Mobile hotspots create a small Wi-Fi network that allows you to connect multiple devices to the internet anywhere you have a cell signal, but figuring out which to get can be confusing. PCMag has been reviewing mobile hotspots for more than 15 years, so you can trust that our coverage is accurate and informed. Our current Editors' Choice winners include the Franklin Wireless JEXtream RG2100 5G for T-Mobile and the Orbic Speed 5G UW for Verizon, thanks to their consistent performance and user-friendly interfaces. However, the other models on this list are also worth considering. Make sure to click through to our full reviews and read to the end for a detailed guide that explains everything you need to know about choosing a hotspot and deciding whether phone tethering is a viable option for your needs.
Overview
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![Franklin Wireless JEXtream RG2100 5G Mobile Hotspot (T-Mobile)]()
Best T-Mobile HotspotFranklin Wireless JEXtream RG2100 5G Mobile Hotspot (T-Mobile)
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Jump To Details
![Orbic Speed 5G UW Mobile Hotspot (Verizon)]()
Best Verizon HotspotOrbic Speed 5G UW Mobile Hotspot (Verizon)
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![Netgear Nighthawk M7 Pro (AT&T)]()
Best AT&T HotspotNetgear Nighthawk M7 Pro (AT&T)
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![Netgear Nighthawk 5G M7]()
Best Unlocked HotspotNetgear Nighthawk 5G M7
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
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![Franklin Wireless JEXtream RG2100 5G Mobile Hotspot (T-Mobile)]()
Best T-Mobile HotspotFranklin Wireless JEXtream RG2100 5G Mobile Hotspot (T-Mobile)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Franklin Wireless JEXtream RG2100 5G Mobile Hotspot provides a simple setup process, excellent data speeds, and impressive battery life. T-Mobile sells just three 5G mobile hotspots, and this is the one with the best performance.
Who It's For
People who need maximum battery life: The JEXtream RG2100 lasted over 13 hours in our battery rundown test. If you are someone who can't plug in to charge all the time, this hotspot should have enough juice to last.
People who value simplicity: This is an excellent choice for users who prioritize hassle-free connectivity and want to get online quickly and easily. It features a straightforward, easy setup procedure and an intuitive web interface for adjusting advanced settings.
Specs & Configurations
Battery Life 13 hours, 30 minutes Number of Devices Supported 20 Service Provider T-Mobile Wireless Specification Wi-Fi 6 -
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![Orbic Speed 5G UW Mobile Hotspot (Verizon)]()
Best Verizon HotspotOrbic Speed 5G UW Mobile Hotspot (Verizon)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Orbic Speed 5G UW Mobile Hotspot supports up to 30 simultaneous device connections and works with all the major Verizon 5G bands, including 2/5/48/66/77/78/257/260/261. It delivered download speeds of around 600Mbps in testing at a location with a robust 5G signal, and its touch screen is quite convenient.
Who It's For
Power users who require a wired output: The Orbic Speed is a great choice for professionals who need to connect to the fastest available Verizon 5G speeds directly into a traditional networking setup. The dedicated Ethernet port bypasses Wi-Fi limitations, allowing your connected device to achieve the fastest available service.
Work sites and group environments: This hotspot is well-suited for settings where a large number of users require simultaneous, stable network access, such as small offices or temporary work sites. With support for up to 30 devices, the Orbic Speed can keep a group online.
Specs & Configurations
Battery Life 11 hours 45 minutes Number of Devices Supported 30 Service Provider Verizon Wireless Wireless Specification Wi-Fi 6 -
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![Netgear Nighthawk M7 Pro (AT&T)]()
Best AT&T HotspotNetgear Nighthawk M7 Pro (AT&T)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Nighthawk M7 Pro is more affordable than the unlocked M6 Pro because it ties you to AT&T, which is a fair trade-off if you live in an area with good AT&T 5G coverage. As for other highlights, it supports up to 64 devices simultaneously and the critical n77 band for access to AT&T's 3.45GHz network (which uses the company's most advanced 5G technology).
Who It's For
Mobile IT professionals: This device is specifically designed to handle high data traffic from multiple simultaneous users without bottlenecks. Unlike standard mobile hotspots, the M7 Pro's 64-device capability, combined with its state-of-the-art 5G modem, ensures every connected laptop and tablet receives the high throughput necessary for demanding tasks.
People who want the latest wireless technology: If you don't want to compromise on performance and know AT&T is the right carrier for you, the M7 Pro provides access to 5G+ (AT&T's mmWave coverage) and supports Wi-Fi 7. This model is also a much better value than the unlocked Nighthawk M6.
Specs & Configurations
Battery Life 11 hours, 53 minutes Number of Devices Supported 64 Service Provider AT&T Wireless Specification Wi-Fi 7 Learn More Netgear Nighthawk M7 Pro Review -
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![Netgear Nighthawk 5G M7]()
Best Unlocked HotspotNetgear Nighthawk 5G M7
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
We like the Netgear Nighthawk 5G M7's SIM-swapping flexibility and long battery life, though the absence of mmWave 5G support is a downside. If that is vital to you, the unlocked M7 Pro adds mmWave 5G support and Wi-Fi 7.
Who It's For
People who need one device for two networks: If you don't want to commit to a carrier or frequently need to change SIM cards for travel, this hotspot is ideal.
Specs & Configurations
Battery Life 14 hours, 27 minutes Number of Devices Supported 32 Service Provider Unlocked Wireless Specification Wi-Fi 7 Learn More Netgear Nighthawk 5G M7 Review -
Compare Specs
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4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
Best For | Best T-Mobile Hotspot | Best Verizon Hotspot | Best AT&T Hotspot | Best Unlocked Hotspot | Best T-Mobile Hotspot | Best Verizon Hotspot | Best AT&T Hotspot |
Service Provider | T-Mobile | Verizon Wireless | AT&T | Unlocked | T-Mobile | Verizon Wireless | AT&T |
Wireless Specification | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 7 |
Number of Devices Supported | 20 | 30 | 64 | 32 | 20 | 30 | 64 |
Battery Life | 13 hours, 30 minutes | 11 hours 45 minutes | 11 hours, 53 minutes | 14 hours, 27 minutes | 13 hours, 30 minutes | 11 hours 45 minutes | 11 hours, 53 minutes |
Buying Guide: The Best Mobile Hotspots for 2026
The Best Mobile Hotspot Plans
Hotspots are available from the big three nationwide carriers and several virtual operators that use their networks. For instance, you can get hotspot plans from Cricket (AT&T) and Metro (T-Mobile).
Hotspot plans change all the time. On AT&T and Verizon, your best bet is to add a hotspot to your existing phone plan as a separate line. That gets you the most data for your dollar. If you add a hotspot to an "unlimited" phone plan, you get up to 200GB of high-speed data with Verizon, 60GB with AT&T, and 250GB with T-Mobile. After that, the carriers may deprioritize or throttle your data at any time, depending on local network traffic.
Can Hotspots Replace Home Internet?
Hotspot plans aren't designed for primary home use. They cost much more per byte than a home DSL, cable, or fiber setup.
An Xfinity report from July 2025 says its US home broadband subscribers use roughly 498GB of data per month, likely due to video streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix. All those Zoom calls are also likely to quickly eat up a data cap. If your needs don't involve video or music streaming, a wireless hotspot might be a viable alternative for your home.
However, there is such a thing as wireless home internet, which differs from hotspots. Some rely on exterior antennas and larger, less portable routers that are typically located in one place. Recent wireless internet plans are more likely to have unlimited data than hotspot plans. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon all sell wireless home internet plans in various parts of the country, as do a wide range of smaller, local wireless internet service providers (WISPs). Starlink is worth considering as well.
So, who's using hotspots? Traditionally, it was just road warriors—business people who needed reliable connections for multiple devices without draining their phones' batteries. Now, food trucks and other outdoor-dwelling small businesses use hotspots to power their point-of-sale systems and receive GrubHub orders. Vacation home and RV owners might also use hotspots for part-time homesteads. And for those who can't get the carriers' dedicated wireless internet plans, they might still find that they can fall back on hotspots.
What's the Best Hotspot Hardware?
Many high-quality hotspots have TS9 external antenna ports, which can be used to improve your signal using inexpensive antennas that can be purchased online. TS9 is standard, and these antennas cost much less than cellular signal boosters. Unfortunately, 5G hotspots that support mmWave generally don't have external antenna ports.
Ensure your hotspot supports 5GHz Wi-Fi, which is typically faster and less congested than 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. Our picks typically support both 5GHz and 2.4GHz. Some hotspots support guest networks and access controls, such as MAC filtering and time-based limits. Those features are now available on most dedicated routers, but you can't necessarily take them for granted on mobile hotspots.
You can use hotspots with big batteries as power banks to charge your phone. Some hotspots with microSD card slots can function as tiny servers for sharing media over Wi-Fi. That said, we've never found a real use for that media server functionality.
We really like the displays on the front of many current hotspots. They conveniently report the strength of your signal, your hotspot's name, data usage statistics, and the network password.
Should You Tether Your Phone Instead of Using a Hotspot?
Keep in mind that a dedicated hotspot isn't the only option. Smartphones have a Wi-Fi hotspot mode, and if you have a 5G phone, you may experience better performance in this mode than with a 4G hotspot. That said, phones support fewer devices at once, have fewer network management features, and can run out of battery more quickly.
To help narrow your decision, head to our explainer on the tethering versus dedicated hotspot debate. And check out our tips on how to turn your phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Beware: Overseas Surfing Will Cost You
US hotspots generally allow you to roam in Canada and Mexico, although rates might be high. Be sure to check with your carrier in advance to find out.
One of the only good unlocked hotspots with international bands available in the US is the Netgear Nighthawk 5G M7, but it's quite expensive. If you plan to buy a local SIM to take advantage of lower local data rates, consider purchasing a budget-friendly phone abroad and tethering from it.
Wireless Hotspots vs. USB Dongles
Connecting your laptop to mobile data used to mean plugging in a dedicated modem via USB—or a dongle. Fewer of these exist today than 10 or 15 years ago, but if you have good T-Mobile service, you might consider a product like the TCL Linkport, which provides a 5G connection to a single device.