Genuinely free mobile plans in the US (2026)

A free phone plan sounds too good to be true. In 2026 it mostly is. Two of the three well-known $0 plans shut down this year. One is left. This guide covers what still exists, what each plan really gives you, and every catch. All facts come from the carriers’ own sites, last checked on November 8, 2026.

This is the hub for free plans. For the wider picture of cheap plans, see the plans hub.

The four kinds of “free”

Carriers use the word “free” four different ways. Know which one you are looking at before you sign up.

1. Free forever, but tiny

The plan costs $0 every month with no end date. In return you get a small data allowance and a slow speed. Ads or upsells pay for it. TextNow’s Free plan is the only one of these still running that we can verify.

2. Free with a catch

The plan is $0, but you must do something to keep it. Helium Mobile’s Zero plan worked this way. Its launch post said “Eligibility for the $0/month Zero Plan requires active cellular data usage.” That plan is now retired. See below.

3. Free trial

You get a full plan for a few days or weeks, then it ends or starts billing. This is not a free plan. It is a test drive. We cover these in free phone plan trials.

4. Free through Lifeline

Lifeline is a federal program. The Lifeline Support FAQ gives the benefit as “Up to $9.25 monthly discount on internet or bundled service (or up to $5.25 monthly discount on phone service).” Some carriers apply that discount to a plan that then costs you nothing. The how to qualify page says your income must be “at 135% or less than the 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines,” or someone in your household must be on Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, or the Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit. If that is you, start at free government phones.

Every $0 plan we could verify today

TextNow Free: the only one left

What you get. TextNow’s plans page describes the plan as free 5G nationwide talk and text, “paid for by ads.” The Broadband Label on that page lists 550 MB of data included with the $0 monthly price. The label says typical download speed is 1 to 5 Mbps. The FAQ on the same page says the free data is for iHeartRadio only. A separate TextNow FAQ page says the plan includes “550MB of data for essential apps” in one place and “1GB of data for select apps” in another. TextNow’s own pages do not agree on the amount. Treat 550 MB as the number that counts, because it is on the Broadband Label.

The catches, in plain words.

• Ads pay for it. You see ads in the TextNow app.
• No hotspot. The FAQ says “TextNow does not currently support hotspot/tethering.”
• No two-factor codes on the free tier. The FAQ says TextNow “does support 2FA with a paid plan.” If your bank texts you a login code, that may not arrive on the free plan. This is the biggest catch for most people.
• No RCS messaging.
• No rollover. Unused data does not carry over.
• One line only. There are no family plans.
• The 550 MB is small. A few map searches and some email will use it. Pair it with free Wi-Fi. Our Wi-Fi safety guide shows how to do that without getting burned.

Network. The coverage page says coverage “comes from our nationwide carrier partner’s network.” TextNow does not name the carrier. Service excludes Puerto Rico.

Do you need a SIM? You can activate an eSIM in the app at no cost. The plans page says “the eSIM itself is free, with zero activation fees.” A physical SIM costs a one-time $3.99 on the Free plan. The device checker says “Your phone must be carrier unlocked to use TextNow Wireless.”

What it costs to add data. A Plus Day Pass is $1.99 and an Unlimited Day Pass is $2.99. Plus is $4.99 a week or $18.99 a month. Unlimited is $8.99 a week or $35.99 a month. The Broadband Labels list 20 GB a month for both paid plans, even though the marketing says “unlimited.” Paid plans have no ads.

Who it suits. A second number. A backup phone. A kid’s first phone with no data. Someone who lives on Wi-Fi and makes few calls. It does not suit anyone who needs bank login codes or who leaves the house without Wi-Fi.

Helium Mobile Zero: retired

Helium’s Zero plan was the best free plan in the country for about a year. Its launch post listed 3GB of data, 300 texts, and 100 minutes of calls at $0 a month. The catch was that you had to use cellular data every month to keep it.

It is gone. Helium’s support article says the Zero Plan was retired on June 11, 2026, and “is not currently available for new or existing subscribers.” A banner on the launch post gives an earlier date: “As of April 27, 2026 the Zero Plan is no longer available on Helium Mobile.” Helium’s own pages disagree on the date, but agree the plan is closed. Remaining Zero customers were moved to the $15 Air plan. The full story is in our guide to Helium Mobile’s free plan.

FreedomPop: free plan shut down

FreedomPop’s plans page now lists only paid plans. In its help center, the Freemium guide describes the old free tier as “10 cellular voice minutes,” “10 cellular text messages,” and “25 MBs of LTE data,” plus “Unlimited WiFi calling.” Going over 25 MB triggered an automatic $8 upgrade.

That plan is over. A help article titled The Free Plan is shutting down says “Starting January 8, 2026 we’ll be ending our free phone plan” and “On February 7, 2026, service for all Legacy free plan customers will be shut down.” It says paid plans start “at just $10/month” with unlimited talk and text. The plans page lists 1GB of data on that $10 plan.

We could not verify any other $0 cellular plan on a carrier’s own site today. Wi-Fi-only calling apps are not phone plans, so they are not listed.

Free versus $10 to $15: an honest verdict

Here is the trade-off with real numbers from the carriers’ sites.

Helium Air details come from Helium’s Zero plan support article and home page. Note that Helium’s site says “Taxes and fees apply.”

Take the free plan if you need a working number and little else. Backup phone, travel phone, a child’s phone, or a line you use mostly on Wi-Fi. TextNow Free does that job for $0 with an eSIM.

Pay $10 to $15 if this is your only phone. The free plan’s 550 MB will not last a week of normal use. No hotspot means your laptop is stuck. And the lack of 2FA codes on the free tier can lock you out of your own bank. For about $15 you get 10 GB, hotspot, and no ads. Our plans page lists every plan we could verify at $15 or less.

Check Lifeline first if your income is low or you receive SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, housing aid, or the Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit. That path can be truly free with far more data. See free government phones.

Moving your number? Read how to switch carriers and keep your number first. Port before you cancel, or you can lose the number.