Visible vs. MobileX: Do you need unlimited?

• 

  Unlimited data savings

  Visible

  Visible is a prepaid carrier owned by Verizon with unlimited data on both of its plans. Visible keeps its plans and pricing simple with fees included, but lacks a family plan savings and a plan for light users.

  Pros

  • Totally unlimited data available
  • Unlimited hotspot data
  • Taxes and fees included

  Cons

  • No multi-line plans
  • No Ultra Wideband 5G on the cheaper plan
  • No options for light users

• 

  Only pay for what you use

  MobileX

  MobileX is a prepaid carrier using the Verizon network that helps customers save by giving them the data they need and not much else. MobileX offers solid savings for most people with custom data plans.

  Pros

  • Cheap for light users
  • Straightforward pricing
  • Strong Verizon 5G coverage

  Cons

  • No truly unlimited plan
  • Not the cheapest light plan
  • No multi-line discounts

Visible and MobileX are both prepaid carriers on Verizon’s network designed to help customers save money, but they go about it in significantly different ways. Visible offers one of the best deals on unlimited data, so customers don’t need to worry about how much data they use or conserving data. MobileX, on the other hand, can save users money by giving them only the data they need with easy usage tracking and strong app controls.

While Visible’s simple plans and one-size-fits-all approach can be nice for those who don’t want to spend much time thinking about their phone plan or bill, it does mean that most people will be paying for data and features they simply won’t use. MobileX gives its users a lot of control with a well-designed app so they can adjust their plan as needed, and if they get too much data, they’ll even get a bill credit for the unused amount.

Mobile carrier features

If you’re coming from a postpaid carrier like AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon, you’re probably accustomed to an unlimited data plan already. Unlimited plans are simple to understand and are a good fit for those who don’t want to worry about how much data they’re using and don’t want to risk running out.

Visible caters to those people with two unlimited plans that don’t have a set amount of high-speed data like a lot of other prepaid carriers. Instead, Visible uses prioritization and 5G speeds to set the plans apart, with the pricier Visible+ plan coming with 50GB of premium data and full 5G Ultra Wideband speeds.

Both Visible plans also come with unlimited hotspot data; the base plan is limited to 5Mbps, and Visible+ is limited to 10Mbps. Still, for keeping your other devices connected when there’s no Wi-Fi, it’s a great addition. It’s worth noting that streamed videos will be limited to SD quality unless you use a VPN. Visible+ also comes with some extras, like calling and texting to other countries, and roaming in Mexico and Canada with 2GB of high-speed data per day.

Last but not least, Visible’s pricing is kept simple with just two plans, that can be paid monthly or annually. These plans also have taxes and fees included, so there’s no guesswork to figure out your final bill.

MobileX’s main plan is its pay-as-you-go custom plan with data coming in at $2.10 per gigabyte and coverage on Verizon’s 5G network. While taxes and fees are extra, the pricing is simple and straightforward, so you always know what you’re getting with MobileX. You can also choose how much talk time and how many texts you need, so you don’t need to spend a penny on features you don’t need.

MobileX’s app makes it easy to keep track of your usage, so there are no surprises when you get to the end of the month. The app allows much more freedom than a lot of carriers, even allowing you to change the quality of your streaming video, so whether you want to save data at 480p quality, or want the ability to watch in full quality, you can. You also don’t need to worry about going over with MobileX refunding customers for unused data.

If you like the way MobileX does things but want a lot of data, you can also sign up for its 5GB or 30GB unlimited plans with unlimited slow data after the initial amount.

Coverage and reception

Both of these carriers rely on the Verizon network for coverage, which means the vast majority of Americans should have strong coverage. You can check Visible’s coverage map to be sure, but as long as you don’t live in the middle of nowhere, you should be fine. If you want to try the Visible network before you buy, you can with an eSIM-compatible phone on Visible, as well as try your first 10 days with MobileX for free.

Verizon’s LTE network covers most people in the country with strong rural coverage, though its 5G network still lags behind T-Mobile. T-Mobile got a head start on mid-band 5G deployment, but Verizon has been hard at work playing catch-up, and now has solid 5G coverage in most cities and a lot of towns across the country. Long story short, both Visible and MobileX should have plenty of coverage for you.

Phone compatibility

Since both carriers use the same network, there isn’t much difference between the two when it comes to supported phones. Since Verizon is one of the most popular carriers in the US, most of the best Android phones will work on the carrier, including some of the most popular models, like the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra. Most of these phones should also connect to Verizon’s low-band, mid-band, and mmWave 5G coverage.

For Verizon low-band 5G, your phone should support bands n2, n5, and n66, and n77 for mid-band coverage. While the coverage area is much smaller, Verizon has some mmWave coverage in big cities and places like airports and sports venues. For mmWave coverage, your phone needs n260 and n261 coverage. For the most part, those with mid-band support should have plenty of speed for their needs.

Plans

Both of these carriers stay focused on simple plans with good prices for single-line customers. If you’re looking for cheap data for a light user, MobileX could be the perfect fit while Visible is great for heavier users accustomed to unlimited data on postpaid carriers. While neither offers specific family plan savings, both carriers’ prices are competitive enough that they could be a solid value for families as well.

Visible’s plans

Visible has just two plans, both of which come with unlimited data on Verizon’s network.

Starting with the cheaper option, called Visible, you get unlimited data with nationwide 5G speeds that are similar to LTE speeds; for most people, this is fast enough and should be adequate for social media and web browsing. You get calls to Mexico and Canada, too, but no international usage. Visible also comes with unlimited mobile hotspot usage at 5Mbps, which isn’t ideal for big downloads, but is fine for browsing and checking emails.

The base plan costs $25 per month with taxes and fees included. If you’re willing to pay for a year in advance, you only need to pay $275, which is a savings of $25 over paying monthly.

Visible+ builds on the base plan with faster Ultra Wideband 5G speeds and 50GB of premium data. While Visible’s plans don’t have a speed cap per se, they are a lower priority than most postpaid Verizon plans. The 50GB of premium data gives you a higher priority for the first 50GB of usage per month. This plan also gets faster hotspot data at 10Mbps. If you have a smartwatch, you can get it connected for free with this plan, a $10 add-on for the base plan.

Visible+ also gets a handful of international features including talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada with 2GB of high-speed data per day. International calling to 30+ countries is included, as well as texting to 200+ countries. You can get one Global Pass day per month for roaming in another country.

Visible+ costs $45 per month, but if you pay annually, it costs $395 per year, which is a savings of $145. Of course, taxes and fees are included. It’s also worth keeping in mind that if you can get Verizon for your home internet, like 5G Home or Fios, you can save $10 per month with Visible+ or $5 per month with Visible.

Visible frequently runs promotions on its plans and new phones, so if you’re considering signing up, it’s worth checking Visible’s deals page to see if you can save even more.

MobileX’s plans

MobileX is also fairly simple when it comes to its plan structure, and if it was going up against any other carrier besides Visible, it would be the simplest.

MobileX keeps things reasonably simple with just three plans, one of which is a custom data plan called Personalized Access. It starts with a $1.98 platform fee and a choice of talk and text options. You can get 50 minutes and texts for $1.50, 150 minutes and texts for $2.50, unlimited talk and text for $4.50, or opt for no talk and text. If you want to call numbers in Mexico and Canada, that’s another $4.50. Data is fairly straightforward at $2.10 per gigabyte.

This custom plan is MobileX’s best value until you reach 5GB of usage, then the Basic Unlimited 5 plan comes in as the better value at $14.88. This plan comes with 5GB of high-speed data with unlimited talk and text.

Moving up to Basic Unlimited 30, you get 30GB of high-speed data with unlimited talk and text for $24.88. Keep in mind that taxes and fees are extra, so you may owe a bit more at checkout.

It’s also worth noting that while Visible has no presence in physical stores, MobileX is available at Walmart stores, so it may be a bit easier to get set up. Still, for most people with a fairly modern phone, all you really need is the MobileX app to get set up.

Which should you get?

While both MobileX and Visible can be great ways to save on mobile data, they target different kinds of users. Overall, Visible offers the more appealing plans for those who use a lot of data.

While there’s little doubt, especially with the help of a proper Wi-Fi system, that most people can get their usage down to a level that works with MobileX’s plans, Visible’s worry-free unlimited data and low prices make it a more appealing option for those coming from an unlimited postpaid carrier.

Visible’s base plan comes in at just $25 per month, which is around the price of MobileX’s biggest unlimited plan, except the data is actually unlimited. Besides that, Visible’s annual payments allow for even greater savings. If you’re looking for an unlimited data alternative to a postpaid carrier, like AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon, Visible is a great starting point with low plan prices for a single line and no need to keep track of how much data you use.

If you know how much data you use in a month, or don’t mind paying attention to such things, MobileX will likely be the best value for you. If you use less than 5GB of data in a month, MobileX is one of the cheapest carriers anywhere, and since the app makes it easy to track your usage, you won’t be surprised by how much you use. Don’t forget that simply making sure you’re using Wi-Fi when it’s available can help save a ton of data.

If you use less than 5GB in a month or think you could, it’s worth downloading the MobileX app and trying out the free 10-day data forecaster to see if it’s really a good fit for you. If it turns out you’re not a good fit for MobileX, you’re not locked in by any contracts or lengthy multi-month plans.