Best cell phone plans for seniors in 2023

Mint Mobile | 5GB | $15/month - All about the best value price
Mint Mobile is a great way to go if you're simply after a cheap cell phone plan, wether you're a senior or not. And while normally we'd point you to Mint's 5GB plan which costs $15/month for the first three months of service, right now all Mint plans are $15, including the company's unlimited data plan, which normally costs $30. After the three month trial, prices go back to their normal level and to keep them that way, you'll need to pay for a year of service in advance. So keeping Mint's 5GB plan for $15/month means a payment of $180. That's a lot to pay in one go, but the savings over the course of a year are tremendous.

Pros: Very affordable, decent amount of data, includes family plans
Cons: Requires big upfront payment for lowest monthly rate

Ultra Mobile | 100MB | $3/month - Best pay as you go plan
This is going to be a great option for seniors who don't frequently use their phones. Ultra Mobile's pay-as-you-go plan costs $3 a month and gets you 100 minutes and texts and 100MB of data. That is incredibly limited, but for those who rarely use their phones, this could be a great option. And if you do need extra data, you can pay 3 cents for each additional megabyte or just top-off with an additional 500MB for $5 extra. Pay $10 and you get a whole 1GB of data for an entire week. There are add-on options exist for talk and text, too.

Pros: Super cheap, add-ons for talk, text and data are affordable
Cons: Very limited on data, calls and texts, no extra features

T-Mobile Essentials 55 Plus | 2-line plan | $55/month - Best value unlimited senior plan
T-Mobile's plans for seniors have gotten a little convoluted, with Go5G options joining the existing Magenta plans. But we think the best choice for anyone 55 years and older is T=Mobile's Essentials 55 Plus. You can get two unlimited lines for just $55 a month ($27.50 each). This comes with unlimited data, calls, and texts with no speed restrictions, 3G mobile hotspot data and scam protection; you also get access to T-Mobile's 5G access at no extra cost. You can upgrade to T-Mobile's Magenta 55 Plus plan, where you get two lines of data for $70/month. The plan also includes free Netflix, LTE mobile hotspot data, and more. Even better, taxes and fees are included in the $70/monthly rate, so you always know how big your bill will be. For another $10/month, the Go5G 55 Plans expands the amount of hotspot data you get while making it easier to upgrade your phone.

Pros: Affordable price, no annual contract, 5G at no extra cost
Cons: Limited to 2G in Mexico/Canada, only SD streaming

AT&T | Unlimited 55 Plus | $60/month or two lines for $80/month - AT&T's feature-packed unlimited plan
AT&T has an exclusive deal for seniors, but you've got to be over 55 and living in Florida. If you fit this criteria, you can get two unlimited data, calls, and text lines for just $80 a month or one for $60. You'll be able to use your plan in the US, Mexico, and Canada, and 5G service is included at no extra cost. You can also text to more than 120 countries for free, and you'll get spam and fraud call blocking. If you don't live in Florida, AT&T's regular unlimited plans are another option, though many are more expensive than this discounted Unlimited 55 Plus offer.

Pros: Unlimited 5G data, discount for Florida residents over 55
Cons: Expensive, not available in other states

Verizon | 55 Plus Unlimited plan | $62/month or $84 for two lines  - The best Verizon plan for seniors
Like AT&T's plan above, this Verizon promotion is exclusively available to those over 55 and living in Florida; you also need to sign up for automatic payments. Yes, that's a niche group but if you fit into it, you can get a truly fantastic offer — one unlimited line for $62 a month or $84 for two lines. This includes unlimited 4G data, calls and texts, unlimited mobile hot-spotting, use when traveling in Mexico and Canada, and more. If you don't fit into this criteria, it isn't a huge jump up in cost for Verizon's unlimited plans, which also include 5G — something missing from Verizon's senior plan but not AT&T's.

Pros: Major discount, unlimited 4G data, unlimited hotspot
Cons: Expensive, requires autopay, residency requirement

AT&T | Value Plus Plan | $50/month | Best AT&T plan for seniors outside of Florida
If you live outside of Florida, you've still got options for a low-cost unlimited data plan from AT&T. The carrier's Value Plus Plan costs just $50 a month, but offers unlimited data on top of unlimited talk and text. The catch is that AT&T only offers this option with one line of data — couples are out of luck. There are some other restrictions as well — namely no hotspot data — but you do get 5G coverage with this plan. It can be hard to find Value Plus on AT&T's wireless plan page — just click More Plans.

Pros: Unlimited data for just $50; No residency requirement
Cons: Limited to just one line; Limited perks

Verizon | Welcome Unlimited plan | $65/month or $110 for two lines  - Verizon's alternative plan for seniors
You can still get a low cost unlimited data plan from Verizon if you live outside of Florida. The Welcome Unlimited plan is Verizon's cheapest unlimited option at $65 a month for a single line; multi-line discounts lower the cost to $55 per line for two people. Welcome Unlimited doesn't include the travel perks of Verizon's 55 Plus Unlimited plan, but you do get a low price along with 5G coverage from Verizon's nationwide network.

Pros: Verizon's cheapest unlimited plan, no residency requirement
Cons: No travel perks, data speeds can be slowed if network is congested

Visible | Visible Unlimited plan | $25/month - a cheap option for unlimited data
Visible's wireless plans don't have age requirements, but seniors may find it hard to resist that $25 monthly cost for unlimited data. That $25 includes taxes and fees, without requiring the upfront payment for one of Mint's plans. The $45/month Visible Plus plan offers more perks like hotspot data and international calling, plus access to Verizon's faster 5G service. But we think the budget plan will appeal to bargain hunters. There's no discount for multiple lines so couples would pay $25 each.

Pros: Low monthly cost, uses Verizon's network
Cons: Visible Plus plan has better perks, no discounts on multiple lines

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.

Pros: Monthly discount for AARP members, includes 5G coverage and discounts on multiple lines
Cons: Fewer plan options than before

Google Fi | Unlimited Plus Plan | $65/month | Best plan for globe-trotting seniors
At $65 a month for just one line of unlimited data, Google Fi's Unlimited Plus is one of the more expensive offerings among the best cell phone plans for seniors. And while Google offers discounts on additional lines, a two-person household would still pay $110 each month (or $55 for each line). But if you've retired to explore the four corners of the earth, that high price could be worth it, as 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.

Pros: Talk, text and data available when traveling, optimized for Google phones
Cons: One of the more expensive options