(Updated 8/18)
The Age Well Focus Team, with the assistance of a great intern, developed this list of free or low cost phone options for seniors. We are not endorsing, nor have we tried out these plans. We hope this may be a starting point to find a service that works for you. If you have experience with one of these plans we would love to hear and share the knowledge.
Lifeline Assistance:
- Free Phone
- $10 per phones
- $7 per month
- 150GB of internet data usage each month with the Lifeline Broadband plan
Qualifications: Must be a participant in one of following programs… Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/food stamps), Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to qualify, or if household income is at or under 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
AT&T $2 Daily Plan
- Go Phone Plan
- $2 per day if used
- Unlimited minutes/texts
- $0.01 per 5KB of internet data or buy 100MB of internet data for $1
- $20-60 per phone
Daily plan: $2 per day for unlimited minutes and texts. You are charged only if you place or receive a call or send a text. There’s no charge on days you don’t use your phone.
Assurance Wireless
- Free Phone
- Free 1GB internet data per month
- Free 350 minutes per month
- Free Unlimited texts
Qualifications: Must be a participant in one of the following programs… Medicaid (Medicare is not acceptable), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit Program, Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8), or if household income is at or under 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Safe Link
- Free phone
- Free 350 minutes per month
- Unlimited texts
- Free 1GB of internet data per month
If you already have a phone:
- Free SIM Card (what gives your phone service)
- Free 350 minutes per month
- 5GB of internet data per month for the first 3 months
- 1GB of internet data after the first 3 months are done
- Unlimited texts
Qualifications: Must be a participant in one of the following programs… Federal Public Housing assistance (Section 8), Food Stamps, Low Income House Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, State Blind Pension, or if the household incomes is at or under 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
TracFone Plan #1
- $10 Phones
- 60 Minute Card $20 = about $7 per month
- 90 days of service
- 180 minutes
- 180 texts
- 180MB of internet data
TracFone Plan #2
- $9.99/month
- 30 minutes/texts
- Phone $30+
Consumer Cellular
- $15/month
- 250 minutes
- Extra $5 per month for 250MB of internet data
- Phone $30+
Extra Discounts/Benfits: AARP Members receive a 5% discount off their monthly fees and usage charges, a 30% discount off select accessories, plus an extended 45-day money back, risk-free guarantee.
Republic Wireless
- $15/month
- Unlimited talk and text
- Extra $5 per month for 5GB of 4G LTE internet data
- Phone $50+
Ting
- $6/month per phone line
- Minutes, internet data, and text billed separately
- Phone $70+
- Levels of usage that you pay based on
- $3/month for 100 minutes
- $3/month for 100 texts
- $3/month for 100MB of internet data
US Mobile
- $4/month
- Minutes, internet data and text billed separately
- Phone through website called Tello $7
- Phone is regularly $40+
- Levels of usage that you pay based on
- $2.50/month for 40 minutes
- $1.50/month for 40 texts
- $2/month for 100MB of internet data
Jitterbug
- $99.99 Phone
- $14.99/month
- $35 Activation fee
- 200 minutes per month
- Extra $3 for 300 texts
- Extra $2.49 for 40MB of internet data
