Last Updated on February 17, 2026 by Ewen Finser
If you’re looking for an affordable, pay-as-you-go phone plan, you’ve probably seen Tracfone and Consumer Cellular come up a lot in your research, and you may be wondering what the difference between the two is so that you can figure out which is better for you.
You came to the right place.
As someone in the market for a new phone plan, I dove deep into both options to get to the bottom of which is truly better for whom. Now I’m here to share what I found on Tracfone Vs Consumer Cellular
Tracfone | Consumer Cellular | |
Pricing Structure | Full year pay-as-you-go or 90 day plans (from $79.99 for 365 days or $24.99 for 90 days) and monthly plans (from $15/mo for 1GB) | Monthly plans (from $20/mo for 1GB) |
Target User | Light usage, seniors | Families and seniors with multiple lines |
Phone Options | 52 options from Apple, Motorola, Samsung, and more, hearing aid compatible phones, or bring your own 4G LTE phone | 33 options from Apple, Motorola, Samsung, Google, and more, plus their own brand, or bring your own compatible device |
Accessories | Home internet router, AirTags, memory cards, headphones | Apple watches, tablets, home phones, and medical alert devices |
Overall Simplicity | Super simple | Simple, but with some customization options and no option to pay as you go |
Pricing Structure
Both are what’s called mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which means they basically piggyback off of existing cell towers to deliver service without paying for the maintenance of those towers. Because of this, they’re able to keep costs down and transfer those discounts to you, their customer.
Both Tracfone and Consumer Cellular both offer a monthly rate with the option to add additional credits when you need them. Tracfone, however, offers prepaid plans where you can purchase a set amount of data for a set price that you have access to for up to 365 days.
Tracfone
Tracfone offers both traditional monthly plans, where you pay a fee every month to get a certain amount of data, talk, and text, with the option to refill the data if you use it up before the month is over. They also offer basic plans that come with a set amount of data that you have access to for 365 or 90 days, with the option to refill credits as well.
Their monthly plans (priced for one line) are:
- $15/mo for 1GB carryover data, unlimited talk and text, and hotspot capability.
- $20/mo for 4GB carryover data, unlimited talk and text, and hotspot capability, including international text and calls to Canada and Mexico.
- $30/mo for 10GB carryover data, unlimited talk and text, and hotspot capability, including international text and calls to Canada and Mexico.
- $40/mo for 20GB carryover data, unlimited talk and text, and hotspot capability, including international text and calls to Canada and Mexico.
- $50/mo for unlimited data, unlimited talk and text, 15GB hotspot, international talk, text, and roaming in Canada and Mexico, and Identity Protection by IDnotify.
All monthly plans offer the ability to purchase additional data and offer a $5 discount to customers who enroll in Auto-Refill.
Their basic 90-day plans are:
- $24.99 for talk, text, and web (100 minutes).
- $29.99 for talk, text, and web (120 minutes).
- $39.99 for talk, text, and web (200 minutes).
- $79.99 for talk, text, and web (450 minutes).
Their basic 365-day plans are:
- $99.99 for 2GB of data
- $99.99 for talk, text, and web (400 minutes).
- $125 for 1.5GB of data, 1500 minutes, and 1500 texts.
Both the 90-day and 365-day basic plans come with the option to purchase more credits and a discount if you sign up for Auto-Refill.
For those who qualify, Tracfone offers Lifeline discounts for folks enrolled in certain government assistance programs for $10 per month on any monthly smartphone, hotspot, or tablet plan with at least 4.5GB of data.
Tracfone also offers home internet for $70 per month on a 5G/LTE network with 20-200 Mbps download speeds. Router required.
This is a wider range of options as well as lower prices than Consumer Cellular, so Tracfone is going to win the pricing comparison game.
Consumer Cellular
Consumer Cellular offers monthly plans from $20 per line, with the option to add a line for an additional $15 per month with each plan. What sets them apart is a special discount offered to seniors and a special discount for AARP members.
Consumer Cellular plans (including a $5 credit for autopay and ebilling) are:
- $20/mo for 1GB data and unlimited talk and text.
- $25/mo for 5GB data and unlimited talk and text.
- $35/mo for 10GB data and unlimited talk and text.
- $45/mo for 20GB data and unlimited talk and text.
Their unlimited plans include unlimited data for $35 for ages 50+, or $60 for ages 18-49.
Additional lines are available for an additional $15 per month, per line. AARP members receive a 5% discount on all plans. They also offer roadside assistance for $4 per month.
Since they only have the monthly plans with no option for a basic package to last you longer than a month, and they’re more expensive, Consumer Cellular isn’t beating Tracfone when it comes to pricing or pricing structure.
Winner: Overall, Tracfone offers the cheaper plan options. The ability to purchase a basic plan and add more credits as you go also makes them a more flexible option.
Overall Simplicity
In general, both providers are best known for their simplicity. Whether you’re paying for a set price monthly plan or making a one-time payment with the option to pay for more data as you go, you don’t have to worry about complicated hidden fees.
But one is just a little bit easier than the other, and that’s Tracfone.
Tracfone
Tracfone’s option to pay one set price for a full 365 or 90 days is just simpler overall for many users who don’t want to keep up with a monthly bill for a device that they barely use. The monthly plans offer the same data tiers as Consumer Cellular at a lower price, while the pay-as-you-go options make it easier to control your spending depending on how much data you need at the time.
Consumer Cellular
Consumer Cellular is super simple, offering a set amount of data for one set monthly price. Like with all cellular providers, there are a few additional fees associated with the plan, but those are a part of any mobile data plan you’re on.
Winner: Tracfone, for simpler plans available.
Phone and Accessory Options
While both providers offer the option to bring over the phone you already have, you may be interested in buying a new phone with your new plan. Both providers offer a variety of up-to-date phones and accessories from the biggest name brands, so you don’t have to settle for the old iPhone if you don’t want to.
When it comes to variety of phones, Tracfone technically has more models available to choose from, but Consumer Cellular has them beat when it comes to accessories.
Tracfone
Tracfone offers 52 different smartphones and flip phones from Apple (the newest being the iPhone 16, not 17 just yet), Samsung, BLU, TCL, Motorola, Orbic, and YES, THE NOKIA FLIP PHONE!
As far as accessories go, you’re not working with a whole lot. They offer a few different wireless earbuds and headphones, chargers, power banks, and cases, as well as memory cards.
Consumer Cellular
Consumer Cellular offers 33 products in total, including phones from Apple (including the iPhone 17), Motorola, Samsung, Google, TCL, and their very own Consumer Cellular flip phone.
Accessories include multiple Apple watches, tablets, a medical alert device, and even a home phone base.
Winner: Tracfone wins for the largest variety of phones, but Consumer Cellular wins when it comes to the variety of products offered.
Target User
These types of plans are generally geared toward families on a tight budget, folks who don’t use a ton of data, and seniors. Because of that, there is a lot of overlap in their customer base and target users.
That said, it does seem like Tracfone is a bit better suited to seniors and anyone with light phone usage, while Consumer Cellular is maybe better for families who need multiple lines.
Tracfone
Tracfone’s affordable option to pay one price for a full year of phone usage makes it an easy choice for seniors who aren’t using their phone for much more than calling and texting loved ones. The no-frills pricing that allows seniors to pay once a year for their phone is helpful for folks in an age group with low phone usage who want fewer bills to keep up with each month.
For individuals who have yet to be consumed by the internet (and who would like to keep it that way), Tracfone offers a cheaper solution that allows users to stay in touch with the world without overpaying for data they won’t use, and the flexibility to buy more data when they need to.
The range of phones available (including hearing aid compatible models and a basic flip option) makes Tracfone versatile enough for any age and technology skill level. Plus, the available home internet option is a sell for any customer.
Consumer Cellular
There is some overlap here, but, in general, Consumer Cellular is clearly offering special deals for seniors and discounts for adding lines.
The significant discount for the unlimited plan for folks over 50 years old, along with the AARP discount make it a great option for seniors, while the ability to add multiple lines makes it a win for families.
It’s still more affordable than most service providers, so it is also a good budget option.
Winner: Tracfone for simplicity for seniors, Consumer Cellular for special senior discounts and the ability to add multiple lines.
So, Which Service Provider Is Best?
At the end of the day, both providers are a great, affordable option for seniors or folks on a tight budget. Tracfone has simpler, affordable, pay-as-you-go options with a wider variety of phones. On the other hand, Consumer Cellular offers discounts for seniors and adding lines, as well as the latest accessories. If we’re looking at value, though, Tracfone comes out on top.