Mobile Passport Control (MPC) is free. Global Entry is $120 for five years. Both let you skip the regular customs line when you land in the U.S. -- so why pay for one when the other costs nothing? Because they don't actually do the same thing. Here's what each program covers in 2026, which one fits which kind of traveler, and why most frequent international flyers still want Global Entry even though MPC exists.

What each program actually is

Global Entry

Global Entry is a Trusted Traveler Program run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). You apply online, pay a $120 fee, pass a background check, do a short in-person interview, and you're enrolled for five years. Approved members use dedicated Global Entry kiosks or e-gates at U.S. ports of entry and skip the regular passport-control line. Global Entry also includes TSA PreCheck, so you get the shorter, shoes-on, laptop-in-bag security lane on domestic flights too.

Mobile Passport Control (MPC)

Mobile Passport Control is a free smartphone app published by CBP. You download it, scan your passport, and create a profile. When you land at a participating U.S. airport, seaport, or land crossing, you fill out your customs declaration in the app and submit it. The app generates a receipt, and you walk into a dedicated MPC line that is usually much shorter than the regular passport control line. No application, no fee, no background check, no interview.

Side-by-side: GE vs MPC in 2026

Where each one works

Global Entry coverage

Global Entry kiosks or e-gates are available at most major U.S. international airports -- JFK, LAX, ORD, SFO, MIA, DFW, IAH, ATL, SEA, BOS, EWR, IAD, and dozens more. Critically, Global Entry is also honored at U.S. Preclearance facilities abroad, including Dublin, Shannon, Abu Dhabi, several Canadian airports, and several Caribbean locations. That means you can clear U.S. customs before boarding your flight home, and walk off the plane as a domestic arrival.

MPC coverage

Mobile Passport Control works at 30+ U.S. airports and a handful of seaports and land crossings. Coverage has grown a lot in 2024-2026, and most major hubs now support it -- but it's not universal. Smaller international gateways may not have MPC processing. Always check the CBP MPC airport list before you fly, especially if MPC is your only fast-track option.

The other catch: MPC is not honored at U.S. Preclearance airports abroad. If you're flying home from Dublin, Shannon, Abu Dhabi, or a participating Canadian airport, only Global Entry will get you through faster.

The TSA PreCheck difference

This is where the two programs really diverge. Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck. Mobile Passport Control does not.

TSA PreCheck is the expedited security lane at U.S. airports for domestic departures. With PreCheck you keep your shoes on, your laptop and liquids in your bag, your belt on, and your light jacket on. The line is almost always shorter than the standard TSA line, and the screening is faster.

If you fly domestically more than a few times a year, TSA PreCheck alone is worth the price of Global Entry. Standalone TSA PreCheck costs $77.95 for five years -- Global Entry costs $120 for five years and gives you TSA PreCheck plus the customs benefits. For an extra $42 over five years (about $8 per year), you get the entire customs-side benefit on top. That's why most frequent travelers who would buy PreCheck anyway just go straight to Global Entry.

Traveling with family

Family travel is where MPC has a real edge. A single MPC submission can include up to 12 travelers in the same family or group, all on one phone. That means if you're traveling with kids, your spouse, or your parents and they don't have their own Trusted Traveler memberships, MPC lets all of you go through one fast line together for free.

Global Entry, by contrast, requires each traveler -- including children of any age -- to have their own membership. Kids 17 and under can apply for free if a parent is also enrolled in a Trusted Traveler Program, but they still need their own application, interview, and approval. If you have three kids without Global Entry and you're flying back to the U.S., you cannot just bring them through the Global Entry lane with you. You all have to go through standard processing or use MPC.

Who should use what

You probably want Global Entry if...

• You take more than one international round trip a year, especially through major hubs.
• You also fly domestically more than a few times a year (TSA PreCheck pays for itself fast).
• You travel through U.S. Preclearance airports (Dublin, Abu Dhabi, Toronto, etc.) and want to skip customs on arrival in the U.S.
• You have a credit card that reimburses the $120 fee, making it effectively free.
• You want to use Global Entry kiosks at sea ports or for occasional cruises.

You probably want Mobile Passport Control if...

• You only travel internationally once every couple of years and don't want to pay or interview.
• You're traveling with family members who don't have Trusted Traveler memberships and you want them all in one fast line.
• You don't fly domestically often (so TSA PreCheck isn't worth $80-$120 to you).
• You're a U.S. lawful permanent resident or Canadian B1/B2 visitor who wants something free without the Global Entry application process.
• You want a free backup while waiting for your Global Entry interview to come through.

Can you use both?

Yes. There's no downside to installing the Mobile Passport Control app even if you already have Global Entry. You don't have to choose.

In practice, most Global Entry members use the GE kiosks because they're typically the fastest option. But MPC is a useful free backup in a few specific situations:

• Family travel. When you're flying with kids or relatives who don't have Global Entry, MPC lets the whole group go through one fast lane together instead of splitting up.
• Long Global Entry lines. At a few airports during peak hours, the Global Entry line can stretch out. If MPC is shorter, you can use it instead -- though you give up the family-lane benefit of GE kiosks.
• Backup if the GE kiosks are down. Rare, but it happens. Having MPC installed means you have a Plan B.

One thing that does not apply: TSA PreCheck. MPC has no effect on TSA, even if you also have Global Entry. PreCheck eligibility comes from your Global Entry Known Traveler Number, which you put into your airline reservation -- it has nothing to do with the MPC app.

The real cost of Global Entry

Global Entry is technically $120 for five years -- $24 a year. But in practice, most frequent travelers don't pay it.

• Credit card reimbursement. Many premium travel cards reimburse the full $120 application fee once every four to five years. Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum, Capital One Venture X, and several others all include the credit. See our 2026 list of cards that reimburse Global Entry.
• Employer reimbursement. Many companies that send employees abroad will pay for Global Entry as a business expense.
• Family plans aren't a thing -- but kids are free under 18 with an enrolled parent if you're already enrolled in a Trusted Traveler Program.

Mobile Passport Control will always be free. That's the entire point of it. The question isn't really cost -- it's whether the extra features of Global Entry (TSA PreCheck, Preclearance, sea ports, kiosk speed) are worth the application and the wait. For a frequent traveler, they almost always are. For someone who flies abroad every few years, they may not be.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Global Entry and Mobile Passport Control?

Global Entry is a paid CBP membership ($120 for five years) that also gives you TSA PreCheck for domestic flights and access to fast customs kiosks at U.S. airports and some Preclearance airports abroad. Mobile Passport Control (MPC) is a free CBP smartphone app that lets U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, and eligible Canadian visitors skip the regular customs line at participating airports and seaports -- but it does not include TSA PreCheck and is not accepted at every entry point Global Entry covers.

Is Mobile Passport Control as fast as Global Entry?

At U.S. airports where both are available, the MPC lane is usually almost as fast as the Global Entry lane and is sometimes shorter because fewer people know about it. However, MPC users must still go through standard TSA screening on outbound domestic flights, while Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck. Global Entry is also accepted at U.S. Preclearance facilities abroad, where MPC is not.

Can I use both Global Entry and Mobile Passport Control?

Yes, but most Global Entry members just use the GE kiosks because they're typically faster. MPC is a useful free backup -- especially when traveling with family members who don't have Global Entry, or at airports where the GE line is unusually long.

Does Mobile Passport Control include TSA PreCheck?

No. MPC only speeds up customs on re-entry to the U.S. It does nothing for TSA screening. For PreCheck you need Global Entry (which includes it) or standalone TSA PreCheck enrollment.

Who is eligible for Mobile Passport Control?

U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, Canadian citizens visiting the U.S. on B1/B2 visas, and certain Visa Waiver Program travelers at select locations. There's no fee, no application, and no background check.

Is Global Entry still worth it if Mobile Passport Control is free?

For frequent travelers, yes. Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck, is accepted at U.S. Preclearance airports abroad, works at sea ports, and lets eligible family members under 18 use the lane with an enrolled parent. The $120 fee works out to $24 a year, and many credit cards reimburse it entirely.