Quick answer

Get Ultra if your bill currently includes international add-ons or per-minute charges to any of its 90+ free destinations. Skip it if you don't call abroad — Mint (same T-Mobile network, same parent since T-Mobile's 2024 acquisition of both) is cheaper at every tier with a more polished experience.

Plans & pricing

• Talk & Text 500MB — $10/mo (annual).
• 4GB — $19 single-month / $13 annual. 8GB — $24 / $17. 12GB — $29 / $20. 24GB — $39 / $27.
• Ultra Unlimited — $49 / $34; Unlimited+ — $59 / $41 (25GB hotspot).
• Every plan: unlimited US talk/text, free calling to 90+ countries, global texting to 200+ destinations, hotspot, Wi-Fi calling, free SIM/eSIM, $0 activation.

Prepaying is where the savings live — the 12-month rate runs ~30% below monthly. The family deal is genuinely strong: 4 unlimited lines for $100/mo with international included on every line. Note the unlimited tiers aren't uncapped: speeds can slow past ~35GB during congestion, and video streams at ~480p.

The international feature set

• Free unlimited calling to 90+ countries — worth $10–30/mo versus carriers that charge for it.
• "Call Me Free" — a local number in 40+ countries that forwards to your U.S. line; family abroad reaches you with a local call.
• uTalk add-on (~$10/mo) — 1,250 bonus minutes to 39 destinations beyond the free list.
• UpRoam — up to $40 roaming credit abroad; Mexico & Canada talk/text free, with a 5GB Go Roam Mexico pass on 24GB+ plans.
• Monthly credits for destinations off the free list — $10 calling plus $10 roaming on Ultra Unlimited, rising to $15 and $15 on Unlimited+.

Network and speeds

Full T-Mobile nationwide coverage and 5G at no extra cost — Ultra publishes typical speeds of 79–357 Mbps down with 17–32ms latency. The standard MVNO caveat applies: deprioritization behind T-Mobile postpaid during congestion, invisible 90%+ of the time. If T-Mobile is weak at your address, pick a Verizon-network MVNO instead — Ultra can't out-cover its host. There are also no physical stores: support is digital and phone only, which matters if you like handing a problem to someone across a counter.

Ultra's entire value proposition is the international calling. Without that need, Mint wins.

— ShopCellPlans verdict

Before you switch

1. Estimate your real monthly data from your current bill rather than guessing — the ladder between 8GB and unlimited is where most of the money is.
2. Check T-Mobile coverage at home, at work, and anywhere you spend real time. Ultra is exactly as good as its host network and no better.
3. Decide honestly whether you'd use the international features. If the answer is no, Mint is cheaper at every tier for the same towers.
4. Pick your term. One month is the most expensive way to buy Ultra; 3, 6 and 12-month terms step the rate down, and Auto Renew takes another 10%+ off single-month plans.

Verdict

Yes — for the specific user who calls abroad regularly, wants T-Mobile coverage, and can prepay for the best rates. Against rivals: Red Pocket is the closest competitor (international calling plus network choice, often cheaper); US Mobile wins on flexibility; Visible or Twigby win in Verizon-strong rural areas. For US-only calling, start with Mint.