Are you looking to get online with a mobile Wi-Fi or MiFi device?
In this article, we’ve reviewed the 5 best MiFi deals on the market in the UK at the moment.
After, we’ve explained what you need to know when choosing a MiFi device and data plan.
Best MiFi deals
Let’s begin our reviews.
Below, we’ve taken a look at 5 of the best mobile Wi-Fi deals you can buy right now.
1. Three 4G MiFi Device
Three offers quite a good MiFi device bundled with very reasonably-priced data plans, including some with unlimited data.
You can get this device for as little as £15-£25 per month, and Three offers 6 months half price with some of their longer-term plans.
There are 12 and 24 month contracts available, as well as month-to-month plans, which have a higher upfront cost. However, many of the 12 and 24 month agreements have no upfront costs at all.
When we tested Three’s MiFi device, we found it to be quite a powerful bit of kit, given what it costs. The battery lasts for six hours, and its Wi-Fi signal strength is quite good. It offers great download speeds, especially once positioned in the right place.
Overall, if you’re looking for 4G MiFi, it’s hard to go past Three’s 4G MiFi device, made by TCL. With most other providers’ MiFi deals, you’d be getting a lot less data per month with their plans that have a similar monthly cost.
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2. Vodafone 5G Mobile Hotspot
If you’re looking for 5G download speeds, and are willing to pay more for them, Vodafone’s 5G Mobile Hotspot device is worth checking out.
This MiFi device offers download speeds of more than 300 Mbps, as long as you get 5G signal – it will switch to 4G when no 5G is available. Plus, it also comes with WiFi 6 – the latest standard – which gives you better signal strength and download speeds when connected to the hotspot.
You can also connect up to 32 devices to this mobile Wi-Fi router at once, which is much more than most MiFi devices allow. It can function almost as well as a regular Wi-Fi router, at least for small households.
The downside is, you’ll pay quite a lot for this device. The monthly costs are surprisingly reasonable, but the upfront fees are extremely high. This makes sense, given that 5G MiFi devices are very expensive at the moment.
On the plus side though, there are plenty of data deals to choose from, including ones with 4GB, 30GB, and unlimited data each month. And you can choose between pay as you go, 12 month, and 24 month contracts.
Just be aware that on the short term 30 day plans, the upfront fee is extremely high.
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3. Vodafone R228t MiFi Device
As well as their 5G Mobile Hotspot, Vodafone also sells a 4G MiFi device.
This R228t MiFi router is a powerful bit of kit. Although it doesn’t support WiFi 6, it has a very long battery life, at nearly 12 hours of use and 300 hours on standby, and it can connect up to 32 devices to the internet at once.
The R228t also offers very good download speeds, at up to 300 Mbps in theory, and about 40-50 Mbps in practice, if you get good Vodafone 4G signal.
There is a good range of data plans available from Vodafone, similar to with their 5G MiFi device – you can get unlimited data if you’d like, and their monthly costs are quite good.
However, when you also account for their upfront fees, Vodafone is a bit more expensive than Three. This is especially true on their pay as you go plans, which have a very high initial cost.
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4. EE 4GEE WiFi Mini
Like Three, EE also sells a 4G mobile Wi-Fi device, made by Alcatel.
The great thing about this MiFi device is it performs really well. It can support up to 64 connected devices at once, and has a 30m Wi-Fi range, although we found it to be more like a 20-25m range in testing.
Also, EE has the best 4G mobile network in the UK. You might like to use them if you travel a lot, and often find yourself in areas with poor 4G signal. Being on the EE network allows you to get online when you normally wouldn’t be able to.
However, there is a big downside to this MiFi device – it’s only available on a 24 month contract. There are no short-term month-to-month plans available.
On the plus side, there are a good range of data deals on offer – you can get 5GB, 25GB, 125GB, or unlimited data, and each has no upfront cost. However, EE’s monthly costs on their MiFi deals are very high when compared to other providers, like Three.
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5. O2 Alcatel Pocket Hotspot 4G
Unlike the other MiFi networks on this list, O2 allows you complete flexibility to build your own MiFi plan with their 4G Pocket Hotspot.
Rather than having to choose between a 12 or 24 month contract, you can choose 13, 15, or 17 months if you want to – the minimum is a 3 month commitment.
You can also decide exactly how much data you want, from 5GB per month, up to an unlimited data allowance. And you can even trade off having a higher upfront cost for a lower monthly cost, by building a custom data plan.
This Alcatel MiFi device is also quite a good bit of kit. It comes with an 8-hour battery life, and can connect 32 devices to the internet at once. There are also other offers available, such as double data for Virgin Media customers.
The one issue with O2 is although they’re very flexible, their monthly costs are quite high. Also, since you have to commit for at least 3 months, there are no pay as you go MiFi plans available.
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What you need to know
In this section, we’ve explained how MiFi deals work, what you need to know when choosing a mobile Wi-Fi device, and the advantages and disadvantages of using MiFi to get online.
What is MiFi and how does it work?
A mobile Wi-Fi (also known as MiFi) device is a small gadget that creates a WiFi hotspot, allowing you to get online on your laptop, phone, iPad, and other devices.
To connect to the internet, MiFi devices use the 4G or 5G mobile broadband network, just like your phone. They take a SIM card, and use mobile data to get you online.
When you buy a MiFi device, you can get it bundled with a data plan and a SIM card. You will typically have a monthly data limit of 10-100GB, although unlimited data plans are also available.
MiFi devices also come with a battery, so they don’t need to be plugged in all the time. Since they’re also lightweight, MiFi devices are very portable when compared to most other ways of getting online.
Advantages of MiFi
Here are some of the main advantages of getting online with MiFi, compared to a traditional fibre broadband connection.
- MiFi devices are very flexible. You can buy them on a pay as you go plan, or on a 12, 18, or 24 month contract if you’d prefer.
- MiFi offers a cheap way to get online. With certain mobile networks, you can get a MiFi device bundled with a data plan for a very reasonable monthly cost, especially if you buy a 4G MiFi device, and don’t choose a plan with unlimited data. Also, you don’t have to pay for line rental with a MiFi device, helping you to save money.
- Sometimes, if you have slow broadband at home, MiFi devices can allow you to get faster download speeds.
- MiFi devices are very easy to set up. Simply insert the SIM card, put in the battery, charge up the device, and you’re ready to turn it on. You can get connected within about 15-20 minutes of the device arriving in the mail.
- You can get online almost anywhere using MiFi, as long as you have 4G signal. You’re not just limited to getting online at home.
Disadvantages of MiFi
However, there are also some disadvantages to mobile Wi-Fi when compared to a traditional Wi-Fi connection that you need to be aware of.
- Many MiFi deals come with a data limit. Unlike with regular broadband, you won’t always have unlimited downloads, unless you pay more for a plan with unlimited data.
- You will need to ensure that the MiFi device has enough charge when you want to use it. In saying this, you can use your MiFi device while it’s charging, if you want to.
- MiFi devices won’t create as strong a Wi-Fi hotspot as a traditional home broadband router. Also, you won’t be able to get online with as many devices at once.
What download and upload speeds will I get with MiFi?
The exact download and upload speeds you’ll get with a MiFi device depend on a number of factors.
The most important thing is whether or not you’re using a 4G or 5G mobile Wi-Fi router.
- If you’re using 4G MiFi, you can expect download speeds of about 20-40 Mbps, and upload speeds of about 5-8 Mbps.
- If you’re using 5G MiFi, you can expect download speeds of 300 Mbps or even more, and upload speeds of about 10-15 Mbps.
The issue with 5G MiFi is, it’s very expensive. If you’re looking for these types of speeds, and you mostly want to get online at home, we’d recommend looking at the Three 5G Hub router instead.
If you’re put off by the cost of 5G MiFi, 4G speeds are plenty for most MiFi use cases, especially when travelling. You can stream HD video with as little as 5 Mbps without experiencing buffering. However, don’t expect to get your whole family online at once using a 4G MiFi device.
The exact speeds you’ll get with mobile broadband depend heavily on the mobile network coverage at your address. We recommend using network coverage maps to check your signal – you want it to say that there is good indoor and outdoor 4G coverage at your address. Here is Three’s network coverage map, as an example.
When you get your MiFi device, we highly recommend trying it in a few different rooms around the house, to see where it gets the strongest 4G signal. The best place to put your MiFi router for the fastest speeds is typically a second-storey windowsill.
How much does a MiFi device cost per month?
With Three, who sell the cheapest MiFi plans at the moment, you can expect to pay about £15-£25 per month for their MiFi device with a data plan.
Other MiFi providers charge more for their MiFi packages, or offer a much lower data limit for the same per-month cost.
The exact amount you’ll pay depends on how much monthly data you need, and the contract length. The longer the contract, the less you’ll pay per month for a MiFi device.
Also, going for a longer-term contract typically allows you to avoid having to pay an upfront charge. On a month-to-month plan, you can expect to pay a £30-£50 upfront fee, in addition to the monthly cost we mentioned above, and this initial fee is much higher with 5G mobile Wi-Fi devices.
How to calculate how much MiFi data you need
When buying a MiFi device, it’s very important to consider how much data you’re going to use per month.
If your limit isn’t high enough, you’ll run out of data, and have to stop using the internet before the end of the month. On the other hand, if your limit is too high, you’ll likely be wasting a significant amount of money each month.
As a rule of thumb:
- If you’re only getting online every few days or so, and only sending emails, browsing the web, and using social media occasionally, a data limit of 10-20 GB should be enough.
- If you’re getting online most days, including with the occasional YouTube video as well as more regular social media usage, a data limit of about 50GB should be enough.
- If you’re getting online every day, including watching YouTube/Netflix and using social media on a regular basis, you might want at least 100GB of data per month, or an unlimited data plan.
The above assumes that only a single person is using the MiFi device. With more than one person getting online, you will need to increase your monthly limit accordingly.
Which is the best MiFi network in the UK at the moment?
The best MiFi provider depends on what you’re looking for:
- In terms of value for money, Three is the best MiFi provider at the moment. Their TCL MiFi device is very reasonably priced given the amount of data you get, and Three also has good network coverage.
- In terms of download speeds, Vodafone is a good choice, because they offer a 5G MiFi device. However, it is very expensive.
- In terms of network coverage, EE is a good pick, because their 4G network covers the most area in the UK compared to any other provider. However, their MiFi plans come with quite low monthly data limits.
In most cases, we would recommend Three MiFi over Vodafone, O2, and EE. Their MiFi deals are so much cheaper, while still offering great download speeds and a good Wi-Fi hotspot, that it usually makes sense to choose them over other mobile networks.
Can you use a MiFi device when travelling, including overseas?
If you buy a MiFi deal, you can use the device anywhere in the UK you can get 4G or 5G mobile broadband signal from the network you’re with. This allows you to get online almost anywhere in the country.
You can also use your MiFi device overseas, but the rules around doing this vary from network to network.
- Three MiFi works in 138 different countries, once you activate roaming. This is inclusive up to a fair usage limit in Go Roam countries, and is chargeable elsewhere.
- EE MiFi works overseas, but you need to buy a roaming broadband data add-on, which lasts for 30 days. The cost depends on the roaming zone you’re travelling to.
- With Vodafone, data roaming is enabled by default, but you are subject to a fair usage limit, or may have to pay for usage in certain countries.
- O2 MiFi does not allow roaming.
You can also use a local SIM card in your MiFi device, since most of these devices are unlocked, however, it may need to be a data-only SIM.
It’s important to note, some countries use different 4G frequencies, meaning that your MiFi device will not work no matter what.
Alternatives to MiFi
Other than using a mobile Wi-Fi device, there are other ways you can get online without using a fixed-line broadband connection.
- Dongles work in a very similar way to MiFi devices. They take a SIM card, and use 4G signal to get online. The difference is, mobile broadband dongles plug into your computer using a USB connection, rather than creating a WiFi hotspot. This means that although they are very easy to set up, since they’re plug and play, you can only get online on a computer with a dongle.
- 4G routers are similar to MiFi devices, except they must be plugged in all the time, and don’t come with a battery. Although they’re not as portable, the upside to 4G routers is they typically offer faster speeds, and provide a better Wi-Fi network. You’ll be able to get online with more devices at once using a 4G broadband router, and you’ll still be able to take the device to other locations, as long as you have somewhere to plug it in. We recommend looking at the Three 4G Hub if you don’t need a MiFi device with a battery.
- 5G routers are just like 4G routers, except they offer much faster download speeds. The Three 5G Hub is a good choice if this is what you’re looking for – it offers extremely fast download speeds for a very reasonable monthly cost.
- You can also use your phone hotspot to get online on the go. The downside to doing this is your phone’s battery will drain quickly, and you’ll need to ensure that you have enough data on your plan. However, this is a simple way to create a Wi-Fi network you can connect your laptop to, for example.
Conclusion
You’ve reached the end of our guide to the best MiFi deals in the UK.
Ultimately, for most people, we’d recommend Three’s MiFi device. Although it’s not the best bit of kit on the market at the moment, it offers good download speeds for a very low monthly cost. Even if you want unlimited data, this MiFi device is not all that expensive.
If you’re not sure which MiFi deal to buy, feel free to leave a comment below, and we’ll respond as soon as we can.
About the author
Tyler is the co-founder of Broadband Savvy. He has been helping people improve their broadband connectivity since 2018 by writing about fibre broadband and mobile broadband providers, as well as creating tutorials to help people improve their broadband speeds and Wi-Fi signal.
Tyler is responsible for the majority of buyer’s guides and broadband reviews published on Broadband Savvy. He has a wealth of experience testing and reviewing different broadband tariffs, including fibre internet plans, as well as 4G and 5G broadband deals. He is responsible for testing and evaluating Wi-Fi routers, performing speed and latency tests, and comparing the value for money of different broadband providers on the market in the UK.
Before co-founding Broadband Savvy, Tyler had a long history of tinkering with computers. He built his first PC at the age of 12, and since then, he’s become obsessed with all things networking and internet-related. He’s a massive gamer, loves Rocket League, and also plays Sunday League football.
We are visiting the U.K. and need temporary (7 weeks), portable broadband access for 2 phones, a laptop and an iPad…any suggestions?
Hi Fiona,
We think you’re on the right track in looking at MiFi devices for this purpose. Since no providers offer 6 month contracts, you’re probably best looking at a 30-day deal and renewing it each month. For those devices, you will probably need about 30-50GB per month, but you may need more (up to 100GB or even unlimited) if watching many videos and/or downloading big files.
We would recommend the Three or Vodafone MiFi devices, as both can be purchased on 30 day plans.
Thanks
Hi Tyler
Great article and very informative! I travel a lot in motorhome and get very frustrated by site WiFi being poor and not being able to connect devises. MiFi or 4G router??? Contract or PAYG, help me out!! Cheers
Hi James,
Thanks for the feedback, glad it was helpful! To summarise the two choices:
1.
4G router if you have multiple pieces of hardware to connect and want a slightly more permanent solution. What I mean is, if you don’t want something you have to charge all the time – something you can keep plugged in to get online anytime.
MiFi if you have only one or two devices to connect, want to save a bit of money, and don’t mind charging it up every so often.
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PAYG if you’ll only be using the device infrequently and have another main way of getting online.
Contract if this is your main way of getting online and will use the device for a year or more (this sounds like the best choice if you’re travelling a lot).
Three’s MiFi device or their 4G Hub router are good choices, and are reasonably priced at the moment. If this is your main way of getting online, you will probably want unlimited data, especially if it’s for more than one person. However, if it’s just you, and you won’t be using the internet too much, you can probably get away with a 100GB data limit or thereabouts.
Thanks
Hi Tyler, I found the information and reviews you have provided very useful.
I am currently a three customer for my mobile phone and am happy with them as a service provider. We recently purchased a static caravan in a rural area, when visiting for weekends want to use a smart tv, watch movies on netflix and connect a laptop, what would you recommend. Currently we are using an old mobile phone and a sim with unlimited data. The phone has stated to become unreliable, do I use another old phone or opt for a Mufid device and if so which one.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you
Hi Josie,
Thanks for the feedback, glad some of the information was useful.
It sounds like the best choice for you would either be Three’s MiFi device or Three’s 4G router. Both will create a WiFi hotspot you can connect to with multiple devices, and you can get them with the same Three unlimited data SIM.
To choose between them, consider:
We actually have a dedicated guide to caravan WiFi, which you can view here: https://broadbandsavvy.com/best-caravan-wifi-devices/
Ultimately, it sounds like a 4G router would be a better choice given your usage. With a MiFi device, you’ll have to charge it constantly, and Three’s 4G Hub will be slightly better in terms of WiFi signal strength. which can be helpful with multiple devices.
Thanks
Thank you for this, I have checked the coverage and 4g is not available but three have recommended the Mifi device so looks like my decision is made, thanks again for your help
Hi Tyler,
I am looking for a remote connection to my wifi afterburner heater in my campervan through a MQTT. I was looking for the cheapest option MIFI, what do you suggest as I only need minimum data?
Hi Fergie,
The cheapest option with minimal data is probably going to be Vodafone, as they offer a 4GB plan. Three is also very cheap, but since their minimum plan is 10GB, they cost a tiny bit more.
Thanks
Hi Tyler,
I am struggling to decide the best option for me. I visit the UK three or four times per year and need wifi inside the house to connect 3 phones, 1 laptop, 1 ipad, 1 Hive, and stream Netflix on TV and NOWTV. Also when my daughter will visit she will have a laptop and 2 phones.
We had SKY wifi and TV but I cancelled it as I don’t want to be paying every month when I am not there. We then had Three wifi with a Huawei hub but the signal was so poor we couldn’t do anything and they let me get out of the contract. Now I have nothing and need to set something up without paying every month. I was thinking to get a MiFi. If I purchased an open MiFI I could get a 30 day data sim with any network (probably EE as the signal is good in my area). I have no idea if this would work for me, the most important thing is to get the TV working again. I dont know how much data I need and if I need 4g or 5g. Can you please offer me some advice?
Hi Sheryl,
It sounds like you have quite high data demands and will need a decent amount of bandwidth. Therefore, going down the route of getting a 4G/5G router as you did before might be worth looking into, as they will be able to better handle having multiple devices connected at once. We have a guide to 4G routers you can view here: https://broadbandsavvy.com/best-4g-router-deals/
If the Three 4G Hub didn’t provide good signal, it’s a good idea to switch networks. To test, try and do a few speedtests on 4G or 5G in your house. This will give you an idea of what other networks will be able to provide.
The issue is, with these devices (MiFi/4G/5G routers) Three is by far the cheapest at the moment. If you go with EE, they’ll be relatively expensive, especially when it comes to the upfront cost of sending the router. The upfront cost is much higher on pay as you go contracts.
5G would be good to have, especially if you have multiple devices streaming video at the same time. However, if you get a consistent 20-25 Mbps or more from 4G (as you’ve tested from your phone) you should be OK. Just avoid having more than one device stream 4K video at once.
You may also like to consider NOW Broadband. They offer month to month contracts, offering speeds of up to 67 Mbps, which will be plenty.
Thanks
Hi Tyler
I’m looking for a good option for streaming (Netflix) on my narrowboat. The steel boat structure acts as a faraday cage so the signal can be poor at times, so looking for something I can plug an external aerial into when needed (magmounted on the roof). Currently using an unlimited 3mob mifi unit (bluetack’d to a window when necessary!), but it has no aerial port to help when moored in a poor coverage area. Any suggestions pls?
Dave
Hi Dave,
I think upgrading to the Three 4G Hub or 5G Hub (if you can get 5G) would be a good choice. They both have the ability to be used with an external antenna I believe.
Thanks
Hi Tyler, thank you for the great article! It’s very informative and really helped me today. Alison
Hi Tyler,
Thanks for such informative article….still, have one query.
Next week onwards i will be moving to G73 1JU. At this point of time i am not looking for broadband connection so what could be alternate option. Can i go for Three’s mifi device? I have enquired for Vodafone and Virgin/O2 mifi devices as well…but confused …
Any suggestons ?
I have a mobile Huawei device through the SMARTY provider which is actually 3 network. It’s great in UK as it provides me with a secure private hotspot as opposed to using public or other private wifi which might not be as secure as I need. My problem with it is using it abroad. It acts like a mobile phone sim with limited roaming usage before expensive charges. Also I found their customer service virtually impossible to deal with. In future would I be better just to buy a local PAYG sim for it or swap to 3 itself?
Three’s SIMs should be a good choice in most overseas countries, although they will still have a fair usage limit. The issue with buying a local SIM each time is it might be a bit time consuming finding one that’s compatible with MiFi.