Whether you are looking to save money, reduce distractions, or simply are indulging a bit of nostalgia, it seems that flip phones are catching back on in 2022.
And manufacturers have noticed as well…
This means that if you’re looking to sport a flip phone, you’re no longer left looking for used phones on eBay or dealing with cheap-feeling, budget-friendly prepaids.
In this roundup, we’re going to take a look at the best flip phones of 2022.
Why Choose a Flip Phone?
Sure, smartphones have changed the world forever.
But does that mean the classic designs and limited features of older phone technologies are completely useless?
We don’t think so.
In fact, we’d argue that flip phones (and their less bendy basic phone siblings) have several unique benefits you won’t find on a smartphone.
If you’re on the fence about choosing a flip phone, consider these 7 perks:
1. Battery Life
While some flip phones might lack a few of the features of a smartphone, they also lack a big HD display, a high-speed data connection constantly streaming in notifications and updates, and an endless array of internal sensors gathering information about your phone and how you use it.
This means that whether your phone is on standby in your pocket or bag or you’re talking all day with friends and family, there’s a good chance that your flip phone will last days if not weeks on a single charge.
We’d like to see the latest Samsung Galaxy or Apple iPhone pull that one off!
2. Price
While the flip phone prices vary depending on the model you choose, nearly every option on the market today comes in well below the price of even the cheapest mid-tier smartphone.
Of course, as smart flip phones continue to evolve, that will change a bit. But if you’re looking for a basic phone with a flip design, there’s always an option out there for 1/10th of the price of the latest top-tier smartphones.
Better still, most won’t require lengthy contracts or financing agreements since you can probably afford to pay for them upfront.
3. Tactile Convenience
While touchscreens are great for reading, watching video, or using your phone like a computer, we’d argue that they’re not that great for using your phone as a phone.
Physical dial pads, the ability to flip your phone open to answer a call, and flip it closed again to end a call, and other tactile ways of interacting with your phone simplify the process of using the phone.
4. Durability
Ask anyone you know old enough to have used the classic Nokia candybar phones of the 90s and 00s about how much they abused their phones.
Now think about how many smartphones you’ve replaced due to a shattered screen or had to gingerly handle due to a cracked backplate with sharp edges.
By design, flip phones and basic phones are simply more durable than smartphones because there is less to break, fewer delicate materials, and less weight when they come crashing down to the concrete.
Of course, if you’re looking for something to withstand the elements, a dunk in the pool, or more rigorous abuse, you’ll still want to look at ruggedized options. But for the typical perils of life on the go, a flip phone will survive things a smartphone won’t.
5. Fewer Distractions
Think about the number of people you see walking down the street mindless staring at their phones. There’s even a good chance you’ve committed some embarrassing blunder in public because you were peeking at your phone.
I know I have…
Flip phones reduce the potential of this happening by getting rid of that endless stream of notifications, social media posts, and attention-grabbing content. You can still keep up with all those things on your tablet or laptop. But when you’re out and about, your phone allows you to stay more in the moment and less in the digital world.
6. Portability
Even the smaller smartphones today tend to sport 5+ inch displays. Some of the larger phones could be described as small tablets without much argument.
This means that slipping your phone in your pocket, holding it in your hand, and otherwise interacting with it is often something you always have to be very mindful of unless you want a smashed paperweight you paid hundreds of dollars for.
Flip phones, on the other hand, will fit in the pocket of about any pair of jeans, hide easily in the palm of your hand, a weigh next to nothing while you’re using it. Even better, they’re designed for one-handed use.
7. Privacy & Security
This benefit has a few facets. At the most basic level, if you’re hammering out a text you don’t want others seeing, the smaller display on a flip phone makes it much harder for people to snoop over your shoulder.
But at a software level, flip phones are much simpler than their smartphone counterparts. This means that they’re inherently less prone to security concerns. There are also fewer sensors, apps, and services reporting in on your every move and how you use your phone.
This means that your phone is a communications tool again instead of a spy feeding marketers a bunch of information about you. It also provides malicious people fewer opportunities to compromise your phone or steal your information.
How We Picked
The picks in this buyer’s guide are what we think are the best flip phones for most people.
We selected these models based on analysis of expert reviews from around the web, user feedback on sites like Amazon, forum comments on our site, social media discussions, and more.
We compared the things most people consider when purchasing a basic phone.
In short, we did the research — so you don’t have to.
When answering the question, “What’s the best flip phone for the average user?”, we considered the following primary criteria:
A Strong Battery
A phone is only useful if it has a charge. While standby battery life is often better on basic phones, we wanted to make sure that you could get through a day or two without hunting for a charge.
Basic Features
Calling, texting, and picture messages felt like a great baseline for standard phone use. This also means that unless noted in the description, these picks won’t sit and vibrate or chime all day and distract you.
Easy to Find
While you can buy a smartphone just about anywhere these days, basic phones are getting harder to come by. For that reason, we chose picks that you can easily pick up online or that you might find at a local carrier store.
Solid Reviews
Let’s face it, most basic phones sit at the bottom end of the price scale. And when prices get that low, quality can get sketchy. We scoured online reviews for each of our picks to be sure that you won’t find weak hinges, dim screens, tinny speakers, or other surprises.
Common Questions
You Can Still Buy Flip Phones?
Definitely! In fact, you can probably find a handful at your favorite gas station or big box retailer. You’ve just likely never noticed them because they’re not the latest and greatest option. As such, they tend to be tucked off away from the shinier — and more expensive — models or relegated over to the prepaid section.
Prefer to shop online? Our round up features several best-in-class options, but with flip phones rising in popularity, more models are hitting online retailers such as Amazon every day. A quick search might find you something you’d love even more.
The most important thing to consider in most cases is network support. Many older flip phones only supported 2G and 3G networks — both of which are either phased out or being phased out by the majority of service providers in 2021. So if you want to use your phone a while, try to find an option with 4G or 5G connectivity.
Recap
- Best Modern Flip for Productivity, Best Flip Phone for Students, Largest Flip Phone Screen: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3
- Best Basic Flip Phone for Most Users, Best Budget-Friendly Flip Phone: Alcatel GO Flip 4
- Best Senior Flip Phone with Health Services: TCL Lively Flip
- Most Stylish Basic Flip Phone: Nokia 2760 Flip
- Best Rugged Flip for Worksites, Best Rugged Flip for Businesses: CAT S22 Flip
- Alternative Flip Phone Pick: Kyocera DuraXE Epic
- Best Compact Modern Flip Phone, Best Smart Flip Phone for Most Users: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3
- Best Premium Rugged Flip, Best Rugged Flip Warranty: Sonim XP3plus
