from let’s say, Verizon but choose another service’s cell phone plan? I want the new SE, as i have the first gen, where it costs less since different companies are charging differently for their phones. Thinking about choosing Visible’s plan.

if you buy the phone outright then yeah. otherwise no

Yup.

What if i wanted to finance? Do i need to be with the company at that point?

In Canada it is the case. They'd only sell you unlocked phone and let you finance it so long as you get a plan with them until you outright own the phone.

i’m at such a cross roads. i can get a iphone se for 5 bucks a month with sprint but their basic plan is 60 bucks. i’m not tryna spend that.

Usually won't work, they'll lock the cell phone to the provider until the payment is completely done and then you'll need their approval for them to unlock it to be used with another carrier.

Did it myself with a iPhone 8+.

The thing about getting it on a special price is they’ll usually lock you in for two years to get that price.
I have t-mobile and they offer iPhone elevens for free. But to get it for free you need to be on their network for two years to receive a bill credit.

slickdeals.net/share/iphone_app/fp/561251

It seems visible is offering a $200 gift card if you port in your number.

slickdeals.net/share/iphone_app/t/14017922
This metro offer seems a lot better. Read the fine print and read the comments for additional info

You need to buy a GSM unlocked phone to use on any network.

Usually that means buying the phone for full retail up front.

Or buy it used.

I've been on T Mobile 30 dollar a month plans for 8 or so years and always have gotten GSM phones and never had to get into a contract.

And it's not bad if you consider you can upgrade whenever you want and sell your old phone and basically discount your new phone.

Some of those iPhone buyback programs by carriers are pretty hard to turn down though. I remember hearing they'd give you like $200 in credit towards a new iPhone for bringing in your functioning iPhone 6/6s

I think this could work but just not through Verizon - which is a mobile phone network company right?

I’d imagine you’d be able to buy the phone itself on a finance plan from loads of retailers who are not mobile network providers (best example being Apple themselves), without any SIM card.

Then you could separately pay for a SIM card on a pay as you go / SIM only contract from a network provider?

EDIT: as others have pointed out the phone would need to be unlocked. Again don’t think this should be hard to find?

Pretty sure Apple sells them unlocked on their site, but I have no idea if you can finance it or not.

Yeah you’re right afaik and i believe you can finance them too.

Can imagine Apple might be expensive but doubt they would be the only place offering the phones like this