Free & Low-Cost Internet, Phones & Computers in St. Louis
Revised July 16, 2026
How can I get free or low-cost internet in St. Louis?
To get free or low-cost internet in St. Louis, start with the federal Lifeline program, which takes about $9.25 a month off a phone or internet bill for people on SNAP, Medicaid, or SSI (apply at lifelinesupport.org). The major providers offer low-income plans for roughly $10–$30 a month — Xfinity Internet Essentials, Spectrum Internet Assist, and Access from AT&T. For a low-cost computer, PCs for People serves income-eligible households, and your local library offers free computers and Wi-Fi, with the St. Louis County Library lending hotspots. Note: the old ACP program has ended. Dial 2-1-1.
Keep reading ↓These days, being offline means being left out. Job applications are online. So is your kid’s homework, your doctor’s patient portal, your benefits, your bank. When money’s tight, a home internet bill or a working computer can be the thing that quietly gets cut — and suddenly a family is trying to run modern life from a phone with spotty data. It happens in a South City apartment, a house in North County, a place out in Jefferson County, a home across the river in the Metro East. Getting connected shouldn’t be a luxury, and in St. Louis it doesn’t have to be.
There are real ways to lower an internet bill, get a low-cost computer, and even use the internet for free — if you know where to look. Some are government programs, some come straight from the internet companies, and some are as close as your neighborhood library.
This guide lays out how to get affordable internet, phones, and computers in the St. Louis area. Whether it’s for you or someone you’re helping get connected, it’s written for you.
To get free or low-cost internet in St. Louis, start with the federal Lifeline program, which knocks about $9.25 a month off a phone or internet bill for people on SNAP, Medicaid, or SSI (apply at lifelinesupport.org). The major providers offer low-income plans for roughly $10–$30 a month — Xfinity Internet Essentials, Spectrum Internet Assist, and Access from AT&T. For a low-cost computer, PCs for People serves income-eligible households. And your local library offers free computers and Wi-Fi, with the St. Louis County Library lending internet hotspots. Note: the old Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has ended. Dial 2-1-1 for help.
📌 Know someone stuck offline? Keep this — and share it.
Bookmark this page and share it with anyone who could use it — a neighbor, a student’s family, an older adult, or a teacher, caseworker, or librarian. Getting connected opens doors to jobs, school, and health care, and too many people don’t know this help is out there.
Every share could get one more household online. That’s exactly why we made it.
Heads-up: the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) — the big $30-a-month internet discount many people signed up for — ended in 2024 when its funding ran out. If you remember that program, it’s no longer available. The good news is that the options below still are.
Lower Your Bill: The Lifeline Program
The main still-active federal program is Lifeline, which provides a monthly discount of about $9.25 (more on Tribal lands) on either a phone or an internet bill. You qualify if you’re on SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing assistance, or your income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. You get the discount through a participating phone or internet company. To check your eligibility and apply, visit lifelinesupport.org or call 1-800-234-9473. It’s a modest discount, but stacked on top of a low-income plan below, it makes a real dent.
Low-Cost Internet Plans
The big internet providers all offer discounted plans for low-income households. Prices vary by address and change over time, so treat these as approximate — but each is a real, ongoing program:
- Xfinity Internet Essentials — around $15 a month, for households on SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance, or with a child on free/reduced school lunch.
- Spectrum Internet Assist — around $25 a month, for people on SSI, seniors, or families with a child in the school lunch program.
- Access from AT&T — around $30 a month for faster speeds, for households on SNAP, SSI, or with income up to 200% of the poverty guidelines.
Check each provider’s low-income page to see which serves your address and what you qualify for — and ask whether Lifeline can be applied on top.
Get a Low-Cost Computer
A cheap internet plan doesn’t help without a device. PCs for People is a nonprofit that provides low-cost refurbished computers (and low-cost internet) to income-eligible people — those on a government assistance program or under about 200% of the poverty level. It serves the St. Louis metro with a storefront across the river in the Illinois Metro East, and it also takes orders online and ships nationwide, with no credit check. A reliable laptop or desktop for a low one-time cost can be the difference between applying for jobs from a library and doing it from your kitchen table.
Free to Use Right Now: Your Library
Don’t overlook the simplest option. Every branch of the St. Louis Public Library and the St. Louis County Library offers free public computers and Wi-Fi — and the wireless usually reaches the parking lot, so you can even connect from your car after hours. The St. Louis County Library also lends internet hotspots you can take home for weeks at a time, and runs free digital-literacy classes to help you get comfortable with online banking, telehealth, and job applications. If you just need to get online today, this is the fastest, no-cost answer.
Round Out the Rest
Getting connected is one piece of a tight budget. If the bills across the board are a struggle, our guides can help with utility assistance, SNAP food benefits, and much more in our help and assistance hub. Being on one of those programs, like SNAP or Medicaid, is also exactly what makes you eligible for the internet discounts above.
Which Option Is Right for You?
With several paths, here’s a simple way to choose. If you just need to get online today, head to a library for free Wi-Fi and computers. If you want home internet and you’re on SNAP, Medicaid, or SSI, apply for Lifeline and sign up for your provider’s low-income plan — together they’re the cheapest ongoing option. If you need a device, order from PCs for People. And if you’re helping an older relative, the library’s free digital classes plus a borrowed hotspot can be a gentle start. Most families end up combining two or three of these — a low-cost plan, a refurbished computer, and the library as a backup.
Free and Low-Cost Phone Service
Lifeline isn’t only for internet — it also lowers the cost of phone service, and several wireless companies use it to offer a free or nearly-free cell phone plan (with a set amount of monthly talk, text, and data) to people who qualify. Search for “Lifeline phone providers” in Missouri, or ask when you apply at lifelinesupport.org. For anyone choosing between a phone bill and groceries, a Lifeline phone keeps you reachable for work, your kids’ school, and emergencies without the monthly hit.
Getting Comfortable Online
Having a connection is only half of it — using it confidently is the other half, and that help is free too. The St. Louis County Library runs classes and one-on-one sessions on things like email, online banking, telehealth visits, video calls with family, and job applications. Library staff are patient and used to starting from the very beginning, so there’s no such thing as a “dumb” question. If you or someone you love feels left behind by technology, an hour with a library trainer can open up a whole new world.
Watch Out for Scams
Where there’s a real benefit, scammers follow. Be cautious of anyone who calls, texts, or posts ads promising “free government internet” or a “free phone” and then asks for a fee, your bank details, or your Social Security number up front. The legitimate programs here — Lifeline, the providers’ own plans, PCs for People, and the library — don’t operate that way. When in doubt, start from the official sites in this guide or dial 2-1-1, never a number from an ad.
Why Being Connected Matters
None of this is about luxury. A home connection means a parent can apply for jobs at midnight after the kids are down, a student can finish homework without sitting in a fast-food parking lot, a patient can see a doctor by video instead of missing work for a bus ride, and an isolated older adult can see a grandchild’s face. Closing the digital gap is one of the most practical ways a family gets ahead — and in St. Louis, the tools to do it are within reach.
For Students and Job Seekers
Two groups feel the digital gap hardest, and both have extra help. Students: ask your school district about device and hotspot lending — many provide laptops and Wi-Fi to students who need them — and remember the providers’ low-income plans specifically count a child on free or reduced-price lunch as qualifying. Job seekers: the library isn’t just free Wi-Fi — many branches help with resumes, online applications, and printing, and the Missouri Job Centers provide free computer access and career help. If you’re not sure where to start, your nearest library or a call to 2-1-1 will point you to the right device, plan, or class for your situation. Being offline should never be the reason a kid falls behind or an adult misses a job — and in St. Louis, it doesn’t have to be.
Ready to get connected? Check Lifeline at lifelinesupport.org, ask your internet provider about its low-income plan, visit your local library for free Wi-Fi, or dial 2-1-1 for help. See all St. Louis help resources.
Run a nonprofit or program that helps people get online? List it on St Louis Near Me Directory so the people who need to connect can find you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lifeline program and who qualifies?
Lifeline is a federal program that lowers the cost of phone or internet service by about $9.25 a month (more on Tribal lands) for low-income households. You qualify if you participate in SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, or Federal Public Housing assistance, or if your income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. You apply through a participating provider or at lifelinesupport.org (help line 1-800-234-9473), and the discount applies to one service per household.
Is the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) still available?
No. The Affordable Connectivity Program, which gave many households about $30 a month off internet, ended in 2024 after Congress did not renew its funding — it stopped enrolling new households and wound down that year. If you remember signing up for it, that discount is gone. Instead, look at the still-active Lifeline program and the internet providers’ own low-income plans (Xfinity Internet Essentials, Spectrum Internet Assist, and Access from AT&T).
How can I get internet for about $10 a month?
The closest thing to $10-a-month home internet comes from the providers’ low-income plans: Xfinity Internet Essentials runs around $15 a month, and applying the Lifeline discount can bring it lower. Spectrum Internet Assist (about $25) and Access from AT&T (about $30) are other options depending on your address. Check each provider’s low-income page to see what serves your home, and ask whether Lifeline can be combined with the plan.
Where can I get a free or cheap computer near St. Louis?
PCs for People is the go-to: a nonprofit that provides low-cost refurbished computers to people who are on a government assistance program or under about 200% of the poverty level, with no credit check. It serves the St. Louis metro (with a Metro East storefront) and also ships nationwide from online orders. Your local library is another option for getting online for free while you save up for a device of your own.
Where can I use the internet or borrow a hotspot for free?
Every St. Louis Public Library and St. Louis County Library branch offers free public computers and Wi-Fi, and the signal often reaches the parking lot for after-hours access. The St. Louis County Library goes a step further and lends internet hotspots you can take home for weeks at a time, plus free classes to build digital skills. It’s the fastest no-cost way to get online today — just bring a library card, which is free to get.
Written by a dedicated team of St. Louis locals who live, work, and play right here in the St. Louis metro. Founder Lane Forman and team are committed to building the region’s most trusted directory by verifying listings and connecting local businesses with loyal customers across Missouri and Illinois.