Everything You Need to Know About Verizon Hotspots

The best Verizon hotspot options cost more than you’d pay with other providers, and it’s hard to find unlocked hotspots that work with Verizon’s 4G LTE and 5G networks. But Verizon hotspots make up for the higher prices with incredibly fast 5G Ultra Wideband speeds and support for a lot of users.

Here’s a look at the best hotspots, hotspot data plans, and hotspot-friendly phone plans Verizon has to offer.

Here are the best Verizon hotspot, best hotspot plan, and best hotspot-friendly cell phone plan

While you can get unlocked hotspots to use on different providers, the best Verizon hotspots are all locked to Verizon’s network and don’t work with other cell carriers.

That means your options are a bit more limited with Verizon—you can’t take your spiffy Verizon hotspot and use it with T-Mobile, for example. But on the plus side, you get excellent network coverage and access to the fastest possible speeds over Verizon’s Ultra Wideband 5G network.

Here are your best hotspotting options from Verizon.

The best hotspot: We think the Inseego Jetpack MiFi 8800L Hotspot gives the best bang for your buck. This 4G LTE device has an intuitive touchscreen and a seriously impressive, 4,400 mAh battery that lasts up to 24 hours. It comes with security features—including an option to set up a guest network for other users—and has USB-C and Ethernet ports for charging devices and setting up a wired connection.

Plus, it’s $200 cheaper than Verizon’s main 5G hotspot, so while you’re not getting the absolute fastest speeds, you’re saving some serious dough.

The best hotspot data plan: Verizon’s prepaid hotspot plans offer the best deal—and the 100 GB plan gives you tons of data per month without being cost prohibitive. The plan gives you access to Verizon’s 4G LTE and 5G networks with gigabit speeds in some areas (so long as you have a 5G hotspot to go with it).

At $80 a month, this plan costs a pretty penny. But you can get it for just $50 when you bundle it with a 5G Do More or 5G Get More phone plan.

Pro tip:

Download our speed test app to see what kind of performance you’re getting.

Pro tip: 

Take our speed test to see what kind of performance you’re getting on your hotspot. If you’re on a phone hotspot, a mobile hotspot device could give you a major boost.

The best cellular plan for your phone’s hotspot: At $80 a month for one line, Verizon’s 5G Do More plan gives you 25 GB of high-speed hotspot data and qualifies you for a hefty discount on an additional data plan for a standalone hotspot device. That’s a solid amount of mobile hotspot data for your phone each month, and if you run out, you can pay $35 for an additional 5 GB of data.

Where can you buy a Verizon hotspot?

You can buy a Verizon hotspot on Verizon’s online store or at a brick-and-mortar Verizon shop. We don’t recommend buying Verizon hotspots online or at non–Verizon shops like Best Buy because you may have trouble getting the hotspot to work without a data plan already attached to it. Also, some unscrupulous online vendors sell outdated and inferior Verizon hotspots under newer brand names.Where can you buy a Verizon hotspot?

You can buy a Verizon hotspot on Verizon’s online store or at a brick-and-mortar Verizon shop. We don’t recommend buying Verizon hotspots online or at non–Verizon shops like Best Buy because you may have trouble getting the hotspot to work without a data plan already attached to it. Also, some unscrupulous online vendors sell outdated and inferior Verizon hotspots under newer brand names.

What should you look for in a Verizon hotspot?

You should get a Verizon mobile hotspot that uses Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) or Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) standards, delivers fast speeds, supports multiple users, and fits within your budget. See our FAQ section for a more detailed rundown of hotspot features and functions to consider.

What to expect from different types of mobile hotspots

What you can do with a 5G hotspot

• Get wireless speeds ranging from 30–1,000 Mbps, depending on your location and access to Ultra Wideband 5G.
• Maintain a consistent connection for up to 30 connections at a time.
• Enjoy functionality and ease of use with the help of a touch screen.
• Boost security with guest networks and other features.
• Plug in with Ethernet and USB-C ports.

What you can do with a high-end 4G LTE hotspot

• Get wireless speeds of 10–40 Mbps for up to 15 connections.
• Improve speeds with wired Ethernet connection.
• Boost security with a guest network and other features.
• Charge your phone or tablet via USB-C port.

What you can do with a budget 4G LTE hotspot

• Get wireless speeds of 1–25 Mbps for up to 10 connections.
• Charge your phone or tablet via USB-C port.

*Price at time of writing

*Amazon.com prices (as of 9/6/22 17:35 MST).

While the Inseego Jetpack MiFi 8800L Hotspot is our favorite, we also highly recommend Inseego MiFi M2100 5G UW. It’s a newer (and more expensive) model that gives you the potential for gigabit speeds with its ability to connect to millimeter-wave and C-band 5G frequencies.

The MiFi M2100 is worth the higher price if you need a mobile hotspot for large group settings—it’s a great option for schools and companies to lend out to employees for work trips. But it’s just as good if you’re holed up in a vacation rental and want to play online games or stream movies with friends or family. The device’s Wi-Fi 6 technical standard ensures a reliable connection even during heavy use, and you can connect up to 30 devices at a time.

The Orbic Speed Mobile Hotspot is a much simpler device best suited for just one or two users at a time. It has the same Wi-Fi and 4G LTE specifications as the Inseego Jetpack MiFi 8800L but online reviews suggest it’s more likely to disconnect or deliver sluggish speeds.

Best Verizon hotspot data plans

Data as of 9/6/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

*Per connected device with AutoPay. Plus Taxes & fees.

Verizon’s best data plan for Wi-Fi hotspots gives you 100 GB per month for $80 a month. That’s quite a lot of hotspot data, so this plan is ideal if you use a hotspot while traveling consistently throughout the month or if you live in a rural area where your only other option is satellite internet.

All Verizon’s data plans get a discount on service when you bundle the 100 GB plan with Verizon’s 5G Do More or 5G Get More phone plan.

For more intermittent hotspot use, we recommend getting a cheaper plan that gives you less data—that way you’re not on the hook for a big monthly fee and feeling pressure to use up your data every month. The prepaid 5 GB plan comes with just enough data to cover a couple weekends’ worth of browsing, social media updating, and light streaming.

Verizon’s prepaid data plans are the way to go

Verizon has two types of data plans—postpaid and prepaid. The prepaid plans are the best because they cost less and include a budget option for occasional hotspot use.

You can sign up for any of these prepaid plans when you order a hotspot on Verizon’s website. Make sure to order from the prepaid section of Verizon’s site, which allows you to select a prepaid data plan. If you order from the main hotspot page, you have fewer plan options, and the plans cost more—not that much more, but still.

Best Verizon cell phone plans for hotspotting

Data effective as of post date. Pricing and speeds are subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.

^‡Unlimited talk, text, and 15 GB high-speed data. Taxes and fees extra.

You can use your cell phone’s hotspot if you don’t feel like ponying up for a standalone hotspot device and data plan, and Verizon has a few great mobile options with plenty of hotspot data.

The 5G Do More plan comes with 25 GB of monthly high-speed data. It also gives you a generous discount on an additional data plan you want to add for a separate device. The 5G Get More plan is even more deluxe, coming with twice as much monthly data and the same discount on additional plans.

If you only need to switch on your phone’s hotspot once or twice a month, stick to Verizon’s 15 GB prepaid plan. This plan even comes with 5G access so you get super-fast speeds. Just keep in mind that your 15 GB of data includes both regular use and hotspot data, so it may go faster than you think.

Best hotspots and data plans from MVNOs

MVNO stands for “mobile virtual network operator,” which refers to cellular brands like Visible and Mint Mobile that sell low-cost phone plans over Verizon’s network.

Neither Visible nor Mint offer data-only plans for hotspots, but their cell phone plans include hotspot data. The cell service isn’t as strong as when you’re on Verizon proper, but MVNO plans cost a ton less than Verizon’s plans and still get the job done. Sometimes all you need is a couple gigs of data to set up a quick hotspot on a road trip or at a restaurant with bum Wi-Fi, and these plans are ideal for that.

Visible’s phone plan comes with unlimited hotspot data. You can connect only one Wi-Fi device at a time, and your speeds top out at 5 Mbps. That’s quite slow, so stick to this for simple hotspotting needs. Mint’s plan costs less (although you have to pay for three months upfront) and comes with 15 GB of monthly high-speed data, which you can use for your phone’s hotspot when you need it.

Hotspots can’t replace home internet—but 5G Home Internet can

Data as of 9/6/2022. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

*w/ Auto Pay and select 5G mobile plans. Available in select areas.

^†w/ Auto Pay. Available in select areas.

^‡w/ Auto Pay and select 5G mobile plans. Available in select areas.

^§w/ Auto Pay. Available in select areas.

Some rural netizens use Wi-Fi hotspots instead of costly services like satellite internet, but for most of us, a hotspot isn’t an adequate substitute for home internet service. Hotspots just don’t give you the same speeds or amount of data as a home internet plan.

But then there’s Verizon 5G Home Internet, a wireless version of home internet that looks promising. Similar to a hotspot, 5G Home Internet uses 5G Verizon wireless networks—but it operates over a fixed wireless connection, with a router installed in your home, not meant to be carried around.

Verizon’s 5G internet comes with unlimited data, delivers respectable speeds, and costs a flat monthly rate without extra fees or contract terms. 5G internet is still pretty new, so it might not work for everybody; your signal may occasionally disconnect, or you may experience other bugs. But Verizon’s 5G home internet plans are well worth trying out if you’re looking to get away from traditional fiber or cable internet providers.

FAQ about Verizon hotspots

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