Best Visible phone plans in 2024

Visible is a prepaid carrier owned and operated by Verizon, so it’s no surprise that its plans all run on the Verizon network. What is more surprising, is just how cheaper these plans are than Verizon’s own postpaid plans, especially for single-line accounts. Visible launched its service with a single unlimited data plan but has since expanded the service to two plans with the premium Visible+ plan upgrading the data experience as well as bringing along multiple international features.

Verizon’s 5G network isn’t offering the coverage of T-Mobile or AT&T just yet, but as the focus of future network upgrades, it’s good that Visible customers get access. While the cheaper Visible plan only comes with limited 5G access, it should still be fast enough for most people. For those that want better network performance, Visible+ offers premium data and full 5G support, so customers can get closer to premium postpaid performance without paying nearly as much.

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  Premium 5G data on prepaid

  Visible+

  If you’re looking to get the most out of Visible’s service, Visible+ takes things up a notch with increased data speeds on 5G plus premium data. Visible+ also adds international roaming in Mexico and Canada, and you can call 30+ countries and text 200+ countries.

  Pros

  • Full 5G data speeds with Ultra Wideband
  • Included 50GB of premium data
  • Upgraded 10Mbps hotspot data speeds

  Cons

  • No multi-line savings for families
  • Smartwatch plan only supports Apple Watch

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  Bargain-priced unlimited

  Visible

  Visible’s base plan comes with unlimited data on Verizon’s LTE and Nationwide 5G networks. This plan comes with unlimited hotspot data at 5Mbps and calling and texting to Mexico and Canada. While it lacks the fast 5G speeds of the premium plan, it’s still quick enough for many people.

  Pros

  • Unlimited data on Verizon’s LTE and Nationwide 5G networks
  • Unlimited hotspot data
  • Taxes and fees included

  Cons

  • No multi-line savings for families
  • Slower 5G speeds than many other prepaid carriers on Verizon
  • Hotspot limited to 5Mbps

Visible, a prepaid carrier owned and operated by Verizon Wireless, offers only two wireless plans — both with unlimited data for those who want to stick with Verizon coverage. Visible’s basic plan, called Visible, costs just $25 per month (including taxes and fees), with frequent discounts bringing that even lower for new customers. This plan is plenty for most people, with no data caps and enough speed on Verizon’s LTE and 5G networks for most tasks.

If you’re looking for a few more features, like international usage, premium data, and access to full-speed Verizon 5G, Visible+ is a worthwhile upgrade. Both of these plans can also be paid for annually to save a little extra money, especially when your new-line promotions eventually run out. There are still a few extras that can be added, such as a Global Pass and smartwatch support, but most should be satisfied with one of Visible’s plans.

Mobile carrier features

Visible keeps its features fairly basic. There are no limited data plans, so there’s no need for data upgrades or tricky high-speed data caps. The speeds you get depend on the plan you choose and the network congestion level in your area. If you want the best Verizon 5G speeds possible on Visible, you’ll need to sign up for the Visible+ plan, allowing you to get 50GB of premium data per month and access to full Ultra Wideband 5G speeds.

If you have access to Verizon’s home internet service, be it Fios or 5G Home, you can get a discount with your Visible plan. The base Visible plan gets $5 off per month, and Visible+ gets $10 off per month. Admittedly, these aren’t as good as Verizon’s postpaid plans, which can enjoy up to 50% off home internet service, but Visible’s low prices still keep the prepaid carrier in the lead with both services.

Visible also allows you to add an Apple Watch to your account for just $5 per month on the base plan. Visible+ customers get Apple Watch support for free, but it’s a bit of a drag that this plan doesn’t include the best Android smartwatches. It’s also worth remembering that you don’t need a data service for your watch and many of the best smartwatches for Android don’t even have cellular support, like the OnePlus Watch 2R.

If you’re looking to share your phone’s data with another device, including tablets and laptops, you get unlimited hotspot data usage with your Visible plan. While there’s no data cap per se with this feature, your speeds are limited to 5Mbps on the base plan and 10Mbps on Visible+. If you’re stuck somewhere without Wi-Fi, you could complete large downloads over the course of hours, but this hotspot data is really only fit for browsing, streaming, and messaging.

One thing Visible doesn’t have is family (multi-line) saving. While many other carriers, postpaid carriers especially, will use multi-line discounts to convince customers to bring as many lines as possible, Visible doesn’t offer any savings like this. The best way to save with Visible to pay annually, which can save you $25 per year on the base plan, and $145 on Visible+.

Mobile coverage and reception

Visible uses Verizon’s network for all of its coverage, so when it comes to placing a call, both plans are identical. If you have Visible+, though, you’ll likely get higher speeds than the base Visible plan, as well as full access to Ultra Wideband 5G (Verizon’s fastest tier of 5G) and 50GB of premium data. The latter is at a higher priority than standard Visible data, so it will remain fast even when the network is congested, in theory.

The importance of premium data depends on the area you live in. For instance, when dozens of devices are connected to a single phone tower, they may have to wait in line while the network directs the traffic. Premium data allows your device to cut in line a bit for faster speeds and better responsiveness. The importance of this feature depends on how many devices are trying to connect and the quality and density of the network in an area.

Like premium data, the performance of 5G on Visible isn’t easy to predict; you can check Visible’s coverage map to get an idea of where Ultra Wideband 5G is available, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Realistically, most Ultra Wideband coverage uses Verizon’s C-Band spectrum, but mmWave can add capacity in dense areas. C-band 5G uses a spectrum around 3.7GHz, which Verizon has enough of for speeds much higher than LTE, but the coverage is weaker. In general, a low-frequency signal, as used for nationwide 5G, will travel farther, but there’s much less of it available to carriers.

To make a long story short(er), you need more C-band towers to cover the same area as LTE and nationwide 5G. That means Verizon will need to build many new towers or small cells in addition to upgrading its old towers. Luckily, Verizon has been doing just that with many towns and cities across the country sporting at least some Ultra Wideband coverage.

If you want to check your coverage and have an eSIM-compatible and unlocked phone, you can get a 15-day free trial with Visible. With the Visible app, you’ll be able to create an account and connect to Visible data before canceling your current service to make sure Visible will work for you.

Phone compatibility

If you’re coming from Verizon and your phone was made in the past few years, there’s a good chance you can bring it to Visible. In fact, you can bring just any of the best Verizon phones to Visible as long as you purchase it unlocked.

Visible’s nationwide 5G uses bands n2, n5, and n66, while Ultra Wideband uses n77 for C-band and n260 or n261 for mmWave. For the best results, your phone should support as many of these bands as possible, though the most important bands for most people will be nationwide 5G and C-band. Recent phones like the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Google Pixel 9 support these bands, so there’s a good chance you can find a phone that works for you.

One thing to remember is that phones purchased from Verizon often come with a 36-month payment plan, and if you got a discount on it, you may need to stay on your current plan to maintain that discount. You have to pay for the phone in full one way or the other, so keep that in mind before jumping ship.

Plan details

If Visible’s Verizon-based coverage and network works for you, the most important choice remaining is which plan to choose. The base plan is likely more than enough for many users shopping in this price range, but what may not be expected is that it’s also adequate for heavier users.

If you frequent speed test apps or like to download large files using Wi-Fi, the speed deficiencies of the cheaper plan will be more apparent, but for general use, there’s a good chance you don’t even need the premium Visible+ plan.

Visible+ plan features

Visible+ is Visible’s most expensive plan, but even so, it comes with features that compete with many premium postpaid plans.

You get unlimited talk and text in the US, Mexico, and Canada, as well as unlimited roaming in the latter two; if you travel frequently, Visible+ can pay for itself in no time. Keep in mind that you get 2GB of high-speed data per day with the rest at 2G speeds in Mexico and Canada. Calling 30+ countries is included, as well as texting to 200+ countries. If you’re an iPhone user with an Apple Watch, you also get free data on your smartwatch.

That being said, this plan’s biggest strength is data. You get unlimited data on Verizon’s LTE and 5G networks with 50GB of premium data. When you have premium data, your connection is treated as a higher priority than those without, so when there’s a lot of congestion, your connection can feel more responsive.

If you live or work in a dense area, this effect will be much more noticeable than in a rural area or small town; after 50GB, you still get unlimited data, though you may notice a slight slowdown. Still, 50GB is quite a lot of data, and most people won’t need all of it in a month.

This plan can also fully utilize all of Verizon’s Ultra Wideband 5G bands, including mmWave and C-band, for speeds much faster than LTE. While this network isn’t as nearly as widespread as nationwide 5G or LTE, it can be great for keeping your data fast and responsive in the areas with coverage, which are mostly built-up urban and suburban areas.

In addition, if you need data on another device like a tablet or laptop, Visible+ comes with unlimited hotspot data at 10Mbps. Visible+ customers can also get $10 off Verizon Home Internet, so you could also stand to save compared to your current home ISP if you switch.

Visible plan details

The base Visible plan is still one of the best values when it comes to wireless plans, thanks to its cheap unlimited data. Visible’s unlimited data stands out for being truly unlimited with no high-speed data caps, as seen on unlimited plans from other prepaid carriers like Mint Mobile or Google Fi.

Visible estimates download speeds up to 56Mbps on 5G with this base plan, which is plenty for just about anything you do on a phone, but speeds can be quite a bit higher in practice. Besides that, you can download as much as you’d like and stream for hours a day without looking at your data usage.

This plan has 5G access, too, but it’s limited to nationwide 5G, which is quite a bit slower than Ultra Wideband. Even so, nationwide 5G and LTE on Verizon are generally quick enough that you shouldn’t notice much difference outside of large downloads and uploads. You also get unlimited hotspot data like Visible+, though the speed is cut in half to 5Mbps.

Of course, talk and text are also unlimited. If you have friends or family in Mexico or Canada, you can call and text them for free with this plan, but you don’t get any of Visible+’s other international features. If you are able to get Verizon Home Internet service, you can get $5 off with this plan.

Which is right for you?

Visible+ has faster data than the base plan, and for some people, that’s enough of a reason to upgrade. For others, the improved support for international features and, such as coming with 2GB of data per data in Mexico and Canada are a good reason to switch.

While the standard price for Visible+ is a fairly steep $20 per month, heavier phone users with an appetite for responsive data may find the upgrade to Visible+ worth every penny, especially when you consider that Verizon’s cheapest 5G plan — Welcome Unlimited — doesn’t come with premium data or Ultra Wideband access while costing more per line for one or two people.

The base Visible plan is a great entry point, and truth be told, many people will be perfectly happy with the data speeds they get. Its unlimited hotspot data means you can stay connected from the road or a coffee shop without searching for Wi-Fi or worrying about insecure public Wi-Fi, which is phenomenal value at $25.

There’s also the fact that the money saved by not picking a postpaid plan can be put towards getting a great, unlocked Android phone, giving you the flexibility to switch carriers without having to pay off an expensive device first.