Best Mobile Hotspot Devices and Plans

A mobile hotspot is a small device you can use as a Wi-Fi connection and carry with you wherever you go. It's essentially a mobile router for cellular data. To use one, you’ll need to pay for data service in addition to purchasing the mobile hotspot. Most hotspots can be purchased up front or paid for through a monthly device payment plan.

A mobile hotspot devices give travelers and mobile workers a reliable way to stay connected while on-the-go. A hotspot delivers secure internet anywhere you have a cellphone signal. Since they require their own data plan, mobile hotspot devices won't eat up your cellphone's data allowance. Some mobile hotspots, like the Skyroam Solis X, are designed for international travel and can be purchased or rented on a daily basis.

All of our recommended mobile hotspots permit simultaneous Wi-Fi connection to 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bands, which gives you the flexibility to find the fastest connection in your area.

The most economical data plan you can get for your mobile hotspot is usually bundled with your cellphone carrier. For instance, Verizon offers a mobile hotspot data plan for $10-$15 per month to current Verizon customers. But if you get it alone, it will cost $60 per month.

If you travel to parts of the country where a different carrier offers better coverage than your cellphone carrier, getting a hotspot plan with another carrier can be a good idea. This would give you multiple data choices wherever you go. Often, RVers who travel through different parts of the country have phone and hotspot plans with different carriers to get the widest combined coverage area between both devices.

Within the US, T-Mobile offers the most economical mobile hotspot and data packages—data averages 33 cents for each GB of data. We recommend T-Mobile to folks looking for an affordable mobile hotspot for Wi-Fi on the go.

But, Verizon and AT&T offer better coverage than T-Mobile, so you might get better service with a hotspot through one of these carriers. After all, if you are trying to use a mobile hotspot in an area without T-Mobile service, it won’t matter how much data you have left on your monthly plan—it just won’t work. 

So even though data caps matter, check out cellular coverage maps in areas you’ll be using the mobile hotspot. Sometimes, you’ll just get a better experience with AT&T or Verizon. For those who travel outside T-Mobile’s major coverage areas, we’d recommend going with another carrier. AT&T and Verizon are best for far-ranging travelers within the US (including small towns and rural areas), while Skyroam is our top pick for international travelers. 

Another thing we like about the Sprint MiFi plan is that you can rollover up to 50 GB of data per month, so you can stock up a bit before heading out on the road. Plus, if you have cellphone service with Sprint, you may have up to 100 GB of additional personal hotspot data on some plans.

But Sprint’s mobile hotspot isn’t good for everybody. Sprint’s coverage area is smaller than Verizon or AT&T. If you travel outside major metro areas, you may not have good service. For those who travel outside Sprint’s major coverage areas, we’d recommend going with another carrier. AT&T and Verizon are best for far-ranging travelers within the US, while Skyroam is our top pick for international travelers.

A mobile hotspot device works like a portable modem and router. It captures available mobile data and broadcasts the internet connection to multiple devices. You need to have a cellular data plan to use a mobile hotspot.

You need a mobile hotspot when you want a reliable internet connection that can travel with you. Mobile hotspot devices are popular with business travelers because many companies reimburse for mobile hotspot service but not mobile phone expenses. RVers and people with vacation homes also rely on mobile hotspots to stay connected. Remote worksites use portable hotspots to connect up to 20 employees with one device.

You can use your mobile phone as a hotspot if you turn on the hotspot feature. (Check out this article for more details: Should You Use Your Mobile Phone for Home Internet?) It’s not a free-for-all: mobile providers restrict the amount of data you can use while hotspotting, but it can work for some people.

If you travel only occasionally, you might not need a separate mobile hotspot device—using your cellphone’s hotspot may be all you need. But if you work on the road or take road trips in your RV every weekend, we recommend getting a mobile hotspot device and a flexible data plan.

A mobile hotspot won’t work in backcountry areas unless you have a cellphone signal. Some hotspots have antenna ports, such as the NETGEAR Nighthawk. It’s possible to boost service and strengthen a weak signal by attaching an extender or antenna to your mobile hotspot, but you can boost service only if you have a signal in the first place. For more information, check out the Portable Internet Guide.

Mobile hotspot devices range in price from about $50 to $350. Data fees are billed separately, starting around $10 per month.

You can avoid paying for a data plan every month by getting a prepaid or pay-as-you-go data plan. Some plans offer data by the gig, by the day, or by the month. Some devices can even be rented on a daily basis like the Skyroam Mobile Hotspot, which gives you the use of the device and unlimited data for $8.99 per day.

Sprint offers an unlimited hotspot plan—but before you get too excited let’s explain what “unlimited” means. You'll get a metered amount of full speed data, and then your data will be slowed to 2 G speeds (remember the early 2000’s, when you had a flip phone you used for calls and text messages?). Once you hit the data threshold, and your data slows to these speeds, you'll still get to use an unlimited amount of data but it will be really slow.

If you’re looking for unlimited mobile hotspot data, you’ll come across several plans that are marketed as unlimited, but this just means that after you’ve used up your monthly data allotment, you can still use reduced-speed data until the next billing cycle.

The Sprint MiFi 8000 and the NETGEAR Nighthawk mobile hotspots have the best battery life—up to 24 hours on one charge. Some portable Wi-Fi devices have a battery life of 8 hours or less, which often isn’t practical for full-time travelers and road warriors. A few devices (like the NETGEAR Nighthawk) give you the option of plugging into the wall or using battery power, which is helpful while traveling or when using a mobile hotspot for home internet.