Mint Mobile and Tello are both very popular choices right now for those looking to cut their monthly cell phone plan bills right down to size. Put simply, they're both very cheap for what they do - but which is better? As you'll see in our direct comparison just below they are in fact quite different and should appeal to a certain type of user specifically.

If you're on the fence, or simply doing a bit of research before you commit, then we're covering what we think are the main selling points of each carrier just below as well as how they shape up on important criteria. Both carriers feature heavily on our cheap cell phone plans and prepaid phone plans buyers guides - so we're definitely fans of each. By the end of this article, however, you should have a definite idea of which is best for you.

At a glance: two great prepaid carriers

Coverage and pricing

Both Mint Mobile and Tello both operate on the T-Mobile network, so it should be a fairly dead-even heat when it comes to your local coverage. Tello historically operated on the Sprint network (and some SIM cards still do), but that's being phased out now, so all new SIM cards issued should be operating on the T-Mobile network.

Where these two carriers diverge, however, is on their pricing models - which are very different. Mint Mobile tends to have slightly higher prices than Tello and operates a buy-upfront 'multi-month' system where you buy upwards of a year of service at a time. The catch here is the longer your plan is, the cheaper the average monthly rate, so be prepared to pay upfront for a whole year's service if you want to save as much cash as possible.

Tello, on the other hand, has a much more flexible pay-monthly system where you'll only pay for a month at a time. This has one huge advantage - you can easily switch up your data allowances on a monthly basis if your needs change, plus it's also a lot cheaper upfront. Bear in mind, however, that average monthly rates on the higher data plans at Tello do tend to be more expensive than Mint's if you're paying yearly at the latter.

• Winner: draw

Data allowances

Both carriers offer a generous line-up of different monthly data options, although generally speaking you'll get more bang-for-the-buck at Mint Mobile if you're looking for a more data-heavy plan. 

Mint's unlimited data plan for example comes out at just $30 a month versus the $39 per month you'll pay at Tello. You'll also get 35GB of 5G data at Mint Mobile before you revert to 2G speeds, whereas you'll only get 25GB of 5G data at Tello.

Similarly, it's cheaper to go with Mint if you're looking for a plan in the range of around 10GB to 15GB of data per month. $25 per month will get you 15GB of data at Mint versus 8GB at Tello, so it's the better choice if you're willing to pay for a year upfront. You can, however, get an overall cheaper plan at Tello if you just want the basics - just $10 a month for 1GB of data with unlimited minutes and texts.

• Winner: Mint Mobile

Perks and features

Being prepaid carriers, you're generally going to get around the same level of perks with both Mint Mobile and Tello - and be subject to deprioritization when the local T-Mobile network is busy. 

In short, both are pretty stripped-down affairs, and you won't be getting things like free streaming service subscriptions with either.

Both do however feature 5G data speeds standard on all plans (until you hit your cap), and free mobile tethering too. Tello seems to have a slight edge in video rendering, with no cap on the quality, whereas Mint Mobile caps its video streaming out at 480p on its unlimited plan (no cap on other plans).

Tello also features free international calling to over 60 countries, whereas you'll only get free calling to Mexico and Canada with Mint Mobile. This one's definitely a more niche feature overall, but for some, it's going to be a huge bonus and a major draw for them to go with Tello.

• Winner: Tello

Flexibility

Tello definitely has the edge if you think you'll need a bit of flexibility with your plan. As we've already covered above, you'll only pay for a month at a time with Tello and the design-your-own-plan system means it's easy to add or subtract any allowances you'll need on a monthly basis. Not being tied down for multiple months at a time also means it's relatively easy to abandon your plan with no incurred losses if you're not satisfied with the service.

• Winner: Tello

Verdict

Both Mint Mobile and Tello are absolutely fantastic cheaper alternatives to the likes of T-Mobile if you're looking for a stripped-down prepaid plan for the essentials. In our eyes, however, each will definitely appeal to a different type of user. 

If you're looking for overall value on a slightly more data-heavy plan then you're definitely going to want to go with Mint Mobile in our opinion. In short, while you're paying larger sums upfront and with less flexibility, you're generally getting a more generous data allowance overall.

If you're looking for just the basics, however, then you will be able to get a cheaper prepaid plan at Tello. You'll also be able to change up your plan in short order should you need more data down the line too, which makes it a great choice if you're not sure about how much you'll need.

As sister companies, both Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile offer some of the best cheap cell phone plans on the market right now - especially when it comes to bang for the buck. They both operate similarly, with flexible buy-in-bulk multi-month plans, generous data allowances, and 5G data speeds as standard on all plans.

As we all know, Mint Mobile is the carrier that's really making waves right now thanks to its high-profile ad campaigns, but that doesn't mean Ultra Mobile doesn't offer some great plans in its own right. In this article, we're going to give you the low-down on how these two prepaid phone plans differ and who they're generally looking to cater to. If you're on the fence, we'll also weigh in with an overall verdict on which one we think is the best for most users too.

Two excellent prepaid carriers

Plans, coverage and pricing

Both Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile have pretty similar 'buy-in-bulk' pricing schemes where you'll get the best deal overall if you commit to a longer service period. While there are still no service contracts to sign, you will, for example, get the lowest monthly rate on average with each service if you sign up for a yearly plan.

Ultra Mobile does, however, have the option for a single-month plan - which is more like what you'd expect from a traditional prepaid carrier. This one's great if you simply need a temporary SIM card for a burner device, and better still, Ultra Mobile offers all new customers a 33% discount as an intro deal. Simply put, you'll be able to get a SIM card for just $10 for your first month on Ultra Mobile, while you'd have to spend at least $45 to get the cheapest SIM on Mint Mobile.

Where Mint Mobile does shine, though, is over longer-term plans - especially if you're a more data-hungry user. You'll generally get bigger data allowances for less cash at Mint, especially when it comes to the unlimited data plan, which is $10 a month cheaper than the same plan at Ultra Mobile. 

Both being T-Mobile carriers, coverage will essentially be the same regardless of which service you pick. If you'd like to see what coverage is like in your area, then you can use T-Mobile's own coverage checker right here. 

• Winner: draw

Perks and features

Again, on the surface, both carriers offer very similar perks and features overall, with 5G data speeds where applicable, free mobile hot-spotting, and unlimited talk and text.

Things do however start to differentiate when you look at things like international calling - of which Ultra Mobile puts more of a focus on with its plans specifically. 

For example, While you do get free calling and texting to Mexico and Canada with Mint, Ultra on the other hand offers free calling and texting to over 80 international destinations. This again makes it a great choice if you're an international visitor who's looking for a temporary SIM card for your device.

Ultra Mobile also has a "data my way" option that enables customers to tailor their download and upload speeds to their liking. This is essentially like a type of data-saving feature that in theory will help you stretch out that data allowance as much as possible. 

Mint Mobile on the other hand has some great features for families in particular. The new 'Mint Family' feature allows an account to manage and monitor the data on up to four other accounts. Even though there's no multi-line discount here, it's a nice added bonus if your whole family is going to be signed up for the prepaid service.

• Winner: draw

Mint Mobile vs Ultra Mobile: the bottom line

Even though the two services are extremely similar on paper, it's easy to see both these carriers cater to two different types of cell phone users. If you're looking for a cheap single-month plan to use in a burner device or need international calling, then there's really no competition here - Ultra Mobile is the best choice. 

That said, for most domestic users in the US, Mint Mobile will offer vastly better value overall when it comes to long-term plans with bigger data allowances. Since the use case for Ultra Mobile is quite niche, we'd generally say Mint Mobile is the better choice for most people right now.

• Winner: Mint Mobile

Right now, Mint Mobile looks to be one of the better choices on the market for those on the hunt for a cheap data-laden cell phone plan. Its latest addition, the Mint Mobile unlimited data plan, looks especially tempting at just $30 a month. 

But, how good is the Mint Mobile unlimited data plan really? Is it truly unlimited, and is it worth the money? We're always on the lookout for the best cell phone plans for our readers here at TechRadar, so let's put this prepaid plan under the lens to see if it can really offer that value that Mint Mobile is well-known for. 

The Mint Mobile unlimited data plan has been a fairly recent addition to the prepaid carrier's site, having been introduced back in September of last year. Previously, the carrier only offered limited-data allowance plans, which really allowed it to establish itself as one of the better valued prepaid carriers out there.

As with all Mint Mobile plans, the Mint Mobile unlimited data plan is cheapest when you buy a full year of service in one big chunk. At $360, that can be a significant investment for some, although it does come with the added benefit of not having to pay those bills on a monthly basis for quite some time. Averaging out at $30 a month also makes it pretty much the cheapest unlimited data plan on the market right now.

Mint Mobile unlimited data plan price

Mint Mobile unlimited data plan features

• Unlimited data (35GB at 5G)
• Unlimited talk and text
• 5G where applicable (4G, 3G elsewhere)
• VoLTE
• Free mobile hot spotting (5GB cap on unlimited)
• Free calling and texts to Canada and Mexico

For just $30 a month (at its cheapest rate), the Mint Mobile unlimited data plan looks to be a fairly well-rounded and feature-laden cell phone plan indeed. Staples like unlimited talk and text are of course fairly common on even the most cheap of prepaid phone plans, but it's rare to see things like voice-over-LTE and free mobile hotspotting included into the price of a cheaper plan. 

That said, there's no such thing as a free lunch, which brings us on to our next topic...

Is the Mint Mobile unlimited data plan really unlimited?

The eagle-eyed of you will have spotted that the Mint Mobile unlimited data plan has a stipulation of 'only' 35GB of data at 5G speeds. This is essentially a soft-cap on the amount of high-speed data you can use per month. While this is a fairly common practice for most carriers (even at Verizon and T-Mobile), you'll definitely want to bear this in mind since after your 35GB of 5G is up you'll be reduced right down to a soul-crushing 128KB/s data speed. For context, that's enough to send a few messages and emails, maybe browse a few pages, but not much else.

So, does this mean the Mint Mobile unlimited data plan is truly unlimited? The answer is - well, sort of. If you're a medium to light user then you'll most likely never encounter a hitch here, and you won't be cut off from your data under any circumstances. Still, if you're a heavy user then you won't find truly unlimited 5G data speeds at Mint Mobile just yet.

Is the Mint Mobile unlimited data plan worth it?

As you can see, the Mint Mobile unlimited data plan is pretty damn cheap, even when compared to other prepaid phone plans out there. On average, it's coming in at $10 a month cheaper than Visible Wireless, which is probably Mint's main competitor in the cheap unlimited cell phone plans market. It's worth noting, however, that Visible does offer unlimited data at 5G, which is excellent, and also has flexible party-pay options that can get your bill down to as low as $25 a month with a 4-line party.

If you're a single-line user who's generally going to use less than 35GB of data a month, however, then the Mint Mobile unlimited data plan is pretty amazing value. 

• See how Mint stacks up against the competition in our Mint Mobile vs Visible wireless article

When it comes to cheap, great value prepaid phone plans two companies really stand out right now - Mint Mobile and Visible Wireless. These two low-cost cellular carriers often battle it out in our guide to the best prepaid phone plans each month, but we can't help comparing these two directly - we love a good versus here at TechRadar after all.

So, out of these two excellent prepaid carriers, which is the best right now when factoring in things like value, speed, and perks? It sounds like quite an easy comparison to make, however you'd be surprised at just how different these two carriers are. We're putting these two companies in a head-to-head battle, starting with a breakdown of how much these plans will set you back each month. After that, we're looking at what you'll be getting for your hard-earned cash, followed by a final verdict.

Two excellent value prepaid plans

Coverage and pricing

It's worth noting that while both Mint Mobile and Visible market themselves as 'cheap' prepaid carriers, they operate on entirely different networks and business models. 

Mint Mobile, for example, operates on the T-Mobile network (check your coverage), and has a payment scheme that sees you paying upfront for upwards of a year of service at a time. Visible, on the other hand, operates on the Verizon network (check your coverage) with a more traditional 'pay one month at a time' model. 

Why does this matter? Well, not all phones are compatible with both networks and you'll also be billed in dramatically different ways. If you prefer to pay once and forget about it then Mint Mobile is going to be the winner for you. On the other hand, if you prefer to avoid those big upfront charges and instead want to break it down into smaller instalments, then Visible is likely to be your preferred carrier.

• Winner: draw

Speed and perks

Both Mint Mobile and Visible utilize speedy nationwide 5G networks, although it's worth noting that being prepaid carriers, both are subject to 'deprioritization' when the parent networks are subject to heavy traffic.

That said, which offers the speediest service? And which one has the best perks for making the most of that fast data?

On paper, both Mint Mobile and Visible are fully 5G, although Visible does state that speeds are capped out at to 200Mb/s. Mint Mobile doesn't refer to any speed caps in the fine print, although they do cap you in other areas with soft capped data allowances (more on that later).

Perks-wise, both carriers offer unlimited talk and text (as you'd expect), plus mobile-hotspotting free of charge. You will, however, be capped out at only 5GB of mobile hotspot allowance on Mint Mobile's unlimited data plan, whereas Visible offers unlimited usage.

Where Visible also pulls ahead in our books is with its Party Pay feature. Bundle your account together with other Visible users using this rather unique perk and you'll all be looking at a significant discount for each line per month (down to $25 a month). Everyone pays separately, so it's a really easy, low-risk way to pay less for your unlimited data plan each month.

• Winner: Visible

Unlimited data wars

On paper, both of these carriers offer unlimited data plans for a particularly low price. That said, there are always a few restrictions in the fine print that can easily be glossed over at first glance.

Visible really does have very few restrictions on its unlimited data plan - with the fine print specifically stating that speeds are always capped at 200Mb/s and hotspot speeds capped at 5Mb/s. Mint Mobile, on the other hand, has a 'soft' data cap of 35GB 5G data per month, with speeds being throttled down to just 128Kbs if you happen to overrun your allowance.

• Winner: Visible

Mint Mobile vs Visible Wireless: the bottom line

So, with Visible winning on two of our three criteria it would be easy to think that the Verizon sub-carrier is running away with the top prize for best prepaid carrier right now. Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple.

You can't ignore that Mint Mobile has fantastic options for those who want a smaller data package each month - something that Visible just doesn't offer. Even with Mint Mobile's unlimited data plan it's a close call - especially since it comes in at, on average, $10 a month less for a single-line user.

For those with a bunch of buddies looking for unlimited data on tap, however, Visible is an easy recommendation. The carrier's Party Pay feature is fantastic, and easily the cheapest way to get your hands on unlimited 5G data currently. 

Verdict? If you're looking for low-data or single-line value go with Mint Mobile. If you're a heavy data user looking for flexible group-pay options, then go with Visible Wireless.