Not everyone wants a phone that gets online, has a range of apps or costs more than a couple of hundred dollars. Fortunately, there are a range of "dumb phones" available whether you just want to make calls and send texts, want one for a family member or are de-cluttering your digital life.
Best retro phone: Nokia 8210 4G
RRP AU$141.95
This candybar phone checks all the boxes for a simple phone with a retro feel.
- 4G LTE connectivity, classic telephone (T9) keypad
- Large battery with up 27 days of standby time
- Comes in sand, dark blue and red
View on Amazon
This Nokia feature phone brings together the best parts of a familiar candybar design with connectivity for today's modern world.
With a solid battery, you get weeks of battery time when you're not using the device constantly.
Best budget dumb phone: Nokia 110 4G
RRP AU$79
Forget retro styling this dumb phone is as simple as it gets (and budget-friendly too).
- 4G LTE connectivity, classic telephone (T9) keypad
- Large battery with up to 18.5 days of standby time
- Comes in blue and purple
View on Amazon
You've already seen dumb phones don't have to break the bank but the Nokia 110 4G has you sorted for less than $100. It has enough of a nostalgic feel without being styled after any old model in particular.
Best phone for seniors: Easyfone T100 4G LTE
RRP AU$140.18
Easyfone is designed purposefully with seniors in mind.
- 4G LTE connectivity, large buttons and a designated SOS button with GPS positions
- Up to 96 hours of battery life, comes with a charging dock for easy charging
- Loud speakers and hearing aid compatible
View on Amazon
Easyfone's T100 is built with accessibility at the forefront. Large buttons make typing easier and messages are clear on a 2-inch colour display. A special SOS button can be used in emergencies to alert loved ones.
It comes with a charging dock which makes remembering to charge simple.
Best flip phone: Nokia 2660
RRP AU$129
Nokia shines in the dumb phone department with another retro-style phone, this time in the classic flip phone style.
- 4G LTE connectivity, classic telephone (T9) keypad, flip form factor with front screen display
- Up to 11 days of battery life, supports hearing aids and has an emergency button to quickly contact up to five people
- Comes in a variety of shades including pink, green, blue, black and red
View on Amazon
This Nokia feature phone doesn't just riff on the flip phone resurgence it has features that make it a handy option for children and seniors alike including an emergency contact button.
It's low price point makes it ideal for those who just need a phone to stay in touch.
Best novelty phone: HMD Barbie Phone
RRP AU$199
The very real and actually working Barbie phone from your dreams.
- 4G LTE connectivity, classic telephone (T9) keypad
- Barbie-themed "Malibu" Snake
- Comes with a range of Barbie-themed accessories including covers, stickers and charms.
View on Amazon
HMD has the dumb phone design locked down leaving it confident enough to make the foray into a novelty handset such as this. The HMD Barbie phone can call and text and has a few fun easter eggs - punch in "BARBIE" on the keypad.
It's worth noting, of all the dumb phones in this guide this one probably has the least exciting camera at just 0.3MP. It will certainly add a certain 2000s aesthetic to anything you shoot.
Best minimalist phone: Light Phone II
RRP US$299
The Light Phone II comes with an elegant, minimalist aesthetic.
- 4G LTE connectivity, E Ink screen similar to an e-reader
- Ideal for minimalists with no online access (e.g. emails, social media)
- Up to two days of battery usage
View on Light Phone
Minimalists will love the Light Phone II for its simplicity. Minimalism is the focus but it's not without some handy basic features.
Apart from phone calls and texts the device currently comes with a calendar, GPS, notes, a calculator, a simple music player and a podcasts tool. However, it will never support internet browsing, news or email as part of the brand's commitment for the phone to be used "as little as possible".
The E Ink display gives the phone a unique feel with a visual quality that isn't unlike ink on paper. It also uses less power than a regular LED display. With an E Ink display there's no glare in the sun.
How we picked the best dumb phones
To select the best dumb phones in this guide we considered the following:
- Connectivity. With the 3G network shutting down in Australia later this year we only included devices with 4G and VoLTE. This way you can be confident they'll keep working. Each phone is also unlocked so it will work with any Australian carrier.
- "Dumb" OS. We only looked at phones that don't run Android OS. While it's possible to find a cheap Android device we wanted to make sure that these phones qualified for the title of being a dumb phone.
What is a dumb phone?
In today's vernacular, a dumb phone is the counterpart to a smartphone. In the past, they've also been called "brick phones" because of their rectangular design or otherwise bulky frame compared to thin, long smartphones. Originally, these somewhat vintage phones were sold as "feature phones". They were so-called because they had more features than just being able to call compared to the first mobile phones.
Dumb phones come in a couple of distinct form factors including the classic flip style or the candybar shape. A dumb phone might lack some of the features people have come to love e.g. games, navigation, music players but also some of the things people find distracting like social media apps.
Dumb phones are ideal for those who just want a phone that sends and receives calls and texts and not much else. They typically start around $100.
Phone plans for dumb phones
If you're someone using a dumb phone chances are, you don't want a plan with a lot of data.
Here are the cheapest SIM-only plans in WhistleOut's database:
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#1
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iiNet
25GB Small Plan
$12.50
Per 1 Month Renewal
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#2
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TPG
25GB Small Plan
$12.50
Per 1 Month Renewal
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#3
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SpinTel
$22 Mobile Plan
$14/mth
Min. cost $14
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#4
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iiNet
50GB Medium Plan
$17.50
Per 1 Month Renewal
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#5
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TPG
50GB Medium Plan
$17.50
Per 1 Month Renewal
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#6
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Lebara Mobile
$19.90 Extra Small Plan
$19.90
Per 30 Day Renewal
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#7
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Yomojo
Unlimited Voice & SMS + 8GB
$19.90
Per 30 Day Renewal
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#8
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Kogan Mobile
Small Monthly Plan
$20
Per 1 Month Renewal
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Alternatively, there's also the option of a long-expiry plan which allows you to pay for a whole load of data upfront. This can end up cheaper especially if you use a small amount of data each month.
Here are the cheapest long-expiry plans in our database:
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#1
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Catch Connect
365 Day Plan - 200GB
$149
Per 365 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#2
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Coles Mobile
Prepaid $195 for 365 Days
$149
Per 365 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#3
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Kogan Mobile
Small - 365 Day Flex Plan
$150
Per 365 Day Renewal
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#4
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Lebara Mobile
Extra Small Plan - 360 Days
$160
Per 360 Day Renewal
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#5
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Kogan Mobile
Large - 365 Day Flex Plan
$169
Per 365 Day Renewal
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#6
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Lebara Mobile
Medium Plan - 360 Days
$179
Per 360 Day Renewal
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#7
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Lyca Mobile
Large - Long Expiry Plan
$180
Per 12 Month Renewal
Link not supplied
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#8
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Kogan Mobile
Medium - 365 Day Flex Plan
$190
Per 365 Day Renewal
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#9
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Vodafone
$320 Prepaid Plus Starter Pack
$199
Per 365 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#10
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Lebara Mobile
Small Plan - 360 Days
$200
Per 360 Day Renewal
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Dumb phone FAQs
Can I turn my iPhone into a dumb phone?
Yes, it's possible to simulate the feel of a dumb phone with an iPhone or several other smartphones.
You can start by deleting all the apps you don't want to use and then disable its browser which is Safari by default. For a minimalist aesthetic, you can even be able to change the display to greyscale which removes all colour.
Certain companies have made an effort to recreate a dumb phone style with existing smartphones. "Brick" for example, sells a tile that works with screentime on your iPhone to lock certain apps away with a tap so you can't use them until you tap again.
Can a dumb phone run WhatsApp?
Some dumb phones may be able to run WhatsApp but you would need to check before you buy. In some cases, WhatsApp can be run over the web. Not all dumbphones support group messages.
The dumb phones in this guide do not support WhatsApp but the Light Phone II does support group texts.
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