Best Mobile Hotspots

Review & Comparison, Last Update February 5, 2024
Instead of spending a fortune on your smartphone plan in roaming, buy a mobile hotspot and use it together with family or friends! Stay ...Read more
PROS
Huawei 4G LTE mobile hotspot can also be connected with a wire, and it features an external antenna output to expand the coverage zone.
CONS
Not suitable for the 700 MHz 4G LTE in the USA.
OUR VERDICT
If you travel a lot, this hotspot will enable you to always be online. The option to insert any SIM from any country offers a choice of service providers and plans.
detailed parameters
SERVICE PROVIDER
International
STANDARDS
4G LTE, 3G DC-HSPA+
WI-FI SPECS
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
SIMULTANEOUS USERS
10
OPERATION TIME
10 hours
FEATURES
USB-to-Ethernet support, microSD card slot, External Antenna Interface, TFT-LCD Display
SIZE (H/W/D) WEIGHT
0.79" x 2.76" x 4.33"; 5.28 oz
WARRANTY
1 year
PROS
Bright and informative color display, long operation time, a variety of additional features. What else to wish for?
CONS
Works with AT&T and T-mobile GSM cards only.
OUR VERDICT
Novatel MiFi 5792 is more than just a hotspot. Besides the High-speed Internet connection, you can use it for navigation and as a card reader.
detailed parameters
SERVICE PROVIDER
International
STANDARDS
4G LTE, GSM, HSDPA+
WI-FI SPECS
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
SIMULTANEOUS USERS
10
OPERATION TIME
16 hours
FEATURES
2.8" color capacitive TFT touchscreen, microSD card slot, A-GPS, S-GPS, GPS via Wi-Fi
SIZE (H/W/D) WEIGHT
0.34" x 2.88" x 4.05"; 4.26 oz
WARRANTY
1 year
PROS
Cloud Sim technology makes it possible to use this portable hotspot without a SIM anywhere in the world. And you can charge other devices with it.
CONS
Might heat up some after a long use.
OUR VERDICT
An absolutely unique portable Wi-Fi hotspot solution for travelers. No more worries about roaming or plans, and you're always online at a good speed.
detailed parameters
SERVICE PROVIDER
International
STANDARDS
WCDMA, LTE-FDD, LTE-TDD, GSM
WI-FI SPECS
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
SIMULTANEOUS USERS
5
OPERATION TIME
15 hours
FEATURES
SIM-Free, GlocalMe APP, Built-in 6000mAh power bank
SIZE (H/W/D) WEIGHT
2.06" x 6.25" x 11.6"; 6.4 oz
WARRANTY
1 year
PROS
The simplest connection and use processes ever. The option to use the T-Mobile hotspot as a USB modem adds to the benefits you get with this device.
CONS
No LTE support.
OUR VERDICT
All you need to do to connect this T-Mobile hotspot is activate the card by specifying your credit card number and selecting a plan on the website.
detailed parameters
SERVICE PROVIDER
T-Mobile
STANDARDS
GSM, UMTS, HSPA+
WI-FI SPECS
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
SIMULTANEOUS USERS
8
OPERATION TIME
4 hours
FEATURES
1.4" 128x128 OLED LCD display
SIZE (H/W/D) WEIGHT
0.53" x 2.5" x 3.9"; 3.7 oz
WARRANTY
1 year
PROS
Verizon mobile hotspot is wonderfully compact and lightweight, and you can use it in roaming as well as connect it to a PC via USB.
CONS
No extra features like card reader.
OUR VERDICT
Whether you're staying in the US or travel constantly this portable hotspot will help you stay connected. It works in 200 countries all over the world.
detailed parameters
SERVICE PROVIDER
Verizon
STANDARDS
CDMA 2000, LTE, DC-HSPA+, UMTS, HSPA+
WI-FI SPECS
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
SIMULTANEOUS USERS
4G — 10, 3G — 5
OPERATION TIME
5 hours
FEATURES
Interactive OLED Display, Global Ready, Multi-color Service State LED Lights
SIZE (H/W/D) WEIGHT
0.53" x 2.36" x 3.74"; 3 oz
WARRANTY
1 year

Be Online

If you travel abroad a lot, be it for fun or for work, and would rather stay online at all times, Huawei E5786s-32 4G LTE Mobile WiFi hotspot will be a great choice. We are saying "abroad" because this is the main purpose this portable hotspot was created for. It works globally with either 4G-LTA (except 700 MHz LTE in the US) or 3G depending on what plan you have on hand. Maximum possible speed for the Huawei E5786s-32 in FDD-LTE CA(DL) is 300 Mbps, and in 3G DC-HSPA+ it will be up to 43.2 Mbps.

The next thing we would like you to notice is the fact that this portable Wi-Fi hotspot supports up to 10 connected devices simultaneously. In a situation when you suddenly need to work with your laptop, tablet, and smartphone at the same time, you will not encounter problems. Furthermore, your family will be able to watch TV, play online games, and surf the Internet at the same time from other devices! It is also a very convenient ability for business meetings.

So what would you need to do to make it work? It's simple, just select a plan from a provider, stick the MicroSim into the router, activate it, and go! Couldn't be easier.

Multi-Purpose Device

Huawei E5786s-32 4G LTE Mobile WiFi has an astonishingly great functionality. For example, the manufacturer provided it with the option to connect an external antenna. This way, you will widen the reception area and pick up weaker signals. Also, with a special AF18 cable you will be able to hook this portable hotspot up to the Ethernet wire.

Another extremely useful feature this 4G mobile hotspot offers is the possibility to charge your other devices! The 3000 mAh battery works for up to 10 hours on full charge and has enough power to share a little. In other words, having bought the Huawei E5786s-32 4G LTE Mobile WiFi hotspot, you get two cutting-edge devices — the actual hotspot and a power bank. And a cherry on the top: you can also store data on this gadget as it has a slot for up to 32GB MicroSD card.

More Products to Consider

To protect your portable hotspot when you travel, buy a nice carrying case.

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $0.00
Stock May be out of stock
ASIN B00UHAZVFM

VIDEO

Bright and Functional

Novatel Wireless MiFi 2 Touchscreen Mobile Hotspot is more than just a router. With this gadget, you will not only share the Internet connection with up to 10 other devices but will also see all the details about connectivity and use on its bright 2.8" touchscreen. Including the information on all connected devices. This means that you can limit or forbid access to particular devices at any point in time. And the manufacturer didn't stop at that. MiFi 2 has a card reader slot for a microSD of up to 32GB, and by allowing connected devices the access you can share the files on your memory card! There is no need for an external antenna as MiFi 2 has a pretty powerful internal one which will catch signals wherever you are. All that on a device that will fit in your palm! Magnificent.

Best for Business Trips

It's hard to overestimate the MiFi 2 value for in addition to the wide functionality it can please even the most demanding clients with its speed. These LTE hotspots work perfectly with all up-to-date GSM standards (AT&T and T-Mobile operate in GSM) and allow you to use high-speed quality Internet connection. As MiFi 2 supports absolutely any MicroSim cards, you can select the service providers from quite a large list and change them while you are traveling abroad. Take the most from the Internet while spending less.

It is additionally worth mentioning that you can use this portable hotspot for 16 continuous hours after a full charge. That's like two whole workdays.

More Products to Consider

A Sim adapter toolkit will help you keep all your different SIMs in one place and use them with a variety of devices thanks to the Nano to Micro, Micro to Standard, Nano to Standard adapters.

Last updated price $34.49
Stock In stock
ASIN B00XVYDKJU

VIDEO

Internet Without Fuss

Glocalme G1S Global Mobile Hotspot is one of those unique devices that do not require any SIM to work and it works in 108 countries around the Globe no less. Rephrasing, you will have the same effective Internet connection regardless of your location. What is more, you will significantly cut the expenses on the said connection. As a rough comparison, 1MB of Internet traffic costs $0.06 whereas among the most popular providers the price starts at around $2. When you purchase Glocalme portable Wi-Fi hotspot you automatically receive 2GB of traffic worldwide which costs approximately $64 otherwise. You can manage the payments and change the hotspot settings with respective Android and iOS apps. And if you worry about privacy, we assure you that the safety and encoding are strong here and no evildoers will get to your data.

Well-Planned Features

You have probably noticed that Glocalme G1S Global Mobile Hotspot is not the tiniest device among portable Wi-Fi hotspots but there is a nice explanation of this fact. The reason for such size is the 6000 mAh battery. The battery allows Glocalme to operate for 15 hours without stop but it can also be used to charge your mobile devices. For example, the 1960 mAh battery from iPhone 7 can be charged three times. Skip buying the power bank, Glocalme G1S Global Mobile Hotspot will take care of your gadgets.

More Products to Consider

Before you head off to your next trip, charge all your devices including the hotspot with the help of a charging station.

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $0.00
Stock May be out of stock
ASIN B016Q8PP0Y

VIDEO

No Contract

If you wish to only pay for what you use and to not be tied to any kind of contracts, this highly portable T-Mobile Z64 Hotspot is a real hit. You will only need to choose the plan and buy a SIM. After you register, you just go ahead and use the Internet. The display will help you monitor how much money you have left and how much traffic you've used. Note that although this portable Wi-Fi hotspot does work with 4G, it does not support LTE. But do not hesitate anyway as the HSPA+ is still good 21 Mbps (maximum downlink: 21.6Mbps, uplink: 5.76Mbps). You can connect up to eight devices to this hotspot.

Simple

Being compatible with almost any devices, this portable T-Mobile hotspot is really easy to use. You can use the hotspot wirelessly for up to 4 hours on a single charge or you can connect it to your laptop with a USB cable and use as USM modem thus reaching the highest connection speed and saving the battery life for when you need it more. Compact bright 128x128 display will show you all you need to know about the connection and safety of your device.

More Products to Consider

The T-Mobile SIM Card Activation Kit is not included with the portable hotspot purchase, therefore we recommend you to buy it additionally.

Additional Info

User Manual     Manufacturer

Last updated price $68.00
Stock In stock
ASIN B00Q9EDPI0

Choose You Network

When you travel abroad you never know what networks will work best. And when you travel for business this might become a serious issue interfering with your work — it might so happen that your portable hotspot does not like a particular standard. This will hardly happen to Verizon MiFi Jetpack 4620L Hotspot Modem! This portable Wi-Fi hotspot supports a number of standards so you will never be limited and will always get the best of its possibilities. No 4G in the country? No worries, Verizon mobile hotspot handles CDMA 2000, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+, and UMTS too. If you are far from the retransmission station and the signal is weakish you can always connect an external antenna to strengthen the reception. The built-in transmitter can connect to 5 devices in 3G and 10 devices in 4G at a 10-meter distance.

You'll Forget It's There

Verizon MiFi Jetpack 4620L Hotspot Modem might not have a variety of additional features like card reader or power bank but if you are not planning to take it with you hiking but go to a business trip and stay at the hotel it will not be such a problem. Instead, it is very light and compact, easy to carry around. Verizon mobile hotspot is made of rubberized SoftTouch plastic, a durable material where your fingerprints won't linger. Acrylic front panel with a display can resist small scratches. There are two similar models available on the market today — this 4620L is equipped with a 1500 mAh battery that works for 5 hours, and you can also encounter the 4620LE model with a 3000 mAh battery that works longer but consequently weighs more (and is only compatible with LTE). We'd say 4620L is a truly nice choice for a business person who is always on-the-go.

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MiFi 4620 Oem Verizon Extended Battery And Extended Door will prolong your Verizon mobile hotspot's autonomous operation time.

Last updated price $32.00
Stock In stock
ASIN B0089P1RIM

VIDEO

What is a Mobile Hotspot

Internet has become a part of our lives we can't imagine being without. Social networks communication, work and entertainment, dating, purchases, keeping up with the news — all kinds of things are now done using the world network. Internet has come a long way, from the luxury spoiling your room with its wires to the inexpensive plans with modems and routers you can carry in your pocket. When your mobile Internet connection fails or limits you, the best speed and convenience along with the standalone operation will be provided by a Mobile Hotspot. Having purchased this device, you will never be offline again wherever you are and whatever you do.

If you go somewhere far from civilization or just are too busy to take a breather and charge your gadgets, there is no better device than a solar charger. It will extend your devices' operation time infinitely. And USB wireless adapters will come in handy if your laptop lacks the built-in Wi-Fi feature.

What Features to Compare

Service Provider

A mobile hotspot is intended to provide Internet connection to various devices via Wi-Fi. There are two options for portable hotspots: you can either buy one from an Internet service provider or choose an option offering any SIM support. Each provider has its own plans so the choice is fairly nice, everyone will find the plan working best for them. At the same time, if you tend to travel a lot, maybe the so-called international portable Wi-Fi hotspot will be better as you can buy local SIM cards in the countries you visit.

Specifications

The most important specifications you should think about are probably the number of users that can use the mobile hotspot at the same time and the maximum supported data transfer speed. For example, the LTE standard allows downloading data at up to 326.4 Mbit/s and uploading at up to 172.8 Mbit/s with lagging decreased to 5 milliseconds. In the USA, by the way, the LTE is spread over 78% of the territory. Then there are also the Wi-Fi standards (the letters "a/b/g/n/ac" after the 802.11 in the specs) the portable hotspot supports. The latest standard as of today is the 802.11ac which offers the increasing of throughput from around 433 Mbit/s (802.11n) to up to 6.77 Gbit/s. Quite an improvement, if you allow us to say.

Battery Operation and Usability

The battery operation time, obviously, affects the time you will be online before you need to charge your portable Wi-Fi hotspot. And as for usability, that's really custom. When choosing your mobile hotspot, look at its extra features like connectivity, display, memory card slots, etc. Chances are you will see something you could benefit from!

Sources:

1. Sarah K. White How to choose the right mobile hotspot, CIO. October 9, 2015.

2. Mobile Hotspot FAQs, Verizon.

3. Melanie Pinola Mobile Hotspot - Use the Internet Anywhere, Lifewire. October 7, 2016.

4. Sascha Segan Do You Really Need a Mobile Hotspot? PCMag. June 10, 2015.

5. Adam Dachis How to Choose the Fastest, Cheapest, and Most Reliable Mobile Hotspot to Stay Connected Everywhere You Go, Lifehacker. January 14, 2013.

6. What is portable WiFi router and how to use one, WorldSIM.

7. Ben Patterson Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots: Your questions, answered, here’s the thing. January 26, 2012.

8. Ivy Wigmore, Margaret Rouse mobile hotspot, WhatIs.com.

9. Mobile Hotspot FAQs, Verizon.

10. Alan Henry Why Should I Buy a Hotspot When I Can Just Tether to My Phone? Lifehacker. May 15, 2014.

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