Best Cell Phones for Seniors in 2021

Why We Love It

The Galaxy A11 from T-Mobile has an ultra long-lasting battery life. Seniors already have enough on their plate to remember, whether it’s taking medications every day, doctor’s appointments, book club meetings, or planning visits with the family. The last thing you need to add to that list is remembering to constantly charge your phone. With the Galaxy A11, you’ll have a full 30 hours of talk time, or 17 hours of standby time when you’re not actively using your phone. Depending on how much you use your phone and the types of activities you use it for, that means your battery will last at least a full day, if not more. You won’t have to worry about a dead battery while you’re out and about and you need to make an important call. It also has fast charging capabilities, so you won’t have to sit around waiting for hours for the device to fully charge.

Aside from the battery life, there are several other things to love about this phone. The Galaxy A11 has a 13MP triple camera, so all of those vacation and family photos will come out crystal clear. It comes with a fingerprint sensor, so you can unlock your phone using your unique fingerprint. You’ll never have to worry about remembering your password, and this feature also ups the security on your phone so no one else can access it.

T-Mobile’s prices make it easy to shop for a senior-friendly phone at a budget-friendly price point. At just $180, the Samsung Galaxy A11 is one of the most affordable high-tech smartphones on the market. Plus, some new T-Mobile customers can even qualify for perks like a free smartphone, including the Galaxy A11, when they sign up!

Why We Love It

The Lively Smart offers the right balance between the latest smartphone features and ease of use, which is why it’s our top smartphone pick for seniors. While some smartphones overcomplicate things for older adults, making it feel like solving a puzzle just to find what you need, the Lively Smart keeps it simple. With a basic list-style menu, large touchscreen, and long battery life, you’ll be able to find what you need with just a few taps. Plus, the Lively Smart still offers all of the features you look for in a smartphone, like GPS navigation, video chatting, a built-in camera, and mobile apps. In our Lively phone review, we tested the ease of phone set up, use, and call performance. The results were impressive!

This Lively phone is also hearing aid compatible and comes with built-in medical alert capabilities for those who want the extra layer of protection that comes with a medical alert device. These features can be added on for a monthly fee if desired, and they range from 24/7 monitoring to urgent care consultations and health updates for caregivers and family members.

Why We Love It

For seniors who want a smartphone with all the latest and greatest features, the iPhone SE from T-Mobile offers that extra “umph.” With everything from a large retina HD touchscreen to high-quality 12MP and 7MP cameras, the iPhone SE has all those advanced features you’re looking for. You can watch videos in 4K quality, FaceTime with friends and family, and store up to 256 GB of data, photos, and more. If you’re worried about security, all of the iPhone’s data is encrypted and the homescreen features Touch ID, which uses your unique fingerprint to unlock the phone. The iPhone SE is also hearing aid compatible, features a bright screen, and is wide and easy to grip, all of which are great features for older eyes, ears, and hands.

While the iPhone SE is available from several cell phone carriers, we’d recommend going with T-Mobile. They’re always offering discounts and extra perks for new customers who purchase an iPhone, so you can get the best deal possible. Plus, T-Mobile offers three different senior plans that provide steep discounts on talk, text, and data. These plans are available for anyone aged 55 years or older, while many senior plans from other providers are only available to those 65 and up.

If you’re interested in the iPhone but T-Mobile doesn’t have great service in your area, don’t stress it. iPhone’s can be purchased from Apple as unlocked phones, so you can use them with a different cellular provider that offers strong coverage in your area.

Why We Love It

For older adults with unsteady hands or health conditions that make them more prone to falls and accidents, the Sonim XP3 offers industry-leading durability, so you won’t have to worry about it breaking due to a drop on the ground or in water. This flip phone is MIL-STD-810G and IP68 certified; all those letters and numbers just mean that this military-tested phone won’t be damaged by dust, extreme temperatures or weather, being dropped (within reason), or being submerged in water for a short period of time. If you struggle with grip or find yourself dropping or damaging your phone often for whatever reason, the Sonim XP3 is a great solution. In addition to its durability, the Sonim XP3 also comes with all the basics, like talk, text, internet access, and a camera. While this phone is not exclusive to AT&T, we’d recommend going with AT&T, as they offer the best price. Our AT&T senior plan review details pairing your Sonim XP3 with one of AT&T’s Senior Nation plans for more savings.

Why We Love It

Verizon’s Kyocera DuraXV Extreme features M4/T4 hearing aid compatibility, which is the highest rating a phone can receive and makes it our top pick for older adults with hearing loss.4 One-in-three seniors over the age of 65 have hearing loss, and those numbers continue to increase with age. If you have hearing loss, it’s important to find a cell phone that’s compatible with hearing aids and that offers loud, high-quality sound. The Kyocera’s M4/T4 rating is the best on the market, and it means that users with hearing aids will experience as little background noise and feedback as possible. It’s even suitable for those with severe hearing loss thanks to the T4 telecoil rating. The phone also features Bluetooth technology for those with Bluetooth hearing aids or Bluetooth medical alert devices. If you have minimal hearing loss and don’t yet need hearing aids, the phone’s 100dB+ dual speakers with noise cancellation will provide loud and clear sound.

In addition to its top-of-the-line features for those with hearing loss, Verizon’s Kyocera DuraXV Extreme offers all the essential flip phone features like texting, calls, internet access, and a 5MP camera. It’s highly durable and resistant to water, dust, extreme temperatures, and drops, so it’s also great for those who struggle with grip or are hard on their devices. Connecting your new phone to Verizon’s network is simple. Our researchers found that Verizon offers reliable network coverage at a competitive price.

Why We Love It

The Lively Flip is built with all of Lively’s top-of-the-line health and safety features, so you can turn your phone into a medical alert device. There are three packages to choose from at different price points, so you won’t overpay for things you don’t need. Around 80 percent of American seniors have at least one chronic health condition,5 so these medical alert features offer peace of mind for those who are more at risk of a health emergency. These features range from an Emergency Response button to brain games to caregiver monitoring.

Along with these medical alert capabilities, the Lively Flip also comes with easy-to-use flip phone features like large buttons for texting and making calls, a powerful speaker, and simplified menu and navigation. For older adults who struggle with small screens or typing with phone buttons, the Lively Flip offers voice-activated assistance from Amazon Alexa. You can navigate your phone, draft text messages, make calls, and set timers with just the sound of your voice. If you’re looking for a simple phone without too many bells and whistles, the Lively Flip is for you. Because the health and safety features are optional, you can use your Flip as a normal cell phone if that better suits your needs. Visit our hands-on Lively Flip review to learn more.

Why We Love It

Consumer Cellular’s GrandPad is a senior-friendly tablet with all the right features to keep older adults connected and entertained, which is why it made this year’s list. While it’s not a traditional cell phone, the GrandPad can be used to make calls, send texts, video chat, take pictures, play games, and access mobile apps. It’s a great option for seniors who spend a lot of time at home, want a very large screen, or are technology-averse. The tablet runs on Consumer Cellular’s 4G LTE connection, so you won’t have to worry about connecting to WiFi.

In our list of the easiest cell phones for seniors to use, the GrandPad ranked in the top five. The GrandPad’s large screen is easy to grip and the buttons are large and easy to see. It also has a companion mobile app that allows family members to add, personalize, or restrict features and contacts to keep their loved ones safe and make the user experience as simple as possible. Family members can also upload photos to the GrandPad, send messages, and video chat through the mobile app. Overall, the GrandPad provides a unique way to stay connected for those who don’t want a traditional cell phone.

Why We Love It

With an upfront cost of just $35, Consumer Cellular’s Link II flip phone is one of the cheapest senior-friendly phones on the market. The Link II’s design is simple and provides all of the most important basic cell phone features, like texts, calls, large keys, and a built-in camera. Plus, talk and text plans range from $25 to $60 per month, which is very affordable for the industry. If you’re just looking to make calls and send texts to your friends and family, the Link II is a solid option that won’t break the bank. Visit our Consumer Cellular review, to find out how to build the best phone plan and avoid hidden fees.

Why We Love It

The Snapfon ez4G is built for the ultimate simplicity and usability, which is why it made our list as the easiest to use cell phone for seniors. With large keys for sending texts and making calls, simplified menus, and no extra buttons or unnecessary frills, this phone is about as straightforward as it gets. The Snapfon ez4G also features an emergency button with 24/7 monitoring that can be added to any plan for an extra monthly fee. During an emergency, just press the button to be connected to a live operator who will get you the help that you need. If you’re looking for a cell phone with basic medical alert capabilities, this is a great feature. At just $33.95 for the device and monthly plans starting at $10, the ez4G is an affordable cell phone for seniors who just want to stay connected.