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Everyone needs to be connected. Seniors, who might be isolated from their families or have specific health needs, shouldn’t be left out. The smartphone industry, by and large, isn’t thinking about the particular needs of the senior market, but, if you pay attention, you can find carriers and phones that offer a streamlined and accommodating phone experience.
Being in what phone manufacturers think of as the “senior market” isn’t about chronological age so much as faculties, preferences, and lifestyle. Many of these phones accommodate reduced eyesight and hearing, plus they are affordable. Others have high-end features that streamline aspects of your life.
Our list includes some voice phones and some general-purpose smartphones. Most of the phones on this list are available unlocked, which means you can pair them with any compatible carrier; the others are typically available only in carrier-specific versions.
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
Most Affordable Smartphone With Easy Mode
Bottom Line:
The Samsung Galaxy A32 5G’s excellent battery life and impressive design are a winning combination for budget-phone shoppers, but AT&T customers will want to buy it directly from the carrier
PROS
- Handsome design
- Durable Gorilla Glass 5 display
- Capable cameras
- Long battery life
- Impressive performance for the price
- Excellent software upgrade policy
CONS
- Low-resolution display
- Mediocre speaker
- Back panel scratches easily
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Best Big-Screen, Big-Battery iPhone
Bottom Line:
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max is the best iPhone overall, with excellent performance, stellar battery life, sharp cameras, and a number of useful features you don’t get with the standard models.
PROS
- High-quality hardware
- Always-on display includes widgets
- Top-notch cameras
- Stellar wireless performance
CONS
- Pricey
- Dated design and Lightning connector
Sonim XP3plus
Most Rugged Build
Bottom Line:
Sonim sets the bar for premium voice phones with the XP3plus, a flip you can rely on for years.
PROS
- Very durable
- 3-year warranty
- Excellent voice quality
- Speedy UI
CONS
- Mediocre cameras
- Poor contact/calendar syncing
Sunbeam F1
Best Traditional Flip Phone
Bottom Line:
The Sunbeam F1 helps digital disconnectors target exactly the level of communication they want.
PROS
- Thoughtful design
- Solid construction
- Loud earpiece
- Three levels of feature restrictions
CONS
- Lacks band 71 for T-Mobile
- Long-term support not guaranteed
Moto G Power (2022)
Best Battery Life
Bottom Line:
The 2022 edition of the Moto G Power offers smooth performance and impressive battery life for $200.
PROS
- Long battery life
- Solid performance
- 90Hz refresh rate
CONS
- Ships with Android 11
- Noticeable pixelation on 720p display
- Underwhelming audio
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Best for Artists and Notetakers
Bottom Line:
The S22 Ultra is the true successor to the Galaxy Note line, delivering all the excellent Samsung phone features while making no concessions for size, weight, or price.
PROS
- S Pen integration
- Long battery life
- Bright screen
- Excellent reception in low-signal environments
CONS
- Very large
- Expensive
- Back scratches easily
- Few camera improvements over predecessor
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Most Affordable iPhone
Bottom Line:
While it isn’t quite the revelation its predecessor was, Apple’s 2022 iPhone SE is a solid small phone that should remain relevant for years to come.
PROS
- Most affordable new iPhone
- Speedy performance
- Supports T-Mobile and Verizon mid-band 5G
- Longer battery life than the previous model
CONS
- Outdated body design
- No Night mode in camera
- Lacks support for AT&T’s 3.45GHz mid-band 5G
- Shortest battery life of any current iPhone model
Gabb Z2
Best for Extreme Simplicity
Bottom Line:
The Gabb Z2 is an affordable, internet-free phone for kids and other people who don’t want to get sucked into the online world, but it could use more parental monitoring features.
PROS
- No internet access, social media, or streaming video
- Affordable
CONS
- No way for parents to monitor calls/texts
- No streaming music
Nokia 225 4G
Best Affordable Voice Phone
Bottom Line:
The Nokia 225 4G is a perfectly basic voice phone with only rudimentary internet capabilities.
PROS
- Small and light
- Easy to use
- Syncs contacts from Android
CONS
- Lacks Wi-Fi
- Though technically unlocked, only works on T-Mobile’s network
- Lacks band 71 support
- Group texting is a mess
Buying Guide: The Best Phones for Seniors in 2022
The Best Voice Phones
We regularly get emails from readers who are frustrated because they don’t feel like there are enough simple, high-quality voice phones. They look at the current lineup of voice phones and see them as a step back, not a step up.
They’re right. The hardware demands of 4G LTE voice calling mean inexpensive voice phones are slower and less reliable than in the past. We tested several recently, and the one we most recommend, the Sunbeam F1, costs $195. Other high-quality voice phones from Sonim and Kyocera tend to be in the $200 to $300 range. The Nokia 225 4G, a cheaper option, is small, reliable, and costs only $49.99, but it only works well on T-Mobile’s network. Voice phones under $100 are generally a mediocre experience.
There are a bunch of flip phones kicking around the cell phone aisle at Walgreens and Walmart from carrier brands like Tracfone and Net10. We don’t review them, but some appear to be older, decent-quality LG models. If your budget is tight, try one of those. Avoid phones where the carrier appears to be the phone maker; those are typically rebadged phones from low-rent manufacturers.
What Phone Features Are Most Important for Seniors?
Icons and touch targets on large, affordable devices with lower-resolution screens are easier to hit. On that front, we like the Moto G Power, which is available in various forms on all the major carriers. It has a big screen, a good price, and solid battery life. A flagship phone can also be a good choice for a big screen, especially if you want to use it to look at photos and videos.
If the default abundance of options on a smartphone feels too cluttered or confusing, try Samsung’s Easy mode. It’s available on handsets from the low-cost A32 up to the high-end Galaxy S22 series.
Fans of pen and paper should enjoy using Samsung’s S Pen stylus on the S22 Ultra or the stylus on Motorola’s Moto G Stylus. You can also use a third-party stylus with many iPhones.
The iPhone SE is a small, affordable iPhone that still has a fingerprint sensor
(Credit: Molly Flores)
Finally, if you’re depending on a tech-savvy person in your life for smartphone tech support, you may want to get the same type of phone they have (either one that runs Android or iOS). The two main phone operating systems are very different, and someone who is used to one might not be able to answer questions about the other. There are a lot of iPhones out there; here’s how to choose the best iPhone. We also have a roundup of the top Android phones.
The Best Senior-Specific Phone Carriers
Two wireless carriers specialize in the senior market: Lively and Consumer Cellular. Lively, formerly known as GreatCall, uses the Verizon network, while Consumer Cellular uses the AT&T and T-Mobile networks. Of the two, Lively has more specialized features for those who need health monitoring: an urgent response button, 24/7 access to nurses, and connected medical alert devices.
Now a subsidiary of Best Buy, Lively sells first-party hardware. Its flip phone, the Jitterbug Flip2, is the company’s easiest phone to use. We haven’t reviewed it and therefore don’t have any opinions to share about it, but it sells for around $100, so it’s affordable.
On the other hand, we recommend Consumer Cellular highly. Consumer Cellular has a marketing arrangement with AARP and doesn’t offer specialized services, but received high marks from our readers in the past for customer service. It sells several phones from our list.
Using Senior Phones on Standard Carriers
Many seniors are more comfortable with older phones, but some older phones might no longer work. You need to make sure your phone supports 4G LTE networks, which will remain active until at least 2030. AT&T has turned off its 3G already. T-Mobile has done the same, and Verizon will at the end of 2022. That means you need to go with a voice phone that supports voice over 4G LTE, also known as VoLTE.
Recommended by Our Editors
There are other benefits to 4G as well. 4G LTE basic phones support HD Voice; that means you can conduct high-quality voice calls with anyone else that has an HD Voice-capable mobile phone. Those higher-quality calls can be easier on old ears. As for 5G, you won’t need to worry about it for years.
The major carriers have senior discount plans for smartphone users. T-Mobile has special plans(Opens in a new window) for people over 55. AT&T(Opens in a new window) and Verizon(Opens in a new window) have much more limited offers that are available only to people who live in Florida.
The Best Prepaid Carriers for Senior Phones
Seniors on fixed incomes might want to check out our story on the best cheap phone plans, which has a lot of low-cost virtual carriers—prepaid carriers that use the major carriers’ networks, but tend to charge a lot less per month for basic service. If you’re looking for limited, voice-only plans, you can get them on a range of carrier networks for around $10 per month.
Those plans usually require that you bring over an unlocked, compatible phone. The Nokia 225 4G (for T-Mobile-based networks) and the Sunbeam F1 (for Verizon-based networks) are our top choices for simple unlocked phones.
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