If you have heard that the free government phone program shut down, you are probably thinking of a different program. The Lifeline benefit that people call the “Obama phone” is still running in 2026. This guide covers what Lifeline actually pays, who qualifies now, what changed in the last two years, and how to bring your own unlocked phone to a plan instead of accepting whatever handset a provider hands you.
Quick Answer
Yes, Lifeline is still active in 2026. It pays up to $9.25 per month toward phone, internet, or bundled service, and up to $34.25 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. The program that ended was the Affordable Connectivity Program, which stopped on June 1, 2024. Most Lifeline providers let you bring your own unlocked phone, which is usually a better device than the free one in the box.
Is the Obama Phone Program Still Active?
Lifeline is alive and it is not in immediate danger. Two things settled that question recently.
On June 27, 2025, the US Supreme Court ruled in FCC v. Consumers’ Research that the funding mechanism behind the Universal Service Fund is constitutional. Lifeline is paid for out of that fund, so the ruling removed the legal cloud that had been hanging over the program since a federal appeals court struck the mechanism down in 2024.
Then on July 7, 2025, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau held Lifeline’s minimum service standards steady. The mobile broadband requirement stayed at 4.5 GB per month instead of jumping to 29 GB, and support for voice-only service stayed at $5.25 per month rather than phasing out on December 1, 2025. The stated goal was to avoid disrupting service for existing subscribers.
For a program that has run since 1985, that is a fairly normal two years. Lifeline predates the Obama administration by decades. The nickname stuck around 2012, well after the fact.
Lifeline vs. the Affordable Connectivity Program
This is the single biggest source of confusion right now, and it is worth being precise about, because a lot of people dropped their benefit thinking it was gone.
| Lifeline | Affordable Connectivity Program | |
|---|---|---|
| Status in 2026 | Active | Ended June 1, 2024 |
| Monthly benefit | Up to $9.25, or $34.25 on Tribal lands | Was up to $30, or $75 on Tribal lands |
| Covers | Phone, internet, or a bundle | Was internet only |
| Running since | 1985 | 2021 |
| Funded by | Universal Service Fund | One-time Congressional appropriation |
The ACP was the larger and more generous benefit, and at its peak more than 23 million households used it. It ran out of money because Congress did not renew the appropriation. Bills to revive it have been introduced but none have passed as of this update.
Lifeline is funded differently. It draws from the Universal Service Fund, which collects contributions from telecom carriers on an ongoing basis rather than waiting on a new appropriation each time. That is why one program ended and the other did not.
If you lost ACP and never looked at Lifeline, you may still qualify for the smaller benefit.
Who Qualifies for Lifeline in 2026
You qualify one of two ways. You only need one.
By income. Your household income is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. The dollar figure depends on household size, and Alaska and Hawaii use separate tables.
By program participation. Someone in your household, including a child or dependent, takes part in one of these:
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance, including Housing Choice Vouchers and Public Housing
- Veterans Pension or Survivors Benefit
- Affordable housing programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives, or Native Hawaiians
On qualifying Tribal lands, these also count: Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, Head Start for income-qualified households, and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.
Two rules trip people up. Lifeline is one benefit per household, not per person. And you apply it to either phone service or internet service, not both at once. Check the current thresholds and the full list on the official Lifeline eligibility page before you apply.
How to Apply for Lifeline
- Confirm you qualify using the official eligibility page above. Have proof ready: a benefit award letter or official program document, or if you are qualifying by income, a tax return or three consecutive months of pay stubs.
- Apply through the National Verifier at lifelinesupport.org, the government system that checks eligibility. Residents of Oregon and Texas apply through their state systems instead.
- Find a participating provider with the official Companies Near Me lookup. Enter a zip code or city and state. The tool notes that its results are not exhaustive, so a provider may still offer Lifeline in your area without appearing there.
- Compare the plans, not just the free phone. Data allowances, hotspot access, and whether the provider supports bring-your-own-phone vary a lot between companies operating in the same zip code.
Recertification Is Annual, and Mostly Automatic Now
Lifeline is not set-and-forget. Every subscriber has to confirm each year that they still qualify. This is called recertification, and it is handled by USAC, the organization that administers Lifeline for the FCC.
As of February 16, 2026, USAC runs an automated eligibility check first. If the automated check confirms you, you do nothing and your benefit continues. If it cannot confirm you, USAC contacts you by mail or email, and you have 60 days to respond with a completed recertification form and proof of eligibility.
The practical advice: keep your mailing address and email current with your provider. A missed recertification notice is one of the most common ways people lose a benefit they still qualify for.
Can You Bring Your Own Phone to a Lifeline Plan?
In most cases, yes, and it is usually the better move. The handset bundled with a Lifeline plan is typically an entry-level Android chosen on price, and what you get depends on your state and the provider’s current inventory.
Reasons to bring your own:
- You already own a phone you like and want to keep using it.
- The free phone is a basic model that lacks features you rely on.
- Some providers give a data bonus for bringing your own device, because it saves them hardware cost.
- Some plans expect you to supply a device anyway.
Here is where the providers stood at the time of this update:
| Provider | Network | Bring your own phone |
|---|---|---|
| SafeLink Wireless | Verizon-owned (TracFone) | Yes, ships a free SIM kit |
| Access Wireless | T-Mobile | Yes, via a GSM SIM activation kit |
| Life Wireless | Varies by state | Yes, BYOD offered alongside a free phone |
| Assurance Wireless | T-Mobile | Limited, leads with a free handset |
Policies and coverage change, and not every provider operates in every state. Confirm directly with the provider before you buy a phone for a specific plan.
Swappa is not affiliated with the Lifeline program or with any of the providers listed here.
What Kind of Used Phone Actually Works
Lifeline providers are MVNOs. They resell capacity on AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon rather than running their own towers, which means device compatibility follows the host network’s rules. Three things matter:
It has to be unlocked. A phone still locked to a different carrier will not activate. If you are unsure what that means in practice, see Unlocked vs. Carrier-Locked Phones: What It Means When Buying Used.
It has to support VoLTE. Carriers shut down their 3G networks years ago, so voice calls now ride on LTE. Most phones released from 2018 onward handle this, but a model sold for one specific carrier can behave differently on another network even after unlocking. For how this plays out on resold networks specifically, see Using a Used Phone on an MVNO: Mint, Visible & More.
It should still get software updates. This is where the usual “cheapest phone available” advice goes wrong. iOS 27 supports the iPhone 11 and newer plus the iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd generations. The iPhone XR, XS, 8, and 7 are all off that list. Those models are the cheapest iPhones on any marketplace precisely because they no longer receive current iOS updates.
Before buying any used phone, confirm the seller lists a clean IMEI. Swappa staff review every listing for exactly this, and you can check a device yourself with the Swappa IMEI checker.
To sanity check compatibility with a specific carrier, start with Will This Used Phone Work on My Carrier?.
Best Used Phones for a Lifeline Plan
These are inexpensive, unlocked-friendly, VoLTE-capable, and still receiving software updates. Prices below are the lowest listed on Swappa as of September 2026 and move constantly with condition, storage, and supply.
| Phone | Starting around | Why it works for Lifeline |
|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone SE 2nd Gen | $65 | Cheapest iPhone still supported by iOS 27 |
| Apple iPhone SE 3rd Gen | $88 | Adds 5G, same compact size, iOS 27 |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | $115 | Flagship hardware at budget pricing |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | $117 | Built as a value phone, long battery life |
| Apple iPhone 11 | $124 | Big screen, iOS 27, huge supply |
| Google Pixel 6a | $130 | Clean Android, strong camera for the money |
| Apple iPhone 12 | $149 | 5G and iOS 27 with room to grow |
Prices vary with condition, storage, and demand. Check current Swappa prices before you buy.
If you want to go deeper on Android specifically, see Best Budget Android Phones to Buy Used (2026). For the full iPhone picture, see Used iPhone Buyer’s Guide: Every Generation Ranked (2026).
How to Buy a Phone on Swappa
Sign up with a working email, search for the model you want, and filter to unlocked listings so the phone will work with whichever Lifeline provider covers your area. Every listing is staff reviewed before it goes live, which means a clean IMEI, no activation lock, and a device that is fully paid off.
Checkout runs through PayPal, including PayPal Guest if you do not have an account. Sellers have two full business days to ship and provide tracking. Swappa charges a 3% buyer fee, already included in the listing price you see, and selling fees that are lower than typical auction-site fees.
If a device arrives and it is not as described, you are entitled to a refund, and the Swappa fee is refunded along with it. Full detail lives in How to Buy on Swappa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Obama phone program still available in 2026?
Yes. The Lifeline program that people call the “Obama phone” is still active nationwide in 2026. It survived a constitutional challenge to its funding source when the Supreme Court upheld the Universal Service Fund in June 2025. The program that ended was the separate Affordable Connectivity Program, which stopped on June 1, 2024.
How much does Lifeline actually pay?
Lifeline provides up to $9.25 per month toward phone, internet, or bundled service. Households on qualifying Tribal lands can receive up to $34.25 per month. Many providers structure a plan so the benefit covers the full cost, which is why it is often described as free service.
Can I get a free phone and a free plan at the same time?
The FCC does not subsidize handsets. Any free phone comes from the provider, not the government, and availability and model depend on your state and the provider’s inventory. That is why bringing your own unlocked phone is often the better outcome, since you control what device you end up with.
Will my old iPhone work on a Lifeline plan?
It needs to be unlocked, VoLTE capable, and compatible with the host network your provider resells. Practically, that means an iPhone from roughly 2018 onward. Keep in mind that the iPhone XR, XS, 8, and 7 no longer receive current iOS updates, so the iPhone 11 or an iPhone SE 2nd generation is a safer floor.
Do I have to reapply for Lifeline every year?
You have to recertify annually. Since February 16, 2026, USAC runs an automated eligibility check first, and if it confirms you, you do not need to do anything. If it cannot confirm you, you will be contacted by mail or email and have 60 days to respond with documentation.
Can two people in the same house each get Lifeline?
No. Lifeline is limited to one benefit per household, not per person, and the benefit applies to either phone service or internet service rather than both.
Bottom Line
The free government phone program still exists, it still pays a monthly benefit, and the thing that disappeared was the ACP. If you qualify, apply through the National Verifier, use the official provider lookup to see who serves your area, and ask whether they support bring-your-own-phone before you settle for the bundled handset. A used unlocked phone in the $65 to $150 range will almost always outclass the free one.
