Mobile tethering may be a very commonplace feature in smartphones these days, but it's still extremely useful. With mobile tethering, you can effortlessly share your phone's wireless data connection with a wide range of other devices (e.g., laptops, tablets), thus allowing them to access the Internet when you're on the move. It also comes in handy when you don't have reliable Wi-Fi connectivity. And the best part? You don't need to have an expensive wireless plan for this to work, as majority of the best MVNO carriers offer mobile tethering on most (if not all) of their plans. While some of these prepaid plans come with dedicated mobile hotspot data, others let you share the cellular data that you get as part of your plan between your smartphone and tethered devices.
Of course, there are many other factors that you must consider when signing up with a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). Thankfully, the best MVNOs that allow tethering also numerous other perks, including everything from international usage benefits to multi-line savings, all while also giving you access to the fastest networks in the United States. Read all about them and take your pick!
Share your mobile data between all your smart devices
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Best overall
Owned by Verizon, Visible makes perfect sense for anyone who uses a lot of data. It keeps things super simple with three plans, all of which offer unlimited shared hotspot usage. While the base plan caps hotspot speed at 5Mbps, the higher plan doubles the speed to 10Mbps. Lastly, the top-tier plan boosts that speed to 15Mbps. These speeds are more than enough for stuff like web browsing, music streaming, and even basic video playback.
Long-term savings
Fully owned and operated by T-Mobile, Mint Mobile continues to be a fabulous option for anyone who wants to save on their wireless service. It offers four plans with 5GB, 15GB, 20GB, and truly unlimited high-speed data. All plans come with mobile hotspot functionality, but data allotment is shared between devices with the first three plans. However, the top unlimited plan includes 10GB of dedicated mobile hotspot data.
Best with international calling
If you want a prepaid plan that offers solid international usage perks, we suggest Boost Mobile. It offers three unlimited plans, of which the higher two have calling and texting benefits to not only Mexico and Canada, but many other countries around the world. Both of these plans also include unlimited mobile hotspot functionality, but the data is pulled from your selected plan's allotment.
Best for data-heavy users
If you're the kind of person who's always online, US Mobile is arguably one of the best prepaid carriers you can go with. It lets you pick from three unlimited plans, but the base unlimited plan is only available as an annual option and offers 5GB of dedicated mobile hotspot data. The two higher plans can be had monthly or annually. Based on the network, they can have 10GB/20GB and 50GB/100GB of dedicated mobile hotspot data.
Best with added perks
While Straight Talk has a number of plans to choose from, it's the unlimited offerings that offer the best benefits. There are three unlimited plans, which offer 10GB, 30GB, and unlimited dedicated mobile hotspot data. In addition to that, the higher two of these plans also bundle a Walmart+ membership and 100GB of cloud storage, allowing you to back up all your files. They also come with high-speed ultra-wideband 5G network access.
Best custom plans
Tello is a one-of-a-kind prepaid carrier that lets you precisely configure a wireless plan that fits your needs. From nothing to unlimited data and from zero to unlimited talk time minutes, you can use the 'Build Your Own Plan' tool to set up your ideal plan. You get shared mobile hotspot data usage with all plans (including the four pre-configured offerings), with the top-tier plan having 5GB of dedicated mobile hotspot data.
Best for international use
If you have to frequently travel out of the country, you're going to love using Google Fi Wireless. You can choose from three unlimited plans, of which the higher two give you calls, texts, and data in Canada and Mexico. There's also a flexible basic plan with these features. The two higher plans come with 25GB and 50GB of dedicated mobile hotspot data, while the flexible plan includes it with a 'Bill Protection' feature that caps hotspot usage to 6GB at a rate of $10 per GB.
Best multi-line savings
Metro by T-Mobile is the ideal choice if you and your family members (or friends) have decided to go prepaid. It offers two unlimited plans, with the base plan having 8GB of dedicated mobile hotspot data and higher plan giving you 25GB of dedicated mobile hotspot data. However, it's the solid multi-line discounts that make Metro by T-Mobile a fabulous choice. You also get 100GB of cloud storage via Google One with both of the unlimited offerings.
Best on the AT&T network
Owned by AT&T, Cricket Wireless allows lets you remain connected even when you're in areas where competing networks don't have reliable coverage. The prepaid carrier has four primary plans to pick from, but only the two highest plans come with mobile hotspot functionality. Even then, only the top plan offers 15GB of dedicated mobile hotspot data, whereas the lower plan offers it as an optional add-on service.
Choose the right MVNO for your mobile tethering requirements
While mobile tethering is certainly a convenient feature to have, it's not always easy to predict just how much hotspot data you'll need. Today, almost everyone has access to Wi-Fi networks that offer unlimited data with little to no effort. However, there still are situations (e.g., power outages, road trips) where it's essential to have enough data that you can not only use on your smartphone, but also on other devices.
If you mostly stay at home and are rarely away from a reliable Wi-Fi network, you can't go wrong with Visible, which offers unlimited shared mobile hotspot data use at three different speeds that are more than enough for casual use. Mint Mobile is also a great option and even has an unlimited plan that packs 10GB of dedicated mobile hotspot data in case you need it. It's also worth mentioning that even if you use up all your data allowance, connectivity still remains, only the speeds are reduced.
Conversely, if you often find yourself needing to use mobile hotspot functionality for work (or fun), we recommend considering options such as US Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile, which offer loads of dedicated mobile hotspot data. With these wireless service providers, you'll never have to keep tabs on your wireless plan's primary data allotment.
