PCs for People 2026: Low-Cost Laptops, $15 Internet & Rules

You need a computer for school or a job search, and maybe internet at home. You search “PCs for People free laptop.” Here is the honest answer: PCs for People is not free — but it is cheap, and its income limit is much higher than most help programs.

PCs for People is a nonprofit, not a government program. It is a 501(c)(3) charity based in St. Paul, Minnesota (EIN 26-2066045). It takes old computers from businesses, wipes and fixes them, and sells them at low prices to people with limited income. It also sells $15-a-month internet plans. This guide uses what its own website, online store and 2025 report say as of October 16, 2026. Prices change often — always check before you pay.

The Short Answer

• Who qualifies: households at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI), or anyone enrolled in a program like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, WIC, LIHEAP, Section 8 or a Pell Grant.
• What it costs: in-store laptops from $50, desktops from $0 to $29 (basic, limited supply). Online on October 16, laptops started at $175.
• Internet: $15 a month, prepaid, no contract, no credit check. You buy the device once.
• What to bring: a photo ID and one proof of income or program enrollment from the past 12 months.
• Where: online orders ship across the U.S. Stores are in a handful of cities (list below).

Who Qualifies: 80% of Area Median Income

PCs for People’s eligibility page says clients “must generally meet the 80% Area Median Income (AMI) guideline or participate in a qualifying assistance program.”

That 80% number comes from HUD’s yearly income limits, which change by county and household size. HUD calls the 80% level “low-income.” It is a lot higher than the limit for most government help. Here is how it compares with the federal Lifeline discount, which uses 135% of the poverty guidelines:

Family of 4, 2026	Income limit
PCs for People — St. Paul, MN area (HUD 80% limit)	$105,200
PCs for People — Atlanta, GA area	$94,250
PCs for People — Mankato, MN area	$85,200
PCs for People — Cleveland, OH area	$84,000
Lifeline — anywhere in the 48 states and D.C. (135% of $33,000)	$44,550

The HUD numbers are the FY 2026 “LOW-INCOME” limits from HUD’s Section 8 income limits table. The Lifeline number is our own math: 135% times the 2026 poverty guideline of $33,000. To find your own area’s 80% limit, use HUD’s income limits tool — the same link PCs for People gives.

So a working family that earns too much for SNAP or Lifeline may still qualify here.

Programs that count as proof

If you are in an income-based program, you do not need to show your income. PCs for People’s list includes:

• SNAP / EBT, WIC
• Medicaid / Medical Assistance / Medicare
• SSI or Social Security Disability, and Social Security benefits
• TANF or other cash assistance
• LIHEAP and other utility assistance
• Head Start, free or reduced-price school lunch
• Section 8 or other HUD housing help
• Federal Pell Grant or “qualifying financial aid”
• Unemployment benefits, child care assistance
• “Other government or income-based assistance programs”

The Papers You Need (Checklist)

PCs for People “requires photo identification and income documentation” before it finishes your order.

• Photo ID with your photo, an expiration date, and your first and last name — a driver’s license, state ID, passport, veteran or student ID, or work ID
• One proof: a benefit letter or card from a program above, or proof of current household income
• The proof shows your full name and a date
• It is from the past 12 months, or shows coverage that is current today
• It is not handwritten

These do not work on their own: a FAFSA application, a birth certificate, a pending benefit application, an estimate that says you “may qualify,” or a housing estimate.

Good to know: the page says “we do not require proof of citizenship.”

No income or a hard situation? You may still qualify with a signed form. The page lists a “No Income Attestation,” a domestic violence attestation, and “certain caregiver or representative payee situations.” When we checked, the web link for the No Income Attestation was broken, so call 651-354-2552 or email support@pcsforpeople.org to ask for it.

What It Costs: Computers

In the stores (price list):

Item	Price range	What you get
Desktop “Fair”	$0–$29	Linux tower for basic use. “Limited daily supply”
Desktop “Good”	$30–$49	Windows tower, 6 GB memory
Desktop “Better”	$50–$99	Windows tower, 8 GB memory
Desktop “Best”	$100+	Fastest Windows towers
Laptop “Good”	$50–$99	Windows laptop, 6 GB memory
Laptop “Better”	$100–$149	Windows laptop, 8 GB memory
Laptop “Best”	$150+	Fastest Windows laptops
Monitor	$0 (15-inch), $25 (19-inch), $40 (22-inch)	Desktop towers come with a mouse, keyboard and cords

Online at pcsrefurbished.com: on October 16, 2026, the store listed 8 desktops from $85 to $165 and 3 laptops from $175 to $210. Its FAQ still says “Laptops start at $100.” What is in stock changes daily. Shipping is included within the contiguous U.S.

Warranty: computers come with a one-year hardware warranty. Accessories and laptop batteries get 30 days. Damage you cause, viruses and software problems can be fixed “for a small fee.”

What It Costs: Internet

PCs for People sells prepaid internet through a partnership with Mobile Beacon. You buy a hotspot or modem once, then pay for months of service.

• $15 a month. “Pay-Per-Month with no contracts or credit checks.”
• Device cost: the FCC “Broadband Facts” labels on its renewal page list a one-time fee of $0–$20 for a 4G hotspot and $50–$165 for a 5G hotspot. You cannot use your own modem.
• Unlimited data — with a catch. The store FAQ says people “who use more than 100 GB of data during a billing cycle may be deprioritized” when the network is busy.
• Coverage: it uses cell networks. Check your address on the site before you buy.
• Prove you qualify every year. The site says “Customers must prove eligibility yearly.”

Watch the multi-month price. PCs for People’s pages do not agree. Its main Internet page lists 6 months for $75 and 12 months for $135. Its Fixed Wireless and CONNECT pages list $90 and $180. Check the total in your cart before you pay.

How to Order (Step by Step)

1. Check coverage (for internet) by entering your street address on the PCs for People site.
2. Gather your ID and one proof from the checklist above.
3. Order one of three ways: online at pcsrefurbished.com (you upload a photo or PDF of your proof), by phone at 877-450-8585 (Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Central), or in a store.
4. Wait for review. For internet, the hotspot ships after your eligibility is approved — “4-7 business days,” the FAQ says.
5. Keep your proof handy. Renewals that run past one year since your last proof need new papers.

Returns: internet devices must go back “within 7 days” of delivery for a full refund, with all parts. Unused months of service can be refunded.

How to Renew Your Internet

Log in at pcsrefurbished.com, click My Internet, then Add More Time, and check out. Or call 877-450-8585. PCs for People says it will call and email you before your plan ends. If your service already shut off, it can take “several days” to turn back on after you pay — so renew early.

Where the Stores Are

Anyone in the U.S. can shop online. PCs for People’s Locations page lists these markets: Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Cleveland, OH; Cook County, IL; Denver, CO; Greater St. Louis (Illinois side); Hampton, VA; Kansas City, MO; Mankato, MN; St. Paul, MN; and Seattle, WA. Check your city’s page before you go.

PCs for People vs. Lifeline

	PCs for People	Lifeline
Who runs it	Nonprofit	Federal program (FCC)
What you get	Its own $15/month plan, plus low-cost computers	Up to $9.25 off a monthly phone or internet bill ($34.25 on Tribal lands)
Income limit	80% of area median income	135% of the poverty guidelines
Programs that qualify	Long list, including WIC, LIHEAP, Pell, school lunch	Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, federal public housing, Veterans Pension

Lifeline facts are from LifelineSupport.org. Read our full Lifeline guide, and see our comparison of low-cost internet and computer nonprofits for other options.

Other Places to Turn

• Dial 211 to ask about local computer and internet programs. See our 211 guide.
• Your local Community Action Agency may help with bills or job training. See our Community Action guide.
• If PCs for People asks for a SNAP letter and you are not enrolled yet, see how to apply for SNAP.

How We Checked This

We read every source below on October 16, 2026.

• PCs for People’s own pages: Eligibility, In-Store Computers, Get Tech, Internet (two versions), Fixed Wireless, CONNECT, Renew Internet (with its FCC broadband labels), Who We Are, Locations and FAQs, plus its online store (home page, desktop and laptop listings, Internet FAQ) and its 2025 Impact Report PDF.
• HUD’s FY 2026 Section 8 income limits (PDF, read through text extraction) for the four areas in our table.
• HHS’s 2026 poverty guidelines and LifelineSupport.org (run by USAC for the FCC).
• ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer for PCs for People’s tax status and EIN.

Where PCs for People’s own pages do not agree with each other:

1. How many people it has served. The Get Tech page says “over 190,000 computers.” The 2025 Impact Report says “more than 290,000 computers” and “over 1 million lives.” The online store’s home page says “350,000 Computers Distributed” and “730,000 People Impacted.” The Who We Are page says “825,000 people.”
2. How many locations. Who We Are says “nine physical locations.” The Locations page says “ten markets” but shows 11. Get Tech says stores are in “six states” while listing a store in Atlanta, Georgia — a seventh state.
3. Multi-month internet prices. $75 and $135 on one Internet page; $90 and $180 on three other pages. The main page also says “as low as $10 per month for longer-term plans,” but its own 12-month price works out to $11.25 a month (our math).
4. Hotspot warranty. The store FAQ promises a “Six-Month Hotspot Warranty” but later says “PCs for People provides device support, but does not provide warranty replacement for internet devices,” naming a 60-day Mobile Beacon warranty and a 6-month manufacturer warranty.
5. Online laptop prices. The FAQ says “Laptops start at $100.” The laptops actually listed that day cost $175 to $210.
6. Support email. The eligibility page lists support@pcsforpeople.org; the store FAQ lists support@pcsforpeople.com.

What we did not do: we did not call PCs for People or place an order. Its Affordable Repair, Financials and St. Paul store pages blocked our requests, so we do not report repair prices, store hours or its financial statements. We did not check coverage at any address. We do not know whether PCs for People’s plans can be combined with a Lifeline discount. HUD limits in our table are for four areas only — yours may be different.

If something here does not match what PCs for People tells you, follow what they say for your order, and let us know so we can re-check this guide.

Last updated: October 16, 2026

This is general information, not legal or financial advice.