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AT&T vs. Verizon: iPhone 18 Pro Max for 5 lines
For 5 lines of iPhone 18 Pro Max over 36 months, Verizon's Simplicity beats AT&T's Elite 2.0 by $4,138. The monthly plan price is the single biggest driver of that gap. Both sides are backed by confirmed plan pricing.
AT&T (24 months) and Verizon (24 months) spread its device credit over fewer than 36 months, so the bill drops partway through.
AT&T
Elite 2.0 · Buy unlocked (Apple financing)
$111.41/mo per person, 5 lines
$20,053 over 36 months · $557.03/mo household
$647.80/mo for 24 months, then $377.15/mo once the device is paid off.
How we calculate thisVerizon
Simplicity · Buy unlocked (Apple financing)
vs. AT&T unlocked (Apple financing) over 36 months
$88.42/mo per person, 5 lines
$14,601–$15,915 over 36 months · $405.58–$442.08/mo household
$532.15/mo for 24 months, then $261.50/mo once the device is paid off.
- Provider fees unconfirmed
Resolves once Verizon's provider fees are confirmed.
$3,780–$5,094 more than your current bill over 36 months — for 5 lines on Simplicity
Plus 5 new phones and setup: $6,501, net of trade-in/resale credit.
Plan $45.00/mo + device $54.13/mo + $40.00 upfront − $38.97 cashback
iPhone 18 Pro Max paid over 24 months at 0% APR via Apple Card Monthly Installments, with 3% cashback credited once.
Sales tax on the device (varies by state, typically charged upfront on full MSRP) is not included in the totals above.
We don't have a resale value for a iPhone 16 in this condition yet, so it counts as $0 here.
Plan $45.00/mo + device $54.13/mo + $40.00 upfront − $38.97 cashback
iPhone 18 Pro Max paid over 24 months at 0% APR via Apple Card Monthly Installments, with 3% cashback credited once.
Sales tax on the device (varies by state, typically charged upfront on full MSRP) is not included in the totals above.
We don't have a resale value for a iPhone 16 in this condition yet, so it counts as $0 here.
Plan $45.00/mo + device $54.13/mo + $40.00 upfront − $38.97 cashback
iPhone 18 Pro Max paid over 24 months at 0% APR via Apple Card Monthly Installments, with 3% cashback credited once.
Sales tax on the device (varies by state, typically charged upfront on full MSRP) is not included in the totals above.
We don't have a resale value for a iPhone 16 in this condition yet, so it counts as $0 here.
Plan $45.00/mo + device $54.13/mo + $40.00 upfront − $38.97 cashback
iPhone 18 Pro Max paid over 24 months at 0% APR via Apple Card Monthly Installments, with 3% cashback credited once.
Sales tax on the device (varies by state, typically charged upfront on full MSRP) is not included in the totals above.
We don't have a resale value for a iPhone 16 in this condition yet, so it counts as $0 here.
Plan $45.00/mo + device $54.13/mo + $40.00 upfront − $38.97 cashback
iPhone 18 Pro Max paid over 24 months at 0% APR via Apple Card Monthly Installments, with 3% cashback credited once.
Sales tax on the device (varies by state, typically charged upfront on full MSRP) is not included in the totals above.
We don't have a resale value for a iPhone 16 in this condition yet, so it counts as $0 here.
Data verified September 10, 2026.
AT&T's provider fee: $5.43/line (PA label; varies by state). Verizon's provider fee: provider fee not yet confirmed.
Frequently asked
Which is cheaper for 5 lines of iPhone 18 Pro Max: AT&T or Verizon?
Verizon's Simplicity costs $15,915 over 36 months for 5 lines of iPhone 18 Pro Max, $4,138 less than AT&T's Elite 2.0 at $20,053.
What's the effective monthly cost of iPhone 18 Pro Max on AT&T vs. Verizon?
AT&T works out to $557.03/mo and Verizon to $442.08/mo, each the 36-month total divided evenly by 36 — not necessarily the bill you'd see in any single month.
Are these AT&T and Verizon prices confirmed?
AT&T's total is not yet independently verified, and Verizon's is a computed worst/best estimate, pending a promo or fee confirmation. See the confidence badge on each card, and our methodology page, for what that means.