Everybody knows that phone plans are incredibly expensive. What you may not know is that you can get a phone plan completely free if you meet the right circumstances or select the right plan.
If you participate in a government assistance program like SNAP, you may qualify for a free government cell phone plan through the Lifeline Program or the Affordable Connectivity Program. Even if you don't qualify for a free government phone plan, you still have options to get free phone service through carriers like TextNow. If all else fails, you can still find cheap and close-to-free plans from other carriers.
Keep reading to learn more about getting a free cell phone plan.
Important update to the Affordable Connectivity Program
As of February 8, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has frozen all new enrollments in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) due to a lack of Congressional funding. If your application was not accepted by February 7th, 2024, you are no longer eligible to receive discounted benefits.
Should Congress not renew funding for the ACP, the program will cease entirely by the end of April 2024. If you are currently participating in the ACP, you should receive written notice from your phone and/or internet provider with details on when your bills will increase.
For more details, visit the FCC's notice on the ACP wind-down.
Free government phone plans
Getting a free phone plan subsidized by the government through the Lifeline Assistance program or Affordable Connectivity Program was previously just about the only way you could get a standard plan with minutes, texts, and data that wasn't ad-supported or part of a limited-time deal. These free plans were generally for low-income families or senior citizens.
With the wind-down of the ACP, the Lifeline Assistance program is now the only option for free or discounted government phone plans.
Lifeline Assistance program
If you’re already enrolled in a government aid program, you could automatically qualify for a free government phone through the Lifeline Assistance program. This program is designed to provide free cell phones and plans to people on government assistance or who fall under the federal poverty level.
If you're enrolled in any of the following programs, you're already eligible for the Lifeline program:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Medicaid
- Federal Public Housing Assistance
- Tribal-specific programs: Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribally-Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TTANF), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Head Start
If you’re not enrolled in any of those government programs, you’ll need to prove your income is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. For example, if you’re the only person in your household and want to get a free government phone, you’ll need to prove you make less than $12,760 per year. Every extra person in your household pushes your limit up another $4,480—so, essentially, the more folks you have in your household, the easier it is to qualify for a free government cell phone and inexpensive cell phone plan.
Lifeline plans are managed by carriers like Assurance Wireless and Q Link Wireless. You can find the full list of Lifeline carriers and how to qualify in our full guide on free government phones and plans.
Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) was a government program providing eligible households with a discount on internet or wireless service. It was a separate service from the Lifeline Assistance program. However, if you qualified for the Lifeline program, you were automatically eligible for the ACP.
The ACP provided a discount of $30/month on eligible phone and internet plans. That discount was limited to one service per household. So, if you wanted to use your ACP funds on a phone plan, you couldn't also use them on a discounted internet plan. You also didn't get a free device with this plan.
Cheap phone plans formerly through the ACP
With the shutdown of the ACP, you can no longer get free plans from participating carriers. However, these plans are still incredibly affordable and provide excellent coverage aboard major carrier networks like Verizon and T-Mobile.
You can also check out our free government phones and plans for more options.
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#1
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Twigby Mobile
Unlimited Talk, Text and 5GB Data
$10.00/mo
for the first 3 months then $20.00/month
|
|
#2
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Gen Mobile
Unlimited Talk, Text & 15GB Data + 10GB Mobile Hotspot
$27.00/mo
$81 advance payment for 3 months (equals to $27/month)
|
Twigby Mobile uses the powerful Verizon network. Its Unlimited Talk, Text & 5GB Data plan starts at $10/month, but after three months jumps up to $20/month. This plan includes 5GB of high-speed data, but if you exceed that allotment you'll remain connected with unlimited data at 2G speeds.
Gen Mobile operates on T-Mobile's network. The Unlimited Talk, Text & 15GB Data plan is just $27/month and includes 10GB of high-speed data and a 10GB mobile hotspot. You also get unlimited calling to over 100 international destinations. This plan has a hard data limit, so if you use up your 15GB you must either purchase additional data or wait until the next month.
Best free cell phone plans
If you don't quite meet the requirements for a free government-subsidized phone plan, there are still other options. Carriers like TextNow offer free phone plans regardless of eligibility. That said, there is usually a catch. These plans usually only offer tiny amounts of data or require you to use their app so ads can pay for your service.
Best free cell phone plans
| TextNow | |
|---|---|
| Minutes | Unlimited (in TextNow app) |
| Texts | Unlimited (in TextNow app) |
| Data | 350MB high-speed (Free essential data) |
| Plan length | Unlimited |
| Starting cost | $4.99 |
| Best for | Everyday texting and calling |
TextNow
TextNow offers a free phone phone plan on T-Mobile's network. The only cost involved is a $4.99 fee to initially purchase your SIM card. Your calls and texts are free, but you must use the TextNow app to make them. There's also an essential data service that lets you access some apps—like maps, email, and ridesharing—for free. TextNow uses ads inside the app to pay for your service.
TextNow Free Flex Plan
| Carrier | TextNow |
|---|---|
| Data | 550MB Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Total Price |
$0 per month
+ $4.99 Upfront
|
| View Details |
We reviewed TextNow and found that it's a great option as a free phone plan that includes calling and texting. There is also the option to purchase data passes if you find you need quick access to high-speed data.
Get temporary free service with a free trial
In a pinch, you can take advantage of carriers like US Mobile and Mint Mobile for temporary free trials of their service.
- US Mobile offers a 30-day free trial that includes 30GB of premium data, unlimited talk and text, 5GB of mobile hotspot access, and access to US Mobile's Warp 5G network.
- Mint Mobile's free trial is smaller, only offering 250 minutes, 250 texts, and 250MB of data for seven days of service.
These options are not a great solution if you need long-term service. However, if you're simply between carriers or interested in trying out the Mint or US Mobile networks on the cheap, a free trial is a great option. Just make sure to cancel your service at the end of the trial so you aren't put on a plan and charged.
Cheap and close to free cell phone plans
There's no need to worry if you don't qualify for a free government plan and the free plans listed above don't meet your needs. Don’t be fooled by the relatively high prices from Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. You can find plenty of cheap and almost-free plans from small carriers (MVNOs) that still offer wireless data, texting, and calling.
Cheap cell phone plans
| Carrier | Plan | Starting Price |
Best for | Shop this plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visible | Visible $25 Plan | $25/month | Cheap unlimited data | View plan |
| Twigby Mobile | Unlimited Talk & Text | $5/month | Cheap no-data | View plan |
| US Mobile | 10GB Shared Data | $20/month | Family plan | View plan |
| Mint Mobile | 5GB Plan | $15/month | Average users | View plan |
Visible: Best cheap unlimited data plan
One of the cheapest unlimited data plans available is the Visible $25 Plan. Visible runs on Verizon's network offers access to 5G data speeds. This plan includes unlimited data, but it may be slowed during times of network congestion. It also includes an unlimited mobile hotspot with speeds capped at 5Mbps.
Visible $25 Visible Plan
| Carrier | Visible |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Total Price |
$25 per month
Taxes & Fees included
|
| View Plan |
Twigby Mobile: Best cheap no-data plan
The Unlimited Talk and Text plan from Twigby Mobile is one of the best options for a phone plan that doesn't include any data. For just $5/month, you get unlimited texts and minutes on Verizon's network. That price is locked in for three months as an introductory offer. After that, the price goes up to $10/month, which is still not bad for a phone plan.
Twigby Mobile Unlimited Talk & Text
| Carrier | Twigby Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | None included |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | New Customers get Unlimited Talk & Text for $5 a month for 3 months! |
| Total Price |
$5 per month
for the first 3 months then $10.00/month
|
| View Plan |
US Mobile: Best cheap family plan
US Mobile offers several shared data plans. Once you pick a plan, each line shares from the total monthly allotment. A good option for families is the 10GB Shared Data plan. It includes 10GB of priority data on Verizon's, AT&T's, or T-Mobile's networks, depending on your location. Plus, you can use the data with a mobile hotspot. A 10GB data allotment isn't huge, but it should work if your family uses Wi-Fi most of the time. The initial plan costs $20/month and additional lines are $8/line. So, a family plan with three members would cost $36/month.
US Mobile 10GB By the Gig Plan
| Carrier | US Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | 10GB Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get 30 Days FREE Trial when you switch to US Mobile. |
| Total Price |
$20 per month
Taxes and fees included
|
| View Plan |
Mint Mobile: Best cheap average data plan
Mint Mobile offers a solid 5GB Data Plan for average data users. The plan includes 5GB of data on the T-Mobile network and mobile hotspot capability. Just like the US Mobile plan above, you should stay connected to Wi-Fi as much as possible to stretch your data. The plan only costs $15/month, which is a great deal. That said, you should note that Mint requires payment for your entire plan upfront. So, a 3-month plan will cost $45 total.
Mint Mobile 5GB Data Plan
| Carrier | Mint Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | 5GB Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get this plan for just $10/mo. when you switch to Mint Mobile using promo code 15OFF at checkout. Upfront payment required |
| Total Price |
$10 per month
$30.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $10.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only.
|
| View Plan |
Free cell phone plans: FAQs
Max McCaskill
Sr. Staff Writer
Find a better phone plan
Thousands of cell phone plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
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