides a fair chunk of high-speed data at an excellent price point. 

Total by Verizon vs. Tello

Tello has a much greater quantity of phone plans, including a lot of limited data plans. If you aren’t completely sold on getting an unlimited plan, we recommend using Tello over Total, but Tello has a soft cap at 25 GBs on their unlimited plan, and if you go over that threshold, your data speeds slow to a crawl. 

Tello Mobile is better for low-data users. If you are comfortable with 25 or fewer GBs per month, then Tello Mobile is a supreme carrier for low price points and excellent savings. Tello Mobile offers no-contract cell phone plans with no multi-line savings. If you are opening a single-line account, then Tello Mobile is much more affordable than any plan Total by Verizon can offer. 

There are a lot of great reasons to join Total by Verizon. Any MVNO that operates on Verizon’s network brings fantastic nationwide coverage to the table, and Total’s Unlimited Plus plan even offers the lightning-fast speeds on Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network. 

Total by Verizon: Review Summary

The Good

• Powerful Plans. Though these plans are expensive, Total by Verizon offers unlimited high-speed data on two of their cell phone plans. Few MVNOs can provide the same. 
• Verizon’s Nationwide Network. Verizon’s 5G and 4G LTE networks provide excellent coverage throughout the country. 
• Impressive Phone Selection. This is common among major wireless providers. There are a lot of great phones in Total’s store, making it easier to grab a new phone when yours kicks it without having to go through the trouble of getting an unlocked phone from a third party. 

The Bad

• Price. Though Total’s plans bring a lot to the table, they are all costly. While family plans provide a lot of savings, they can only drop the prices so much.  
• Customer Service. Total’s customer service leaves something to be desired. Problems may take hours on the phone, multiple calls, or compromises before they are concluded.  
• Limited Data Plans. While Total’s unlimited high-speed data plans are fantastic, their two less expensive plans are not priced well compared to the competition.  

There’s a lot to like about Total: excellent network, high-speed data, and a well-stocked store. There are, of course, pros and cons, but Total is high on our list of excellent mobile providers. If you are willing to pay a bit more for unlimited data and excellent data speeds, then Total is the way to go! If you want more information regarding cell phone plans in your area, you can check out Really’s comparison tool for all the information you need!