The best cellphone plans for seniors in 2024: Mint Mobile, T-Mobile and more
Everyone 55 and older needs a cellphone, but not everyone needs — or can afford — the typical cellphone plan. Indeed, if you've shopped around at the Big Three carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon), you've probably experienced a bit of sticker-shock: A single-line unlimited plan can set you back anywhere from $50 to $90 monthly. That might be fine depending on your preferences (and finances), but rest assured there are plenty of less-expensive options.
Of course, price isn't the only consideration. If you travel regularly, you might want a plan that includes international calling, texting and data. Netflix junkies could benefit from a plan with unlimited data. And don't forget customer service: How easy is it to get assistance when needed?
With those and other criteria in mind, I singled out what I consider the best cellphone plans for seniors; read on for my 55+ plan picks. In the meantime, if you're in the market for a new or better phone, be sure to check out my roundup of the best cellphones for seniors. And if you want to go old-school, there's a list of the best flip phones as well.
Mint Mobile is noteworthy not just for its affordable service and handsome, talented CEO (hi, Ryan Reynolds!), but also for its special plan just for seniors. Mint 55+ costs just $15 per month and includes access to a specialized support team.
These "Mintech advisors" can help you with activation, number porting and even cancelling an existing plan with another carrier. That's in addition to everyday tech support, though only for the first year of service. After that, you're back to "regular" support channels.
There's one small catch here, and that's how Mint does its billing: You have to prepay for your first three months of service. Thus, your first bill will be $45 (plus taxes and fees). After that, if you want to hang onto the $15 rate (amortized), you'll need to prepay for 12 months.
If you can afford to make that kind of payment, you might find it nice to go an entire year without seeing another cellular bill. Alternately, you can go back to prepaying three months at a time, but then the rate increases to $25/month (i.e. $75 every three months).
I should also note that the plan includes only 5GB of high-speed data — plenty for most users, but something to consider if you're traveling or not connected to Wi-Fi most of the time. You do get free calls to Canada, Mexico and the UK, plus mobile hotspot.
Although Mint hasn't won a bunch of customer-service awards like Consumer Cellular, it's cheaper and does at least make an attempt to cater to the 55+ set. Thus, it's definitely worth a look.
Phones — and phone service — can be confusing, especially when it comes to things like activation, number porting, coverage areas and so on. Consumer Cellular has repeatedly won awards for stellar customer service, meaning it's definitely the carrier to consider if you want friendly, reliable help when the need arises.
The company relies on AT&T's network and offers plans starting at $20 per month. That's a little on the high side considering that that plan includes only 1GB of data, though jumping up to $25 monthly nets you a much more generous 5GB.
You can also get two unlimited lines for $55, which sounds a lot like T-Mobile's Essentials 55 plan (see below) — but Consumer Cellular doesn't spell out all the features on its site, so you'll need to call the company if you want specifics (like whether international texting is included). If you're an AARP member, you can save 5% on any plan.
I like that all plans include mobile hotspot; I don't like that plan pricing doesn't include taxes and fees.
That tiny gripe aside, Consumer Cellular is a top choice for users who aren't especially tech-savvy and want top-notch customer support.
Free phone service. Do I have your attention? I know, it sounds too good to be true, but TextNow really does give you free unlimited calling and text messaging. What's the catch? You guessed it: ads, some of them small banners, some full-screen affairs you have to wait a few seconds to bypass. The bigger catch is that the free plan includes no data — but you can add it a-la-carte when needed.
TextNow lets you port in an existing number or get a new one. Either way, the service relies on its eponymous app, which is where you'll do all your calling and messaging; it doesn't work with your phone's native apps. (iPhone users can still take advantage of iMessage, but only for messaging other iPhone users and only when connected to Wi-Fi or data.) There are Windows and Mac apps available, however — nice for messaging or even calling from your computer.
By default, the mobile apps use Wi-Fi for everything. So what happens when you're, say, driving or traveling and not connected to a Wi-Fi network? For that you'll need TextNow's SIM card ($5), which connects you to T-Mobile's network for non-Wi-Fi calls and texts (still free, by the way). And if you need data, you can purchase an unlimited day-pass for just $5. (You can also get a month for $40.)
There are some important limitations to consider, mostly having to do with text messaging: In some cases you may not be able to get a verification code or two-factor authentication code, which can be important for things like travel and banking. What's more, TextNow will recycle your phone number if you don't use the service at least once every 30 days — unless you pay a "lock in" fee of $2 per week. You can get a new number if this happens, but the old one is gone.
If you spend most of your time connected to Wi-Fi and just need calling and texting while out and about, TextNow offers service at a price that's literally unbeatable. Just make sure you're aware of the free tier's limitations.
I wasn't super-thrilled about turning 55 this year, but at least it opened the door to T-Mobile's Essentials 55 Plan. True to its name, it includes two lines of service for anyone age 55 and up — and it's priced at $55 (not including taxes and fees, alas.)
That's a pretty good deal for two lines on a Big Three network, especially considering that you get unlimited calls, text messages and 5G data. T-Mobile also provides scam protection courtesy of its ScamShield app, which is available for Android and iOS. It can block known scammers outright or let you know if an incoming call is "likely" from one. Given the rise in scam calls and the danger to seniors in particular, that's a welcome benefit.
Essentials 55 includes access to "T-Mobile Tuesdays," which serves up various discounts and free offers (donuts, movie tickets, etc.) each week. And if you're an international traveler, you can send and receive text messages in over 215 countries.
Data will cost extra, however, unless you're in Canada or Mexico — but there it's limited to just 2G, which is so slow as to be almost useless. Similarly, the plan includes mobile hotspot, but that's capped at 3G — also slow, but maybe useful in a pinch (like if you want to download a new book to your Kindle).
These shortcomings aside, Essentials 55 is a uniquely affordable plan for two seniors.
While countless studies (including one cited in the section below) have shown that most cellphone users consume relatively little data each month, I get the appeal of the "unlimited" plan. Because who wants to worry about running out of data and facing overage charges or reduced speeds?
For just $25 per month (taxes and fees included!), you can shed that worry; Visible's plan offers unlimited high-speed data — and that includes unlimited mobile hotspot as well. That makes this one of the best values out there, provided you can live with a few shortcomings.
First and foremost, using Visible means using Visible's app; everything happens there, including account management and, most important, customer support. There's no phone number you can call to speak to a live human; all support is conducted via chat. (This tool is available in the app and desktop web browsers.) That could pose problems for anyone who's not especially tech-savvy. At least live help is available 24/7.
Second, this unlimited plan runs on Verizon's "slower" network, meaning although it provides both 4G and 5G coverage, data speeds are limited to 5Mbps. That's absolutely fine for most things, including video streaming, but it's nowhere near the speed you get on your home Wi-Fi network.
Visible does offer significantly faster 5G as part of its Plus plan ($35/month), which also includes 500 minutes of calls to over 30 countries and unlimited texting to over 200.
Whichever plan you choose, you'll save quite a bit over the cost of a single-line plan from any of the Big Three Carriers.
Coverage in your area: Every carrier claims to have "99% coverage" across the U.S., or something along those lines, but will you really be able to get a strong signal where you live? Apartments and rural areas in particular might have less-than-optimal coverage, but it can be hard to say exactly how good it will be where you live (and work, if applicable). Best bet? Ask nearby friends, neighbors and relatives what carrier they have and how it rates.
Customer service: If you need technical support or help with a billing issue, what options does the carrier offer? Some might limit you to email or browser-based chat, which can be slow or inconvenient. If you like to do things old-school, be sure to choose a carrier that offers live phone support, preferably 24/7.
Mobile hotspot: If you often find yourself in a situation where you need to use a tablet or laptop while out and about, your phone can provide the necessary internet connectivity — provided your plan includes mobile hotspot. Take note that in some cases, using this function will draw against whatever data you're allotted for the month. If your plan includes, say, 5GB, and you consume 2GB via hotspot, that'll leave you with 3GB for your phone.
Unlimited plan: Carriers love to sell these plans, because who likes limits? But according to a recent WhistleOut survey, nearly half of all cellphone users consume less than 10GB of data per month, and over 70% use less than 15GB. So an "unlimited" plan is wasted on many customers. Remember: If you spend most of your time at home, you're probably connected to Wi-Fi, which bypasses your carrier altogether (meaning it uses no cellular data). My advice: Skip the unlimited plan in favor of something cheaper. If you routinely end up going over your data allotment, you can always upgrade to a more generous plan.