Thanks to the government’s Lifeline Assistance program, you can qualify for free phones and inexpensive phone plans if you struggle to pay your cell phone bill.
This program will help you get free cell service but is generally only available to individuals who are already in government assistance programs and fall under the federal poverty level.
In this article, we'll explain how you can qualify for the Lifeline program, as well as run through the carriers that offer free government cell phones. Finally, we'll present some low-cost cell phone plan alternatives you can use if you don't qualify.
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.
Do I qualify for a free government phone with the Lifeline Assistance program?
For starters, if you’re already enrolled in a government aid program, you could automatically qualify for a free government phone. Those already enrolled in any of the following programs are eligible:
- 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.
How do I apply and prove my household income to the government?
You’ll need to submit pay stubs, a W-2 form, or a letter from the government agency that you're enrolled in to prove your household income. The process of applying for free cell phone service is thankfully pretty easy—you can just go to the website of a cell phone company that participates in the program.
For example, if you wanted to check out Assurance Wireless, there’s a big “Apply Now” button front and center. Just follow the instructions and you should find out if you qualify for a cell phone and cell phone plan fairly quickly.
Which carriers participate in the Lifeline Assistance Program?
The carriers below all offer cell phones and plans via the Lifeline program.
- Assist Wireless
- Assurance Wireless
- Cintex Wireless
- Copper Valley Wireless
- Easy Wireless
- enTouch Wireless
- FeelSafe Wireless
- GCI
- Infiniti Mobile
- Life Wireless
- NewPhone Wireless
- Q Link Wireless
- Safelink Wireless
- SafetyNet Wireless
- Sprocket Wireless
- StandUp Wireless
- Tag Mobile
- Tempo Communications
- Terracom Wireless
- TruConnect
- True Wireless
Note that each carrier serves specific states; for more information on which states each is available in. The easiest way to find out what carriers work in your area is to enter your ZIP code here.
What is the Affordable Connectivity Program?
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) was a government program that provided eligible households with a discount on internet or wireless service. It's a separate service from the Lifeline Assistance program. However, if you qualified for the Lifeline program, you were automatically eligible for the ACP.
As of February 8, 2024, the ACP froze all applications due to a lack of Congressional funding. It is not yet clear whether funding will be renewed. The program is set to officially wind down by the end of April, 2024. With the wind-down of the ACP, the Lifeline Assistance program is now the only option for free or discounted government phone plans.
Previously, the ACP provided a discount of $30/month on eligible phone and internet plans. Unlike the Lifeline Assistance Program, it did not offer assistance in purchasing phones. The 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.
Previous Affordable Connectivity Program carriers
Though enrollments in the ACP have ended, you can still find extremely affordable phone plans through carriers that previously participated in the program, such as Gen Mobile, Twigby Mobile, and Red Pocket.
Gen Mobile
Gen Mobile is a MVNO that operates on T-Mobile's network. Its Unlimited Talk, Text & 15GB Data plan $27/month (previously free through the ACP). That plan includes 15GB of high-speed data and a 10GB mobile hotspot. You also get unlimited calling to over 100 international destinations. This plan includes a hard data limit, so if you use up your 15GB you must either purchase additional data or wait until the next month.
Gen Mobile Unlimited Talk, Text & 15GB Data + 10GB Mobile Hotspot
| Carrier | Gen Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | 15GB Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get up to 15% off when you purchase a 3-month plan + Waived Activation Fee on any 3-month plan. |
| Total Price |
$27 per month
$81 advance payment for 3 months (equals to $27/month)
|
| View Details |
Twigby Mobile
Twigby Mobile operates on the powerful Verizon network. The best option is the Unlimited Talk, Text & 10GB Data plan. It starts at $10/month, then after three months jumps up to $25/month. This plan includes 10GB of high-speed data, but if you exceed that allotment you'll remain connected with unlimited data at 2G speeds. Like the Gen Mobile plan, you can use part of your data to operate a mobile hotspot.
Twigby Mobile Unlimited Talk, Text and 10GB Data
| Carrier | Twigby Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | 10GB Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | New Customers get 10GB of data for $15 a month for 3 months! |
| Total Price |
$15 per month
for the first 3 months then $25.00/month
|
| View Plan |
Red Pocket
Red Pocket is an interesting MVNO because you can get service on the Verizon, T-Mobile, or AT&T networks. Which network you use depends on which service is strongest in your area. Its cheapest plan is just $10/month for a small 3GB of data, or you can get 20GB at $20/month or unlimited with 50GB of premium data at $30/month. After you use up your data allotment, your data is slowed for the remainder of the month.
Red Pocket Premium Monthly Plan (CDMA)
| Carrier | Red Pocket |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get 50% off your first month of service with this monthly plan. New customer only. |
| Total Price |
$30 per month
|
| View Plan |
Free government cell phones: Which phones can you get?
The various carriers that participate in the Lifeline Assistance program do a pretty good job of giving their customers some great options in terms of cheap or free phones. The available models are typically older devices that have reached their age of "maturity"—they're still excellent devices that can keep you connected, but are no longer as popular as newer devices, meaning the manufacturers are more willing to take on the financial hit of discounting the phone for free.
Note that regardless of which Lifeline carrier you choose, it's rare to find a free government iPhone. Most carriers discount Android devices, so if you do find a government iPhone for free, jump on it before it's gone!
Some free phone carriers aren't very forthcoming with their phone lineups until after you go through the qualification process. However, doing so will help you determine what kind of stipend you're working with for your free or cheap government phone.
Of course, if you want a smartphone that's slightly newer than those available through the Lifeline Assistance program, you can always see which current models have free cell phone deals associated with them at the moment. Here are a few free phones on sale from standard cell phone carriers.
Moto G 5G (2026) 128GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 2MP
- Front Camera: 32MP
Galaxy A26 5G
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 8MP, 2MP
- Front Camera: 13MP
Edge (2025) 256GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 50MP, 10MP
- Front Camera: 50MP
Galaxy A37 5G 128GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 8MP, 5MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
Pixel 10a 128GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 13MP
- Front Camera: 13MP
Free government cell phones: Low-cost alternatives
If you don’t quite qualify for a free 5G government cell phone, you can always think about purchasing a cheap smartphone instead. There are actually quite a few inexpensive smartphones out there. Samsung and Apple offer budget-model devices, but you may also be able to score older model Galaxies and iPhones for free with a switching deal to certain carriers.
Samsung Galaxy A03s
One of the cheapest 5G smartphones on the market is the Samsung Galaxy A03s. Expect to pay somewhere around $190 for an unlocked device.
Here are the specs for the Samsung Galaxy A03s:
- Display: 6.5" touch screen
- Camera: 13MP + 2MP + 2MP rear cameras, 5MP front facing
- Processor: Octa-core CPU (4x2.35 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A53)
The Samsung Galaxy A03s gets you all the smartphone basics with a nice camera at the lowest price.
Samsung Galaxy A03s
| Description | |
|---|---|
| Screen Size | 6.5" |
| Available On | 39 Plans from 2 carriers |
| Available From |
|
| Priced From | $10 per month + $99 upfront |
| View Full Details |
Android 11 smartphone with 6.5” Infinity-V display, Triple rear camera, Improved Octa-core CPU, 3GB RAM and side-mounted finger sensor
If the A03s doesn’t speak to you, here’s a list of other affordable smartphones that might fit in your budget.
HMD Vibe
- 6.56 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 13MP, 2MP
- Front Camera: 5MP
G310 5G
- 6.56 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 2MP, 2MP
- Front Camera: 8MP
2780 Flip
- 2.7 inch display
- Rear Camera: 5MP
- 4GB int. memory (useable capacity will be less)
50 XL NXTPAPER 5G
- 6.78 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 5MP, 2MP
- Front Camera: 32MP
Cheap cell phone plans
If you don’t quite qualify for the Lifeline Assistance program, there are tons of additional cheap cell phone plans you can choose as a backup. Here are some of the best cheap cell phone plans available right now.
Mint Mobile
Mint Mobile is a smaller wireless carrier that runs on T-Mobile's network. Plans start at $15/month with unlimited talk, text, and 5GB of high-speed data. Mint Mobile is a unique carrier because you must prepay for your entire plan. So, if you purchase three months of the cheapest $15 plan, you must pay $45 in total. If you can afford the large upfront payment, you'll save big over the course of your plan.
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 |
US Mobile
US Mobile is another smaller wireless carrier, but this one just so happens to use Verizon’s powerful network exclusively. You can get a shared data plan from US Mobile that includes 10GB of data and unlimited talk and text for $20/month. You can also use part of that data as a mobile hotspot.
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 |
All the latest cell phone news and deals, delivered every Thursday.
Tyler Abbott
Contributing Writer
Find a better phone plan
Thousands of cell phone plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
.png?w=160&h=160&usm=20&usmrad=0.8&fit=crop "Cell Coverage Near You: Who Has the Best 5G Network?")
.png?w=280&h=280&usm=20&usmrad=0.8&fit=crop "Best Cell Phone Deals for June 2026: Get the New iPhone 17 for Free")
