Visible and Boost Mobile are some of the most popular prepaid carriers on the market, as they offer great plans at great prices. Each carrier has its positives and negatives, but which offers better phone plans? Let’s put them head to head and see which brand comes out on top.
In this article, we plan to discuss the ins and outs of both carriers and what they offer. We’ll also cover:
Visible and Boost Mobile are mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs. This means that they purchase service access wholesale from one of the three major networks that own infrastructure across the country – AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile – giving customers service at a much cheaper price. Visible is an MVNO of Verizon, while Boost Mobile is an MVNO of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Dish.
Often, the quality of coverage comes down to your area. One carrier’s coverage may be better in New York, while another’s coverage may be better in California. It’s important to compare between providers on a coverage map of your specific city. Ookla’s coverage map allows you to see where cellular towers are located and which company owns them. This coverage map provides information about coverage from 2G to 5G for several providers.
However, T-Mobile’s 5G coverage and access is hailed as the best coverage overall.
Like most plans you’ll see on the market, both carriers offer unlimited talk and texting options with any plan you choose. Visible offers premium data, which does not slow down no matter the amount of network traffic. Both companies deprioritize data, meaning you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas.
Visible only offers 2 plans – Visible Base and Visible +. Visible + offers more features as well as premium data. Both plans offer a hotspot, with the data coming from your overall plan data. As an MVNO on Verizon’s network, Visible is on QCI tiers 8 and 9. Visible + has higher priority for its 50GB of premium data, tier 8, which will be further explained below. Visible Base is on tier 9.
It’s also important to note that Visible is a single line carrier – meaning you can only have one phone on an account. If you’re buying a plan for your family or with your significant other, you need to make separate accounts with separate plans for everyone.
If you purchase your phone from Visible, your device will be locked for the first 60 days after activation. Both plans they offer renew monthly, and taxes and fees are included with the advertised price.
Like most plans you’ll see on the market, Visible’s base plan has unlimited talk and text.
Visible Base also has unlimited data with no cap – meaning you have truly unlimited data that never slows down no matter how much you use. However, the Visible base plan is always deprioritized. Your data and connection will slow down at any point of high traffic in your area.
The plan also includes unlimited mobile hotspot data. Again, your data is deprioritized and may slow down in times of high network traffic.
The plan costs $30 per month, and the first month gives you a $5 welcome discount.
Visible + gives you access to Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network, which is their network for premium data. As such, the 50GB of premium data you get with this plan will not slow down no matter how much network traffic in your area. After you use the 50GB, your data is unlimited – but subjected to the same deprioritization as the other plan. The mobile hotspot is also premium data for the first 50GB, then deprioritized after.
At this rate, you get the 50GB of premium data at $0.90 per GB.
The plan costs $45 per month, with a $10 welcome discount for the first month.
Boost Mobile offers several plans with varying data caps and lengths of service. Some plans will allow you to pay for several months of service up front at a cheaper price – either 3 or 12 months ahead.
Image courtesy of Boost Mobile’s website.
All plans at Boost Mobile are deprioritized. Boost Mobile’s QCI tier is 7 on T-Mobile, 8 on AT&T, and 9 on Dish.
Image courtesy of Boost Mobile’s website.
Some of Boost Mobile’s plans are for new customers only, so make sure to read the fine print.
Image courtesy of Boost Mobile’s website.
You can have up to 4 lines on one plan. If you purchase your phone from Boost Mobile, your device will be locked for up to a year after activation. The plans they offer renew their data monthly, and taxes and fees are not included with the advertised price.
This plan is the smallest Boost Mobile offers at 1GB of data per month. You can use all plan data as mobile hotspot data. Data stops after the cap, and you lose hotspot access.
The plan costs $8.33 per month, and $100 annually.
This plan gives you 5GB of data, and stops after this cap. You get hotspot access and can use all plan data as hotspot data.
The plan costs $15 per month. At this rate, you get 5GB at $3 per GB.
Boost Mobile also offers this plan for $45 per month for 3 months, which is the same rate as their monthly plan. Both versions are for new customers only.
Like its other 5GB plan, you get 5GB of data per month that can also be used as hotspot data. Once you hit the cap, data and hotspot access stop.
The plan costs $14 per month, and $168 per year. At this rate, you get 5GB per month at $2.80 per GB.
With the 15GB plan Boost Mobile offers, you can use all data as hotspot data. Data stops at 15GB, and you lose hotspot access at this data cap.
The plan costs $20 per month, and $240 per year. At this rate, you get 15GB per month at $1.33 per GB.
This plan gives you 30GB per month of full speed data, which slows to 3G speeds after this cap. You can use up to 30GB of the plan on hotspot data, and access stops after.
Image courtesy of Boost Mobile’s website.
The plan costs $25 per month. At this rate, you get 30GB at $0.83 per GB. Boost Mobile also offers 50% off for the first month of service with this plan.
This plan is similar to the 3 month Unlimited plan, as it offers 30GB of full speed data before slowing to 3G speeds. The plan also gives you 12GB of hotspot data.
The plan costs $40 per month. At this rate, you get 42GB per month for $0.95 per GB.
Your unlimited data resets at the beginning of every month, and you have up to 30GB of full speed data. Afterwards, data slows to 512 kbps, or 3G speeds. This is standard for the industry. You can still send texts and emails or scroll through social media without issue, but streaming video will be slower. This plan also gives you 12GB of hotspot data, which stops after the cap.
This plan costs $90 every 3 months, or $30 per month. You get 42GB per month for $0.71 per GB.
This plan offers the best price out of all of Boost Mobile’s plans. Here, you get 30GB full speed data before your speeds slow to 3G. At 3G, you can still send emails and texts or scroll social media, but streaming video or playing games on your phone may be more difficult. This plan also comes with 12GB of hotspot data, which stops at that limit.
This plan costs $300 per year, and $25 per month. At this rate, you get 42GB per month for $0.60
Unlimite Plus is Boost Mobile’s biggest plan. You get 30GB of data at full speeds before it slows to 3G speeds. The plan also gives you 30GB of hotspot data.
Image courtesy of Boost Mobile’s website.
The plan costs $60 per month. At this rate, you get 60GB at $1 per GB.
If you’re looking for a plan with more included features, such as international connection or domestic roaming data, it’s best to compare carriers with what they offer. Boost Mobile also offers add-ons for their plans to include more features for an additional fee.
Visible offers domestic roaming data on their plans. Boost Mobile does not include this feature.
Visible offers talk and text in Mexico and Canada. However, Visible does not include roaming data for Mexico and Canada with Visible Base. Visible + includes roaming data that slows down to 2G speeds after 0.5GB each day. Boost Mobile offers an add-on, where you get unlimited talk and text to both Mexico and Canada as well as 1.5GB of data in Mexico for $5 per month. This add-on is included with the Unlimited Plus plan.
Visible does not give you international roaming data. However, Visible + gives you international talk and text. Visible Base does not offer this feature. Boost Mobile does not offer international data, but texts are $0.10 per message. There is also an add on available for unlimited plans to include international talk.
Visible’s plans stream at 480p Standard Definition. All plans from Boost Mobile stream at 480p Standard Definition, except for Unlimited Plus. That plan streams at 1080p High Definition.
Visible and Boost Mobile do not offer this feature.
Visible and Boost Mobile do not offer this feature.
If you buy a phone from Boost Mobile, the carrier allows you to pay for your device in installments over time. Visible does not offer this feature.
Both carriers offer WiFi calling, which allows you to send and receive phone calls over a WiFi connection rather than cellular reception.
Visible offers spam protection on both of their plans, which blocks spam calls and protects you from potential fraud. Boost Mobile does not offer this feature.
Visible offers a 15 day free trial. Boost Mobile does not offer this feature.
Visible is a digital-only carrier, meaning they only offer customer support online. Visible offers 24/7 chat support from a live agent. Boost Mobile offers several physical locations, and you can find the closest store to you with their store locator. They also offer support over the phone at (833)-502-6678 at 4 a.m. to 8 p.m.on Mon. through Fri. PST and 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST on Sat. and Sun.
Boost Mobile’s $25 unlimited plan offers the best deal for its users for price per GB. When it comes to price per GB as well as included features, Visible offers the better deal for unlimited data with their Visible+ plan. However, Boost Mobile’s Unlimited Plus plan is also a great deal with price per GB and included features, especially for users who want separate data allotments for hotspot access.
Visible doesn’t offer any limited data plans, but Boost Mobile offers several limited data plans with different lengths of service access.
We’d recommend checking your data usage before committing to a plan.
Are you still unsure which carrier to choose, or which phone plan to pick? Use really.com to compare your top choices and find the best deal to fit your needs. Relly allows you to compare and sort between most phone plans on the market without the hassle!
Yep, we offer premium wireless service on the T-Mobile® 5G Network, the nation’s largest and fastest 5G network. If you are in our dewi coverage areas, you’ll also get access to our decentralized phone network powered by the people which will give you even faster speeds and better coverage.
Nope, it’s pay as you go.
Yeah! You put your card on file and prepay each month so that you never experience any disruption.
Yep, but it’s super easy to unlock your device as long as it’s paid off. Chat with us and a real human can help you here.
We have some recommendations on what we think you should get, from iPhones to Droids. Check out our list here which includes affordable places online to get a good deal.
It means we are building a phone network that is powered by the people. Your neighbors put small radios on their roof and help extend the phone network to cover deadzones™ and get even faster speeds. Right now our DeWi network is available in Austin, but we’ll be expanding to other cities REALLY soon. Learn more about DeWi here.
Great question. If you’re in Austin, TX, you’ll install 2 new SIMs. The REALLY nationwide SIM as your first SIM, which will give you voice / text & data on the nation’s largest and fastest 5G network powered by T-Mobile®. Your 2nd SIM will give you access to the REALLY DeWi network in Austin, TX, which you’ll prioritize when available so that you get even faster speeds and better coverage. Depending on your device, you may be able to install eSIMs via a QR code.
Yep, we are powered by T-Mobile®, the nation’s largest and fastest 5G network. If you are in Austin, TX you’ll also get access to our decentralized phone network powered by the people which will give you even faster speeds and better coverage.
The plan is unlimited, but once you reach 20GB you may experience slower speeds depending on network usage.
You get 10GB of hotspot data per month, but can add more if you need to.
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