Bank locks you out
Your bank texts 2FA codes to your number. You can't log in. You can't move money.
Download KeepMyNumber app.
Grab KeepMyNumber from the App Store and create your account.
Tello vs Keep My Number.
Keep my US number, no SIM needed.
Tello
Keep My Number
A cheap Tello plan can keep your US number alive — if you set up Wi-Fi Calling before you fly, give up a SIM slot, and never miss a renewal. Keep My Number moves the number into an app. Nothing to babysit.
Same problem: your number dies abroad.
Two very different ways to save it.
Tello and Keep My Number both promise to keep the US number your bank, family, and logins still text. One depends on Wi-Fi Calling, roaming toggles, and monthly renewals. The other is an app. Here's what's at stake when the number slips.
People who matter can't reach you.
Mom calls and gets "this number is disconnected."
Your chat identity is locked.
WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal are your number. Lose it and you're logged out of years of chats.
How Keep My Number solves it.
Your US number, minus the SIM.
Port the US number you already have. Calls, texts, and bank codes land in the app on any phone, in any country — no Wi-Fi Calling setup, no roaming toggles, no plan renewal to remember.
Calls & SMS, worldwide.
Your number rings on any phone, in any country, on any carrier. Calls, texts, and codes — they all just land.
2FA supported.
Verification codes keep landing on the number your bank already trusts.
$12/day
$0
roaming, forever
Zero roaming fees.
No per-minute charges, no country tiers. One flat price, forever.
Instant transfers.
Most numbers move in 24–48 hours. Track every step live in the app.
Privacy first.
Encrypted in transit and at rest. We never sell your data — no ads, ever.
Why is Keep My Number better than Tello?
Both keep your US number a real mobile number — the difference is what living abroad with it feels like. Tello leans on Wi-Fi Calling and roaming toggles you set up before you fly. Keep My Number puts the number in an app that just works on any connection.
| Feature | Keep My Number | Tello |
|---|---|---|
| Where your number lives | In the app — any phone, no SIM | In a SIM/eSIM slot of one phone |
| Set up after you've already left the US | Yes — port from any country | Risky — roaming won't activate on a line never used in the US |
| Receive calls & texts abroad | Over any internet — always on | Only while Wi-Fi Calling is connected, or on paid roaming |
| Bank & 2FA verification codes | Land in the app, worldwide | Accepted by banks — but arrive only over Wi-Fi Calling or roaming |
| When there's no Wi-Fi around | Works on any data or local eSIM | Per-minute, per-text roaming from a Pay As You Go balance |
| SIM slot required | None — keep both slots for local SIMs | Occupies a SIM or eSIM slot for good |
| Upkeep to keep the number alive | None — one flat subscription | 30-day renewals, E911 address, roaming and PAYG toggles |
| Battery & settings while traveling | Nothing to manage | Manual network selection; extra battery drain |
| UK, EU, and other non-US numbers | UK (+44) ports with a PAC code | US numbers only |
| Cost to keep the number | $89/year flat — everything included | From $5/month + pay-per-use roaming top-ups |
Facts checked August 2026. Tello is a US prepaid carrier on T-Mobile's network with build-your-own plans from $5/month. Wi-Fi Calling works abroad at domestic rates but requires enabling the feature and registering a US E911 address before you leave, and Tello states international roaming only works if the line has been used in the US first. Roaming calls, texts, and data are billed per-use from a Pay As You Go balance (minimum $5). Tello is a trademark of Tello LLC. Sources: tello.com.
Which one should you choose?
One keeps your number alive only while you babysit it. The other just keeps it.
Tello only works if…
- You set up Wi-Fi Calling and a US E911 address before you fly — from abroad it may never activate
- You're fine with calls and bank codes waiting until the next good Wi-Fi network
- You can give up a SIM slot for good and put up with network fiddling and battery drain
- You'll remember to renew every 30 days, forever — one lapse and the number is gone
Choose Keep My Number if…
- You want the number in an app — no SIM slot, no Wi-Fi Calling setup
- Your bank and 2FA codes must land on any connection, anywhere
- You've already left the US — porting works from any country
- You're also keeping a UK (+44) number — Tello is US-only
How does switching from Tello work?
Three steps. Ten minutes.
Port from Tello or any US carrier — even after you've left the US. No SIM to ship. No store visit.
Tell us your number.
Enter the +1 number you want to keep and choose a plan. We handle the port with AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or any US carrier.
Keep using it.
Calls, texts and verification codes land in the app - on any carrier, in any country.
Loved by people who moved.
Sarah M.
NYC → Mexico City
I moved to Mexico City and kept my +1 number. My bank still works. My mom still calls. That's the whole point.
David K.
Austin → Lisbon
Setup was literally two screens and a photo. Verizon didn't even fight me on the port. Felt like magic.
Ana R.
SF → Bangkok
I've been a digital nomad for 6 years. This is the first tool that actually solved the number problem.
David K.
Austin → Lisbon
Setup was literally two screens and a photo. Verizon didn't even fight me on the port. Felt like magic.
Ana R.
SF → Bangkok
I've been a digital nomad for 6 years. This is the first tool that actually solved the number problem.
Sarah M.
NYC → Mexico City
I moved to Mexico City and kept my +1 number. My bank still works. My mom still calls. That's the whole point.
Ana R.
SF → Bangkok
I've been a digital nomad for 6 years. This is the first tool that actually solved the number problem.
Sarah M.
NYC → Mexico City
I moved to Mexico City and kept my +1 number. My bank still works. My mom still calls. That's the whole point.
David K.
Austin → Lisbon
Setup was literally two screens and a photo. Verizon didn't even fight me on the port. Felt like magic.
One number, one price.
No roaming fees. No per-minute charges. No country tiers.
Save 25% on yearly billing
Keep Forever
7-day free trial
then $89/year
+1 (415) 555-0134
Start 7-day free trialNo hidden fees. Cancel anytime.
Calls & SMS worldwide- 2FA codes always land
- Zero roaming fees
- Instant transfers
- Multiple numbers in one app
Tello vs Keep My Number: questions
Is Keep My Number better than Tello for keeping a US number abroad?
If you live abroad, yes. Tello keeps your US number on a cheap prepaid SIM, but abroad it only receives calls and texts while Wi-Fi Calling is connected — and Wi-Fi Calling plus a US E911 address must be set up before you leave. Keep My Number moves the number into an app that works on any internet connection, ports from any country, and needs no SIM slot, renewals, or roaming toggles.
Can I keep my US number abroad with a $5 Tello plan?
It's a popular trick, and it can work: a $5/month Tello plan keeps the number active, and Wi-Fi Calling lets calls and texts reach you abroad at domestic rates. The catches: you must enable Wi-Fi Calling and register a US E911 address before leaving, the SIM permanently occupies a slot in your phone, cellular roaming bills per-use from a Pay As You Go balance, and if you miss a 30-day renewal the number can be lost. Keep My Number removes all of that for $89/year — the number lives in an app with nothing to maintain.
Does Tello work abroad without Wi-Fi?
Only via international roaming, which bills per minute, per text, and per MB from a prepaid Pay As You Go balance (minimum $5) — and Tello states roaming only works if the line was used in the US before you left. Keep My Number receives calls and texts over any data connection, including a local eSIM, with no roaming charges ever.
Do bank 2FA codes work on Tello abroad?
Usually yes — Tello numbers are real mobile numbers on T-Mobile's network, so banks accept them. The problem is delivery: abroad, codes only arrive while Wi-Fi Calling is connected or paid roaming is switched on. On hotel Wi-Fi that blocks Wi-Fi Calling, the code simply doesn't arrive. Keep My Number delivers codes to the app over any internet connection.
Can I set up Tello after I have already left the US?
It's risky. Wi-Fi Calling activation requires a US E911 address, and Tello's international roaming only activates on lines that have been used inside the US first. If you've already moved, porting to Keep My Number works from any country — no US presence needed.
Can I port my number from Tello to Keep My Number?
Yes. Tello is a US carrier, so the port works like any other: start it in the Keep My Number app with your Tello account number and port-out PIN. Most US wireless ports complete within 24 hours, and you can do it from anywhere in the world.
How much does Tello cost vs Keep My Number?
Tello's cheapest plan is $5/month (about $60/year), plus a Pay As You Go balance for any cellular roaming abroad. Keep My Number is $89/year or $59/6 months, all-in. Tello is cheaper on paper — but the $29 difference buys you no SIM slot lost, no Wi-Fi Calling dependency, no roaming toggles, no renewal to miss, and a port you can start after you've already left the US.
Can I keep a UK or EU number with Tello?
No. Tello is a US-only carrier and ports US numbers only. Keep My Number also ports UK (+44) numbers using a PAC code — see the UK guide for steps and pricing.
Ready to keep your US number?
Takes 10 seconds to check, no account needed. Your number moves with you — every country, every carrier, forever.
Get KeepMyNumber
