Deniz KalkanFor students and professionals, smartphones are not optional these days. On the contrary, you need them to keep moving on. Even if you can’t afford one, there are a few ways to get a free government phone in 2025.
Programs Offering Free Phones in 2025
Based on where you live in the United States, you can get a variety of government assistance programs. However, most of these programs have unique eligibility criteria and application procedures.
Furthermore, states might also have specific conditions. Considering these potential issues, we wanted to recommend a program that works in all states in the US.
- Lifeline
Lifeline is a federal government assistance program that can get you a free phone along with a cellular or internet connection at a subsidized rate. However, we must clarify in the beginning that Lifeline is not designed to give you a free phone. Instead, it has been made to offer affordable cellular and internet connectivity for those who cannot afford it.
However, because you need a device to access both connectivity options, most Lifeline partners will offer a free smartphone, tablet, or laptop! In return, you will stay subscribed to the company’s subsidized plan.
In this instance, we use this assistance program to get a free government smartphone. Don’t worry; we will take you through the steps.
Eligibility for Getting A Free Government Phone
Compared to other federal/state assistance programs we have come across, Lifeline has straightforward eligibility criteria to begin with. Though there are multiple ways to verify your eligibility for the program, they focus on one aspect: household income.
That is, the federal government wants to know whether your total household income is less than the limit set by federal poverty guidelines. You can prove the same in three ways:
- You can provide proof of your income, indicating that your household earns less than $34,857 (the limit for a three-person household in most US states). You can use payslips, income tax details, or some related documents to show that your earnings are within that limit.
- An easier way to qualify for Lifeline is by producing proof of an existing benefit, such as SNAP, Medicaid, and some other EBT programs. Because these programs assess your household income before offering these benefits, your qualification for these programs makes you eligible for Lifeline automatically.
- You can also use documentation for other tribal benefits to qualify for the program. In this case, you need to prove that your income is within the federal limits. However, the Lifeline program will offer additional discounts for those who are part of tribal communities.
If you can qualify through any of these methods, you can proceed with the Lifeline application process.
Lifeline Application Process to Get A Free Government Phone
You can follow these three simple steps to get a free government phone via the Lifeline program.
- Log on to the official website of the Lifeline program and head towards the application.
- Provide your details and the document you have chosen as proof of income and identity.
- Fill in the necessary information and wait for the Lifeline team to give you a response.
Once you have a positive response from Lifeline, you can locate a nearby Lifeline partner and talk to them about a suitable arrangement. You can choose between multiple plans and apply the Lifeline discount on the final bill. You should also talk about what you expect from the included device.
We recommend checking out multiple providers in your area before making the final choice. Comparing the plans and devices is a great way to ensure maximum discounts.
Phones You Can Get from the Government
Now, you may be wondering which phones you can get from the government. But we should first clarify that the government does not give you a smartphone.
Instead, you work with cellular carriers who have partnered with the Lifeline program. So, you can get almost any device, especially if you are interested in a co-pay plan.
Some devices include:
- Apple iPhone 11
- Samsung Galaxy S9
- Apple iPhone SE
You may also get some devices like the Vortex smartphone from the carrier. You can also ask for a tablet PC that is compatible with the cellular carrier. Trust us; you should compare them before choosing.
Conclusion
You have more free governments to choose from the Lifeline program in 2025. So, don’t miss an opportunity if you can get a 5G smartphone over an old 4G device.
