Flip phones may feel like a thing of the past, especially for people who are always scrambling to get the newest smartphone.
However, they’re still an incredibly popular gadget. Many people happily choose a flip phone for their daily use.
The ideal flip phone for you will work with your preferred wireless company, meet your budgetary requirements and offer all the features you need to stay in touch with colleagues as well as loved ones.
If you’ve been considering purchasing a new phone, we’ve found the best flip phones on the market to help keep you connected.
Top Flip Phones
Whether you are loyal to a certain wireless carrier, need an extended battery life or have a certain aesthetic you are looking for, there’s a flip phone out there for you. Here are our top picks.
1. AT&T Cingular Flip 4
The AT&T Cingular Flip 4 is great for people looking to marry their interests in smartphones and flip phones. Android lovers in particular will enjoy this phone since it’s made specifically for Android.
It also features a long battery life and can utilize many of the features of a smartphone, such as YouTube on mobile.
This device is a combination of a flip phone and smartphone, giving you many of the same benefits.
However, one important con to note is that this phone only works if you are using AT&T as your carrier. Other plans and providers will not be able to use this phone.
If you’re an AT&T customer and you intend to purchase a flip phone, this might be your best bet. With an extremely low price, long battery life and an included SIM and SIM key, you’ll have everything you need.
Key Features:
Included SIM and SIM keySmart flip phone
Pros
Long battery lifeLow-cost
2. SAMSUNG Galaxy Flip 3
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SAMSUNG Galaxy Flip 3
Flex Your Best Angle: With Flex Mode, just unfold your mobile phone’s screen to your best angle for…A Camera That Goes Steady: Thanks to Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3’s Super Steady feature, you can just set it…
The SAMSUNG Galaxy Flip 3 is undoubtedly an upgrade feature-wise over the AT&T Cingular Flip 4, though it costs more. It is a true smartphone, folding in half at the center for easy storage and portability.
The camera is much higher quality than most flip phones, on par with the average smartphone.
With its two screens, you can launch two different apps at once to play on each half. This type of feature is extremely helpful for multitasking and editing pictures even as you take them.
With a compact design, a high-quality camera and a wide array of color options, this is a great flip phone for any use. If you want to maintain most of the smartphone benefits while getting the key benefits of a flip phone, this is the phone for you.
Key Features:
Two separate screensUltra-compact
Pros
Excellent cameraSmartphone capabilitiesCharges quickly
3. Kyocera DuraXV Extreme E4810
Kyocera DuraXV Extreme E4810
Intelligent, compact and virtually indestructible, the ultra-rugged DuraXV Extreme performs under even…Military Standard 810G for dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, blowing rain, low pressure,…
Moving from smartphone-like flip phones into “true” flip phones, our first option is the Kyocera DuraXV Extreme E4810.
This phone’s selling point is that it’s extremely rugged, performing under hostile conditions perfectly fine. The military standard 810G helps with dust, shock, vibration and more.
The Kyocera DuraXV is drop-proof up to five feet and waterproof up to 6.5 feet. A rubberized housing helps defend it against freezing, icing, salt, humidity and high-pressure situations.
Overall, it’s a highly rugged phone that can do what you need it to do for communication while fighting off the most intense conditions you can find.
The tradeoff is that this phone doesn’t do much past communications. If you need something with apps to help power your day-to-day, this phone won’t have most of that functionality.
Still, if you need to communicate in rough conditions, this phone will do the job perfectly.
Key Features:
Excellent communicationSturdy in all conditions
Pros
Extremely sturdyStands up to any condition
4. Motorola Razr 2019 XT2000-1
Motorola is one of the first brands that comes to mind when discussing flip phones. Their Razr 2019 XT2000-1 is one of the many reasons why that’s the case.
If you want a refurbished phone at a lower price and that offers excellent performance, look no further.
Operating on Android, this phone uses Verizon Wireless as a carrier. With a foldable touchscreen, it’s similar to a smartphone while remaining compact and easy to use.
However, it isn’t quite as rugged as some other flip phones, raising some stability concerns if you intend to use it in a harsh environment.
Key Features:
RefurbishedAndroid-operated
Pros
Foldable touchscreenReputable brand
Cons
Fragile under harsh conditions
5. UNIWA 4G Flip Phone
UNIWA 4G Flip Phone
📱EASY TO USE – Our unlocked flip phones for seniors features a large screen, big buttons, Speed-dials,…📱BATTERY & DOCK – 2250mAh battery, this cell phone for elderly can be used up to 6 hours talking and…
One of the biggest audiences for flip phones is the senior community, and the UNIWA is made specifically with that audience in mind.
The UNIWA 4G flip phone is made to remedy many issues that come with old age, such as declining vision and arthritis. The larger buttons on this phone are easier to see and press.
Additionally, this phone is compatible with hearing aids. Large volume buttons are easy to change, the charging dock is simple to use and the SOS feature is great in an emergency.
Overall, it’s an excellent, minimal-feature phone for people who are happy to swap extra perks for usability.
Key Features:
Easy-to-useSOS capability
Pros
Simple charging dockLarge buttons
6. LG – Exalt 4G LTE VN220
Our second refurbished phone on this list, the LG Exalt 4G LTE VN220, is a fantastic phone to have that won’t break the bank.
While silver is the only available color, you could always find a phone case that provides an aesthetic you like if silver isn’t preferable.
With 8GB of memory and the option to purchase more, this phone can hold everything you need without issue.
Even though its features are rather stripped back, there’s no shortage of usability. With an easy, compact form factor, taking the phone wherever you need without any sort of portability issues is a major plus.
Whether you’re on a job site or carrying the phone for everyday use, the Exalt is an excellent addition to your arsenal of gadgets.
Key Features:
Cons
Only available in silverMinimal features
7. Ushining 3G Flip Phone
Ushining 3G Flip Phone
【Carrier】Ushining 3G flip cell phone, work with prepaid sim card like AT&T 3G, T-Mobile 3G/2G or any…【Super Convenient】Easy to Charge the Phone(Charge by the Charging Dock Or Line Imediately ) Nice flip…
As far as phones on a budget go, the Ushining 3G flip phone is the winner on this list. For an extremely low price, this phone offers everything you need to communicate.
It’s an excellent phone for senior citizens and is made with them in mind.
Like the UNIWA 4G, this phone uses larger buttons and an easy-to-use charging dock to make use as simple as possible. However, the tradeoff is a phone with fewer features than most modern phones.
It also still uses 3G in a time where most phones have moved up to 5G. If your only use for the phone is to communicate, though, this is likely the winner. Combined with the low price, there are very few phones that are more accessible.
Key Features:
Large buttonsSizable charging dock
Pros
Easy to useSimple charging dockExtremely cheap
8. Nokia 6300 4G
Nokia 6300 4G
Keep the conversations flowing with WhatsApp and FacebookStream what you like, when you like on YouTube
Though technically not a flip phone, the Nokia 6300 4G is popular among flip phone users. This is because they share similar features and use cases, with this phone being much more sturdy than the average phone.
In addition, it holds many of the features of a modern smartphone, such as being able to work as a Wifi hotspot. Given the cheap price tag, this feature alone is one of the best reasons to buy it even if you intend not to use it as a phone.
With dual SIM features, this phone also helps power all of your social media and other apps. Thanks to its social applications, Google Maps and even AI assistance, the smooth performance of this phone fulfills any need.
The only drawback is that this phone only works with GSM carriers. Verizon and Verizon subsidiaries cannot use this phone. Make sure to confirm that your carrier is compatible with this phone before you order it.
Key Features:
Wifi HotspotWorks with GSM carriers
Pros
Low costSmartphone capabilities
9. Alcatrel GO FLIP 4044 4G LTE
Alcatrel GO FLIP 4044 4G LTE
Unlocked for all carriers means that it is compatible with all service providers like AT&T, T-Mobile,…Phone does NOT include sim card, you must get one from your service provider. Phone comes with charger,…
Another phone made with seniors in mind, the Alcatrel GO FLIP 4044 4G LTE provides everything necessary for communication. That said, it doesn’t offer much beyond these features.
Users will enjoy the same large buttons and easy-to-use layout to help make using this phone as easy as possible.
Since it’s unlocked, this phone is also usable with any carrier. This lets you switch over without any difficulty.
However, the phone does not include a SIM card, so you’ll need to supply one when you get the phone.
With everything considered, this phone is a fantastic option for communication without being bogged down by unnecessary features.
Key Features:
Pros
Ideal for seniorsEasy-to-use
10. Uleway Unlocked Flip Phone 3G
The final option on our list of the best flip phones is the Uleway Flip Phone 3G. Like several other phones, this one includes large buttons and easy-to-use features, making it excellent for seniors or kids.
The Uleway also includes the SOS features in case of emergency.
However, a big drawback is that it is not available for Verizon or Sprint users. Working primarily as a prepaid phone, this is a great option for vacations or places where you may not want to take your primary phone, such as a worksite.
Beyond this, the Uleway has excellent battery life, built-in Bluetooth and a bright flashlight. It’s highly convenient for any use case and comes at an extremely low price to make it a fantastic backup phone.
Key Features:
Long battery lifeBluetooth capable
Pros
Great for kids or seniorsSOS features
Cons
Not available for Verizon or Sprint
Why Use a Flip Phone?
You might be wondering why flip phones are still used at all. As many of our listings suggest, there are a wide variety of reasons why a flip phone is better than a smartphone in some situations.
One of the most dominant reasons is for senior citizens who may not want the newer, more complex phones.
While many of the newer generations enjoy having a phone that can do virtually anything, others prefer to have their phone simply be a phone. Though some flip phones are capable of running applications, most are not.
Streamlining things in this manner helps make flip phones much more desirable not just for senior citizens but also for kids.
For example, some parents don’t want to give their kids access to social media, or they may have other hesitations over giving their children a smartphone. For these situations, a flip phone is significantly better.
Finally, flip phones are generally more rugged and sturdy than the average smartphone. This can make them much more desirable in harsh conditions such as a construction site or for other such outdoor hazards.
Summary
Whatever your reasons for using a flip phone may be, these products are some of the best ones on the market.
Take the time to evaluate what carrier you plan to use, the features you need and your budget. This will help you narrow down which options are ideal for you.