Ultra Mobile is a flexible phone carrier with several plan sizes, international options, and excellent phone compatibility. The carrier uses T-Mobile LTE and 5G networks, so for best results, you should pick a phone that supports as many of T-Mobile’s bands as possible. Luckily, most of the best Android phones work great on this network and should be a good fit for Ultra Mobile.
You can bring a phone to Ultra Mobile or buy one from the carrier. If you purchase a device from Ultra Mobile, you can get a discount on your first 3-month wireless plan. And the phone can be financed using Affirm or paid for outright. If you’re new to prepaid carriers, it can be a good idea to own your phone, so you can bring it with you if you find a better deal on data down the line.
The best phones for Ultra Mobile
Google Pixel 8 Pro
The best Android phone for prepaid plans
The Pixel 8 Pro is an excellent Android phone with a decently powerful Tensor G3 SoC, a beautiful OLED display, and some of the best cameras of any phone. Google has even promised seven years of software updates, so you can use it at length.
- Excellent camera performance
- Great AI calling features
- Seven years of software support
- Quite expensive for a Pixel
- Some overheating issues early on
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is one of our favorite Android phones thanks to its well-balanced hardware, excellent cameras, and superb software support. It has a Tensor G3 SoC under the hood which is powerful enough for just about any app you throw at it, including games. It also has 12GB of RAM with up to 1TB of storage.
The cameras are some of the best we’ve used thanks to a large 50MP main, 48MP telephoto, and 48MP ultrawide camera on the exterior and Google’s camera app. The Pixel 8 Pro produces vibrant and sharp images, even in low light. The battery is large at 5050mAh, which should easily make it to the end of the day, and quick 30W charging means you won’t be waiting all day for it to charge.
Google Pixel 8 Pro review: Living up to its name
If you want to see the future of Google, the Pixel 8 Pro is the phone to buy
The Pixel 8 Pro is a good pick for prepaid carriers because it supports most 5G bands being used right now and isn’t reliant on carriers for its software. Google has promised to provide software updates for this phone for seven years, so your phone will be secure as long as you plan to use it.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
One of the biggest and most premium Androids
The Galaxy s24 Ultra is a hardware masterpiece with a fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, a built-in smart Stylus, and impressive cameras. Its 6.8-inch AMOLED display also looks great with up to 2600 nits of peak brightness.
- Incredible 6.8-inch AMOLED display
- Some of the best camera hardware on any phone
- Excellent battery life
- Very expensive
- Camera software still struggles with motion
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is Samsung’s biggest and best phone, and it really doesn’t leave anything out. This phone has one of the fastest mobile processors with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, and its screen is beautiful with a 6.8-inch AMOLED panel, 120Hz support, and a high 1440×3120 resolution. It ships with 12GB of RAM as standard and comes in sizes up to 1TB.
There are four exterior cameras starting with the main 200MP shooter. We found that this camera could deliver some very impressive results, though the phone could struggle to keep objects in motion sharp. There’s also a 10MP telephoto camera, a 12MP telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultrawide camera. It has a large 5000mAh battery and 45W charging as well.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: Still the best, unless you take photos
Without any meaningful changes, Samsung’s latest phablet feels like a do-over for last year’s smartphone
Like Google’s phone, Samsung has promised seven years of updates for the S24 Ultra, so you can keep using it for years. This phone also supports all of Ultra Mobile’s 5G bands, so it should get excellent speeds overall. If you’re looking for a phone that can handle all the latest apps and won’t need to be replaced quickly, the S24 Ultra is a good pick.
Google Pixel 7a
A Pixel camera for less
If you’re looking to save but still want excellent pictures, the Pixel 7a is a strong choice with Google’s excellent camera software. It’s powered by last year’s quick Tensor G2 SoC, which is pretty fast given the phone’s price.
- Quick Tensor G2 SoC
- Flat OLED screen is improved over the previous generation
- Excellent cameras
- Battery life isn?t stellar
- More expensive than previous models
The Google Pixel 7a is Google’s budget-friendly option, but it still has plenty of power to run the latest Android builds. It runs the Tensor G2 SoC from last year’s flagship with 8GB of RAM. However, it’s only available with 128GB of storage. And the display is a decent 6.1-inch OLED panel with 90Hz support. It’s even IP67-rated for dust and water resistance.
Like all Pixels, the cameras are a highlight with the 64MP main camera and 13MP ultrawide camera producing some nice images. They’re not quite on par with the Pixel 8, but for a budget phone, they look great. Unfortunately, the battery isn’t huge at 4385mAh, and the 18W charging isn’t exactly impressive either.
Google Pixel 7a review: If déjà vu were a smartphone
This year’s A-series is more like its flagship counterpart than ever before — for better and for worse
Luckily, this phone is set to get several years of Pixel updates, so you can use it for a few years before it feels too out of date. This phone also supports most of T-Mobile’s 5G bands and most other carriers’ 5G bands, so it should work great with any of Ultra Mobile’s plans. Just note that the Pixel 8a has now been announced — we haven’t reviewed it yet though, which is why you won’t find it on this list.
Google Pixel 8
The best of Pixel in a smaller size
If you like to use your phone one-handed, the Pixel 8 could be a good choice, with a 6.2-inch OLED display and the same Tensor G3 SoC as the Pro with a small drop to 8GB of RAM. Best of all, you also get the same 50MP main camera as the Pixel 8 Pro.
- Gorgeous and bright display
- Great battery life
- Seven years of Pixel updates promised
- Missing some of the Pro?s AI features
- Some people don?t like the uneven bezels
The Google Pixel 8 is a powerful and capable phone with a reasonably large 6.2-inch OLED display running at up to 120Hz with 2000 nits of peak brightness. It’s powered by the Tensor G3 SoC, with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage, which is plenty for most people.
Since this is a Pixel, it has a good set of cameras, with the main 50MP camera being shared with the Pixel 8 Pro. The 12MP ultrawide is smaller, but still decent thanks to Google’s camera app. This phone takes excellent images even if it lacks the Pixel 8 Pro’s zoom capability. And the battery comes in at 4575mAh with 27W wired charging supported.
Google Pixel 8 review: The Pixel for the masses
The Pixel 8 doesn’t need every feature the 8 Pro offers, it’s packing more than enough
This phone supports T-Mobile’s 5G coverage with support for its low and mid bands. It also will get seven years of Pixel updates, so you can keep using it for years, whether you stick with Ultra Mobile or move on to another carrier.
OnePlus Open
No display shortage
If you want to try out a foldable, the OnePlus Open is one of our favorites, with a lovely design, excellent battery life, and even great cameras. Boasting a bright and large OLED display inside and out, this is a gorgeous phone to use open or closed.
- Excellent design
- All-day battery life with fast charging
- Great cameras, especially for a foldable
- OxygenOS lacks some of the polish of Google and Samsung
- No wireless charging
- Some software issues with OxygenOS
The OnePlus Open is one of our favorite folding phones thanks to its gorgeous design and relatively few compromises on hardware. OnePlus has included a 6.31-inch AMOLED panel on the outside, and a 7.82-inch folding display on the inside, both of which run at 120Hz. The phone is powered by a slightly aged Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but 16Gb of RAM gives it plenty of performance for most users.
Folding phone cameras often struggle to keep up, but OnePlus has done an excellent job with the Open’s three-camera array. It has a main 48MP camera, a 64MP 3x telephoto camera, and a 48MP ultrawide camera, and the results look great. They aren’t as processed as something from Samsung or Google, but look good nonetheless. And the phone is powered by a large 4805mAh power pack with support for 67W charging.
OnePlus Open review: What every foldable should be
Leave it to OnePlus to supply the competition Samsung so desperately needs
The OnePlus Open works well on the T-Mobile network used by Ultra Mobile, so you should have no trouble getting activated and online. This phone launched with Android 13 but can already be upgraded to Android 14, and it has three more Android updates promised.
OnePlus 12R
Flagship performance for half the cost
If you want fast performance for less, the OnePlus 12R stands alone with its powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, bright OLED display, and ultra-fast charging. OnePlus has even promised three software updates for this device.
- Excellent performance
- Gorgeous displays
- Long battery life with ultra-fast charging
- Only four years of security updates
- Curved screen feels a bit old-fashioned
The OnePlus 12R is the sort of phone most people should consider thanks to a reasonable price, decent hardware specs, and a premium look and feel. At first glance, it’s hard to tell the device apart from the premium OnePlus 12, but it has a few differences. It has a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with up to 120Hz support. The processor is an older, yet still very quick, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and either 8GB or 16GB of RAM.
The cameras are nothing special with a main 50MP camera kicking out images that look great with plenty of light, but they struggle a bit more in challenging conditions. Still, for the price, this camera is more than serviceable. There’s also an 8MP ultrawide for wider shots and a 2MP macro camera for close-ups. The battery is also large at 5500mAh and charges very fast at up to 100W, like the OnePlus 12.
OnePlus 12R review: A real flagship killer for $500
A phone that packs all the power you need for the price you want to pay
This phone works well on the T-Mobile network used by Ultra Mobile with 5G support, so you should get the best speeds available. OnePlus launched this phone with Android 14 and has promised three OS updates with four years of security updates.
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G
Get 5G speeds on a budget
The Galaxy A25 5G is nothing special, but then again, neither is the price tag. This budget 5G phone isn’t quick, but it comes with a nice OLED display, decent cameras, and four software updates, so you can get your money’s worth.
- Excellent OLED display
- Decent camera quality
- Four OS updates planned
- Big ugly bezels
- Laggy performance
- Only 6GB of RAM in the US
The Galaxy A25 5G is a low-end phone, and it performs like one. That being said, it’s well-built, has a long battery life, and a surprisingly nice display. The phone has a 6.5-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz support and 1000 nits of brightness. It’s powered by the underwhelming Exynos 1280 SoC made by Samsung and you will experience a bit of lag using this phone.
The main 50MP camera is decent and can produce some nice images if there’s enough light. Even the selfie camera is solid. The battery should also last a long time, easily till the end of the day, thanks to a 5000mAh pack. It even charges up to 25W if you have the right charger. (Samsung doesn’t include one.)
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G review: Better than budget
At this point, Samsung’s cheap phones can’t get much more reliable
Thanks to 5G support, this phone works well on T-Mobile’s network and should have no trouble getting usable speeds. Samsung is also planning four software updates for this phone, so there’s a good chance it will remain up-to-date longer than you’ll want to keep using it.
Moto G Stylus 5G (2023)
A stylus on a budget
The Moto G Stylus 5G 2023 is an excellent budget phone thanks to its large battery life, solid performance, and the included stylus. While it’s not as smart as Samsung’s S Pen, it’s still adequate for taking notes or just improving touch accuracy.
- Nice 120HZ display
- Included Stylus with software integration
- Great battery life
- No wireless charging
- Screen isn?t that bright
The Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) shows Motorola’s experience building budget phones, with a large 6.6-inch IPS display, solid build quality, and a decent Snapdragon SoC. This phone is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC with 6GB of RAM, which offers modest, but welcome, improvements over last year’s model. It can even power through some games with medium settings.
The cameras are nothing special with a main 50MP camera that’s starting to look very familiar in budget phones. If you keep your expectations in check, this phone can take some decent pictures and even supports a night mode. The battery is also large at 5,000mAh with charging up to 20W.
Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) review: A stylus phone that won’t break the bank
Motorola delivers a Samsung-like smartphone for a third of the price
When it comes to software, this phone has some nice Stylus features, but a disappointing update schedule. This phone launched with Android 13 and is planned to get an update to Android 14, but after that, it’s only three years of security updates. At least the 5G connection should provide plenty of speed on T-Mobile’s network.
Which should you pick?
While a lot of these phones are available for purchase from Ultra Mobile, you don’t need to buy them from the carrier. Ultra Mobile makes activation easy, so you can buy your own phone unlocked and bring it with you. This is especially useful if you find a carrier with a better plan for you later on and want to switch.
If you’re looking to save, you can still get a great Pixel with the Pixel 7a. It has plenty of power for just about any app you throw at it and strong 5G support on the T-Mobile network used by Ultra Mobile. While it’s not set to get as many updates as the Pixel 8, you still get multiple Android OS updates with years of security updates, so the phone should stay current as long as you realistically want to keep using it.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra, on the other hand, makes very few compromises. It has one of the most sophisticated camera systems ever put into a phone and takes fantastic pictures. The screen is also one of the best, with plenty of real estate to make good use of the included S Pen stylus. It charges fairly quickly, for a Samsung at least, at 45W and has a large 5000mAh battery. With seven years of updates promised, this is a phone that will feel premium for years to come.
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is one of our favorite phones for any carrier, including prepaid carriers like Ultra Mobile. Ultra Mobile has a focus on international features, and the Pixel 8 Pro not only works great on Ultra but works well while traveling abroad as well. It’s nice that Google has committed to seven years of software updates, so you can make the most of your purchase by using it for years without needing to worry about out-of-date software. Overall, the Pixel 8 Pro is the best Android phone to use with Ultra Mobile.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
The best of the best
The Pixel 8 Pro is a great unlocked pick for Ultra Mobile thanks to its strong 5G support, excellent software update policy, and cameras that you can rely on to capture any moment.
