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Staying connected — whether it is through a landline, email, or cell phone — is one of the best ways for seniors to continue living social, enjoyable lives. In fact, studies show that older adults who use cell phones are more connected to family and better able to care for their health.1 However, if you spend a lot of time at home or just don’t want a cell phone, a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) home phone is an excellent alternative. A VoIP phone is a service that works through your internet rather than a traditional landline connection.
In this article, we’ll review the best VoIP phones for seniors. We’ll cover our top picks, give you the pros and cons of each, and help you figure out which is right for you.
The Best VoIP Phones for Seniors in 2023
Ooma Telo is easy to set up and has no monthly cost. It’s completely free! The company’s broadband internet and wireless internet service both provide crystal-clear sound for free, which is why Ooma Telo made our list. All you need to purchase is a $99 adapter that connects your regular house phone to your internet service.
However, if you want to access some additional features, like spam blocking, you can pay $19.99 per month. If you don’t have home internet access, you can opt for the Ooma Telo LTE, which uses a cellular data connection instead of broadband internet. It also includes several helpful features:
One thing we love about Ooma is that you can purchase a retro phone from the company to look like the landline phone you’ve always used. But what’s even better is that you can choose a dedicated phone that can call a specific number only. This is a great idea if your loved one has dementia or memory loss. You don’t have to worry about who they’re calling; you’ll always know that they can reach their point person.
Did You Know? Some VoIPs, such as Vonage, are hardware-based. You just plug in the adapter to your internet router and plug your phone into the adapter. Other VoIPs, such as Google Voice, are software-based. You download the software to your computer or cell phone to use their service.
Vonage gives you some of the best customer support for home VoIPs available, with options to call, chat, or view its support page. Online chat is available 24/7, while phone support is available for most of the day. You’ll always be able to find someone who can help you, which is excellent for those who are less tech-savvy.
Vonage is an advanced VoIP that uses a plug-and-play device. It integrates seamlessly with Amazon Chime, so you can video chat with your friends and family. You can also use three-way calling, unlimited texting, and calls all across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
Pro Tip: When signing up for a VoIP plan, always make sure the company provides support for 911 services, especially if this will be your only means of communication.
Vonage is a popular VoIP for its easy, plug-and-play style and integration with Amazon. Keep in mind that the 911 services work slightly differently than a landline, so you’ll need to fill out a form to make sure your correct address is on file. Vonage costs around $14.99 per month, and its customer service is easy to contact.
RingCentral is a cloud-based VoIP system that was initially intended for business use. We love it because it offers high-definition video and audio conferencing for home use too. Its affordability and variety of features also make it an excellent choice for use as a home phone. The basic service, which costs $20 per month, includes:
You can rent headsets or phones from RingCentral for a monthly fee, with the option to bring your own phone. RingCentral is intended for business use, so the available features may be slightly overkill for your home phone needs. However, the service is both affordable and reliable, and many people do use it for their home phone.
A great benefit to this service is the high-definition video and audio conferencing that allows you to chat with multiple family and friends simultaneously. With plans starting at just $20 per month, there are plenty of options for most budgets.
When you activate your account, you will need to provide your address so that RingCentral can route your call to local authorities if you need to call 911. However, when you call 911, you may still have to give the dispatch your address.
You may think of video calls when you think of Zoom, but the company offers much more than just video calls. Zoom made our list because it is easy to video chat with your entire family. While Zoom is a business-focused VoIP service, it also works great as your primary home phone. Zoom plans are inexpensive, starting as low as $20 per month, and you can get a toll-free number or a local number.
One great benefit to using Zoom VoIP is that you can transfer calls across devices so you can use the same phone number at home and on the go. You can voice call, video call, conference call, and text. A supervisor can monitor the call and join in if needed. This is a nice option if your loved one has trouble using the phone or needs a little bit of guidance from time to time.
Zoom is a software-based service, so you can easily download the app or software to your mobile phone or home computer and get started using the system right away. If you need help or want a more complex setup, in-house IT specialists can help you get going.
Grasshopper is an app-based VoIP service that made our list because it’s easy to download and start making calls on your desktop. Once you’ve downloaded the software, you can use it over Wi-Fi (home internet) or download an app to your phone if you want to add an additional number to your cell phone plan. This is a great option if you want a home phone that can transfer calls to your cell phone.
FYI: You’ll need internet service to use VoIP. If you need a home internet upgrade, visit our guide to the best internet providers for seniors.
This is a software-based service, so it is quick and easy to download and get started, but you’ll have to bring your own computer or cell phone with service to use it. Plans start at just $28 per month and include plenty of features, such as call forwarding, automatic responses, texting, and virtual fax.
Voiply is incredibly easy to use, which is why we chose it for our list. Voiply uses a hardware adapter that plugs into your router. Simply plug your phone into the adapter, and you’re ready to go.
Voiply is one of the few VoIPs created for both residential and business use. Most other VoIPs can be used as home service even though they are intended to be used by businesses. However, Voiply has a residential package that is very inexpensive at just $8.95 per month. You can pay monthly or receive a discount when you pay for a full year upfront.
We love the effortless plug-and-play style of this adapter. Just plug it into your internet router and plug your phone into the adapter, and you are ready to go. Just keep in mind that it may take extra time to port your number (that is, bring your current number with you). It might be faster to get a new number altogether.
Google Voice is a great choice if you want to make calls through your internet browser rather than through an app, hardware, or dedicated software. We love that you don’t need to download anything; just go to the Google Voice webpage. What’s great about Google Voice is that it’s completely free, like most of Google’s apps.
You can use Google Voice in your internet browser or download the app onto your phone. Keep in mind that you’ll need to have some sort of internet service (either home internet or wireless data) to use it.
With Google Voice, you can read your voicemails as an email, so there is no need to listen to long boring voicemails or play them over and over to get the pertinent information. All you have to do is read! This feature is excellent for those with hearing loss.
Figuring out VoIP phones may seem confusing at first. Once you figure out what a VoIP is, then you need to decide which features you need. To help you narrow down the search, we researched and compared the best VoIP phones on the market. Then, we narrowed down the list to our top picks using several criteria. We evaluated each service for ease of use, cost, contracts, included features, value for money, and company reputation.
A VoIP (short for Voice over Internet Protocol) phone is a fancy way of saying you have a phone that works through your internet connection. The value of a VoIP phone is that you don’t have to purchase both a landline and internet service.
While there is usually a charge for VoIP service, it’s probably less than that of a typical landline. And it may be available in areas that don’t have landline service anymore.
VoIP phones are easy to use. They have a typical microphone and receiver. The VoIP service takes your voice and transmits it over the internet as packets of data. Then, the phone on the other end turns the data back into sound for the person to hear what you’re saying.
Choosing the best VoIP home phone for you is all about finding a service with the right features and the best value. When you are comparing VoIP phones, we recommend considering the following:
VoIP services are generally less expensive than your typical cell phone plan. Some software-based VoIP plans, such as Google Voice, are completely free, while others typically run between $10 and $20 per month for basic services. The cost will depend on your desired features and the provider you choose.
For comparison, cell phone plan costs vary widely, with a few very basic plans running as low as $15 per month and premium plans exceeding $150 per month.
Pro Tip: Looking for a new cell phone? Read our guide to the best cell phones for seniors.
If you already have a cell phone, an inexpensive VoIP is a nice addition; you can use less of your cellular data while you’re at home but still have the same phone number forwarded to your cell when you’re out and about.
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
National Library of Medicine. (2013, Jun 25). Older Adults and Mobile Phones for Health: A Review.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3836587/
