Last updated: July 2026
GovernmentPhoneGuide.com is free to use. This page explains how the site is funded, in line with FTC guidance on disclosing material connections to readers.
How We Make Money
Two sources support this site:
- Display advertising. Ads appear throughout the site through standard ad networks, the same as most free informational sites.
- Provider referral relationships. On some pages, a link to a Lifeline provider is a referral link — if you enroll with that provider after clicking it, we may receive compensation from them.
Neither costs you anything. Enrolling with a provider through a referral link costs the same as enrolling directly, and Lifeline applications are always free regardless of how you get there.
This Never Changes What We Recommend
A provider review reflects what that provider actually offers, based on the research described in our editorial policy — not whether we have a referral relationship with them. We don’t accept payment in exchange for a positive review, and a referral relationship is never a reason to leave out something unflattering, like a provider’s coverage gaps or common complaints.
If a provider stops being a good fit for a state — coverage drops, device quality declines, complaints increase — that gets reflected in our review whether or not it costs us referral revenue. You can read more about who researches and maintains this site on our About page.
How to Tell If a Link Is a Referral Link
Provider links throughout our guides, reviews, and the eligibility checker’s results may be referral links. Rather than marking every individual link, we’re disclosing the practice clearly here, consistent with FTC guidance — assume that a link to a Lifeline provider may be a referral link, and know that it never affects our editorial judgment either way.
What We Don’t Do
We don’t let providers pay to be listed higher in a comparison, don’t write reviews we haven’t researched ourselves, and don’t accept payment to remove accurate negative information about a provider. Our full disclaimer covers the broader limits of what this site is and isn’t.
Questions About This Disclosure
Reach us through our contact page with any questions about how this site is funded.