The Best Cheap Internet Providers for Seniors (2024)

1. Xfinity - Lowest Monthly Cost

4.6 / 5

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Call for best price:
(877) 667-1529

What We Like Most:

• Prices starting at $10 per month
• Up to 1,200 Mbps
• Higher-tier plans include 24 months of Peacock Premium
• Xfinity Rewards include discounts and giveaways

(877) 667-1529

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Overview

Starting Cost: $10 per month

If budget is the most important thing on your list, I recommend Xfinity, which offers prices as low as $10 a month. That’s $30 less than T-Mobile’s lowest-cost plan, and $45 lower than AT&T’s cheapest plan.

Their Cheapest Plan

Xfinity’s cheapest plan offers speeds up to 50 Mbps, which is fast enough for four people to stream movies, video chat, and game online, along with the regular browsing and email. I installed my Xfinity Gateway myself so I could avoid installation fees, and it was as easy as plugging it into my outlet, downloading the Xfinity app, and creating an account. Once I created an account, the app gave me the rest of the step-by-step directions; the entire process only took a few minutes.

Note that not everyone is eligible for the $10 a month plan. It’s only available to those who are eligible for public assistance programs like:

• Medicare
• SNAP
• Supplemental Security Income
• National School Lunch Program
• Housing Assistance

However, given that many seniors are on Medicare, it’s likely that this plan will be available to you.

Next, I created a Wi-Fi network and password and connected my many devices: my iPhone, Kindle, laptop, and Roku. I haven’t had any issues with speed, as even this lowest-speed plan can support up to four devices. For one person, that’s more than enough. However, as many of us know, sometimes four devices isn’t enough for a household with multiple people. In 2023, the average U.S. household had 17 internet-connected devices, according to data from Parks Associates, so this plan may not work for you and your family.

Pricing

Xfinity’s plans range from $10 for those on qualifying government programs, to $70 a month, and the higher-tier plans may be more appropriate for someone with more than four devices connected to Wi-Fi. The good thing about the plans that are 1,000 Mbps and higher is that they include subscriptions to Peacock Premium for 24 months. Personally, this is one of my favorite streaming services, as I’m a gigantic Bravo fan, so it was a huge bonus in my book. The lower-tier plans are pretty bare-bones, however, hence their unbelievably low pricing. You can sign up for just one month, although you may be able to save money by signing up for 24 or 36 months.

Plan Comparison

Drawbacks

While Xfinity does offer the lowest prices on the market, 50 Mbps may not work for many people, as it only supports up to four devices. Plus, while Xfinity caps out at 1,200 Mbps, AT&T and T-Mobile offer speeds up to five times faster. If you’re willing to pay a bit more for speed, you may prefer AT&T or T-Mobile over Xfinity.

Our Verdict

With the lowest bottom line on the market, Xfinity is the cheapest internet provider, period. To learn more about this provider, read my guide to Xfinity internet for seniors.

2. T-Mobile Home Internet - Best Phone and Internet Bundle

3.9 / 5

What We Like Most:

• Affordable phone and internet bundles
• 5 Mbps speeds with all plans
• Netflix and Apple TV Plus subscriptions included with some bundles
• Monthly contracts

Overview

Starting Cost: $40 per month

If you want to save money by bundling your phone and internet plans, consider T-Mobile as a one-stop shop. T-Mobile offers internet for only $40 a month when you bundle it with a phone plan, or $60 per month on its own.

Their Cheapest Plan

T-Mobile’s cheapest internet plan is only $40 a month, but that’s only if you pair it with a phone plan: either Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, or Magenta MAX plans, which cost $100, $90, and $57 per line per month, respectively. However, if you want internet without a phone plan, the cheapest option is $60 a month, a price $50 higher than Xfinity’s cheapest plan.

That said, T-Mobile doesn’t require you to purchase or rent any equipment for their service. They include a Wi-Fi router at no extra cost. Since this router operates off cellular signal as opposed to broadband, we were able to set it up ourselves without a professional.

Pricing

T-Mobile offers one internet plan that costs $60 per month if purchased alone. However, if you purchase a T-Mobile phone plan with your internet, you can receive a $10 to $20 monthly discount. The basic Go5G, Magenta, and Essentials plans will give you a $10 discount, while more premium cellular plans will give you a $20 discount.

To learn more about T-Mobile, read our rundown of T-Mobile senior plans.

Plan Comparison

Drawbacks

The biggest drawback of T-Mobile’s internet would have to be its fluctuating speeds. Unlike Xfinity and AT&T, which use broadband signal, T-Mobile uses cellular service. This meant that during times of peak usage, we experienced slower internet speeds, whereas Xfinity and AT&T remained relatively consistent throughout the day.

Our Verdict

If you need fast speeds on more than four devices and want to bundle internet and phone service, T-Mobile offers affordable bundles. To learn more, read my article on T-Mobile internet for seniors.

3. AT&T - Best Customer Service

4.4 / 5

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Call for best price:
855-959-3973

What We Like Most:

• Highest J.D. Power customer satisfaction score on this list
• Ability to connect more than 12 devices
• Speeds of up to 5,000 Mbps
• Cancellation fee covered when you switch to AT&T Fiber

855-959-3973

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Overview

Starting Cost: $55 per month

There are few things more frustrating than not being able to use the internet you pay for. But of the companies on this list, AT&T has the highest customer satisfaction score, as determined by real customers surveyed by J.D. Power. It ranked number one in the North Central and West regions and number two in the South, right behind Google Fiber.

Their Cheapest Plan

AT&T’s cheapest internet plan costs $55 a month for speeds of 300 Mbps, which supports up to 10 devices. While that may not be enough for the average U.S. household, if you have a smaller household, it could work for you, and it beats T-Mobile’s $60 minimum for internet.

That being said, fiber internet is much more complicated to install than the broadband internet I tested from Xfinity and T-Mobile. It required a technician to come to my home and spend about five hours installing fiber from my home to the gateway. Since it was my first service line, the technician had to bury the gateway in my lawn. While fiber internet is faster than broadband, the involved installation process may be a turnoff to some people. While setting it up by yourself is possible, it’s difficult, so I’d leave it to the professionals.

Pricing

AT&T’s internet plans range from $55 to $250 a month, while speeds range from 300 Mbps all the way up to 5,000 Mbps. Contracts are monthly, and all plans include AT&T’s network security, which works 24/7 to block malicious threats.

Plan Comparison

Drawbacks

None of AT&T’s plans include bundles with streaming services, so if you want more than just internet, I’d recommend T-Mobile, which offers Netflix and Apple TV Plus subscriptions. Additionally, the fiber internet installation process is arduous and time-consuming compared to simply plugging in a gateway.

Our Verdict

If you want the fastest internet on more than 12 devices, AT&T offers internet plans that will keep your speeds up and prevent malicious threats from entering your network.