Is a flip phone cheaper on a monthly basis than a smartphone?ĭecidedly. If you're seeking simplicity, privacy, craving a dose of nostalgia, or just want a break from your smartphone, these are the best flip phones you can buy today. I tried to choose unlocked models with wide carrier compatibility and, additionally, I considered the previous contributions to this article by Brandon Carte. Since no dumb phone captures stills or video that approach the quality you’d get from a smartphone, the camera’s capability wasn’t a prime consideration. My recommended flip phone models offer strong battery life expressed in talk time hours and standby hours or days, and include features such as Bluetooth so you can use wireless earbuds or headphones for music listening or to conduct handsfree calling. This means you can get a flip phone that includes a web browser, music player, map, messaging, calendar, and other basic apps, although these all may be difficult to navigate without a touch screen or even see on the small, low resolution 2.8-inch screens usually found on flip phones. Many so-called “dumb” flip phones actually are equipped with color displays and run smart operating systems based on older versions of Android or KaiOS, a mobile Linux operating system. Most dumb phones include Wi-Fi for rudimentary internet access or Wi-Fi calling and Bluetooth for wireless head/earphone connectivity, as well as a standard 3.5mm headphone jack. Older cell phones that are only compatible with 3G or even older 2G networks won't be able to receive calls or text, including to 911, according to the Federal Communications Commission.Īll flip phones listed here operate on 4G cellular networks no “dumb phone” operates on newer 5G networks, which are designed primarily to improve data, not voice, communications. Make sure the flip phone you choose is compatible with 4G LTE connectivity.ĪT&T and T-Mobile shut down their 3G networks in spring 2022 and Verizon turned off its 3G network at the end 2022. If you or a loved one is concerned about being able to afford a new device or cellular phone bill, the federal Lifeline Program provides a discount on wireless or internet service to consumers who quality. If you buy a “cheap” phone, say for less than $50 or $100, you’ll get a cheap phone. ![]() Just remember that you get what you pay for. Since they’re simpler, dumb flip phones are cheaper than their sophisticated smartphone alternatives, often costing less than $100–unless the “flip phone” you’re shopping for is one of the new foldable “flip” smartphones. “Unlocked” means the phone isn’t tied to a specific carrier or contract, convenient if you decide to switch cell phone providers or if you’re traveling you can pop in practically any carrier’s SIM card to get service. You’ll find a wider variety of “unlocked” phones on the open market. You can buy a flip phone directly from a carrier, but the pickings are slim. The most important factor when shopping for a flip phone is that your device is compatible with your wireless carrier, both prepaid carriers, who you pay in advance for your monthly service, and the major “post-paid” carriers, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. What to Look For in a Flip Phone Compatibility The Expert:I've been writing about, reporting on, and reviewing consumer technology for nearly 40 years, and have been writing about, reviewing, and recommending electronics for all of them. Best for Seniors: Lively Jitterbug Flip2.Best Smart Flip Phone: Motorola Razr 2023.I’ve researched and compared every flip phone option available on the market and narrowed down the best of the best based on performance, price, and carrier compatibility and availability. As such, an older flip model is not necessarily a bad thing since you presumably need it primarily to carry on cellular conversations. ![]() But most basic cellular voice technologies haven’t improved all that much, though newer flip models might include more up-to-date Wi-Fi and Bluetooth versions. ![]() Only a handful of new flip phones are introduced each year, which means most models are several years old. Their numeric keys aren’t conducive to texting, which is a good thing if you’re trying to simplify your life and reduce your screen time. Lacking a giant touch screen or powerful mobile processor, flip phones are often referred to as “dumb phones” and focus primarily on phone calls. Imagine-you can continue to keep in touch in this ultra-connected world via the simplicity of an old-fashioned “feature” flip phone, a clamshell phone with a small, non-touch display and a physical numerical keypad that were the norm before the iPhone. There is actually a way to exist these days without a smartphone. Cold turkey may be the best and only way to wean yourself or your kids from a smartphone addiction.
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