Low-income internet after ACP ended: your real options in 2026

If you were one of the roughly 23 million households on the Affordable Connectivity Program, you already know the hard part: the ACP ran out of funding on June 1, 2024, and the $30 a month it took off your bill (up to $75 on Tribal lands) is gone. Estimates suggest around 5 million households dropped internet entirely afterward. Here is the good news, though: cheap internet did not disappear with the ACP. The programs just changed, and most people still have a real low-cost option. Let's walk through what actually exists in 2026.

First, the honest part: nothing federal replaced the ACP

There is no new federal program that gives you the old ACP credit back. Congress did not renew it, and the infrastructure money you may have read about (BEAD) builds networks, it does not pay your monthly bill. So anyone promising a "new ACP" or "free government internet" in 2026 is usually pointing you at one of the plans below, or worse, at a scam. What is real are the providers' own low-income plans and the older Lifeline discount. Let's go through them.

The provider low-income plans that still exist

These are run by the internet companies themselves, so which ones you can get depends entirely on which provider reaches your address. Here are the main four in 2026:

Spectrum Internet Assist: $25/mo (or $15 if you qualify)

Spectrum's low-income plan is 50 Mbps for $25/mo, with the modem included, no data caps and no contract. Households on the National School Lunch Program (including Community Eligibility) or on SSI for those 65 and older can get it for as low as $15/mo. One thing competitors often get wrong: SNAP and Medicaid alone do not qualify you for Spectrum Assist, it runs through NSLP/CEP and SSI. If Spectrum serves you and you fit those programs, this is one of the best deals going. See our full Spectrum Internet Assist guide for who qualifies and how to apply.

Xfinity Internet Essentials: about $14.95/mo

Comcast's Internet Essentials is around $14.95/mo, and this one does accept SNAP and Medicaid, along with housing assistance, SSI, WIC and more. There is also a faster "Plus" tier for a bit more. If you are on SNAP or Medicaid and Xfinity reaches your home, this is usually the first plan to check.

AT&T Access: up to $30/mo

AT&T Access is aimed at households on SNAP or SSI, or with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line. Speed and price depend on what AT&T can deliver to your address.

Optimum Advantage Internet: $15/mo

Optimum Advantage is $15/mo for eligible households (school lunch, Pell, some veterans' benefits, WIC, SSI for seniors). The catch is Optimum only operates in its own footprint, so it is not available in most of the country. If you are in an Optimum area, our Optimum Advantage guide covers the details.

Don't forget Lifeline (it never went away)

Lifeline is the older federal benefit, and unlike the ACP it is still running. It knocks about $9.25/mo (more on Tribal lands) off a phone or internet bill if your income is at or below 135% of the poverty line, or you are enrolled in SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing, or veterans' pension programs. It is smaller than the ACP was, but it is real money and it stacks with some providers' plans. Not every internet company participates, so confirm before you count on it.

So what should you do now?

Here is the simple way to think about it:

• On SNAP or Medicaid? Start with Xfinity Internet Essentials, AT&T Access, or Optimum Advantage, since those accept SNAP/Medicaid.
• Kids on free or reduced school lunch (NSLP/CEP)? Spectrum Internet Assist at $15/mo is likely your best bet if Spectrum serves you.
• 65 or older on SSI? Spectrum Internet Assist at $15/mo again, or Lifeline toward another plan.
• Not sure what reaches your address? That is the real question, and it is the one we can answer for you in a minute.

The tricky part is not the programs, it is figuring out which provider actually reaches your specific home and which plan you qualify for. That is exactly what we help with. Put in your address below and a real person will confirm what is available and walk you through getting connected, no bots and no runaround. Prefer to talk it through? Call (855) 200-0457 and a real person will help.