Visible vs. Metro by T-Mobile: Which is better for you?

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Visible

Unlimited data

Visible uses Verizon’s 4G LTE and 5G network to give subscribers great coverage at only $25 per month, no strings attached. This one and only plan comes with unlimited data, unlimited hotspot data, and unlimited calling and texting. While the plan officially starts at $40, you can join a party in minutes and take your bill down to just $25 per month, a standout value for unlimited data.

Metro by T-Mobile

Massive 5G coverage

Metro by T-Mobile offers four different plans, though the plans with unlimited data will tempt the most. All of Metro’s plans have full access to T-Mobile 5G, including the massive and fast mid-band coverage. Metro’s three largest plans also have multiline discounts up to five lines, so you can bring the whole family. Metro is also compatible with the Affordable Connectivity Program for government assistance.

Looking to save some money on your next phone bill? Visible and Metro are two of the best prepaid carriers out there that will get you great coverage at a reduced cost. One thing to note about either carrier is that they’re owned and operated by the larger carrier that provides the network connection. In fact, Visible is branded as Visible by Verizon as is Metro by T-Mobile.

Both carriers offer 5G access, unlimited talk and text, and no contracts or commitments. Visible’s plan comes with unlimited data at a great price, making it a great pick for anyone who consumes a lot of high-speed data and wants something simple. Metro by T-Mobile offers four plans with different data offers, perks, and available add-on services, making it a better choice for families seeking multi-line discounts.

Both carriers include fees and taxes in the plan price so there are no surprises at checkout.

Visible vs. Metro by T-Mobile: At a glance

Both Visible by Verizon and Metro by T-Mobile are some of the best prepaid carriers that use the network of their owner. Though Visible only has one plan while Metro offers four, each has 5G access with either Verizon’s network or T-Mobile’s as long as your phone is compatible. You’re also guaranteed to get unlimited calling and texting, data, and 480p video streaming. Hotspot data with Visible is limited to 5Mbps, whereas with Metro you’ll get 5GB or 15GB of hotspot data but only with its two unlimited plans.

Metro has traditional multi-line savings for families, while Visible has Party Pay. Party Pay allows Visible customers to join a Visible Party from the community page on Visible’s website to take their plan down to just $25 per month.

	Visible	Metro by T-Mobile
Network	Verizon	T-Mobile
International calling	Limited	Add-on service
Roaming	No	Yes
Mexico and Canada Usage	No	Add-on service
Hotspot data	Unlimited (5Mbps)	5GB or 15GB with top two plans
5G access	Yes	Yes
Video stream quality	480p	480p

The main difference between Visible and Metro is what you get for each price. Visible is cheaper overall, even when you take Metro’s multi-line discounts into account. With Visible you also get more hotspot data, which is limited to either 15GB or 5GB on Metro’s top two unlimited plans. But with Metro you’ll get roaming, which is convenient if you’re out of network, as well as a bunch of add-on services to make your plan exactly what you want. It’s worth noting that this is more necessary on the T-Mobile network.

You have more international options with Metro, as well as cool perks with certain plans like unlimited music streaming, Google One storage, and Amazon Prime.

Visible vs. Metro by T-Mobile: Visible’s plans

(Image credit: Samuel Contreras / Divinemercy)

Visible offers one simple plan for $40 per month, no contracts, fees, or complexities. It’s a great choice for anyone who wants to use Verizon’s vast 4G LTE and 5G coverage. The plan comes with unlimited data, calling, and texting, unlimited hotspot data, and great coverage for most people in the U.S.

Visible’s monthly cost is very affordable, but it drops even lower if you sign up for more than one line with Party Pay. In the early days, you would need to track down a party on your own, but at present, Visible has added a community page that makes it easy to find a party to join in just a couple of minutes. Once you’re in a party with at least four members, your bill comes down to just $25.

With Visible, you’ll also get the bonus of unlimited hotspot data, though the speed is limited to 5Mbps. For most people, that’ll be just enough to work on their laptops, listen to music, and watch SD videos.

You’ll also be able to call Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, but no other international use or roaming is supported. Visible actually doesn’t offer domestic roaming either, and it can’t access Verizon’s 3G towers. If you’re someone who frequently drives through the countryside or can’t afford to have a spotty network, then this might not be the best plan out there for you.

Visible vs. Metro by T-Mobile: Metro’s plans

T-Mobile’s wireless carrier, Metro by T-Mobile, offers four plans you can choose from, all of which decrease in price as you add more lines. Its top plan costs $60 per month, and goes as low as $30 per month. But whichever Metro plan you pick, rest assured that you’ll get access to T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G network — the largest in the country.

Metro by T-Mobile’s most expensive plan stands out with unlimited high-speed data, 15GB of hotspot data, and a lot of other neat perks like 100GB of Google One cloud storage (only for Android phones), and an Amazon prime membership. With the $50 unlimited plan, you’ll get almost the same deal, but with fewer hotspot data (5GB) and no Prime membership. And if you want to reduce your monthly bill, you can more lines to your plan. For four lines on Metro’s top plan, you’ll only pay $120 a month. Here’s what each plan has to offer.

Category	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	2 GB
Single Line price	$60	$50	$40	$30
Multiple lines	$90 for 2, $120 for 3, $120 for 4, $150 for 5	$80 for 2, $110 for 3, $140 for 4, $170 for 5	$80 for 2, $90 for 3, $100 for 4, $125 for 5	$30 per line
5G	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Data	Unlimited high-speed data	Unlimited high-speed data	10 GB	2 GB
Hotspot	15GB	5GB	None	None
Canada/Mexico Unlimited	$5 each per month	$5 each per month	$5 each per month	Not available
Global Voice International call and text	$10 per month	$10 per month	$10 per month	$10 per month
Extras	Amazon Prime Google One 100GB	Google One 100 GB	None	None

Keep in mind that these multi-line discounts are only available in-store so if you try to sign up online, it will be more expensive. Just keep in mind that you don’t really need to buy a bunch of accessories when you’re in the store. Unless you want to, that is.

Though no Metro plan comes with any international texting or calling, you do have the option of purchasing such options as an add-on. For instance, if you have an unlimited plan, you can purchase Mexico or Canada Unlimited for an extra $5 per month to get unlimited calls and texts, as well as up to 5GB of data or roaming in each country.

Or if you need international calling and texting to multiple countries, there’s Global Voice for an extra $10 per month, as long as you have at least a $30 base rate plan. Add-on services are particularly useful if you like having flexibility, or just aren’t sure what you’ll need down the line.

Visible vs. Metro by T-Mobile: Which one should you get?

(Image credit: Divinemercy)

If you’re bringing multiple lines to a new carrier, Metro can be a great pick with generous multi-line savings when you go to a Metro store. T-Mobile’s massive 5G network is perfect for those with a need for speed, and with consistent expansion, will likely remain in first place for quite a bit longer. Metro by T-Mobile is also compatible with the Affordable Connectivity Program. This federal program is designed to help lower-income families stay connected with discounts on data plans.

Visible’s simple plan structure makes it an easy pick for someone that just needs one line. The fact that you can take advantage of Visible’s best rates alone makes it a great option for those not looking to manage a bunch of lines. Even so, that plan structure may be a bit too simple for some with no option for high-speed hotspot data. It’s also worth noting that while Verizon continues to have one of the largest and most reliable networks overall, its 5G is a distant second place to T-Mobile. Even so, with good coverage, Visible is an easy recommendation.

Visible

Affordable and unlimited

Visible offers great coverage through Verizon’s 4G LTE and 5G networks. Though it doesn’t have roaming and may not be ideal for travelers, it has pretty much everything else that you need: unlimited data, hotspot, texting, and calling. Oh, and even better; it gets cheaper with Party pay.

Metro by T-Mobile

Access the nation’s most complete 5G network

You can save money with Metro by adding a few lines to its top unlimited plan and still benefit from T-Mobile’s 4G LTE and 5G network, unlimited data, and cool perks like Google One storage, Amazon Prime, and 15GB of hotspot data. We only wish every plan came with unlimited data.

Tags: Metro TMobile Visible

Visible

Metro by T-Mobile

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