Best Verizon phones in 2023

Readers like you help support Android Police. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More. Summary List 9.00/10 1. Editors choice: Google Pixel 7 Pro 9.00/10 2. Premium pick: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 8.50/10 3. Best value: Google Pixel 6a 8.75/10 4. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 8.50/10 5. Google Pixel 7 8.50/10 6. Samsung Galaxy S23 7.00/10 7. Samsung Galaxy A53 7.00/10 8. Samsung Galaxy A14 5G View All Verizon's award-winning LTE and burgeoning 5G networks have the coverage and speed many Android users seek. But to get the most out of it, you need the right phone with the right bands. So while LTE is still fine for most people and 5G isn't a good enough reason to upgrade to Verizon, your next phone should support 5G. In the next few years, Verizon will continue expanding its 5G coverage and improving speeds with more widespread mid-band deployment. Luckily for Verizon customers, a wide range of phones are available with all the bands necessary for strong 5G performance. For those who prefer Android, the Google Pixel 7 Pro is an excellent pick with frequent updates, cool new AI features like Call Assist and one of the best camera systems on any phone. The Pixel 7 Pro also supports Verizon's full 5G network, including C-band and mmWave coverage. Editors choice 1. Google Pixel 7 Pro 9.00 / 10 Read Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews See on Best Buy The Pixel 7 Pro from Google is an excellent phone on any carrier thanks to its strong band support with the Tensor G2 chipset. It's also among the best Android phones overall due to its high-end hardware and excellent software. Google keeps the Pixel 7 Pro updated with the latest builds of Android, plus it's the lead platform for many of Google's AI projects, such as Call Assist, being able to transcribe voices in automated calling, and its camera software that keeps photos vibrant and sharp. Speaking of cameras, the Pixel 7 Pro is more than just software trickery. It has a 50MP main camera for the majority of your shots alongside a 12MP ultrawide shooter and a 48MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. Working with the camera app, you can get sharp and vibrant images with accurate skin tones in a wide variety of lighting. Verizon network support is strong, with 5G support for all of Verizon's bands. That includes its nationwide 5G coverage on lower bands as well as its much faster C-band and mmWave coverage. In addition, the Tensor G2 chipset has the second-fastest speed results in Ookla's quarterly mobile report for Q4 2022. Perhaps the best reason to pick a Pixel is the software. Google keeps its Pixel phones up to date with frequent Android updates, ensuring you have the latest features and security updates. Google has promised five years of Pixel updates for the Pixel 7 series, so it has greater longevity and can be passed down or sold when you're ready to upgrade. Read More Specifications SoC: Google Tensor G2 Display: 6.7-inch QHD+ OLED, 120Hz, LTPO RAM: 12GB Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB Battery: 5,000mAh Ports: USB-C Operating System: Android 13 Front camera: 10.8MP, f/2.2, 92.8° FoV Rear cameras: 50MP wide (f/1.85), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2, 125.8° FoV), 48MP telephoto (f/3.5, 5x optical zoom) Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6e, 5G (sub6 / mmWave) Dimensions: 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm Weight: 212g Charging: 23W wired with Google 30W USB-C charger, up to 23W wireless with Pixel Stand, 12W wireless with compatible Qi chargers IP Rating: IP68 Price: $899 USD Pros First in line for Android updates Large 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED display Fast performance with the Tensor G2 CPU Incredible cameras Full support for Verizon's 5G network Cons Battery life and charging speeds could be better Buy This Product Google Pixel 7 Pro Shop at Best Buy Shop at Amazon Shop at Verizon Premium pick 2. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 9.00 / 10 Read Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews See on Samsung The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra isn't the most exciting phone you can buy; it's more of an evolution of the S22 Ultra rather than a brand-new design. Even so, the S23 Ultra has some of the best hardware you can get, with a massive 6.8-inch AMOLED display and an S Pen stored in the phone. It's kept running smoothly with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU and either 8GB or 12GB of RAM. The camera system is one of the most impressive things about the Galaxy S23 Ultra. You get a four-camera system with a 200MP main camera on the back. There's also a 12MP wide camera and two telephoto cameras with 3x or 10x optical zoom. In our Galaxy S23 Ultra review, we saw some excellent results though some shutter lag was noticed on fast-moving objects. This is an ideal camera for landscape photography, but not necessarily for the soccer game. As expected, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has full support for Verizon's 5G network, including mmWave and C-band coverage. As a result, you'll always get the best speeds possible with your Verizon plan. It also means that you're ready for most of the coverage and speed improvements Verizon has in the works for its 5G network. Samsung launched this phone with Android 13, making it up-to-date right out of the gate. In addition, Samsung has promised five years of updates with four Android version updates, so you can feel confident buying this phone to use for multiple years. Read More Specifications Brand: Samsung SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy Display: 6.8" QHD+ curved-edge AMOLED, 1~120Hz refresh, 240Hz touch sampling RAM: 8GB or 12GB Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB Battery: 5,000mAh Ports: USB-C, S Pen silo Operating System: One UI 5.1 w/ Android 13 Front camera: 12MP f/2,2 Rear cameras: 200MP f/1.7 OIS main, 12MP f/2.2 wide (120°), 10MP f/2.4 OIS zoom (3x), 10MP f/4.9 OISzoom (10x) Connectivity: 4G, 5G, UWB, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC Dimensions: 163.3 × 78 × 8.9mm Colors: Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender + Samsung.com Exclusive Lime, Graphite, Sky Blue, Red Weight: 234g Charging: 45W wired (Quick Charge 2.0, Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging), 15W wireless (Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, WPC), Wireless PowerShare IP Rating: IP68 Price: From $1,200 Micro SD card support: No Stylus type: Active Security: Fingerprint (Ultrasonic, under-display), Facial Pros Unparalleled camera hardware Smooth performance with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Massive 6.8-inch 120Hz AMOLED display S Pen included Full support for Verizon's 5G network Cons Very expensive Not worth an upgrade from the S22 Ultra Buy This Product Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Shop at Samsung Shop at Verizon Best value 3. Google Pixel 6a 8.50 / 10 Read Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews See on Best Buy The Google Pixel 6a may be the ultimate mid-range phone thanks largely to the Google Tensor CPU under the hood. While it's not as performant as the latest G2 revision, it still has plenty of speed for just about anything you can do on Android. You get 6GB of RAM and a 4,400mAh battery; however, as our Pixel 6a review notes, wireless charging is not included. While it's not perfect, the price makes it an incredible value, especially if you find it on sale. The version Verizon sells has full support for its 5G network, including mmWave and C-band, making you ready for Verizon's best speeds and upcoming 5G network upgrades. If you like to buy your phones unlocked, get the version with mmWave to take advantage of Verizon's full network, especially if you pay for a plan with Ultra Wideband 5G. This Pixel phone will get frequent Android updates and has already been updated with Android 13. Google has promised five years of Android updates beginning with its mid-2022 release, so you'll have the latest security patches and features for years. Read More Specifications SoC: Google Tensor Display: 6.1" 2400x1080 (20:9) 60Hz OLED RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB Battery: 4,400mAh Ports: 1x USB Type-C Operating System: Android 13 Front camera: 8MP f/2.0 IMX355 84°FOV Rear cameras: 12MP f/1.73 IMX 363 w/OIS 77° FoV; Ultra-wide: 12MP f/2.2 IMX386 114° FoV Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC Others: eSIM, M3/T4 Hearing Aid Compatibility Dimensions: 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9mm, 178g Colors: Sage (green), Chalk (white), Charcoal (black) Weight: 6.72 oz Charging: 18W USB PD IP Rating: IP67 Price: Starting at $450 Pros Strong Tensor CPU performances Excellent camera system Frequent Android updates Sharp 60Hz OLED display Full support for Verizon's 5G network Cons No wireless charging Battery life could be better Worse signal quality than Pixel 7 Buy This Product Google Pixel 6a Shop at Best Buy Shop at Amazon Shop at Verizon 4. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 8.75 / 10 Read Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews See on Samsung If you sit down with a pen and paper to determine the best value for your money, you won't buy a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. That said, the Z Fold 4 is the refinement of one of Samsung's most significant products ever and a joy to use. It has a reasonably large 6.2-inch display outside and a gigantic 7.6-inch OLED panel inside. The internal panel is more square than wide making it great for multitasking and taking notes. It's powered by the beefy Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and has a 4,400mAh battery pack. The 25-watt wired charging speed is a bit of a disappointment for power users, but with 15-watt wireless caring, it's easy to keep topped up. Around the back, you get a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 10MP telephoto camera. On Verizon, you get full support for 5G, including C-band and mmWave. So this phone is ready for the best speeds on Verizon, which is prudent given how popular this phone has become with business people. Samsung offers the same sort of update promise as its Galaxy S phones, with four OS updates promised and five years of security updates. This phone launched with Android 12L and is already upgradeable to Android 13. Read More Specifications SoC: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Display: 7.6" 2176 x 1812 120Hz OLED primary, 6.2" 2316 x 904 120Hz OLED cover display RAM: 12GB Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB Battery: 4,400mAh Ports: 1x USB Type-C Operating System: Android 12L (OneUI 4.1.1) Front camera: 4MP f/1.8 under-display camera (80˚ FoV, 2.0μm pixels), 10MP f/2.2 cover display camera (85˚ FoV, 1.22μm pixels) Rear cameras: 50 MP f/1.8 wide-angle (85˚ FoV, OIS, 1.0μm pixels), 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (123˚ FoV, 1.12μm pixels), 10MP f/2.4 telephoto (36˚ FoV, OIS, 1.0μm pixels) Connectivity: 5G (inc mmWave), LTE, up to Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC Others: Up to dual SIMs, eSIM, wireless reverse charging/PowerShare, side-mounted capacitive FP sensor Dimensions: 67.1 x 155.1 x 15.8 mm folded (tapering to one edge), 130.1 x 115.1 x 6.3 mm unfolded, 263g Colors: Graygreen, Phantom Black, Beige, Burgundy IP Rating: IPX8 Price: Starting at $1,800 Stylus type: S Pen supported Pros Large 7.6-inch internal OLED display S Pen support Fast performances It folds! Full support for Verizon's 5G network Cons Fragile inner screen Very expensive Buy This Product Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Shop at Samsung Shop at Best Buy Shop at Amazon 5. Google Pixel 7 8.50 / 10 Read Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews See on Best Buy The Google Pixel 7 shares a lot in common with its Pro older sibling. It's a great value at a lower price, with the same Google Tensor G2 CPU. It also has 8GB of RAM, so it's fast. The display is a modestly-sized 6.3-inch 90Hz AMOLED panel that looks great running Android 13. It has a somewhat large 4,330mAh battery life and supports 20-watt wired and wireless charging. This is a bit slower than we'd like to see, but it should still be fine for most people. With a 50MP main camera and 12MP ultra-wide camera, the Pixel 7 delivers the same great photo quality as the Pixel 7 Pro, though it lacks a telephoto camera. Still, this basic camera setup is perfect for most people and produces some of the best images of any smartphone. The Pixel 7 also has full support for Verizon 5G network, including C-band and mmWave. That means you'll get the best speeds possible on Verizon's network if your plan supports it. The Pixel 7 comes with Android 13 and will be among the first to get Android 14, thanks to Google's promise to keep it up-to-date for five years. This also means this phone will get the latest security updates, so you can feel confident using it for years. Read More Specifications SoC: Google Tensor G2 Display: 6.3-inch FHD+ OLED, 90Hz RAM: 8GB Storage: 128GB, 256GB Battery: 4,355mAh Ports: USB-C Operating System: Android 13 Front camera: 10.8MP, f/2.2, 92.8° FoV Rear cameras: 50MP wide (f/1.85), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2, 114° FoV) Connectivity: 5G (sub6 / mmWave) Wi-Fi 6e, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2 Dimensions: 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7mm Weight: 197g Charging: 20W wired, up to 20W wireless IP Rating: IP68 Price: From $599 USD Pros Strong performance with the Tensor G2 CPU Sharp 6.2-inch OLED displayFrequent Android updates, Incredible camera performance Frequent Android updates Incredible camera performance Full support for Verizon's 5G network Cons Battery life and charging could be better Buy This Product Google Pixel 7 Shop at Best Buy Shop at Amazon Shop at Google Store Shop at AT&T Shop at Verizon Shop at T-Mobile 6. Samsung Galaxy S23 8.50 / 10 Read Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews See on Samsung While the S23 Ultra has done its very best to steal the spotlight, the base Samsung Galaxy S23 is still an excellent phone. If you like a smaller phone, it's one of the best on Verizon. This phone has a sensible 6.1-inch AMOLED display that's sharp and vibrant, as well as a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. It's powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU, so it's as fast as Android 13 gets. Although the cameras take a rational step back to a three-camera array, the photos are still among the best of any smartphone. The main camera comes in at 50MP alongside a 12MP ultra-wide shooter and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. With Samsung's camera software, pictures are sharp and vibrant in a wide variety of conditions, including low-light photography. On Verizon, you get full C-band and mmWave 5G support. With the Galaxy S23, you're ready for the best of Verizon networking. This phone will receive four Android updates from Samsung, so you can keep using it for years to come without falling behind in terms of software. Samsung also includes all of its best Know features with the S23 series for better security, such as private folders. If you're looking for a small phone with plenty of Verizon power, the Galaxy S23 should be at the top of your list. It's also worth mentioning that the slightly larger Galaxy S23+ is available and brings with it a large display without the Ultra price tag. Read More Specifications Brand: Samsung SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy Display: 6.1" FHD+ AMOLED, 48~120Hz refresh, 240Hz touch sampling RAM: 8GB Storage: 128GB or 256GB Battery: 3,900mAh Ports: USB-C Operating System: One UI 5.1 w/ Android 13 Front camera: 12MP f/2.2 Rear cameras: 50MP f/1.8 OIS main, 12MP f/2.2 wide (120°), 10MP f/2.4 OIS telephoto (3x) Connectivity: 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC Dimensions: 146.3 × 70.9 × 7.6mm Colors: Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender + Samsung.com exclusive Lime, Graphite Weight: 168g Charging: 25W wired (Quick Charge 2, Samsung AFC), 15W wireless (Samsung Fast Wireless Charging 2.0/WPC), Wireless PowerShare IP Rating: IP68 Price: From $800 Micro SD card support: No Security: Fingerprint (Ultrasonic, under-display), Facial Pros Vibrant 120Hz AMOLED display Small size Smooth performance with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Full support for Verizon's 5G network Cons Battery life could be better Charging should be faster Buy This Product Samsung Galaxy S23 Shop at Samsung Shop at Verizon Shop at Best Buy 7. Samsung Galaxy A53 7.00 / 10 Read Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews See on Samsung The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is the continuation of one of the best lines of mid-range phones. The latest version is still a great value, powered by the Exynos 1280 CPU made by Samsung and 6GB of RAM. The display is another strong point with a 6.5-inch 120Hz OLED panel. This fairly modest hardware combination can also last longer than a day on a single charge. As we saw in our Galaxy A53 review, the camera performance is solid from the 64MP main camera as long as you have plenty of light. There's also a 12MP ultra-wide camera and a macro camera. While you can safely ignore the macro camera, the Galaxy A53 5G has a strong camera system overall. When it comes to Verizon support, the Galaxy A53 5G UW version sold by Verizon is your best bet. It supports not only C-band 5G but also mmWave, allowing access to Verizon's best network speeds. This is a great mid-range phone to try out Verizon's 5G network. This phone launched with Android 12, but the Android 13 update is already available due to Samsung's promise of four Android OS updates and five years of security updates. Read More Specifications SoC: Exynos 1280 Display: 6.5" 1080p OLED, 120Hz RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB, expandable by MicroSD (up to 1TB) Battery: 5,000mAh Ports: 1x USB Type-C Operating System: Android 13 with One UI 5.1 Front camera: 32MP f/2.2 Rear cameras: 64MP f/1.8 primary, 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide, 5MP f/2.4 macro, 5MP 5/2.4 depth Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC Dimensions: 159.6 x 74.8 x 8.1mm, 189g Colors: Awesome Black, Awesome Blue, Awesome White, Awesome Peach Display type: 6.5" 1080p OLED, 120Hz Weight: 6.67 oz Charging: 25W USB PD IP Rating: IP67 Price: $450 Pros Solid performance with the Samsung Exynos 1280 CPU Sharp 120Hz AMOLED display Large 5,000mAh battery Full support for Verizon's 5G network Cons No headphone jack Buy This Product Samsung Galaxy A53 Shop at Samsung Shop at Best Buy Shop at Amazon 8. Samsung Galaxy A14 5G 7.00 / 10 Read Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews Read More Reviews See on Samsung The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is a budget phone, but it's well-designed and has enough power for smooth performance with the Mediatek Dimensity 700 CPU with 4GB of RAM running Android 13. And although it only comes with 64GB of storage, it can be expanded with a MicroSD card. The A14 5G also has solid cameras for the price, with a 50MP main shooter delivering nice photos in good lighting. While this phone lacks mmWave 5G support, it still has C-band support, which will make up most of Verizon's fast 5G network in the coming years. If you live in the country or a small town, there's a good chance you'll never miss mmWave at all, as it's limited to dense urban areas. As mentioned, this phone ships with Android 13 from the start, so you won't need to do any big updates to get it up and running. Though it does not have the same feature-rich build as the Galaxy S phones, it's still a strong version of Android. Furthermore, Samsung promised two Android version updates and four years of security updates, so realistically, Samsung will probably support this phone longer than you'll end up keeping it. Read More Specifications SoC: MediaTek Dimensity 700 Display: 6.6" FHD+ LCD @ 90Hz RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB, expandable by MicroSD (up to 1TB) Battery: 5,000 mAh Ports: USB-C Operating System: Android 13 with One UI 5.0 Front camera: 13MP f/2.0 Rear cameras: 50MP f/1.8 main + 2MP f/2.4 macro + 2MP f/2.4 depth Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 5, NFC Dimensions: 167.7 x 78 x 9.1mm Weight: 204g IP Rating: N/A Price: $199 Pros Solid performance for the price Sharp 90Hz display Large 5,000mAh battery Design feels modern Cons No support for mmWave 5G Slow 15-watt charging Buy This Product Samsung Galaxy A14 5G Shop at Samsung Shop at Verizon Shop at T-Mobile Pick the right phone for your Verizon plan While Verizon's network isn't quite as friendly towards unlocked phones as AT&T and T-Mobile, the carrier's prominence means that most of the best Android phones will work on its network. It's also worth mentioning that Verizon has some of its own phone versions bearing the UW suffix, meaning it's ready for Verizon's mmWave 5G coverage. Still, Verizon's most significant coverage comes from C-band with band n77, which most new phones support, even the cheap ones. The Pixel 7 Pro is one of the best phones you can buy regardless of brand, OS, or carrier; it takes the top spot on Verizon. With its fast Tensor G2 CPU and associated modem upgrades, it doesn't have any of the coverage issues of its predecessor. In fact, it is one of the best phones to use with Verizon's network. And with frequent Android updates, it's a great phone for anyone who prefers Android. If you're looking for something cheaper, you've got a few options. First and foremost, the Pixel 6a has great performance, a strong update plan, and excellent cameras. For the few compromises you make with this phone, the price is hard to beat. Not only that, but the Pixel 6a has a premium look and feel -- even though you're saving money, your phone feels premium. Should I upgrade my Verizon plan? Verizon's plans are annoyingly complex, and you'll have to pay more for fast 5G. The Welcome Unlimited and 5G Start plans both lack Ultra Wideband 5G support, so you'll be stuck using Verizon's LTE-like nationwide 5G network on your new phone. For the best speeds, you'll need Verizon 5G Play More, 5G Do More, 5G Get More, or One Unlimited for iPhone. Despite its name, One Unlimited for iPhone works with Androids, so if your family mostly uses iPhones, it can still be the right pick for your new Android. A word about payment plans If you buy your phone from Verizon, you're looking at a long 36-month payment plan. Verizon offers a lot of promotions and discounts on new phones, but the fine print is that those discounts are applied over 36 monthly bill credits. Verizon also requires one of its more expensive plans for some of its discounts, especially regarding upgrades. If you plan out your payments, you can save a lot of cash with these discounts, even if you decide to pay your phone off early. Just know that you can't still get the discounts if you switch to a cheaper carrier like Visible in a few months. There's no such thing as a free lunch, and Verizon is getting three years of plan payments from you in a time of unprecedented wireless competition.