The 11 Best Basic Cell Phones of 2019

The inclusion of a full QWERTY keyboard on ZTE’s Z432 AT&T-ready cell phone is a true highlight that offers the benefits of a smartphone-style keyboard without weighing it down with too many extras. Featuring a 2.4-inch display, 4.5 hours of talk time (10 days on standby) and a rear-facing camera, the Z432 offers a four-way navigation key right in the middle of the device for quickly accessing shortcuts or navigating the phone’s menu. The two-megapixel camera on the rear of the device and QVGA camcorder won’t win any awards for quality, but it’ll more than happily capture memories of friends and family right on the device or the separately purchased microSD card. Running on AT&T’s 3G network, the Z432 offers nationwide flexibility as a go-anywhere, anytime device with a keyboard that helps you easily punch out quick messaging or emails. Take a look at other product reviews and shop for the best text messaging phones​ available online.

While its slide-out keyboard might be attractive for text messaging, the LG Xpression 2 has a three-inch display, which makes it a terrific basic cell phone for browsing the Web. The Xpression 2 offers a host of basic features without jumping into smartphone territory. Keeping up to date with social networking, looking up movie times or just checking the news is easy with AT&T’s Mobile Web service on the three-inch WQVGA touchscreen display that accurately responds to fingertip touches. The 2MP camera on the rear adds a camcorder for video recording. The phone also includes both “zoom” and “night” camera features for a little extra oomph with every photo. The included music player adds easy access to add your favorite songs to accompany you while you’re walking around town or around the block. The 1,000 mAh battery allows for 3.45 hours of talking time with up to 16 days and six hours of standby time before requiring a re-charge.

This phone is the only one on our list that's powered by AT&T’s HSDPA 3G network. 3G service is already being phased out by Verizon and, while AT&T hasn't announced a phase-out as of the time of this writing, be warned that this service may not be available for the long-term. If you're looking for a phone you can use indefinitely into the future, it's probably a better idea to choose one that has the newer 4G LTE or 5G network compatibility.

You can also read through our full list of the best text messaging phones available today.

Like Samsung’s Rugby 4 for AT&T, the Convoy 3 is another military-spec rugged flip phone that is capable of withstanding tough environments, in addition to being water-resistant, dustproof and more. Right out of the box you’ll notice dual-microphones that will work to cancel out external sound to maintain call clarity. As a bonus, Convoy 3 owners will have hands-free convenience options available to call, send messages and redial a number all without picking up the device. The Convoy 3 also has a 2.4-inch display on the outside, as well as a battery that allows for 6.5 hours of talk time. The Convoy works with Verizon’s CDMA network and is not available for any other carrier. Take a look at other product reviews and shop for the best Samsung phones​ available online. 

Supported by Verizon’s nationwide LTE network, the Exalt is a simply-designed phone that’s great for making calls. It has a three-inch 400 x 240 LCD screen and a 5MP camera that can snap good-looking photos and capture HD-quality video, plus 8GB of internal memory to hold those files to store them (storage can be expanded up to 32GB with a microSD card). The numbers on the keypad are also easy to press, and the navigation toggle allows you to intuitively scroll through the menu system.

Alongside the stand-out camera is a high-fidelity speaker, which makes your calls sound loud and clear through Verizon's HD voice network. That Exalt can also be used as a mobile hotspot to share your network connection with other devices, which makes this phone a great combination of basic functionality and new technology.

See more reviews of our favorite LG phones​ available for purchase.

Delivering nothing but the essentials, Alcatel’s Go Flip is an ideal option for anyone who just wants the basics. The intuitive interface takes only minutes to master, and the large buttons are easy to see and operate even one-handed. The design itself is super basic — on the outside is a small color display that displays message notifications and calls. The 2.8-inch main screen is large enough to read messages and display phone numbers in large text for those with impaired vision.

Running on T-Mobile’s nationwide LTE network, signal coverage is strong. Battery life is another highpoint with up to 6.5 hours of talk time and up to 11 days of standby. It also has a mobile hotspot so you can tether other devices like tablets or computers to your wireless network while on the go.

If you want a basic, inexpensive device but need more functionality than a flip phone can offer, the Nokia 1 is a great in-between option. With a small, 4.5-inch display, it’s got plenty of room for web browsing, games, and apps, and it can still easily fit in your pocket. It has a plastic build but still feels solid and, with a removable back cover, it’s possible to switch up the covers for a little personalization.

Running Android 8.1 software, this phone gives you full access to Google’s Play Store. That means millions of apps are at your disposal, and with 8GB of storage, there’s room for quite a few downloads along with pictures and video from the cameras. The software is also optimized to run on less expensive hardware so performance is solid.

With a 2150mAh battery, there’s more than enough power to last the whole day with average use. Charging the battery all the way from zero takes just under four hours, which is in line with other non-fast charging devices. 

If you just want to make calls, then Alcatel’s QuickFlip is a smart choice for the budget phone shopper. Inside the compact design is a 1350mAh battery that delivers eight hours of talk time alongside 16 days of standby. That’s among the best battery life you’ll find in today’s basic phones. As for the design, it's a pretty straightforward device: a 1.44-inch TFT display on the outside displays the time and date along with caller ID. Inside, the 2.8-inch QVGA display is brightly lit and easy to see outdoors. The "budget" features are most evident in the camera, which is an unimpressive 2MP, and the very minimal 4GB of storage — not great if you want to take photos or store much media.

Running on both AT&T and T-Mobile’s LTE networks, there’s plenty of speed to be had. It's also Wi-Fi compatible, though most users will opt for the cellular signal. No matter which carrier you choose, HD voice gives you crystal-clear calls.

Connected to Consumer Cellular’s LTE network for nationwide coverage, the Doro 7050 is a simple flip phone that's super easy to use. The best feature of all is Doro’s roomy keypad, which is ideal for anyone with impaired vision. The monochrome LCD screen on the front displays the date, time, and caller ID, and the 2.8-inch interior display offers large fonts that can even be read in sunlight.

Utilizing AT&T’s LTE network, the Doro gets a great signal. Calls come through loud and clear with HD voice quality, though it can't make Wi-Fi calls without some additional hardware.

The Doro also has an added feature that makes it a favorite on our list: this phone has a dedicated emergency button on the back that instantly calls a pre-programmed number if pressed three times. This might also be a handy addition for kids that need a quick way to call their parents, or it can be programmed to call 911 as a kind of emergency "speed dial."

If all you need out of a phone is a strong signal and long battery life, then you should check out the Kyocera Cadence. Working on Verizon’s LTE network, the Kyocera is a great phone for voice calls, delivering HD audio quality so you don't miss a word. It also has dual-mic noise cancellation so callers on the other end of the line will hear almost no background noise. As an added bonus, the Cadence has a voice dialing feature for hands-free calling, a functionality that most smartphones now have. Ultimately, the real highlight of the Cadence is its whopping 7.2 hours of talk time and 16.3 hours of standby. That’s more than enough battery life to last for days and days with average use. 

The phone's minimal design makes it easy to use one-handed, with large, thumb-friendly keys. The 2.4-inch QVGA screen is big enough to comfortably browse photos and texts from friends and family. As is the downside of most flip phones, the 2MP camera is pretty low-quality, so don't expect this to replace a point-and-shoot camera.

Rugged to the core, the Kyocera DuraXE is a basic phone that’s built to last. The phone only offers the bare essentials, but it’s a great option for voice calls when paired with AT&T’s reliable nationwide LTE network. The real highlight of this device is unquestionably its durable frame, which is both waterproof and dustproof. It also has great call and ringer volume —dual-front speakers make it super easy to hear your ringtone or someone else's voice in a noisy restaurant or a sporting event.

There are some smarts to this phone as well. Loaded with Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, and Wi-Fi, the DuraXE has a rough web browser for basic internet. The phone can be set up to be used as a mobile hotspot to create an internet connection for a few friends or family.

The interface is also as user-friendly as it gets with a simple layout that's easy to learn. There’s even an option in the menu to choose the function of the side button, so you can use it as a shortcut to the camera, calculator, etc.