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The best mobile hotspots for 4G and 5G allow you to connect your devices to fast and secure internet almost anywhere in the world. This makes it easy to quickly get online and check your email, and it also means you don’t have to use public Wi-Fi hotspots, which aren’t as safe. Almost every smartphone can now act as a mobile hotspot and share its data connection with other devices nearby.
It’s fine for occasional use, but dedicated mobile hotspots, also called MiFi devices, are better if you travel a lot and need reliable Internet access. There are a lot of mobile hotspots on the market, which is good news. But if you want the best mobile hotspot, you need to keep a few things in mind.
Best Mobile Hotspots Comparison Table
| Device Model | Connectivity Technology | Data Transfer Rate | Dimensions | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netgear Nighthawk M6 | 5G, 4G LTE | Up to 4 Gbps | 105.5 x 105.5 x 20.35 mm | 240g | $799.99 |
| Jetpack 8800L | 4G LTE | Up to 1 Gbps | 100 x 68 x 16.25 mm | 135g | $199.99 (with 2-yr contract) |
| T-Mobile Inseego 5G MiFi M2000 | 5G, 4G LTE | Up to 2 Gbps | 128 x 128 x 27.5 mm | 350g | $336.00 (with 2-yr contract) |
| NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 4G LTE | 4G LTE | Up to 1 Gbps | 105.5 x 105.5 x 20.35 mm | 240g | $329.99 |
| Netgear Nighthawk M5 | 5G, 4G LTE | Up to 4 Gbps | 105.5 x 105.5 x 20.35 mm | 240g | $499.99 |
| Skyroam Solis Lite | 4G LTE | Up to 150 Mbps | 100 x 100 x 25.5 mm | 151g | $119.99 |
| Inseego 5G MiFi M1000 | 5G, 4G LTE | Up to 1.8 Gbps | 105 x 105 x 20.5 mm | 240g | $649.99 |
| TP-Link M7350 V4 4G LTE | 4G LTE | Up to 150 Mbps | 106 x 66 x 16mm | 120g | $139.99 |
Netgear Nighthawk M6
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, 5G |
| Max Speed | Up to 6Gbps |
| Battery Life | Up to 18 hours |
| Wi-Fi Bands | 2.4GHz, 5GHz |
| Display | 4.0-inch touch screen |
| Antennas | 10 internal antennas |
| Ethernet Ports | 1 x 5Gbps Gigabit Ethernet port |
| Storage | 2 x USB-A ports for external storage |
| Dimensions | 4.14 x 4.14 x 0.87 inches |
| Weight | 0.61 lbs |
The Netgear Nighthawk M6 is about the same size and weight, and it can be used for up to 12 hours straight. This hotspot works with AT&T, but the battery is removable, so you can always swap in another power pack to keep the 5G connection up and running.
The Netgear Nighthawk M6 can connect up to 32 devices, which is two more than what Verizon’s 5G hotspot can do. At $309, the M6 costs a little more than the Orbic Speed 5G UW, but if you pay for it over 36 months, it only costs $8.62 per month.
- Ultra-fast 5G connectivity
- Long battery life
- Expensive
The Good
The Bad
Jetpack 8800L
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | 4G LTE |
| Max Speed | Up to 1Gbps |
| Battery Life | Up to 24 hours |
| Wi-Fi Bands | 2.4GHz, 5GHz |
| Display | 2.4-inch color touch screen |
| Antennas | 2 internal antennas |
| Ethernet Ports | None |
| Dimensions | 4.29 x 2.64 x 0.7 inches |
| Weight | 0.49 lbs |
If you don’t need 5G connectivity, the Jetpack 8800L is the best option for Verizon’s network. It has a Qualcomm modem that can combine signals from up to five carriers, so you should have a good connection no matter where you are.
It also supports a wide range of LTE bands and UTMS 3G. The Jetpack 880L works with Verizon’s network and can handle international roaming. It can also connect up to 15 Wi-Fi devices, like laptops, to the internet.
- Fast 4G LTE connectivity
- Long battery life
- No Ethernet ports for wired connections
The Good
The Bad
T-Mobile Inseego 5G MiFi M2000
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | 5G |
| Max Speed | Up to 4Gbps |
| Battery Life | Up to 24 hours |
| Wi-Fi Bands | 2.4GHz, 5GHz |
| Display | 2.4-inch color touch screen |
| Antennas | 2 internal antennas |
| Ethernet Ports | None |
| Dimensions | 4.7 x 4.7 x 1 inches |
| Weight | 0.62 lbs |
The Inseego 5G MiFi M2000 from T-Mobile is the most versatile hotspot you can buy. It costs the least of the major 5G hotspots and can connect up to 30 devices, which is a lot more than a phone or 4G hotspot can do. It uses Wi-Fi 6, the latest wireless standard, to keep Wi-Fi signals strong and stable, even when a lot of people are using it at once.
The M2000 also has settings for guest networks, MAC filtering, and a security firewall, all of which can be changed by logging in to the device’s interface from your browser. Just as important, the data plans for the hotspot are cheap and easy to change. T-Mobile’s data plans start at $5 per month, and you can add more data whenever you run out.
- High-speed 5G connectivity
- Long battery life
- Color touch screen for easy management
- No Ethernet ports for wired connections
The Good
The Bad
NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 4G LTE
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | 4G LTE |
| Max Speed | Up to 1Gbps |
| Battery Life | Up to 24 hours |
| Wi-Fi Bands | 2.4GHz, 5GHz |
| Display | 2.4-inch color touch screen |
| Antennas | 4 external antennas |
| Ethernet Ports | 1 x Gigabit Ethernet port |
| Dimensions | 4.14 x 4.14 x 0.86 inches |
| Weight | 0.54 lbs |
The M1 4G LTE Mobile Router from NETGEAR is bigger than the MiFi 8800L Jetpack. And since it doesn’t have a touch screen, it’s not as easy to use. But it can connect more devices to Wi-Fi and has more ports, like a USB-C port for charging your phone and an Ethernet port that lets your laptop connect directly to the internet.
AT&T is also great because you can get a lot of data. AT&T’s best hotspot service plan gives you 100GB of data for $90 per month, which is a lot for a hotspot plan. Look for AT&T’s pre-paid hotspot data plan to get the plan.
- Color touch screen for easy management
- External antennas for improved signal strength
- Gigabit Ethernet port for wired connections
- Slightly bulky design
The Good
The Bad
Netgear Nighthawk M5
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | 5G |
| Max Speed | Up to 5Gbps |
| Battery Life | Up to 13 hours |
| Wi-Fi Bands | 2.4GHz, 5GHz |
| Display | 2.4-inch color touch screen |
| Antennas | 4 internal antennas |
| Ethernet Ports | 1 x Gigabit Ethernet port |
| Dimensions | 4.1 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs |
The Netgear Nighthawk M5 is the best hotspot for AT&T customers, but it is also available for customers of other carriers. This best hotspot has a USB port and a radio frequency of 5 GHz. This means it can provide speeds up to seven times faster than the average hotspot and can support up to 32 devices at the same time at a speed of 1.8Gbps.
The box comes with a USB-C adapter so that you can use it right away. Speeds up to seven times faster than 4G. 4G devices that work with 3G networks as well Up to 32 devices can connect and stream at the fast 1.8Gbps speed. This is one of the best Mobile Hotspots that you can buy right now.
- High-speed 5G connectivity
- Long battery life
- Color touch screen for easy management
- Slightly heavy compared to other models
The Good
The Bad
Skyroam Solis Lite
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | 4G LTE |
| Max Speed | Up to 150Mbps |
| Battery Life | Up to 18 hours |
| Wi-Fi Bands | 2.4GHz, 5GHz |
| Display | None |
| Antennas | 1 internal antenna |
| Ethernet Ports | None |
| Dimensions | 4.1 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches |
| Weight | 0.35 lbs |
The Skyroam Solis Lite is the best travel hotspot if you plan to travel internationally.
With dual-band 5 GHz frequency and 4G LTE bandwidth, connections are strong even when traveling to any of more than 135 countries outside of the United States.
This is compatible with your smart home and security system and works with a lot more devices than the average hotspot. You can connect up to 10 devices at once without a SIM card. A Wi-Fi hotspot that you can take with you wherever you go.
- Portable and lightweight design
- Long battery life
- Limited max speed compared to other models
The Good
The Bad
Inseego 5G MiFi M1000
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | 5G |
| Max Speed | Up to 2Gbps |
| Battery Life | Up to 24 hours |
| Wi-Fi Bands | 2.4GHz, 5GHz |
| Display | 2.4-inch color touch screen |
| Antennas | 2 internal antennas |
| Ethernet Ports | None |
| Dimensions | 4.9 x 4.9 x 1 inches |
| Weight | 0.67 lbs |
If you can connect to Verizon’s 5G network, which is great news, then the Inseego 5G MiFi M1000 is the best 5G hotspot for you. It has support for both dual-band Wi-Fi and USB-C and Ethernet tethering for devices that need a hardwired connection.
The battery lasts long enough to keep you going all day, and it charges quickly. The only problem is that while this is great for Verizon customers, it won’t be the best choice for you if you’re not with the network or live outside the US.
- High-speed 5G connectivity
- Long battery life
- No Ethernet ports for wired connections
The Good
The Bad
TP-Link M7350 V4 4G LTE
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | 4G LTE |
| Max Speed | Up to 150Mbps |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours |
| Wi-Fi Bands | 2.4GHz |
| Display | 1.4-inch color display |
| Antennas | 1 internal antenna |
| Ethernet Ports | None |
| Dimensions | 4.2 x 2.6 x 0.6 inches |
| Weight | 0.21 lbs |
The TP-Link M7350 is a little bigger than some of the other top mobile hotspots on this list, but it is still a great mobile hotspot that works with both micro and nano SIM cards. This means that it will probably work with a SIM card you already have.
It has a small screen that tells you about your connection and works with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi. Up to 10 devices can use it at the same time, and the performance on 4G LTE is very good. It also won’t run out of power when you need it most, thanks to a 2000mAh battery that lets you use 4G for about eight hours.
- Compact and lightweight design
- Affordable option
- No Ethernet ports or dual-band Wi-Fi for wired connections
The Good
The Bad
FAQs
Even though it’s not perfect, the Netgear Nighthawk M5 is the most powerful and versatile 5G mobile hotspot you can buy in the US right now.
Most mobile hotspots use 4G LTE wireless technology to connect, which allows for speeds of up to 30 Mbps. But some newer mobile hotspots have 5G, so they can reach speeds of 50 Mbps or even more than 1,000 Mbps in some places.
If you want to share your hotspot with other people, it’s much easier to do so with a mobile modem. Leaving your modem with other people gives you a lot more privacy than leaving your cell phone with them.
5G is different from 4G because it is the newest type of wireless technology. It’s on average more than twice as fast as 4G and can reach speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps in some cities. People who use 5G phones and hotspots see less network congestion and less latency.