The Best Landline and Home Phone Services for Seniors 2024

Xfinity - Best Landlines with Monthly Contracts

3.9 / 5

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(855) 450-0184

What We Like Most:

• No long-term commitments
• Available in 35 states plus Washington, D.C.
• Local service for only $10 a month
• International calling for only $9.95 more per month

(855) 450-0184

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Xfinity provides some of the most affordable landline service around, second to Vonage, with prices starting at $10 a month. And if you fear commitment, you’re in luck, as all contracts are month-to-month. Plus, Xfinity is available in the majority of the country and also offers TV, internet, cell phones, and even home security, making it a good option if you need a variety of services from one convenient provider.

Of course, I would only recommend this option if you already have a strong internet connection. At the risk of belaboring the point, my Xfinity internet is a bit moody, so my VoIP connections weren’t always the strongest. However, your Wi-Fi connection will depend on a number of factors, such as where you live, so take my experience with a grain of salt.

Overview

Xfinity, owned by Comcast, is another giant player in American telecommunications, with one of the lowest-cost landline packages on the market. However, since the landline service is VoIP, it requires an internet connection (though not necessarily from Xfinity) as well as a voice-compatible router and modem.

Costs

Xfinity has the most simple landline costs we’ve ever seen. Simply put, you can get unlimited nationwide calling for $10 a month without having to buy TV, internet, or any other service. Add international service for only $9.95 more per month, bringing the total cost to about $20 per month.

That being said, you’ll need an internet connection as well as a voice-compatible modem and router in order to use an Xfinity landline. Plus, to get caller ID will require you to have an Xfinity Digital TV and Internet Service, which can look a few different ways.

As an Xfinity internet customer, I pay $76.20 for internet per month, with download speeds up to 800 Mbps and upload speeds up to 20 Mbps, the Superfast plan. Including TV in the plan adds either $15, $50, or $60 a month to your bill. The TV contracts are annual, while the internet and home phone contracts are month-to-month.

Features

Here are the features you can expect with Xfinity Voice, the company’s VoIP home phone service:

• Caller ID if you have Xfinity Digital TV and Internet Service
• Long distance with Xfinity Voice Unlimited plan
• Speed dialing to 911, 988, 611, and 711
• Three-way calling
• Unlimited local calling

Drawbacks

While Xfinity’s low prices may seem great, you must already have an internet connection, as well as a voice-compatible router and modem, to use this feature. Additionally, because it requires an internet connection, your home phone won’t work in a power outage, which could be an issue if you have an emergency and need to contact 911.

Our Verdict

Xfinity provides an affordable, bare-bones home phone system for only $10 a month. However, if a feature like caller ID is important to you, the price will be more like $110 per month and will also include television and internet. Xfinity is a great choice if you’re interested in buying internet, mobile service, TV, or home security in addition to a home phone, or if caller ID isn’t important to you.

To learn more about this provider, read our review of Xfinity landline.

Vonage - Most Affordable Home Phone

4.3 / 5

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What We Like Most:

• Monthly costs range from $9.99 to $14.99 a month
• Flexible, monthly contracting
• Both plans include unlimited calling to Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Canada
• 911 tracing

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Overview

If saving money is top of mind, there’s no more affordable carrier than Vonage. The company’s prices start at only $9.99 a month, but keep in mind that they require high-speed internet. And if your internet is dependable, unlike mine, you’ll get to benefit from the crystal-clear connections that VoIP provides. If you’ve ever used Facetime Audio on your cell phone, I found the clarity to be similar (when my network was up and running, that is).

Vonage uses VoIP, which means Voice over Internet Protocol. What does this mean? Well, in contrast to a traditional landline, VoIP uses a phone that is connected to the internet, sending voices through services digitally. It’s this protocol that allows Vonage to have such cheap prices, but of course, it’s only cheap if you already have high-speed internet.

Costs

The best thing about Vonage is that prices start at only $9.99 a month for unlimited calling in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. While the subscriptions require high-speed internet, Vonage does not sell internet itself, so there are no bundles available. Plus, you can get unlimited calling to over 60 more countries for just an additional $5 a month with the World Prime plan.

Features

Vonage’s VoIP allows for a ton of features that you won’t get with a traditional landline, no matter if you choose the domestic or international plan:

• Call filter: In September 2023, the average U.S. adult received 17 spam calls, according to the most recent data from Robokiller. Fortunately, with Vonage, you can block all incoming calls reported as spam, direct them to voicemail, or, if for some reason you want to, continue to receive them. It’s up to you!
• Enhanced Call Forwarding: Better yet, you can have your calls forward to your cell phone, or whatever number you choose, if you’re away. The caller will have no idea you’re on the beach and not at your office!
• SimulRing: Waiting for an important phone call? You can have your calls ring up to five additional phones simultaneously, including other landlines, smartphones, or cellphones.
• Vonage boomerang: With boomerang, Vonage will answer selected calls for you and ask the caller to hang up. Once you both hang up, you’ll be connected through your Vonage number, saving you money on international calls.
• Vonage Extensions app: Want to be able to answer your landline even if you’re not home? With the Vonage app, you can use your smartphone as your home phone and still get the same caller ID.
• Vonage Voicemail Plus: You don’t have to spend time sitting by the answering machine anymore, listening to voicemail after voicemail after a long vacation. Rather, you can listen to your voicemails from your phone, avoiding this stressful buildup.

Drawbacks

Vonage does not offer any TV or internet bundles, so it’s not a great choice if you were looking to combine these services under one roof. Rather, it offers landline services only. If you want a bundle, check out a larger provider like Verizon or Xfinity.

Our Verdict

Vonage is a fantastic and affordable option for those who already have the internet. However, if you don’t have internet, it may not be the best choice, as the company doesn’t offer internet plans, only landline. You’d have to buy your internet from a separate company, and generally it’s easier to house these under the same roof, if possible.

If you want a company that offers VoIP and internet, check out Xfinity, listed below. Similarly to Vonage, Xfinity charges $10 a month for domestic calls or $19.95 a month for domestic and international calls, a bit pricier than Vonage. As far as internet goes, costs range from around $65 to $105 a month, depending on speed and additional features, like Peacock Premium. More on this below. Or, you can find a cheaper internet provider along with Vonage to save even more.

AT&T Unlimited 55+ - Best Call Quality

4.3 / 5

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855-959-3973

What We Like Most:

• Speed dialing and unlimited local calling on all plans
• Three-way calling option
• Can be purchased without internet
• Month-to-month contracts

855-959-3973

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With flexible monthly contracting, long-distance options, and unlimited local calling with all plans, AT&T provides all the features you’d want in a landline, which differs from a “home phone” that uses VoIP, requiring the internet. In each of our test calls, AT&T’s service reliably connected us with crystal-clear audio.

Note that AT&T also offers VoIP through AT&T Phone, but in this section, I’m focusing on the traditional landline service.

AT&T offers three home phone plans to choose from:

• Traditional: The Traditional option is a good one if you are making local calls, primarily, meaning within the U.S. While it comes with Caller ID, you miss out on some more advanced features like call waiting ID, three-way calling, and speed-dialing.
• Complete Choice Enhanced: To get all of the features except long distance, Complete Choice Enhanced is the best option.
• Long Distance: If you need to make long-distance calls, choose the AT&T Worldwide Value Calling plan. You’ll pay $6.99 a month and then will have to pay per minute; that rate will depend on which country you’re calling.

Costs

While AT&T offers all the features I look for, one thing I don’t love is the pricing. Even the lowest package can cost at least $48 a month, making costs much higher than other companies like Vonage or Xfinity, two VoIP providers that require internet service. However, I do appreciate that AT&T’s contracts are month-to-month and flexible. Note that these prices don’t include taxes and fees, which will vary by state.

When it comes to long-distance calling, you have two options. One is to be charged per minute on an ad-hoc basis, that is, whenever you make international calls.

Features

With the Complete Choice Enhanced Plan, you’ll get important features like caller ID, speed dialing, and three-way calling. Caller ID lets you see who’s calling, so you can pick up your granddaughter but ignore her mother. Speed dialing lets you contact your most-frequented friends and family without having to dial an entire phone number, and three-way calling allows for a conference call between three phone lines.

I found the calls to be clear, and one of the best parts is that the phone worked even when my Wi-Fi went out, which isn’t the case for VoIP options like Vonage. Since my Wi-Fi network is anything but stable, this was a real plus.

Drawbacks

With prices starting at $48 a month, AT&T is the most expensive option on this list. Although landlines always cost more than VoIP, there are certainly cheaper options for a landline, like Community Phone, which starts at $30 per month.

Our Verdict

While AT&T may be a bit expensive, landline service is more expensive than VoIP, and AT&T provides reliable services with all of the features you’d want from a landline. Additionally, AT&T offers landline service as a standalone product, whereas Verizon requires you to bundle a home phone with additional services.

To learn more about this provider, read our full AT&T landline review.

Centurylink - Best Long Distance Landline

4.3 / 5

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844-930-2931

What We Like Most:

• VoIP cost a maximum of $40 per month
• Can buy without internet
• Can bundle with internet Unlimited local calling with all plans

844-930-2931

If you’re looking to use your landline for international calls, you’ll appreciate the fact that all of CenturyLink’s plans include international calling minutes, and the entire monthly cost will be either $30 or $40 a month. You’ll get 500 international voice calling minutes per billing cycle as well as unlimited calling to the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (not including Guam).

However, using CenturyLink’s home phone service requires the internet. To get landline service on its own, I had to chat with an agent and see my options. But once I got the landline service, the calls came in clearly, with or without power.

Overview

CenturyLink is another provider, like AT&T, that offers landlines without requiring internet access. However, if you want internet, bundles are available, making CenturyLink a good choice for a variety of customers. If you want a landline only, you’ll have to call or chat with an agent directly, as all of the links on CenturyLink’s website only lead to VoIP service that requires the internet.

Costs

First, let’s talk about the plans that exist if you have or want to buy internet from CenturyLink. The sole option for home use is Connected Voice Basic for $30 a month. This requires an analog phone and comes with an Analog Telephone Adapter, which you’ll need to pay $99 to get installed. The other option, Connected Voice Professional, which is $40 a month and provides three phone lines, is aimed at businesses.

With Connected Voice Basic, you’ll get unlimited calling to:

• Puerto Rico
• U.S.
• U.S. Virgin Islands (not including Guam)

You’ll also get 500 international calling minutes per month to the following countries:

• Canada
• Mexico
• U.K.
• Ireland
• Germany

This plan includes caller ID, call hold, call waiting, three-way calls, and of course, voicemail.

If you want to buy internet and phone service from CenturyLink, there are two options based on internet speed, which is measured in Megabits per second (Mbps). For 100 MBps and Home Phone Unlimited service, the monthly pricing starts at $95. For faster internet at 940 MBps, the rates start at $115 per month.

What is Home Phone Unlimited, exactly? Well, it means unlimited nationwide calling throughout the U.S., Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

These prices do not include surcharges, taxes, and fees, such as the CTL fee, which consists of:

• Facility Relocation Cost Recovery Fee
• Property Tax Recovery Fee
• Federal Regulatory Recovery Fee

The CTL will not be more than $3 per month per line, however. You’ll also need the equipment, which you can lease for a maximum of $15 a month plus taxes and fees, or purchase for $200 plus tax. Installation is $15, typically, although certain contraction charges can range from $150 to $300 or more.

However, many people do not have internet or want it, so I asked an online agent about getting landline service on its own. Here are the options I received:

• Basic: Unlimited local calling for $36.77 per month
• Quality Simply Unlimited: Includes safety features like 911 pinpoint location and unlimited nationwide calling for $50 a month with no annual contract

Both of these contracts would be month-to-month, so you can get out at any time without having to pay cancellation fees.

Features

If you don’t have internet, CenturyLink, like all traditional landlines, offers 911 tracing. This means that if you call 911, the first responders will be able to identify your exact location and get you help faster. Here are all of the features available:

• Caller ID
• Call waiting
• Conference calling
• E911 access
• Voicemail

One drawback of VoIP is that if your power is out, you won’t be able to contact 911, so they won’t know your location or emergency.

Drawbacks

CenturyLink made it hard to get information about its landline-only plans, and I didn’t like that not all of the plans included unlimited nationwide calling, which is an industry standard for landlines. The Basic plan only offered unlimited local calling, which the company defines as any place in the same area code, typically. That’s pretty limiting, especially if you have friends all across the country (or even in the next town over!).

Our Verdict

CenturyLink is a great option whether you want landline or VoIP phone service or if you want to bundle your home phone and internet service together. However, if you want more countries to call other than the five I listed above, AT&T may be a better choice, as it has 200 countries to choose from.

To learn more about CenturyLink, read our full CenturyLink landline review.

Community Phone - Best No-Internet Home Phone

4.0 / 5

What We Like Most:

• Available in every state except Washington, D.C.
• Savings if you sign up for an annual plan, although monthly is available
• Caller ID, long distance, three-way calls, and local unlimited calling
• Access to discounted cell phone plans

No internet? No power? No problem. Community Phone is a great option for those who do not have internet and don’t plan on getting it. You can either keep your existing number or get a new one, and enjoy unlimited long-distance and local calling, with a quick setup. In terms of clarity, Community Phone came through equal to AT&T, another traditional landline provider, when I called my grandmother across the country.

Overview

Community Phone offers personal landlines starting at $36 a month. You can choose to pay monthly or annually, although you’ll save money by paying annually. The Premium Landline plan has the largest number of features, including protection against spam calls, plus the ability to have your landline ring on other phones, so you’ll never miss a call.

Costs

Community Phone costs $3.99 a month less if you sign up for a year, although monthly contracting is available. The Premium package allows you to get calls from home on other lines, protection from annoying spam calls, as well as voicemail transcriptions in an email or in the mobile app, which may be good for someone hard of hearing.

If you want a cell phone plan in addition to your landline, you’ll get access to discounted plans with either landline plan. Here are the discounted cell phone plans:

You can save money by prepaying for a year upfront, as well. All of the cell phones use either 5G or 4G LTE networks and include unlimited talking and texting domestically. You can pay more for international calls in 229 countries. Look up the international rates in different countries.

Features

Some features I appreciated from Community Phone were SimRing, spam call protection, and voicemail transcriptions. With SimRing, I had my landline ring on my cell phone so I could answer my home phone even when I ran out to do errands. This ensured that I didn’t miss any important phone calls, like the cable company I had been trying to reach for hours. Community Phone also blocked spam calls from reaching my phone, which was a godsend to anyone who’s ever picked up the phone to hear nothing but heavy breathing. Plus, reading voicemail transcriptions in the Vonage app and my email address was a lot better than listening to message after message on my phone.

Drawbacks

In terms of pricing, Community Phone lies on the higher side. I put in an address in Philadelphia and said I make three calls a day on my landline and got a price range of $36 to $49.99 a month. While it’s not the most expensive (that would be AT&T or Verizon), it’s certainly not as cheap as providers like Xfinity or Vonage, two VoIP providers.

Our Verdict

If you don’t have internet and aren’t planning on getting it, Community Phone is a great option, available throughout the nation except Washington, D.C. However, it’s not best if you want internet and landline bundles, as only cell phones and landlines are available from the company.

Verizon Landline - Best Landline, TV, and Internet Bundles

4 / 5

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What We Like Most:

• Includes international calls to one country of your choosing
• Monthly contracts
• Buy internet, TV, and landline from the same provider
• Unlimited local calling to the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico

Check out our favorite landline plans

Overview

If you need a landline, internet, TV, and more, you can house everything under Verizon, one of the largest telecommunication companies in the U.S. In fact, you’ll have to pick out an internet or TV plan in order to get a landline from Verizon, so if a landline is all you want, look elsewhere. As someone who has had Verizon service for my cell phone for years, I was happy with the connection quality of Verizon’s landline.

>> Read more: Verizon Senior Phone Plans

Verizon offers high-speed internet, streaming, and live TV in addition to landlines. If you just moved somewhere and need to get set up, Verizon could be a great one-stop shop, with perks like a free Disney+ subscription or $50 Verizon gift cards. Landline service on its own costs $25 a month or more if you want international calling.

Costs

In order to purchase a landline from Verizon, you’ll need to purchase an internet plan, TV plan, or both. The costs for internet range from $24.99 to $89.99 per month, while the TV plans range from $59 to $200 per month.

The landline plan itself, Fios Home Phone, costs $25 a month in addition to the $49.99 to $89.99 for internet and/or $72.99 to $119 for TV. Note that this plan includes international calls to one country of your choice. However, if you want more international calling, you can pay anywhere from $5 to $15 a month for access to up to 140 countries. There’s no per-minute pricing like AT&T, although with the Global Choice plan, you’re capped at 300 minutes per month.

Features

Since Fios Digital Voice is VoIP rather than a traditional landline, I got a ton of features that allowed me to integrate my home phone with my cell phone. For example, with Verizon’s smartphone integration, I listened to voicemails, viewed call logs, and accessed other call features from my smartphone, much like the SimRing feature from Community Phone. Another cool feature was “in-network” calling that lets me call any other Verizon voice or Fios Digital Voice customers for free. And if I wanted privacy, I could block outgoing caller ID, allowing me to make calls without people knowing I was calling.

Drawbacks

With Verizon, there’s no way to buy the $25 per month landline service on its own. Rather, I was forced to buy either an internet or a TV package, which brought costs up significantly. If you’re happy with your internet and TV as is, purchasing landline services from Verizon may be more complicated (and expensive) than necessary, but it’s worth a price comparison to find out.

Our Verdict

While Verizon may be a great option if you want internet or TV in addition to a landline, it’s not a great option if you want a landline only, or if you don’t want internet.

To learn more about this provider, read our full rundown of Verizon landline services.