18 Places to Get Free Cell Phones
Assurance Wireless
Assurance Wireless is a federal program that enables low-income earners as per the Federal Government to access affordable telephony and data services.
Some of the giveaways you’ll find here include:
- Free smartphone
- Unlimited monthly data
- Free unlimited texts
- Free unlimited minutes
- 10GH hotspot data
You must meet federal requirements to be eligible for this program. For example, you qualify if you are unemployed, you will need an unemployment benefits letter.
You can also qualify if you are enrolled in public aid programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.
Only one account is allowed per household; however, if you live with another household at the same address, you’ll be considered eligible. Temporary households are also considered under this program.
Assurance Wireless free phone application process
First, you’ll need to create an account on the Assurance Wireless website, then check if the service is available in your zip code. After that, send your application and check for updates.
Inviting an eligible friend earns you a $10 Amazon gift card. However, they must use the service for 90 days.
Lifeline Support
Lifeline Support is a government initiative that offers free phones, unlimited texts, minutes, and data to eligible persons who meet certain criteria such as low income as defined in the Federal Government guidelines.
You must meet specific eligibility requirements to benefit from free phone service and be a member of federal based initiatives such as;
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP
- Supplemental Security Income,
- Public Housing Assistance
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance.
- Medicaid.
Craigslist
Craigslist Summary
- Posts are anonymous
- Quick and easy listing in a matter of minutes
- Little to no seller fees, most auctions are free
- Sell within your local area
Craigslist is another platform where you can get a free phone from individuals disposing of their old models.
Unlike Wireless Assurance and Lifeline Support, which are government-based initiatives, Craigslist is like a marketplace where people sell or donate things they no longer need.
However, you have to check the free phones regularly by entering the keyword “free phone” on the search bar. It’s imperative you follow safety guidelines, especially if the seller asks to meet you in person.
Safelink Wireless
Safelink Wireless is a service provider working alongside the Lifeline Assistance Program to enable users to get free phones and data. You can also use your phone and benefit from the free data and minutes.
Eligibility requirements for federal assistance programs are the same: You must fall under certain income thresholds. In addition, different offers vary depending on your Location.
For instance, in Massachusetts, you can get up to 1 GB of data and 1000 minutes every month or 350 minutes and 2 GB of data.
On the other hand, if you’re in California, you’ll get 3 GB of data and unlimited minutes. If you have a phone, you’ll get up to 4GB of data every minute.
By Nothing Groups
Buy Nothing Group is a small online community where you can meet with others in your town, neighborhood, or city and share items or skills.
Here you’ll find people offering free things that they no longer need. If you’re lucky, you can get a phone, among other items.
Although the phone may have a cracked screen, it can be a good option for a start.
You can join the community via Facebook ground and see what others are offering.
Offer Up
OfferUp Summary
- List and sell your items for free
- Promote your listing from just $1.99
- Low service fee of just 12.9% or $1.99
- You have up to 3 days to ship your item
Offer Up is a marketplace where people post old items for sales or giveaways. Most of the items posted here are low-cost.
You can always negotiate with the sellers to offer the phone for free, especially if it has overstayed on the platform for many days or months without getting a seller.
Other items on offer include;
- Campers and RVs
- CDs and DVDs
- Collectibles
- Computer equipment
- Electronics
Next Door
Next Door is a social media platform connecting individuals living in the same city or neighborhood.
You can link with other members, exchange items, and get general information about current events when you join this platform.
On the same platform, you’ll find people selling items or giving them away for free. You can try and find someone giving away their old phone.
Alternative Places to Get Free Phones When You Add or Switch a Line
1. Verizon
Verizon has various offers for their clients and prospects, including Android, tablet, and iPhone deals.
There is a lot on offer, and you can get upgrades and plan deals when you participate in their promotions. For example, you can get a free new cell phone when switching to the network or adding another line.
Other offers include;
- A $500 gift card when you switch to the network and bring your cellphone.
- $100 when you switch your smartwatch and tablet.
You can also get your favorite phone for free, including Motorola Moto E6, Samsung Galaxy A10e, and Alcatel AVALON V.
2. Sprint
Sprint offers its existing customers a free line worth over $400, including unlimited text, talk, 480p streaming limit, data, and international text. Even without a line, you can visit Sprint’s promo page and choose your free line.
You can take advantage of the promotion to get an Apple iPhone 11 with an 18-month flexible lease. However, you must sign up with a new account and trade in your eligible phone to join the promo.
In addition, if you lease LG V30+ for 18 months, you’ll get a new phone without paying anything.
3. AT&T
AT & T offers you a chance to own a mobile phone free of charge when you join any existing plans such as 24,30 and 36 months.
Some of the phones on offer include Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and iPhone 10.
4. T-mobile
T-Mobile is yet another telecommunications company that rewards users with a free Samsung Galaxy A10, REVELRY, and Moto G Power. However, to enjoy this offer, you must join the T-Mobile plan offer for 24 months.
If you have an existing phone, you can trade-off with a new iPhone or Android for a discount.
Places to Get Free Phone Service
1. Republic Wireless
Republic Wireless network has a wide coverage and offers free phone service, including unlimited talk and free texts at only $20 per month and 1 GB of 4G LTE data. You can also get extra data at only $5 per GB.
You can choose your plan from a wide range of options; however, you need a compatible phone to enjoy the service.
2. Ting
Ting has a wide range of services that includes affordable phone plans and data for its users. With this cell phone provider, you can get a free additional line and hence reduce your utility bills.
Ting supports phones that are compatible with T-Mobile GSM, Verizon’s CDMA, and Sprint CDMA.
Here are other affordable services offered by Ting
| Plan | Flex | Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of a phone line | $10 | $55 |
| Talk and Text | Unlimited | |
| Data included | 0 | 35 GB |
3. FreedomPop
FreedomPop phone has several offers that include a free service. Joining the platform is easy, and there are no eligibility conditions; however, you’ll need to buy a mobile phone at a subsidized rate.
The free tariff plan features up to 200 minutes of talk time, 500 MB of data, and 500 texts. You can also upgrade the plan to unlimited by paying an extra $11 per month.
Unlimited talk time and text, including 1 GB of data, costs $20 per month.
You can enjoy a free internet of 1.5 MPS if you don’t exceed the 1 GB monthly allowance. If you’re just checking the web or email, this limit will be sufficient.
4. Google Fi
Google Fi offers unlimited and flexible plans, including high-speed internet and texting. You can also choose a plan that suits your data usage and needs.
The flexible plan costs $20 and allows you to access unlimited talk time and text messages. You also get 100 MBs of data at an extra $1.
The unlimited plat costs $45 to $70 per month, and this offers you unlimited talk time, data, text, and 100 GB of data storage.
5. T-mobile
For only $60, you can get unlimited calls, texts, and data with T-Mobile and save on utility bills if you put other users on the contract.
For example, if you get three other people, you can save up to $40 per month on data charges, which makes sense if you’re a heavy user.
6. TracFone
TracFone has plans that include unlimited talk time, text, and 1 GB of data when you join the $20 per month plan.
In addition, you can get an extra 2GB of free data when you add $5 to the package. The data doesn’t expire, and you can roll it over to the next month.
7. CellNUVO
CellNUVO cell phone provider allows you to complete various tasks such as playing games and subsequently earn points.
You can use the points to pay your phone bill, thereby reducing your total spending.
You only need to download the app on your phone, watch ads, complete tasks and earn points. In addition, you can redeem the points for text and talk time, thereby enjoying free service.
