The Best Verizon Phones Other Than iPhone Or Samsung In 2023
Let's face facts. Samsung and Apple dominate the United States smartphone market — this is not a revelation or a surprise to virtually anyone. Still, some folks may want to stray from the mainstream and try some other options. Back in the good old days, lists like this were populated with brands such as HTC, LG, and OnePlus. That isn't quite the case these days, which makes shopping for a new smartphone a little difficult. You essentially have Samsung and Apple to choose from with some smatterings from other manufacturers.
However, it is still possible to get a smartphone on Verizon that isn't made by the two top dogs. You'll see Motorola featured heavily on the list as they have a historically good relationship with Verizon, and there are Google Pixel phones on here as well. Those are the two big brands that you'll have to choose from if you're looking to avoid Samsung and iPhone.
Verizon even has some decent budget options if you're not looking to spend a bunch of money. It is also one of the few phone carriers with legitimately durable phones. Finally, we'll toss in some unlocked phones that you can bring to Verizon as well, just to add some variety. Here are the best phones you can find from the carrier that don't come from Samsung or Apple.
Google Pixel 6 and 7
Google's Pixel family is a great place to start. Currently, Verizon sells six different Pixel devices. They are the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and the Pixel 7a. The Pixel 6 series represents Google's 2022 offerings while the Pixel 7 series launched earlier in 2023. It's also important to recognize that the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7a are Google's budget offerings while the Pixel 6 Pro and 7 Pro are the highest-end phones.
All six of these smartphones are a good value. Pixel devices are generally known for their excellent cameras, good performance, and consistent updates. In fact, Google promises to update each Pixel 6 and 7 series phone for five years. That is far longer than most Android phone manufacturers.
In terms of raw performance, the phones are a minor step down from the very top dogs. They are still more than good enough to browse the web, browse social media, and play most mobile games. They are also generally cheaper than flagships from other brands. The Pixel 6a is the cheapest of the group at $399.99, while the Pixel 7 Pro is the most expensive at $999.99 for the 256GB variant. That's a much friendlier price than the latest Galaxy and iPhone lineups. There isn't much wrong with these phones, and they should remain relevant for years thanks to Google's commitment to updates.
Google Pixel Fold
The Google Pixel Fold is a large departure from your standard Pixel device. For starters, it's very expensive at $1,799.99. That's not quite the value proposition you would get in Google's other smartphones. Additionally, it's much larger and, notably, it folds. It's the first true competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Fold phones in the U.S. It houses a 5.8-inch outer display that you use as you would a normal smartphone. Opening the phone reveals a 7.6-inch tablet-sized screen that you can use for multimedia, multitasking, or gaming. It has similar specs to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, so you can expect similar performance to Google's other 2023 phone offerings.
For your money, you also get three cameras on the rear, one camera on the front, and an inner camera that you can use as a webcam when making video calls. The back cameras are the best ones like with most smartphones. Unlike most smartphones, you can unfold the phone and use the front display to line up selfies while using the back cameras. It works well, and your selfies are going to look great. It's Google's first attempt at a foldable, so the experience isn't totally flawless. Google updates the Pixel Fold like it does the other Pixel phones, so this one should get plenty of updates as well.
Motorola Edge+ 5G UW
The 2023 variant of the Motorola Edge+ is an objectively excellent phone. It costs $799.99, but you do have to buy it directly from Motorola, although Verizon makes this reasonably easy with its bring your own device (BYOD) program.
The Motorola Edge+ houses some serious specs. In fact, it's on par with the $1,199.99 Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in many cases. Of course, Motorola had to cut some corners to make the phone $400 cheaper than Samsung. For example, the cameras look great on paper, we found that the cameras on the Motorola Edge+ are only above average in real-world use. The camera array also lacks some of the more modern niceties and polish that you'll find from Google, Samsung, and iPhone devices.
Other than Google phones, this is your best choice for an affordable flagship experience on Verizon. The only real downside is Motorola's less-than-stellar history with delivering the latest Android updates. In addition, the 2022 variant is still on sale directly from Verizon, but the 2023 version has better specs at a similar price. We recommend going with the 2023 version if you want to go with Motorola, but the 2022 variant is a little easier to get directly from Verizon.
Sony Xperia 1 V
The Sony Xperia 1 V is another excellent phone that works well on Verizon's network. It was announced for launch in July 2023 at the surprisingly high price of $1,399.99, which puts it among the newest and most expensive smartphones on the list.
Verizon's BYOD promotion can save you a few bucks and soften the blow, but this is still a huge investment for a smartphone — although it is pretty fantastic overall. The Sony Xperia 1 V includes a 4K display along with flagship-level specs. You can expect similar performance to a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the 2023 Motorola Edge+. It has a huge battery, although the battery life is probably not going to be as good as some other phones due to the 4K screen. Higher resolution screens tend to use more battery, and this is true with previous Sony Xperia 1 devices as well.
It has a slew of extra features like a shutter button for the camera, several extra gaming features, and more. You can find a few of these features on other high-end smartphones. None of them pack as many of them into a single phone as Sony. The phone is just a total powerhouse. Sony could be better about software updates, but otherwise, there isn't much to dislike about the Xperia 1 V.
OnePlus 11
The OnePlus 11, much like the Sony Xperia 1 V, is an unlocked device that works well on Verizon's network. It's available at Best Buy and similar retailers for $599.99, making it one of the cheaper devices on the list.
This device harkens back to the earlier days of OnePlus. You get flagship-level specs, super fast charging, and a good overall experience for much less money than you would spend on the latest high-end Samsung phone or iPhone. Sure, the cameras could be a little better in low light and there is no wireless charging, but it's hard to complain about what this phone lacks next to its vastly more expensive competitors.
OnePlus used to release devices directly on Verizon, so the company knows how to make it work well there. It even supports Verizon's Wi-Fi calling feature. The phone comes in two colors — a fairly standard black option along with a gorgeous green option that is quite striking. You'll almost certainly want a case for this one as well since it has one of the larger camera arrays on a modern phone. This is also the least expensive phone to feature 2023-level flagship specs on this list.
Motorola Edge (2022)
The 2022 Motorola Edge is where we start getting into the midrange territory as the phone costs a pretty penny at $659.99 – but that's still much less than flagship smartphones.
What you get in return is a competent midrange smartphone with Android 12, relatively modern specs, and a 5,000 mAh battery. It also goes on sale a lot, so you can often get it for less when you get it on a 36-month plan versus flat out at its retail price. It's similar to most midrange phones. It has its pros and cons, although those cons are often outweighed by the lower price tag. Take the camera system. It's fine most of the time, but it lacks the versatility of more expensive smartphones. Additionally, Motorola has a habit of not providing timely software updates to its less expensive phones.
The phone excels in other ways. The battery size is absolutely massive for its price point. That should translate to excellent battery life even if you use the phone heavily. It's still powerful enough for most mobile games along with the usual daily smartphone activities. Even the screen is pretty good. It doesn't have the wow factor of more expensive phones, but it'll get you where you need to go.
Kyocera DuraForce Ultra
The Kyocera DuraForce Ultra 5G isn't a top-performing smartphone in the same way that some of the phones higher on the list are. However, what it can do is live through torture. The phone includes an IPX8 water resistance as well as Mil-Std-810H level protection from dust, sand, vibration, drops up to five feet, humidity, temperature extremes, and thermal shock.
Verizon says this is one of their most rugged smartphones for a reason – although you will pay a premium for the privilege. The phone costs $899.99, which is higher than you would normally see from a midrange phone. The extra cost is almost certainly for the ruggedness.
In terms of general smartphone use, this phone does pretty well. It'll do the usual everyday stuff like TikTok, social media, and web browsing. You can play some mobile games on it, but it may struggle with heavier, more modern titles. There are also older amenities like a separate headphone jack alongside a USB-C charging port. The design makes it feel a little older than it is, but ruggedness doesn't have to be beautiful. It's big, heavy, and it'll hurt if you drop it on yourself, which sets it apart from the rest of the phones on this list.
Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G
The Motorola G Stylus 5G is an interesting device. It launched in 2022, so it's a little older than some others. It's also among the cheapest options at $399.99, but this budget-tier smartphone has excellent battery life and a stylus much like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. There are some extra features built-in for the stylus as well, but most of them are gimmicky.
The phone won't run the heaviest mobile games, but it's more than powerful enough for typical things like web browsing, social media, and keeping your streaks on Snapchat. It's also good that the phone has 5G at this price point, which isn't always true when it comes to budget phones on Verizon.
The camera, speakers, and fingerprint scanner aren't the best. The Moto G Stylus 5G also charges slower than average, which isn't unusual for budget phones — manufacturers have to cut some corners to get it down these prices.
Overall, however, this is a solid cheap smartphone. It looks nice, it works well enough, and it won't break the bank. It would even work as well as a kid's first smartphone, provided they're not old enough to be affected by the green bubble bullying of iMessage from Apple users.
Moto G Power
The Moto G Power is another solid budget smartphone. For $249.99, you get a decent little device that'll do the things you need it to do. There isn't enough horsepower to play heavy mobile games or edit videos with your phone, but it isn't designed for that kind of stuff. You may be able to play some simple mobile games, but that's as far as this phone goes. It does its best work when browsing the web, scrolling through social media, and it'll handle Netflix or YouTube without complaint. Many people only need the basics, and this phone gives you the basics.
Where this phone truly excels is battery life. Budget-tier CPUs usually use far less battery than their high-end counterparts. You pair that with a large 5,000 mAh battery, and you'll get a smartphone that should last you all day. In fact, it would be a surprise if it didn't. The phone only gets 4G, so you won't get the fastest data speeds with this one. If that is a concern, you may want to look elsewhere. You can also get competitively good-budget phones like the Moto E and the OnePlus Nord N20 – you just have to buy them somewhere other than Verizon.
Motorola Moto G Pure
The Moto G Pure is a hilariously cheap smartphone. It clocks in at just $149.99, making it the cheapest smartphone on this list. This is the one you would get if you are in desperate need of a smartphone immediately and only had a few bucks to do it. The price is the strongest point of this phone, as there are hiccups when it comes to performance, camera, charging speed, and even storage. In addition, it comes with only 32 GB of storage, which is not nearly enough in 2023, especially since basic apps like Google Chrome alone can eat several gigs of internal storage in some cases.
There are positives, though. The screen looks quite good and the battery life is above average. It even looks nice with the low-profile teardrop camera on the front of the display. Another neat thing about this phone is that it can be found even cheaper if you buy the unlocked variant and bring it to Verizon. Retailers like Best Buy consistently have deals on the phone, making it a great purchase for emergencies — although you'll almost certainly want to upgrade to something nicer when you can afford it.
TCL 30 V 5G
The TCL 30 V 5G is another affordable smartphone at just $299.99 directly from Verizon. This is a phone you would get to last you until you had enough money to get yourself a better phone. It'll almost certainly struggle with heavier things like modern mobile games and high-intensity applications. The phone also ships with Android 11, which is pretty old at this point. It should do the basics well enough to get you through the day, but not much more than that. It also doesn't support Google Wallet, which is not a great omission — even at the budget end of the spectrum — in 2023.
On the plus side, the phone has a decent 1080p screen. It also connects to Verizon's newest 5G bands so you'll get speedy Internet access with this one. It'll also charge quickly, and you'll likely need that since the battery life can be hit-or-miss depending on how you use it.
In general, you can do better than this phone. The $249.99 Moto G Power performs a little more consistently than this phone, but if you're also looking to avoid Motorola devices alongside Samsung and Apple products, you could do worse than the TCL 30 V 5G.