When you’re on the go and need to rely on mobile data, is it better to use a dedicated mobile hotspot device or simply tether your phone to share your data? It’s not a straightforward answer, especially if you live in the US of A!

Phone Tethering Might Come With Terms and Conditions

This is perhaps the most important factor to consider, so I’m putting it front and center. In some countries, the USA included, carriers treat tethering differently than normal data use. So, for example, if you have unlimited data for your phone, you can’t tether it and expect to automatically have unlimited data for your other devices too.

Each contract and carrier handles this in their own way, so double check what the tethering policy is for your subscription. You may have to bolt-on an additional feature to your existing contract, or switch to a different type of subscription. There may also be penalties for tethering your phone on contracts that don’t allow it!

Mobile Hotspots Don’t Empty Your Phone Battery

The best thing about using a dedicated mobile hotspot device, is that it doesn’t tie up your phone, and works independently from your phone’s battery. If you tether your phone to your laptop, and other smart devices you might have with you, their data use will drain your phone’s battery in no time flat. Sure, you can use a power bank, or plug your phone into (for example) a USB port in your car, but it’s still a lot of wear and tear on your handset battery if you do it often.

Mobile Hotspots Can Offer Better Wi-Fi

Your phone’s Wi-Fi system is fine for connecting to a Wi-Fi router and serving the phone itself, but when turning the phone into a mini Wi-Fi router itself, you’ll be significantly overstretching what it was designed for, at least if you want to connect more than just one device.

On average, a dedicated mobile hotspot device will have larger, more powerful antennas, and handle more connected devices while still maintaining decent performance. Of course, a truly low-end mobile hotspot might perform worse than a flagship smartphone, but you don’t need to buy a particularly expensive mobile hotspot to outperform a smartphone’s tethered connection in speed and signal strength.

Phone Tethering Means Traveling Light

Since you have to take your phone with you anyway, a dedicated mobile hotspot is an extra thing to carry around with you when you need to share mobile data. It’s an additional thing to charge, and extra SIM card to deal with, and a separate mobile subscription.

One of the best things about using your phone as a hotspot instead, is that you can do it with just a few taps on your screen right now. It’s convenient, you don’t have to spend extra money (other than maybe a tethering subscription) and as long as you only need to connect one or two devices, you’ll have no complaints about the performance.

Mobile Hotspots Are Great for Family Sharing

If I were driving a car full of people on vacation, I’d hate to have them all connect to my phone to share data. Dedicated mobile hotspot devices are great when groups of people share them. Plug one in somewhere in your car, and everyone can keep busy watching Netflix, or playing Fortnite. Except you. Keep your eyes on the road!

The same goes for when you have to deal with an AirBnB or hotel with terrible Wi-Fi, or wherever you may roam with your travel companions. To me, this is the most compelling reason to get a mobile hotspot device.

Mobile Hotspots Aren’t Better, Just Different

Mobile hotspots (not to be confused with travel routers) are an alternative to tethering your phone for mobile data, not a clearly superior way of doing things. My main suggestion, since you already have access to tethering by virtue of having a smartphone, is to try tethering first. If it turns out that tethering has downsides that you can’t live with, then it makes sense to look at the best mobile hotspot options.