Best answer: Visible's $40 per month plan comes with free, unlimited mobile hotspot data. The two caveats are that data speeds are limited to 5Mbps, and you can only have one device tethered at a time.
- Free hotspot access: Visible ($40/mo. at Visible)
- Best overall Visible phone: Google Pixel 4a ($346 at Amazon)
Visible doesn't make you pay extra for hotspot usage
Mobile hotspot use is an essential feature for any carrier these days, whether it be with one of the Big Three or a smaller MVNO. Just about every carrier offers mobile hotspot data in one form or another, but as you shop around you'll notice that a lot of companies will charge extra or try to limit the amount of mobile hotspot data you get.
Thankfully, Visible doesn't do anything like this. Visible gives hotspot access to every single customer for free — and that's it. It's part of the reason why it's one of the best unlimited MVNO carriers you can join today. Once you sign up with Visible, receive your SIM card, and get your phone set up, you'll automatically have hotspot access from day one.
There are a couple of limitations, however
As much as we love Visible for including free unlimited mobile hotspot data in its plan, two caveats need to be addressed. For starters, your hotspot data speeds with Visible are limited to 5Mbps. This is enough speed for basic web browsing, social media, and SD video streaming, but it's still a far cry from real 4G LTE speeds. Secondly, you can only have one device tethered to your hotspot at any given time. In other words, if you have a tablet and laptop you want to connect to your hotspot, only one can be connected.
Everything else you get with Visible
Despite those two quirks, the inclusion of free hotspot access is a great perk to have — especially when you consider how affordable Visible is. Unlimited hotspot data at 5Mbps is faster than what T-Mobile's Essentials plan would get you, and at a much lower cost. Visible's plan also comes with unlimited talk, text, and 4G LTE and 5G data (capped at 200Mbps) on Verizon's network for $40 per month. That $40 doesn't include any hidden taxes or fees, so you know what to expect each month and won't pay a penny more.
For an even lower monthly bill with Visible, you can sign up for "Party Pay." By joining a party of four other lines, you'll pay only $25 per month per line. It's a Visible version of a family plan, but because you pay separately for each line it's a great option for friends, roommates, co-workers, etc.—and easily ranks Vsibile as one of the best prepaid phone plans to consider.
Keep in mind that you won't get much use internationally with a Visible plan, except calling or texting to Canada, Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, and it doesn't come with any domestic or international roaming. But Visible is extremely worth it if you know that you have great Verizon coverage and will be satisfied with unlimited amounts of data and free access to unlimited mobile hotspot data. If you're interested in signing up, here's a Visible buyer's guide that can help.
Unlimited talk, text, data, and mobile hotspot
For only $40 per month, Visible is an excellent prepaid plan that offers unlimited talk, text, and data on Verizon's 4G LTE and 5G network in the U.S. Even better, unlimited hotspot access at 5Mbps is included at no additional charge and your monthly bill can get even cheaper with Party Pay.
A trusted Visible sidekick
The Pixel 4a is, hands-down, one of the best mid-range Android phones and fortunately it'll work with Visible without a hitch. It has a gorgeous AMOLED display, reliable performance, and a fantastic camera.
