Best cell phone plans for seniors in 2025

Age is just a number, which applies to both life and the best cell phone plans for seniors. You can absolutely shop for cell phone plans strictly aimed at anyone 55 years or older, with T-Mobile's offerings standing out from the rest. But if you include low-cost options available to customers of every age, you'll have a wider array of choices that keep a lid on your monthly wireless bill.

I'm over 50 myself — not quite old enough to qualify for age-restricted plans from the major carriers but close enough to start thinking about what options are available when I hit 55. Because I spend a lot of time researching the best cheap cell phone plans for Tom's Guide, I know all about the affordable plans that will appeal to seniors, even if they don't necessarily come with age limitations. When tracking down the best cell phone plans overall, I've looked into the best prepaid phone plans from carriers that deserve your consideration.

My advice? Figure out what you're willing to pay and then zero in on a plan that meets your budget. That's why my picks for the best cell phone plans for seniors include a number of different options offering different levels of data for low prices.

As I mentioned at the start, T-Mobile's plan for customers 55 years and older remains the best age-restricted plan from a major carrier, though I now recommend a newer T-Mobile plan because of its superior perks. If T-Mobile's coverage isn't strong in your area, AT&T has dropped the location restriction on its plan for seniors, making a competitively priced unlimited plan available to anyone 55 years and old.

Still, if you're willing to take a chance on a less well-known name, the best unlimited data plan at Visible is an attractively priced offering that delivers a lot of value for anyone, seniors included. Mint has one of the better monthly prices for prepaid data in a special offering for seniors, too.

The quick list

Philip Michaels

My name is Philip Michales, and I'm the managing editor of mobile, overseeing all the coverage of smartphones and the wireless plans that support them here at Tom's Guide. I may not qualify for some of these plans yet, but it's only a couple of years until I do. Even then, I do know where to find the cheapest cell phone plans based on a decade of experience following what wireless providers charge their customers.

The best cell phone plan for seniors overall

T-Mobile Experience More w/ 55+ Savings | Unlimited data | $70/month - Best overall plan for seniors
T-Mobile has shuffled up its cell phone plans, including its discounted offerings for people 55 and older. As a result, the T-Mobile Experience More w/ 55+ Savings plan is now the best choice at the carrier — and the best option for seniors overall — even if it's not T-Mobile cheapest offerings.

<p>At $70/month for one line of data, T-Mobile's plan is one of the pricier options I recommend. (It becomes more palatable for two lines of data, which drops the per line cost to $50, or $100 total each month) But the perks of the Experience More plan win the day. You get unlimited data with no speed cap, and T-Mobile includes a couple of streaming services (Netflix and Apple TV Plus) to sweeten the deal. If you travel, you can use 5GB of high-speed data in 215-plus countries and enjoy full flight Wi-Fi and texting where available.<p>That said, if you've got a more limited budget, T-Mobile's Essentials Choice service gives you unlimited data for $45/month for a single line of data. (You'll pay $60 for two lines.) Speeds can be slowed after you use 50GB of data in a month, but it's a great way to enjoy T-Mobiles coverage for less if the Experience More perks don't appeal to you.<br /><br /><strong>Pros: Better perks than Essentials Choice plan, includes free streaming service, discounted per line cost for two people<br /><strong>Cons: More expensive than Essentials Choice at T-Mobile

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Best value plan for seniors

Mint Mobile | 5GB | $15/month - Low price with tech support
Mint Mobile offers a Mint 55+ plan that looks a lot like its entry-level plan in which you get 5GB of data for $15/month in your first three months of service. But seniors get access to MINTech Advisors for technical support with activation, cancelling your previous service, bringing your current number over to Mint and any other ongoing questions.

<p>As with Mint's other plans, the 55+ offering requires you to pay for a full year in advance after your first three months, if you want to keep the low $15/monthly rate. While the $180 payment is a big upfront charge, the monthly savings and tech support make Mint's plan more than worth it.<br /><br /><strong>Pros: Very affordable, tech support included for seniors<br /><strong>Cons: Requires big upfront payment for lowest monthly rate

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Best low-cost unlimited data plan for seniors

Visible | Visible Plus Unlimited plan | $35/month - A cheap option for unlimited data
Like T-Mobile, Visible has retooled its unlimited plans, dropping the price on the Visible Plus option by $10 to $35/month. Visible Plus offers more than my previous pick for cheap unlimited data, which was Visible's $25/month entry-level plan. I think the Plus option brings more value to seniors looking to get more for their dollar.

<p>Specifically, Visible Plus accesses Verizon's faster Ultra Wideband 5G service where available. (Verizon owns Visible, which uses the network of its parent carrier for coverage.) The 5G coverage available in the standard plan isn't as fast. Furthermore, you can stream video at 1080p resolution with Visible Plus and use your data when you travel in Canada and Mexico.<p><strong>Pros: Low monthly cost, uses Verizon's network<br /><strong>Cons: Visible plan is cheaper, and Visible Plus Pro plan has even more perks

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Best cell phone plan for seniors at AT&T

AT&T | AT&T 55+ | $40/month or two lines for $70/month - AT&T's nationally available senior plan
AT&T used to restrict its best plan for seniors to residents of Florida, but that restriction has fallen by the wayside. Now, anyone who's 55 years or order can get unlimited data at a discounted rate. Even better, the AT&T 55+ rate is even more affordable than AT&T's Florida-only Unlimited 55 Plus plan.

<p>A single line of data costs $40/month. Add a second line and the per-line costs drops to $35, meaning you'll pay just $70.<p>The plan covers unlimited talk, text and data across North America — that includes travel in Canada and Mexico. You also get 10GB of hotspot data along with 5G coverage where available. Be aware that your data can slow down if AT&T's network gets congested.<p>For context, among the <a href="https://www.tomsguide.com/us/att-phone-plan-guide,review-2634.html">best AT&T phone plans, the Unlimited Starter SL option costs $66/month for just one line of data while a stripped-down $51/month Value Plus plan offers fewer perks. So the AT&T 55+ plan really does deliver great value for eligible customers.<br /><br /><strong>Pros: Great price on unlimited data, discount on a second line of data, hotspot data included<br /><strong>Cons: Data speed can slow at any time

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Best locked-in price for seniors

Boost Mobile | Unlimited data | $25/month — Guaranteed price lock
If you haven't looked at Boost Mobile in a while, check out the carrier's current plans. The most appealing option for seniors offers unlimited data for $25 a month — a low cost that compares well with what Mint and Visible charge. But Boost keeps that rate locked in at $25 forever, so long as you remain enrolled in autopay. (A current promotion cuts the rate to $15 for the first month of service.) You can use 30GB per month before your data speed is subject to throttling and you can try out Boost's service for 30 days to see if it serves your needs.

Pro: Rate is locked in place forever, extended network has wide reach
Cons: Limited perks compared to other Boost plans

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Best AARP discount on cell phone plans for seniors

Consumer Cellular | 10GB | $35/month - A plan with AARP discounts
Consumer Cellular offers low prices for everyone regardless of age, but it's especially adept at catering to seniors with flexible data plans where you can chose exactly how much data you want. The best option in Consumer Cellular's reshuffled lineup is a 10GB plan that costs $35/month for just one line and $50/month if you add a second person to the plan. AARP members get a 5% discount on top of the low rate.

<p><strong>Pros: Monthly discount for AARP members, includes 5G coverage and discounts on multiple lines<br /><strong>Cons: Fewer plan options than before

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Best cell phone plan for seniors who travel

Google Fi | Unlimited Plus Plan | $65/month | Best plan for globe-trotting seniors
At $65/month for a single line of unlimited data, Google Fi's Unlimited Plus is one of the more expensive offerings among the best cell phone plans for seniors. (Discounts for adding lines make the cost of two lines $110/month or $55 per line.) But there's an appeal to Google Fi should you devote your retirement to global travel.

<p><a href="https://www.tomsguide.com/us/project-fi-faq,review-4530.html">Google Fi lets you use your plan when you travel to more than 200 countries. (You can make calls from the US to more than 50 countries for free, as well.) With Google Fi optimized for Google's own Pixel phones, this is an unlimited data plan that might appeal to a very specific set of seniors.<p>Google has added a cheaper Unlimited Essentials plan that only costs $35/month. But it's missing the overseas coverage that makes Google Fi coverage so appealing to globetrotters.<p><strong>Pros: Talk, text and data available when traveling, optimized for Google phones<br /><strong>Cons: One of the more expensive options

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How to pick the best cell phone plans for seniors

When researching the best cell phone plans for seniors, I've learned that there are a few factors to consider. Most of these plans tend to be more affordable with lower data caps, more flexible, and often offer special benefits.

Verizon is the only remaining carrier on this list to restrict its best option for seniors to a certain location — Florida, specifically. AT&T had that requirement, but dropped it earlier this year, joining T-Mobile in offering a plan for anyone 55 years and older.

If you don't live in Florida, your best bet is to focus on what you need. Do you need something with a minimal amount of data and low costs? One of the best cell plans for seniors from Mint Mobile or Visible should be a good fit for you.

Where's Verizon's senior cell phone plans?

Verizon does offer is own cell phone plan for seniors, but the reason why it doesn't make our list is because the service is only available to Florida residents. For residents there, its $45/month plan for a single line ($80/month for two lines) is a pretty decent option given Big Red's outstanding reliability and coverage. This plan comes with unlimited talk, text, and data, but limiting it to Florida residents is the primary reason it cannot be considered as one of our picks.

Alternatively, you could opt to go with the 15GB prepaid plan that Verizon offers, which costs $35/month for one line and includes 5G coverage — but it's technically not a senior plan.