Tello vs. US Mobile

Price: which is cheaper?

The headline prices match more often than you’d expect. Both list 2GB for $10 and a $25 unlimited plan. The difference is taxes. US Mobile includes taxes and fees in its prices. Tello adds government taxes, which vary by state, plus a cost recovery fee of up to 30 cents. At the same sticker price, US Mobile is a little cheaper on the actual bill.

Tello is cheaper at the very bottom. Its custom plans start at $5, and set plans run 10GB for $15 and 20GB for $20. US Mobile’s By the Gig plans start at $15 for 5GB. If you mostly use Wi-Fi, Tello’s flexibility usually wins.

US Mobile is cheaper if you pay a year upfront. Its Starter plan is $199 for the first year, then $270, and Unlimited Flex is $210 a year but slows after 10GB. Tello doesn’t sell annual plans.

Neither offers multi-line discounts, so a family pays the single-line price for every line. Tello charges no activation or termination fees. US Mobile charges $2 to switch networks after your first two free switches, unless you’re on Premium.

Network choice and data speeds

Tello runs only on T-Mobile. US Mobile lets you choose a network when you sign up: Warp uses Verizon, Light Speed uses T-Mobile and Dark Star uses AT&T. You can switch later if coverage disappoints, and a $10 a month add-on lets you use more than one network.

That flexibility is US Mobile’s main advantage. If you live where T-Mobile is weak, Tello simply isn’t an option, while US Mobile can put you on Verizon or AT&T at the same price.

Data limits also favor US Mobile. Its $25 Starter plan gives unlimited data on AT&T, or 70GB before slowing on Verizon and T-Mobile. Tello’s $25 plan slows after 50GB. Starter data is deprioritized on every network, so it can slow on busy towers. US Mobile’s $44 Premium plan adds priority data on Verizon and AT&T, a bigger hotspot and roaming data in 180+ countries. Tello has no priority tier.

Hotspot is a wash on Verizon and T-Mobile, at 10GB on both carriers’ base unlimited plans. On AT&T, US Mobile’s Starter includes 20GB.

Customer service and complaints

Here Tello has the stronger record. Its BBB profile shows an A+ rating, accreditation since 2015 and 92 complaints in three years. US Mobile has an F from the BBB, isn’t accredited and lists 101 complaints in three years. Both score 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot, Tello across more than 15,000 reviews and US Mobile across 7,360.

The complaints look similar on both sides: eSIM activation trouble, number transfers that stall and long waits for a fix. US Mobile reviewers also describe accounts suspended over heavy hotspot or international use with little notice, so read its fair use rules if you tether a lot or travel. Tello reviewers mention new numbers that receive spam calls or can’t get verification codes.

Tello offers phone support through 611 or a toll-free number, plus email and chat. US Mobile is app first, with phone support that reviewers describe as slow at times.

US Mobile’s 30-day trial, which comes with 30GB of data, is the safest way to test it. Use it, or keep your old line active, before you port your main number to either carrier.

Which one fits you

Your data use and where you live decide this one. Price differences are small at the unlimited level, so coverage at your address and how much you value a clean support record matter more than a dollar or two.

• Light users (under 10GB): Tello. A $5 custom plan or $15 for 10GB beats US Mobile’s small plans, and Tello’s support record is better.
• Unlimited users on T-Mobile: US Mobile by a little. Same $25, but taxes are included and you get 70GB instead of 50GB before slowing.
• People who need Verizon or AT&T coverage: US Mobile, since Tello can’t serve you.
• Heavy users who want priority data: US Mobile Premium at $44, or less on an annual plan.
• Anyone who wants a carrier with few complaints: Tello.

Both are prepaid, contract free and online only, so you can try one and move your number later if it doesn’t work out. Check T-Mobile coverage before you choose Tello, and pick the network that’s strongest at your address before you choose US Mobile.