How to get a free tablet with EBT through Lifeline

If you receive SNAP benefits (food stamps), you may have heard that you could qualify for discounted internet and phone services and even a free tablet. There’s a lot of misinformation online about available offers and discounts because the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which used to give EBT cardholders a free phone or tablet, is no longer active.

Lifeline is currently the only federal program that helps EBT households with their monthly phone and internet bills. Not all internet companies offer discounted plans through Lifeline, and only some offer a free tablet or device when you sign up. Be vigilant of scams that claim to give free tablets for SNAP participants to access your EBT information and steal your benefits.

Here’s what you need to know about discounted internet and phone services if you’re a SNAP participant or receive some other type of benefit, like Medicaid.

What happened to the free tablet program for EBT cardholders?

The ACP was a public program that offered households receiving SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, and Social Security benefits and other qualifying low-income households discounted internet and mobile services. ACP benefits ended June 1, 2024, and the program didn’t receive additional funding from Congress.

The ACP benefit included up to $30 off your monthly internet bill and a one-time $100 discount on a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet purchased through your internet or phone company.

Many ACP households turned to Lifeline for an alternative low-cost internet plan. Lifeline doesn't generally pay for your phone, but some providers might give you a free one through a special offer when you sign up.

What is the Lifeline program?

Lifeline helps eligible low-income households save on phone and internet service. In most states, qualifying households get up to $9.25 off their monthly bill (with extra savings of up to $34.25 per month for people living on Tribal lands).

Some states supplement the federal benefit with state funds to increase the benefit amount or the types of discounted packages offered. California’s Lifeline program, for example, offers up to $19 off your monthly phone or internet bill. In Oregon, eligible households can choose from these Lifeline benefits:

• Up to $15.25 off your monthly phone bill
• Up to $19.25 off your monthly high-speed internet bill
• A free cell phone and data service

Here’s how Lifeline works:

• The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), a nonprofit organization started by the federal government, takes applications for Lifeline and enrolls eligible households
• Once enrolled, you sign up with a participating service provider (a phone or internet company)
• The phone or internet company applies the Lifeline benefit to your service and manages your plan

Only one discounted Lifeline plan is allowed per household. Anyone you live with and share money with counts as part of your household, even if you’re not related. There are certain relationships that count under a single household, including married couples and parents with dependents living together.

How to qualify for Lifeline

You automatically qualify for Lifeline if you get SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP, TANF, or certain other benefits. When you first apply for Lifeline (and every year after), you have to show proof that you are enrolled in a qualifying government program or that you meet the income requirements in your state.

An EBT card doesn’t qualify as proof on its own—you typically need to show what’s called a benefit award letter. Ask your SNAP office if you don’t know where to find one.

If you don’t recertify your eligibility within 60 days of receiving an email or notice in the mail, you’ll lose the Lifeline benefit.

If your internet service is free through Lifeline, you’re required to use it at least once every 30 days to keep your benefit active. That means you need to make a call, send a text, or use data at least once a month to stay enrolled in Lifeline.

How to apply for Lifeline

Signing up for Lifeline if you’re already enrolled in SNAP or some other benefit program is easy—you won’t have to prove your income or go through a complicated verification process since Lifeline can check your SNAP enrollment status. And your local SNAP office may be able to help you sign up for Lifeline on the spot.

To sign up for Lifeline online in under 10 minutes:

1. Create a Lifeline account
2. Provide your full name, date of birth, last 4 digits of your Social Security Number or Tribal identification number, and home address

Contact the Lifeline Support Center at (800) 234-9473 if you need help with your application.

If you live in California, Oregon, or Texas, you can only apply for Lifeline through your phone or internet company.

To sign up for California Lifeline:

1. Find a participating internet or phone service provider.
2. Tell them that you qualify for Lifeline because you currently participate in one of these public assistance programs or because your monthly household income is under the California Lifeline income limits.
3. Your service provider will send you the necessary forms to complete your application—make sure you send it in before the due date so you aren’t charged the full-price rate.
4. You’ll receive a notice to renew your application 105 days (around 3.5 months) before your benefit expires.

To sign up for Oregon Lifeline:

1. If Access Wireless by i-wireless is available in your area, contact the provider directly to sign up for a free Lifeline plan. Otherwise, apply through the general Oregon Lifeline online application for a discounted plan.
2. Oregon Lifeline will verify your eligibility and send you a letter in the mail confirming the status of your application.
3. Once your application is approved, it may take up to 60 days from the time you applied to see the discount on your phone or internet bill.

To sign up for Texas Lifeline:

1. Complete the Texas Lifeline application online, by email, or by mail.
2. Attach proof of your enrollment status for eligible benefits (like a copy of a SNAP award letter) or total household income and a copy of your latest internet or phone bill.
3. You’ll receive an email with the status of your application as soon as it’s reviewed.
4. Applications are processed the last week of each month, so you should see the discount on your internet or phone bill the month after you apply.
5. You must re-apply at least every seven months—you’ll receive an application to re-apply two months before your benefit expires.

States offering free devices through Lifeline

These are some states that offer free devices with their Lifeline plans. Contact your provider for more information.

California

TruConnect offers a free smartphone with a Lifeline plan for qualifying customers in California that includes 6 GB of data and unlimited talk and text.

New Jersey

Qualifying households in New Jersey can receive a free smartphone and free wireless phone service with free data, monthly minutes, and unlimited texting. Apply online through Assurance Wireless and Safelink Wireless.

New York

New York households participating in Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, Section 8, HEAP, TANF or other NYS assistance programs automatically qualify for Safelink Wireless’s free phone program.

Oregon

Areas where Access Wireless by i-wireless is available are eligible for a free smartphone with a Lifeline plan that includes unlimited free voice minutes, unlimited text, and 5 GB of data.