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Best 5G hotspot: Top 5 options to consider in 2025
Looking for the best 5G hotspot? Take a look at some of the top options and their pricing, features, and main things to consider.
Need a reliable and fast internet connection on the go? Using a 5G mobile hotspot is one of the best ways to do so, as it allows you to create a secure WiFi network and keep multiple devices connected at the same time. Let’s take a look at some of the best 5G hotspot options available to help you choose one that suits you best.
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Get unlimited 5G hotspot with Holafly Connect.
How to choose the best 5G hotspot
Choosing the right hotspot for your needs is essential for a quality hotspot experience. Doing so ensures that you can enjoy reliable connectivity without having to spend more than you should. Here are some of the main factors to consider before you make pick:
- Price: Dedicated 5G hotspot devices can cost up to $800 or even more, with budget options available at the $200-$300 range. However, you can also use your phone as a mobile hotspot, in which case, the only costs are the price of a data plan that allows data sharing.
- Battery life: Some hotspot devices can last up to 24 hours on a single charge, while others won’t last 8 hours without being plugged in. That said, longer battery life often comes at an extra cost, so consider how often you’ll be using your hotspot without the ability to charge it in time.
- Number of connections: The number of simultaneous connections a hotspot can support can vary from 5 to 30+. If you’ll need to keep many devices connected at once, get a hotspot that is able to support that.
- Speed: While every hotspot option we’ll cover here supports speeds up to 5G, there are some hotspots that are only capable of speeds up to 4G. Make sure you’re getting a device that is capable of providing the download and upload speeds you need.
- International compatibility: Some hotspot devices will only work in certain regions or countries, while others will work just fine pretty much anywhere. Make sure to get a device that’ll work in any country you plan to visit.
- Consider mobile hotspots vs. dedicated hotspot devices: Mobile hotspots are often better for casual users who need to share internet with their laptop, while dedicated devices tend to be better for maintaining more connections without sacrificing performance.
Mobile hotspots vs. dedicated hotspot devices
One of the main choices you’ll have to make is whether you want to buy a dedicated hotspot device or use your phone as a mobile hotspot. Both are viable options that simply suit different kinds of users. Let’s take a look at how they compare against each other.
| Phone hotspot | Dedicated hotspot device | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Data plan-only | $100-$800 + the cost of a data plan |
| Simultaneous connections | Accommodates 3-5 connections comfortably; performance starts to drop with more connections | 5-30+, depending on the device |
| Battery life | Uses your phone’s battery | 6-24 hours, depending on the device |
| Speed | Up to 5G if your data plan supports 5G | Up to 4G or up to 5G, depending on the device |
| International compatibility | Works anywhere, as long as the phone isn’t carrier-locked | Most work anywhere, though some may be carrier or region-locked |
With that out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the best 5G hotspot options, both for dedicated devices and mobile hotspots.
1. Holafly Connect: Best mobile hotspot with 5G
- Price: $49.90-64.90 per month
- Connections: Unlimited, but slows with multiple connections at once
- Battery life: Uses your phone battery
- Speed: Up to 5G
- International coverage: 170+ destinations
Holafly Connect offers some of the best mobile hotspot data plans for travelers or digital nomads. It’s a monthly eSIM subscription that offers coverage in 170+ destinations with a single plan. This allows you to stay connected pretty much anywhere in the world without having to change data plans or buy new ones every time.
Holafly Connect currently offers two options suitable for mobile hotspot use:
- Unlimited data plan for $64.90/month, which includes unlimited data sharing
- 25 GB/month for $49.90/month, which includes 25 GB data sharing
There’s also a 10 GB/month plan priced at $39.90/month, but it doesn’t allow data sharing, which means you can only use it on your mobile phone without keeping other devices connected.
Holafly Connect doesn’t limit the number of devices you can connect to your hotspot. That said, as with all mobile hotspots, it’ll work best with up to five simultaneous connections. Anything more and you’ll start to see connection speeds decrease.
If you go for the 25 GB plan, you’ll need to monitor data usage carefully, as it’s fairly easy to run through the data limit with multiple devices connected at once. That’s why, for just $15/month more, the unlimited data plan is a complete steal, allowing activate your hotspot and share as much data as you need without having to worry about.
It’s also worth mentioning that, unlike most subscriptions, Holafly Connect doesn’t require long-term commitments or contracts. So you can use the service for as long as you like and simply cancel when you no longer need it.
Holafly Connect pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unlimited data plans with unlimited sharing available | May not perform well if you connect many devices at once |
| Coverage in 170+ destinations with a single plan | 10 GB/month plan does not allow data sharing |
| Allows you to use your phone as a hotspot |
2. ZTE U50: Best budget 5G router
- Price: ~$190 + data plans
- Connections: Up to 32
- Battery life: Up to 8 hours
- Speed: Up to 5G
- International coverage: Not specified, but unlocked devices will work in most countries
If you’re looking for a budget portable device with 5G speeds, ZTE U50 is an option worth considering. It’s a simple, bare-bones device that’s also sometimes sold by cell service providers to be used with their data plans. That said, if you get it from your provider, it may be locked to its network, while unlocked devices will work pretty much anywhere.
The ZTE U50 offers up to 32 simultaneous connections, although you will see performance drops once more than a few devices are connected. The battery will last up to 8 hours on a single charge, which is one of the reasons why it’s cheaper than many other 5G devices.
All in all, it’s a simple, affordable device that’s still capable of solid connection speeds, allowing you to simply turn on your hotspot and stay connected on the go.
ZTE U50 pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Supports up to 32 simultaneous connections | Some devices can be locked to certain networks |
| Priced under $200 | Up to 8 hours of battery life |
| Supports speeds up to 5G |
3. Orbic Speed 5G UW: Best mid-range 5G hotspot
- Price: $299.99 + data plans
- Connections: Up to 30
- Battery life: Up to 9 hours
- Speed: Up to 5G
- International coverage: Many are tied to the Verizon network, but unlocked hotspots will work in most countries worldwide
If you don’t want to get a cheap device but also don’t want to splurge on one that costs $700 or more, the Orbic Speed 5G UW is one of the top options on the market. With up to 30 simultaneous connections, speeds up to 5G, and a battery life of up to 9 hours, this pocket-sized device is more than capable of keeping you connected.
One thing worth noting is that Orbic has partnered up with Verizon, and many Orbic hotspots are locked to the Verizon network. If you’re not a Verizon user and don’t plan on getting a Verizon data plan, double-check with the seller to ensure that the device is unlocked for use on any network, with any SIM card.
Also, if you’re serious about your cybersecurity, the device works with most Wi-Fi security protocols, enhancing your network security and allowing you to set up a VPN on your hotspot if needed.
Orbic Speed 5G UW pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Supports up to 30 simultaneous connections | Some devices can be locked to the Verizon network |
| Creates a secure WiFi network | Up to 9 hours of battery life |
| Supports speeds up to 5G |
4. Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro: Best for many simultaneous 5G connections
- Price: $799.99 + data plans
- Connections: Up to 32
- Battery life: Up to 13 hours
- Speed: Up to 5G
- International coverage: 125 countries
Looking to support a small remote office with hotspot internet or simply need to keep many devices working at once? Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro might just be the pick for you.
The device supports up to 32 simultaneous connections and creates a WiFi network that spans 2,000 square feet. It also comes with an antenna that improves the device’s connectivity and allows you to reach cellular towers that most other hotspots can’t. This makes it a great router to use as your primary connection as well as a great hotspot for remote work.
If you want to take Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro with you on the go, it boasts a solid battery life, working up to 13 hours on a single charge. There’s also an Ethernet port for wired connections if you want the best connection speeds possible.
It’s a great device if you’re going to put it through its paces, but with a price tag of $799.99, it’s out of budget for most casual users.
Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Supports up to 32 simultaneous connections | Priced at $799.99 + cost of data plans |
| Offers solid connectivity in areas where many other devices struggle | Works in 125 countries, but not worldwide |
| Supports speeds up to 5G | |
| WiFi network covers 2,000 sq. ft |
5. T-Mobile Experience plans: Best for T-Mobile users
- Price: $85-$100/month, which includes a regular monthly plan
- Connections: Unlimited, but slows with multiple connections at once
- Battery life: As long as your phone battery
- Speed: Up to 5G
- International coverage: 215+ destinations
If you’re looking for more options to use your phone as a hotspot, take a look at what your regular cell service provider has to offer. T-Mobile’s Experience plans offer unlimited data and unlimited sharing in the US and 5 to 15 GB of T-Mobile international roaming data depending on the plan you choose.
If you’re already a T-Mobile user, you can simply switch your plan to one of the Experience plans, and the monthly cost will cover your regular plan as well as the cost of hotspot use.
While both Experience plans offer unlimited data in the US, the Experience Beyond plan, priced at $100/month, also includes 15 GB of data in 215+ destinations worldwide. The Experience More, at $85/month, only gives you 5 GB of international data.
That said, if you’re not a T-Mobile user, using Holafly Connect would be the cheaper option, as you can get unlimited data and unlimited sharing at a smaller monthly fee.
T-Mobile Experience plan pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unlimited data plans with unlimited sharing in the US, limited international data | Personal hotspots may not perform well if you connect many devices at once |
| Coverage in 215+ destinations with a single plan | Must be a T-Mobile customer to use the plan |
| Allows you to use your phone as a hotspot |
What is the best 5G hotspot?
At the end of the day, there’s no single answer to what the best 5G hotspot is, as that depends a lot on your personal needs. Let’s take a quick overview of the options discussed below and when you might want to consider using them:
- Holafly Connect is the best 5G hotspot whn using your phone for tethering. A single plan will work almost anywhere in the world and you can get an unlimited data plan for $64.90/month.
- Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro is the best high-performance option that creates a WiFi network that covers a large area and offers wired connection options for the best possible speeds.
- ZTE U50 is the best option for tight budgets, providing 5G speeds and up to 32 simultaneous connections at a price of under $200.
- Orvic Speed 5G UW is the best mid-range model that works particularly well on Verizon’s network.
- T-Mobile Experience plans offer the best option if you’re already a T-Mobile customer looking to use your phone as a hotspot through a home cell plan.
Enjoy unlimited data sharing with Holafly
If you simply need to keep a few devices connected and don’t require dozens of simultaneous connections or having a wired connection, Holafly Connect might just be the best 5G hotspot option for you.
It’ll easily cover your phone, laptop, and a few additional devices, and if you get the unlimited plan, you’ll never have to worry about your data usage again.
If you want international data for a shorter period of time, consider Holafly’s eSIM for international travel, with plans ranging from 1 to 90 days, each including unlimited data and up to 1 GB of data sharing.
Combine work with travel
Get unlimited 5G hotspot with Holafly Connect.
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A senior SEO writer from Lithuania, combining my passion for writing and travel at Holafly. With years of experience in technical fields, I'm here to answer all of your questions about staying connected. I specialize in turning even the most complicated topics into something everyone can understand.
