The 5 Best Phone Plans for Seniors: Tested and Reviewed

Consumer Cellular is among the few carriers that market specifically to older adults. Although the company’s service may lack the advanced features of major carriers, its talk, text and data plans 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, making the provider a great option for couples and families.

Consumer Cellular, like many providers on this list, piggybacks off AT&T’s network. In theory, that means we should have experienced deprioritized data service in times of peak usage. 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.

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

When we got our phone in the mail, we contacted the customer-service line and spoke to a human right away. She told us exactly how to activate our phone — by taking a photo of the QR code in our instruction manual. The SIM card was already installed in our Iris Flip, so we got our phone up and running within seconds. In our experience, Consumer Cellular’s customer service was top-notch.

Consumer Cellular’s plans start at $20 per month, and they include 1GB of data and unlimited talk and text. If you want a plan with unlimited talk, text and data, it will cost you $50 per month.

The price is a bit steeper than other options on this list — AT&T, for example, offers adults 55 and up unlimited plans for $40 a month — but it’s important to remember the discounts that come with multiple lines. No matter which plan you choose, additional lines are only $15 more per month, while an additional line is $30 more with AT&T.

One line of unlimited data is $50 with Consumer Cellular, but two lines are $60 and three are $80. The three-line scenario boils down to roughly $27 per month per line — a highly affordable option.

Consumer Cellular also requires no long-term contracts. 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.

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 $0.10 per minute, while calls to Brazil cost $0.06 per minute.

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 its plans.

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

Known for its popular Jitterbug phones, Lively is a cellular carrier that aims to simplify the wireless experience. 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 talk minutes and 300 texts for the Flip 2, or $19.99 a month for unlimited talk and text plus 1GB of data for the Smart4.

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.

The one caveat, however, is data. Lively’s network includes only 4G data, and we noticed slight lags when browsing the internet on our Jitterbug Smart4. (Side note: The Jitterbug Flip2 doesn’t use data.)

What Lively lacks 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 have sent first responders to our location, much like how a medical alert system works.

Overall, Lively’s customer service impressed us. 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.

With Lively Rides, we could schedule Lyft rides without having to use the Lyft app. All we had to do was press 0 to speak with a live operator; we told them where we wanted to go, and they told us the cost and estimated time of arrival. It came in handy when we needed a ride home from the airport. The call was quick, and the driver arrived in minutes. The feature would be especially helpful for users who have trouble using smartphone apps. Lively Rides comes standard with all Lively plans.

Nurse On-Call, on the other hand, is a dedicated hotline staffed by nurses. They can answer basic health questions, and they even helped our tester refill his monthly prescription. We found the feature helpful for users who have health concerns, but it’s available only with a $49.99-per-month Premium plan.

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. Here are your options for the Smart4.

The Basic plan, at $14.99 per month, also includes access to Lively Rides. The Preferred plan, for $34.99 per month, adds the Urgent Response feature and Lively Link, an app that allows loved ones to track a user’s phone geographically. The Premium plan, for $44.99 per month, includes unlimited use of the dedicated Nurse On-Call hotline.

Prices are cheaper for the Flip2.

If you purchase the Jitterbug Flip2, then you can also pay $5 extra per month for unlimited talk and text as opposed to the standard 300 talk minutes and 300 text messages. With the Jitterbug Smart4, all plans include unlimited talk and text.

If you purchase the Smart4, you’ll also want to consider data — 1GB of monthly data is included. You’ll get 5GB for $5 per month, 10GB for $15 and unlimited data for $30. Remember, though, that the Jitterbug Flip2 doesn’t support cellular data.

To learn more about Lively’s plans and features, read our full rundown of Jitterbug phones and plans.

Lively offers only two phones to choose from: the Jitterbug Smart4 and the Jitterbug Flip2. The phones have some helpful features we haven’t seen elsewhere, like with the iPhone 16. They’re the only phones you can use on Lively’s network though. If you’re looking to bring your own phone to a network, we recommend Consumer Cellular or AT&T.

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 for $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. In the past, AT&T only offered a 55+ plan to Florida residents, so we appreciate the nationwide availability of this new plan.

AT&T has the largest network of 4G LTE/5G coverage in the country. Compare it to Verizon and T-Mobile, based on the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Map:2

AT&T owns and operates its own network, unlike providers such as Consumer Cellular and Mint Mobile, which piggyback off of other networks. That means our data speeds were never deprioritized at any point during our testing. Compare that to Mint Mobile, which, during peak usage times, slowed our data speeds. With AT&T’s Unlimited Premium PL plan, your data will always be prioritized, no matter how much data you use. (Note that this is not the case with AT&T’s 55 and over plans, which may slow down your data to 2G speeds when the network is busy.)

With that in mind, we were able to take full advantage of 4K streaming on the provider’s 5G network. Compared to the other networks on this list, AT&T had the best performance when streaming video, with minimal lags or buffers.

We also appreciated AT&T’s ActiveArmor app, which comes standard with the company’s plans. It’s difficult to evaluate a mobile security app, but we didn’t receive a single robo-call or telemarketer while testing our AT&T phone.

One advantage of buying a cell phone directly from a carrier 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 a few minutes. The best part? No annoying hold music!

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 $70 per month for two lines. You’ll also get spam call blocking, 5G access and unlimited texting to over 200 countries from the U.S.

To qualify, you must be 55 or older and enroll with auto pay and paperless billing. All plans are monthly.

AT&T certainly isn’t the cheapest option on the market. Its plans start at $40 per month, much more than Mint Mobile or FreedomPop, which start at $15 per month. In recent years, AT&T has also stopped offering a wide selection of flip phones.

If you’re looking for a more affordable provider with simplified phones, we recommend checking out Lively, which starts at $14.99 a month for its flip phone or $19.99 a month for its smartphone.

>> Read more: The Best Flip Phones

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 55+ plan for seniors, you’ll get 5GB of data and unlimited talk and text for $15 per month. It’s easily the cheapest price we’ve seen.

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.

One thing to note, however, is that Mint Mobile’s Unlimited plan is a bit of a misnomer since our data speeds were throttled after using 40GB of data. Although 40GB will be enough for most users, we thought it was worth noting.

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 plans are advertised at $15 to $30 per month, but one thing that sets Mint Mobile apart from other carriers, such as AT&T, is that it’s prepaid. That means we had to pay for several months of service in advance in one lump sum. We could pay for three, six or 12 months of service at once.

Let’s take the senior plan as an example. Mint’s 55+ plan is advertised at $15 per month, but we had to pay $45 up front for the first three months, which worked out to $15 per month.

Something else to consider is that the low price is an introductory offer. After the first three months, we had to pay for a full year to keep the $15-per-month price ($180 total). If we wanted to keep going in three-month chunks, however, our monthly price would have increased to $25.

Even if you choose to pay in three-month bursts instead of annual ones, Mint’s plans are still significantly more affordable than those from other carriers. Three months of unlimited talk, text and data was $45 total with Mint Mobile, but it would have cost $150 with Consumer Cellular, leading us to savings of $105 in the span of three months.

Mint Mobile certainly wins 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. Given the data throttling on all plans, Mint Mobile is not ideal for people who frequently stream video on their phones.

To learn more about our experience with Mint Mobile, 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 plans with unlimited talk, text and data starting at $45 per month, allowing you to make the most of your smartphone without overage charges. The plans also require no long-term contracts.

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 5GB to 30GB 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!

When it comes to customer service, T-Mobile has it all: brick-and-mortar stores, a phone 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 Portland. Within seconds, 35 options appeared that we could sort by distance. Before we even set foot in the actual store, T-Mobile showed us its deals and available devices, decreasing the time we needed to spend in the store. If you prefer human connection, go to one of T-Mobile’s stores for your customer service.

T-Mobile’s 55+ plans start at $45 per month for one line or $60 per month for two lines ($30 each). That makes it the only major carrier to offer plans with unlimited talk, text and data for $45 or less. That being said, the Essentials Choice 55 plan only includes 50GB of premium data, while the other two plans are unlimited. If you want premium data, it’s worth upgrading to the Experience More or Experience Beyond plans.

With either of these plans, you’ll also get perks such as subscriptions to Netflix, Hulu and Apple TV+; a mobile hotspot; and international data and texting.

>>Read more: The Best Streaming Services for Seniors

T-Mobile has low prices for two lines of unlimited data, but you’re out of luck if you want to pay less than $20 a month. If budget is your main area of concern, check out Mint Mobile or Lively, which start at only $15 for one line (T-Mobile starts at $45).

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