Are you looking for a budget-friendly phone plan? Tello Mobile and Ultra Mobile are two great options. Both carriers help you save money by cutting out the expensive extras of major networks.
Both companies offer great prepaid service, but they work in very different ways. This guide will compare their coverage, pricing plans, and special features to help you make the best choice.
Tello vs Ultra Mobile: Understanding The Carriers
Before looking at the prices, it helps to understand how these carriers operate. Both Tello and Ultra Mobile are MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators). This means they do not own their own cell towers. Instead, they rent network space from T-Mobile.
Because they both use T-Mobile’s 5G and 4G LTE networks, you will get identical coverage. You can expect strong service in cities and reliable connections in rural areas. However, your data speeds might slow down temporarily when a network gets crowded. This happens because direct T-Mobile customers get priority during peak hours.
Other Competitors to Consider
- Mint Mobile: A budget-friendly T-Mobile carrier. It is perfect for users who want premium service at a low price.
- Metro by T-Mobile: A prepaid carrier owned directly by T-Mobile with excellent network compatibility.
- Straight Talk: An affordable prepaid carrier owned by Verizon that offers nationwide coverage.
Price Comparison Between Ultra Mobile and Tello Mobile
Tello Mobile Plans and Pricing
Tello is famous for its highly customizable plans. You can choose exactly how much data and how many minutes you want each month. You can also change your plan manually whenever your needs change.
Unlimited Plan
- $29 per month ($1.16 per GB).
- Unlimited talk, text, and 25GB of high-speed data. You can use your data as a mobile hotspot.
- Very affordable for moderate data users.
- Major slowdown to 64 kbps after 25GB.
- Average data users who want a great price.
10GB Plan
- $24 per month ($2.40 per GB).
- 10GB of high-speed data with unlimited talk and text. Includes hotspot access.
- Flexible minute options and hotspot access.
- Limited data for heavy hotspot users.
- Light data users who want a bit of flexibility.
5GB Plan
- $19 per month (or $15 without minutes).
- 5GB of data and unlimited texting.
- Highly customizable minute options.
- Higher cost per gigabyte.
- Light users who mostly rely on Wi-Fi.
2GB Plan
- $14 per month ($7 per GB).
- 2GB of high-speed data and unlimited minutes.
- Includes hotspot access and minute customization.
- Expensive price per gigabyte for very little data.
- Users with minimal data needs.
1GB Plan
- $10 per month ($10 per GB).
- 1GB of data and unlimited minutes.
- Very cheap monthly bill.
- Very expensive per gigabyte.
- People who rarely browse the web on their phones.
500MB Plan
- $9 per month.
- 500MB of data, unlimited minutes, and hotspot access.
- Highly budget-friendly.
- Smallest amount of data possible.
- People who only use mobile data for emergencies.
No Data Plan
- Starts at $5 per month for 100 minutes.
- Unlimited texting and customizable minutes with zero data.
- Cheapest plan available for basic phone use.
- No internet or hotspot access.
- Wi-Fi-only users.
Ultra Mobile Plans and Pricing
Ultra Mobile focuses on structured plans. They offer huge discounts if you pay for 3, 6, or 12 months of service in advance. All plans include unlimited nationwide talk, text, and excellent international calling perks.
Ultra Unlimited+
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- ($59/month or $37/month if paid annually):
- This plan gives you unlimited data and up to 20GB of mobile hotspot.
- It also includes international roaming options.
- Best for heavy data users and global travelers.
Ultra Unlimited
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- ($49/month or $31/month if paid annually):
- Includes unlimited data
- 10GB hotspot limit
- $5 monthly international calling credit.
- Best for regular data users who call overseas.
15GB Plan
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- ($39/month or $23/month if paid annually):
- Gives you 15GB of full-speed data ($2.60 per GB) and hotspot access.
- Best for moderate data users.
10GB Plan
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- ($29/month or $19/month if paid annually):
- Gives you 10GB of full-speed data ($2.90 per GB)
- Mobile hotspot access.
- Best for average data users.
5GB Plan
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- ($24/month or $16/month if paid annually):
- Offers 5GB of data ($4.80 per GB)
- International coverage
- Hotspot support.
- Best for budget-conscious light users.
3GB Plan
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- ($19/month or $14/month if paid annually):
- Offers 3GB of data ($6.33 per GB)
- Basic international calling.
- It does not include hotspot access.
- Best for very light data users.
Talk & Text Plan
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- ($15/month or $10/month if paid annually):
- Provides 250MB of full-speed data ($60 per GB)
- Unlimited talk and Text, and hotspot functionality.
- Best for basic connectivity.
Important Details to Know Before You Buy
When looking at cheap phone plans, the fine print can get confusing. Here are a few important facts cleared up:
- The Truth About Family Plans: Some guides say neither carrier has family plans, but that is not quite right. Tello lets you build a flexible family account where you can manage multiple lines and customize the data for each person. Ultra Mobile does not focus on traditional family plans. Instead, Ultra saves you money when you buy multiple months of service in advance.
- Customer Support Reality: Tello is an online-only company with no physical retail stores. However, they do offer phone support alongside email and live chat. Ultra Mobile offers phone support in English, Spanish, and Mandarin from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST, plus a 24/7 online chatbot.
- Data Throttling Speeds: When you use up your high-speed data, both carriers will slow your internet down. Tello drops your speed to 64 kbps, which is incredibly slow. Ultra Mobile drops you to 2G speeds (around 128 kbps). Both are slow, but Ultra Mobile is twice as fast as Tello once the data cap is hit.
- Video Quality: Both carriers limit your mobile video streaming to standard definition (480p SD) to save data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my current phone with Tello or Ultra Mobile?
Yes! Both carriers have Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs. Your phone must be completely unlocked. It also needs to be compatible with T-Mobile’s 5G or 4G LTE network. You just need to switch out your old SIM card for a new one.
What happens if I exceed my data limit?
If you run out of data on Tello, your internet slows to a crawl. However, Tello allows you to manually purchase extra data immediately to fix it. On Ultra Mobile’s Unlimited plans, you get a high-speed cap of 35GB or 40GB. After that, your speeds slow down temporarily during peak times, but Ultra does not permanently lock you at low speeds.
Can I switch plans easily?
Yes, both carriers offer contract-free prepaid plans. Tello allows you to manually adjust your minutes and data choices every single month. Ultra Mobile gives you the flexibility to jump between different plan tiers without any long-term penalties.
Do Tello and Ultra Mobile offer international calling options?
Yes, both offer international options. Tello includes affordable international calling rates to many destinations. Ultra Mobile is the stronger option here because it includes free international calling to over 80 countries directly in its standard plans. This saves you from paying the expensive add-on fees found on major networks like Verizon.
Let’s Conclude
Choose Tello Mobile if you want ultimate flexibility. It is perfect if you want to pay only for the exact minutes and data you use, or if you want to mix and match customized lines for a family account.
Choose Ultra Mobile if you want a structured plan with higher data caps. It is the absolute best choice if you want to save money by paying annually and need powerful international calling features.
