Finding a good mobile hotspot plan can be tough. Below, I share my favorite options on the market. I try to keep the list updated.
Best add-on plans
#1 Verizon
Verizon’s Unlimited and Unlimited Plus plans are well-priced and offer decent allotments of hotspot data from the largest network in the nation. Unfortunately, the plans are only available as add-ons for subscribers that have phones on certain postpaid Verizon plans.
The word “unlimited” is a bit misleading in the plans’ names. Full-speed data is limited:
- Unlimited: 15GB per month of full-speed data
- Unlimited Plus: 30GB month of full-speed data
Subscribers that use up all of their regular data will be throttled to 600Kbps, a sluggish speed.
The Unlimited plan costs $20 per month, and the Unlimited Plus plan comes in at $30 per month. Subscribers on Verizon’s Do More Unlimited or Get More Unlimited plan can get the Unlimited plan for $10 per month and the Unlimited Plus plan for $15 per month (a 50% discount).
On another page, I go into more detail about Verizon’s hotspot plans.
Best standalone plans
#1 T-Mobile
T-Mobile offers a few well-priced hotspot plans. Most notably, a plan with a monthly allotment of 50GB is available for $50 per month. Several plans with smaller data allotments are available at lower prices.
#2 Cricket
Cricket wireless runs over AT&T’s extensive network and offers three well-priced hotspot plans.
- 20GB – $35 per month
- 40GB – $50 per month
- 100GB – $90 per month
Cricket’s plan may be a good option for people who find T-Mobile’s coverage insufficient. More information about Cricket’s data-only plans is shared on the carrier’s website.