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Almost half of adults in the United States are already using voice-activated devices, such as Alexa, to manage their homes and schedules.1 And now, smartphones with voice-activated controls are catching on quickly so that you can make calls or text with just the sound of your voice. If navigating a phone is difficult for you, either due to vision issues or dexterity problems, you may want to consider using a voice-activated phone to stay connected to your friends and family. They are easy to use and no more expensive than a typical cell phone.
A voice-activated phone is a cell phone that can be operated using voice commands instead of buttons. You can use your voice to:
In this guide, we’ll take a look at the best voice-activated cell phones for seniors, along with their pros, cons, and features. We’ll also help you understand how much these phones cost and what you can expect to pay for a compatible cell phone plan.
The Best Voice-Activated Cell Phones for Seniors
If you’re looking for a smartphone with all the bells and whistles, the iPhone 14 Pro Max from T-Mobile is it! It’s a luxurious-feeling phone with plenty of features and several ways to use your voice to activate the phone. Many people purchase the iPhone 14 Pro Max for its advanced features and large, easy-to-read screen, while others go for the amazing pictures that it can take.
We also love the iPhone operating system because there are multiple ways to use voice commands. You can use Siri to operate your phone, search the web, or make calls. Or you can turn on the voice accessibility features in settings, allowing you to wake up the voice commands with a specific word or phrase.
iPhone 14
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is not a cheap phone, but if you want a phone with all the latest features, you’ll probably love this one. The large size makes it easy to hold and read the screen, although it might be too big for your pockets. You’ll get great pictures to remind you of your family and friends, and it has multiple methods to access the voice commands.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max will cost you around $1,100, and T-Mobile offers plans starting at $45 per month for one line. You can visit our 2023 T-Mobile review to learn more.
Did You Know? Many major cell phone carriers offer discounts to seniors. Check out our cell phone buyer’s guide for more information.
The Pixel 7 Pro is one of the best Android phones that you can find. First, it gives you terrific pictures with its 50 MP camera. You’ll also find a large, easy-to-read display, perfect for older eyes. It has a solid battery power, price, and crisp, clear speakers.
We chose this phone because it does a good job balancing all of the above and it includes Google Voice Assistant. Once you turn this on in settings, you can use Google Voice to call contacts, search the web, or dictate text. It’s very simple to use with the command “Hey Google.”
Pixel 7 Pro
At about $900, the Pixel 7 Pro is fairly expensive but offers excellent value thanks to its many features. If you like using Google products, you’ll love how this phone integrates with its apps and search engine. Google Voice Assistant makes it easy to search the web, call contacts, and send text messages without having to type.
You can pair your Pixel 7 Pro with AT&T’s Unlimited 55+ plan, with prices starting at $60 per month for one line.
Priced at $249, the Moto G 5G is the least expensive smartphone on our list, while still being a good-quality option. The Moto G uses Google Assistant to operate voice commands, which is excellent for those with mobility or dexterity issues.
This smartphone has plenty of other things to love besides the price tag. It has a large 6.5-inch high-definition screen, high-quality Dolby speakers, and a 48 MP camera system. It also has an old-fashioned headphone jack, which is increasingly difficult to come by. If you prefer a jack because you use wired headphones, the Moto G 5G is a great option.
The Moto G 5G is a well-rounded phone at a really good price, so if you’re on a budget, this is worth considering. There are other smartphones with a longer list of advanced features, but this one still gets the job done and has excellent voice-activated features with Google Voice Assistant.
The phone costs just $249, and Consumer Cellular plans start as low as $20 per month, which will save you a bundle if you want a workhorse phone that isn’t too fancy. Visit our 2023 Consumer Cellular review to learn more about the carrier’s senior-friendly plans and phones.
It’s hard to find a good flip phone these days, but the Jitterbug Flip 2 from Lively fits the bill. This flip phone will easily fit in your pocket, and it comes at a budget-friendly price. Its beauty is in its simplicity. It has a large screen, clear speakers, and large, tactile buttons. We like the Jitterbug Flip 2 because it integrates with Alexa to give you voice controls. You can make calls, send texts, and even check your minutes and battery level using your voice.
Another great reason to use the Jitterbug Flip2 is that you can choose a Lively phone plan that offers health and safety features like 24/7 urgent response services, on-call nurses, and care advocates.
Jitterbug Flip2 Gray
The Jitterbug Flip 2 is a great choice for a number of reasons. Its integration with Alexa makes it easy to control the phone with your voice. The phone itself is easy to use, has a large screen and a clear speaker, and comes at a great price. We love the additional emergency services that you can add on if you need them.
Did You Know? Lively offers extra services to help you with emergencies and daily health care needs. Check out our Lively phone review to learn more.
The Jitterbug Flip2 costs $99.99, and plans run anywhere from $19.99 to $49.99 per month. The only real drawback to this phone is that you do need an Amazon account to use the Alexa voice features. However, it’s free and simple to set up!
If you love the Apple operating system but the iPhone Pro Max is beyond your budget, you’ll want to consider the iPhone SE. It’s a smaller, simpler iPhone with fewer bells and whistles at a much more affordable price point of $400.
The iPhone SE still has all of the voice features that you’ll find in the Pro Max. You can use Siri to execute commands or use the iPhone’s voice accessibility features to send texts, read your messages, and help you navigate the phone. It’s a physically smaller phone, which is great for tucking in pockets and small purses.
Apple iPhone SE
If you love the iPhone but don’t want the bulk or the cost of a Pro Max, the SE makes a great compromise. It’s a lot more affordable at around $400 but still gives you the main iPhone features, especially the voice commands. Combine it with a phone plan from Mint Mobile, and you’ll have an affordable 5G iPhone with a plan as low as $15 per month.
The Galaxy S23 is a unique smartphone that lets you control your phone and other smart home devices with just the sound of your voice. It comes equipped with Bixby, your personal voice assistant. You can use Bixby to turn on more accessibility features, search the web, tell jokes, and even control connected Samsung devices (like a Smart TV). If you have mobility issues, these advanced voice-activated features are excellent for controlling various devices around the home.
We also love the Samsung Galaxy S23’s bright display and low-light camera features, making it easier on your eyes. Another great feature of the S23 is that it’s really tough and durable, so if you have trouble holding onto things, this phone can take a few drops (and even survive a few puddles too).
Galaxy S23
If you want to use your voice to control your phone and other smart home devices, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a great phone that can do it all. Imagine not only making phone calls with your voice, but also changing the TV channel or starting the washing machine. The phone isn’t cheap, retailing at around $799. But if you can afford the phone itself, Visible phone plans start at just $30 per month, which is a great deal.
Our editor’s grandma testing out an iPhone
Voice-activated phones are great if you have trouble with dexterity, vision, or just navigating the phone. We chose the phones on this list because they all have some level of voice commands that you can use. They also have other accessibility features (including hearing aid integration), call quality, and ease of use.
With so many different options to choose from, we also looked at price and value, features like emergency services, and cell phone plan costs. Our senior tech experts conducted hours of research, testing, and conversations with older adults to narrow down the list to our top picks.
Voice-activated phones have loads of features that just use your voice, including:
There are many benefits to using voice-activated phones. In some cases, you may want to get a little help setting the phone up to use these accessibility features.
Any of these voice-activated phones will get the basic job done, so how do you choose the best phone for you? Here are a few questions to ask as you shop:
Every phone is different, but in most cases, you’ll either use the Voice Assistant, such as Siri or Alexa, or go into accessibility settings to turn on voice assist. You can usually activate Siri by saying “Hey Siri” or Google Voice Assistant by saying “Hey Google.”
No. Some phones, like the Jitterbug Flip 2, are not smartphones, but they do have accessibility options for voice control.
If you have smart home appliances, such as a Samsung TV, your Voice Assistant can be set to control them using the Samsung app. However, you must have smart appliances for this feature to work.
No. Being voice-activated does not necessarily make a phone more expensive. The other features, such as size, camera quality, and speed, tend to affect the price more. Many phones have some level of voice activation within their accessibility features.
It depends. If you use Siri or Google for voice assist, you may need to have internet access. On the other hand, if you use the phone’s accessibility services, like the built-in voice assist, you don’t need internet access.
No. Most phones include the use of voice activation within the cost of the phone. The exception is the Jitterbug, which requires an Amazon account to use the Alexa features.
For over five years, Taylor has been writing, editing, and researching products and services covering topics such as senior care and technology, internet and the digital divide, TV and entertainment, and education. Her work has been cited by publications such as Forbes,… Learn More About Taylor Shuman
Pew Research Center. (2017, Dec 12). Nearly half of Americans use digital voice assistants, mostly on their smartphones.
