FYI: They’re both affordable initially, but Tracfone and Consumer Cellular get more expensive with data usage. To find affordable plans with unlimited data, check out our rundown of the best phone plans for seniors.
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FYI: They’re both affordable initially, but Tracfone and Consumer Cellular get more expensive with data usage. To find affordable plans with unlimited data, check out our rundown of the best phone plans for seniors.
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Editor's Ratings | ||
Monthly cost per line | $15 to $50 | $10 to $40 |
Discount for multiple lines | Yes | No |
Contract | Monthly | Prepaid |
Bring-your-own-phone option | Yes | Yes |
Contact | ||
Phone Number |
Call for best price:
(844) 580-0512 |
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Website | View Packages | See Pricing |
It’s hard to find cheaper cellular providers than Consumer Cellular and Tracfone. Both offer unlimited talk plans for $15 per month, but they have some key differences in their approaches to contracts and overage charges.
Consumer Cellular uses monthly contracts, and it will automatically upgrade you to the next plan tier if you exceed your allotted minutes, texts, or data. Tracfone, on the other hand, requires prepayment, and your service will be cut off if you exceed your plan’s allowance.
We think Consumer Cellular offers a better combination of features and pricing for most seniors.
Consumer Cellular plans start as low as $15 per month for unlimited talk. Since most people also use their phones to text, we recommend upgrading to the next plan, which costs $20 per month and includes unlimited talk and text messages, as well as 1 GB of data. Consumer Cellular also offers plans with 10 GB of data for $35 per month or unlimited data for $50 per month.
Cost for one line | Talk | Text | Data |
---|---|---|---|
$15 per month | Unlimited | N/A | N/A |
$20 per month | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1 GB |
$35 per month | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10 GB |
$50 per month | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
With Consumer Cellular, additional lines cost only $15 regardless of the plan. The unlimited data plan, for example, costs $50 per month for one line, $65 for two lines ($32.50 per line), $80 for three lines, and so on up to seven lines.
There are no overage charges with Consumer Cellular. If you exceed your plan’s allowance in a given month, you’ll automatically be upgraded to the next plan for that billing period.
Tracfone’s plans operate a bit differently. Instead of paying on a monthly basis, you must prepay in 30-, 60-, 90-, or 365-day increments. As you might expect, paying more up front will give you a discount. The plan with unlimited talk, unlimited text, and 2GB of data, for example, costs $20 for 30 days or $199 for 365 days, which amounts to roughly $16.60 per month.
One notable difference with Tracfone is the company’s approach to overage charges. On the plus side, you won’t have to deal with overage charges of any sort. If you use up your talk, text, or data allowance, however, you’ll need to purchase a refill.
Another noteworthy difference is that Tracfone does not offer any plans with unlimited data, unlike Consumer Cellular.
Cost for 30 days | Talk | Text | Data |
---|---|---|---|
$9.99 | 30 minutes | None | None |
$15 | 500 minutes | 500 texts | 500 MB |
$15 | Unlimited | Unlimited | None |
$20 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 2 GB |
$30 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 4 GB |
$40 | Unlimited | Unlimited | 8 GB |
Tracfone’s plans start out exceedingly affordable, but the more data you add, the more expensive they become. If you plan to use your phone to browse the web, stream music, or watch videos, Consumer Cellular is most likely the better option.
Nearly all of Consumer Cellular’s plans are available to people of any age, but the company offers a special discounted plan for AARP members. The plan includes two lines of unlimited talk, text, and data for $55, and it requires no contracts or up-front payments. For all other Consumer Cellular plans, AARP members can save 5 percent on their monthly bill.
There is no specific Tracfone plan for seniors, but one of the brand’s affordable unlimited talk and text plans would likely be a good fit for older adults.
Both Consumer Cellular and Tracfone allow you to bring your own phone to use on their networks with one of their SIM cards. You can use the compatibility tools on the companies’ websites to see if your current phone will work with their networks. Both companies also allow you to keep your existing phone number in some cases.
Both providers offer a similar lineup of new phones at similar price points. Consumer Cellular, for example, offers the senior-friendly iPhone SE for $429, while Tracfone sells it for $399. Across the board, you’ll find similar prices on smartphones from Samsung, Apple, and Google.
Tracfone offers a slightly larger selection of flip phones — five compared to one from Consumer Cellular — but that likely won’t be a deciding factor between the networks.
Both Consumer Cellular and Tracfone are mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs, which means they lease their networks from other providers. Tracfone uses AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile’s networks, while Consumer Cellular uses AT&T and T-Mobile.
The downside of an MVNO is that during times of heavy data usage, T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T will deprioritize service for MVNO users. You can expect it with both Tracfone and Consumer Cellular.
In our tests, however, we didn’t notice it with either provider.
Both Consumer Cellular and Tracfone are among our favorite cellular providers, but we think Consumer Cellular is the better option for most people.
Consumer Cellular’s plans start at $15 per month for unlimited talk and text, and adding data is relatively affordable. We also appreciated that heavy users can get unlimited data for under $30 per line, provided you’re an AARP member.
Tracfone, however, does not offer any unlimited data options. Its lower-tier plans are pretty affordable, but it imposes heavy limits on talk minutes, which we think should be a thing of the past.
To learn more about Consumer Cellular, read our full Consumer Cellular review.
The two providers are similarly priced for talk and text plans, but Consumer Cellular excels when it comes to plans with data, offering more affordable rates.
Tracfone does not offer a special plan or discount for seniors. Consumer Cellular offers all AARP members a 5 percent discount, and AARP members who are 55 and older can get affordable unlimited plans.