The 6 Best Cell Phone Plans for Seniors: Tested and Reviewed

Consumer Cellular is one of the few carriers that market specifically to older adults, along with Lively, offering easy-to-understand talk, text, and data plans that impressed us with their reliability and affordability.

Consumer Cellular plans start at $20 per month for unlimited talk and text, and additional lines cost only $15 each. This makes the provider a great option for couples and families. When we got our phone in the mail, we contacted customer service and spoke to a human right away. The SIM card was already installed in our IRIS Easy Flip, so we got our phone up and running within seconds.

Consumer Cellular piggybacks off of AT&T’s networks. As such, we anticipated that our data service would slow during peak usage times. However, we found consistently fast data speeds, which allowed us to stream YouTube videos at a consistent rate with no lag.

We also found that each of our test calls came through with exceptional clarity. Whether we were in the city or hiking through the woods of eastern Rhode Island, we always had access to at least a 4G LTE signal, if not 5G.

Still, because Consumer Cellular is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that, like Lively, leases network services from a larger provider, you may experience slower speeds during high usage periods.

To learn more about our experience with this provider, read our Consumer Cellular review.

Consumer Cellular’s plans start at $20 per month, and they include 1 GB of data and unlimited talk and text. Plans with unlimited talk, text, and data start at $35 per month if you’re 50 or older  or $60 a month if you’re not yet 50. And if you’re over 50 and a member of AARP, you can get the same unlimited 50+ plan for just $33.25 a month.

*Prices include discounts for Auto Pay and paperless billing.

No matter which plan you choose, additional lines are only $15 more per month, while an additional line could cost between $25 and $50 with AT&T, depending on your particular plan. Consumer Cellular’s rates are even more affordable for AARP members, who receive 5 percent discounts on their monthly bills.

When we finished testing the company’s devices, we simply called customer service, informed them that we wished to cancel, and stopped paying for service. We like that Consumer Cellular doesn’t make it a pain to start a new plan or drop it if and when you don’t want it anymore.

Consumer Cellular’s plans include unlimited talk and text within the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, but you’ll have to pay extra for international calls no matter which plan you’re on. Rates vary slightly by the country you wish to call.

Calls to South Africa, for example, cost $0.13 to $0.17 per minute, while sent SMS texts cost $0.05 each. Calls to Brazil cost $0.02 to $0.03 per minute or $0.05 for each SMS text sent. In both countries, it’s free to receive texts.

If you have friends or family abroad, we recommend checking the rates for relevant countries on Consumer Cellular’s website before pulling the trigger on one of their plans.

To learn more, read our guide to Consumer Cellular phones and plans.

Known for their popular Jitterbug phones, Lively makes choosing a cell phone plan simple — separate plans for their flip phones and smartphones are laid out in clear charts that show what’s included in each plan and what is not. It also offers a suite of safety features that include urgent response buttons and dedicated nurse hotlines that go beyond typical cell phone functions.

The provider’s monthly plans start at $14.99 per month for 300 minutes of talk and 300 texts with the Flip2, or $19.99 a month for unlimited talk and text plus 1 GB of data with the Smart4 and new Smart5.

We were really impressed with Lively’s customer service. A human helped us activate our phone via a call line, and it was easy to order Lyfts and speak to an on-call nurse through our Jitterbug phone.

Lively piggybacks off Verizon’s network, which, in our experience, was highly reliable. All our test calls connected clearly, including our tests of the Jitterbug Urgent Response feature, which connected us to monitoring agents in a matter of seconds. Just about everything with our Jitterbug phones worked smoothly on Lively’s network.

If you have the Jitterbug Smart4, you’ll get 5G wherever it’s available, whereas the Flip2 uses 4G LTE only for calls, texts, and emergency features. The new Smart5 and Flip3 phones support 5G. Keep in mind that that distinction means less than it used to, however. Most cell phone users will not experience laggy service with 4G unless they are very heavy video streamers or use a ton of mobile data.

What Lively might lack in speed, however, it makes up for in health features. Take the urgent response button, for example. When we pressed it, Lively connected us to urgent response operators. If we actually experienced an emergency, the operators could send first responders to our location, much like how a medical alert system works.

With all their extra features, Lively’s plans work a bit differently than the other carriers on this list. For starters, you’ll need to choose from one of three plans: Basic, Preferred, and Premium.

Lively offers the same plans to Jitterbug Flip2 and Flip3 users, but for $5 less per month. However, Flip2 plans offer only 300 talk minutes and 300 texts instead of unlimited calls and texts. We think that’s enough for most casual users, but if you need unlimited talk and text, you have the option to pay $5 more per month for it.

The Flip2 doesn’t support cellular data, so its plans don’t include a monthly data allowance. The new Flip3 does support WiFi calling and has a lot more storage than the Flip2: 64 GB compared with the Flip2’s 16 GB. Many older adults are satisfied with the Flip2, however, particularly because it costs half as much as the Flip3 ($79.99 compared with just $39.99 for the Flip2). The Smart4 plans, on the other hand, all include 1 GB of monthly data allowance.

Should you need more, you can get extra data for an additional monthly fee:

• 5 GB: $5
• 10 GB: $15
• Unlimited data: $30

To learn more about Lively’s plans and features, read our comprehensive guide to Jitterbug phones and plans.

Although Lively plans are great if you’re looking for simplicity, people who want more than one phone line on their plans or a lot of plan customization options might find Lively plans limiting. In addition, while we appreciate all the safety features available with Lively phones, the extra costs for them can add up to be a pricey monthly expenditure.

We were pleased to discover, however, that unlike in previous years, Lively now allows customers to bring their own smartphones to use with Lively service. Although most of those safety features can be used with a non-Jitterbug phone, you won’t have the same designated emergency response button that the Smart4 and Smart5 have.

To learn more, read our Jitterbug phone review.

AT&T is one of the most reliable cell phone service providers in the country, offering nationwide 55+ plans starting at $40 per month with one line. It’s certainly not the cheapest carrier on this list — that would be Mint Mobile. But it offers excellent discounts for seniors, especially those who want to bundle internet: Customers 55 and older can get two wireless phone lines plus internet for only $99 a month. In the past, AT&T only offered a 55+ plan to Florida residents, so we appreciate the nationwide availability of this plan.

One advantage of buying a cell phone directly from a carrier like AT&T is that carriers have stores you can visit. Rather than using phone, live chat, or online support, we went into an actual store and spoke to an actual human when we were having issues with our phone freezing. A representative helped us within minutes, which is often not the case when trying to get support over the phone or even online.

AT&T has one of the largest 4G LTE and 5G coverage networks in the country. Here’s how it stacks up against Verizon and T-Mobile, based on the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Map:2

AT&T owns and operates their own network, unlike providers such as Consumer Cellular and Mint Mobile. That means our data speeds were never deprioritized at any point during our testing. Compare that to Mint Mobile, which slowed our data speeds during peak usage times.

With AT&T’s Unlimited Premium 2.0 and Ultimate 2.0 plans, your data will always be prioritized regardless of how much you use. Keep in mind that this isn’t the case with AT&T’s 55+ plans, which may temporarily slow your speeds when the network gets congested.

We also appreciated AT&T’s ActiveArmor app, which comes standard with the company’s plans. This helps automatically protect you from potential spam calls and texts.

>> Related Reading: Identity Theft: How Seniors Can Protect Themselves

The AT&T 55+ plan is a great option for older adults who want unlimited talk, text, and data in the U.S. and Mexico. It costs $40 per month for one line or $99 per month for two lines and internet service with autopay and paperless billing. You’ll also get:

• 10 GB hotspot data per line per month
• 5G access
• Spam call blocking
• Standard-definition streaming
• Unlimited talk, text, and data in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada

To qualify, you must be 55 or older and enroll with Auto Pay and paperless billing. All plans are monthly with no long-term contracts.

The other major carrier with a discounted plan for seniors is T-Mobile. New customers can get unlimited talk, text, and data starting at $45 a month for one line with the Essentials Choice 55 plan.

AT&T certainly isn’t the cheapest option on the market. Their prepaid plans start at around $20 per month and postpaid plans start at $50 a month — more than Mint Mobile, which starts at $15 per month if you pay for a year of service up front. Once promotional periods end for new customers, monthly rates can increase significantly.

Plus, in recent years, AT&T has scaled back its selection of flip phones: Currently, AT&T sells only three basic flip phones. Check out more options on our list of the best AT&T phones for seniors.

If you’re looking for a more affordable provider with simplified phones, we recommend Lively, which offers flip phone plans starting at $14.99 a month.

>> Read More: The Best Flip Phones for Seniors

To learn more about the provider, read our guide to AT&T senior plans.

If you’re looking for an affordable cellular plan with talk, text, and data, Mint Mobile may be the ideal option. With Mint’s most affordable plan, you’ll get 5 GB of data and unlimited talk and text for as low as $15 per month when you prepay for 12 months, making it one of the most budget-friendly options we’ve come across.

Mint Mobile does not have any stores we could go to for help, but the company has a robust online help center, live chat, and a phone option. We could change plans and activate our phones online with the carrier. Even without a physical store, the number of ways Mint Mobile gave us to access customer support made us feel, well, supported.

Mint Mobile uses T-Mobile’s network, offering coverage throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Our calls went through well, even when one of our testers was hiking in rural New York State. Our websites and apps connected quickly, but we noticed some slower speeds during peak times.

This is comparable to what many users experience with Consumer Cellular, which also piggybacks off another carrier’s network. During our tests, however, we experienced fewer slow downs with Consumer Cellular.

One thing worth noting is that Mint Mobile’s Unlimited plan isn’t truly unlimited — data speeds are throttled after you’ve used 40 GB of data each month. But for most people, 40 GB is plenty.

Mint Mobile plans are advertised at $15 to $30 per month, but unlike postpaid carriers such as AT&T, Mint Mobile is prepaid — meaning you pay for several months of service up front.

You can choose to pay for three, six, or 12 months of service at once. Check Mint Mobile’s website for their latest promotional offers, as introductory pricing can change throughout the year.

Let’s take the most affordable plan as an example. Mint’s three-month, 6 GB plan is advertised at $15 per month, but remember that you’ll need to pay $45 up front. because Mint is a prepaid mobile phone carrier.

Even if you choose to pay for Mint cell phone service every three months instead of annually, the company’s plans are still significantly more affordable than service with other carriers.

Mint Mobile triumphs in terms of affordability, but it’s a pretty bare-bones cell phone plan. We didn’t get the mobile security of a company like AT&T, the health and safety features of a company like Lively, or any streaming extras like T-Mobile offers.

Additionally, given the data throttling on all plans, Mint Mobile is not ideal for people who stream video on their phones frequently. It’s a better fit for older adults with below-average data usage.

To learn more about our experience, read our guide to Mint Mobile senior plans.

Among the three major carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — T-Mobile is by far the most affordable option for older adults. The provider offers 55+ plans with unlimited talk, text, and data starting at $45 per month for one line, allowing you to make the most of your smartphone without overage charges. No long-term contracts are required with any plan.

When it comes to customer service, T-Mobile has it all: brick-and-mortar stores, a help line, an app, an online help center, and live chat. Because we prefer in-person contact, we used the company’s store locator to find locations near us. Before even stepping foot in the actual store, T-Mobile showed us their deals and available devices, decreasing the time we needed to spend in the store.

Just because we’re traveling doesn’t mean inferior data is OK. With T-Mobile, we had high-speed data and texting — even internationally.

We also had unlimited texting and an additional 5 GB to 30 GB of high-speed data with the Experience More and Experience Beyond plans. That came in handy when we were in a coffee shop in Italy and needed to text a neighbor. And service can work in over 215 countries!

T-Mobile’s 55+ plans start at $45 per month for one line or $60 (with Auto Pay, $70 without) per month for two lines ($30 each). That makes it the only major carrier offering unlimited talk, text, and data for $45 or less. Keep in mind that the Essentials Choice 55 plan only includes 50 GB of premium data, while the other two plans offer truly unlimited premium data. If that matters to you, it’s worth looking at the Experience More or Experience Beyond plans.

With the Experience Beyond plan, you’ll get perks such as subscriptions to both Netflix and Hulu (with ads), Apple TV for $3 a month, a mobile hotspot, and international data and texting. The Experience More plan includes Apple TV for $3 per month, Netflix with ads (but not Hulu), a mobile hotspot, and international data and texting.

>>Read More: The Best Streaming Services for Seniors

T-Mobile’s prices for two lines of unlimited data are pretty low at just $30 per line. But if your goal is to pay less than $20 a month for cell phone service, check out Mint Mobile, which starts at only $15 for one line if paid annually.

To learn more about the provider, read our full guide to T-Mobile senior plans.

Straight Talk is a prepaid carrier that stands out for sheer plan variety. Instead of forcing you into one “senior” package, they give you multiple ways to pay for what you actually use. There’s a basic plan for light phone users, multiple mid-tier plans for a preset data amount, and two higher-tier “unlimited” plans that add perks like hotspot data, cloud storage, international calling to over 60 countries, and even a Walmart+ membership.

It’s important to note, however, that Straight Talk doesn’t offer a dedicated senior discount. And while several plans advertise “unlimited” data, Straight Talk may slow speeds dramatically (down to 2G) after you hit the plan’s high-speed threshold, so you’ll really want to read the fine print before committing.

>>Learn More: Straight Talk Phone Plans for Seniors

Straight Talk runs on Verizon’s powerful network, which means good coverage in many parts of the country. We recorded speeds that were more than fast enough for streaming and video chats — as long as you’re still within your high-speed allotment. Since we stuck to our plan’s data limits, we had no complaints about speed.

Straight Talk offers affordable pricing on their basic plans, though prices can get pretty high if you want the top-tier options.

Straight Talk plans are prepaid, so you’ll pay in advance. If you go over your call or data allowance, Straight Talk sells add-ons. For example, 1 GB of extra data costs $5, and you can get 2 GB of data for $10. This data doesn’t expire, so your unused balance rolls over.

Straight Talk wasn’t designed specifically for seniors like carriers Consumer Cellular and Lively were. There are no senior phone plans, and the “unlimited data” marketing can be misleading if you don’t notice the soft data caps.

Additionally, for budget shoppers, Mint Mobile can be a better value on paper. They offer unlimited talk, text, and 5 GB of data for as little as $15 per month, while Straight Talk’s entry-level plan starts at $30 with limited data and calling.