No. As of September 2026, Assurance Wireless does not list any tablets, free or paid. Its phone options page and both of its authorized stores sell phones only, and its Lifeline plans are phone plans. If you need a tablet, you can still use Assurance’s service with one through the phone’s hotspot, or look at other ways to get a low-cost tablet.
Many websites still advertise an “Assurance Wireless free tablet program.” Assurance’s own pages and its two authorized retailers, Quality One Wireless and Wireless Creations, showed no tablets on September 20, 2026.
This page explains what Assurance does offer, how to connect a tablet with it, and your other options. For the full picture of the company, see our Assurance Wireless review; for the program behind the free government phone, see how to apply for Lifeline.
What Assurance Wireless offers instead
| What you might want | What Assurance offers |
|---|---|
| A free tablet | Not offered |
| A free phone | California only; elsewhere phones from $31.99. See Assurance Wireless phones and prices |
| Internet on a tablet | Hotspot from your Assurance phone, up to LTE speeds, within your data |
| More data for a tablet | 10 GB free (12 GB in California and on Tribal lands), $1 a month add-on for 15 GB |
If a phone plan is what you need, see how to apply for Assurance Wireless.
Is there a free government tablet?
Not from Lifeline itself. Lifeline is a discount of up to $9.25 a month on phone or internet service (up to $34.25 on Tribal lands). It pays for service, not devices. A company can choose to give or sell a device, but the federal program does not pay for it.
The idea of a “free government tablet” mostly comes from the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP gave eligible households a one-time discount of up to $100 on a laptop, desktop computer or tablet. That program ended on June 1, 2024, and has not come back. Our guide to Lifeline vs ACP explains what changed.
| Program | Tablet or device help? | Status in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Lifeline | No device benefit; service discount only | Active |
| ACP | One-time discount up to $100 on a tablet, laptop or desktop | Ended June 1, 2024 |
| T-Mobile Project 10Million | Free hotspot, no tablet | Active for eligible K-12 students |
| Assurance Wireless | Phones only, no tablets | Active in over 40 states |
Use your Assurance phone as a hotspot for a tablet
Assurance allows mobile hotspot use within your plan’s data allotment on a capable phone. Its help page names tablets and laptops as devices you can connect. To connect a tablet:
- On the phone, open Settings and look for “Hotspot” or “Tethering.” If it is not there, your phone may not support it.
- Turn on Mobile Hotspot (Personal Hotspot on iPhone). Set a network name and password.
- On the tablet, open Wi-Fi settings, pick your hotspot’s name and enter the password.
- Keep an eye on data: hotspot use counts toward your 10 GB, and data stops at the limit unless you add more.
Two limits to know. Assurance says hotspot runs up to LTE speeds, and phone use gets priority over hotspot use. Turn the hotspot off when you are done, so the tablet does not keep using data in the background.
Streaming video on a tablet uses data fast. Our guide to free government phone hotspot data has tips to make it last.
How far does Assurance data go on a tablet?
Assurance streams video in standard definition, at up to 2.5 Mbps. Netflix estimates standard-definition video uses about 1 GB an hour. Using that estimate:
| Plan | High-speed data | Rough hours of SD video (if you use nothing else) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Lifeline plan | 10 GB | About 10 hours a month |
| California or Tribal lands plan | 12 GB | About 12 hours a month |
| Data Peace of Mind ($1/month or $10/year) | 15 GB | About 15 hours a month |
| Tribal Data Peace of Mind | 18 GB | About 18 hours a month |
Email, browsing, homework sites and video calls use data at different rates, so treat these as rough guides. If you run out, Assurance sells top-ups from $1 for 100 MB up to $30 for 5 GB. Top-up data ends when you use it or 30 days after you buy it.
For most households, the $1 Data Peace of Mind add-on is the cheapest way to get more tablet time. It adds 5 GB over the standard plan for $12 a year if you pay monthly, or $10 if you pay for the year.
Ways to get a tablet online, compared
A tablet needs a connection. If you already have a tablet (or can get one cheaply), the bigger question is how to pay for its internet. Here are options with published prices:
| Option | Monthly cost | Data | Who can get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assurance phone hotspot | $0 | Shares your 10 GB (12 GB in California and on Tribal lands) | Assurance Lifeline customers |
| Assurance hotspot plus Data Peace of Mind | $1 (or $10 a year) | Shares 15 GB | Assurance customers |
| T-Mobile Project 10Million hotspot | $0 | 200 GB a year | Families of K-12 students on NSLP, SNAP, Medicaid or FDPIR |
| Xfinity Internet Essentials (home Wi-Fi) | $14.95 | Home internet, up to 75 Mbps | New Xfinity customers on qualifying programs |
| Spectrum Internet Assist (home Wi-Fi) | $15 with NSLP or SSI | Home internet, 50 Mbps | Households on NSLP or SSI |
Home internet plans are separate from Lifeline, so you can keep Assurance on your phone and still sign up for one. Our guide to Lifeline vs ACP lists more low-income internet plans and who qualifies.
If another Lifeline company offers you a tablet, ask three questions before you switch: Is the tablet free or is there a charge? Does it come with its own data, or do you lose your phone plan? And what happens to your Assurance phone number?
Where to look for a low-cost tablet
- Other Lifeline companies. Some companies have offered tablets alongside Lifeline service. Our guides to a free tablet with EBT and a free government iPad explain what is real in 2026, now that the ACP device discount has ended.
- Low-cost internet programs. Some internet companies bundle devices with low-income plans; see Lifeline vs ACP for the plans that replaced the ACP.
- T-Mobile Project 10Million. If you have a K-12 student and your household gets school lunch (NSLP), SNAP, Medicaid or FDPIR, a parent or guardian can apply for a free hotspot with 200 GB of data a year for 5 years. It is a hotspot, not a tablet, but it can put a tablet or laptop online without using your Assurance data. It is separate from Lifeline.
- Keep Assurance for your phone. Lifeline allows one benefit per household, so switching companies just for a tablet means giving up your Assurance service. A Lifeline transfer handles the switch if you decide to.
Before switching for a tablet, compare the whole deal: the tablet’s price (if any), the monthly data, the phone offer and coverage where you live. A tablet with little data may be less useful than a phone plan with a good hotspot allowance.
Watch for tablet scams
Ads promising a “free government tablet” for anyone on SNAP or Medicaid are often out of date or misleading. The ACP’s device discount ended in 2024, and Lifeline itself does not pay for devices. Our guide to free government phone scams lists the red flags.
Some warning signs specific to tablet offers:
- The site uses Assurance’s name but is not assurancewireless.com or one of its two authorized stores.
- It asks for a fee to “ship” a free tablet.
- It asks for your full Social Security number or your EBT card number and PIN.
- It says you can get a tablet through the ACP.
If you qualify through SNAP or Medicaid, compare companies in our Lifeline providers guide before you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Does Assurance Wireless give free tablets? No. Assurance lists phones only, on its phone options page and in both authorized stores.
Can I get a free phone and tablet from Assurance Wireless? You can get a free phone only in California. No tablet is offered in any state.
Does T-Mobile give free government tablets through Assurance? No. T-Mobile’s Project 10Million offers a free hotspot (not a tablet) to eligible K-12 students, and it is separate from Assurance’s Lifeline service.
Can I use my Assurance plan on a tablet? Yes, through your phone’s hotspot. Hotspot use counts toward your 10 GB (12 GB in California and on Tribal lands).
Does Lifeline give free tablets? No. Lifeline is a monthly service discount. Some companies have offered tablets with their service, but Lifeline does not pay for devices.
Is there a prepaid wireless hotspot from Assurance? Assurance does not list a standalone hotspot device. You use your phone as the hotspot.
Sources: Assurance Wireless: Phone options, Assurance Wireless: Plans, Assurance Wireless: Hotspot, Assurance Wireless: Terms, FCC: ACP has ended FAQ, Assurance Wireless: Data and services, Xfinity Internet Essentials, Spectrum Internet Assist, Quality One Wireless: Assurance phone store, Wireless Creations: Assurance phone store, T-Mobile Project 10Million, FCC: Affordable Connectivity Program, FCC: Lifeline support for affordable communications.