There's no one size fits all when it comes to phone plans. And shopping for a senior cell phone plan is no different.
Flexible plans are important so you're not paying for features you don't use. But that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice technology. If you're tech savvy there's still plenty of great options to choose from.
With plans in all shapes and sizes, check out some of the best low-cost carrier deals for seniors.
Senior cell phone plans
Tello 1GB plan: Cheapest senior phone plan
Mint Mobile 4GB plan: Best 5G phone plan for seniors
US Mobile 15GB plan: Best family phone plan for seniors
Mint Mobile Unlimited plan: Best unlimited data plan for seniors
US Mobile 5GB plan: Best senior phone plan for one
Cheapest senior phone plan
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 1GB
- Price
- $10/mo
Tello 1GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 1GB data for only $10 per month. Tello plans offer wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network.
| Plan | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|
Tello Unlimited Talk & Text | 0GB | $8 |
Tello 1GB | 1GB | $10 |
Tello 2GB | 2GB | $14 |
Tello 5GB | 5GB | $19 |
Tello 10GB | 10GB | $24 |
Tello Unlimited Data | Unlimited | $29 |
Pros
No contract. No bulk buying.
24/7 friendly customer support
4G LTE/5G nationwide coverage
Free Hotspot & Wi-Fi Calling
Free international calls to 60+ countries
Cons
No roaming
Coverage in rural areas
Best 5G phone plan for seniors
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 4GB
- Price
- $15/mo
Mint Mobile 4GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 4GB data for only $15 per month. Mint Mobile plans offer wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network.
| Plan | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|
Mint Mobile 4GB | 4GB | $15 |
Mint Mobile 10GB | 10GB | $20 |
Mint Mobile 15GB | 15GB | $25 |
Mint Mobile Unlimited Data | Unlimited | $30 |
Pros
Offers the latest phones with 0% finance
Prepay months in bulk for more savings
Reliable network coverage
Works with most GSM phones
Cons
No family plans
Minimum 3 months
Best family phone plan for seniors
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 15GB
- Price
- $20/mo* FREE 10-Day Trial
US Mobile 15GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 15GB data for only $20 per month. US Mobile plans offer wireless coverage on the Verizon & T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE networks.
| Plan | Data | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
US Mobile 500MB | 500MB | $5 | ||
US Mobile Unlimited Talk & Text | 0GB | $8 | ||
US Mobile 2GB | 2GB | $12 | ||
US Mobile 5GB | 5GB | $15 | ||
US Mobile 15GB | 15GB | $20 | ||
US Mobile 25GB | 25GB | $25 | ||
US Mobile Unlimited Data Basic | Unlimited | $35 | ||
US Mobile Unlimited Data Premium | Unlimited | $45 | ||
* FREE 10-Day Trial | ||||
Pros
Flexible, no contract plans
24/7 customer service
5G coverage available
Cons
No international calling
Phone selection
Best unlimited data plan for seniors
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- Unlimited
- Price
- $30/mo
Mint Mobile Unlimited plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and unlimited data for only $30 per month. Mint Mobile plans offer wireless coverage on the T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE network.
| Plan | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|
Mint Mobile 4GB | 4GB | $15 |
Mint Mobile 10GB | 10GB | $20 |
Mint Mobile 15GB | 15GB | $25 |
Mint Mobile Unlimited Data | Unlimited | $30 |
Pros
Offers the latest phones with 0% finance
Prepay months in bulk for more savings
Reliable network coverage
Works with most GSM phones
Cons
No family plans
Minimum 3 months
Best senior phone plan for one
- Minutes
- Unlimited
- Texts
- Unlimited
- Data
- 5GB
- Price
- $15/mo* FREE 10-Day Trial
US Mobile 5GB plan includes unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 5GB data for only $15 per month. US Mobile plans offer wireless coverage on the Verizon & T-Mobile 5G and 4G LTE networks.
| Plan | Data | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
US Mobile 500MB | 500MB | $5 | ||
US Mobile Unlimited Talk & Text | 0GB | $8 | ||
US Mobile 2GB | 2GB | $12 | ||
US Mobile 5GB | 5GB | $15 | ||
US Mobile 15GB | 15GB | $20 | ||
US Mobile 25GB | 25GB | $25 | ||
US Mobile Unlimited Data Basic | Unlimited | $35 | ||
US Mobile Unlimited Data Premium | Unlimited | $45 | ||
* FREE 10-Day Trial | ||||
Pros
Flexible, no contract plans
24/7 customer service
5G coverage available
Cons
No international calling
Phone selection
Senior cell phone plan benefits
We love Mobile Virtual Network Operators or MVNOs. If you're on the lookout for cheap cell phone plans, they're the best route to go down.
Want to stay on the same network, keep your phone and number, plus get greater flexibility?
Yep. You've got it. Forget the major carriers. Plans include everything you need but come at a much better price with an MVNO.
- Same great nationwide coverage: These cell phone carriers operate on the very same networks as the big three carriers.
- Much lower prices: Save up to $600 per year on your cell phone plan. Why are MVNOs so much cheaper? They don't have the huge overhead and advertising costs the big guys do.
- No contracts: Don't get trapped into a two-year agreement. Switch carriers when you decide to with a no contract phone plan.
- Same cell phone service: Just because you're paying less, that doesn't mean you have to scrimp on features. Plans with unlimited everything are easy to find from these prepaid carriers. Usually, a low-cost carrier plan comes with unlimited talk and text as standard, high-speed data, and even mobile hotspot data features.
- Keep your phone and number: You can bring your own phone and keep your phone number. No need to sign up for pricey device payments.
- Customize your plan: You decide how much data you need. Choose to pay as you go, opt for unlimited or no data, minimal minutes, or unlimited talk text and data. Unlimited data plans come at a much better price with an alternative carrier. Pick the plan options that fit your budget - not the one your carrier thinks you need.
- Great customer support: Smaller mobile providers are known for their attention to their customers. Stop feeling like an anonymous number getting lost in the crowd! Check out our carrier user reviews before switching.
Best T-Mobile senior plan
T-Mobile vs Mint Mobile comparison
Keep your T-Mobile phone, number & coverage: Save $600 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G/5G Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | T-Mobile 4G & 5G | Unltd* | $70/mo | $840/yr |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile 4G & 5G | 10GB | $20/mo | $240/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $50/mo | $600/yr | |
Compare: T-Mobile senior plans
Best Verizon senior plan
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
15GB
4G/5G data
$20/mo
Powered by: Verizon & T-Mobile
Verizon vs US Mobile comparison
Keep your Verizon phone, number & coverage: Save $720 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G/5G Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | Verizon 4G & 5G | Unltd* | $80/mo | $960/yr |
| US Mobile | Verizon 4G & 5G | 15GB | $20/mo | $240/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $60/mo | $720/yr | |
Compare: Verizon senior plans
Best AT&T senior plan
Unlimitedmins
Unlimitedtexts
5GB
4G/5G data
$5/mo*
$15/mo
Powered by: AT&T & T-Mobile
AT&T vs Boost Mobile comparison
Keep your AT&T phone, number & coverage: Save $750 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G/5G Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | AT&T 4G & 5G | Unltd* | $75/mo | $900/yr |
| Boost Mobile | AT&T 4G & 5G | 5GB | $15/mo | $150/yr |
| *Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $60/mo | $750/yr | |
Compare: AT&T senior plans
Senior cell phone plan features
- 4G LTE & 5G data speeds: Since MVNOs operate on the big three cellular networks you'll pay less without sacrificing speed. More and more are adding 5G coverage all the time so you can expect high-speed data.
- Unlimited talk and text messaging: Finding a new unlimited plan has never been easier. Virtually all small carriers include unlimited text and calls in their plan options. Compare cheap talk and text plans with or without data.
- International calls to Canada and Mexico: International calling is a must for many people. Luckily MVNOs offer some of the best international phone plans, with free calling to certain countries like Canada and Mexico, and discounted rates on others.
- Multiline discounts: Low-cost carriers also offer some of the cheapest family cell phone plans, with multi-line discounts.
- Wi-Fi calling: This feature is handy when you're out of your service area, allowing you to make calls over the internet instead of on your cellular connection.
- Tethering/hotspot data: Many low-cost carriers allow you to use your phone as a hotspot. Pick an MVNO with the best mobile hotspot plans so you can share your mobile hotspot data with other devices.
- HD video streaming: Just like the big guys, some MVNOs offer HD video streaming and some don't. Read the fine print to find the option you want.
Cheapest cell phone plans for seniors
| Carrier | Data | Network | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tello 1GB plan | 1GB | T-Mobile | $10/mo |
| Mint Mobile 4GB plan | 4GB | T-Mobile | $15/mo |
| Lycamobile 12GB plan | 12GB | T-Mobile | $5/mo** Only $5 for First 3 Months |
| US Mobile 15GB plan | 15GB | Verizon & T-Mobile | $20/mo* FREE 10-Day Trial |
| Mint Mobile Unlimited plan | Unltd | T-Mobile | $30/mo |
Carrier coverage comparison
| NETWORK | OVERALL | RELIABILITY | SPEED | DATA | CALL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Coverage | 95 | 96 | 94 | 96 | 94 |
| AT&T Coverage | 94 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 92 |
| T-Mobile Coverage | 86 | 88 | 82 | 89 | 82 |
Source: Rootmetrics
Carrier customer service
| CARRIER | TRUSTPILOT USER RATING |
|---|---|
| Reach Mobile | 4.9 |
| Tello | 4.6 |
| US Mobile | 4.6 |
| T-Mobile | 1.5 |
| Verizon | 1.3 |
| AT&T | 1.2 |
Senior phone plan types
- Unlimited plans: Looking for unlimited talk text and data? Alternative carriers have got you covered. Data hungry users looking for unlimited plus plans can save serious money by switching to one of the cheapest unlimited data plans. Not sure how much data you need? Check out our data usage calculator.
- Basic plans: If you (or a loved one) only use a cell phone to make a few calls, send a couple of messages and rarely go online then you can opt for a simply prepaid plan. You get basic cell phone functions, an allowance for minutes of talk, and usually around 2GB of data at a great price. Once you run out of your data allotment, speeds slow, but it's usually very easy to add on more.
- Family plans: Need four lines or more? Many MVNOs offer group plans. Compare the cheapest family phone plans so you can pick and choose what each family member needs.
- Bring your own phone plans: BYOP plans are the norm with smaller carriers. Compare cell phone prices and get a great deal to go with your cheap cell phone plan!
- Single line plans: Stop paying a premium rate just because you only need one line. Find the best phone plans for individuals.
- Talk and text only plans: Don't need data? No problem - compare cheap talk and text plans. Bonus, you'll save a ton of money if you're not paying for data!
- Tablet plans: Find the cheapest data plan for your tablet or iPad.
Switch to a cheap senior phone plan
It's never been easier to switch. Let's break it down.
- Customize your plan. Whether you're looking for a truly unlimited plan, or in the market for something more basic, choose a plan to suit your cell phone needs.
- Prepare to make the switch. Make sure your old bills are paid up and your phone is unlocked. If you're getting a new device, transferring data from one to another is simple. Even if you're going from an iPhone to Android, and vice versa.
- Set up your new plan. Keep your current carrier account open until your number has ported over. Once you're sure your new plan is up and running, cancel your old account. If you've got a new device with your Tello plan, it should be ready to use when it arrives. If you're bringing your own phone then you'll need to follow the instructions with the new SIM card kit that Tello will send to you in the post.
Bring your own phone
You need simplicity in your life. The great thing about MVNOs is that switching carriers is easy.
You need an unlocked phone (meaning your carrier has released it for use on another network). Once you've checked with your new provider about phone compatibility the rest is a breeze.
Most low-cost carriers simply provide you with a prepaid SIM card. You pop it into your mobile phone and follow the provider's instructions. Just make sure you don't cancel your current phone plan until you've ported your phone number over to the new carrier.
Cell phone companies list
| AT&T MVNOs | Verizon MVNOs | T-Mobile MVNOs |
|---|---|---|
| Red Pocket | US Mobile | Boost Mobile |
| PureTalk | Red Pocket | US Mobile |
| Good2Go Mobile | Twigby | Ultra Mobile |
| H2O Wireless | Affinity Cellular | Tello |
| Straight Talk | Reach Mobile | Red Pocket |
| Tracfone | Spectrum Mobile | Mint Mobile |
| Black Wireless | Page Plus Cellular | Lycamobile |
| Kroger Wireless | Total by Verizon | Consumer Cellular |
| easyGO Wireless | Lively | GoSmart Mobile |
| Unreal Mobile | Walmart Family Mobile | Republic Wireless |
| Optimum Mobile | Ting | Simple Mobile |
| Freedompop | Gen Mobile | |
| Wing | ||
| easyGO Wireless | ||
| Speedtalk Mobile |
Best cell phones for seniors
| Device | 64GB | 128GB | 256GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone SE | $18/mo | $20/mo | $24/mo |
| Apple iPhone 13 mini | - | $26/mo | $30/mo |
| Apple iPhone 13 | - | $30/mo | $35/mo |
| Apple iPhone 12 Pro | - | $33/mo | $37/mo |
| Apple iPhone 14 | - | $35/mo | - |
| Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max | - | $37/mo | - |
Senior cell phone plans FAQs
Who has the cheapest cell phone plans for seniors?
Low cost carriers like Tello, PureTalk, and Ting have the cheapest phone plans for seniors. Running on the same US networks they provide the same quality coverage, but with no contracts you have the flexibility to amend plans at any time if needs or budget changes.
Do any cell phone companies offer senior discounts?
MVNOs don't directly offer senior discounts, however their low-cost plans have something for any budget. And there may be discounts available if you qualify for AARP.
Recap
An uncomplicated, budget friendly plan for seniors is totally possible.
A plan with an online carrier can be tailored to your needs, so check out our savings calculator to see where you could be saving money. You'll be able to cut your bill in half, with no unwanted surprises.
Whether you're looking to be able to Facetime your grandkids, have access to the internet or just have something basic in case of emergency.
There's a perfect plan available. Find out the best coverage for your area and choose a low-cost plan on a network you can trust.
MoneySavingPro methodology
We're here to bring transparency to telecoms, putting power back in your hands. This guides everything we do.
- We've got high standards. We use our industry expertise to find carriers that reach these standards. We all deserve the best value for money, choice and customer experience.
- We care about accuracy. MoneySavingPro is run by cell phone geeks and money saving obsessives. Our content team researches everything thoroughly so that information you read here will give you the whole picture. Everything we do is backed up by the data.
- We keep things simple. It's our job to break down what you need to know, so you can make informed choices.
| Carrier | Best for... | Mins | Texts | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tello | Cheapest senior plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1GB | $10/mo |
 Mint Mobile | 5G Senior plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 4GB | $15/mo |
 US Mobile | Family senior plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 15GB | $20/mo |
| Mint Mobile | Unlimited senior plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | $30/mo |
| US Mobile | Individual senior plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 5GB | $15/mo |
