Unlimited 10
MobileX · 1 line
- Unlimited data
- 1 line
- Verizon
- No contract
$14.88/mo$178.56first year
Cheap phone plans with mobile hotspot under $40
Plans under $40 that include hotspot data, ranked by the real 24-month cost.
Prices on this page were last verified on .
9 plans in the catalogue currently match this brief. Monthly prices in this selection run from $14.88 to $40.
Ranked on the real cost over 24 months, the best option today is the MobileX Unlimited 10: $14.88 a month, or $14.88 a month on average once the promotional period and any activation fee are included ($357.12 over two years).
Matching plans (9)
12-month unlimited (10 GB hotspot) — prepaid
AT&T · 1 line
- Unlimited data
- 1 line
- AT&T
- No contract
$20/mo$240first year
10 GB
H2O Wireless · 1 line
- 10 GB data
- 1 line
- AT&T
- No contract
$20/mo$240first year
Unlimited 30
MobileX · 1 line
- Unlimited data
- 1 line
- Verizon
- No contract
$24.88/mo$298.56first year
Premium
RedPocket · 1 line
- Unlimited data
- 1 line
- Network not stated
- No contract
$15 for the first 1 month, then $30 · 50% below the standard rate
$15/mo$345first year
Unlimited — 30 GB high-speed
H2O Wireless · 1 line
- Unlimited data
- 1 line
- AT&T
- No contract
$30/mo$360first year
Unlimited + 2 GB hotspot
PureTalk · 1 line
- Unlimited data
- 1 line
- AT&T
- No contract
$34.99/mo$419.88first year
Total STARTER
Total Wireless · 1 line
- Unlimited data
- 1 line
- Verizon
- No contract
$35/mo$420first year
Unlimited — 40 GB high-speed
H2O Wireless · 1 line
- Unlimited data
- 1 line
- AT&T
- No contract
$40/mo$480first year
Open this selection in the full comparator
We are funded by advertising, not by the plans we list. No operator pays for a position in this comparison. How we work.
Frequently asked questions
- How much hotspot data do I actually need?
- As a rule of thumb, streaming video in HD uses roughly 3 GB an hour, a video call about 1 GB an hour, and web browsing or email very little. A few gigabytes is plenty for occasional laptop use; running a household off a hotspot consumes far more.
- Is the hotspot allowance separate from my phone data?
- On most plans, yes. A plan can offer unlimited phone data but only a set amount of hotspot data, for example 5 or 10 GB. Once the hotspot allowance is used, tethering stops or slows while phone data continues.
- Do all cheap plans allow tethering?
- No. Some low-cost plans disable hotspot entirely. Every plan listed here records a hotspot allowance, so plans without one are excluded from this page.
- Can a hotspot plan replace home internet?
- For light use, sometimes. For a household streaming every evening it rarely works: the allowance is far below the several hundred gigabytes a family television habit consumes. Treat it as a backup or a solution for one person.
- Does using the hotspot drain the phone battery?
- It uses noticeably more power than normal use, because the phone is running a Wi-Fi access point and the mobile radio at the same time. Keep the phone plugged in during long sessions.
- Why rank these plans over 24 months?
- Because hotspot plans often use introductory pricing or require Auto Pay to reach the advertised rate. The 24-month average shows what the plan really costs once those conditions and any activation fee are taken into account.