Visible Wireless Cell Phone Plans Review

We love how Visible gets you unlimited data on Verizon's top-tier network for as cheap as $25 per month

Visible
Visible
4 out of 5 stars
4
  • pro
    Cheap unlimited plan
  • pro
    Uses Verizon's network
  • con
    No family plan deals
  • con
    Data can be deprioritized on basic unlimited plan
Tyler Abbott
Nov 30, 2022
Icon Time To Read8 min read

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Visible Wireless is a cell service provider that offers cheap cell phone plans on Verizon's 4G and 5G networks. Visible is available on most iPhones and several Android devices.

Visible just announced two new data plans to choose from: the Visible plan which unlimited talk, text, and data plan for $25/month, and the Visible+ plan that gives you unlimited everything, along with 5G Ultra Wideband coverage and a guaranteed 50 GB of high-speed data every month.

We like how Visible does away with stores. Customers sign up online and get a SIM card in the mail. Insert the SIM card into your phone, download the app, and you’re good to go. You can even pay your phone bill using Venmo.

We don't like that there’s a cap on video streaming and 5G speeds, or the risk of deprioritization, but these factors are outweighed by Visible's reasonable pricing.

Let's dig in to the details.

Visible Wireless Unlimited Plan

Visible Wireless unlimited plan

Incredible price for a solid service
Visible Wireless Unlimited Plan
Pros
  • Cheap unlimited plan
  • Verizon 4G and 5G nationwide network
  • No data speed cap for LTE
Cons
  • Data deprioritization

What we like

With Visible’s mobile plan, you’ll get unlimited calling, text, and data for $25 a month. That new price puts Visible amongst the cheapest unlimited plans available. But what we like most about this plan is not what it has, but what it doesn’t have: no LTE data speed caps, no extra taxes or fees, and no major coverage gaps.

No data speed caps

Plenty of phone plans will give you unlimited data. But not all data is created equal. There’s 4G data, LTE data, and now, depending on where you live, you can get 5G data. These terms refer to the speed of the data, and speed matters when you’re watching Netflix or about to get fragged in a PUBG Mobile match.

Many MVNOs (and even traditional carriers, like AT&T) will throttle your data after you use a set amount. That could mean you’ll be getting data at 1–3 Mbps, instead of 5–10 Mbps, even with your unlimited data plan.

With this cheaper unlimited plan, you get access to Verizon's 5G Nationwide network, which isn't quite fast as Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network, but you can still expect data speeds up to 200 Mbps. 

Do you really need unlimited data?
Light Bulb

You might be tempted to go with a cheaper, limited data plan. But be aware, people tend to use more data than they realize. Here’s a short guide to figuring out how much data you need and if unlimited data access is worth it or not.

No extra taxes or fees

Sales tax, who needs it? Fine, schools, roads, and fire departments do. But let’s be honest: our hearts still sink just a bit when we see that our $4 coffee is actually going to cost us $4.26.

This is why we like Visible’s “baked-in” price. The price tag includes everything: taxes, fees, and any other possible charge you could think of.

No major coverage holes

You might lose service with Visible Wireless if you’re off camping in Yellowstone National Park (in which case, you shouldn’t be checking your email anyways—c’mon, now). But you’ll be covered in most other areas of the country.

That’s because Visible Wireless runs on Verizon’s network. Visible service is available across the continental U.S. and customers can make calls to Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Say yes to mobile hotspots

There’s no limit on the amount of hotspot data you can use, but the speed is capped at 5 Mbps (which should be plenty for streaming and browsing) and you can only have one tethered device at a time.

What we don’t like

As the ‘80s hard rock band Poison taught us, “Every rose has its thorn.” Visible’s biggest thorn is that users’ data can be deprioritized.

Data deprioritization

Remember before, when we talked about data throttling? Well, data deprioritization is similar, but instead of having your data speed reduced for using too much, you can have your speeds reduced during times of “congestion.”

No, this doesn’t mean your phone will slow down when you’ve got a nasty head cold. It means that Visible’s network owner (in this case, Verizon) will prioritize certain customers’ data speeds over others when too many people are connected in one area.

So if you sign up for Visible, you may notice that your phone has a hard time streaming Disney+ during your evening commute.

Alternative picks

Visible pretty much beats out every other MVNO with its recent price drop and new offerings.

If your aim is to have the highest quality plan out there, regardless of price, then you’ll want to look at some more traditional unlimited plans. There are quite a few other MVNOs that offer great unlimited plans for a great price. Mint Mobile, US Mobile, and Tello

But as far as unlimited prepaid phone plans go, we’ll recommend Visible Wireless ‘til the cows come home. Other prepaid carriers, like Tello, could be a good choice for limited-data prepaid plans.

Unlimited plans comparison

Sure, there are a couple of unlimited plans that are slightly cheaper than Visible’s. But these plans don’t have the benefit of truly unlimited, unthrottled data. 

Visible+ Unlimited Plan

Get the fastest 5G speeds available
Visible+ Unlimited Plan
Pros
  • 50 GB Premium data
  • 5G Ultra wideband coverage
  • International calling perks
Cons
  • A little pricey for an MVNO

Visible's brand new unlimited plan gives a Verizon-like experience for a cheaper rate than anything from Verizon. 

What we like

50 GB Premium data

If you the last section about the basic unlimited plan from Visible, you can see that data deprioritization can get super annoying. The Visible+ plan basically throws that out the window and guarantees its users 50 GB of high-speed data every single month. For most people, you likely won't even hit your limit on a monthly basis, so you can expect a premium network experience. In other words, you should have no problem sending texts out in crowded grocery stores or opening the Lyft app after a crowded concert. 

5G Ultra wideband coverage

As a Visible+ customer, you basically get VIP access to the best 5G network Verizon has to offer. Verizon currently has two 5G networks: 5G Nationwide and 5G Ultra Wideband. I'll spare you the scientific details, but basically the 5G Ultra Wideband uses a higher frequency spectrum that allows data to move more quickly. It all translates to speed up to 10 times faster than what you normally get.

International perks

Both the Visible and Visible+ data plans get you unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada, but Visible+ covers you with unlimited talk, text, and data roaming while in Mexico and Canada. You also get free international calling (up to 500 minutes per month) in over 30 countries, and free texting to over  200 countries. If you've got international calls to make, or you love traveling north or south of the border, Visible+ makes a lot of sense. 

What we don’t like

The Visible+ unlimited plan costs $45/month, which is a 50% increase from the basic unlimited plan. We would recommend most users try out the basic unlimited plan for $25/month and only upgrade if you find your data speeds throttling on the regular. 

That being said, the Visible+ price still gives you more value than the cheapest offerings from AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon:

What happened to Party Pay?
Light Bulb

Visible recently ditched its Party Pay (aka family plan) program for new customers. It's too bad that you can't get your price even cheaper by bundling plans together with a group, but thankfully the stand-alone prices still offer tons of value. Existing customers using Party Pay won't see any changes to your bill.

Visible Wireless cell phones and devices

Visible’s phone selection has improved, but that’s not saying much.

You can expect all the latest devices from Apple, Samsung, and Google to work just fine with Visible. Some MVNOs only work with certain phones, but you can get an iPhone 13 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 with your Visible data plan. In fact, you can buy a new (or new-to-you) phone directly from the company. Here’s a peek at some of the most popular phone models that the company sells.

How good is Visible Wireless coverage?

Visible’s coverage is about as good as it gets

Sure, we’ve told you that Visible’s Verizon-run network is the best available, but what does that mean? Well, take a look for yourself.

That’s a lot of purple, and you’ll get access to all of it when you sign up for Visible Wireless.

The best coverage for most people

Verizon’s (and thus, Visible’s) network strength goes far beyond basic coverage. In RootMetric’s most recent “Review of the Mobile Landscape” report, Verizon dominates the other three major networks in nearly every category, from reliability and speed to data and calling.1

The company also tops many of the rankings in OpenSignal’s latest “Mobile Network Experience Report,” although T-Mobile is giving it a run for its money.2 Here's the power rankings of best network coverage right now.

Best network based on 4G coverage

Just keep in mind that, although Visible Wireless customers will get the reach of Verizon’s network, they won’t always get its highest speeds due to deprioritization.

download speed experience screenshot

Visible customer service

We don’t know much, but what we do know says it’s okay. Just okay.

Visible is one of the newest MVNOs around, so there aren’t three trillion people complaining about the company’s service on the internet … yet.

But there is one metric we judge Visible Wireless by, and that’s its rating in the Apple App Store. The company’s app retains a 4.4 star rating after more than forty-seven thousand rankings.3

That’s lower than, say, the myAT&T app, which has 4.1 stars with 3.9 million ratings.4 But it’s better than the MyMetro app, which has 2.9 stars after about a thousand ratings.5

Recap: Is Visible Wireless right for you?

We’re going to take a tip from Visible and keep this part simple. Here’s everything you need to know about the company’s service in one short recap.

  • Cheap and powerful unlimited plan: You get access to unlimited and unthrottled LTE data on Verizon’s network for just $25/month. The only downside is that there’s a cap on video streaming speeds … and you might get deprioritized during peak hours. You can upgrade to the Visible+ unlimited plan and avoid deprioritization for $45/month.
  • Access to the best coverage network: By the numbers, Verizon covers more people in the country than any other carrier. Since Visible uses Verizon's network, you can expect the same coverage as a Visible user.
  • Compatible with the latest phones: All the latest phones will work with Verizon. You can port over your iPhone 13, or you can purchase a new phone directly from Visible.

Visible Wireless came into the industry wanting to shake things up. With Verizon's support, Visible offers a refreshingly simple, cheap, and useful way to get cellular service. If that sounds like the cell phone company you’ve been waiting for, then go ahead and sign up.

How to Sign Up for Visible Wireless

We'll go through the process of signing up, step by step. All you'll need is:
  • Your phone or computer
  • A method of payment (credit card or PayPal)
  • If you plan to keep your existing phone number, you’ll need to know the carrier, account number, PIN or password, and billing zip code for your current phone plan

There are two ways you can sign up, using an app or using a web browser. We’ll start with the app.

Sign up for Visible with the app

If you’ve got a smartphone or tablet handy then the easiest way to sign up for Visible is probably with the company’s app. Here are the simple steps you’ll need to follow.

  • Download the app

Go to the Apple App Store or Google Play app store and search for "Visible."

Then download the Visible Phone Service App.

Screenshot of Visible app in the App Store

2. Open the Visible app

When you open the app, you’ll need to scroll to the right twice and then hit the blue Got it button.

Screenshot of Visible account creation page in the Visible app

Source: Screenshot from Visible app

3. Hit the Get started button

You’ll see two options: Activate my service and Get started.

If you’ve already received a Visible SIM card in the mail from a previous order, then hit Activate my service.

If this is your first time signing up, hit Get started.

4. Choose your phone

If you want to use your existing phone on your new Visible plan, then click Check if my phone works and follow the prompts to enter your phone model.

If you want to buy a new phone when you sign up for Visible, click Shop new phones.

check if my phone works

Source: Screenshot from Visible app

You can choose from a bunch of models, including flagship Apple and Samsung phones (Visible often has some great deals on the newest devices).

5. Click Continue

After you choose your phone, you’ll be taken to a checkout screen where Visible’s Unlimited Data plan will automatically be included in your shopping cart. Click the blue Continue button to move forward with your purchase.

6. Create an account

Next, you’ll see a page that says Let’s create your account.

Enter your information on this page and then click Create account.

7. Enter your mailing address

Fill out the address form on the page that says Where should we send everything?

Then click Continue. (Yes, you probably knew that, but we said this was step-by-step.)

FAQ

Visible is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). MVNOs are smaller, prepaid cellular providers that use bigger companies’ existing cell towers. In this case, the bigger company is Verizon Wireless.

Because Visible Wireless piggybacks off of Verizon's towers, there is a chance that Visible Wireless customers are at risk of having their data deprioritized during times of congestion. Verizon customers will have access to faster data because they are paying more. But a $30 a month unlimited plan is pretty hard to argue with. Plus, Verizon offers a few other MVNO options outside of Visible that are worth checking out. 

If that $25 figure is all you needed to hear, then you can sign up now.

Visible offers affordable plans on Verizon's 4G and 5G network. Visible Wireless offers fast speeds, great coverage, and prices that are hard to beat for what you get.

Unlike a majority of other carriers, Visible Wireless bakes in any taxes, fees, and other charges into their plan price. That means that on the $25 or $45 a month plan, you won't have to worry about any other charges or hidden fees.

Sources:

Tyler Abbott
Written by
Tyler Abbott
Tyler has been obsessed with watching sports as efficiently as possible since the creation of the DVR. He is always on the lookout for the best tech in TV and wireless so he can watch all the sports and still have enough time to hang out with his baby. He has written about streaming, wireless, and TV for over three years. He hopes the Lakers will eventually get better.

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