Free tablet with EBT: what's real now
Checked August 2026 against FCC program status and provider pricing pages
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Mostly ended in 2024
The free tablets came from the ACP, which shut down in June 2024 and hasn't been refunded. What's still real: Lifeline's $9.25 monthly discount, free basic phones from some providers, and honest low-cost devices. Here's the current picture.
What ended, plainly
The Affordable Connectivity Program paid $30 a month toward internet and $100 toward a tablet or laptop for households on SNAP. That's where the "free tablet with EBT" offers came from. Its funding ran out on June 1, 2024. As of August 2026 Congress hasn't restored it.
Plenty of websites still rank for this search using the old promise. They collect your information and deliver nothing, because there's no program behind them anymore.
What still works in 2026
| Program | What you get | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Lifeline | $9.25/mo off phone or internet. SNAP qualifies you. Some providers bundle a free basic smartphone. | $0 to enroll |
| Provider low-income internet | Xfinity Internet Essentials, AT&T Access, Spectrum Internet Assist. | $9.95 to $17.99/mo |
| Nonprofit refurbishers | PCs for People and human-I-T sell refurbished laptops and tablets to people on assistance. | Low cost, not free |
If you just want a cheap working tablet with no program and no eligibility check, Amazon's refurbished Like-New Fire HD 8 was $89.99 when we checked in August 2026. Not free, but real, and nobody asks for your EBT number to buy one.
The $10.01 rule that spots fake offers
When a Lifeline provider offers a tablet, federal rules require them to charge you at least $10.01 for it. So a real tablet offer in 2026 is "about ten dollars," never "totally free." An ad promising a $0 government tablet is describing a program that no longer exists.
Keep yourself safe out there
- Never pay a "shipping fee" or "processing fee" to claim a free device. Real programs don't work that way.
- Never give your EBT card number or PIN to qualify for anything. Eligibility checks use your benefit approval letter or program enrollment, not your card.
- If the ACP ever comes back, your state's SNAP office and the FCC will announce it. A random website won't know first.
Common questions
- Is the free tablet with EBT real in 2026?
- Mostly no. The federal program that funded device discounts, the ACP, ended in June 2024 and hasn't come back. Sites still promising a free government tablet are running on the old program's reputation.
- What was the ACP and what happened to it?
- The Affordable Connectivity Program gave qualifying households $30 a month off internet and a one-time $100 device discount. Congress let the funding run out on June 1, 2024. Bills to restart it exist, but none has passed.
- Can I still get a free phone with EBT?
- Often yes. Lifeline still runs, SNAP qualifies you, and several Lifeline providers include a free basic smartphone with the service. Tablets are different: when a provider offers one, federal rules require charging you at least $10.01 for it.
- How do I get cheap internet with EBT?
- Two stacked options: Lifeline takes $9.25 a month off any participating provider's service, and several providers sell low-income plans on their own, like Xfinity Internet Essentials at $9.95 or AT&T Access at $10 a month.
- Where can I get a cheap tablet or laptop that isn't a scam?
- Nonprofit refurbishers like PCs for People and human-I-T sell refurbished computers and tablets at low prices to people on assistance programs, EBT included. Cheap and honest, not free.