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Visible Wireless Review – Is This Mobile Phone Service for You?


Our rating

4.6/5

Pros

  • thumbs-upAll-in pricing with no hidden fees
  • thumbs-upUnlimited data plus unlimited talk and text
  • thumbs-upFast activation with eSIM technology

Cons

  • thumbs-downVisible+ is pricier than some competitors
  • thumbs-downNo tablet plans

Making a phone call isn’t complicated. You find a contact in your phone, and a tap or two later, your call is on its way.

So why are cellphone plans so complicated? You shouldn’t need an advanced degree to understand what you’re paying for — or how much it really costs. That’s all the more important when everything seems to get more expensive by the day.

With Visible Wireless, you don’t. For one flat rate, Visible offers an easy-to-understand package of unlimited mobile talk, text, and data from any device and phone number you choose. The only mystery is why it took so long for someone to come up with such a simple idea.


How Visible Stacks Up

Visible isn’t the only straightforward mobile talk, text, and data provider on the market right now. See how it stacks up to one of its best-known competitors, Mint Mobile.

VisibleMint Mobile
Pricing per monthStarting at $30 Starting at $15 
Talk and Text AllowanceAlways unlimitedAlways unlimited
Data AllowanceAlways unlimitedStarting at 4 GB
Bring Your Own DeviceYesYes
Bring Your Own NumberYesYes

What to Know Before Signing Up

Visible is a prepaid phone service. It doesn’t offer contract plans. You pay for service by the month and can cancel at any time without penalty.

Visible uses Verizon’s network — specifically, Verizon’s 5G network, which is available in at least 2,700 cities around the United States.

You must have a 5G-compatible phone to use 5G data where available. Otherwise, your phone defaults to 4G LTE coverage. 

You can bring any unlocked phone to your Visible plan, including the latest iPhone and Android devices, as long as it’s compatible with Visible’s network. Your previous service provider doesn’t matter — T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, or someone else — as long as your device is unlocked and compatible.


Visible Plans & Pricing

For smartphone and cellphone users, Visible has two easy-to-understand plans.

Visible Plan

The standard Visible plan is single-line unlimited plan that features:

  • Unlimited talk and text
  • Unlimited 5G or 4G data, depending on geographic availability, with download speeds up to 200 Mbps (megabits per second) — fast enough for video streaming and videoconferencing
  • Mobile hot spot with unlimited hot spot data and download speeds up to 5 Mbps
  • Unlimited calling and texting to Canada and Mexico as well as Puerto Rico and other eligible U.S. territories
  • Wi-Fi calling on compatible devices
  • Scam protection for unwanted call blocking

This plan costs $30 for the first month, including taxes and fees. There’s no activation fee.

Visible+ Plan

The Visible+ plan costs $45 per month, including taxes and fees. It includes everything that comes with the standard Visible plan, plus:

  • 5G Ultra Wideband access
  • 50 GB of premium network experience
  • Roaming coverage in Canada and Mexico
  • Global calling to over 30 countries from the United States

Visible Apple Watch Plan

Visible also has an add-on plan for Apple Watch users. 

For $5 per month, including taxes and fees, this plan offers unlimited data powered by Verizon. You must have an active Visible phone line and connect your Apple Watch via Number Share — this plan isn’t available as a standalone.

Unfortunately, as of now, Visible doesn’t have a plan for tablets like the iPad or Galaxy Pad — yet.


How to Activate Visible

Once you’ve confirmed your device compatibility and purchased your plan, you’re ready to activate. 

Standard activation can take 24 hours or longer, depending on how quickly you can complete it on your end. Visible overnights you a SIM card, and you’re responsible for activating it once it arrives.

For faster activation, take advantage of Visible’s eSIM technology to start using the network in about 15 minutes without waiting for a physical card to arrive in the mail. Your phone must have an embedded SIM card for eSIM to work.


Key Features of Visible

Visible is a straightforward mobile carrier if there ever were one, but that doesn’t mean some of its features don’t deserve special mention.

Call & Text Performance

Visible utilizes Verizon’s cellular network, which covers 99% of the U.S. population. Call and text performance is broadly comparable to that experienced by actual Verizon customers.

Mobile Hot Spot

All Visible Wireless customers get a mobile hot spot with unlimited 4G/5G data.

Data Speeds

Visible’s mobile data speeds top out at 200 Mbps, which is plenty fast for watching video and other high-bandwidth applications. Mobile hot spot download speeds top out at 5 Mbps, which is fast enough for standard internet browsing and work-at-home functions.

Customer Service

Visible has excellent customer support. If you can’t find what you need in the extensive help database on Visible’s website, you can reach a Visible customer service rep via live chat, Facebook Messenger, or Twitter.

15-Day Free Trial

As a new Visible customer, you can take advantage of a 15-day free trial before you’re on the hook for your first monthly payment. 

Visible makes all features and capabilities available during the trial period. You can cancel at any time without further obligation.

Referral Bonus (Bring a Friend)

Get a $20 credit every time you successfully refer a new customer to Visible using the unique referral code in your account. Your friend gets a $20 credit too. 

Online Store

Need a new phone? Shop Visible’s online store for the latest devices, including phones from Samsung, Motorola, Apple, and Google. Bring your own number to get a Visible gift card, and shop pre-owned to save even more.


Is Visible Legit?

Yes, Visible is legit. It’s a low-cost prepaid phone provider powered by Verizon’s nationwide network, which covers about 99% of the U.S. population and counting.

If you worry that Visible is a scam because you haven’t heard of it, remember that Visible has a fraction of the advertising budget of big-name carriers like AT&T and Verizon. It invests a lot of the money it could spend on getting the word out into excellent service and very reasonable pricing.


Advantages of Visible

There’s a lot to like about Visible, from simple all-in pricing to a super-fast activation with eSIM technology. These are the highlights.

  • All-In Pricing With No Add-On Fees. With Visible, your monthly bill is never a mystery. Whatever your final pricing per month, that’s the flat fee you pay — with no add-on fees, no hidden fees, and no activation fees.
  • Unlimited Data by Default. Visible offers unlimited high-speed data by default, which is unusual for such a low-price plan. Even better: This unlimited data extends to the mobile hot spot. The bottom line is clear: You don’t need to watch your data usage with Visible Wireless, as is the case at many other prepaid wireless providers.
  • No Annual Contract. Visible doesn’t believe in contracts. You pay by the month, and you’re free to cancel your service at any time.
  • Taxes and Fees Included in Plan Pricing. Your Visible phone bill always includes applicable taxes and fees. Whether you pay $30 or $45 per month, that’s your final price — not $30 or $45 plus a few dollars and change.
  • Bring Your Own Phone and Number. You can bring your own device and your own existing phone number to your Visible plan if you wish. If you don’t want to bring your own device, Visible has a nice lineup of new and pre-owned phones to buy online. 
  • 15-Day Risk-Free Trial. You can use Visible risk-free for up to 15 days without paying a dime for the service. If you’re not satisfied, just cancel and pay nothing out of pocket.
  • Fast Activation With eSIM Technology. If you have a compatible phone, you can use eSIM technology to activate your Visible plan in about 15 minutes — no need to wait for a physical SIM card to arrive in the mail. 

Disadvantages of Visible

Though it’s better than most, Visible isn’t perfect — no mobile provider is. Its notable drawbacks include.

  • Price Jumps for Visible+. Visible+ costs $45 per month, which is more than many competing plans. If you don’t have a need for its value-added services, it’s probably not worth the cost.
  • No Plans for Tablets. Visible doesn’t (yet) offer any calling or data plans for iPads and other tablet devices. But that’s only a drawback if you want to be able to use a 4G or 5G network to make calls, send texts, or access the internet from your tablet.

Final Word

Visible Wireless is a straightforward mobile carrier that uses Verizon’s nationwide network to deliver reliable talk, text, and data without limits or long-term contracts. Built for singles, it bills every user individually. So if you’re sick of endless cellphone contracts and don’t need to bring your family along for the ride, it’s difficult to do better than Visible — even the top discount cell plan providers can’t compare.

Terms and conditions apply.

Our rating

4.6/5

Pros

  • thumbs-upAll-in pricing with no hidden fees
  • thumbs-upUnlimited data plus unlimited talk and text
  • thumbs-upFast activation with eSIM technology

Cons

  • thumbs-downVisible+ is pricier than some competitors
  • thumbs-downNo tablet plans
Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of the bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Brian Martucci writes about credit cards, banking, insurance, travel, and more. When he's not investigating time- and money-saving strategies for Money Crashers readers, you can find him exploring his favorite trails or sampling a new cuisine. Reach him on Twitter @Brian_Martucci.
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