You are online checking for the best cell phones for seniors, but you find out that searching is not as easy as you thought it would be, let alone comparing them. The reason is not far fetched.
There is a mountain of information available and a huge variety of models to review and choose from – depending on where you look.
Aside from checking for phones with functions that meet your needs, online customer reviews are a goldmine of information.
This article removes your frustration and confusion by only focusing on top-rated cell phones and the reviewed reasons for their popularity – along with their features of course!
The aim is to not bog you down with all the specifications which are littered online, but rather those specs that you can compare across the board and make an informed decision.
Note that manufacturers do not all provide uniform information on phone features and specifications. The functionality and specs of the highest rated phones are reflected in their prices, but there are other moderately priced options to choose from.
Not all top rated phones are hearing aid compatible so only those that meet this specification are highlighted.
Also keep in mind that the best cell phones for seniors with dementia may not be the best cell phones for seniors with arthritis, for example, or even the best cell phones for seniors with hearing loss.
Table of Contents
What is The Difference Between an Unlocked and Locked Cell Phone?
Let’s start off by understanding the difference between an “Unlocked” vs “Locked” cell phone as you will frequently encounter these terms as you research for cell phones for seniors.
An Unlocked cell phone is one which……Factory Unlocked Cell Phones are compatible with most GSM carriers.
These phones are a favorite among younger or tech savvy seniors and make great gifts for parents or grandparents as they can be used anywhere across the globe.
A Locked cell phone is one which is restricted to use on one or more Carriers
What is The Meaning of 3G, 4G or 5G?
Why are some phones labelled 3G, 4G or 5G phones? 4G is the short name for fourth-generation wireless, the stage of broadband mobile communications that supersedes 3G (third-generation wireless) and is the predecessor of 5G (fifth-generation wireless).
Each generation of wireless cellular technology has introduced increased bandwidth speeds and network capacity. 4G users get speeds of up to 100 Mbps, while 3G only promised a peak speed of 14 Mbps.
This means that websites load faster, you can watch You Tube videos and download files with ease and shows and music is free of buffering.
Understanding Gigabytes (GB)
Wireless carriers use gigabytes to describe the data transferred between their network and your cell phone. As music and video streaming has become more popular, wireless carriers have begun to include more cellular data with their plans.
Phone manufacturers use gigabytes to measure the storage capacity of your cell phone. Most smartphones have a storage capacity anywhere between 32–512 GB.
Gigabytes can also be used to refer to the amount of RAM phones have. Android phone manufacturers, like computer manufacturers, will usually publish the amount of RAM their phones have.
The Best Cell Phones for Seniors – What is RAM?
RAM (Random Access Memory) is short-term digital storage. Computers and phones use RAM mainly to hold data that active applications (along with the CPU and operating system) are using. This is because RAM is very fast when it comes to reading and writing
Samsung Galaxy A23 (SM-A235M/DS) Dual SIM – International Model
This international version, factory unlocked phone has 64 GB 4GB RAM. No warranty is provided.
FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS
| Model name: | Samsung A23 |
| PARCEL Dimensions: | 18.4 x 12.5 x 4.7 cm; 330 Grams (Note: Product Dimensions not provided) |
| Wireless Carrier: | Unlocked |
| Form Factor: | Foldable Case |
| Memory Storage Capacity: | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB ROM |
| Operating System: | Android 10.0 |
| Bluetooth: | Yes |
| Color: | Black |
| Cellular Technology: | GSM |
| Display Type: | AMOLED |
| Sim Card Slot: | Dual SIM |
| Model Year: | 2021 |
| Screen Display: | 6.6 inches |
| Camera: | 50 MP |
| Battery: | Non removable Lithium 5000mAh. Fast charging |
| Warranty: | None |
Some reasons cited for popularity of the phone
- Functions with 2 SIM cards at the same time
- Has 4 years of updates
- Camera is superb
- It is an economical product; its price is fair and you receive equipment that fulfills its function.
- Works perfect for parents (early seniors)
Some noted concerns
- The description says the phone comes with android 10 but according to other sources, it should be android 12 (+ 4 years of updates)
- Phone does not come with a head phone port but is Bluetooth operated
Samsung Galaxy A52 (128GB, 6GB) Dual SIM GSM – International Model
This 4G LTE International Model A525M/DS, Factory Unlocked phone has 128 GB 6GB RAM. No Warranty – (Black)
FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS
| Model name: | Samsung A52 |
| Parcel Dimensions: | 15.24 x 10.16 x 5.08 cm; 340 Grams |
| Wireless Carrier: | Locked – T-Mobile |
| Form Factor: | Smartphone |
| Memory Storage Capacity: | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB ROM |
| Cellular Technology: | 4G, 3G, 2G |
| Operating System: | Android 11 |
| Color: | Awesome Blue |
| Display Type: | AMOLED |
| Sim Card Slot: | Dual SIM |
| Model Year: | 2021 |
| Screen Display: | 6.5 inches |
| Camera: | Rear Camera 64 MP, Front Camera 32 MP |
| Battery: | Lithium Ion 4500mAh Battery |
| Warranty: | No Warranty in US. Warranty in Canada and Global. Compatible with most GSM Carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, MetroPCS, etc. Will NOT work with CDMA Carriers Such as Verizon, Sprint, Boost |
Some reasons cited for popularity of the phone
- The A52 has screen recording.
- Fingerprint scanner feature
- 4 years of security updates
- Water resistant
- Head jack
- Good quality camera for normal use
- Battery lasts for a day and a half to two days
- Great screen
- Works right out of the box with a solid processor performance. No issues transferring backup from old phone
Some noted concerns
- Only basic accessories are provided – just the phone, charger, some manuals, warranty leaflets, and a pin for the SIM card tray. Protective case, screen cover etc. must be bought separately if required.
Jethro-SC490 Unlocked 4G LTE Senior Cell Phone
This simple phone for the elderly and kids has big buttons, a large screen with a charging dock. It is designed for Talk & Text Only. There is NO INTERNET, GPS, OR ACCESS TO THE APP STORE. It is Hearing Aid Compatible, and Certified Safe FCC
FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS
| Model name: | Jethro SC490 |
| PARCEL Dimensions: | 13.72 x5.59 x 1.27 cm, 110 Grams |
| Wireless Carrier: | Unlocked for all Carriers |
| Form Factor: | Bar |
| Memory Storage Capacity: | 8 GB RAM, 8 GB ROM |
| Cellular Technology: | 4G/VOLTE/VO-WIFI |
| Operating System: | MTK |
| Color: | Black |
| Display Type: | LCD |
| Sim Card Slot: | Mini size SIM Card |
| Model Year: | 2021 |
| Screen Display: | 2.8 inches |
| Camera: | 2 MP |
| Battery: | Lithium Ion 1800 mAh Battery |
| Warranty: | Not stated |
| Special Features: | Speed Dial, SOS Buttons, Text / Messaging, Numeric Keypad |
| Compatible Carriers: | Include Telus, Rogers, Bell, Shaw Mobile, Koodo, Fido, Virgin Mobile, Chatr, Public Mobile, Lucky Mobile, and others run off their networks |
| Hearing Aid Compatible: | Loud volume and announcing keypad |
| Speed Dial: | Allows programming of up to 8 contacts for quick and convenient calling |
Some reasons cited for purchasing the phone
- The screen is large and clear enough even with 1 bad eye
- No confusing apps or other software and updates
- If you are looking for a basic phone, without any browsing/apps/links, this phone is great, especially if you want to restrict the user to use only the basic phone – calls and text, alarm, calendar etc.
- The volume is loud enough for the elderly to hear on the phone.
- Good emergency phone for technology challenged aging parents and grandparents
- SOS button easy to setup and rings three numbers consecutively
- Notifies the emergency contacts when battery life is low so they can call and remind the senior to charge the phone
- Dial by picture is a great feature which makes it easier to use.
Some concerns noted
- The power on and power off button could be a sole separate button instead of together with the answer button. Old people tend to hold it too long to answer and shut off the phone instead
- Battery life is ok but lasts less than one day
Easyfone T200 4G Big Button Unlocked Basic Senior Mobile Phone
This is an easy-to-use basic mobile phone with emergency SOS button, hearing aid compatibility and a charging dock. No internet browser
FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS
| Model name: | EasyfoneT200 |
| PARCEL Dimensions: | 11.5 x 5.2 x 1.45 cm; 370 Grams |
| Wireless Carrier: | Unlocked, Virgin Mobile |
| Bluetooth: | Yes |
| Memory Storage Capacity: | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB ROM |
| Color: | Black |
| Cellular Technology: | 4G Unlocked (Does Not Include a SIM-Card) |
| Display Type: | LCD |
| Sim Card Slot: | Single SIM Card |
| Model Year: | 2021 |
| Screen Display: | 1.8 inches |
| Camera: | None |
| Battery: | Lithium Ion 1050mH |
| Warranty: | Not stated |
| Special Features: | Big Buttons with backlight and Talking number feature, Speed Dial, SOS Button, Torchlight, FM Radio, Audio Player, Bluetooth, Alarm, Calculator |
| Compatible Carriers: | Include Telus, Rogers, Bell, Koodo, Fido, Virgin Mobile, Chatr, Public Mobile, Lucky Mobile, and others run off their networks |
| Hearing Aid Compatible: | Loud volume and announcing keypad |
| Speed Dial: | Allows programming of up to 8 contacts for quick and convenient calling |
Some reasons cited for purchasing the phone
- Simple phone with minimal frills; calling and texting is basically all it does
- Great for seniors and people fed up with the smartphone game. And all you need is a SIM card, so it’s very convenient to set up.
- This device has a specific purpose and that’s to send and receive phone calls and text messages., no web browsing, email, Facebook etc This is perfect for a “pay as you go” plan
- It has a color screen that displays large numbers and letters that are clear and easy to see. The buttons are large, easy to distinguish and much simpler to use compared to a touch screen.
- This phone has safety features that make it ideal for seniors and people with health issues and disabilities. The built-in emergency dial and text system works perfectly.
- Phone can be paired to car’s Bluetooth
- Lightweight
- Phone reads out the numbers as you dial them
Some noted concerns
- Short battery life
- Menu does not list everything
- If you need help just hold down the emergency button on the top of the phone, and then the phone will automatically dial and text preselected numbers. This one feature alone could easily save a life. It also has a built-in flashlight that could be extremely useful.
- Concern about pocket dialing 911
- The SIM card is difficult to insert, and very difficult to remove, while the SD card goes in easily, but is difficult to remove.
- if you leave the battery out for more than a few minutes, the phone will forget what time it was, and you will have to enter your language preference and the current date and time again. (Although the date and time should update to the one set by the cellular network you connect to).
Easyfone T100 4G LTE Big Button SIM-Free Unlocked Senior Mobile Phone
This easy-to-use basic cell phone comes with a charging dock, has big buttons, emergency SOS button with GPS, and is hearing aid compatible. Tested to comply with FCC and IC Standards with Certification.
FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS
| Model name: | Easyfone T100 |
| Phone Dimensions: | 11.6 x 5.66 x 1.4 cm; 340 Grams |
| Wireless Carrier: | Unlocked |
| Bluetooth: | Yes |
| Memory Storage Capacity: | 16 GB – Micro-SD Card(Support up to 16G (Not included) |
| Color: | Black |
| Cellular Technology: | 4G LTE |
| Display Type: | LCD |
| Sim Card Slot: | 1* Nano sim card (Smallest size and not included); Micro-SD Card |
| Flash Memory Installed Size: | 128 MB |
| Digital Storage Capacity: | 64 MB |
| Model Year: | 2021 |
| Screen Display: | 2.0 inches |
| Camera: | 0.3 MP |
| Battery: | Lithium Ion 1500mH; Standby time up to 96+ hours |
| Warranty: | Not stated |
| Special Features: | GPS positioning/Integrated torch/FM Radio/Camera/Photo Speed dial/ Tasks/Audio player/Bluetooth/Alarm/Calculator. Special SOS button with GPS for emergency help; 8 Speed dial buttons with photo (Dedicated Direct dial keys). |
| Compatible Carriers: | GSM and WCDMA Unlocked, Works with Rogers (Fido), Telus (Koodo), Bell (Virgin Mobile) or any carrier operates with prepaid plan on these networks. The model is not compatible with Wind Mobile(Freedom Mobile), Videotron or Mobilicity. |
| Hearing Aid Compatible: | Loud volume and announcing keypad |
| Speed Dial: | Allows programming of up to 8 contact buttons with photos for quick and convenient calling |
Some reasons cited for popularity of the phone
- Good for elderly parents who are not tech savvy at all as majority of the phones on the market are smart phones.
- Unlocked phone which can work with various Carriers
- Buttons are large and the phone is simple to use and not confusing.
- Have safety features – SOS button and GPS
- Battery does not take long to charge, and holds a charge very well
- This is first and foremost a PHONE!. It’s not an Internet browsing device. So, no surfing at all.
- This phone is also equipped with an SD Card slot. One is not included but you can easily add your own.
- There is a 3.5mm jack for a wired headset or earbuds.
Some concerns noted
- Charger beeps too loud
- The only thing that’s still required will be a Nano SIM CARD (which will be specific to your regional Mobile Carrier). Many will provide that to you for Free when signing up, but that varies with the Carrier
- Poor camera quality
- One case of sound issues
Huawei P30 Dual/Hybrid-SIM 128GB ELE-L29 (GSM Only, No CDMA) – International Version (Midnight Black)
This International version Factory Unlocked, Dual /Hybrid Sim Cell Phone comes in a single color – Midnight Black.
Has a high functioning camera and numerous additional features, but this phone is only suitable for seniors that are tech savvy.
The phone is not suitable for the more elderly or seniors who have medical conditions that can affect their operation of the phone.
FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS
| Model name: | Huawei P30 (ELE-L29) – International version; GSM Only, No CDMA |
| Phone Dimensions: | 14.91 x 7.14 x 0.76 cm; 165 Grams |
| Wireless Carrier: | Unlocked, WhatsApp SIM |
| SIM Card Slot: | Dual SIM |
| Form Factor: | Smartphone |
| Operating System: | Android 9.0 |
| Memory Storage Capacity: | 128 GB |
| Color: | Midnight Black |
| Cellular Technology: | 4G LTE, 2G |
| Display Type: | LCD |
| Wireless Communication Technology: | Cellular |
| Flash Memory Installed Size: | 6GB RAM |
| Digital Storage Capacity: | 128 GB; Up to 256 GB Nano Memory Card Slot |
| Model Year: | 2019 |
| Screen Display: | 6.1 inches |
| Camera: | 32 MP Front, Rear Triple Camera: 40 MP, 16 MP ultra wide-angle lens, and an 8 MP telephoto lens. The 32MP front camera intelligently recognizes the user to produce expert selfies by contouring the face with accurate brightness and sharpness. |
| Battery: | Lithium Ion 3,650 mAh |
| Warranty: | Not stated |
| Special Features: | USB Type-C 3.1, fingerprint reader on screen, 3.5 mm jack |
| Compatible Carriers: | Unlocked so can be signed on to various Carriers |
| Speed Dial: | No |
| Hearing Aid Compatible: | No |
Some reasons for the popularity of the phone
- Preferred by more tech savvy people and seniors
- The battery is incredible, it has been able to last up to 2 and a half days using it with social networks and streaming platforms.
- It brings a “super charge” charger that in 1 hour is already at 100% again .It can use two SIM cards
- The screen is one of the best on the market with beautiful colors, you can adjust to your liking, and under the sunlight you can see the content you are viewing without any problem
- Accessories include a protective mica for the screen, a transparent case to show off its color, charger and fast charging cable, and headphones with the same quality as those brought by an iPhone. In this section beats the competition, you do not occupy investing in things to protect your investment because it simply includes everything in the phone case.
- Security, the fingerprint reader on screen is great and super modern.
- Photographic options on this phone are good and the photos in low light conditions are of superior quality
Some noted concerns
Fingerprint reader on the screen is not as good as the button cell phones a few years ago. One user complained that it failed to recognize them 1 out of 3 times.
However, the phone can be easily unlocked using the front camera with the user’s face. Just by placing the phone near the face, the phone recognizes that it wants to be used and it unlocks without the user pressing a button
Conclusion
Top rated cell phones for seniors are compared in a format that provides similar criteria so that you can compare “apples to apples”.
This is a format that most seniors, their children and caregivers prefer as it makes decision making so much easier and less confusing.
If you enjoyed reading this article and found value, please leave a comment with your thoughts.
Related Articles
Mobile Phones for the Hearing Impaired. How to Select
Best Cell Phones for Senior Citizens
References
Lynch, David 2021 What Is A GB? The Real Definition Of A Gigabyte! https://www.upphone.com/learn/glossary/cellular/what-is-a-gb-real-definition-of-gigabyte/
Hildenbrand, Jerry 2022. How much RAM does your Android phone actually need in 2022? https://www.androidcentral.com/ram-what-it-how-its-used-and-why-you-shouldnt-care
Thank you for this post! I have often wondered what all those letters stood for and now I know! I like how you easily compared the different options of phones to purchase for seniors. Currently I have a Google XL (I think!!) and it is working well. When I am in the market to upgrade to a new one I will definitely consult this blog post to make a decision.
Thanks again for all the tips on purchasing a cell phone.
Nina
Hello Nina,
I am delighted that you found value in this article. I know from personal experience how confusing it can be to select a new phone, and for seniors and the elderly it must be even more overwhelming. I hope people find this article helpful in the way I have presented the information simply for them to understand.
Ceci
A very well written article. I learnt a lot here and now I know what a ram is now which is cool.
Thabo,
Thanks for taking the time to read this article. I am also glad that you have a better understanding of what a RAM is. I hope this article can help you compare cell phones not only for seniors but for anyone.
Ceci
Very well-written and detailed article about cell phones. I also like the explanations of technical terms. I have a Samsung Galaxy, another model. But from this article, I can learn a lot about the details of Samsung phones.
All the best!
Thanks for the read and comment Ana. I am glad that you found value in the article.
Ceci