10 Best Wi-Fi Hotspots for Travel to the United States
It’s 2019, we all want to stay connected online to our friends and family while we travel. Sharing our experiences in real time, handling important business emails or sending a cute snapchat pic, whatever you need. The first option for most people is to pick up a SIM card for the United States. But there is another option, a much cheaper option for larger groups and family trips. Consider renting a Wi-Fi Hotspot device that gives up to 10 devices a continuous internet connection anywhere in United States.
For this article, we look into what exactly is a Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Egg, Mi-Fi, Mobile Hotspot device… It has so many names, so what are the advantages? How much do they cost to Buy vs. Rent? There are so many companies now offering hotspot services, but they differ greatly in terms of options, price, devices etc… Some are short-term rentals with unlimited data, others are bought up front with options to add data packages for long-term travel as there is no expiration date at all on the data! Here is out list of the best 10 Wi-Fi Hotspots for the United States.
What is a Wi-Fi Hotspot
A Wi-fi Hotspot, or Mobile Hotspot, or Wi-Fi Egg is like having a little portable router in your pocket. Instead of putting a sim card in your phone, you can put one in the hotspot device and give Wi-Fi to up to 10 devices at once. It’s just a data sharing device. Most phones these days have “tethering” or “hotspot” features to share internet across devices. The difference is that a hotspot device was made to be on all the time, always sharing data to all the users. A phone’s signal is weaker and the battery life doesn’t last all day like you need it to.
Many of the Hotspots on this list come with their own SIM Cards inside the devices that are compatible with networks in most countries. But you can also simply buy your own hotspot and pick up a local SIM card when you arrive. As long as the internet provider has tethering allowed on the SIM, you, your partner, children and parents can connect all at once.
I use a Huawei rocket stick similar to this hotspot device for my website, to connect online from my laptop anywhere. As a traveler who works online, it’s extremely handy. Instead of having to rely on Starbucks, McDonalds or random Airport Wifi, I simply pick up a local sim card and insert it into my device. I can connect my laptop, Camera, GoPro and Laptop to the Wi-Fi all at once.
Advantages of a Wi-Fi Hotspot
The obvious question is “Why not just use a SIM card?”, to that I would say: Use a SIM card. If you are traveling alone, picking up a SIM card for your phone is enough. A hotspot device is overkill for most individuals or even couples.
Where a mobile hotspot comes in handy is with large groups of 4 or more people. Say you are going on a camping trip to Colorado with the kids and don’t want them on their phone the entire time. With a Wi-Fi hotspot, you can give them access to the Wi-Fi anytime, without having to pick up a SIM card for each person… You can also disable it too, so the kids can actually enjoy time in nature. The same can be said for pesky husbands and wives that can’t put their phones down and disconnect.
A SIM Card for the United States can run between $40-$80/person for 14-30 days. A single SIM card can be used in a hotspot device for the whole family if you bring your own device. Whereas, a rental costs anywhere from $5-12 USD per day.
These Wi-Fi rentals aren’t that popular in the United States but could save a family hundreds of dollars! RV camping is a really common vacation for North Americans, we have some of the best National Parks in the World. These little devices are perfect for your family camping vacation.
Pick up a Hotspot Device
1. Rocket Stick
I use the Huawei Rocket Stick, shown in Amazon below. It’s a small device that plugs into a laptop directly and shares Wi-Fi to other devices. No battery, no cords. To use it, purchase a sim card in each new country, or a roaming SIM for multiple countries and insert it. The SIM cards you buy are the same for any mobile phone. I paid $150 CAD for the Huawei device, but it’s available on Amazon for $60 USD ($80 CAD) on Amazon.2. Subscription & Device Rental
Other devices worth looking at are the all-in-one devices like the SkyRoam Hotspot that only works with a Skyroam Subscription, but saves you the hassle of picking up a SIM card for each country since it’s built in to the device. check out SkyRoam on our list below for more details.3. Mobile Hotspot Device
The last type is the Mobile Hotspot Device, a true mobile device with it’s own screen and battery included inside. These ones can cost up to $150 USD but the one below is on for $93 USD ($125 CAD). Simply pick up, put in a SIM card with tethering (ask the providers) and pay for the SIM card like you would for any mobile phone. Companies like KeepGo and SapphireGo sell both the device and data add-ons for the SIM card that comes with it, but the SIM is removable so you aren’t locked into using their service, the subscription and device are separate.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location worldwide.
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 16 Hours
- Deposit: None
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: Upgrade to Solis Smart Wifi Device $1.95/Day
Daily Rates & Data
- $9.95 USD/Day for Unlimited Data/Day
- Insurance: $19.95 USD
- Pick Up & Delivery Fee: Up to $20 USD
- Currency: USD
Comments
Sky Roam has two offers. The first is the standard rental at $9.95 per day. This is one of the more expensive options for Wifi Hotspot Rentals. A 7 day trip, with insurance, and shipping for delivery and return is $108 USD. It’s more expensive than other options with Unlimited Data.
The advantages is that the Sky Roam rental is very robust. The upgraded device which is even more expensive comes with 16 hours of battery life and a powerbank to recharge your cellphone. It’s also valid for 130 countries without having to change devices. Sky Roam is like the Cadillac of Wifi Devices.
They also have a subscription model for those who buy their device. It’s $149.99 to buy the Wifi Hotspot outright. The subscription is a Pay-what-you-use model with 1 GB at $9 USD per month. If you travel for work, you can buy the device and cross borders seamlessly. No matter where you go it’s $9 per 1 GB.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Worldwide Delivery – Free Shipping to 39 countries
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 16
- Battery Life: 6 hours
- Deposit: None, Full-Payment up front
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G. LTE
- Top Ups: Yes 500 MB to 10 GB
Device Purchase
- $99 USD with 1 GB of 4G LTE Data
- The 1 GB of Data that comes pre-loaded with the device is good for 1 year
Data Add-ons
- 500 MB for $19 USD
- 1 GB for $35 USD
- 3 GB for $85 USD
- 5 GB for $119 USD
- $10 GB for $219 USD
- The add on data amounts have no expiry – it can be used forever.
- Currency: USD
Comments
KeepGo is another Wi-Fi travel service that does things a little differently. There is no rental, you have to buy the device and add on data when you need it. But unlike Skyroam, with KeepGo you don’t need to use their service for data forever, you aren’t locked in to their service because the SIM card is removable. The device they use is a Huawei Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot similar to my Huawei Rocket Stick. You could pick up a different SIM in the US and use that instead in the future if you want. This flexibility is nice.
What KeepGo does nicely is the forever data packages. Essentially the data you load onto the SIM doesn’t expire… ever. The 1 GB that comes pre-loaded on the SIM card when you buy the device has a 1 year expiration date, but the data packages last forever. If you don’t use up all the data on this trip, save it for the next one! Also, the data can be used in any of the 110 countries supported.
For longer term trips for basic internet use like checking email, browsing the web without video, using apps like Twitter and Google Maps, 1 GB is plenty and it’s relatively cheap. $99 USD to own the device and get 1 GB to start, that’s a pretty good deal and considerably cheaper than other options.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Worldwide Delivery
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 10
- Battery Life: 6 hours
- Deposit: None, Full-Payment up front
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G
- Top Ups: Yes, 1 GB to 5 GB add ons
Device Purchase
- $39 USD + $5 for 500 MB for 30 Days
Data Add-ons
- 1 GB for $15 USD for 30 Days
- 2 GB for $25 USD for 30 Days
- 5 GB for $40 USD for 30 Days
- Currency: USD
Comments
Internet on the Go is a similar service to KeepGo and Skyroam – You have to buy the device up front and add-on data packages when you need it. The Wi-Fi Hotspot devices available are much cheaper too, from $29 to $49 USD, with removable SIM cards so you won’t be locked to the Internet on the Go data plans. You can use the device in the future with other SIM cards with hotpot capabilities.
The data packages are only valid for 30 days but are way cheaper than KeepGo rates. The 1 GB data packages is only $15 USD. If you are organized, just top up your data on your account before you leave on your trip. The data doesn’t last forever, but 30 days is long enough for most travellers. Again, this isn’t for people who need a lot of data since the data add-ons aren’t daily amounts, but fixed amounts for 30 days. This is one of the best value options for the US, you’ll own the device too for future trips.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Worldwide Delivery
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 12
- Deposit: None, Full-Payment up front
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G
- Top Ups: Pay as you Go or Prepaid Data Plans
Device Purchase
- Sapphire Hotspot: $149 USD with 500 MB of Data
- Sapphire Touch: $179 USD with 500 MB of Data
Pay as you Go
- $0.05/MB ($50 USD/GB)
Data Add-ons for the United States
- $18 USD for 2 GB of Data for 7 Days (USA)
- $25 USD for 2 GB of Data for 7 Days (Canada 7 USA)
- $39 USD for 3 GB of Data for 30 Days (Global)
- $40 USD for 4 GB of Data for 30 Days (USA)
- $60 USD for 8 GB of Data for 30 Days (USA)
- $95 USD for 8 GB of Data for 30 Days (Global)
- $110 USD for 10 GB of Data for 30 Days (Global)
- $115 USD for 15 GB of Data for 30 Days (USA)
- Currency: USD
- **Other Data Add-ons available for individual countries and multiple countries
Comments
Sapphire Go is another buy up front hotspot service. They use the exact same Wi-Fi device as No. 7 on this list MyWebspot, but also offer a premium Wi-Fi device called the Sapphire Touch with extended battery life, a smart screen and built in powerbank. The device you purchase has a removable SIM card, so you won’t be locked into only using the Sapphire data plans.
The SIM card that comes with the Sapphire device has 500 MB of data pre-loaded but where Sapphire is unique is that there is a massive list of available data packages for different countries. You can choose to add on data for only 1 country, 2 countries or all 130+ countries with their Global Data packages. Getting a package for only 1 country is usually a lot cheaper than a Global SIMs. For the United States, there are options for only the USA, for USA and Canada or Global. I personally like this flexibility because I know which countries I intend to visit. The part I don’t like is that the devices they have listed are quite expensive. If you have to buy, there are cheaper hotspots (even ones they offer) on Amazon.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location in Canada or the USA.
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 4-6 Hours
- Deposit: $150 USD
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Daily Rates & Data
- $8 USD/Day for 1 GB of Data/Day
- Option for Canada & USA Rentals at $12 USD/Day
- Currency: USD
Comments
The actual device is a rectangle, not a cube which is more practical for carrying around. But otherwise WifiCube has a decent offer and ongoing promotions for Wi-Fi hotspot rentals. They primarily serve Canadians & Americans traveling around the world because the shipping of the device is restricted to Canada and the United States. If you are flying in from overseas, you can request the hotspot to be delivered to your hotel in the US. Their rental includes a prepaid envelope to return the product, dropped off at any UPS store which are easy to find.
It’s not the best price compared to others on this list, nor does it offer the most amount of data. But for a group of 2-5, 1 GB of data per day should be plenty for basic internet use. The deposit is quite hefty but you’ll get it back when you return the device.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location in Europe, USA or Mexico
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 10 Hours
- Deposit: None
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Daily Rates & Data
- 9.90 Euros/Day for Unlimited Data
- Insurance: 16.90 Euro
- Used in Canada, USA & Mexico
- Currency: EURO
Comments
MyWebspot is based out of Paris, France. Their Wi-Fi Hotspot rentals are perfect for a tourist visiting Canada and the USA on the same trip. The hotspot includes all three North American countries: USA, Canada & Mexico. Of course, this comes at a premium price. The 9.90 Euro per day is on the higher end for a rental like this, it’s often cheaper to rent a Wi-Fi hotspot for only one country, however this can be very inconvenient for shorter trips.
The nice thing is that the insurance is a flat fee of 16.90 Euro, regardless of the length of your rental. There is no initial deposit either! For a 7 day trip to United States, expect to pay 86 Euro ($97.47 USD) or $129 CAD. For longer duration trips, consider picking up a SIM card with hotspot capabilities.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 10 Hours
- Deposit: None
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Rental Rates
- $20 USD for 1-7 Days
- $35 USD for 8-14 Days
- $59 USD for 15-28 Days
- $65 USD for 29-42 Days
- $75 USD for 43-56 Days
- Option to add more countries
- Currency: USD
Data Rates
- $75 USD for 1 GB of Data
- $140 USD for 2 GB of Data
- $195 USD for 3 GB of Data
- $250 USD for 4 GB of Data
- $360 USD for 6 GB of Data
- $590 USD for 10 GB of Data
Comments
Wireless Traveler does things a little differently. Instead of a daily rate, they charge one fee for the length of the device rental and another fee for the amount of data. For example, you can rent a device for $20 USD for 7 Days + $75 USD for 1 GB of Data. All in for $95 USD. That’s quite expensive for such little data.
But, let’s say you want to rent the device for 30 days. $65 USD for the device +$75 USD for 1 GB of data. All in for $145 USD. That’s not too bad, averaging $4.80/Day. Wireless Traveler gives you the option to customize by adding multiple countries and tailoring your rental to your needs. That being said, almost $600 USD for 10 GB is an outrageous price.
Unlimited Rates Rental
The Unlimited Data rental has some limitations. You can’t stream video or use Wi-Fi calling (VOIP) with this rental. No WhatsApp calls, no Facetime, no Instagram. It’s just for email and limited web browsing. For many young travelers, that’s a BIG downside. But I’ll include the info regardless.
- $79 USD for 1-7 Days with Unlimited Data (low speed)
- $99 USD for 8-14 Days with Unlimited Data (low speed)
- $150 USD for 15-28 Days with Unlimited Data (low speed)
- $175 USD for 29-42 Days with Unlimited Data (low speed)
- $225 USD for 43-56 Days with Unlimited Data (low speed)
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location. Free Pick up in Paris, France.
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 10 Hours
- Deposit: None
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Daily Rates & Data
- $8.90 Euro/Day for 500 MB of Data/Day
- Valid in multiple countries
- Insurance: 14.9 Euro
- Pick Up & Delivery: 15 Euro
- Currency: Euro
Comments
Travelwifi is based out of Paris, France. They offer a travel anywhere rental with 500 MB/ Day. Their rentals for France and Europe are way better priced, for the United States it’s quite expensive.
All in for 7 days would be 92.2 Euro ($104.55 USD). It’s the best option for travelers coming from France since they can skip the pick up and delivery fee, but for the rest of us there are better options.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location in Europe Only. Free Pick Up and Delivery in Madrid & Barcelona.
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 10 Hours
- Deposit: None
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Daily Rates & Data
- $8.90 Euro/Day for 500 MB of Data/Day
- Valid in multiple countries
- Pick Up & Delivery: 7-15 Euro
- Currency: Euro
Comments
WifiVox is based out of Madrid and Barcelona, they don’t ship outside of Europe. But if you happen to be going to the United States from Spain or Portugal, it’s a great deal! There is no insurance, no deposit. All in for 7 days would be 78.93 Euro ($83.84 USD), this includes the Pick up & Delivery fee to anywhere in Europe. It’s the best option for travelers coming from Europe and even cheaper for travelers coming from Madrid or Barcelona, but unreasonable for Americans and other travelers.More Info for the United States
If you are still planning your trip to the United States, and have decided a Wi-Fi hotspot is too much, check out our article on the Best SIM cards for Travel the USA.
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