Technologies
Best Senior Phone Plans of 2025
Over 55 years old? Save money on your phone bill with special plans from T-Mobile, AT&T or even small carriers like Mint.
Our Experts
- Patrick’s play The Cowboy is included in the Best American Short Plays 2011-12 anthology. He co-wrote and starred in the short film Baden Krunk that won the Best Wisconsin Short Film award at the Milwaukee Short Film Festival.
What to consider
Check that you’re actually saving money
Are you getting a better deal than a carrier’s standard plans and offers? Most seniors-only plans don’t provide substantial differences, so make sure it’s worth pursuing.
Ensure availability
Some are restricted to certain states or limited in other ways, so it’s worth checking the fine print to determine whether you’re arbitrarily shut out from an otherwise appealing senior plan.
Check the coverage area
See if users around you are happy with their carrier and plan. Online forums, social media and even asking around the neighborhood can be helpful to determine whether you’re about to sign up for disappointing speeds and service. If you’re converting to a senior plan with your existing carrier, check to see if competitors offer better service, here’s our guide to switching carriers.
Everyone with a smartphone needs a plan, and there are plenty of options that vary by data and price. Older friends and family may have different priorities, and with discounts, multi-line deals and extras, there’s a lot to consider when choosing the best phone plan for seniors. Some of these offer more data per month while others add mobile hotspot data as well as bundled extras like subscriptions to streaming services. Below we’ve rounded up the best plans for seniors and pointed out where they differ from their standard plan counterparts.
What is the best phone plan for older adults?
T-Mobile’s Essentials Choice 55 plan is a discounted version of the carrier’s Essentials plan suited for customers over 55 years old and is notably more affordable. Despite the value, Essentials Choice 55 still has 5G connectivity and 50GB of data, which is a generous allotment for a no-frills service without the extra bells and whistles of pricier plans.
Other carriers also offer discounted plans for people age 55 and older. These options can be combined with other deals and can be helpful for those on fixed incomes. Plans typically have some or all of the same features as standard plans from the same carrier. For the most part, subscribers shouldn’t expect much difference in service, but some of these plans may be missing fun perks like bundled streaming services.
Best senior phone plans of 2025
All the basics at a more affordable price
Pros
- The most affordable option among the three carriers
- 5G connectivity and 50GB of high-speed data in the US
- An affordable plan for seniors who just want to use their phone for basic apps and tasks without watching much video
Cons
- The plan only allows a maximum of two lines
- The 480p video quality is very low
- The 3G tethering speed is too slow for much more than checking email
- The plan lacks bundled extras like streaming service subscriptions
For one or two people who just want to stay connected at reasonable speeds but don’t need a lot of extra features (or don’t want to pay too much), T-Mobile offers a significantly cheaper plan for older adults than competitors with Essentials Choice 55. This plan includes 5G access and is $45 per month for one line or $60 per month total for two lines when signed up for autopay. It’s the best value for one or two people, though they won’t be able to expand to three or four lines.
The tradeoff is in the fine print, with Essentials Choice 55 customers getting lower speeds when they use over 50GB of data in a month or when T-Mobile’s network is congested from extensive customer activity, suggesting these customers are less prioritized than others. Video quality also «typically» streams at 480p, and tethering maxes out at 3G speeds (or 2G speeds in Mexico and Canada). The plan does give users access to T-Mobile’s Scam Shield, an app service that can auto-block suspected scam calls and let you change your number once a year if the calls get overwhelming. On the other hand, its mobile hotspot data is limited to T-Mobile’s older, slower 3G network.
For people with big data needs
Pros
- Cheaper than regular plans if not using autopay
- Has the same bundled perks as the standard Go5G Plus and Go5G Next plans
- New phone upgrade every two years (Go5G Plus 55) or every year (Go5G Next 55)
- Able to add up to four lines
Cons
- Same price as standard T-Mobile Go5G plans if using autopay
- More expensive than the Essentials 55 plan
T-Mobile also offers discounted versions of many of its regular plans for customers over 55 years old. For those who want a bit more functionality, data and some extras like getting a new phone every couple of years, T-Mobile’s slightly discounted Go5G Plus 55 is worth checking out.
Its Go5G Plus 55 plan is $75 per month for one line or $110 per month for two lines (expandable to $165 per month for three lines or $220 per month for four lines) with autopay enabled. Note that current discounts make this plan cost the same as a standard Go5G Plus plan if using autopay, but it’s less than the regular plan if you don’t plan on using autopay. The plan includes the same perks as T-Mobile’s standard plans, like up to 4K streaming, 50GB of 4G LTE hotspot data and 15GB of high-speed data (depending on the area, it may only be 4G LTE rather than 5G speeds) in Mexico and Canada. Plus, it includes subscriptions to Apple TV Plus and Netflix.
This plan also allows subscribers to upgrade their phone every two years, the same marquee perk that the standard Go5G Plus plan launched with. The only caveat is that plan owners will need to pay off 50% of their existing phone by the time they upgrade, but that shouldn’t be too much of a problem for most subscribers. Subscribers can also get the same discounts on devices that T-Mobile offers new customers switching from other carriers.
The Go5G Next 55 plan is pricier at $85 per month for one line or $130 per month for two lines (also expandable up to four lines) and identical except for one thing: Subscribers can upgrade their phones using new customer device offers every year instead of every two years.
Note that T-Mobile also offers Go5G 55 plan, which is cheaper than the above plans but offers less mobile hotspot data, fewer streaming services and doesn’t include two-year phone upgrades. If you can live without the phone upgrades and want to save a few bucks every month, opt for the Go5G 55 plan, which is $60 per month for one line or $90 for two lines, has 15GB of hotspot data per month and offers Netflix with ads.
T-Mobile also still offers its Magenta 55+ line, which starts at $50 per month for one line and goes up to $140 per month for four lines, offers up to 100GB of monthly data for the account and includes 6 months of Apple TV Plus as well as Netflix with ads, but only has 5GB of hotspot data. The catch is that you can’t find this within T-Mobile’s plan comparisons — you’ll need to call them directly to sign up for this or the slightly pricier Magenta MAX 55+ plan. On T-Mobile’s main cell phone plans page, click on «Learn more about Magenta and Magenta MAX plans» and find those options in the pop-up window.
Plus, only the customer who signed up for these plans needs to be 55 years old or older; anyone on additional lines needn’t fit that criteria.
Best prepaid plan for older people
Pros
- Very affordable
- Ideal for limited budgets
Cons
- Discount diminishes if not buying a year in advance
- Data cap is limited (other carriers offer as much as 50GB)
- No bundled extras
- Hotspot usage counts against the main data cap
Mint Mobile’s Mint 55 Plus plan is a modest but affordable plan that can be as cheap as $15 per month per line if signing up for 12 months in advance, $20 a month for six months or $25 per month for three months (customers must sign up for a minimum of three months). New customers can try the network for three months at a rate of $15 a month.
The tradeoff is that the Mint 55 Plus plan only offers 5GB of data per month, and mobile hotspot usage draws from that cap. Mint runs on T-Mobile’s 5G network, providing similar 5G and 4G LTE service and availability as native T-Mobile customers. The plan doesn’t offer any bundled extras like streaming service subscriptions, but it does provide access to the «MINTech Advisor» for on-call tech support in getting started with the plan, transferring phone numbers to the service and troubleshooting issues.
Currently, you can’t sign up for Mint 55 Plus online. You’ll need to call Mint’s hotline at 833-655-1768 to sign up over a call.
For people over 55 in Florida
Pros
- Discounted plans for residents of Florida
Cons
- Not available to US residents in the other states or territories
- No bundled extra features
Verizon has discounted plans for people aged 55 years and older, but they come with a huge caveat: They’re available only to those living in Florida. If you meet this requirement, you can get discounted plans that are pretty similar to the standard Verizon plans.
Verizon offers its 55 Plus Unlimited plan with one line for $62 per month or $84 for two lines when signed up for autopay. New customers switching to Verizon may have an easier time signing up; if you’re already a Verizon customer, you’ll need to talk to customer support to get your plan changed to Unlimited 55. The plan includes 5G Ultra Wideband service with unlimited low-speed (600Kbps) mobile hotspot access but lacks the bundled extras like streaming services you can add to conventional Verizon plans.
For seniors in Florida who don’t want Verizon
Pros
- Discounted plans for residents of Florida
Cons
- Not available to US residents in the other states or territories
- No bundled extra features
Verizon isn’t the only major US carrier with a special plan aimed at older adults living in Florida. AT&T has its Unlimited 55 Plus plan for slightly cheaper ($60 for one line or $80 for two lines). The plan includes 5G access as well as voice and data connectivity in Canada and Mexico. Current AT&T customers will need to visit an AT&T store to verify that they qualify for the plan. AT&T offers additional discounts for AARP members in Florida.
Factors to consider when choosing a plan
Check that you’re actually saving money: Are you getting a better deal than a carrier’s standard plans and offers? Most seniors-only plans don’t provide substantial differences, so make sure it’s worth pursuing.
Ensure availability: Some are restricted to certain states or limited in other ways, so it’s worth checking the fine print to determine whether you’re arbitrarily shut out from an otherwise appealing plan.
Check the coverage area: See if users around you are happy with their carrier and plan. Online forums, social media and even asking around the neighborhood can be helpful to determine whether you’re about to sign up for disappointing speeds and service. If you’re converting to a senior plan with your existing carrier, check to see if competitors offer better service. For that, here’s our guide to switching carriers.
How we test
Picking a wireless plan and carrier comes down to what matters most. What works for you or your older family member’s needs may be very different from those of your friends or neighbors.
We prioritize affordability and availability in our list, but those may not be the most important factors for you. If not, we recommend checking out our more general guides for plans, like our best cellphone plans and best family phone plans.
Value for older customers aside, every carrier differs in service. Even geographically, some areas have better AT&T coverage while others work better with Verizon or T-Mobile’s networks. Our recommendations are based on years of covering and evaluating the wireless carriers, their offerings and their performance.
Senior phone plans FAQs
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, April 2
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 2.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword includes a trivia question from the Apple TV Plus show Severance. I’m even watching that show’s second season right now, and I didn’t know the answer. Fortunately, the other clues were fairly easy and filled in the answer (6-Down) for me. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Source of Monopoly money
Answer: BANK
5A clue: Pizzeria fixtures
Answer: OVENS
7A clue: With 8-Across, magical substance that enables flight in «Peter Pan»
Answer: PIXIE
8A clue: See 7-Across
Answer: DUST
9A clue: «Keep it down!»
Answer: SHH
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Whack on the head
Answer: BOP
2D clue: Fervent
Answer: AVID
3D clue: Connection point
Answer: NEXUS
4D clue: Potato-filled pastry
Answer: KNISH
6D clue: Mr. Milchick’s first name on «Severance»
Answer: SETH
How to play more Mini Crosswords
The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.
Technologies
McDonald’s Launches Minecraft Happy Meals, Plus a ‘Nether’ Hot Sauce for Nuggets
The promotion is tied into A Minecraft Movie and is now available.
This is no April Fool’s trick — as of April 1, Minecraft players can pick up a Minecraft-themed Happy Meal, an adult-aimed A Minecraft Movie Meal or a McNugget sauce called the Nether Flame Sauce, the restaurant chain announced Thursday. It’s meant to tie in with the April 4 theater release of A Minecraft Movie, which stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa.
Read more: ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Trailer: Jason Momoa and Jack Black Go on a Magical Mystery Tour
There are 12 film-inspired figurines or Block World toys given out with the Happy Meals. Every Happy Meal comes with a scannable code to unlock an exclusive digital game.
The Minecraft Movie Meal — the adult version — features either a Big Mac or 10-piece McNuggets, plus medium fries, a drink and one of six different collectible Minecraft items, each of which come with a matching card and a code that fans can redeem to unlock the corresponding skin in the game. Toys include the Big Mac Crystal, Birdie Wings, Fry Helmet, Grimace Egg, Soda Potion and Zombie Hamburglar.
Buyers also receive a one-time redeemable code to unlock the McDonald’s Add-On pack in Minecraft, which adds McDonaldland characters, builds and tools to the game.
Read more: The 15 Best PC Games Right Now
There’s also a new limited-edition McNugget sauce, a hot sauce called Nether Flame Sauce, which features crushed red pepper, garlic and cayenne pepper. It’s named for The Nether, Minecraft’s hell-like dimension — hence the heat — and can be ordered with any food item.
Technologies
3 Switch Games That Would Benefit the Most From Switch 2 Upgrades
Nintendo’s best franchises pushed the Switch to its limits. Here are games that could use better graphics and frame rates on the Switch 2.
There are a lot of questions about what the Nintendo Switch 2’s game lineup is going to look like upon the console’s launch, and there aren’t many answers just yet. Odds are good that we’ll see several massive first-party titles coming out very quickly followed by a staggered game release schedule after that. This will probably include popular AAA games from publishers like Microsoft that are already confirmed to be coming to the Switch 2.
However, we do know is that the Switch 2 is going to be backward compatible with the original Switch’s game cartridges, letting you keep your library intact. Nintendo’s official webpage explained the new virtual game card sharing system for the Switch also confirmed that «Switch 2 editions» of existing games are in development.
We don’t know how many Switch 2 edition games are in development, how many of them are first-party developer games nor which games are receiving the upgraded versions. But we do know that there are many older games that pushed the original Switch’s hardware to the limit.
These are some of the first-party games that could benefit the most from versions fully utilizing the Switch 2’s more powerful hardware.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Game Freak has struggled to make mainline Pokemon games work on the Switch. Sword and Shield’s toxic «Dexit» controversy largely overshadowed the fact that the game had some of the most mediocre graphics on the console, and Pokemon and NPC models frequently suffered from sudden pop-ins as players explored the game’s Wild Area.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet caught even more flak for its performance issues. The pop-in issue returned, but this time around faraway models you could see frequently skipped frames in their animation cycles.
While the game was larger and more ambitious with a grander open world, the game’s performance suffered as a result. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have both had a hard time reaching 30 frames per second (FPS) outside of most towns, and certain areas like Kitakami and Tagtree Thicket absolutely tank the frame rate.
The Switch 2’s presumably stronger hardware would likely support Game Freak’s more ambitious open world designs, and grant the developer a chance to give Pokemon the 3D graphical fidelity the franchise deserves.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
There’s no doubt that Tears of the Kingdom is beautiful game, thanks in large part to its strong art direction and cel-shaded models that make the world feel vibrant and alive. Despite that, the game doesn’t do much to improve on Breath of the Wild’s visual fidelity, and it suffers from blurry, low-texture terrain that muddies up the experience.
ButTears of the Kingdom’s true sin lies with its performance. While thegame fairly consistently reaches its 30 FPS cap, there aresections of the game that drop the performance to 15 to 20 FPS, whichmakes Tears of the Kingdom feel choppy and outdated. Areas like TheGreat Sky Island and the Depths, rainy days and even the core Ultrahand abilityall push the Switch to its limit and the game is drastically slowerwhen you’re in these areas or just trying to glue two items together.
Tears of the Kingdom is an iconic Switch game in one of Nintendo’s flagship franchises. It’s a perfect candidate for a Switch 2 upgrade with beefed up graphics and performance optimization to help it consistently hit 60 FPS on the stronger console.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Plucked out of Dream Land and plopped down into an eerily real world, the titular pink power puff stands in stark contrast from his environment in this 3D Kirby game. Kirby and the Forgotten Landcreates a world that in many ways visually clashes with the protagonistand his enemies, which makes it more interesting to explore. The new Forgotten Land is an analog to the real world, and it’s modeled very differently from the usual cartoony landscapes and character designs that players have come to expect from the franchise.
The issue with this new, realistic world is that the game is graphically inconsistent. Stages like Everbay Coast’s Scale the Cement Summit stand out as winners benefiting from the new artstyle, combining fantastic water lighting events with impressive graphics for the level’s waterlogged buildings. However, other areas like the Natural Plains and Winter Horns end up looking disappointing in comparison, with grass and snow textures that don’t hold up to the rest of the game.
The environment is incredibly important to the story of Kirby and the Forgotten Land, so it makes sense that an upgraded version of this game would buff out some of the weaker textures and deliver even more strongly on developer HAL Laboratory’s intended vision.
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