In today’s digital world, having a reliable mobile phone is essential for communication, accessing information, and staying connected. For low-income individuals or those facing financial challenges, free government phones can be a valuable resource. These phones, also known as Lifeline phones, are provided by the federal government as part of the Lifeline Assistance Program, which aims to make telecommunications services more affordable for eligible individuals. If you’re looking for the best free government phones, this comprehensive guide will provide you with an overview of the top providers and their offerings.
How to Find Out Who Has Best Free Government Phones Near Me
Free government phones are provided by wireless companies that participate in the Lifeline Assistance Program. This is a federal program designed to provide free or discounted monthly phone services to eligible low-income individuals or households. The program’s goal is to make telecommunications services more accessible, particularly for those facing financial challenges. The provided services typically include voice calls, text messaging, and data, are provided by the government, and are distributed by numerous wireless companies in all U.S. states and territories. Many of these companies also offer a one-time free phone, which tends to be a mid-range Android smartphone. Moreover, the Lifeline companies that also participate in the new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) offer better services and devices – with more monthly minutes, texts, and data, and more advanced phones. As such, the best companies that offer free government phones are those that participate in both government assistance programs.
Nevertheless, in all US states, there are numerous Lifeline (and ACP) providers. How to find out who offers the best phones?
Well, first, you should find a list of all the providers in your area at cnm.universalservice.org. You can do so by visiting the website, entering your location, choosing the Lifeline program, and pressing Search. The system will generate a list of all the available providers in your area. Note which ones offer devices.
Then, choose the ACP program to see which companies participate in both programs. The ones that do tend to offer better services and phones.
Compare the list of all the Lifeline and ACP companies in your area with our list of the best free government phone providers below. If any of those companies operate in your area, you will surely be able to get a great phone and other amazing benefits.
Who Has the Best Free Government Phones – Overview of Providers
In this section, we will highlight some of the top providers of free government phones. We will provide a brief overview of each provider, including their coverage area, services offered, any unique features or benefits they may offer to eligible individuals, and who has the best free government phones.
Note: Major wireless carriers, including Verizon and AT&T, also participate in Lifeline. However, unlike smaller wireless companies that are only focused on providing free wireless services and devices to eligible low-income households, major carriers only offer discounted phones and wireless services without free phones. As such, they clearly cannot be included in the list of the Lifeline (and ACP) providers that offer the best free government phones.
Also note that wireless companies that participate in both assistance programs (Lifeline and ACP) have more funds and are therefore able to offer more advanced mobile devices, including high-quality smartphones by the top brands, such as Samsung and Motorola, and Apple’s iPhones. Moreover, many wireless companies are very secretive when it comes to their free phone selections and won’t tell eligible customers which device they will receive in advance. On the other hand, there are a few Lifeline companies that not only reveal their free phone models in advance but may even allow customers to choose the free device themselves. Obviously, the companies that offer a larger selection of high-quality phones, including advanced Android smartphones and iPhones, and even enable clients to choose the phone model themselves, reign supreme. Let’s now uncover who has the best free government phones.
Access Wireless
- Website: accesswireless.com
- Network and coverage area: This MVNO uses Sprint and T-Mobile’s network. See its coverage at accesswireless.com/support/coverage.
- States covered: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
- Services and benefits: Eligible customers can get a free smartphone and free monthly services with unlimited talk, text, and data.
- Plans: The plans differ from state to state, but typically include ACP Only, Lifeline Only, and ACP + Lifeline plans that provide unlimited monthly minutes, unlimited texts, unlimited data (with the amount of high-speed data varying), and hotspot data.
- Free government phones: The specific phone model provided by the company is not disclosed beforehand and may vary depending on availability, plan, state, and other factors. However, based on customer reviews, typical devices received may include BLU C5L, NUU A11L, LG K40, Motorola E (2020), and others.
See the company’s offer and apply for the free government phone and other benefits at accesswireless.com.
AirTalk Wireless
- Website: airtalkwireless.com
- Network and coverage area: This MVNO seems to use AT&T’s nationwide network. See coverage at airtalkwireless.com/check-coverage.
- States covered: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
- Services and benefits: Qualifying clients can get a free smartphone and a free monthly service plan with unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data. ACP subscribers can also purchase a highly discounted tablet.
- Plans: The plans differ from state to state, but typically include ACP Only, Lifeline Only, and Lifeline & ACP Combo plans, which are the most valuable plans and provide unlimited monthly talk, unlimited text and picture messaging, up to 15GB of high-speed data, and additional calling features.
- Free government phones: This company allows Lifeline and ACP customers to select which phone they wish to receive. You can choose from a variety of high-quality flip phones, advanced Android smartphones, and iPhones. Currently, the company offers Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, Apple iPhone 7, Apple iPhone 8, Motorola G Stylus 2020, and similar phone models.
See the company’s offer and apply for the free government phone and other benefits at airtalkwireless.com.
Assurance Wireless
- Website: assurancewireless.com
- Network and coverage area: Assurance is owned by T-Mobile, therefore it uses T-Mobile’s network. See the coverage area at coverage.assurancewireless.com/t-mobile.html.
- States covered: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
- Services and benefits: Eligible customers can receive a free smartphone and services that include unlimited talk and text, unlimited data, including up to 25GB of high-speed data, and 2.5GB of mobile hotspot data.
- Plans: The plans differ from state to state, but typically include ACP Only, Lifeline Only, and Lifeline + ACP plans, which offer the most benefits.
- Free government phones: Currently, the company offers the following free government phones – ANS Artia, Coolpad Belleza, Moto G Pure, Revvl 4 Plus, Schok Volt SV55, Wiko Life 3, etc.
See the company’s offer and apply for the free government phone and other benefits at assurancewireless.com.
Cintex Wireless
- Website: cintexwireless.com
- Network and coverage area: Cintex seems to use Verizon’s nationwide network. See the coverage area at cintexwireless.com/check-coverage.
- States covered: Arkansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
- Services and benefits: Lifeline and ACP customers can get a free smartphone and a free plan that includes high-speed data, talk, and text, every month. ACP subscribers can also purchase a highly discounted tablet.
- Plans: The plans differ from state to state, but typically include ACP Only, Lifeline Only, and Lifeline & ACP Combo plans, which are the most valuable plans and provide unlimited monthly talk, unlimited text and picture messaging, up to 15GB of high-speed data, and additional calling features.
- Free government phones: Customers who apply for the Lifeline & ACP Combo plan can select which device they wish to receive. They can choose from a wide selection of great flip phones, Android smartphones, and iPhones. Currently, you can get a Cintex 4G LTE flip phone or smartphone from a top brand, such as Samsung and Apple.
See the company’s offer and apply for the free government phone and other benefits at cintexwireless.com.
Easy Wireless
- Website: myeasywireless.com
- Network and coverage area: Easy Wireless seems to use AT&T’s network. Easy doesn’t offer an online coverage map, however, you can see AT&T’s map at att.com/maps/wireless-coverage.html.
- States covered: Easy Wireless operates in 47 states, excluding California, Louisiana, and Alaska.
- Services and benefits: Eligible households can get a free smartphone, free unlimited talk and text, and free unlimited data and hotspot. ACP subscribers can also buy an 8-inch tablet for only $10.99.
- Plans: The plans offered may differ by state, but typically include options such as ACP Only, Lifeline Only, and Lifeline + ACP plans, which provide unlimited monthly minutes, unlimited texts, and a varying amount of monthly high-speed data and hotspot data.
- Free government phones: The specific phone model provided by the company is not disclosed in advance, as it depends on availability, plan, state, and other factors. However, you can anticipate receiving an Android smartphone that falls within the entry-level to mid-range category.
See the company’s offer and apply for the free government phone and other benefits at myeasywireless.com.
enTouch Wireless
- Website: entouchwireless.com
- Network and coverage area: enTouch is a Verizon MVNO. See its coverage area at entouchwireless.com/coverage.
- States covered: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
- Services and benefits: Qualifying customers can expect to get free cell phone service with unlimited talk, text, and data, and a free smartphone.
- Plans: The plans offered may differ by state, but typically include options such as ACP Only, Lifeline Only, and Lifeline + ACP plans with varying benefits.
- Free government phones: The phone model offered by the company is not revealed in advance due to its dependence on factors such as availability, plan, state, and others. However, you can expect to receive a mid-range 5.5-inch Android smartphone.
See the company’s offer and apply for the free government phone and other benefits at entouchwireless.com.
NewPhone Wireless
- Website: newphone.com
- Network and coverage area: NewPhone seems to run on T-Mobile’s network. See its coverage area at newphone.com/check-coverage.
- States covered: Louisiana and Wyoming.
- Services and benefits: Lifeline and ACP clients can get a free phone and free service plan with high-speed data, talk, and text. ACP customers can also buy a discounted tablet.
- Plans: The plans differ from state to state, but typically include ACP Only, Lifeline Only, and Lifeline & ACP Combo plans, which are the most valuable plans and provide unlimited monthly talk, unlimited text and picture messaging, up to 15GB of high-speed data, and additional calling features.
- Free government phones: Lifeline & ACP Combo plan subscribers can select the device themselves and they can currently choose from a variety of high-quality flip phones, Android smartphones, and iPhones, such as Samsung Galaxy S9, Apple iPhone 8, Google Pixel 3, etc.
See the company’s offer and apply for the free government phone and other benefits at newphone.com.
SafeLink Wireless
- Website: safelinkwireless.com
- Network and coverage area: SafeLink is Verizon’s MVNO. See its coverage map at
- States covered: SafeLink doesn’t offer an online coverage map but you can see Verizon’s map at verizon.com/coverage-map.
- Services and benefits: Qualifying customers can get a free smartphone, free unlimited talk and text, and free data every month.
- Plans: The plans offered may differ by state, but typically include options such as ACP Only, Lifeline Only, and Lifeline + ACP plans with varying benefits.
- Free government phones: The company does not provide information about the specific phone model in advance, as it is dependent on factors such as availability, plan, state, and others. However, you can anticipate receiving a device like BLU View 2, Alcatel TCL A3, NUU X6 Plus, Motorola E, or similar models.
See the company’s offer and apply for the free government phone and other benefits at https://www.safelinkwireless.com/.
StandUp Wireless
- Website: standupwireless.com
- Network and coverage area: StandUp seems to run on T-Mobile’s network. See the coverage at standupwireless.com/lifeline/coverage.
- States covered: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
- Services and benefits: You can get a free phone, a discounted tablet, and services with unlimited talk and text, and unlimited data with up to 10GB of high-speed data.
- Plans: The plans offered may differ by state, but typically include options such as ACP Only, Lifeline Only, and Lifeline + ACP plans with varying benefits.
- Free government phones: The phone model offered by the company is not revealed in advance due to its dependence on factors such as availability, plan, state, and others. However, you can expect to receive a mid-range Android smartphone.
See the company’s offer and apply for the free government phone and other benefits at standupwireless.com.
TruConnect
- Website: truconnect.com
- Network and coverage area: TruConnect uses T-Mobile and Sprint’s networks. See the coverage map at truconnect.com/wireless/coverage/map.
- States covered: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
- Services and benefits: Eligible clients can get a free phone, a tablet for only $10.01, and free services with unlimited talk, text, and data.
- Plans: The plans offered may differ by state, but typically include options such as ACP Only, Lifeline Only, and Lifeline + ACP plans with varying benefits.
- Free government phones: The phone model offered by the company is not revealed in advance due to its dependence on factors such as availability, plan, state, and others. However, you can expect to receive a mid-range Android smartphone.
See the company’s offer and apply for the free government phone and other benefits at truconnect.com.
Process of Getting Free Government Phone
The process of getting a free government phone through Lifeline (and ACP) is quite simple – at least for those that qualify for the program. All you need to do is to follow these instructions:
- Naturally, you must first check whether or not you qualify for the program. You can qualify based on your income (if it’s at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines) or based on your participation in another government assistance program, such as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit, and Tribal-specific programs. Make sure to check the specific eligibility criteria in your state or territory.
- Secondly, you must make sure that you can prove your eligibility by providing a clear valid copy of an official document that verifies your income or program participation and proves your personal information (such as identity, age, address, etc.).
- Next, you can apply through the National Verifier. You can apply online at nv.fcc.gov/lifeline or via mail.
- Finally, you can find the company that has the best free government phones in your area and apply for its services.
How to Apply for a Free Government Phone
To receive a free government phone, follow these simple steps:
- Make sure you qualify for the program. See the eligibility criteria above.
- Make sure that you can prove your eligibility with valid official documents that show your income or program participation.
- Apply for the program at nv.fcc.gov/apply?id=nv_home&ln=RW5nbGlzaA%3D%3D.
- Once approved by the National Verifier, choose a provider, and apply through their website.
Who Has the Best Free Government Phones – Final Verdict
In our opinion, the best Lifeline and ACP providers are the ones that enable customers to select which device they wish to receive and offer a large variety of high-quality flip phones, Android smartphones, and iPhones. Such companies include AirTalk Wireless, Cintex Wireless, and NewPhone Wireless.
However, these companies are not available in all states. Moreover, you may prioritize the amount of monthly data or international calls and therefore prefer companies that offer more of those benefits. Moreover, the companies that we’ve chosen may not offer the phone model that would best suit you.
As such, the ultimate answer to the question of ‘who has the best free government phones’ depends on you and your preferences. The section above may simply serve as a comprehensive guide and comparison.
