RAZ Mobility Cell Phone Review 2024

The Buying Experience With RAZ Mobility

Chatting With Customer Service

I spoke to a RAZ Mobility representative to learn more about the company’s phones. It took only about 30 seconds to get someone on the line. They were very helpful, cordial, and polite, and they were well-equipped to answer all my questions and explain the buying process.

I learned, for example, that RAZ Mobility doesn’t have any physical storefronts, like T-Mobile or Verizon, and you have to purchase your phone online to receive your device. When I realized I forgot to ask about shipping fees and shipping times, I decided to try the customer-service live chat feature on the company’s website. The experience was very similar. Within two minutes, I was chatting with Angela and learned that all RAZ shipping is done through FedEx. Purchases come with a $14.99 shipping fee, and it typically takes two to three days to receive your package.

Choosing a Cell Phone

RAZ Mobility has a few phones that offer unique features for older adults and people with hearing loss, memory loss, or visual impairments. Each phone has its own set of key features. Below we’ll look at three of the company’s top phones for seniors: the RAZ Memory Cell Phone, MiniVision2+, and SmartVision 3.

RAZ Memory Cell Phone

The RAZ Memory Cell Phone is incredibly simple and easy to use. It helps individuals with memory loss stay connected to their loved ones by limiting the number of things you can do on the phone. The phone features a list of contacts with photos of each person, making it easy to know who you’re calling. Unlike any iPhone, there are no apps, web search features, text messages, or voicemails — just click-and-call options. If you want a simple phone without any frills, this is the pick.

Expert Insights

From Taylor Shuman, Senior Tech Expert

I love how simple this phone is for those with memory loss, as a normal cell phone could be incredibly confusing for those with dementia. The RAZ Memory Cell Phone was very intentionally designed to keep things as simple and straightforward as possible.

The RAZ Memory Cell Phone starts at $349, which falls in the middle of the price range for popular touchscreen phones. The phone lacks many of the advanced features other smartphones and touchscreen devices offer, but that’s exactly the point. It’s as easy to use as it gets, so it’s an excellent choice for people with memory loss. As for battery life, it has 15 hours of talk time, compared to the Samsung Galaxy A15 (costs $228) that has 44 hours of talk time.

MiniVision2+ Cell Phone

The MiniVision2+ is a big-button cell phone for blind or visually impaired people. The phone is capable of several basic telecommunication features, such as making calls, sending texts, taking photos, setting an alarm, and more.

The best part? You can do all those things through the MiniVision2+’s voice-command system. Like Alexa or Google Assistant, you just speak your command and the phone will do the rest. The MiniVision+2 also vocalizes responses back to you, so you don’t feel like you’re talking to yourself when you navigate your phone. It will verbally notify you of things like caller ID and battery level, and repeat whatever you click on.

At $329, the MiniVision2+ is pretty pricey for a big-button phone, but it offers excellent features for people with vision loss that may be worth the price. If you are looking for a big-button phone that’s more budget-friendly, you may want to consider the Jitterbug Flip2 from Lively, which costs $79.99 and doubles as a medical alert device.

SmartVision 3

The SmartVision 3 is best for aging adults who always wanted a smartphone, but have difficulty controlling a device entirely through touchscreen gestures. This phone addresses that by combining a smartphone touchscreen with a tactile keypad. The phone can be controlled by the keypad, touchscreen, and/or voice commands. It is a Google-certified Android phone so you have access to Google Play and all the apps you need. The phone has all the essential features like text, phone, and video call capabilities. It also has features designed for those with vision loss, such as pre-installed apps like a book reader, color detector, light detector, and magnifier.

Plus, you get three months of service with Mint Mobile for free. The basic version costs $539. This is on the pricier side for a basic smartphone. For comparison, Lively’s Jitterbug Smart4, a simple smartphone designed for seniors, costs $119.99.

Contracts and Warranty

Contracts

RAZ Mobility sells only phones, not phone plans. That means you won’t have to sign the year-long contract you would normally expect with a service provider. RAZ does, however, have its own terms and conditions.

One important term is its refund policy. When you order a phone, you have 20 days to return it if you don’t like it, and you will pay a $75 restocking fee as part of the return. If you keep the phone for more than 20 days, you cannot get a refund. For comparison, Consumer Cellular allows customers to return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.

Warranty

The RAZ Mobility warranty protects your device from any “defects in materials or workmanship under ordinary consumer use” for one year from the date of your purchase.1 As long as you don’t damage your phone or need a replacement or repair due to wear and tear, you’ll be covered under RAZ’s warranty.

If you damage the phone yourself or experience a malfunction outside the warranty period, expect to pay the full price for replacement or repair costs. Also, expect to pay anywhere from $15 to $45 in shipping and service fees.

Choosing a Cell Phone Carrier

RAZ doesn’t offer its own phone plans, but it works with many of the largest carriers in the country, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Mint Mobile, Consumer Cellular, Cricket Wireless. Depending on the phone and carrier you choose, you can earn big savings on your plan. To get the most out of your compatible cell phone carrier, we recommend Consumer Cellular, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Mint Mobile.

We’ll break down each provider below.

Consumer Cellular

Consumer Cellular cell phone plans are affordable and flexible, and they come with many perks for seniors. Some Consumer Cellular highlights include plans starting as low as $20, a 30-day risk-free trial, no contracts, AARP member discounts, and award-winning U.S.-based customer service. Consumer Cellular uses AT&T and T-Mobile networks, which means you’ll have reliable nationwide coverage. The average customer at Consumer Cellular is in their 60s, and the carrier’s plans are tailored to older adults and their needs.

Plan prices range from $20 to $50 per month. To learn more about Consumer Cellular, read our Consumer Cellular phone plan review.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile is one of the largest and most reliable carriers in the country. In 2020, the company added 5.5 million new customers and continues to grow.2 Some T-Mobile perks include the fastest 5G nationwide coverage, 5G and 4G data in Mexico and Canada, no contracts, and flexible plans catered to adults over age 55. If you want a RAZ phone that can download apps and access the internet, T-Mobile has a few unlimited data options that may appeal to you. T-Mobile has three unlimited plans for people 55 and older, the cheapest of which comes with unlimited texts and minutes, as well as data with rates starting at $45 for one line.

To learn more about pricing, perks, and services, check out our T-Mobile 55+ cell phone plan review.

AT&T

AT&T is another nationwide provider with some exciting perks and discounts for older adults. AT&T offers a plan for people ages 55 and older, a 10 percent AARP discount, a 25 percent veterans discount, and an unlimited plan for seniors living in Florida. AT&T has contracts and activation fees, but you may be able to save on fees when the carrier runs promotions.

AT&T’s unlimited senior plan starts at $60 for one line or $80 for two lines. Check out our guide to AT&T cell phone plans for seniors to learn more about its service options.

Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile is a newer phone carrier that offers flexible, no-nonsense phone plans. The Mint plan for people 55 and older is just $15 per month, and it comes with unlimited texts and calls, as well as 4GB of data and 4G LTE coverage.

With no hidden fees and extra perks like free mobile hotspots, Mint Mobile is a great provider for older Americans looking for clear calls and access to 5G speeds. Check out our Mint Mobile senior phone plan review to learn more about Mint’s plans and pricing.

RAZ Mobility Emergency Service

At $130 a year, you can get RAZ Mobility’s emergency service. Older Americans with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or memory loss may be more likely to imagine emergencies and call 911 out of habit. The RAZ Memory Cell Phone can help solve this problem with an integrated emergency service that directs 911 calls to an emergency dispatch agent who will determine whether it’s a false call or an actual emergency. Text messages will also be automatically sent to an appointed caregiver, allowing the caregiver to cancel the emergency call.

According to RAZ, RAZ Mobility Emergency Service prevents 95 percent of unnecessary 911 calls, making it a reliable false-alarm solution for people living with memory loss.

RAZ Mobility vs. The Competition

Below, we’ll take a look at how RAZ Mobility phones compare to other senior-friendly phones that we’ve tested.

RAZ Mobility vs. Jitterbug Smart4 from Lively

The Jitterbug Smart4 was designed specifically for seniors and has Google Assistant voice commands, large, bright buttons, and an M4/T4 for hearing aid compatibility rating. Unlike the RAZ, Lively phones come with plans that start at $24.99 a month for unlimited talk, unlimited text, and 1 GB of data. The plans come with more robust medical alert features than RAZ Mobility, including a 24/7 urgent response button, nurse hotline, and caregiver tracking. Unlike RAZ Mobility, the Jitterbug Smart4 is only compatible with Lively phone plans, so there is less flexibility to choose a carrier. Read our Lively phone review to learn more about our experience with this smartphone.

Trying out the Jitterbug Smart4 smartphone

RAZ Mobility vs. Apple iPhone SE

At $399, the iPhone SE is more expensive than the RAZ Memory Cell Phone and the MiniVision 2+ Cell Phone, but you can save money by buying pre-owned devices. It is 5G compatible and users have access to the iOS app store, Siri voice assistant, and FaceTime video calling and it has M3/T4 hearing aid compatibility among other features. The phone comes with many pre-installed accessibility features for those with vision and hearing loss. It has 14 hours of talk time; however, it can be more complicated to use than RAZ Mobility phones, as it has many more features and customization options.

Using the iPhone's accessibility features for those with hearing loss

RAZ Mobility vs. IRIS Easy Flip from Consumer Cellular

The IRIS Easy Flip is one of the most affordable phones for seniors at just $59. It features a simple flip phone design and works with Consumer Cellular’s senior phone plans that start at $20 per month. The flip phone features large keys, texting, calling, a built-in camera, and Bluetooth compatibility to sync with a range of hearing aids. Plus, there are discounts for AARP members. However, it has a short battery life of seven hours and no built-in medical alert service or features and no 5G connection.

Testing out the IRIS Easy Flip from Consumer Cellular