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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 you should also check our best cheap cell phone plans, best prepaid phone plans, and best cell phone plans in case a less-tailored plan might be the right choice for you.
The best cell phone plan for seniors overall
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.
At $70/month for one line of data, T-Mobile's plan is one of the pricier options we 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) 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.
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.
Best value plan for seniors
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 can rely on Mint's Care Team for technical support with activation, cancelling your previous service, bringing your current number over and any other ongoing questions.
Mint's plans require 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.
Best low-cost unlimited data plan for seniors
Visible's unlimited plans, and specifically the $35/month Visible Plus option brings more value to seniors looking to get more for their dollar, even if it's more expensive than previous offerings from the carrier.
Specifically by offering 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.
Best cell phone plan for seniors at AT&T
AT&T used to restrict its best plan for seniors to residents of Florida, but that limitation has fallen by the wayside, so anyone who's 55 years or older can get two unlimited data lines at a discounted rate.
It's unfortunate that you need to take out a pair of lines in order to get this 55+ discount, but if that suits your purposes, then you end up with a much better deal than the equivalent AT&T Value 2.0 option.
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.
Best locked-in price for seniors
If you haven't looked at Boost Mobile in a while, check out the carrier's current plans. Even if none are labelled as senior-specific, they can still be just as good an option as a 55+ plan from a different carrier.
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. 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.
Best AARP discount on cell phone plans for seniors
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 an unlimited plan specifically for 50+ seniors that costs $35/month. AARP members get a 5% discount on top of the low rate.
Best cell phone plan for seniors who travel
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.
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.
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.
Best medical alerts plans for seniors
You can get Lively's senior plans for as low as $15/month for flip phones that includes unlimited talk and text. However, you'd need to upgrade to Preferred Flip Phone Plan at $35/month to gain Urgent Response — the feature that lets users instantly gets them access to an agent for medical emergencies.
Lively also offers cell phone plans for smartphones starting at $20/month for its Basic plan. With its $50/month Premium plan, you get the fastest speeds up to 1GB and additional services including Urgent Response, Family Alerts, Nurse On Call, Care Advocate, and more. If additional data is needed, you can pay $5, $15 or $30 for an additional 5GB, 10GB or unlimited data.
You can also purchase medical alert devices for seniors, like the Lively Mobile 2, that can get users instant emergency help with a push of a button. Plans start at $25/month for these devices, with the option for a $9.99/month add-on for fall detection.
How to pick the best cell phone plans for seniors
When researching the best cell phone plans for seniors, 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. 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 residents of the Sunshine State is the primary reason it cannot be considered as one of our picks.
If Verizon is the carrier you want to go with, you could opt for the 15GB prepaid plan that's on offer, which costs $35/month for one line and includes 5G coverage — but it's technically not a senior plan.
