What you get
Free internet for low-income households: Lifeline at home
Type your current internet bill: the calculator shows the bill after the Lifeline discount and the minimum the plan must deliver.
Home internet bill with Lifeline
You pay per month
$40.75
| Lifeline discount | $9.25 |
| Saved per year | $111 |
| Plan must offer at least | 25/3 Mbps, 1,280 GB |
Fixed broadband minimum service standard in force until December 1, 2027.
Lifeline is the federal discount that still applies to home internet in 2026. It takes up to $9.25 a month off a fixed broadband plan, or up to $34.25 on qualifying Tribal lands, and it is paid to the company, which must reduce your bill by that amount. To earn the discount, a home plan must meet the fixed broadband minimum service standard: at least 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up with 1,280 GB of data a month, figures that stay in force until December 1, 2027. A household qualifies with income at or below $29,214 for two people or $44,550 for four in the 48 states, or through SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, public housing or a veterans pension. A $50 home plan therefore costs $40.75 after Lifeline, $111 saved over a year. Internet is free only where a company sets a plan price at or under the discount, which the rules allow but do not require.
Rules and figures read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
The bill, before and after the discount
The discount is a fixed amount, so its weight depends on your bill. On a $30 plan, $9.25 is almost a third of the price; on a $70 plan, it is closer to an eighth. Here is the arithmetic for three common bill levels, using the standard amount and the Tribal amount of 47 CFR 54.403:
| Monthly bill | After Lifeline | On Tribal lands | Saved per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30 | $20.75 | $0 | $111 |
| $50 | $40.75 | $15.75 | $111 |
| $70 | $60.75 | $35.75 | $111 |
The company may not keep part of the support: it is reimbursed for the reduction it gives you, and the reimbursement cannot exceed what it charges customers who do not have Lifeline. That is why an offer at a price equal to the discount comes out at zero.
What a home plan must deliver
Home internet earns the discount only when it meets the fixed broadband standard of 47 CFR 54.408, updated each year. The FCC public notice of July 29, 2026 kept the figures at 25/3 Mbps and 1,280 GB a month until December 1, 2027. Mobile broadband has its own, much lower threshold of 4.5 GB a month, with no speed figure beyond 3G or better.
Under the Lifeline rules, a company may apply the discount to any residential plan that meets these levels, including family shared data plans and plans with extra calling features. The USAC standards page adds that companies designated only for Lifeline must offer broadband, and companies that also receive High Cost support must offer it where they sell broadband commercially. A bundle of home internet and a phone line earns $9.25 when the internet part meets the standard.
Who offers Lifeline home service in your state
Mobile companies are designated across whole states, while home phone and internet companies are designated where their network runs, which is why the count differs so much. USAC’s Companies Near Me data, read on October 27, 2026, list these numbers for six large states:
| State | Home phone or internet companies | Mobile companies |
|---|---|---|
| California | 21 | 10 |
| Texas | 63 | 11 |
| Florida | 15 | 12 |
| New York | 33 | 11 |
| Pennsylvania | 22 | 13 |
| Ohio | 33 | 14 |
A company in the list is designated for Lifeline in part of the state; it does not mean that its network reaches your street. The companies page finds the companies listed for your ZIP code, with the type of service each one offers.
Checking eligibility first
The income ceiling is 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, read from the USAC income table. Enter your household below to see where you stand; if you are over it, a benefit such as SNAP or Medicaid still qualifies you, as the eligibility page explains.
Lifeline income limit for your household
2026 limit (135% of the guideline)
$36,882
| Your income | $32,000 |
| Room under the limit | $4,882 |
| Your income as a share of the guideline | 117% |
| Monthly equivalent of the limit | $3,073 |
Under the limit: the income route is open.
Households that relied on the larger internet discount of the Affordable Connectivity Program until June 1, 2024 will find the difference worked out on the Lifeline versus ACP page.