Low-cost internet for seniors and retirees: Staying connected without breaking the bank

Did you know that while 75% of adults ages 65 and older use the internet, many still struggle with affordability? Nearly 85% of Americans pay at least $50 per month for access to the internet, according to a recent Consumer Reports survey. (Ouch!)

Yet finding an affordable internet plan that meets your retirement budget can be tricky, especially since most providers don’t offer discounts specifically for seniors.

Rather, many providers offer discounted plans for lower-income households, or you might snag a better deal by bundling your internet with TV or phone services. That said, some companies do extend special offers for older folks — for example, if you’re a veteran or receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI). These senior-specific deals might be a bit harder to find, but they’re out there.

To help you find a deal that best fits your needs, we combed through the top internet service providers to find budget-friendly options with discounts, reliable coverage and a range of eligibility that might apply to your household.

Comcast Xfinity

Xfinity, a division of Comcast, is a leading provider of internet, TV, phone and home security services across more than 40 states. While Xfinity’s standard plans start at $35 per month, its Internet Essentials program for lower-income customers offers download speeds up to 50 Mbps and free equipment for just $9.95 per month — one of the cheapest options anywhere.

While not as fast as the higher-tier plans, 50 Mbps is more than sufficient for everyday activities like browsing the internet, streaming music and movies and making video calls. To qualify for Xfinity’s Internet Essentials, you’ll need to live within Xfinity’s service area and meet the following criteria:

• You qualify for programs like Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, LIHEAP, a VA pension or housing assistance, among similar programs.

• You haven’t had Xfinity Internet within the last 90 days (unless enrolled in Xfinity’s Affordable Connectivity Program).

• You have no outstanding debt to Comcast less than one year old.

With Xfinity, you can bundle TV and internet packages, helping you save even more while you watch live TV, Netflix, Apple TV and hundreds of other channels. Xfinity also provides accessibility features — such as large-button remotes with voice control options — that can make flipping to favorite channels easier.

While customer reviews of Xfinity skew negative on sites like Trustpilot and Yelp, Xfinity has made efforts to improve its reputation in recent years by enhancing its services, although its customer experience still appears to be lagging.

Optimum

Altice USA is a broadband services company providing internet, TV, phone and mobile service across 21 states. Operating under the Optimum brand, the company offers 300 Mbps internet starting at $40 a month. For its lower-income customers, it offers Optimum Advantage Internet, a low-cost broadband service for just $14.99 a month.

The Advantage plan provides download speeds of up to 50 Mbps, free in-home Wi-Fi equipment, unlimited data usage and no annual contract, making it an attractive option if one of your household members meets at least one of the following requirements:

• Age 65 or older and eligible for or receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

• Veteran receiving state or federal public assistance

• New York City resident and attends a New York City public school

• Eligible for or participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

If you’re considering an internet plan with Optimum Advantage Internet, it’s worth noting that the company offers discounted professional installation or free self-installation options, making setup more affordable if you’re comfortable with DIY installations.

Like with most telecommunications providers, customer reviews of Altice are generally poor, although it has made efforts to improve its services and customer experience by strengthening its networks and lowering its pricing for some services.

Spectrum 

Spectrum is a leading internet service provider in the US, offering high-speed internet to customers in more than 40 states. Its regular plans start as low as $29.99 a month with a two-year price lock guarantee and no annual contract – which means they’re locked in on price, but you’re not obligated to stick with them if you change your mind.

If you're senior on a limited income, you may qualify for Spectrum’s Internet Assist program, which provides download speeds up to 50 Mbps for $24.99 per month. While this isn’t as big a discount compared to what Xfinity and Altice offer, it could still save you $60 a year. Spectrum also participates in the government-assistance program Lifeline that subsidizes internet and phone services based on your financial situation — not all providers offer this.

To be eligible for Spectrum Internet Assist, a member of your household must receive assistance from:

• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

• Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the NSLP

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and ages 65 or older

While customer reviews online are mixed and lean negative, Spectrum has made efforts to improve its reputation in recent years, and the Spectrum TV mobile app generally gets high ratings on Google Play and the App Store.

Verizon

Verizon is a telecommunications conglomerate that provides a range of services, including wireless, internet, TV and phone. Its internet plans start at $35 a month, and you can choose from 5G Home Internet, LTE Home Internet and Fios Internet — a 100% fiber-optic network available in the mid-Atlantic and New England regions.

In addition, Verizon provides low-cost internet to lower-income households as part of Verizon Forward. This program offers discounted rates on Verizon’s home internet services, including Fios, 5G Home and LTE Home Internet. Eligible customers can get internet plans for as low as $20 per month, with speeds starting at 300 Mbps for Fios customers.

You may be eligible for Verizon Forward if you received a Federal Pell Grant within a year prior to application or qualified for one of these assistance programs 180 days before applying:

• Lifeline

• Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)

• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

Like most telecommunications companies, Verizon gets mixed reviews from customers online, with many customers complaining about poor customer service and long wait times when trying to get services set up.

AT&T

AT&T — one of the largest telecommunications providers in the country — provides high-speed internet services across more than 20 states, primarily in the South, in the Midwest and on the West Coast. It offers speeds from 300 Mpbs to a blazing fast 5,000 Mbps, which is 134 times faster than cable internet.

AT&T also offers the Access program, a low-cost internet service for lower-income households starting at $30 a month. While this is more expensive than other low-income programs on this list, you could get speeds of up to 100 Mbps with this plan. AT&T also offers a lower-priced option for eligible households that don't require unlimited monthly data and whose maximum available speed is 10 Mbps or less.

You can qualify for the AT&T Access program if your household income is below 200% of federal poverty guidelines or you or a household member participates in:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• Supplemental Security Income (in California only)

• National School Lunch Program

Like other the companies listed here, AT&T has garnered a large number of negative customer reviews online, with many complaints centering on technology issues like substandard phone reception as well as poor customer service.

Cox Communications

Cox Communications is a cable internet service provider operating in nearly 20 states, with a strong presence in Rhode Island, Nevada and Arizona. While its standard plans start at a rather pricey $50 (or $30 in specific service areas), Cox offers a Connect2Compete plan for just $9.95 a month and a ConnectAssist plan for $30 a month.

Eligibility depends on the program:

• Connect2Compete — requires at least one K-12 student in the household and participation in government assistance programs like NSLP, SNAP or Medicaid.

• ConnectAssist — requires a two-person household income of up to $40,880 or at least one household member participating in government assistance programs like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, SSDI or Veterans Pension.

While there are fewer customer reviews online for Cox than some of the larger providers, the reviews that exist tend to be from customers complaining about poor customer service, long wait times and frequent outages.

CenturyLink

CenturyLink (now part of Lumen Technologies) is a telecommunications company providing both DSL and fiber internet options in more than 15 states, with the largest presence in the West and Midwest states. Its strongest feature is its presence in rural areas, which is helped by leveraging existing telephone infrastructure.

While not the cheapest internet provider on the block, CenturyLink participates in the Lifeline program, which offers a monthly discount and installation assistance through the Link-Up program to qualifying customers. Another unique feature of CenturyLink is its Price for Life guarantee on some plans (although the company recently got into trouble for not keeping this promise with customers).

Like all the other providers on our list, CenturyLink also gets mostly poor reviews on Trustpilot, with customers referencing slow service and other technology hiccups.

How to find the best internet for your budget

When comparing internet plans to find a fit with your budget, consider these top factors against your service needs and internet habits.

Coverage area

Confirm the provider you’re interested in offers service in your specific location and that the coverage is reliable throughout your home. Providers typically offer an address lookup tool online to check if they offer service at your specific address.

Speed

Look for internet plans that offer download and upload speeds that meet your household's needs, whether it's for streaming, gaming, remote work or other bandwidth-intensive activities. General guidelines depend on the number of devices — computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets — you expect to support:

• 1 to 2 devices — 50 to 100 Mbps

• 3 to 5 devices — 100 to 300 Mbps

• 6 or more devices — 300 to 500 Mbps or higher

You may need to adjust these values up or down. Factors like streaming quality, online gamers in the house, the use of smart home devices and otherwise heavy data use may require adjusting speeds higher to ensure you have enough bandwidth without going over any data caps.

Data caps

Speaking of data caps, make sure the plan you buy has unlimited data or high enough data caps to accommodate your household’s use without incurring overage fees. While many providers don’t impose any data caps, some do — and overage costs can add up quickly if you’re not careful. Most providers support apps for more easily monitoring your data use and adjusting your plan as needed.

Reliability

Even if it’s not yet regulated as a household utility, the internet is an essential service for many households. And so you’ll want to choose a provider with a reputation for the most stable, consistent internet service with minimal outages or disruptions. Read reviews on sites like Trustpilot, Reddit and the Better Business Bureau website to get insight on service in your area — keeping in mind that online reviews tend to reflect the worst and most frustrating experiences customers have had with a provider.

Pricing

Compare the monthly costs of plans and installation fees, factoring in promotional pricing and long-term contract requirements, including:

• Equipment and installation — Understand the provider's policies around equipment, installation and any associated fees. Some providers charge up to $100 or more for installation, while others offer free installation.

• Cancellation fees — If you’re signing a 12- or 24-month contract to get a reduced rate on your internet service, make sure you understand cancellation fees in case you need to break your contract early.

• Bundling options — Consider whether bundling internet with other services like cable TV or phone and mobile services can provide additional savings for services you want in your household, like entertainment channels and shared mobile plans.

Dig deeper: 5 top alternatives to cable TV for 2024: How to cut the cord — and your monthly costs

Staying safe online

It can feel like new online scams are popping up every day, with ever-increasing levels of sophistication. Keep yourself safe online with these rules of thumb when using the internet:

• Always use strong, unique passwords with a minimum of 12 characters for all your online accounts, including your email account and any financial and shopping websites. Set up two-factor authentication (2FA) on your financial accounts for even stronger security.

• Always use a virtual private network (VPN) on public Wi-Fi, including at cafes, airports and hotels when accessing financial and other sensitive accounts. A VPN encrypts your data online and reduces the chances that someone can steal it. Express VPN is a top-rated VPN provider with an excellent track record of security and customer protection.

• Check that website addresses start with "https," which means the connection uses SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) encryption technology to secure the data transmitted between your device and the website.

• Always ignore and immediately delete suspicious emails without clicking on links inside the email or downloading attached files. Doing so can protect your computer from viruses and malicious code that can slow down or destroy your devices.

If you think you’ve fallen for a financial scam, contact your bank immediately and report it to the Federal Trade Commission.

FAQs: Internet accessibility for seniors, retirees and lower-income households

Learn more about programs available for older and lower-income Americans that can save you money on your phone and internet services.

What does Mbps stand for?

Mbps is an abbreviation for megabits per second. Breaking it down, 1 Mbps means 1 million bits of data transferred every second.

In March 2024, the FCC announced a new benchmark for "high speed" or broadband internet as download speeds of 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 20 Mbps. Most internet providers offer plans starting at 50 to 100 Mbps download speeds, which can be sufficient for households connecting one to two devices to the internet.

How can I qualify for the federal Lifeline program?

You can qualify for Lifeline — the federal program that subsidizes the monthly cost of phone and internet services — if your income is 135% or less than the 2024 federal poverty guidelines. For a household size of two people, that’s $27,594 in the contiguous U.S., $34,479 in Alaska or $31,725 in Hawaii.

You’re also eligible for Lifeline if you or someone in your household receives Medicaid, SSI, SNAP, public housing assistance or a veterans pension and survivors benefit. Learn more about how to qualify for Lifeline.

Is the Affordable Connectivity Program still available?

No, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a federal program that helped lower-income households afford internet, is currently paused due to a lack of funding. Meanwhile you can check out EveryoneOn to find local low-cost internet options.

Can I get internet without a long-term contract?

Yes, many providers offer no-contract options so you can cancel without paying a penalty. Some providers also offer money-back guarantees within a certain timeframe if you’re not happy with the service.

What internet speed do I need?

A minimum speed of 50 Mbps might be sufficient for basic use, like checking email or browsing news sites. For streaming or video calls, consider at least 100 Mbps.

About the writer

Kat Aoki is a seasoned finance writer who's written thousands of articles to empower people to better understand technology, fintech, banking, lending and investments. Her expertise has been featured on sites like Forbes Advisor, Lifewire and Finder, with bylines at top technology brands in the U.S. and Australia. Kat strives to empower consumers and business owners to make informed decisions and choose the right financial products for their needs.