Best cell phone plans for seniors 2024

The best phone plans for seniors aren’t that much different than the best cell phone plans in general, with all three big carriers — T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon — having something for the needs of everyone. Interestingly, most of these plans are offered by MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators), or prepaid carriers using the network infrastructure of the big operators. That being said, it’s very important to find a plan that ticks most (if not all) of the requirements of seniors, that too at a price that’s not too much.

Mint Mobile, which is owned by T-Mobile, offers a solid overall plan that includes 5G access, unlimited talk & text, and easy setup through a dedicated customer support specialist, at just $15 a month. We also like Ting’s basic $10-a-month plan, which can be a great option for users needing little or no data. Conversely, T-Mobile has three plans that pack in just about everything one could ask for.

Want to know more? Here are some of the best phone plans for seniors you can get in the United States.

• MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost | Tello | Cricket 

At a glance

Best overall

If you’re interested in going the prepaid route, Mint Mobile might be perfect for all your needs. The prepaid carrier has a plan — called Mint 55+ — starting at just $15 a month. As the name suggests, it’s aimed exclusively at users aged 55 years or more and comes with unlimited nationwide talk and text on T-Mobile’s excellent network. You also get 5GB of 5G/4G data, free calls to Mexico and Canada, and perhaps most importantly, hassle-free full activation by a MINTech Advisor. These are customer support specialists trained to handle the entire setup process for you, and they will stick around to answer any questions you might have about your new service, ways to save money, and so on. All you need to do is call 833-655-1768 to get started.

Mint Mobile works by offering service in chunks of three, six, or 12 months at a time. If you go for the Mint 55+ plan, you’ll have to pay at least $45 (for three months) in advance. The good thing here is that the more duration you get, the more cash you can save, and the prepaid carrier regularly offers deals that could help you save even more on your wireless service.

Apart from the above-mentioned benefits, Mint 55+ offers free mobile hotspot use and free Wi-Fi calling too. You can bring your own phone and even port your existing number to Mint Mobile. You also get a free 7-day trial that lets you try the network without interfering with your existing wireless service. Mint Mobile doesn’t have any retail stores, but with the help of MINTech Advisors, you’ll always have a dedicated support team of real humans at your beck and call.

Value for money

Visible redefines simplicity with just two plans, both of which are unlimited and ideal for the needs of just about everyone, not just seniors. Owned by Verizon, Visible is a prepaid carrier utilizing the former’s network infrastructure. The two plans — Visible and Visible+ — have a monthly price of $25 and $45 respectively, inclusive of all fees and taxes. Both plans offer unlimited talk, text, and data, as well as unlimited use of your phone as a hotspot (with speeds capped at 5Mbps). That said, Visible+ support Verizon’s ‘Ultra-Wideband’ network too and won’t reduce your speeds even if there is network congestion.

Although Visible is based on the Verizon network, phone compatibility is limited to a smaller set of Android phones and most newer iPhones. That said, you can bring just about any iPhone (after 6 series) or an Android phone like the Google Pixel 8 Pro and it’ll work just fine. The carrier has a solid selection available for purchase via its online store. Although Visible has no retail stores, 24/7 chat support is still available. Even then, if aren’t comfortable managing your account online, it may not be a great choice.

Both Visible and Visible+ include Mexico and Canada usage, but the latter plan also gives you 500MB of roaming data per day, and 500 minutes per month for calling to over 30 countries around the world. Both plans support SD (480p) video streaming.

Simple and straightforward

Prepaid carriers have a lot of appeal for users who don’t want to participate in credit checks or be on the hook for a service they don’t even use. One such MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) is Cricket Wireless. Owned by AT&T and using its network infrastructure, the prepaid carrier offers a solid range of plans offering all the way up to unlimited data, but for many people (especially seniors), its basic 5GB plan will be more than enough. Priced at $30 a month, it includes unlimited talk, text and picture messaging and 5G network access.

The 5GB plan offers 5GB of high-speed data, with speeds getting reduced once you use up that allotment. While this slow data won’t be good for music streaming or web browsing, you’ll still be able to send & receive email and messages, even if with a little effort. If you find that you go over your data allotment frequently, you can go for the 10GB plan. It costs $40 a month, but the monthly price comes down to $35 if you have Auto Pay enabled.

Cricket Wireless doesn’t offer specific senior discounts, but the simple plan structure makes it an easy choice. Another good thing about the prepaid carrier is that it has stores all over the country, so if you need help with your device or service, you can walk into a store and talk to someone. Phone compatibility is quite good, with both iPhones and a variety of Android phones supported. If you find you need to contact Cricket Wireless, you can also call 800-274-2538 or chat with customer support.

Extremely affordable

If you’re looking for a simple and cheap cell phone plan, Ting is certainly worth taking a look at. Owned by DISH Wireless, Ting offers an entry-level plan that’ll cost you just $10 a month. Called Ting Flex, it includes unlimited talk and text, while you pay $5 for each 1GB of fast data. The MVNO uses T-Mobile’s network to give nationwide 5G and LTE coverage. It’s worth mentioning that with Ting, you only pay for the data you use. You also get hotspot functionality, and it uses your plan’s data allotment, and if you have multiple lines, you can share this data with multiple devices across those lines.

Once you use up your high-speed data allotment, speeds are reduced to 2G, so you’ll still be connected, just not as well. If you need 5GB or less, Ting is a good choice. But in case your needs exceed that, getting one of the unlimited options from Visible or Mint Mobile will be much better. With Ting, you aren’t charged for any overages, and any unused high-speed data gets rolled over into the next month.

As is the case with most prepaid carriers, Ting also doesn’t have any physical stores. If you need support, you can either call 855-999-7266 or chat online. Although Ting’s phone selection on its website is limited, you can bring over one of the best T-Mobile phones to the network and it’ll work with little to no issues.

Ideal for families

US Mobile is a solid option if you need to have three or four lines on your plan. With access to the network infrastructure of both Verizon and T-Mobile, this MVNO gives you reliable 5G and LTE coverage across the nation. There are two unlimited plans — Unlimited Starter and Unlimited Premium — having a monthly price of $29 and $50, respectively, and both offer unlimited talk, text, and data, lots of premium data with hotspot usage, as well as international benefits.

Then there’s a third plan, which is only available if you sign up for an entire year and costs $15 a month. You also get a multi-line discount with both unlimited plans, and the higher plan even makes you eligible for a bundle of subscription services (e.g., Pandora Plus, Max, and Xbox Gamepass) at a monthly extra cost of $15, provided you get three or more lines.

Even if you don’t need much, you can go for US Mobile’s lightweight plan for just $10 a month. This offering has 1GB of data as well as unlimited talk and text, and for an extra $3, you can have international calling added. Most unlocked phones will work on US Mobile, and you can call 878-205-0088 to get more information.

Best premium

As one of the biggest wireless carriers in the United States, T-Mobile has quite a few distinct advantages for seniors (and of course, other users too). First of all, there are numerous T-Mobile stores, so you can simply walk into one and talk to a real human being, if you want to go with the carrier. Another good thing is that T-Mobile offers a discount for customers aged 55 and up and has the wisdom not to make customers refer to themselves as seniors if they don’t want to.

There are three plans available for seniors, starting with ‘Essentials Choice 55’. It’s priced at $30 a month and offers unlimited talk, text, and data, access to the carrier’s excellent 5G network, dedicated customer support team, ‘Scam Shield’ to keep away spam calls, 3G mobile hotspot, and more. Next up is the ‘Go5G Plus 55’ plan that has a monthly price of $50. It offers everything that the Essentials Choice 55 plan does, but adds on extra goodies like 4K streaming, 50GB of 4G/LTE mobile hotspot, and high-speed data and texting functionality in Mexico and Canada. Lastly, the ‘Go5G Next 55’ will cost you $60 a month which offers even more. Both higher plans include taxes and fees, and also offer extra benefits like Apple TV+ and in-flight connectivity with no restrictions.

One of the biggest advantages you’ll have going with T-Mobile is device compatibility, as just about any unlocked Android phone will work flawlessly on its network. You can even go for a flagship iPhone or a simple flip phone if that’s what you want. The best way to sign up for these senior plans is to walk into one of T-Mobile’s stores, but you can also call 1-800-T-MOBILE and talk to customer support.

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How to choose

Which senior cell phone plan is right for you?

As is the case with all phone plans, choosing the best one for seniors is also going to depend on the needs of the individual. One thing to note here is that if you already have service with AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon, you can access their respective senior-oriented plans easily. Although there’s limited multi-line support, you can still save some money compared to standard unlimited plans. Even better, if you already have one of the best Android phones, you can save a lot by going for a prepaid carrier.

Speaking of which, our top vote goes to Mint Mobile’s 55+ plan. Now fully owned by T-Mobile, it gives you access to T-Mobile’s excellent 5G network, unlimited talk and text, mobile hotspot usage, and fuss-free activation with the help of specially-trained MINTech Advisors (who activate your service for you), all for just $15 a month. With the free one-week trial, you can try out the service with no risk at all. If you prefer Verizon’s network instead, do take a look at Visible, which offers two feature-packed plans that include everything from unlimited hotspot usage to high-speed 5G access.

• MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost | Tello | Cricket