If you're looking for the best dumbphone, you're going to have a quite a few interesting options to choose from. Often also referred to as feature phones, these devices are ideal for anyone who feels that modern-day smartphones are too chaotic with their laundry list of features and just wants something a bit simpler. Feature phones are also perfect if you want to reduce your screentime.
Interestingly, feature phones have come a long way over the past few years. Sure, they almost always lack app support that you get with Android smartphones, but essentials like 4G connectivity, offline music playback support, multi-day battery life (often with removable batteries), and more are there, and all these features come packed in a wide range of rugged yet funky form factors. One of the best dumbphones out there is the Nokia 2780 Flip; it sports a classic flip form factor, a secondary screen on the cover for you to keep track of the basic information, and a few smart extras. Then there's the Easyfone Prime A6, which is aimed at senior citizens and comes with large buttons, improved accessibility features and more
At a glance
Best overall
Nokia (HMD) is still the best at making solid dumbphones that can live through an apocalypse. The funky Nokia 2780 Flip is truly a blast from the past, with two displays, a traditional flip form factor, and plenty of new-age features as well.
Best for seniors
Easyfone targets segments like seniors and younger children, making its phones easy to use. The Prime A6 has a large display, big buttons, and other aspects that are all designed with heightened accessibility in mind.
Best budget
This cheap and cheerful device costs way below the $50 price point. Still, you get exciting features such as a flashlight built-in, two SIM slots, and a microSD slot for expandable storage.
Best for 4G
The AGM M9 is a simple yet practical feature phone that offers 4G VoLTE support with a lot of thoughtful extras. The phone lacks a camera but gets an IP68/IP69K rating, torage expansion, a removable battery, and a user-friendly OS.
Best rugged
The Cat S22 Flip is the smartest dumbphone in this price range. It runs Android 11 (Go Edition) and is rugged as they come thanks to an IP68 rating and MIL-STD-810H certification. The flip form factor also makes it super cool to use.
Best for kids
Looking for your child's first phone? This colorful dumbphone is only equipped with necessary apps, comes with a throng of exciting kids' accessories, and has a mirror on the front.
Best overall
While it isn't a proper dumbphone because it has some smart apps, we think the Nokia 2780 Flip brings the best of both worlds in one body. It has up to four days of battery life, basic apps on KaiOS, USB-C charging, a camera, a headphone jack, a removable battery, and even FM radio. You get support for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity as well, and can go off the grid if you want, since the phone can go up to 18 days on a full charge with very light use. Its big buttons and loudspeaker make it friendly to use.
The advantage of KaiOS is that you get access to a much better selection of apps compared to most dumbphone operating systems. The 2780 Flip can run lighter versions of YouTube, Facebook, Google Maps, and many more apps and games that you'd typically find on a smartphone.
Android Central Senior Editor Jerry Hildenbrand switched from Android to the 2780 Flip as an experiment, praising the "simple and intuitive" KaiOS interface, its four-day battery life saving him daily charges, and how it "can do just about everything I want my primary communication device to do." While he did switch back to Android—that's his job, after all—he appreciated what the Nokia 2780 Flip brought to the table, merely wishing it worked over the 5G network because of his area's poor reception.
Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
Display | Dual displays, basic low-res for cover and higher-res inside screen | ★★★★☆ |
Design | Classic flip phone look, comfortably light, IP52 rating | ★★★★☆ |
Price | A tad expensive for a feature phone but still affordable | ★★★☆☆ |
Camera | Average photo quality for a low price | ★★★☆☆ |
Smarts | KaiOS support for popular apps, intuitive interface | ★★★★★ |
Battery life | Lasts 4 days with normal use but only 3.5 hours for 4G calling; lasts twice as long with 3G | ★★★★☆ |
Best for seniors
Easyfone focuses on building user-friendly phones that provide essential services to your elderly loved ones. The Easyfone Prime A6 has been designed for seniors in particular, which is why the fonts are very large and the buttons are huge. The UI is very simple and requires no prior knowledge or experience. There is also no internet or cameras onboard, but you do get an SOS button for emergencies.
Other helpful features include a prominent slider on the side for locking out the buttons, to avoid accidental presses. The earpiece and rear speaker are loud, and also M4/ T4 hearing aid compatible. The phone can be easily charged by placing it in the included dock, so you don't have to fumble around with a charger. The basic features include an FM radio, alarm, MP3 player, notes, calculator, calendar, and a flashlight.
Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
Display | Compact and black-and-white, but with large, readable text | ★★★☆☆ |
Design | Perfectly suited for seniors with large keys, but comfortably compact | ★★★★☆ |
Price | Normal feature phone price, if a bit limited for cost-to-value ratio | ★★★☆☆ |
Camera | None included | N/A |
Smarts | Limited to safety, music, and basic apps, though that's kind of the point | ★★☆☆☆ |
Battery life | Not much standby juice, expect frequent charging | ★★☆☆☆ |
Best budget
Most feature phones usually cost under $100, but if you truly want the cheapest dumbphone possible, the BLU Z5 costs almost half as much as what most of our other picks here cost.
While the BLU Z5 is dirt cheap, it has a number of essentials: a 3.5mm audio jack, chunky buttons, a flashlight, and a microSD slot, though not much else. Unlike the other semi-smart picks on this list, we'd truly call this phone "dumb," but it's also possible that some potential buyers will see the simplicity as a benefit.
The 600mAh battery in the Z5 promises up to six hours of talk time, and there's an extremely basic rear camera for capturing that occasional photo. You also get 32MB of local storage, which can be expanded up to 32GB via a microSD card.
Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
Display | Tiny display doesn't matter too much, since there's not much to do with this phone | ★★☆☆☆ |
Design | Comfortably light; only get this if you prefer small phones | ★★★☆☆ |
Price | You won't find a functioning phone cheaper than this. | ★★★★★ |
Camera | Ultra-low-res VGA | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Smarts | Flashlight, FM radio, and Dual Sim, but no other apps to speak of | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Battery life | Decent 2G talking hours, not as long as it should be for its simple OS | ★★★☆☆ |
Best for 4G
If all you need is a simple yet feature-laden phone with 4G connectivity, the AGM M9 is arguably one of the best options out there. The company is well-known for making rugged devices that pack in a lot of practical benefits, and the M9 is no different.
The most important thing to note here is that the AGM M9 comes with 4G VoLTE connectivity and will work with T-Mobile, as well as with MVNOs that utilize the carrier's network to provide wireless service. It has a tough yet simple design with IP68/IP69K certification for dust and water resistance, and oversized buttons that can be used even when you're wearing gloves. The phone even has two SIM slots and a microSD card slot, and the 1,000mAh battery is removable so you can carry a spare if that's needed. Other essential features include an FM radio, a torchlight, and a lightweight operating system.
Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
Display | Good quality QVGA display | ★★★☆☆ |
Design | Tough with easy-to-use buttons | ★★★★☆ |
Price | Fairly affordable, as it should be | ★★★☆☆ |
Camera | Doesn't have a camera | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
Smarts | No app support | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
Battery life | Good for regular usage, battery can be removed and swapped | ★★★☆☆ |
Best rugged
Even though the Cat S22 Flip is quite outdated at this point, it can still be bought if you just want a rugged flip phone that can Android apps. Sure, the Android 11 (Go Edition) isn't going to be relevant for a very long time, but at you do have the ability sideload apps. This, along with the touchscreen display, allows you to use this feature phone like a smartphone if you want to, but there are also proper buttons for navigation and calling, which can come in handy when you have to wear gloves.
Being a Cat product, it's as tough as they come. The S22 Flip sports an IP68 rating for dust & water resistance, and even a MIL-STD-810H certification for toughness. You can throw it around on rough terrain or dunk it in water, and it should work just fine. The 2,000mAh battery works well for everyday usage and is removable, so you can always carry a spare if you'll be going off grid for a while.
Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
Display | Larger, higher-res touch display than competition, petite cover display | ★★★★★ |
Design | Fully dust and water resistant, will withstand falls | ★★★★★ |
Price | Reasonably priced for what it offers | ★★★☆☆ |
Camera | 2MP camera is slightly more competent than other 0.3MP sensors | ★★☆☆☆ |
Smarts | Many more apps than KaiOS via Google, though performance will be iffy for some | ★★★★☆ |
Battery life | Drains quickly with app use but lasts a couple of days in "dumb" mode | ★★★☆☆ |
Best for kids
It's not always in the best interests of children to give them a proper smartphone, which is why parents often turn to alternatives such as kids' smartwatches and dumbphones instead.
If you're not keen on buying your 10 to 14-year-old a full-blown Android phone or an iPhone, the fancy HMD Barbie Phone can be a fantastic choice. It retains the right balance of connectivity, modernization, and limitations that are necessary for a younger child, without taking the fun out of owning a phone.
You basically get a modified version of the fantastic Nokia 2780 Flip, which is our top pick, with the external screen encased inside a mirror instead. The battery is still removable, the phone still has apps like Google Maps and a web browser, and there's even a 3.5mm audio jack. However, limited app support means there's no social media.
It also helps that this dumbphone is very brightly colored, comes with a bunch of fun stickers and rhinestones, and kids can customize it to their heart's liking with other various accessories in the box. Everything from the battery to the charger and cable are pink, emulating the true Barbie spirit. The Barbie Phone isn't pricey either, costing only about $10 more than the regular Nokia 2780.
Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
Display | Nice TFT dual displays with higher-res inside, mirror on the outside | ★★★★☆ |
Design | Fun play on the classic Nokia look, Barbie design is customizable | ★★★★★ |
Price | Costs more than its regular Nokia 2780 Flip counterpart but has fewer features | ★★☆☆☆ |
Camera | Photography is mediocre, as expected for the price | ★★★☆☆ |
Smarts | Exciting Barbie-fied interface, KaiOS supports many apps but this is a limited version | ★★★☆☆ |
Battery life | Lasts 4 days with normal use but only 3.5 hours for 4G calling; lasts twice as long with 3G | ★★★★☆ |
Other feature phones to consider
We've tried to point you to phones that skirt the line between smartphones and dumbphones, as well as ultra-basic feature phones where cost, simplicity, and battery life are your main concerns.
Unfortunately, you'll often find that these phones can be hard to find, depending on where you live—especially in the U.S. where smartphones have the market all but cornered. So, we're also including a few alternate picks, in case these previous options can only be found used or don't work well with your particular network.
Stylish and feature-rich
The TCL Flip 3 works on with Verizon and all GSM carriers, and features a flip form factor that remains cool today. You get a big internal display, a practical external screen, Kai OS for some app support, and decent battery endurance.
Flagship feature phone
Most people buy feature phones to save money, but some wear its simplicity as a badge of pride and want a fancy dumbphone. In that case, the Sunbeam lineup could be for you. It sells different versions of the Pro based on features you might want — like Waze navigation or a weather app — but this is essentially a rugged flip phone with touch and keyboard controls, a multi-day battery, and more.
Should you buy a dumbphone?
Purchasing a feature phone today is something you might want to think about twice before doing. The biggest attractions are the price and the distraction-free experience, and both are something you can also experience in some way from one of the cheaper full-featured Android phones.
With features like 'Digital Wellbeing,' which allows you to tone down notifications and distractions, Android phones can also become basic communication devices without all the noise and activity when you need them to be. At other times, they can become powerful devices for work and play.
Don't let the price be your only decision maker, either. During sales like Black Friday, phones with full and modern versions of Android can be found for under $100 from companies like Motorola and Samsung, two of the most well-trusted names in the business.
If you really want to be distraction-free and save some money, dumbphones can deliver. But so can plenty of other phones, and can also lead a double life for the times you need a little more.
How to choose
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As we explained above, different feature phones (or dumb phones) handle their "dumbness" differently. All of them focus on phone calls as their primary purpose, but a few use semi-smart operating systems such as KaiOS that have enough memory and functionality to make streaming, GPS navigation, and other simple tricks work.
For some people, that'll defeat the purpose of buying a dumbphone in the first place! That's why we point people towards options like the Easyfone Prime A6 for seniors or a cheaper Nokia that give a better connection than 2G/3G flip phones— which won't function in the U.S. anymore—but strip out the extras that make Android or iPhones untenable to niche users.
Otherwise, as a starter dumb phone to transition from your current smartphone, your best bet is the Nokia 2780 Flip. This fantastic feature phone has all physical buttons, a small display, and it folds in half. It has all the makings of a fabulous dumbphone, with a few extras thrown in the mix. This is a good thing since you or your child could definitely use an app like Google Maps during emergencies.
