We've been using Straight Talk for a couple of years without problem. If you buy a Straight Talk phone, select one with the red network map and Verizon will be the network provider. I just upgraded my wife's phone to a Mo Go (Motorola) phone to get a bigger screen, and the phone seems to work quite well for less than $100. She does quite a bit of texting and I do what texting I have to do. I use the wifi connection occassionally, but if I want to do internet tasks, I'd rather do it on my tablet or laptop.
There are options for using many smart phones by purchasing a new chip, but you really need to research what phones will work with AT&T or Verizon.
From what I've seen, you can't beat the price if you tend to use the phone for phone calls, texting and some internet use.