Visible vs. AT&T: Which carrier is better?

Visible and AT&T are some of the most popular carriers on the market. 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:

• What the coverage of both carriers looks like
• How prices of their plans compare to how much data you get
• The features each carrier offers for their plans 

Coverage & Reception

Visible is on the Verizon network. 

Visible is a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO. 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. 

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.

Plan Options

Visible offers truly unlimited data, and AT&T offers premium data.

Like most plans you’ll see on the market, both carriers offer unlimited talk and texting options with any plan you choose. Both carriers also offer premium data, which does not slow down no matter the amount of network traffic. They also deprioritize data, meaning you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas.

Visible Plans

Both Visible plans offer unlimited data. 

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. 

Visible Base

This plan is always depriotized.

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 $25 per month. 

Visible +

This plan gives you 50GB of premium data, then unlimited deprioritized data. 

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.

AT&T Plans

AT&T offers premium data with some of their plans. 

AT&T only offers one limited plan. The rest are unlimited plans with varying amounts of premium data.

If you purchase your phone from AT&T, your device will be locked for 60 days after activation. 

The plans they offer renew monthly, and taxes and fees are not included with the advertised price. 

4GB 

This plan is the smallest one AT&T offers.  

Each month, you get 4GB of full speed data and hotspot access included. Once you reach that limit, both your data access and hotspot access stop. Access begins again at the start of the next month. It’s important to note that this plan charges overage fees if you use more than the allotted amount. 

The plan costs $60 per month at full price, and $50 with the Autopay discount. With this plan, you get 4GB per month for $15 per GB. 

Value Plus 

This plan gives you unlimited data. 

Value Plus gives you unlimited, but deprioritized, data. With this, you’ll have full speeds the whole month because the plan doesn’t have any data cap. Speeds will only slow down for high network congestion. It does not offer hotspot access. 

This plan costs $60 per month at full price, and $50 with the included Autopay discount. 

Unlimited Starter 

This plan gives you unlimited data. 

AT&T offers deprioritized unlimited data with this plan. Like their Value Plus plan, your speeds won’t slow down because of any data cap – only because of high network congestion. This plan also offers 3GB of hotspot data, which slows to 2G speeds once you run out. With 2G speeds, users can still send texts and emails or browse the internet. However, it’s difficult to stream video or play games without access to WiFi. 

This plan costs $75 at full price, and $65 with Autopay. 

Unlimited Extra 

This plan gives you limited premium data. 

Unlimited Extra is the first plan to offer premium data with AT&T’s services. You get 50GB each month, then unlimited deprioritized data afterwards. You also get 15GB of hotspot data, which slows down to 2G speeds after that cap. 

This plan costs $85 per month before the $10 Autopay discount, and $75 per month after. You get 65GB per month for $1.30 per GB at full price. 

Unlimited Premium 

This is AT&T’s biggest and best plan they have to offer. 

AT&T offers users unlimited premium data. No matter what, whether it be the amount you use or the network traffic, your speeds will not slow down. They also give 50GB of hotspot data with this plan, and speeds slow to 2G once you run out for the month. 

This plan costs $95 per month before the discount, and $85 with Autopay.  

Features

Both carriers offer similar features with their plans. 

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. 

Domestic Roaming Data

Visible and AT&T both offer domestic roaming data on their plans. 

Mexico & Canada Connection

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. AT&T includes talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada included with all of their plans. 

International Connection

Visible does not give you international roaming data. However, Visible + gives you international talk and text. Visible Base does not offer this feature. AT&T offers international text, but calling and roaming data capabilities require an additional add-on. 

Video Streaming Quality

Visible’s plans stream at 480p Standard Definition. All AT&T plans with the exception of Unlimited Premium stream at 480p Standard Definition, and Unlimited Premium streams at 4k Ultra High Definition. 

Streaming Services

Visible and AT&T do not offer this feature. 

Cloud Storage

Visible does not offer this feature. AT&T offers an add-on for cloud storage.

Device Financing

If you buy a phone from AT&T, the carrier allows you to pay for your device in installments over time. Visible does not offer this feature. 

WiFi Calling

Both carriers offer WiFi calling, which allows you to send and receive phone calls over a WiFi connection rather than cellular reception. 

Spam Protection

Visible offers spam protection on both of their plans, which blocks spam calls and protects you from potential fraud. AT&T offers AT&T Active Armor on all of their plans, which blocks spam calls. 

Free Trial

Visible offers a 15 day free trial. AT&T does not offer this feature.   

Customer Service 

Visible does not have physical stores, leaving all of their customer service to online support. AT&T offers stores across the country.  

Visible is a digital-only carrier, meaning they only offer customer support online. Visible offers 24/7 chat support from a live agent. AT&T offers thousands of brick-and-mortar stores across the country, and you can find one near you with their store locator. You can also call (800) 901-9878 on Mon. through Sat. from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. 

The Verdict

Visible offers the better deal.  

When it comes to price per GB, Visible offers a much better deal on their plans compared to AT&T. They also offer many of the same features included, so Visible is the better option between the two carriers. However, if you’re looking for absolutely unlimited premium data, AT&T’s Unlimited Premium plan is a fine option. 

We’d recommend checking your data usage before committing to a plan.

Want to compare other carriers?

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