Verizon will charge $10 a month for iPhone Handoff, the iOS 27 feature that shares one phone number across two iPhones. The carrier put that price in an October 16 announcement that says only that the service is coming soon. No launch date.
Apple's support page for the feature, as published October 19, listed T-Mobile among supported U.S. carriers but had not yet added Verizon. That lines up with Verizon's wording: the price is set, and the sign-up date isn't.
The fee lands on a narrow group — Verizon customers who plan to carry two iPhones. Verizon names the iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro as examples of compatible models, so the clearest case is someone who buys a Duo and hangs on to a recent Pro instead of trading it in. Keeping a work phone and a personal phone on one number is another. Either way, the convenience now has a published price of $120 a year, before any taxes or fees, which Verizon has not addressed.
What the $10 covers
Only one iPhone holds the active number at a time, so Handoff won't make both phones ring. Apple says calls, voicemail, iMessage, RCS and SMS/MMS go to whichever participating iPhone is active, and Find My location follows along. Verizon says customers can switch which phone is active while keeping access to its 5G network.
T-Mobile charges half, according to 9to5Mac
9to5Mac, which independently reported Verizon's price, says T-Mobile charges $5 a month for its version of Handoff. That figure comes from 9to5Mac's reporting; T-Mobile's own terms weren't reviewed for this story. Over a year, that's $120 on Verizon against $60 on T-Mobile, a $60 difference. 9to5Mac also reported that Verizon support had been expected before the end of 2026.
Requirements, limits and turning it off
According to Apple's setup instructions, both iPhones need iOS 27 or later, Wi-Fi, the same Apple Account, Messages in iCloud, matching FaceTime and iMessage sign-ins, and a supported carrier eSIM. Two limits are worth knowing before paying:
- An Apple Watch doesn't automatically switch between the two iPhones.
- Some carrier services and account controls work only from the iPhone designated as the main device.
Quitting takes more than deleting the eSIM. Apple says you have to contact your carrier to turn Handoff off, and that deleting an eSIM alone might not end carrier charges. Verizon has not published cancellation timing, proration or refund terms for the fee. Anyone who tries Handoff and decides it isn't worth $10 a month should cancel it through Verizon rather than just removing the eSIM.
What Verizon hasn't said
- Which plans qualify, and whether prepaid customers can enroll.
- Whether the $10 is charged per number, per line or per account, and whether the second iPhone counts as another billable line.
- Whether taxes, surcharges or an activation charge get added.
- The full list of compatible iPhones. Verizon names only the Duo and 18 Pro, as examples.
Those terms will decide what Handoff actually adds to a Verizon bill, and none of them are public yet.