You never know exactly when you'll have a solid Wi-Fi connection for your tablet or computer which is why it's great to be able to share your phone's data connection. While using a mobile hotspot, or tethering, isn't a great solution for your home internet, it can be great to know you have a backup plan. If you're looking for a tethering mobile hotspot plan that works with your preferred network these are some of the best options available. These days, most MVNO carriers offer hotspot data with most if not all of their plans so you might even already have some data.
Visible
Visible makes a lot of sense if you like to use a lot of data. It keeps things simple with just one plan with unlimited talk, text, and data in the U.S. It also offers unlimited hotspot data, and while it is limited to 5Mbps, you can use it as much as you want. Long story short, browsing, social media, and music streaming should feel fast but you should only expect around 720p for videos on the hotspot.
Google Fi
Google Fi's biggest trick is using a combination of Sprint, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular towers to create a strong coverage map across the country on compatible phones. Not only that, but you can roam internationally for no additional fee. Fi plans are either flexible with service starting at $20 and charging $10 per gigabyte used or are unlimited with high-speed data up to 22GB. The flexible plan doesn't slow down until 15GB but stops charging at 6GB used.
US Mobile
US Mobile has flexible data plans that range from as little as 50MB and up to an unlimited plan. You can share your data with your hotspot on any limited plan for an additional $10. 10GB of hotspot data can be also be added to the unlimited plan. You can choose between the Verizon or T-Mobile LTE network for service so you can get connected with nearly any phone.
Mint Mobile
Mint Mobile offers data packages in 4GB, 10GB, or 15GB chunks and lets the customer save money by buying more than one month at a time, with maximum savings at 12 months. There's also an unlimited plan that comes with 5GB of hotspot data. Using the T-Mobile network, Mint Mobile lets you use your data allowance for hotspot and standard phone usage. If you're not sure if this is the pick for you, the network lets you check out the discounted three-month service.
Straight Talk
Straight Talk is one of the most traditional prepaid carriers around with service on the four major carriers and several data packages to choose from. If you're willing to connect with the Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon network, you can get 10GB of hotspot data with the $55 unlimited plan. This is more than enough data for browsing the web and even for a little streaming.
Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile is now owned by Dish and offers a wide range of plans starting at just $10 per month with 1GB of data. Plans up to 15GB can use all data in a mobile hotspot with two 35GB plans offering a choice for 12GB or 30GB of hotspot data for $50 and $60 per month respectively. These new plans utilize the new T-Mobile networking which includes T-Mobile and Sprint towers as well as 5G on a compatible phone.
Metro by T-Mobile
Metro by T-Mobile makes great use of T-Mobile's network with support for LTE and 5G data on all of its plans. With hotspot data shared with your data pool on limited plans and hotspot data at 5GB and 15GB for the $50 and $60 unlimited plans, respectively, you can get in a lot of web browsing. You can save a lot by bringing the entire family with four lines of unlimited data and 15GB of hotspot data for $120 per month.
Cricket
Cricket is one of the most popular AT&T based MVNOs, but only has one plan that includes 15GB of hotspot data by default for $60 per month. Hotspot functionality can be added to the other unlimited plan for an additional $10 per month, however. Cricket also has a range of data-only plans coming in at 20GB, 40GB, and 100GB if you need to get another device online but don't need phone service.
Tello
Tello has a series of custom plans starting with just minutes and going up to unlimited with 25GB of high-speed data. All of your data can be used as a hotspot if you want. Tello uses the T-Mobile network so be sure you have good coverage before signing on. Tello also offers calls to the U.S., Canada, Mexico, China, and Romania with all of its plans.
How do you pick?
It can be hard to know exactly how much data you'll need on your hotspot. For the most part, you should be making use of public or private Wi-Fi networks as much as possible with your computers. If you find you just need a little extra coverage for light web browsing, something like Mint Mobile makes a lot of sense because you can share your data with your phone plan and won't need to pay any more for your plans. Mint also gives you unlimited 2G speed data if you use up your data allowance so you're never completely cut off.
If you are looking to use your data all the time or want the flexibility to do some streaming, Visible offers the best solution with its rates coming in under most other unlimited plans while offering great coverage on the Verizon LTE network. With unlimited hotspot data at 5Mbps, you won't be watching in 4k, but streams around 720p or lower should work without issue and the speed should be more than fast enough for the majority of web browsing and even social media.
When Samuel is not writing about networking or 5G at Android Central, he spends most of his time researching computer components and obsessing over what CPU goes into the ultimate Windows 98 computer. It's the Pentium 3.
