T-Mobile 55+ Senior Phone Plans at a Glance
Choosing the right T-Mobile 55+ plan boils down to your personal needs. Since most cellular carriers offer unlimited talk and text these days, the basic factors you'll want to be aware of are data allowances (and caps), streaming quality, and price per line.
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Of course, if you have family in Canada or Mexico (or anywhere else outside the U.S.), you'll want to see what types of allowances and restrictions your cellular carrier has on international calls and data.
Finally, as you read through your T-Mobile pricing options below, you'll notice that the more lines you purchase, the cheaper each line will be. So, if you're a 2+ household, you'll definitely want to consider becoming a “T-Mobile family.”
Unlimited 55+ Plan Benefits
| T-Mobile |
Essentials 55+ |
Magenta 55+ |
Magenta MAX 55+ |
| Price |
- 1 line: $40 per month
- 2 lines: $27.50 per line ($55 per month)
|
- 1 line: $50 per month
- 2-4 lines: $35 per line
|
- 1 line: $65 per month
- 2-4 lines: $45 per line
|
| Features |
- Unlimited talk, text, and 5G data
- Free Scam Shield caller ID
- SD streaming
- Mobile hotspot data (3G)
- Data in Mexico and Canada (2G)
- Texting abroad
|
- Unlimited talk, text, and 5G data
- No taxes and fees
- Free Scam Shield caller ID
- SD streaming
- Mobile hotspot data (5 GB of 4G LTE)
- 5 GB data in Canada and Mexico (4G)
- Gogo In-Flight: unlimited texting and one hour of in-flight Wi-Fi
- Data and texting abroad (2G)
- Free Netflix Basic for customers with two lines
|
- Unlimited talk, text, and 5G data
- No taxes or fees
- Free Scam Shield Premium caller ID
- 4G LTE mobile hotspot (40 GB)
- 5 GB of data in Canada and Mexico (4G)
- Gogo In-Flight: Unlimited texting and in-flight Wi-Fi
- 4K UHD streaming
- 2x data speed and texting abroad
- Free Netflix Basic for one-line plans
- Free Netflix Standard for two-line plans
- Name ID and voicemail-to-text feature
|
*Prices listed require AutoPay billing
Essentials 55+ for Basic Users
Cost
T-Mobile's basic senior plan is a great choice for budget-conscious older adults on a fixed income. At $40 per month for a single-line plan or $55 per month for two lines, the Essentials 55+ plan's price point is substantially cheaper than close competitors like AT&T, whose basic seniors service starts at $60 per line.
FYI: T-Mobile's Essentials 55+ plan comes with access to 5G data, so if you do opt for a 5G-ready phone like the REVVL or iPhone 11, you'll be good to go.
A quick heads-up here because this may get lost in the fine print. If you go with the Essentials 55+ plan, taxes and fees aren't included, remember to factor the additional cost into your budget. Separate taxes and fees may apply for certain T-Mobile offerings and features on all three T-Mobile 55+ plans.
Plan Features
As with all of T-Mobile's 55+ plans, you'll also get unlimited talk, text, and data with the Essentials 55+ plan, so you can chat with your friends and grandkids all day long. One caveat on the data with this plan: After you use 50 GB of data in a month, you may experience slower speeds during high-traffic times. If you're a light internet user, 50 GB of monthly data should be plenty. While T-Mobile can't match the 19 million Wi-Fi hotspots of an Xfinity prepaid plan, you can turn your phone into a mobile hotspot to power your laptop if you're on the go and need Wi-Fi in a pinch.
This plan also comes with unlimited texting in over 210 countries, perfect for older adults who love to travel. We don't see this rare perk with many providers, so take advantage!
Magenta 55+ for Moderate Users
Cost
The Magenta 55+ plan costs $50 per month for a single line or $70 per month for two lines. You can have up to four lines on this plan, and each additional line after two lines will cost an extra $35 per month. You might be wondering: Is the higher price tag worth it when the streaming quality is the same as the Essentials 55+ plan, i.e., regular old SD?
That depends on how much data you use per month. If you travel, work on the go, or do a lot of uploading or downloading — which plenty of older adults are doing these days — I'd say investing in the Magenta 55+ plan would be a wise move. With this plan, you'll have 100 GB of data before your speeds slow down, twice as much fast data as the Essentials 55+ plan.
Did You Know: If you want to add some youngsters to your T-Mobile 55+ plan, you can! Only the account holder needs to be 55 or older. There are no age restrictions for additional lines.
One, you don't want to deal with a bad connection in the middle of a chat with the kids or grandkids because your data is moving at a glacial pace. Plus, you can always downgrade if you're swimming in extra data at the end of the month. And — drumroll — the Magenta 55+ plan comes with a few other very nice upgrades I've saved for last.
Plan Features
In addition to the unlimited talk, text, and data, T-Mobile's Magenta 55+ plan gives you 5 GB of mobile hotspot data, 5 GB of 4G data in Mexico and Canada, and one hour of in-flight Wi-Fi. You'll also get unlimited texting and data in 210+ countries and destinations. These features are excellent for on-the-go seniors and frequent travelers.
Seniors Saving Tip: A Netflix Basic subscription runs $9.99 per month, so definitely consider a Magenta plan if you are a Netflix subscriber. You wouldn't just be breaking even. Moving up to the next tier would save you $2.50 per month.
But the biggest perk you get with your Magenta 55+ plan (with two lines or more) is Netflix Basic on the house, which is just…yes, please!
Magenta MAX 55+ for Power Users
Cost
The Magenta MAX 55+ plan is the crème de la crème of T-Mobile's 55+ plans. This plan costs $65 per month for one line, or $45 per line for two to four lines. It's nearly double the price of T-Mobile's entry-level Essentials 55+ plan. So T-Mobile would have to be making you an offer you couldn't refuse to justify that extra expense. Does it? You be the judge.
FYI: Want to add a tablet or smartwatch to your T-Mobile plan? You can! Prices start at just $10 per month for high-speed data, talk, and text.
Plan Features
Frequent flyers will love the Magenta MAX's unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi. Videophiles will appreciate the HD streaming and free Netflix Basic with one line or Netflix Standard with two or more lines. And remote workers will be over the moon with unlimited data on the go (no caps and no time-of-day restrictions). Your speeds won't slow down after you hit a certain number of GB in a month like it does with the other two plans.
Did You Know: Are you looking your age these days? Even if you are, don't forget your ID when you sign up for your T-Mobile account in store. You'll need to provide proof of age (driver's license or passport will do) when signing up for a 55+ plan.
In short, the Magenta Max is a power plan with a very nice cherry on top: 40 GB of mobile hotspot data that can turn your café table into your office away from home. Similar to the basic Magenta 55+ plan, you'll also have free data and texting in hundreds of countries. However, the Magenta MAX 55+ plan offers twice the data speeds abroad. Talk about perks!
