Tracfone vs. Lively: Which Low-Cost Provider Is Better?

Tracfone vs. Lively: Plans and Costs

Overall, Tracfone’s plans are slightly more affordable than Lively’s, at least for basic talk and text; however, the provider does not offer an unlimited data plan. For a plan with unlimited talk and text, you’ll pay $15 per month. For a plan with unlimited talk, unlimited text, and 2 GB of data, you’ll pay $20 per month. Its prices go all the way up to $40 per month for unlimited talk, unlimited text, and 10 GB of data.

That said, there is no option for unlimited data. If you exceed your data allowance for the month, then you’ll have to pay to reload more data, which costs a staggering $10 per gigabyte. On the plus side, data allowances roll over monthly with Tracfone. So, if you have a plan with 10 GB of data and you use only 7 GB in a given month, then the remaining 3 GB of data will be added to your amount in the following month.

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

Lively’s plans will cost a bit more than Tracfone’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, and 5 GB will cost $10, and “unlimited” data will cost $30 per month.

That said, “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 Tracfone requires a long-term contract. This means that you can cancel your service at any time and stop making monthly payments with either provider.

That said, Tracfone is a prepaid wireless provider, meaning that you’ll have to pay for your service in advance. The upside of this is that you can get steep discounts when you pay for multiple months of service in advance.

For example, its $20-per-month plan costs $192 when you purchase 12 months in advance. That’s technically $16 per month of service. Lively offers no discounts like this.

Tracfone vs. Lively: Safety Features

In addition to your cellular service, Lively offers a variety of optional safety features on its phones. 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. Its higher-tier plans also include a dedicated nurse hotline. These plans will cost an extra $20 to $30 per month on top of your cellular service.

>>Read more: The Best Medical Alert Systems

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

Tracfone, however, does not offer any type of safety, health, or emergency response features.

Tracfone vs. Lively: Phones and Devices

A key difference between Tracfone and Lively will be the devices compatible with their plans. Tracfone allows you to bring your own phone to its network, meaning you can use just about any 4G-compatible device on one of its plans. Additionally, Tracfone also sells some affordable phones of its own. While its in-stock phones regularly change, it currently has the iPhone SE (3rd generation) for $189.99 and the TCL Flip 2 16 GB for $19.99.

>>Read more: The Best iPhones for Seniors

Lively does not allow you to bring your own phone to its 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 Tracfone.

Tracfone vs. Lively: Coverage

Both Tracfone 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.

Both Tracfone and Lively use Verizon’s network. The downside of this is that during times of peak usage, Verizon may prioritize its own subscribers, resulting in decreased data speeds for Tracfone and Lively users.

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

Our Favorite

If you’re age 55 or older, then both Lively and Tracfone are reliable options with reasonable prices. Lively definitely wins when it comes to safety features and simple devices, while Tracfone 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 need a phone only for talk, text, and some occasional data usage, then Tracfone will do the job.

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