I'm about to replace my old smartphone with a new one. I know which one I want to get. It's available from my carrier (Verizon) and also available unlocked. Which is the better option? Does anyone have an unlocked phone?

If I get it from Verizon I will pay $17 per month for 24 months, total cost $408. Unlocked would cost $41 more, and I'd pay it all upfront. For the higher cost I'd get a phone that's free of all the useless apps that Verizon installs with no option to uninstall them. And I'd have the option to switch carriers.

I don't plan to switch carriers now, but I tend to keep electronics for as long as possible. My current phone is 4.5 years old. The laptop I use for work is so old it runs on Vista. And as the cost of living goes up while at the same time I don't get any salary increases at work, it's quite possible I will consider shopping around for a less expensive plan at some point.

So is it worth the extra up front cost for the unlocked phone? And are there downsides to an unlocked phone?

Thanks very much for any advice!