Best Mobile Hotspots 2023

Are you a road warrior or looking for alternative home internet options? Mobile hotspots let you connect your tablets and laptops to the internet via providers like Verizon or T-Mobile.

The Inseego MiFi X Pro and NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Pro are our picks for the best mobile hotspots thanks to their stellar specifications, excellent batteries, and 5G network support.

Jump to:

• Best mobile hotspots
• Compare mobile hotspots head to head
• Other top mobile hotspots
• What to look for

Best mobile hotspots

• Inseego MiFi X Pro: Editor’s choice
• NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Pro: Fastest
• T-Mobile 5G Hotspot: Cheapest

Compare mobile hotspots head to head

The Inseego MiFi X Pro took our Editor’s Choice award thanks to its solid specifications and value. The Inseego will be an excellent option for Verizon or T-Mobile customers thanks to its 5G mmWave and Wi-Fi 6 support.

For AT&T customers, the NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Pro has a premium price tag, but you’ll get equally premium features like Wi-Fi 6E support. T-Mobile’s 5G Hotspot doesn’t cover much besides the basics, but with a price tag under $200, it’s hard to beat its value.

Best mobile hotspots in-depth

The best mobile hotspots combine affordability with robust network features to ensure you’ll have a reliable internet connection. Let’s break down our picks for the top mobile hotspots.

Editor’s choice: Inseego MiFi X Pro

• Great 13-hour battery life
• Strong network support

• A moderately high price tag
• Limited availability through carriers

The Inseego MiFi X Pro covers all the major bases for a mobile hotspot. On the inside, the Inseego has a hefty 5,050mAh battery that offers up to 13 hours of battery life. The hotspot also sports standard options like an Ethernet port and Wi-Fi 6 support for faster internet speeds.

As for carrier support, Inseego produces two versions of the MiFi X Pro through Verizon and T-Mobile. Both models allow you to connect to each carrier’s high-end 5G networks for faster download speeds.

The Inseego’s $349.99 price tag isn’t the best deal, but it includes more features than the competition. The Inseego’s battery is larger than the TCL LINKZONE’s, and you’ll lose 5G mmWave support if you get the NETGEAR Nighthawk M6. The Inseego is also sold exclusively by carriers, so you’ll be out of luck if you want to purchase it elsewhere.

Fastest—NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Pro

• Wi-Fi 6E support
• A 2.5G Ethernet port

• A high price tag
• No Verizon or unlocked version

AT&T customers who want the fastest hotspot performance should look at the NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Pro. Under the hood, the M6 Pro has standard features like 5G mmWave support and a 5,040mAh battery for all-day usage.

But more impressively, you’ll get high-end features like Wi-Fi 6E support and a 2.5G Ethernet port with the M6 Pro. Both features ensure that the M6 Pro will provide the best internet speeds for your current and future devices.

But at $459.99, the M6 Pro is one of the most expensive mobile hotspots on the market. Plus, NETGEAR doesn’t offer an unlocked version of M6 Pro for T-Mobile or Google Fi customers. For as good as the M6 Pro’s specifications are, we wish it was available on more carriers besides AT&T.

Cheapest—T-Mobile 5G Hotspot

• The lowest price we’ve seen for a 5G-capable hotspot
• A jumbo-sized 6,460mAh battery

• No 5G mmWave support
• No Ethernet port

You’ll love the T-Mobile 5G Hotspot if you’re a T-Mobile customer looking for a basic mobile hotspot.

The T-Mobile hotspot supports T-Mobile’s 5G and 5G UC networks, and you’ll get a full day of usage with its 6,460mAh battery. By comparison, other 5G mobile hotspots have batteries in the 5,000mAh range. Best of all, the T-Mobile hotspot costs only $198.00. Mobile hotspots typically have smaller batteries and only LTE support at this price point.

But at the same time, the T-Mobile doesn’t come with higher-end features like an Ethernet port or 5G mmWave support for added connectivity. Although these features aren’t essential—T-Mobile’s 5G mmWave coverage is generally spotty—they’re still nice tools. With the T-Mobile hotspot, you’ll be trading away these features for a lower price.

Other top mobile hotspots

Our runner-up mobile hotspots were generally a step behind our top picks. But these mobile hotspots still have much to offer if you’re looking for more affordable alternatives.

NETGEAR Nighthawk M6

• A competitive price tag for a 5G-capable hotspot
• 5G support

• No 5G mmWave coverage
• A premium price tag for the unlocked M6

As the standard version of the higher-end M6 Pro, the NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 performs as expected. The M6 shares the M6 Pro’s form factor, battery, and port options (one Ethernet port and one USB-C port). The M6’s $309 price tag also makes it much more affordable than the M6 Pro, which costs $459.

But unsurprisingly, you’ll lose higher-end features like 5G mmWave support if you downgrade to the M6. Comparable Verizon hotspots like the Inseego MiFi X Pro have 5G mmWave support, so it’s a slight disappointment that NETGEAR relegated this feature to the M6 Pro. If you want a T-Mobile version of the M6, you’ll have to spring for the unlocked version of the hotspot, which retails for a colossal $799.99.

TCL LINKZONE 5G UW

• Extremely affordable
• Built with great specifications like 5G mmWave support

• Stuck with an undersized battery
• Limited with availability

There’s a lot to like about the TCL LINKZONE if your biggest concern is value. The TCL checks the expected standards with Wi-Fi 6 and 5G mmWave support and USB-C and Ethernet ports. At only $299.99, it’s also one of the most affordable higher-end mobile hotspots around. Comparable mobile hotspots usually start at around $350.

However, its 4,500mAh battery is slightly undersized versus the competition. Our top mobile hotspots all have batteries in the 5,000 to 6,000mAh range, which translates to longer lifespans when you aren’t near a power source. The LINKZONE is also unavailable at retailers besides Verizon.

What to look for

5G mmWave

5G mmWave goes by many names between carriers, but it basically refers to carriers’ upgraded 5G networks. When connected to a carrier’s 5G mmWave network, you’ll get faster download speeds than standard 5G.

But how much of this is marketing? 5G mmWave coverage varies widely between carriers, and it’s largely concentrated in bigger cities. We wouldn’t consider 5G mmWave an essential feature, but if you’re regularly on the road and want to ensure you’re getting the fastest internet speeds, a 5G mmWave hotspot offers extra peace of mind.

Subscription plan

Before you take your hotspot on the road, you’ll have to pair it with a mobile hotspot plan from a cell phone carrier. Prices and data caps vary between carriers, but you’ll generally pay between $20 to $80 monthly for a hotspot plan.

Do I need a mobile hotspot?

Although current smartphones have built-in mobile hotspot features, a dedicated mobile hotspot can offer added features. Using your phone as a mobile hotspot quickly burns through its battery life and data cap.

Dedicated mobile hotspots can simultaneously connect many devices without breaking a sweat. Plus, their jumbo-sized batteries are much larger compared to a smartphone. If you’re a frequent RVer and need to get multiple devices online, we recommend buying a mobile hotspot.

Buying third-party

If you want to find a mobile hotspot deal, you’ll find many options on retailers like Amazon. But before you place that order, follow our tips to prevent buyer’s remorse:

1. Are you buying new or used? Used hotspots can be a great deal, but they sometimes have SIM card access or connectivity issues. If you decide to go the used route, check the product reviews to ensure you get a working unit.
2. Do you need 5G access? If you’re paying for 5G speeds, you’ll want a hotspot that supports 5G networks. But if you’re traveling overseas or simply need a cheap mobile hotspot, LTE-only hotspots can be a more convenient option.
3. Make sure your carrier plan is paired with your hotspot. Hotspots are built to work on specific carriers. For instance, you’ll be out of luck if you’re an AT&T customer and you buy a Verizon-compatible hotspot.

Final take

If you need a reliable way to get multiple people online when you’re on the road, look no further than a mobile hotspot.

The Inseego MiFi X Pro works best for performance-minded Verizon and T-Mobile customers, while the NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Pro offers best-in-class features for AT&T customers. T-Mobile customers who want an affordable 5G-compatible hotspot should grab T-Mobile’s branded hotspot.

Best mobile hotspots FAQ

Methodology

To find the best mobile hotspots, we first curated more than 20 name-brand mobile hotspots from carriers and retailers like Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Amazon, Best Buy, and Verizon.

We then analyzed these contenders based on criteria including battery life, network compatibility, and price to find the best mobile hotspots for each major carrier. For more on our process, see our How We Rank page.