The Best Android Phones for Seniors in 2025

Device cost: $169 when purchased from Mint Mobile

If you want a phone with a large screen that lets you text, talk, and surf the internet to your heart’s desire, meet the Samsung Galaxy A13, our favorite Android phone for seniors. It has four cameras total, M3/T3 hearing aid compatibility, and up to five days of standby time. That means that, while on a hiking trip without access to electricity, we used it for days before it ran out of battery.

If you have visual impairments, you’ll appreciate the Samsung Galaxy A13’s large screen, which we loved watching videos on. At 6.5 inches long, it made us feel like we were at a movie theater, even if we were just in line at the DMV.

Additionally, we took professional-looking photos through the main camera, which was 5 MP, as well as the three cameras in the back: 50 MP for the main camera, 2 MP for the macro camera, and 2 MP for the depth cameras. This resulted in crisp selfies and amazing landscape shots when we were in the Catskills Mountains. Even in lowlight conditions at dawn, we were still able to capture some beautiful sunrises. With four cameras in this phone total, we left our digital camera at home, lightening our load even more.

We used the Samsung Galaxy A13 for days without charging it, as it has a 38-hour talk time capacity as well as a five-day standby capacity.

We purchased the Samsung Galaxy A13 for $169 from Mint Mobile. With Mint Mobile, 5GB of data starts at $15 a month, while unlimited data costs $30 a month. These are the lowest prices on this list, and all plans include unlimited talk and text. Plus, since we bought the Galaxy A13 from Mint Mobile directly, we got six months free by choosing a six-month plan. It wasn’t until the first six months of service were over that Mint Mobile charged us anything for data. This is the only company we’ve used with such a great offer, which gave us a real incentive to switch from Verizon.

>> Read more: Mint Mobile Senior Phone Plans

Mint Mobile Plans

While this won’t be a deal-breaker for most, the Samsung Galaxy A13 doesn’t work with a wireless charging dock. Rather, we had to plug it in to charge, which may be difficult for someone with vision or manual dexterity issues. If you want a phone you can use with a wireless charging dock, check out the Google Pixel 8, which we detail below.

Despite the lack of wireless charging, the Samsung Galaxy A13 is a smartphone that’s friendly to seniors in terms of accessibility. With a low device cost plus six months of free service from Mint Mobile, it’s our favorite Android for seniors.

Device cost: $149.99 when purchased from Lively

The Jitterbug Smart4 is more than just a smartphone. In addition to Google Play Store access, we paid for features that could protect your loved ones in the event of an emergency.

While the Jitterbug Smart4 is a full-featured Android smartphone, it also includes some optional safety features. For example, on the bottom of the home screen, there was a dedicated Urgent Response button. By pressing this, a user can be connected to a monitoring center, and trained operators can assess the user’s situation and coordinate a response, either contacting EMTs or a nearby loved one for help. To test this feature, we made a series of test calls, and we found that Lively response agents answered our calls in an average of 14 seconds –– a response time that’s comparable to the best medical alert systems.

>> Read more: The Best Medical Alert Systems of 2025

On a design level, the Smart4 is very easy to use. From the homepage, we could click to make a call, send a text, take a photo or video, browse the web, send an email, or get directions. The icons were big and the text was highly readable, as the phones are designed specifically for older adults. No tiny icons here! But despite its simplified design, the Jitterbug Smart4 has all of the features we’ve come to expect from an Android, like access to the Google Play Store.

With the Jitterbug Smart4, pricing is broken into two parts. The first part includes health and safety features as well as calling and texting, which cost anywhere from $19.99 to $49.99 per month. The second part includes data, which costs anywhere from $5 per month for 1 GB of data to $30 per month for unlimited data. In total, plans range from $25.99 to $79.99 per month. If you’re looking for basic service, it can be affordable, but large data allowances and safety features can add up.

To learn more about the various pricing and features of Lively plans, read our guide to Jitterbug phones and plans.

Jitterbug Smart4 Plans

Unfortunately, neither the Jitterbug Smart4 nor Lively cellular plans support 5G service, so while we could still stream videos, listen to music, and browse the web with this phone, we found that those data-heavy tasks were slower than they were on other phones. We definitely prefer the speeds of a 5G phone like the Moto g 5G, which let us stream, video chat, and download apps quickly. Although it has all the features of an Android smartphone, we like the Smart4 more for its safety features than for its web features.

If safety is your number one concern, the Smart4 is the safest option. Not only is it easy to use, but it can also help in case of an emergency. The urgent response button connects to an emergency call center so you or your loved one can get help when it’s needed.

To learn more about our experience with this phone, read our full Jitterbug Smart4 review.

Device cost: $89 when purchased from Consumer Cellular

If you’re looking for an Android phone on a budget, then we’d recommend the Iris Connect, which we bought from Consumer Cellular for only $89. Although its price tag may be low, it still allowed us to talk, text, and browse the internet for 26 hours without needing a charge — a battery life that was comparable to smartphones more than twice this phone’s price.

>> Read more: Consumer Cellular Reviews

Aside from its low price, we loved the performance of the Iris Connect, which worked as smoothly as any other smartphone. From the homepage, it was easy to browse apps on the Google Play Store, go to websites on Chrome, and of course, make calls and send texts.

We used the phone for 26 hours without having to recharge it, and at $89, it’s the cheapest smartphone we’ve ever tested. Compare that to the $839.99 price tag of the Google Pixel 8. Choosing the Iris Connect can save you hundreds!

We bought the Iris Connect from Consumer Cellular, which uses the reliable AT&T network. To say it again, the device costs only $89, an incredibly low price for a smartphone. Plans start at $20 per month and go all the way up to $50 for unlimited data, and all plans include unlimited talk and text plus 5G access, unlike the Jitterbug Smart4.

Consumer Cellular Plans

The Iris Connect selfie camera is only 8 MP, which made us look washed-out and sickly — not at all like the professional photos we took on the Samsung Galaxy A13 and Google Pixel 8. The subpar cameras are likely part of the reason why the Iris Connect is so cheap, but this may not be a deal-breaker for everyone.

Even though it may lack the high-quality camera of more expensive smartphones, if you’re trying to save money, you can’t do much better than the Iris Connect, both in terms of the device cost and the available plans.

To learn more about our experience with this phone, read our full Iris Connect review.

Device cost: $179.99 when purchased from Cricket Wireless

5G is essential if you plan to use your phone for activities that require high-speed data, like streaming Netflix or video chatting with friends. Fortunately, all Cricket Wireless plans for the Moto g 5G work with — you guessed it — 5G.

We loved taking pictures with the Moto g 5G’s multiple cameras. The rear camera was 48 MP, while the front-facing camera was 8 MP. In addition, no matter which plan we chose, we had access to 5G, which meant fast speeds while we were streaming, video chatting, and playing games (specifically, Words With Friends on a plane ride to L.A.). If you plan to use your phone for more than just talking and texting, you won’t be left waiting for things to buffer with the Moto g 5G.

The original price of the Moto g 5G from Cricket Wireless was $179.99. However, when we purchased the phone in February of 2024, Cricket Wireless was offering it for only $49.99, plus $30 or $60 a month for 5 GB or unlimited data, respectively. Technically, this phone is cheaper than the Iris Connect by $50, but this offer is only available to people bringing their existing phone numbers, and the price reduction won’t last forever.

Note that with the top-tier unlimited data plan (which costs $60 a month), we got a 15 GB mobile hot spot. This meant we were able to use our phone’s data to connect other devices to the internet when we were in places without Wi-Fi. For example, when we were in an old-school coffee shop without public Wi-Fi, we used our phone to get internet on our laptop and get some work done.

>> Read more: Cricket Wireless Senior Plans

Cricket Plans

$30 a month is a lot for only 5 GB of data. You could save $5 a month and get the same amount of data with Consumer Cellular, or pay only $15 for 5 GB of data with Mint Mobile’s three-month plan. Although the device itself was cheap, Cricket Wireless isn’t the cheapest option for service.

While the data is slightly more expensive than other networks, we loved the fast speeds and pro cameras of the Moto g 5G.

Device cost: $839.99 when purchased from AT&T

We all have different priorities when shopping for cell phones, but if you want the most high-end tech with the latest artificial intelligence (AI) features, look no further than the Google Pixel 8. Its AI features let us search for images by circling them, combine multiple pictures where someone blinked into one great one where no one blinked, and tell Google Assistant to write our texts for us.

There were so many things we loved about the Google Pixel 8, but we’ll narrow it down to just a few. First, the screen was 6.2 inches long and crystal clear, with 1,080 by 2,400 pixel resolution. Second, there was a 50 MP camera in the back, the highest-quality on this list, plus a 12 MP camera for ultrawide shots. Our videos were in Ultra HD, which made us feel like independent filmmakers, especially when we participated in a Wes Anderson TikTok challenge. These aren’t the grainy videos of cell phones past! But nothing was more impressive than the AI feature, which no other phone on this list includes.

With the Pixel’s AI feature, to find out what mountain we were looking at in a photo a friend sent us, we could just circle it, and Google would find the answer for us. Additionally, the AI could combine several pictures to make a perfect one that didn’t technically exist, and take out background noise in audio recordings. AI seems to be taking over, so if you can’t beat them, why not join them?

The retail price of the Google Pixel 8 from AT&T was $839.99, making it by far the most expensive phone on this list.

With AT&T, all of your plans will include unlimited talk and text. Beyond that, you can pay $50 a month for 4 GB of data, or anywhere from $50.99 to $85.99 for unlimited data. However, you may be able to get a $10 per month discount through your employer or an organization you’re involved with. See if you qualify for the AT&T Signature Program. Or, you can save the same amount with an AARP membership.

>> Read more: AT&T Senior Phone Plans

AT&T Plans

Even with potential discounts, the Pixel 8 isn’t cheap, and many people won’t want to be locked in a three-year contract. Plus, even the cheapest data plan is $50 a month without discounts. There are many cheaper networks available, including Mint Mobile and Consumer Cellular. Those AI features certainly don’t come cheap!

Although it was a bit hard on our wallets, the Google Pixel 8’s AI features make it ideal for anyone who wants to create amazing photos, search for things by circling them, or ask a virtual assistant their every question.