Snapfon vs. Jitterbug: Which Low-Cost Provider Is Better?

Snapfon vs. Lively: Plans and Costs

Overall, Snapfon’s plans are slightly more affordable than Lively’s. For a plan with unlimited talk and text, you’ll pay $15 per month. For a plan with unlimited talk, unlimited text, and 1 GB of data, you’ll pay $20 per month. But greater data allowances come with higher prices. A plan with 10 GB of data will cost $40 per month, and one with 20 GB of data will cost a staggering $75 per month.

Additionally, I should note that while Snapfon markets these $40 and $75 plans as having “unlimited data,” that’s not quite the case. Although these two plans technically offer “unlimited” data in that the carrier won’t shut off your data access, after exceeding your monthly data allowance (10 GB and 20 GB, respectively), your data speeds will be throttled to a maximum of 128 Kbps — which isn’t enough to stream music, utilize most apps, or watch videos over cellular signal. On the upside, Snapfon won’t hit you with overage charges should you exceed your monthly data allowance.

>> Read More: The Best Unlimited Phone Plans for Seniors

Lively’s plans cost a bit more than Snapfon’s. For unlimited talk and text, you’ll pay $19.99 per month. Data, however, can quickly make your monthly bill rise. Adding 1 GB of data to your plan will cost $5 extra per month. 5 GB will cost $10, and “unlimited” data will cost $30 per month.

Much like Snapfon, “unlimited data” is a bit of a misnomer. With Lively’s unlimited data plan, your speeds will be throttled to 128 Kbps after exceeding 20 GB of data used in a given billing cycle. The primary benefit of Lively’s unlimited data plan is that it will prevent you from receiving hefty overage charges. If you exceed your monthly data allowance with Lively, you’ll be charged $0.10 per MB of data used in excess of your monthly allowance.

Contracts

Neither Lively nor Snapfon require long-term contracts or prepayment for service. This means that, with either provider, you can cancel your service at any time and stop making monthly payments — no cancellation fees required.

Snapfon vs. Lively: Safety Features

In addition to cellular service, Snapfon and Lively each offer their own type of safety services.

Lively’s safety features include 24/7 urgent response calling. Much like a medical alert system, this feature allows a user to press an urgent response button on their Jitterbug phone and be connected to professional monitoring agents who can assist in an emergency. Their higher-tier plans also include dedicated nurse hotlines. It will cost an extra $20 – $30 per month to add these features to your cellular service.

To learn more about these features, read our full Jitterbug phone review.

Snapfon’s safety features are comparatively simple. For $10 per month, you can purchase sosPlus, a professional monitoring service. Similar to the urgent response feature on Lively’s plans, sosPlus can be used to quickly connect a Snapfon subscriber to monitoring agents.

To learn more about how this type of professional monitoring works, read our guide to medical alert systems.

>> Read more: The Best Medical Alert Systems

Snapfon vs. Lively: Phones and Devices

A key difference between Snapfon and Lively is the number of devices compatible with their plans. Snapfon allows you to bring your own phone to their network, meaning you can use just about any 4G-compatible device on one of their plans. Additionally, Snapfon also sells some affordable phones that start at just $99.95.

Lively doesn’t allow you to bring your own phone to their network. Instead, you’ll have to purchase either the Jitterbug Flip2 or Jitterbug Smart4. While we’ve tested both of these phones and loved their simplified designs, these limitations may be a deal-breaker for some. If you’re looking to use an iPhone or Samsung phone, then you’ll have to go with Snapfon.

Snapfon vs. Lively: Coverage

Both Snapfon and Lively are mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), meaning they lease their networks from other providers. Mint Mobile and Cricket Wireless are two other popular MVNOs.

Snapfon uses both AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks. The downside is that during times of peak usage, T-Mobile and AT&T may prioritize their own subscribers, resulting in decreased data speeds for Snapfon users. Lively uses Verizon’s network, and the same restrictions apply.

The one difference here is that Lively’s network doesn’t support 5G, so if you’re looking for the fastest data speeds around, Snapfon will likely be the better option.

Our Favorite

If you’re 55 or older, both Lively and Snapfon are reliable options with reasonable prices. Lively definitely wins when it comes to safety features and simple devices, while Snapfon wins out in terms of affordably priced plans.

If you want to use your phone as a safety device, then Lively is likely the better option. If you only need a phone for talk, text, and some occasional data usage, then Snapfon will do the job.

To compare these providers with our other favorites, read our guide to the best phone plans for seniors.