The Best Prepaid Phones for Seniors in 2026

Device cost: $59 at Consumer Cellular

If affordability is top of mind, you’ll love the price tag on the IRIS Easy Flip. The flip phone costs $59, and data plans start at only $20 per month.

Like the Jitterbug Flip2, the IRIS Easy Flip had a simple design that was completely intuitive for us to use. As a regular flip phone, it has that physical keyboard that makes it much easier to send calls and texts, with large buttons ideal for someone with visual impairment. But what the IRIS Easy Flip has that the Flip2 lacks is apps and internet access, just like a smartphone. We loved using it to check our email and surf the web in waiting rooms.

The IRIS Easy Flip is available from Consumer Cellular. Per month, you can expect to pay $20 for unlimited talk, unlimited text, and 1 GB of data. Plans with unlimited data start at $35 per month for subscribers ages 50 and older, and AARP members get an additional 5 percent discount.1

>>Read more: Consumer Cellular Plans for Seniors

One major difference between the Flip2 and the IRIS Easy Flip is overage charges. With the IRIS Easy Flip, if you go over your monthly data cap, you’ll be upgraded automatically to the next tier of plan. While this does mean you’ll have to pay more, it circumvents the potentially costly issue of overage charges.

*Price includes a $5 credit for AutoPay and eBilling.
**Multi-line accounts share data.

If you want to use your phone to take high-quality photos, the IRIS Easy Flip probably isn’t the best option. It lacks a front-facing camera — i.e., a “selfie” camera — and its rear-facing camera is grainy and washed out at best. If you want a high-quality camera, we’d recommend the Samsung Galaxy A17 5G or the Apple iPhone 16e.

Despite its subpar camera, the IRIS Easy Flip gave us the best of both worlds: smartphone capabilities for a flip phone price.

Device cost: $79.99 when purchased from Lively

If you’re looking for an affordable phone with flexible monthly contracting, the Jitterbug Flip2 is the phone for you. It’s the only phone on this list to offer medical services for seniors, like an on-call nurse, emergency alerts sent to friends and family, and even a care advocate who can help you meet your health goals.

Of the phones we tested for this article, the Flip2 is the only flip phone aside from the IRIS Easy Flip, which means it is super easy to use. It has those things you may remember as buttons, meaning you don’t have to type on a hard-to-read smartphone, ideal for people with vision issues. But just because it’s a flip phone doesn’t mean it was lacking in modern features. Take Alexa, for example, Amazon’s voice assistant. We used Alexa with the Flip2 to make calls for us, send and write text messages, and even check our battery level.

The last feature we want to point out is the dedicated “urgent response” button at the bottom of the keyboard — red with a white star and exclamation point. If we need help, all we have to do is push that button, which is much quicker than dialing 911. Lively, the company behind the Flip2, uses our phone’s location data to see where we are and send emergency responders or our family and friends — whatever we need. This phone is designed for seniors, keeping safety foremost in mind.

With a Jitterbug plan, you can pay anywhere from $14.99 to $44.99 for unlimited talk and texting. There is no additional charge for data, which isn’t the case with other Lively products like the Jitterbug Smart4 or Smart3 smartphones. There are no long-term contracts or cancellation fees. Note that the plans below include a $5-per-month discount for enrolling in automatic and paperless billing, which we prefer, as it meant we didn’t have to remember to pay the bill each month. Since there is no high-speed data, there are no overage charges, and we didn’t pay an activation fee.

*Price after AutoPay and paperless bill discounts applied.
**Add 5GB Data for $5/month, 10GB Data for $15/month, and Unlimited Data for $30/month.
***Add unlimited talk and text to your plan for $5/month.

Because the Flip2 is a flip phone and not a smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy A17 5G and the Apple iPhone 16e, it lacks some modern features, like video chatting, music, and video streaming, and internet usage. Essentially, we used this phone just to make calls and texts, which may not be enough functionality for some people.

If you want a phone that lets you talk and text while protecting you medically in case of an emergency, there’s no better option than the Jitterbug Flip2. Even though its plans are not technically prepaid, they have many of the advantages of prepaid plans, like no long-term contract and low prices.

To learn more about this phone, read our full Jitterbug Flip2 review.

Device cost: Starting at $299.99 when purchased from AT&T

If you’re one of the 14 percent of U.S. adults age 50 and older with hearing loss2, you may need a phone that works with your hearing aids.

Since so many hearing aids have apps for easier controls, we recommend looking into hearing-aid-compatible smartphones. One of our favorites — especially when paired with a prepaid or monthly cell plan — is the iPhone 16e.

The iPhone 16e stood out to us thanks to its M3/T4 hearing aid compatibility rating, but its accessibility features go far beyond that. During phone calls and FaceTime chats, we relied on live captions to follow conversations word for word. It was just as useful in everyday situations, too, like catching every detail of a waiter’s specials in a noisy restaurant.

Beyond accessibility, the overall experience felt intuitive and versatile. Browsing the App Store opened up thousands of useful apps, while FaceTime made it easy to stay connected with friends and family. We also frequently used Apple Maps to get around without hassle.

The 12 MP camera delivered sharp, vibrant photos, with up to 5x digital zoom for added flexibility. Portrait Mode helped us capture polished, professional-looking shots with minimal effort. Considering everything it offers, it’s impressive to see these features packed into an iPhone priced under $550.

Whether you want a phone plan with unlimited talk and minimal data, or you want unlimited everything, AT&T has a plan that’s perfect for your needs. If you need strong, reliable carrier service, AT&T gets you the best bang for your buck — especially if you’re looking for plans for more than one line.

*Applied paperless billing, AutoPay, and senior discounts to AT&T plan pricing

The iPhone 16e is a solid budget-friendly choice for an iPhone, but if you’re looking for a more affordable smartphone, we recommend the Samsung A17 5G or Lively’s Jitterbug Smart4.

The iPhone 16e is a great option for anyone looking for an affordable smartphone that can help deliver the best hearing aid experience. And a plan from AT&T only sweetens the pot!

Device cost: Starting at $165* when purchased from Mint Mobile

With the Samsung Galaxy A17 5G, you’ll get all of the features you want from a smartphone, like a large screen, 128 GB of memory, and Google Play, with an incredibly affordable prepaid plan. Mint Mobile plans start at $15 per month when you pay for a full year, and there are no overage charges whatsoever.

The Samsung Galaxy A17 5G is a budget-friendly Android smartphone that fits seamlessly into the Android ecosystem. That means you get access to all your favorite apps through Google Play, which is just as expansive as the App Store. Since we rely on Google services like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs to organize our daily lives, everything we needed was easy to access right from the Galaxy A17 5G.

Designed by Samsung, one of the biggest names in tech, the Galaxy A17 5G delivers smooth, reliable performance for everyday tasks like browsing, streaming, and messaging. Its display is bright and immersive, making it easy to enjoy videos and photos, while 5G connectivity helps keep downloads and streaming fast.

The camera system offers versatile photography options, including a front-facing selfie camera and multiple rear lenses. We were so impressed by how sharp and vibrant our photos looked on the Galaxy A17 5G!

Although the Samsung Galaxy A17 5G works with T-Mobile, Ultra Mobile, Assurance Wireless, TracFone, and Total by Verizon, among other providers, we chose Mint Mobile because it has the lowest prices on the market.

We paid at the beginning of the month for our phone service: only $15 with a three-month commitment for 5G of data, or only $30 for unlimited data. But if you buy the phone itself from Mint Mobile and get a six-month plan, the first six months of service are free.

Although Mint Mobile’s plans are prepaid, if you go over your limit, service won’t end, unlike some other carriers. Rather, the company will just give you slower data, and there’s the ability to upgrade.

There’s also no activation fee and a seven-day money-back guarantee, minus the cost of shipping. However, the company doesn’t give refunds beyond this period, so there’s no way to get rid of any unused data. Once you buy it, it’s yours for the keeping!

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

*Once the 3 months on your New Customer Offer ends, you can renew with a 3, 6, or 12-month plan to keep saving.
**New customers receive 50% off Unlimited plans for a limited time.

The Samsung Galaxy A17 5G is one of the pricier options on this list, with prices varying by carrier. If you want a more affordable smartphone, we recommend looking at an earlier model like the A16 or A15, or into the Jitterbug Smart4 from Lively.

With the breadth of Google Play, quality cameras, and long talk time, the Samsung Galaxy A17 5G is at the top of the market in terms of features. Prepaid providers like Mint Mobile offer competitive pricing and reliable service for this phone.