Best Senior Unlimited Cell Phone Plans, Tested and Reviewed

Consumer Cellular is one of our favorite unlimited phone plans for seniors, thanks to its affordable rates and AARP discounts.

Taylor Shuman
Taylor Shuman
Taylor Shuman
Who is Taylor Shuman?
As SeniorLiving.org’s tech expert and editor, Taylor has years of experience reviewing products and services for seniors. She is passionate about breaking down stigmas related to seniors and technology. She loves finding innovative ways to teach seniors about products and… Learn More
Expert Verified
Expert Verified
This content has been reviewed and verified by relevant subject matter experts. Learn More
Senior Tech Expert & Editor
Our Methodology

Jitterbug Smart 4

How We Tested the Cell Phone Plans

Testing cell phones infographic
Our tech team spent over 150 hours researching and testing unlimited cell phone plans from some of the nation’s top carriers. We used the same process for each carrier to compare them fairly. Here’s what our testing process looked like:

  1. Our tech team visited each carrier’s website and evaluated how easy it was to navigate the site, compare plans, view pricing, and purchase an unlimited plan.
  2. While searching, we evaluated the offerings to check if there would be any soft data caps or other fine print details that might limit our experience.
  3. We evaluated the variety of plans available through each carrier and considered the price of each plan to see if select plans offered a better overall value. We also looked for plans specifically designed for seniors and carriers offering senior-only discounts.
  4. We purchased one plan from each carrier and used it for one month. We made calls (regular and video calls), watched videos, streamed content, and tested the reliability of the carrier’s service at home and on the go. We also tested features designed for seniors, like emergency response services.
  5. Finally, our tech team reached out to each carrier’s customer service team to evaluate the quality of care and ensure that we could easily have our questions answered.

How We Chose the Best Unlimited Cell Phone Plans

During our testing, we took notes and evaluated each plan for reliability and quality of service, extra perks, price and value, senior-friendly features, soft data caps, and more. We also asked for feedback from seniors to paint a well-rounded picture of each carrier.

Some of the most important criteria we looked at during testing include:

  • Senior-friendly features: More carriers are creating plans designed for seniors. These often include features such as anti-spam software, special discounts for AARP members, and even safety and medical features. We evaluated each carrier’s senior-friendly features during testing.
  • Affordable pricing: On average, unlimited mobile plans cost between $50 and $70. We focused on the most affordable carriers, especially those offering special discounts to seniors and competitive pricing for multiple lines.
  • Better soft data caps: Unfortunately, most carriers that offer unlimited plans still implement soft data caps; you can continue using data as much as you like, but after using a certain amount of data each month, speeds will be throttled until the new month begins. We tried to find plans with high soft data caps and tested those caps to check how slow speeds were.
  • Multiple plan options: It’s nice to have options, especially if you live in an area where only one or two major mobile carriers are accessible. Fortunately, all of the providers on our list have multiple plans to choose from.

Why Trust Us

Our senior tech experts test the latest products and tech for older adults. We’ve spent hundreds of hours testing and reviewing cell phones and phone plans from regional and nationwide carriers.

We also consult with seniors to learn about their personal experiences with different unlimited phone plans, including what they liked, what they disliked, and features they would like to see in an ideal phone plan.

SeniorLiving.org is supported by commissions from providers listed on our site. Read our Editorial Guidelines

Citations
  1. WhistleOut. (2024). 2024 Cell Phone Plan Overspending Report.

  2. Consumer Cellular. (2023). Pressroom.

  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). VEHSS Modeled Estimates: Prevalence of Vision Loss and Blindness.

  4. Office for Victims of Crime. (2025). National Elder Fraud Hotline.

  5. AT&T. (2025). AARP member savings.

  6. CNBC. (2023). Cut your cell phone bill up to 50% with these 4 tips.

  7. Federal Communications Commission. (2023). Lifeline Program for Low-Income Consumers.

Written By:
Taylor Shuman
Senior Tech Expert & Editor
Read About Our Panel of Experts
As SeniorLiving.org’s tech expert and editor, Taylor has years of experience reviewing products and services for seniors. She is passionate about breaking down stigmas related to seniors and technology. She loves finding innovative ways to teach seniors about products and… Learn More About Taylor Shuman