Best Unlimited Data Hotspots

The best mobile plan for hotspotting is Visible’s unlimited phone plan, which costs $40 per month and gives you unlimited mobile hotspot data. It isn’t the fastest data on the planet—data speeds are capped at 5 Mbps—but it’s fast enough to stream Netflix and do video conferencing on one device. There are other plans that offer unlimited 2G data (which is 114 Kbps or 0.1 Mbps), but 2G speeds are too slow for online learning, Netflix, or most gaming apps.

We compared all mobile phone plans solely on the basis of the mobile hotspot feature. We looked at whether hotspotting was allowed on the plan, how much hotspot data it offered, and how much it cost. We also looked at how much data was slowed after reaching the cap.

If you’re going to be hotspotting all month and need a lot of data, we recommend getting a Visible mobile phone plan. It’s the best deal for unlimited mobile hotspot data. Visible is an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), so it operates on cellular networks managed by one of the big three cellular networks (T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T). 

For $40 per month, you get unlimited talk, text, and data, which includes unlimited mobile hotspot data. The hotspot data is limited to one device at a time and it’s capped at 5 Mbps, but it’s still the best option for folks looking for unlimited mobile hotspot data—even though it’s a cell phone plan with hotspot data included.

T-Mobile unlimited plans include a bucket of full-speed data for hotspotting and then unlimited data at 3G speeds. At $85 per month, T-Mobile’s Magenta Plus plan is more expensive than Visible or AT&T, but if you live or travel in areas where T-Mobile has good coverage, T-Mobile’s Magenta Plus plan is a good deal for phone and hotspot in one. 

With this plan, you’ll get unlimited mobile phone service and 20 GB of 4G LTE hotspot data each month. If you surpass 20 GB, you can keep using unlimited data at 3G speeds, which are slower but still usable. You may or may not be able to stream video with 3G speeds (which are usually between 1–3 Mbps). But, 3G is fast enough to send email, check the news, and stream music.

Verizon’s Get More Unlimited plan is worth checking out for people who are lucky enough to live, work, and play in areas with 5G Ultra Wideband service. If you are in one of these urban areas, you can get truly unlimited data for hotspotting. And, even better, it’s amazingly fast 5G Ultra Wideband data.

Currently, 5G Ultra Wideband is available in select parts of 35 cities. The catch is that you can’t get unlimited 4G, 4G LTE, or even typical 5G data for hotspotting—the unlimited only applies to 5G Ultra Wideband data. Once you step outside an area with 5G Ultra Wideband, you’re limited to 30 GB per month of hotspot data. Just be aware that Verizon isn’t such a great deal for customers who live outside 5G areas because exceeding hotspot data allowance will result in sluggish 600 Kbps speeds for the remainder of the billing period.

If you have a mobile hotspot device, you can provide Wi-Fi to five or more devices. But the more devices you have connected at once, the slower your data speeds will be. Many plans let you choose how much data you want to pay for each month, which can be handy if you travel seasonally and don’t need a lot of data year-round. 

However, if you’re thinking about using a mobile hotspot instead of getting a dedicated home internet connection, we recommend against it. There are no unlimited mobile hotspot device plans (yup, you read that right—you’ll have to use a cell phone plan like we mentioned earlier if you’re interested in getting unlimited data). All data-only hotspot plans limit the amount of data you can use. Plus, you’ll pay more for each GB of data than you will with most other types of internet. 

You can buy prepaid data for your mobile hotspot and then use it as you go, or sign up for a monthly plan that gives you a set amount of data each month. Verizon has the most expensive data per GB for mobile hot spotting while T-Mobile has the most affordable plans.

There are dozens of plans in the US that offer hotspotting, including mobile phone plans and mobile hotspot device plans.

The most common way to hotspot is to use your mobile phone as a personal hotspot. Many (although not all) mobile phone plans include a separate data allowance for hotspotting. Mobile phone hotspot data isn’t usually unlimited (although we did find a plan from Visible that truly has unlimited mobile hotspot data), but it can keep you connected when you’re away from home.

By hotspotting off your phone, you can avoid the cost of a mobile hotspot device and paying for a hotspot data plan but keep in mind that there are significant limitations with hotspotting off your phone. Mobile phone plans offer only a limited amount of hotspot data—generally between 10 GB and 25 GB per month. Since the average American household uses about 350 GB of data per month, hotspotting off your phone plan is convenient for occasional use but it doesn’t offer enough data to keep a whole family connected at home and on the go.¹

The second way to hotspot is to get a mobile hotspot device and a mobile hotspot plan. Most mobile hotspots devices cost between $75 and $300, with a few outliers costing more (such as Verizon’s $649 Insego 5G MiFi Hotspot). Mobile hotspot plans all have limited data—the unlimited plans of the past are gone. Mobile hotspot plans vary in cost but are generally higher priced per gigabyte than a typical home internet plan.

Mobile hotspots have become more popular since the COVID-19 pandemic because they offer a simple solution to connect students and remote workers to the internet.^2,3 But, that doesn’t mean that mobile hotspot devices are a good choice for a family internet connection. Because data costs so much more on a hotspot device than it does with mobile phone plans or home internet, we recommend using hotspot devices for travel or vacation homes but not for full time home connectivity.

There are many hotspots but few that offer an unlimited amount of high-speed data. You’ll be comparing speed, price, and data, and there are no options that give you the best of everything at the lowest price. Determining your ideal internet speed is the first step to narrowing down a potential list of providers.

T-Mobile’s hotspot device plan is among the most reasonably priced—$40 for 30 GB of data, which can be enough for weekend travel.

Verizon’s mobile hotspot speeds are pricier but the plans deliver priority Verizon data. And, if you happen to live and work in an area with Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband, jump on it! You’re the luckiest of all because you can get truly unlimited, high-speed hotspot data through several Verizon Unlimited plans.

Visible is an affordable alternative to getting a separate hotspot device and data plan. Visible data speeds are slow (they're capped at 5 Mbps), but you'll get unlimited hotspot data all month long.

And finally, AT&T’s new 100 GB data-only plan earned a place on our best-of list. With this plan, you get oodles of priority, full-speed data at the attractive price of $55.