Best dumbphone: easy-to-use cellphones to help you digitally detox

The best smartphones can do amazing things these days... but boy, are they expensive. So if you don't want to spend a lot of money and just want to make calls and send texts, you'll find the best dumbphones are incredibly cheap.

Dumbphones also tend to have very long battery life, and be more robust if you drop them. Because their features are limited, they also help you waste your day scrolling mindlessly through social media, making you more productive and boosting your mental health.

'Dumb' isn't, of course, a word that many retailers will use, preferring terms like ‘feature phone’. Either way, we're talking about basic phones that can handle calls, are relatively robust, and probably only need charging once a week.

Be careful, though: many older dumbphones can't actually connect to the internet, because in the US, the FCC has now phased out 2G and 3G, and other countries have done the same. So phones without 4G/LTE compatibility might well be useless.

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Adam Juniper

With over 20 years of expertise as a tech journalist, Adam brings a wealth of knowledge across a vast number of product categories, including timelapse cameras, home security cameras, NVR cameras, photography books, webcams, 3D printers and 3D scanners, borescopes, radar detectors… and, above all, drones.

Adam is our resident expert on all aspects of camera drones and drone photography, from buying guides on the best choices for aerial photographers of all ability levels to the latest rules and regulations on piloting drones.

He is the author of a number of books including The Complete Guide to Drones, The Smart Smart Home Handbook, 101 Tips for DSLR Video and The Drone Pilot's Handbook.

Our pick of the best dumbphones 

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Best budget

Nokia hasn’t let go of the flip phone or KaiOS, which means they’re keeping designs fresh, but this is – more than anything – a low-cost handset, available at under $20 in some places. Despite that, it has a 5MP camera, better than a good many on this list, and screens inside and out. There is also a headphone jack and, crucially for many, support for not only Bluetooth 4.2 but M4/T4 hearing aids too.

If you’re looking for long life in the field, then the phone has a swappable battery. This is especially handy in the 4G era (call time is never as high on the more modern networks; 3.4hr talk rather than 7.3 on 3G). We also appreciate the arrival of a USB-C connection as well as the 3.5mm headphone jack. There is also little bloatware, although Youtube, Google Browser, and Maps are there.

Best for seniors

Want an easy phone your grandparents can use without getting overwhelmed? We recommend the Easyfone Prime A6, which keeps things nice and simple with big buttons, large fonts, and basic, easy to use functionality. We also love that it comes with an SOS button for emergencies (which you can disable if you prefer), and that it's hearing-aid compatible.

You don't get a camera, and there's little in the way of features, but that's kind of the point: keep things simple, and your oldest relatives will be able to make and receive calls without getting stressed or confused by too much modern tech.

Best for just calls and texts

Here's another good choice if you want to avoid the distractions of a modern smartphone, while still enjoying a few smart features. This simple handset can take and receive calls; read (but not compose too many) texts, and even browse YouTube and Facebook. That’s watch YouTube, by the way: the camera only takes stills).

If avoiding distraction is your priority, though, it’s worth bearing in mind that the color screen is good enough for some of Nokia’s famously playable games to work. So if you're a keen mobile gamer, you’ll still need to exercise some self control.

One lovely nod to feature sets from phones 20 years its senior is the inclusion of an FM radio; a more battery efficient way of getting music, news and entertainment than the average smartphone will offer you. Note, though, that you can also add 32GB of MP3s via the MicroSD card slot.

See our full Nokia 225 4G review

Best pre-paid

The Cingular Smartflip IV runs KaiOS 2.5, giving it the power to run apps like Facebook or the – essential to some – WhatsApp. There’s also a camera which isn’t much to write home about, though it can record low frame rate postage-stamp videos (352x288) if that’s your thing.

If you’re not a fan of typing, Google Assistant provides voice-type in most text entry fields, and the contacts sync with Google and Outlook (to a maximum of 1000). You can also use a Bluetooth headset, but you’ll still need to open the phone and press ‘OK’ to start Google Assistant. Some reviewers said that they appreciated the ability to switch predictive type on and off, while at least one enthusiastic texter on Amazon did seem to find the system confusing.

As a classic phone, though, this is a good value device. The handset supports HD calls and the keyboard can be operated by feel well enough, ideal for those who like the form factor, don't want a touch-screen, and need to keep in touch across generations.

Best for digital detoxers

The MP02 is expensive given its stripped-down feature sets, but its design is wholly deliberate. This isn't an old design fished out and re-branded for the elderly: it's a modern phone purposely designed to shield you from today's overload of digital noise.

The phone is 4G, and it can be a hotspot when needed, but the screen is a distraction-free monochrome. The device is also great for privacy. It offers support for the Signal protocol, which allows for encrypted internet-based calls as well as metadata and communications. The IP52 glass-fibre case will take a few knocks too, so overall, this is a practical, privacy-friendly, talking-point.

See our full Punkt MP02 review

Best rugged dumbphone

Flip phones need not be flimsy, and not only does this one have a IP68 and 810H military spec but CAT promises the hinge has been tested 150,000 times (presumably not on the handset you buy!) The screen is Gorilla Glass 5.

Admittedly you're limited to T-Mobile, but in terms of the smart/dumb choice this handset opts to walk a tightrope with the Android Go operating system which uses the keypad but can still behave a little like a full smartphone (there is a Google search bar and icons familiar to Google Android users).

Being half-smart also means you get a 5MP main camera with flash and 2MP selfie camera so you can capture images on-site and the phone has GPS positioning. Up to 5m water resistant means it can easily be cleaned, too, and the charger is USB-C.

Some customers didn't seem to appreciate the rugged bulk (and the fact it weighs more than an iPhone Pro Max). The PTT button, too, is a useful tool for some tradesfolk but perhaps the phone could be dumbed down to remove it for others – this is more of a semi-smart built with a bit of a battering in mind.

Best retro dumbphone

Originally released in 1999, but remade in 2024, the Nokia 3210 is an excellent choice for those seeking a break from the overstimulation of smartphones without sacrificing modern practicality.

This revamped classic combines nostalgia with functionality, offering features like a USB-C port for seamless charging and a simple camera that evokes lo-fi charm. Its enduring battery life ensures you can go days without a recharge, relieving the anxiety of constant power monitoring.

The device fosters focus and disconnection, stripping communication down to essential texts, free from the noise of messaging apps and social media. With its retro allure and thoughtful upgrades, the Nokia 3210 masterfully bridges past simplicity and present needs. And, hey, you can play Snake on it! (If you know, you know.)

Best for remote locations

While the best satellite phones are very clever, this technology doesn't really do fast data transfer. Physics, however, does give it one huge advantage: a few satellites can see most of the Earth’s surface. That makes these phones perfect for keeping in contact from remote locations.

The IsatPhone 2 is built for adventure with IP65 compliance, a reflective screen with Gorilla glass, a dedicated location-sharing button (texting your location as a GPS text to an interested follower), and an SOS button. Put up the giant antenna nearly anywhere in the world and thanks to a network of geostationary satellites you will be able to make a call.

Best for design

The flip-phone style may be old-fashioned, but it's still iconic thanks to pop culture references like the Matrix movies. The keyboard slider makes this phone not only light and compact but practical too, with no accidental pocket dials (or bag fluff) likely to cause a nuisance. The other side of that argument is that the plastic seems a little more easily scuffed than you’d like, and the processor could be snappier, but the price is very attractive – an ideal backup phone. It's got a 2MP camera, too.

FAQs

How do we pick dumbphones?

This is a complicated area, because different people have different needs from dumbphones. To be sure we're making the best recommendations we not only asses the handsets on the market against what we in the office like, but make sure we check with real-world users, or online retail reviews to get as many perspectives as we can from different users, be they seniors looking for a straightforward experience and uncomplicated buttons or evangelists looking to re-invent our relationship with devices. Where possible we review everything in house, but this is one of those instances that seeking as broad a range of opinion as possible definitely helps!