Tello vs. US Mobile: Plenty of Deals or Unlimited Data

The most important factors to weigh when comparing cell phone plans are price, data caps, and coverage. Both Tello and US Mobile offer affordable pricing for data plans, each offering $25 per month unlimited plans with 35GB of high-speed data.

US Mobile edges out Tello for value, thanks to its annual payment discounts and its Unlimited Premium plan, which includes 100GB up to unlimited premium data for as low as $29/month with an annual Dark Star plan. For comparison, Verizon and T-Mobile charge $70 to $90/month for unlimited premium data.

But not everyone needs truly unlimited premium data, and some might not even use 35GB, making Tello an excellent option for the average user.

As for coverage, US Mobile uses T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T coverage networks—you can choose which network you want to use when you sign up.  Tello exclusively uses T-Mobile’s network for coverage. You can get an idea of what coverage to expect in your neighborhood with either network by entering your zip code on the map below:

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Out of all the cell phone plans offered from Tello and US Mobile, the big standout is the Unlimited Premium Dark Star Plan from US Mobile.

The base unlimited plans from Tello and US Mobile are nearly identical, both offering unlimited data with 35GB of high-speed data. The key difference? US Mobile includes 10GB of hotspot data to use per month, while Tello offers just 5GB. Unlike Tello, US Mobile offers a higher-tier plan: the Unlimited Premium (Dark Star) plan, which includes unlimited high-speed and hotspot data. Right now, you can get Dark Star for $35/month for six months with the coupon code FULLSPEED. You can also get Unlimited Premium (Dark Star) for as low as $29/month when you pay by the year.

The higher the data cap, the more wireless data you can use with reliable speeds. After passing your data cap, your speeds get massively throttled. In other words, you have way more room to stream, game, and scroll social media with US Mobile than you do with Tello.

If you know you want an unlimited data plan, it’s an easy choice: US Mobile’s Dark Star Plan offers some of the best value we’ve seen from an unlimited plan. Of course, it would be awesome to push the price down even further with a family plan, but neither carrier gives family plan discounts. If you know you want unlimited data but don't need more than 35GB of high-speed data, Tello's $25 Unlimited Plan is a solid pick.

Where Tello has the advantage over US Mobile is with its 5GB data plan that currently costs only $14/mo. For a lot of people who use their smartphones sparingly, 5GB lands right in that sweet spot where you get enough data to scroll Facebook if you get bored waiting in a line somewhere, but you don’t have to pay for a full unlimited plan. 

Neither US Mobile or Tello own a wireless network, so they both rent space from a major network to provide coverage. In this case, US Mobile has three networks you can choose from: T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon. All networks offer plenty of coverage across the United States, but Verizon technically provides more coverage in rural areas than T-Mobile, and AT&T offers faster speeds and more data. Tello, on the other hand, only uses T-Mobile’s network, so you’ll automatically get connected to that network when you sign up for a plan.

When you use a prepaid carrier like Tello or US Mobile, your coverage experience can fluctuate. One Reddit user shared an experience camping in Colorado with US Mobile and not getting voice, text, or data service at all. Since the user was technically on Verizon’s network, and Verizon had coverage in that area of Colorado, it felt safe to assume they’d have coverage with US Mobile too. Turns out that Verizon has roaming coverage that only applies to actual Verizon customers.

You can get a good idea of what coverage to expect with either Tello or T-Mobile with the interactive coverage map below, but keep in mind that your mileage can vary.

Whatever you choose, we highly recommend taking advantage of a free trial period from Tello or US Mobile. Try out the service and see if you get reliable coverage in your day-to-day life.

One of the downsides of going with a smaller carrier like Tello or US Mobile is that you don’t get sweet discounts on a new iPhone or Android. Basically, all the discount that you get is factored into your data plan price. Bigger carriers, like AT&T, can give you a free phone, but you have to lock yourself into a two-year contract before you can get it. Since smaller carriers never require contracts, you can’t enter into a long term agreement that nets you a free iPhone.

But if you want a new phone to go with your Tello or US Mobile plan, lots of users buy the latest iPhone SE or purchase an older iPhone directly from Tello or US Mobile’s online stores. Take a look at the most popular devices folks buy with their Tello or US Mobile cell phone plans.

Both US Mobile and Tello offer a variety of data plans for affordable prices, with a few noteworthy differences.

Prices and plans: You get a higher data cap with US Mobile’s Dark Star plan (uncapped premium data) than you do with any of Tello’s plans. However, Tello offers a 5GB plan for $14 per month that US Mobile doesn’t compete with, and it also has a $25/mo. Unlimited Everything plan that offers 35GB of high-speed data.

Coverage: US Mobile users can choose between Verizon or T-Mobile for network coverage, whereas Tello users automatically get on T-Mobile’s network. The ability to choose your own network when you sign up gives US Mobile a clear advantage, but your coverage experience can feel unreliable with either carrier.

Cell phone deals: Neither carrier offers deals on new smartphones. You’ll need to sign up for a plan with one of the big three carriers for a free phone.