Lively, the company formerly called GreatCall, sells the Jitterbug flip phone and smartphone along with service plans built around safety features: a 24/7 Urgent Response line, a nurse line, and ride booking. The phone service itself is ordinary. What you're paying for is the support behind it.
Plans and prices
Prices below include Lively's $5 monthly paperless billing discount and exclude taxes and fees. There's a $35 activation fee.
| Plan | Smartphone & SIM | Flip phone | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $19.99/mo | $14.99/mo | Ask Lively help line, Lively Rides (Lyft rides booked by phone) |
| Preferred | $39.99/mo | $34.99/mo | Urgent Response (24/7 agents at the press of a button), Lively Link alerts for family |
| Premium | $49.99/mo | $44.99/mo | Nurse On-Call and a Care Advocate |
Data and minutes are extra
- Smartphone plans include unlimited talk and text and 1GB of data. More data costs $5 for 5GB, $15 for 10GB or $30 for unlimited.
- Flip phone Basic includes 300 minutes and 300 texts. Unlimited talk and text is $5 more on every flip plan.
- Lively also sells SIM and eSIM service for your own unlocked phone at the smartphone prices.
The phones
Lively's current models are the Jitterbug Flip3 and the Jitterbug Smart5, which lists at $119.99. Both are locked to Lively service, so they can't move to another carrier later. Older Flip2 and Smart4 models are often discounted while stock lasts.
Network
Lively's plan pages only say nationwide coverage. Independent reviewers report that it uses Verizon's network, so Verizon's coverage map is the best guide to where a Jitterbug will work.
Lively service tracks Verizon's map. How to read it at street level.
Verizon coverage map →Who should get Lively
- Someone living alone who would use Urgent Response: the Preferred flip plan at $34.99 is the one to buy.
- Someone who wants a very simple phone and calls a family member for help with it: Basic is fine.
- Anyone who mainly wants a cheap plan with good support: Consumer Cellular costs less.
Verdict
Lively is worth it when its safety features get used. Urgent Response puts a trained agent one button away, and families can be alerted automatically through Lively Link, which a regular carrier doesn't offer. Without those services, the plans cost more than other senior plans for less data, and the phones are tied to Lively for good.
Lively against Consumer Cellular, AT&T 55+ and T-Mobile 55+.
Best senior phone plans →Frequently asked questions
How much does Lively cost per month? +
What network does Lively use? +
Can I use a Jitterbug phone on another carrier? +
Is Lively the same as GreatCall? +
Can I bring my own phone to Lively? +
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Jean Gilles has researched personal finance, consumer technology, and wireless pricing for over a decade. He founded ShopCellPlans in 2019 and writes every review on the site.