Verizon changed everything. If you haven't looked at your bill lately, you probably should. The "myPlan" ecosystem—which basically turned the traditional phone plan into a modular Lego set—has gone through some major shifts heading into 2026.
Honestly, the old days of just picking a "Large" data bucket are dead. Now, it's all about choosing a base (Unlimited Welcome, Plus, or Ultimate) and then stacking $10 "perks" on top like digital toppings. But there’s a catch. Some of the best loyalty discounts just vanished, and if you're still sitting on an old plan from 2023 or 2024, you might be paying more for less without even realizing it.
The Big Shift in Verizon Customer Perk Phone Plan Changes
The most significant update is the 3-year price lock. Verizon is leaning hard into this to keep people from jumping ship to T-Mobile or AT&T. Basically, if you are on a current myPlan (Welcome, Plus, or Ultimate), your base monthly rate is guaranteed not to budge until 2028 or 2029, depending on when you signed up.
But "base rate" is the keyword there.
Taxes, fees, and those optional perks? They can—and do—change. For instance, the +play platform, which was Verizon’s big attempt to centralize all your streaming subscriptions, has effectively shut down for new sign-ups. If you had it, you're grandfathered in for now. If you didn't, you're now steered toward the individual $10 perks.
What happened to the loyalty discounts?
This is the part that made a lot of people angry. Starting late in 2025 and moving into 2026, Verizon began sunsetting many of those "permanent" $25 loyalty discounts.
If you got an email saying your discount was ending, you aren't alone. Reddit has been on fire with users realizing their bills jumped $10 to $20 overnight. Verizon's logic is simple: they want you off those legacy plans and onto the new "myPlan" structure. They’re using a "bring your bill" strategy where they’ll try to match or beat a competitor’s price, but only if you switch to their latest offerings.
Breaking Down the 2026 Plan Tiers
You've got three main choices now. They look similar, but the "snappiness" of your phone depends entirely on which one you pick.
- Unlimited Welcome: This is the "budget" option. It starts around $25/line for four lines (with Auto Pay). It’s fine for scrolling Instagram, but you get no hotspot data. None. Also, in a crowded stadium? Your data will be the first to get throttled.
- Unlimited Plus: The middle child. You get 30GB of hotspot and access to the 5G Ultra Wideband (the fast stuff). Most people should probably be here.
- Unlimited Ultimate: The heavy hitter. 60GB of hotspot and "Global Choice," which gives you a specific country you can call for free. It also includes 10GB of international data if you’re traveling.
The weirdest thing about these verizon customer perk phone plan changes is the math on the perks. Each perk—whether it's the Disney Bundle (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+), Netflix & Max, or the 100GB Hotspot add-on—costs $10.
Verizon claims this saves you about 45% compared to paying retail. And they're mostly right. If you were going to pay for Netflix and Max anyway, $10 is a steal. But if you're adding them just because they're "only $10," you’re just inflating your bill.
The Secret "Better Deal" Promotion
There’s a new tactic Verizon is using to poach customers from AT&T and T-Mobile. It involves an AI tool that scans a competitor's bill.
If you bring a physical or digital bill into a store, their system looks for the "line item" discounts you currently have. If the AI recognizes the discount, it can sometimes trigger an additional $15 credit on top of the standard Auto Pay savings. This can bring a single line down to about $35/month on the Welcome plan—which is almost unheard of for Verizon.
Why the "Plus" plan feels faster
Some users have reported that moving from Welcome to Plus feels like getting a new phone. It’s not just in your head. Welcome is "QCI 9," which is the lowest priority on the tower. Plus is "QCI 8." In plain English: when the network gets busy, the Plus users get the "fast lane" and the Welcome users get whatever is left over.
Actionable Steps to Optimize Your Bill
If you want to make sure you aren't overpaying after these recent changes, follow this checklist.
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- Audit Your Loyalty Discounts: Check your PDF bill. If you see a "Loyalty" credit with an expiration date, you're safe for now. If it's a generic one, expect it to disappear soon.
- Toggle Your Perks: You can turn perks on and off through the My Verizon app. If you're going on vacation, turn on the "3 TravelPass Days" perk for $10. When you get back, turn it off. It takes about 15 minutes to update.
- The Auto Pay Trap: To get the best pricing, you must use a bank account or the Verizon Visa Card. If you use a standard credit card, you lose $10 per line. That’s $40 a month for a family of four just for using the "wrong" plastic.
- Bundle Home Internet: If you have Verizon 5G Home Internet or Fios, you can usually knock another $15 off your bill. But you have to manually "enroll" in the Mobile + Home discount; it doesn't always happen automatically.
- Check for "Plan Rate Adjustment": This is a sneaky fee Verizon sometimes adds to older plans (like the "Get More" or "Play More" plans). If you see this, it’s a sign that Verizon is charging you a "penalty" for staying on an old plan. It might be time to move to Unlimited Plus.
The reality of verizon customer perk phone plan changes is that the "unlimited" era has become the "subscription" era. You aren't just buying minutes and data anymore; you're buying a bundle of services. If you use them, you win. If you don't, you're just donating money to a multi-billion dollar corporation.
Log into the My Verizon app today. Go to the "Account" tab and then "Plan." Compare your current total to what the "myPlan" tool suggests. If the difference is more than $10, it's time to make a move.