These days it seems impossible to go more than a day or two without continuous WiFi access. Social time, media access, streaming entertainment, and even work all require a solid internet connection.
But, traveling can make finding consistent sources of wireless connection difficult. Even if you can use your phone as a mobile hotspot, not always a guarantee, high data rates, and traffic limitations make it an uneasy arrangement at best.
It's even more important to have a consistent connection if you're traveling for a business trip, domestically or internationally. Relying on your phone's mobile hotspot, or more likely your work phone's mobile hotspot simply isn't good enough.
Fortunately, with travel WiFi routers, you can bring consistent, international, WiFi with you. These little devices are more consistent than mobile hotspots, more versatile than local sim-cards, and can carry you through many trips before needing an upgrade.
Like any product in the tech world, however, it’s important to get the right device for your needs. A travel WiFi Hotspot that doesn't meet your requirements will only be a step above not having one at all.
In this article, we'll discuss some of the most important considerations, how to decide whether renting or buying is right for you, and some of the best travel WiFi Hotspots available right now.
Table of Contents
- Things to Consider When Choosing a Mobile WiFi Hotspot
- How International Travel WiFi Routers Work
- What to Look for When Buying a Travel WiFi Hotspot
- Should You Rent a Hotspot or Buy It?
- Portable WiFi Hotspot vs Buying a Local SIM Card: What Makes Sense for Your Situation?
- Top 10 Best Travel WiFi Hotspots
Things to Consider When Choosing a Mobile WiFi Hotspot
While we're confident that our list represents the best of the current market, no one device is perfect for all users.
Knowing what the most important features of a hotspot are, particular to your needs and use, will help make sure you pick the right hotspot for you.
How International Travel WiFi Routers Work
International WiFi routers tap into a local mobile network to provide internet, usually at a set speed and with a data cap. Depending on the device, that data cap may be a hard limit or the point at which your download speeds slow considerably.
Even the best mobile WiFi hotspot for international travel will encounter some of these limitations, although you have a lot of control over the extent of the limitation.
You can choose between monthly and daily data caps, how much data you’re allowed, and the speed it’s delivered by choosing your device, and plan, carefully. The best portable WiFi for travel is whichever one fits your needs most closely.
Another consideration, directly connected to travel hotspots work, is what countries the hotspot covers. Some devices offer a wide range of coverage, while others are more limited.
If you often travel to smaller countries and countries outside the first world, you’ll likely need a device with more comprehensive coverage.
You should also plan to have your travel pocket WiFi purchased/rented, and set up before you leave.
While some services do offer direct delivery to your house, not all of them do, and it won't necessarily be available where you're going.
Having it set up ahead of time will save you time and frustration, and you’ll have your travel WiFi working as soon as you step off the plane. Amazing!
What to Look for When Buying a Travel WiFi Hotspot
There are many factors when it comes to portable WiFi for travel. How much data you’ll need is only the start.
Battery
One of the most important, and often overlooked feature of WiFi hotspots for international travel is the battery.
Batteries can range from lasting a handful of hours to a full day on a single charge. Many offer additional portable batteries, and some will let you charge other devices off your hotspot.
Think about how you'll be using the hotspot. You may need a longer battery life if you're going to be on the internet all day, regularly use Google Maps to get around, or need consistent WiFi for restaurant recommendations and other travel tips.
On the other hand, there’s no reason to pay for extra battery you don’t need if you only plan on using WiFi a few hours each day.
Size and Weight
Portable WiFi for travel needs to be exactly that, portable. While smaller is usually better in this category, your actual needs vary a lot depending on how you plan to spend your days.
If you’re likely to be on the move, especially on foot, a smaller hotspot for international travel will serve you better. But if you mostly travel for business trips, and are likely to be spending most of each day in a single location, a larger hotspot with longer battery life may be to your advantage.
Display
How you access information about your device is important. While many hotspots have LED screens so you can check on battery, data usage, and other features, not all do.
Some hotspots interface with a mobile app to provide user information.
Think about which method would work best for you. If you go the LED route, check and make sure the most important information for you is displayed upfront. Check reviews to see if the user interface is sufficient and effective for your intended use.
Location
We’ve mentioned this earlier, but it’s worth reiterating.
You need to check, even with portable WiFi hotspots designed for international travel, you must make sure the hotspot will work at your intended destination. If they can’t access a compatible mobile network, they can’t function.
Budget / Daily Limits / Data Allowance and More
The cost of a device isn’t the only cost of mobile WiFi for traveling. Depending on your plan, you will likely also have a monthly or daily use rate. In addition to general use, your plan also dictates data limits, while both your plan and your device have an impact on your maximum data speed.
If you have a tight budget you may need to make some compromises in terms of speed, or your data limits. But, the longer you plan to use a hotspot, the cheaper each day tends to be.
Another important consideration is the maximum number of simultaneous connections. Some devices allow for more than a dozen connections at once, although there is some speed cost to each additional connection. Other portable hotspots can only accommodate 1-2 connected devices at a time.
Should You Rent a Hotspot or Buy It?
It may not be worth it to buy a hotspot right away. If you only travel 1-2 times a year and spend less than a month overall traveling, renting is a convenient and affordable option.
However, if you travel more than 3 times a year, spend more than a month traveling through the year, or make a lot of international trips, it will likely be more economical to purchase the hotspot.
That said, some portable wifi hotspots for travel have an ongoing cost even when you aren’t actively using the device. That price essentially keeps the device active and ready to use, though you still need to purchase data for it separately.
Portable WiFi Hotspot vs Buying a Local SIM Card: What Makes Sense for Your Situation?
Another option is to buy a local SIM card when you arrive at your destination. Local SIM cards are often cheaper than buying or renting portable WiFi for international travel.
However, they can be difficult to acquire if you have a language barrier, and there may be paperwork and permits needed to access them. SIM cards may also be more location-limited than WiFi for international travel devices.
While a SIM bought in the EU will work in multiple countries across the EU, the same cannot be said for SIM cards bought in other countries.
If you’re planning on going to more than one country, especially if any of them are outside the EU, a portable WiFi hotspot is likely a better option, since you won’t have to buy a new SIM card at each destination.
But, if you’re on a budget, or only traveling to the EU or a single country, a SIM card may be a more cost-effective if time-consuming option.
Top 10 Best Travel WiFi Hotspots
The best mobile hotspot for international travel may be subjective based on your needs and where you’re traveling. That said, we’re confident that these are some of the best products for international travel.
Rest easy, knowing you’ll have the connection you need, every time you need it.
Skyroam Solis X WiFi Smartspot
The Skyroam Solis is one of the more powerful travel hotspots available and easily counts among the best travel WiFi hotspots. The Solis X combines the functions of a traditional WiFi hotspot with a camera and a smart assistant.
The double advantage here is that the Solis serves multiple roles on your trip, saving you space.
Its battery is rated to last about 16 hours. That’s a slightly longer than average run-time, and enough that you should be able to use the hotspot all day and charge it overnight.
The Skyroam Solis also works in 130 countries, making it more likely that this device will work wherever you decide to take it. We still recommend looking at the complete list before you make your travel plans, but you can count on it in most major countries.
Like most of the devices on our list, the Solis is a 4G device. That means, at least until you hit data caps, you'll have fast and reliable downloads. If the Solis can't access a strong enough signal to support 4g it'll simply switch to 2G or 3G, and ratchet back up when more signal is available.
Overall this is a powerful, multi-functional device that's well suited to the needs of business people and jet setters alike.
Get 15% off when you purchase through my link here.
Glocal Me G4 – 4G LTE WiFi Hotspot
The Glocal Me may be one of the best-designed pocket WiFi for international travel devices available.
Designed to work in 140 countries without the need for an additional SIM card, and with 1GB of global data included, you’re ready to go with this device as soon as it’s activated.
The Glocal Me is also one of the faster hotspot routers you can get. Supporting speeds up to 150 Mb per second, this travel router is comparable to at-home WiFi.
However, if you're looking for a router for the whole family, this device may be too limited in one regard. It can only support up to 5 connected devices at one time. That's plenty for solo travelers and even couples to connect multiple devices each.
But bringing kids, friends, or other traveling companions along can quickly max out this router's capacity.
That said, this router is also a little cheaper than devices with similar speed and global range. If budget is a primary concern, this may be a good option for a more affordable but still high-end device.
Tep Wireless
Tep’s pocket-sized portable hotspot, ‘Teppy’ is one of the better hotspots if you’re looking to rent. It’s a great device to purchase as well, don’t get me wrong. But, it’s rental prices are reasonable, it’s data caps are soft limits that slow your speed instead of cutting you off or charging extra, and it’s widely available.
If you're traveling to the UK, you may even be able to pick up your Teppy rental after you’ve arrived.
With this device, you'll get 4G speeds, similar to the other hotspots I've listed. The big difference is that it comes with 3 different speed plans and unlimited data. Your speed will be cut substantially after you've hit your data limits, but Tep includes a 5Gb per day option that can support even some content streaming.
The biggest downside with Teppy is its lack of a digital display. You interface with this hotspot using a mobile app. It's a good thing your data is unlimited since you'll need a small amount of connectivity for the app.
While not usually a major concern for routers, it’s worth noting that Teppy comes in three different, jaunty, colors, Red, Blue, and Green.
KeepGo Global Lifetime 4G LTE Hotspot
The KeepGo Global is a good, relatively flexible hotspot, perfect for families and jet setters who don't need quite as much country range but are looking for a more affordable option. This hotspot is in the moderate price range, but still offers 4G speeds, and is compatible with up to 16 simultaneous connections.
It's also an easy-to-activate device. Activation is done entirely online and can be done as soon as the device is out of its packaging.
You also get 1GB of free global data with the Keepgo, another advantage.
However, it only works in 106 countries. That’s more than enough for most travelers but may not include some of the smaller or more exotic travel destinations you have in mind.
Fortunately, their 24/7 customer support is there to help if you're concerned about your travel plans, operating your hotspot, or anything else.
However, this is not an unlimited data device like some of the hotspots on our list. You need to pre-purchase data, although the prices are reasonable for most users. Try to limit streaming and other high-bandwidth tasks, and you should be fine.
Mighty WiFi Worldwide High-Speed Hot Spot
Mighty WiFi is one of the newer devices on the market and comes with all the bells and whistles. The first 30 days after activation it has both US and Global unlimited free data, and reasonable data rates after.
Activation is also online, and relatively simple. However, this device is not compatible with other SIM cards and must be specifically activated by the manufacturer.
It’s got the latest WiFi innovations built-in, with 16 band 4G connectivity, you will have good speed and signal anywhere with enough signal.
It’s also one of the more flexible routers in that regard, working in 150 countries globally.
Like the Global Me, the biggest limitation of Mighty WiFi is its simultaneous connection capacity. It can only support up to 5 devices connected at the same time. That’s more than enough for solo-travel but may get tricky if you want to provide WiFi for a group.
Huawei E5577 4G LTE Hotspot
While most of the other devices on our list have made compromises in simultaneous connectivity, country range, or data limits, the E5577 goes a different direction.
Instead of compromising other functional details, the E5577 has a shorter than average battery life, while having good speeds, and supporting more connected devices.
You can connect up to 10 devices at one time. It supports 150 Mbps, although it will lose some speed the more devices you connect. Signal will also make a difference.
The LCD screen provides a barcode for easy device connection, no need to worry about passwords or public WiFi access.
However, it only offers 6 hours of continuous operation. Its standby mode is considerably more battery-friendly. It’ll last up to 300 hours on a single charge, on standby.
This is a good option for people who don’t anticipate needing a lot of internet connectivity, but who do want quick bursts for directions, restaurant information, social media, and other fast tasks.
Verizon Wireless Jetpack 8800L 4G LTE
This is one of the better options for a family travel hotspot. It can support up to 15 connected devices, and also allows you to monitor data use and control what users can access online.
The 2.4-inch color touch screen is easy to use. The UI is fairly intuitive. No more frustration as you learn the new device.
It also offers 24 hours of runtime battery life, easily one of the longest-lasting batteries available for portable hotspots.
You can also count on this system internationally. Functional in 200 different countries, you can use this router for your whole family, or your whole business group.
While more expensive than some of the options on our list, the Jetpack 8800L isn't the most expensive and offers more features than most travel routers in the same price bracket.
Netgear Nighthawk M1 Mobile Hotspot 4G LTE
Nighthawks are known as amazing gaming modem/routers for traditional cable internet hook-ups, but I was curious if the travel Nighthawk met the same standards.
The Nighthawk met most of my expectations. It has superb speed and maintains it well even with multiple connected devices. It supports up to 20 simultaneous connections and generates a WLAN, useful for file sharing and other multiple-device activities.
However, it does require a SIM card separately. That said, it’s an unlocked router, so you can use whatever SIM card you choose, and can get multiple SIM cards for different locations if necessary.
That means that this hotspot can work just about anywhere, and has greater functional capacity than many similar devices, but still requires the extra step and hassle of getting the appropriate SIM for your location.
I'd recommend this hotspot to travelers who need superior speed and many connections, and don't mind spending a little extra time and money securing those luxuries.
Huawei E5787 4GX WiFi Pro
A slightly different version of the Huawei hotspot we talked about earlier, this router has some advantages over the other model that make it worth mentioning.
The addition of a USB port allows you to connect 1 extra device, for a total of 11 simultaneous connections.
More importantly, the E5787 has double the runtime. You can expect 12 hours on a single charge, almost enough for a full day of continuous internet use.
That extra battery life doesn’t add too much onto the price, meaning this is still an affordable option suitable to families and business people who need more consistent internet use but don’t want to break the bank.
The E5787 also has one of the better download speeds available, maxing out at 300 Mbps instead of 150 Mbps.
Verizon Wireless Jetpack MiFi 6620L 4G LTE
An earlier version of the Jetpack we've already discussed, this router was worth including less because of standout features, it's almost identical except for slightly shorter battery life, and more because it’s customer reviews are better than the newer model.
This machine lasts for 20 hours instead of 24 and has the same internet speed, and 200 country compatibility.
But users report it being slightly more reliable than the newer design, which needs to be restarted to re-tether more than many customers would prefer.
While both models are good options, we thought it worth mentioning that this version seems to perform a little more consistently, even though it can’t operate quite as long.
Ultimately the right router is a combination of meeting specific needs and matching value to price. All of these options are high-performance machines with good download speed and a great deal of functionality.
Which one works for you is a matter of personal preference and travel needs. But, I’m confident that one of the international travel hotspots on this list will be the right one for you.
Take some of the stress out of travel, bring the Internet with you and know that you’ll have it when you need it.
Don’t Go Without Travel Insurance
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- Get insured, even if you already left your home country
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- COVID-19 cover is included
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