Verizon is our best option for rural internet at home and I just found out we can get 4G here now-- yippee!
I'm seeking advice about whether to get a Mifi device, or a new 4G smartphone to use as a hotspot.

Having a hotspot on the phone would mean fewer devices to keep up with, but I'm wondering about
1) battery drain?
2) whether I'd lose the data connection if a phone call comes in?
3) if it takes a lot of steps to turn on the phone hotspot each time vs. the mifi where you just turn it on.
(I've also tried hotspot here on a borrowed tablet and it takes a few steps to turn it on each time. Power it on, go into settings... Not awful, just a little more hassle. Is it that the same on a phone?)

Cost as I understand it: Mifi would be $30/50/80 depending on amount of data I choose.
Same data cost on phone, plus $20 to use as hotspot.

If hotspot on the phone is a good option, could someone recommend a good phone for this?
I am currently using a Motorola Q on a grandfathered alltel plan that lets me use my minutes for data (1000 minutes for around $50/month). I just use it for voice and for internet tethered to my laptop at home where it got 1x speed-- the best I could do at my location when I got it a few years ago. I'll be sad to lose this pricing, but thrilled to get 4G.

Also what other pros/cons are there about whether to get the mifi device or use a phone, tablet, etc. as a hotspot? I'm sure there's a lot I haven't thought of. (Sorry if this has already been answered but I looked a long time and didn't find...)
-THANKS!