Tello is one of the many different MVNOs — or mobile virtual network operators — that deliver low-cost wireless service to smartphone owners in the U.S. In Tello's case, a blend of affordability and flexibility allows it to offer some of the best cheap cell phone plans out there. But are those savings enough to convince you to take a flyer on a carrier overshadowed by bigger names like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.
Tello hopes to convince you that it is, with an assortment of plans offering unlimited talk and text plus a range of data allotments including unlimited data. But some customers might also appreciate the phone carrier's "build your own plan" approach. That lets you choose exactly how much you'll pay each month based on the amount of data you use and the number of talk minutes you're allotted.
- Uses T-Mobile's network for wireless coverage, including 5G
- Data plans include 1GB, 2GB, 5GB, 10GB, 15GB and unlimited data options
- You can also adjust how many talk minutes come with each plan to lower your bill — it's unlimited talk by default
- All plans offer unlimited texting
Whether you decide to design your own cell phone plan with Tello or choose one of the options supplied to you, the network has some very compelling low-cost plans that compete with the likes of Mint Mobile, Visible and more to offer the best prepaid phone plans.
You pay for Tello on a month-to-month basis, a contrast with the best Mint Mobile plans, where you have to pay for a full year in advance to get that carrier's best rate. In exchange for Tello's low prices, though, you won't find the perks you get with other mobile plans, and you won't get escalating discounts as you add more lines to a phone plan. (Families can mix and match plans at Tello, for different data allotments and different monthly rates.)
So is Tello right for you or will you find yourself restricted with data caps? Read on to find out more about this cheap carrier and see whether it is the right option for you to go for.
Tello wireless service: Who provides coverage?
As an MVNO, Tello doesn't have its own wireless network. Instead, it relies on the towers put up by a bigger-carrier — T-Mobile in Tello's case. Tello is hardly alone in this regard as MVNOs like Metro by T-Mobile and Mint Mobile both use T-Mobile's network for their service. The difference is that those two companies are owned by T-Mobile, while Tello is not.
Getting service from T-Mobile has its advantages for Tello customers. For starters, that means you'll be able to benefit from T-Mobile's 5G coverage if you have a 5G phone. T-Mobile's 5G is widely thought to be the fastest and most extensive in the U.S., and the carrier is ranked tops in mobile experience by third-party testing firm Opensignal in its June 2025 report.
That said, if you live in area that doesn't get strong coverage from T-Mobile, the situation isn't likely to improve by turning to Tello.
The best Tello plans
Tello has two options when it comes to choosing a cell phone plan — either pick from from a list of deals or make your own plan by adjusting the amount of data and talk time you get. (Texting is free no matter what plan you assemble.)
In terms of data, you can get anywhere from 1GB to unlimited data each month. (No data is also an option.) In terms of talk options, you can choose 100, 300, 500 or unlimited minutes; zero talk minutes is also an option. Opting for lower data and talk limits chips away at the monthly rate Tello charges.
Assuming you stick with unlimited talk and text, here's what you'd pay for each one of Tello's current data offerings.
Data plan with unlimited talk & text | Monthly rate |
No data | $8 |
1GB | $9 |
2GB | $10 |
5GB | $14 |
10GB | $19 |
15GB | $24 |
Unlimited | $25 |
Let's say that you want the 10GB plan, but you decide to adjust the amount of talk minutes. (Who needs to talk on the phone these days, after all?) Dropping down to 500 minutes saves $1 off the regular rate, while the 300- and 100-minute options bring your bill to $17/month and $16/month, respectively. Those aren't big savings, but it does give you a chance to save if you don't really spending a lot of time making phone calls.
One note about the unlimited data plan — as with a lot of unlimited options from wireless carriers, it's not truly unlimited. The first 35GB of data you will be at full-speed, but if you go over that amount, your speeds could be slowed down for the rest of your billing cycle.
Be on the lookout for promotions from Tello that occasionally drop the cost of your first month of service. That promotion is largely aimed at new customers, though.
Tello family plans
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
Tello offers family cell phone plans in the loosest sense possible. You'll sign up as a family and you can manage all of the accounts via one email address and one dashboard.
However, past that, there's no real benefit to a Tello family plan. Each person in the family can choose their own plan, pay separately and start their contract on a different day. Plus, there is no discount for added lines as there are with phone carriers who offer the best family cell phone plans.
At Total Wireless for example, a single line of that carrier's Total 5G Unlimited plan costs $50/month, but if you add four lines, the per-line cost drops to $27.50 for a monthly of $110. Four lines of Tello's unlimited plan would cost $25 each, for a total of $100. That's still less, but there's no discount beyond the initial low price at Tello.
Why choose Tello?
A lot of obvious benefits come with Tello, though the two biggest come down to pricing and flexibility.
All of Tello's plans renew every 30 days. Not only does that mean you can cancel whenever you like without any charges but, it also allows you to update your plan each month if you need more data, want to pay less or need to bump up your minutes.
This flexibility also allows you to pick exactly how much you pay. Tello can get you some of the cheapest prices in the US, especially if you don't need much data and if you feel you're paying too much, you can easily cut your data down and lower the bills at any time.
Looking past the cost and flexibility, Tello's other benefits include unlimited texts on all plans, free tethering with no limits, free calls to 60-plus countries and the use of 5G data via T-Mobile's network. Unlimited plan subscribers get 5GB of hotspot data, while other plans can also use hotspot data as well (though that comes out of your regular data allotment for the month).
What are Tello's best plans?
I've been tracking cell phone plan prices at Tom's Guide for a decade now, so I have a very good idea of how Tello's prices compare to what else is out there. For that reason, I would steer people toward either Tello's 10GB data plan or its unlimited data offering.
For most people, 10GB is more than enough data, and you can get that amount at Tello for less than $20/month. Contrast that with Cricket Wireless, an AT&T-owned MVNO, where the 10GB plan will cost you $30 every month.
Tello's $25/month plan on unlimited data also competes will with other discount carriers. You'll pay $30/month at Mint for its unlimited plan, though that carrier requires a year's payment in advance for that low-rate. Visible, which runs on Verizon's network, has a $25 unlimited plan of its own; unlike Tello, Visible bakes taxes and fees into its monthly rate.
What do customers say about Tello?
Tello for the most part is a well rated network. On TrustPilot, Tello scores an impressive 4.5 stars from nearly 14,000 reviews, making it one of the best rated options in the US right now.
The major factor that stands out in the negative reviews of Tello concerns its customer service. Most complaints seem to highlight the network's issues with troubleshooting, customer service assistance and occasional issues with payments.
The next most common complaint involves customers who struggled to get fast speeds in their homes. However, this tends to be the most common theme in complaints across all of the networks, both MVNOs and the core options too.
Tello: Bottom line
Tello can save you a lot of money if you don't need a whole lot of talk or data. The carrier's rates are definitely lower than what you'd pay at a major wireless provider, and its plans compare well with other discount services. I personally think Visible is the better option for unlimited data, given how it handles taxes and fees, but if you only need a tiered data plan, Tello's different options are worth considering.
