Best Hotspot Data Plans

Do you frequently need to get online when you’re on the road? Whether you’re connecting two or twenty devices to the internet, hotspots are valuable tools to have in your on-the-road arsenal.

T-Mobile offers the most value-packed standalone and mobile hotspot plans, while Verizon has the biggest data plans and stellar bundle discounts. If budget’s your biggest concern, US Mobile won’t break your budget, and it still has stellar 5G mmWave and C-band support for fast speeds.

Jump to:

• Best hotspot data plans
• Compare hotspot data plans head to head
• Other top hotspot data plans
• What to look for

Best hotspot data plans

• T-Mobile: Best overall
• Verizon: Best value
• US Mobile: Cheapest

Compare hotspot data plans head to head

Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Hotspot plans come in two variations:

• Mobile hotspot features are part of your standard cell phone plan and let you use your smartphone as a hotspot.
• Standalone hotspot plans use dedicated hotspot devices to provide shared internet service and require a separate subscription fee.

T-Mobile offers the most affordable and value-friendly hotspot plans, while Verizon has excellent bundle discounts and the largest hotspot data caps. US Mobile has only mobile hotspot coverage, but you won’t have to worry about low data caps or high prices on its plans.

Best hotspot data plans in depth

Our top hotspot providers offer low rates, high data caps, and no-contract flexibility. Here’s what you need to know about the best hotspot data plans.

Best overall: T-Mobile

• Affordable hotspot plans
• A wide range of data caps

• A mixed lineup of standalone hotspots
• Only up to 50GB of mobile hotspot data

If you need a standalone hotspot, you’ll find a lot like with T-Mobile’s plans.

T-Mobile’s standalone plans include data caps between 2GB and 100GB and monthly pricing starting at only $10. You’ll have enough data whether you’re getting a hotspot for yourself or your entire family.

Best of all, you won’t need a phone plan or contract to lock in this pricing, which is better than competitors like AT&T and Verizon. We like that T-Mobile won’t make you jump through contractual fine print to get the service you want. But T-Mobile’s hotspot catalog is scant, as the carrier provides only two models with Wi-Fi 6 and 5G support.

T-Mobile hotspot data plans

Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*For one phone line.

T-Mobile’s hotspot options on its cell phone plans cover similar territory. You’ll have standard features like full 5G support, but surprisingly, T-Mobile’s cell phone plans top out at only 50GB of mobile hotspot data.

We’d guess it’s to differentiate between T-Mobile’s mobile and standalone hotspot options, but it’s still a step behind the competition. By comparison, Verizon’s mobile hotspots top out at 100GB per month. Still, T-Mobile offers the most flexibility and value if you’re looking for hotspot performance but don’t want to pay through the nose for it.

Best value: Verizon

• Big data caps
• Great phone bundle deals

• Bundle requirements for certain plans
• Upcharge fees for standalone hotspot plans

Sick of hitting your hotspot data cap every month? You’ll be set with Verizon, which offers the most mobile and standalone hotspot data.

Verizon’s Unlimited Plus plan comes with 30GB of mobile hotspot data, and you can upgrade to 100GB for an additional $10 per month. You’ll have more than enough mobile hotspot data with Verizon if you frequently travel for work and need reliable Wi-Fi access for file downloads.

Verizon hotspot data plans

Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*With an existing smartphone on an Unlimited plan.
**For one line.

Verizon’s standalone hotspot plans top out with a whopping 150GB of monthly mobile data, so they’ll be a great option if you need mobile or rural Wi-Fi access for your entire family.

However, this pricing comes with a hitch. Verizon’s budget hotspot plans cost only less than $40 monthly but require a Verizon cell phone plan. If you don’t have a qualifying cell phone plan, you’ll get a $30 monthly fee.

Overall, Verizon saves its best hotspot deals for its cell phone customers. But if you’re already a Verizon customer or interested in a Verizon bundle, you’ll get stellar hotspot savings with Verizon.

Cheapest: US Mobile

• Large mobile data caps
• Low monthly rates

• No standalone hotspot service
• No local retail stores

As a smaller cell phone provider, US Mobile doesn’t necessarily have the bells and whistles of major carriers, but it’s a solid option if you’re simply looking for a great deal. US Mobile’s Unlimited Plans include 5GB or 50GB of hotspot data and start at only $35 monthly for one line. Most budget carriers cap their hotspots at around 20GB, so the extra data will be a plus if you’re a heavy hotspot user.

US Mobile hotspot data plans

Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*For one line.

But you’ll be out of luck if you need a standalone hotspot with US Mobile, as the carrier doesn’t offer plans for hotspot devices. US Mobile doesn’t have retail stores either, so you’ll have to rely on the carrier’s online support to solve any troubleshooting issues.

Other top providers

Our runner-up hotspot data plan didn’t check off as many boxes as our top winners. But it’ll still offer excellent value if you want the biggest savings.

Visible

• Actual unlimited data

• A 5Mbps hotspot speed limit

Visible’s the only major mobile carrier offering unlimited mobile hotspot data, but it has a big note in the fine print. You won’t have to deal with data caps on Visible, but the carrier will cap your hotspot speeds at one device and 5Mbps. You won’t be able to do more than web browsing and watching YouTube at these speeds.

What to look for

Data usage

Whether you’re getting a smartphone or a hotspot, you’ll want a mobile data cap reflecting your monthly usage. A 5GB or 10GB plan will work if you’re a light internet user and just want to get a laptop or tablet online on the road. But if multiple people use your hotspot, you’ll want a larger 50GB or 100GB standalone hotspot plan.

Mobile vs. standalone hotspot

Why would you pay extra for another hotspot if your phone already has hotspot support?

Phone hotspots work best for stopgap internet access or connecting a few low-demand devices to the internet. But if you’re connecting an RV’s worth of devices to the internet, hotspot mode will quickly burn through your phone’s battery life.

Dedicated hotspots have features like large batteries and network hardware that let them efficiently manage more devices than a smartphone. It’ll be worth spending extra on a standalone hotspot if you need internet access for more than two people.

4G vs 5G mobile hotspots

Carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile offer a mix of hotspots for sale, but which ones are best? Look for models that provide Wi-Fi 6 and 5G support, as that’ll ensure you’ll get the fastest internet speeds. Older hotspots generally cost under $100, but the discount you’ll get isn’t worth the slower performance.

Are hotspot data plans worth it?

Whether you’re on the road or off the beaten path, a hotspot plan is a great way to get reliable internet access from anywhere. T-Mobile offers the best value for hotspot plans, while Verizon has the largest hotspot data caps. If budget’s your biggest concern for a hotspot plan, your dollar will go the farthest with US Mobile.

Best hotspot data plans FAQ

Methodology

To rank the best hotspot data plans, we evaluated hotspot options from all the major ISPs and mobile carriers. We narrowed each provider’s top plans based on factors including monthly data allotments, overage fees, and phone plans.

For more on our process, see our How We Rank page.