T-Mobile 55+ Cell Phone Plans Reviewed and Tested by Tech Experts

Pros and Cons

The Buying Experience With T-Mobile

New T-Mobile Customers

Since I was a new customer, a visit to a brick-and-mortar T-Mobile store was in the cards. Unlike some of the newer cellular providers that have web-only presences (check out our Mint Mobile review for the lowdown on that), signing up for a T-Mobile plan requires an in-person visit. It helped to talk with a T-Mobile representative in person — in my case, Greg. Avoid the stress of cell phone shopping when stores are busiest (typically at night or on weekends). If your schedule allows it, do your cell phone shopping midmorning on a weekday.

Greg was helpful at explaining T-Mobile’s Unlimited 55+ plans and cell phone options. He alerted me to the new four-line allowance for two of T-Mobile’s seniors-only plans (I’ll get to that below). Setting up my line in-store also made transferring my number to T-Mobile totally stress-free. If you fudge it online, you may be in for some trouble!

Since I was already at the T-Mobile store, I figured I’d stick around and let Greg help me set up my phone too. (With the in-store setup, I could use my phone as soon as I stepped out the door!)

Within 15 minutes, I’d created my T-Mobile account and had my new SIM card in my phone and activated. But what if I already had a T-Mobile account and didn’t want to leave my house?

I wouldn’t have to. I could have done everything online, which I’m sure is good news for people with mobility issues who may not be able to shop in-store. Here’s how to do it.

Existing T-Mobile Customers

If you’re already a T-Mobile subscriber and want to take advantage of one of T-Mobile’s Unlimited 55+ plans, you can do so online. It’s actually pretty easy. Just log in to your account with your T-Mobile ID to switch plans, upgrade your phone, or even order a new phone. If you’re not sure how to set up your new phone, T-Mobile’s customer support is only a phone call or online chat away to walk you through the whole process.

Contacting T-Mobile's customer service via the chat feature

Being persistent pays off! Don’t be afraid to ask representatives about special promotions if you’re in a store. You’d be surprised at how many in-store incentives there are that you won’t find online— and not just deals on cellular services, but also seniors-only discounts on groceries, restaurants, and even cruises.

Choosing a Cell Phone

With T-Mobile, you can either bring your own phone or purchase a new one. Below, I’ll walk you through the process for both options and give some recommendations for the best phones for seniors if you’re looking for a phone upgrade.

Bringing Your Current Phone

One of the first things I checked with Greg was that my current phone — a trusty iPhone 14 Pro — was compatible with my new T-Mobile plan. Fortunately, it was. You’ll have to do the same if you have an AT&T phone plan or a Verizon 55+ package and you want to bring your phone along when you switch to T-Mobile.

Before heading into a store, I recommend visiting the T-Mobile website and using their phone compatibility checker. It couldn’t be easier. With that info handy, you’ll know from the get-go whether you’ll need to budget for a new phone along with your new T-Mobile plan.

To check whether your phone is compatible with T-Mobile, you’ll need your phone’s unique ID, or International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). It’s not tough to find at all! Here’s how:

• For iPhones: Go to Settings > General > About.
• For Android phones: Go to Settings > About Phone > Status.
• For Windows phones: Go to Settings > About > More information.

Buying a New Phone

If you’re shopping for a new phone to go along with your new T-Mobile Unlimited 55+ plan, you’ll have plenty of options, including our favorites for seniors: the Apple iPhone 14 Pro and REVVL 7 5G.

REVVL 7 5G

 T-Mobile REVVL 7 5G

The REVVL 7 5G surprised me. T-Mobile’s own REVVL line could definitely give iPhones and Samsung Galaxies a run for their money. The REVVL 7 5G is one of T-Mobile’s more affordable cell phone options, offering great tech and storage (128 GB) for its sleek $199.99 price tag. For older adults, the latest REVVL may be a particularly good fit. The REVVL 7 5G has a TalkBack feature that converts text to speech. It’s hearing aid compatible and its massive 6.5-inch screen is virtually squint-proof, which is perfect for seniors who have eye issues or are prone to tired eyes.

Our favorite features for seniors:

• 6.5-inch FHD+ display
• Hearing aid compatibility
• 37 hours of talk time and 24 days of standby time
• 5G speeds
• Fingerprint and Face ID unlock
• Front camera (8 MP)
• High-resolution triple rear cameras (50 MP)

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

If you want a smartphone with a little more style and chutzpah, I’d recommend the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Even with its many advanced features, I found that the iPhone was still a cinch to use. It’s so easy to use that it’s the phone I purchased for myself! And when I say the iPhone 15 Pro Max is easy to use, I’m talking about more than finding my way around its many cool apps and settings.

The iPhone was designed for easy swiping with minimal hand pressure. For the 1 in 4 adult Americans suffering from arthritis2 — about 15 million people — pain-free messaging will be as useful as the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s other well-known senior-friendly accessibility features, such as hearing aid compatibility (M3, T4 rating), emergency SOS features, and a water- and dust-resistant design.

Go5G Plus and Go5G Next customers can get a credit of over $800 over the course of 24 monthly billing cycles, making the phone much more affordable if you have an eligible trade and stay with T-Mobile for two years. If you cancel your service before the two years are up, you’ll pay the remaining balance on your phone. You can check out our guide to the best free phones for seniors to learn more about scoring a free phone with T-Mobile!

Smartphones like an iPhone can provide a great way to stay connected with loved ones.

Using the iPhone 14 Pro Max

Benefits for seniors:

• 29 hours of talk time
• 6.7-inch all-screen OLED display
• 48 MP main camera
• Long-lasting battery life
• Water-, dust-, and splash-resistant
• 5G speeds
• Emergency SOS

Nationwide Coverage

T-Mobile can’t quite nudge AT&T off the 4G/LTE throne, but it takes third place below Verizon with 35 percent coverage of the lower 48 states,3 What it lacks in spread, however, T-Mobile makes up for in speed and affordability. It has faster upload speeds than its competitors, which is great for all you family photographers out there, and its plans are cheaper on average.

That’s 4G. T-Mobile’s 5G coverage is a different story. T-Mobile sits at the top of the pack here, covering 325 million people, according to the carrier. Combine your T-Mobile plan with a 5G-compatible phone, such as a REVVL or iPhone, and you can expect some serious speed.

If any of your local friends have T-Mobile, I’d recommend asking them about their experience with the carrier and the quality of coverage in your area before you sign up. That’s important regardless of the carrier you choose, because every carrier has better service in some regions than others. I get solid T-Mobile coverage in my neighborhood, for example, but during a trip to Disneyland, I had poor reception throughout the park and the parts of Anaheim we visited. Meanwhile, my friend with AT&T had solid reception all day.

Contracts and Warranty

Contracts

Like Lively cell phone packages for older adults, T-Mobile plans are month-to-month. You won’t need to sign a contract of any kind, but that doesn’t mean T-Mobile doesn’t give you incentives to save. We’ll take a closer look at T-Mobile savings opportunities in just a second.

Warranty

If you purchase your phone through T-Mobile, you’re covered with a standard 12-month warranty. To take your device protection to the next level, enroll in T-Mobile’s Protection 360, which gives you perks including cheap screen repair, AppleCare (for iPhone users), and McAfee Security for T-Mobile with ID Theft Protection. Protection 360 starts at $7 per month.

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.

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.

As you read through the T-Mobile pricing options below, you’ll notice that the more lines you purchase, the cheaper each line will be. If your household has two or more people, you’ll definitely want to consider becoming a “T-Mobile family.”

It’s important to note that T-Mobile’s 55+ plans don’t offer any medical alert features. If you’d like access to an urgent-response team, on-call nurses, and features to keep caregivers and loved ones in the loop, you may want to consider Lively’s mobile plans. Visit our Lively phone plan review to learn more.

*Prices listed require AutoPay billing and exclude taxes and fees for Essentials Choice 55 plan.

Essentials Choice 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 $45 per month for a single-line plan or $60 per month for two lines, the Essentials Choice 55 plan’s price point is substantially cheaper than close competitors like AT&T, whose Unlimited 55+ plan starts at $60 for one line. AT&T’s comparable plan offers unlimited talk, text, and data in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, just like T-Mobile. The plan is available only to Florida residents, however, while T-Mobile’s plan is available in all 50 states. Overall, we believe the T-Mobile Essentials Choice 55 offers better value than AT&T’s similar plan.

Taxes and fees aren’t included if you go with the Essentials Choice 55 plan, so 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.

All of T-Mobile’s Unlimited 55+ plans come with a price-lock guarantee, so your bill will never increase unexpectedly.

Plan Features

As with all of T-Mobile’s 55+ plans, you’ll also get unlimited talk, text, and data with the Essentials Choice 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. T-Mobile can’t match the 19 million Wi-Fi hotspots of an Xfinity prepaid plan, but 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.

Expert Insights

From Taylor Shuman, Senior Tech Expert

Many carriers, including Verizon and AT&T, offer their 55+ plans only to Florida residents. I was impressed to see that T-Mobile’s plans are offered nationwide. Older adults reside in all 50 states, so why wouldn’t 55+ plans be available everywhere too?

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! This plan comes with the fewest bells and whistles, making it best for those who want a basic plan. If you want extra features, such as in-flight Wi-Fi or free Netflix, check out one of T-Mobile’s other two plans below.

Go5G Plus 55 Plan for the Best Value

Cost

T-Mobile’s Go5G Plus 55 plan is the middle-tier 55+ plan. Starting at $75 per month for one line or $110 for two lines, the Go5G Plus 55 plan is at least 55 percent more expensive than the Essentials Choice plan. This plan falls in the middle of the price range for T-Mobile plans, and it has an extensive list of perks, which is why we believe it offers the best value. In addition to several data- and usage-limit increases, it has a unique two-year renewal offer that most phone companies do not provide.

Plan Features

A unique selling point of the new Go5G Plus 55 plan is T-Mobile’s phone device renewal policy. Here’s how it works:

1. Go5G Plus 55 subscribers can switch out devices every two years, as opposed to three years, which is the standard for competitors.
2. When selecting your new phone, you’ll have access to all the same deals that new customers get. Rather than having to add an extra line or fulfill some other requirement to upgrade to a new phone, the Go5G Plus 55 plan allows you to receive a new device as if you were a new customer.

The Go5G Plus 55 plan has several upgrades from the Essentials Choice 55 plan, especially if you plan to travel. The Go5G plans come with more high speed data options while traveling, unlimited in-flight texting, high-speed mobile hotspot data, and extra perks (such as a free Netflix subscription).

Go5G Next 55 Plan for New Phone Lovers

Cost

The Go5G Next 55 plan is the best of the best when it comes to T-Mobile’s 55+ plans. That also means it’s the most expensive plan by a pretty large margin. The Go5G Next 55 plan starts at $85 per month for one line and goes up to $260 for four lines. If you’re a heavy mobile user, the high cost could be worth it for the features and services you’ll get.

If you’re looking for a more affordable unlimited plan, we’d recommend other carriers, such as like Consumer Cellular. Consumer Cellular’s unlimited plan costs just $50 per month for one line. You won’t find any of T-Mobile’s extensive perks, such as free Netflix or service abroad, but it’s an excellent choice for the budget-conscious user looking for unlimited data.

Plan Features

The Go5G Next 55 and Go5G Plus 55 plans are very similar. The main difference is that you can upgrade your device every single year with the Go5G Next 55 plan as if you were a new customer (with no additional requirements or strings attached).

Other than that, the Go5G Next 55 plan has nearly identical features to the Go5G Plus plan. The Next plan also offers unlimited Wi-Fi on flights, data usage in over 200 countries, 4K UHD video quality, and a lot of mobile hotspot data.

Thanks to all of these features and yearly phone upgrades, the Go5G Next 55 plan is our pick for those who love getting new phones every year. Whether you want the latest iPhone or an Android upgrade, you can get a new device once a year. Plus, you can use data all day to your heart’s content, even in other countries! If you love being on your phone and want to get a new phone more often, this is the plan for you.

Check out our YouTube review to learn more about our experience with T-Mobile’s senior plans.