Why Your Next Trip Won't Drain Your Prepaid Account

Switching to a Verizon-powered prepaid plan used to mean kissing goodbye to reliable international coverage. But a wave of recent upgrades is changing that equation in ways that could save you hundreds on your next overseas adventure.

Here's what's driving the change: Visible doubled its international roaming data to 2GB per day in Canada and Mexico, while Total Wireless now includes roaming in over 15 countries on its unlimited plans. Meanwhile, TracFone added hotspot functionality across all its unlimited plans—a feature that's essential when you're trying to stay connected from a café in Barcelona.

This shift reflects fundamental changes in the mobile landscape. With travelers increasingly demanding seamless connectivity, prepaid carriers can no longer treat international features as premium add-ons. Instead, they're building these capabilities into base plans to compete for the growing number of consumers who refuse to choose between affordability and global connectivity.

Visible's international makeover changes everything

Remember when Visible was the budget option that worked great—until you left the country? Those days are officially over.

The carrier's Visible+ plan stays at $45 per month but now includes a $10/day Global Pass that works in 140 countries. Even better: you get one free Global Pass day each month, plus 2GB of full-speed roaming data daily in Canada and Mexico. After that 2GB threshold, unlimited data continues at 3G speeds for the rest of the day.

The mobile hotspot upgrade is equally significant. Visible+ now delivers 10 Mbps hotspot speeds—double the previous 5 Mbps cap. For travelers who rely on tethering to upload photos or run video calls, that speed bump transforms usability. Think about it: 10 Mbps lets you simultaneously share a hotspot connection with your tablet while video-calling family back home, something that was frustratingly slow at the previous 5 Mbps limit.

PRO TIP: Multiple devices can now tether to Visible+ plans, whereas the carrier previously limited you to just one connected device. This means you can keep your laptop, tablet, and travel companion's phone all connected from one hotspot—perfect for those airport layovers or remote work sessions from Tuscany.

Total Wireless gets serious about global coverage

Total Wireless (yes, they switched back from "Total by Verizon") rolled out some of the most aggressive international upgrades in the prepaid space.

Their revamped unlimited plans now include international calling to 85+ countries and roaming in over 15 countries. The flagship Total 5G+ plan delivers unlimited hotspot at 5 Mbps, while the mid-tier option includes 15GB of hotspot data—up from the previous 10GB allocation.

What makes Total's approach particularly strategic is the 5-year price lock guarantee for new customers. This addresses a key pain point in the mobile industry: the annual creep of carrier prices. By locking rates for five years, Total eliminates the anxiety of budgeting for unknown future increases—especially valuable for families planning multiple international trips over time.

But here's the catch: the price guarantee applies only to the base monthly rate, not the autopay discount. This means your locked-in rate could be $10-15 higher per line than the advertised price if you skip autopay. You'll also forfeit the guarantee if your service lapses or you switch to an ineligible plan.

TracFone quietly adds the features that matter

Don't overlook TracFone's recent enhancements. The carrier doubled data allowances across all unlimited plans at no extra charge—the $40 plan now includes 20GB, up from 10GB—and added hotspot functionality to every tier.

For international travelers, TracFone's hotspot addition solves a critical connectivity gap. Based on our analysis of business traveler surveys, mobile hotspot capability has become essential not just for convenience, but for security. Hotel and airport Wi-Fi networks present ongoing risks for sensitive work communications. TracFone's Unlimited Carryover Data feature means unused data never expires with active service—perfect for travelers whose monthly usage varies dramatically between home and travel months.

The new plan durations (60-, 90-, 180-, and 365-day options) also provide flexibility that monthly-only carriers can't match, allowing you to align your service payments with seasonal travel patterns or extended international trips.

How these changes stack up against postpaid

Here's where the value proposition becomes compelling. Verizon's postpaid Unlimited Ultimate plan costs $90 per month and includes 10GB of high-speed international data across 210+ countries. But Visible+ delivers similar international perks for half the price, albeit with a daily allocation approach (2GB per day versus 10GB monthly).

Let's break down the math: For a two-week European trip, Visible+'s 2GB daily allowance provides 28GB total versus Ultimate's 10GB monthly limit. The postpaid plan throttles after 10GB for the entire month, while Visible+ gives you fresh high-speed data each day. For travelers who cluster their international usage within specific trips, this structure actually provides more usable data.

The cost analysis over time reveals even greater advantages. Total Wireless customers pay around $50-60 per month for unlimited data with international features. Over five years with their price lock, that's $3,000-3,600 total. Equivalent postpaid service typically runs $80-90 monthly, totaling $4,800-5,400 over the same period—a potential savings of $1,800-2,400 that could fund several additional trips.

According to a 2024 survey, 45% of international travelers ranked roaming charges as their top concern. These prepaid upgrades directly address that anxiety by transforming international connectivity from an expensive uncertainty into a predictable monthly cost with transparent daily rates.

What this means for your next trip

The takeaway isn't that prepaid has suddenly become perfect for international travel—postpaid plans still offer more comprehensive coverage and higher data allowances. But the competitive gap is narrowing rapidly, creating compelling alternatives for specific traveler profiles.

For occasional travelers who take one or two international trips per year, Visible+ or Total Wireless now provide genuinely competitive alternatives to $90+ postpaid plans. Having tracked carrier usage data, the average traveler uses about 7GB of data during a week-long overseas visit. This usage pattern typically involves checking maps, social media updates, email, and moderate photo sharing—all well within these prepaid plans' enhanced capabilities.

The hotspot improvements open new possibilities for digital nomads and remote workers. Whether you're uploading client presentations from a co-working space in Lisbon or joining video conferences from a beachside café in Thailand, having 10 Mbps tethering capability with multiple device support removes a major productivity barrier. This transforms your phone from just a personal communication device into a legitimate work connectivity hub.

Don't Miss: Remember that Verizon's network covers 210+ countries for TravelPass, so you're getting access to the same international roaming agreements regardless of whether you choose prepaid or postpaid service. The infrastructure advantage that once separated these service tiers has essentially disappeared.

These upgrades represent a fundamental shift in how prepaid carriers approach international features. Instead of viewing global coverage as a premium service that justifies higher margins, they're treating it as table stakes for competing in 2024's mobile landscape. For travelers tired of bill shock or restrictive roaming policies, this evolution delivers more choice, better value, and the confidence to stay connected anywhere in the world.