Not everyone wants the latest, greatest, most expensive smartphone. Many older phone users still prefer the simplicity of a push-button handset, while others aren’t particularly interested in running apps or using the web. If that’s how you feel, there’s little point spending a fortune on the latest iPhone, when a refurbished or entry-level handset will be plenty good enough.
But with such a wide choice, how do you find the right balance of features, price and ease of use? And should you buy a new feature phone, or save more money and get a certified refurbished smartphone? Our guide to mobile phones for older users will help you out.
If you like to keep things simple, you’ll be pleased to know there’s still a good choice of straightforward mobile phones with push buttons. These so-called feature phones are cheaper and more straightforward than a smartphone, and their battery tends to last for much longer on a single charge. Standard feature phones are often perfectly good for older users, but if you need extra help there are versions with bigger screens or buttons, and even an emergency response feature.
If you’ve never had a smartphone, you may be firmly against getting one, or you may be beginning to wonder if you’re missing out. There’s no doubt that smartphones are more complicated than simple push-button handsets - instead of familiar buttons to open up your address book, make calls or write a text message, you get a touch screen and a pile of applications.
To a large extent, whether this is a good or bad thing depends on your interest in learning something new. Smartphone apps can help you find your way around the world, manage your banking or shopping, and connect you to huge libraries of music, TV and films. Apps like FaceTime or Zoom can help keep you in touch with friends and family, while family members can use other apps or features to help look after you. Smartphones typically have great cameras, too!
But these benefits aren’t much use if you find the phone difficult to use, and it simply ends up switched off most of the time. If you don’t want the hassle of learning a new gadget, stick with a simple handset that you’ll be happy using. And if you are considering a smartphone, buy a cheap or refurbished one first so you can see if it’s for you. In this guide, we’ve gathered good examples of both. We’ll explain what makes each a good phone for older users, and whether there’s anything else to consider before buying.
One thing has changed hugely since the days of the push-button phone: every modern smartphone now has powerful accessibility and simplicity features built in, free. If a touchscreen phone once felt daunting, these make a real difference.
On Samsung Galaxy phones, Easy Mode switches the whole phone to a simpler layout with bigger text, larger icons and a cleaner home screen, so it feels far less busy and much easier to find your way around.
On iPhone, Assistive Access strips the phone right back to large buttons and just a handful of essential apps like Calls, Messages and Camera, turning a modern iPhone into something as simple as you like.
Both Android and iPhone offer Emergency SOS to call for help and alert loved ones at the press of a button, work with modern hearing aids, and let you crank up text size and make audio louder and clearer.
With all that in mind, here are the best phones for older users you can buy on Mozillion right now, from the simplest handset up to an easy-to-use smartphone.
Why buy? A simple push-button phone for calls and texts.
If you just want to call and text without a touchscreen in sight, the One Touch 4021 is exactly that. It’s a classic keypad phone with proper tactile buttons, a small, clear screen and a simple menu, so there’s nothing to learn and nothing to go wrong.
Its battery is its secret weapon, lasting days rather than hours and up to a week and a half on standby, so there’s far less chance of it going flat when you need it. There are no apps and no internet, which for many older users is precisely the point.
At around £25 it is also wonderfully cheap, making it ideal as a main phone for someone who wants pure simplicity, or as a rugged backup to keep in a bag or the car.
Why buy? An easy, affordable first smartphone with a big screen.
If you’re ready to dip a toe into smartphones without spending much, the TCL 60R 5G is a gentle, low-cost way in. From around £120 you get a large, clear screen that is easy to read, a battery that lasts well and 5G for quick browsing, video calls and photos of the grandchildren.
Because it runs Android, you can turn on larger text, bolder icons and Google’s full set of accessibility tools, and it handles FaceTime-style video calls, messaging and the odd app without complication. It won’t win awards for speed or its camera, but it is a friendly, no-pressure phone to learn on.
At this price, if it doesn’t suit you, you haven’t lost much, which makes it the ideal try-before-you-commit smartphone.
Why buy? A trusted name with a big, clear screen and Easy Mode.
If you’d rather have a smartphone from a brand you know, the Galaxy A27 5G is a dependable, affordable choice. It has a large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen that is bright, sharp and genuinely easy to read, 5G for quick video calls, and a big 5,000mAh battery to see out the day.
Samsung’s Easy Mode makes the whole phone simpler at a tap, with bigger text, larger icons and an uncluttered home screen, while Emergency SOS and hearing-aid support are built in. It feels a cut above the budget crowd without the price or complication of a flagship.
From around £250 it is a reassuring step up for anyone who wants a proper, name-brand smartphone that stays easy to live with.
Why buy? The brightest, clearest screen for tired eyes.
If reading the screen is your main concern, the Galaxy A57 5G is the pick of the bunch. Its 6.7-inch Super AMOLED gets exceptionally bright, up to 1,900 nits, so it stays crisp and readable even outdoors in sunshine, which makes a real difference as eyes get older.
It is the most capable phone of the Samsungs here, with a 50MP camera with optical stabilisation for steadier photos, a 5,000mAh battery with fast charging and IP68 water resistance. You still get Easy Mode, Emergency SOS and hearing-aid support, and Samsung backs it with up to seven years of updates.
From around £350 it feels genuinely premium while staying every bit as easy to use as its cheaper siblings.
Why buy? A familiar, affordable iPhone with Assistive Access.
If your family are iPhone users, or you simply want the easiest route to FaceTime calls with the grandchildren, the iPhone 15 is a lovely, affordable way in. It is a familiar, polished phone with a bright, clear 6.1-inch screen, a great camera and years of updates still ahead of it.
What makes it so good for older users is Apple’s Assistive Access, which can transform the iPhone into a wonderfully simple phone with large buttons and just the apps you need. Add Emergency SOS, Made-for-iPhone hearing-aid support and Apple’s class-leading accessibility tools, and family members can even help set it up remotely. Apple no longer sells it new, but Mozillion still does, so it is keenly priced.
It is one of the pricier phones here, but for a confident learner, or anyone already comfortable with an iPad, it is a reassuring, future-proof choice. Just add a sturdy case.
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