The best flip phones for seniors in 2023

Jan 03, 2024

This may be difficult for certain generations to believe, but not everyone wants a smartphone. (Collect your jaw, I'll wait.) Some folks just want to make calls or keep a lifeline close by in case of emergencies. And that's why flip phones are still a thing. No complicated apps or touchscreens, no need to recharge every single day, no price tag that feels like a downpayment on a Lexus. Just simple, affordable and oh-so-satisfying to flip shut. (Say it with me: "Beam us up, Enterprise. Kirk out.") Here are my picks for the best flip phone for seniors.

Although smartphone models number in the dozens, you don't have a ton of options when it comes to flip phones (also known as "feature phones"). That said, it still pays to consider the following when making your choice:

Design: Does the keypad have large buttons with easy-to-read numbers? Is the screen large enough to read comfortably and visible under direct sunlight?

Battery life: One huge flip-phone advantage is a battery that doesn't need charging every day. As you evaluate different phones' specs, look for both "talk time" (usually measured in hours) and "standby time," which is how long the phone can remain on before needing a recharge.

Camera: It's always handy to have a camera in your pocket or purse, but some flip phones are definitely better than others when it comes to photography. As a general rule, the higher the megapixel count, the sharper the photos will be. You might also want to look for a phone that can accommodate a microSD memory card, which will give you more storage space and make it easier to offload photos to your computer.

Text messaging: All flip phones can send and receive text messages, but composing and replying to texts is... not fun. That's because in most cases you have to rely on the 9-digit keypad to slowly enter one letter at a time. At least one phone, however, has a voice-powered assistant in the form of Amazon Alexa, meaning you can dictate messages — a much quicker and easier option.

Charging options: Some flip phones charge by dropping into a dock, which makes life easy when you're at home but a little more challenging if you travel. Others rely on a fairly standard USB charging cable (usually micro-USB or USB-C), which can be easier to throw in a carry-on bag (and easy to replace if lost).

Price: Traditional flip phones run anywhere from $50 to around $200, plus the cost of a service plan (which can range from as little as $5 monthly on up to $25, depending on the carrier and plan options). Non-traditional flip phones, like the one below from Motorola, could cost you as much as $1,000.

Smart features: Speaking of Motorola, if you want the folding, pocket-friendly design of a flip phone along with a full — and I do mean full — range of smartphone features, look to the modern marvel from this company. Although you'll give up the low price, simple operation and amazing battery life, you'll gain excellent cameras, superb messaging capabilities, internet access and a ton of great apps.

With those considerations in mind, here are the flip phones I consider the best options right now.

PROS: Low price; smart keypad design; USB-C charging; microSD slot; optional roadside assistance plan; top-rated customer service

CONS: Middling talk/standby times; no charging dock

VERDICT: An excellent option for seniors, though it's too bad you're paying for data you don't need.

When you buy a Verve Snap, you're also buying Consumer Cellular — widely regarded as one of the most senior-friendly carriers thanks to award-winning customer service. Just as important, you're getting one of the most affordable phones out there: just $69 or a mere $2 monthly with 0% financing. The Verve Snap is available in black or red.

Two things immediately stand out for me: The clearly labeled "Call" and "End" buttons, colored green and red, respectively. There's no chance for confusion there; it's a design decision every flip-phone maker should emulate. The phone also has a "SPKR" button (for engaging speakerphone mode) and easily identified camera and clear/back buttons. Below the keypad there's a Favorites button represented by a person/heart icon, which is easy enough to intuit.

The Verve Snap's 5-megapixel camera can record 720p video, and there's a microSD slot for storage in case you outgrow the 8GB of onboard storage. Consumer Cellular promises up to 14 hours of talk time on a charge and 16 days of standby — not great, not terrible. A standard USB-C cable recharges the battery.

Given the admirably low price of the phone itself, I wish Consumer Cellular offered cheaper service plans as well. They start at $20 monthly, which isn't bad, but that includes 1GB of data that's effectively wasted here, as the Verve Snap has no internet features to speak of. I'd rather see a plan that leaves out the data but includes the optional roadside-assistance add-on ($3/month), which nets you towing, jump-starts, flat repair and other AAA-style services.

PROS: Unlocked for use with nearly any carrier; supports Wi-Fi and apps; decent camera; expandable storage

CONS: Mediocre battery life; low video-recording resolution; a couple confusing button labels

VERDICT: Though not without flaws, the 2780 is one of few flip phones with app support, and you can use it any carrier you like.

Nokia's been around the flip-phone block a few times, so it's no surprise the 2780 arrives with a few tricks inside its clamshell. For starters, it runs a specialized operating system (KaiOS) that supports apps like YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook and even a white-noise generator. You can connect to Wi-Fi as needed for installing apps and streaming media. Just bear in mind that this isn't a touchscreen phone, so all navigation and text input relies on the keypad, same as with other feature phones.

This is also the rare model that's unlocked, meaning you can get service from AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon or any of the carriers that use their networks (such as Boost and Mint Mobile). That affords much greater flexibility in terms of choosing a carrier that offers the best service in your area and plan pricing to suit your budget.

The onboard 5-megapixel camera won't win any awards, but it's good enough for everyday snapshots and video (though the latter tops out at 480p resolution — fine for viewing on the phone itself, but pretty low compared to smartphone cameras). Nokia provides only 4GB of internal storage, not a lot of room for media, but you can expand it cheaply and easily with a microSD card.

Although the numeric keypad employs appreciably large buttons, I think the Call and End buttons are confusingly labeled. One looks like half an oval; the other, half an oval with a circle in the middle. Which does what? No doubt you'll learn their functions quickly enough, but why not actually label them "CALL" and "END"?

My bigger gripe is with battery life, which is on the short side compared with some phones. At least you can easily top off just about anywhere using the 2780's USB-C charging port.

PROS: Built with seniors in mind; clearly labeled buttons; Alexa voice recognition; camera includes flashlight and magnifier; optional plan upgrades add emergency services

CONS: Plan pricing doesn't include taxes and fees

VERDICT: The single best flip-phone for seniors, period

The Flip2 does just about everything right, from control buttons with actual text labels (instead of confusing icons) to Alexa-powered text messaging (which solves a major flip-phone problem). Despite a few minor missteps (where are the dedicated call and end buttons?), it's an easy pick as the best option for seniors — especially those who might need extra care.

The $19.99/month starter plan includes unlimited calls and texts, but jumping to the Basic plan ($24.99) adds Urgent Response — 24/7 live agents who can help in an emergency — and Lively Link, a smartphone app relatives can use to check your location and activity. The Premium Plan ($34.99) also includes Nurse On-Call (exactly what it sounds like) and Care Advocate, someone who can help with health concerns, financial matters and more.

Either of these upgrades should afford some peace of mind to both users and their families, and they're priced on par with what you'd pay for a no-frills smartphone plan. In other words: great value.

As for the phone itself, it features an 8-megapixel camera and 16GB of non-expandable storage for photos and videos. Onboard Alexa is a huge asset here, affording a wide range of voice controls and commands, but I also appreciate the little extras like a flashlight function and magnifier. There are helpful accessibility features as well, including extra-large fonts and a read-aloud option.

PROS: Large buttons; dedicated SOS and block-call buttons; convenient charging dock; affordable service plans

CONS: Low-resolution camera; works only with SpeedTalk Mobile

VERDICT: A versatile, senior-friendly phone that's incredibly inexpensive to operate.

It's right there in the name: This phone is meant to be easy, and by all accounts it looks to be. In addition to the oversize, easy-to-read keypad, there's a large red "Block" button that will instantly blacklist an incoming spam call. You can set up photo-based speed dialing for quick and easy access to friends and family; just press the contact button and then scroll through the pictures to choose a person to call.

This phone also wants to help in an emergency: There's an SOS button on the rear that, when pressed for three seconds, will sound an alarm and then call the first person on your list of emergency contacts. It'll also send a text message with your GPS location.

Service is provided by a SpeedTalk Mobile SIM card that's included in the package. The carrier uses T-Mobile's network for calls and text messages but has plans starting at just $5 per month. That nets you 100 call minutes and 100 text messages; a few dollars more raises those numbers considerably. Even if you opt for the unlimited plan (for a whopping $9 monthly), this is one of the cheapest options out there.

The only real downside here is the 0.3-megapixel camera, which isn't good for much except snapping the headshots to assign to your speed dial.

PROS: Amazingly compact when folded; gorgeous screens; superb cameras; versatile Google Assistant voice controls

CONS: Very expensive; no physical keypad; single-day battery life

VERDICT: If you prize the folding, pocket-friendly design of the flip phone but still want a full range of smartphone features, look no further than the Razr+.

The original Motorola Razr was one of the most popular phones ever; the new Razr+ gives it a modern makeover like you wouldn't believe. It's like bicycle to rocket ship. That said, it also carries the complexities of the modern smartphone, something to consider if you're intimidated by touchscreens, apps and jaw-dropping price tags.

When folded, you might mistake the Razr+ for a traditional flip-phone — albeit one with a dazzling 3.6-inch color touchscreen that's quite capable in its own right. Open it up and you're treated to the complete smartphone experience. It's remarkable that the internal screen has no seam across the middle, at the fold point, but of course there's also no physical keypad here. Indeed, the only buttons on this thing are for power and volume.

Before you cry "dealbreaker," remember that the Razr+ comes with Google Assistant onboard. That means you can use voice commands for just about anything, like placing phone calls, sending text messages, adding reminders to your calendar and so on. You can even dictate text so you don't have to mess with the onscreen keyboard.

Remember, too, that this is a proper smartphone, useful for everything from reading e-books to watching movies to staying connected on social media. It's crazy-expensive, yes, but if you want the best of both worlds, it might be worth dipping into your savings.