Tech & Gear Stay Connected The 5 Best Mobile Hotspots for Travelers of 2023 By Benet Wilson Benet Wilson Twitter Benét has been in the aviation industry more than 20 years and has written hundreds of articles about air travel. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 10/25/22 Fact checked by Jillian Dara Fact checked by Jillian Dara Instagram Emerson College Jillian Dara is a freelance journalist and fact-checker. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Michelin Guides, Hemispheres, DuJour, and Forbes. TripSavvy's fact-checking Share Pin Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Hong Kong. d3sign / Getty Images Traveling without access to Wi-Fi can cause distress, especially when you depend on a phone for maps or translators. But since it's never guaranteed to have reliable Wi-Fi or mobile data coverage, portable hotspots are a worthy buy for the tech-focused traveler. Here are mobile hotspots that are worth considering for your next trip. The Rundown Best Overall: Verizon MiFi 6620L Jetpack at Amazon Jump to Review Best Value: Huawei E5577Cs-321 Mobile Hotspot at Amazon Jump to Review Best Rent: My Webspot 4G Pocket WiFi at My-webspot.com Jump to Review Best for Short Trips: GlocalMe U3 Mobile Hotspot at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Long Trips: Skyroam Solis Mobile WiFi Hotspot & Power Bank at Amazon Jump to Review Table of contents Expand Our Picks What to Look For FAQ Why Trust TripSavvy Best Overall Verizon MiFi 6620L Jetpack Amazon View On Amazon What We Like Works in more than 200 countries Supports up to 15 devices Can be used with VPNs What We Don't Like Requires a SIM card This hotspot works in more than 200 countries around the world. It has charging capabilities and high-speed 4G LTE internet connectivity that can support up to 15 Wi-Fi-enabled devices and can be used with VPNs. It has a handy interactive OLED display that shows menu options, security settings, battery life, and which devices are connected to the hotspot. It weighs a light three ounces and is 3.7 inches high, 2.4 inches wide, and a slim 0.8 inches deep. Price at time of publication: $120 Best Value Huawei E5577Cs-321 Mobile Hotspot Amazon View On Amazon What We Like Connects up to 16 devices Very lightweight and compact What We Don't Like Low battery life This hotspot has LTE speed and global coverage and can connect to 16 devices simultaneously. Its 1500 mAh battery can power up your electronic devices and work for up to 6 hours straight. But, it only can be used in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, or Asia. It weighs only 2.6 ounces and has dimensions of 2.3 inches wide by 3.9 inches high by 0.28 inches deep. Price at time of publication: $99 Best Rent My Webspot 4G Pocket WiFi My Webspot View On My-webspot.com What We Like Supports five devices Works in 100+ countries Compact and lightweight What We Don't Like Low battery life This rentable 4G pocket Wi-Fi may be a good option if you don't want to invest in a hotspot. The company allows users traveling to more than 100 destinations to rent a pocket-sized hotspot and access unlimited high-speed internet for a reasonable price. The device has 8 hours of battery life and can connect up to five devices simultaneously. The device has download speeds of up to 100 Mbps and upload speeds of around 40 Mbps. Ordered online, users can either have it shipped or retrieve it from a pick-up spot, including a pre-paid envelope to send the device back at the end of the rental period. It weighs 5.3 ounces and measures 4.8 inches high by 2.6 inches wide by 0.6 inches deep. While rental prices vary, they are affordable, but a deposit is required. Price at time of publication: Varies Best for Short Trips GlocalMe U3 Mobile Hotspot Amazon View On Amazon What We Like No SIM card required Works in 140+ countries Connects up to 10 devices What We Don't Like Speed might be slower After buying this mobile hotspot, users get coverage in more than 140 countries worldwide and connect via the 4G or 3G local network automatically. Users can connect up to 10 devices, and it works without a sim card. Instead, users use the accompanying app and purchase data by the day or the month. It weighs 7.8 ounces; its dimensions are 5.9 inches by 4.4 inches wide by 0.9 inches deep. Price at time of publication: $102 Best for Long Trips Skyroam Solis Mobile WiFi Hotspot & Power Bank Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Target What We Like Hotspot and power bank Can support up to five devices Works in 130 countries What We Don't Like Tough setup This combination hotspot and power bank means that travelers can charge their devices while using the internet with just one device. Offering 4G/LTE speeds, Solis can support up to five devices and has a 6000 mAh battery capacity. Users must purchase a Skyroam day pass or a monthly subscription to access the internet. Or you could spend a monthly rate for 1GB of high-speed data with the option to acquire more data at a per-gigabyte rate. Skyroam offers service to 130 countries. The Solis weighs 6.5 ounces, is 3.7 inches in height and width, and is just over an inch in depth. Price at time of publication: $150 What to Look for in Mobile Hotspots Mobile Providers Some hotspots come with data plans included. You'll have to contract a data service to provide the connection if they do not. These providers are mostly the same as the cell phone providers the majority of people are already familiar with. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Solis all have plans tailored to different users. Check with your cell phone provider, as they may offer a better price to cellular customers. Data Unlimited data plans are much less common for mobile hotspots than for cell phones. However, there are many plans available that should be sufficient for most uses. There are cost-effective pay-as-you-go plans and plans that offer great value plans. You can expect certain speeds up to some data limit, followed by connections at slower speeds from 3G to 4G LTE. Price Expect to spend at least $100 to get a quality mobile hotspot. The price of each device will be influenced by whether or not it has an included data plan, the speeds it provides, and the coverage area. Frequently Asked Questions Are mobile hotspots better than phone hotspots? Mobile hotspots have several advantages over phone hotspots. Because these devices are specifically designed to provide internet access, they offer stronger and more reliable reception. They can also cover more devices and are more secure if sharing with others. Which hotspots have unlimited data? Hotspots with unlimited data plans are not very common because cellular carriers do not have the same capacity as traditional providers. That said, the My Webspot 4G Pocket WiFi comes with unlimited data. Other carriers that offer unlimited plans include T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Visible (with some limitations). Why Trust TripSavvy Benét J. Wilson has been in the air travel business for over 20 years. She is the Travel + Rewards associate editor for MagnifyMoney and the senior editor of Airport Business magazine. She has written for publications ranging from USA Today to Aviation International News and has worked for the Regional Airline Association, Aviation Daily, and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Continue to 5 of 5 below.