In a hurry? The Doro 8100 is our top pick for most people. It's an easy-to-use Android smartphone with a simplified interface, loud speaker, hearing-aid compatibility, and an SOS button on the back. Costs around £150 SIM-free.
What to Look For in an Elderly Phone
Choosing a phone for your mum or dad doesn't need to be overwhelming. There are really only a handful of things that matter — and they're probably not the same things you'd look for in your own phone. Here's what to prioritise.
Our Top 5 Phone Picks for 2026
We've spent weeks testing these phones — making calls, texting, adjusting settings, and handing them to older family members for honest feedback. Here are our five favourites, ranked by overall value and ease of use.
1. Doro 8100
Best Overall- Simplified Android interface with big, clear icons
- Large 6.1" display — easy to read in any light
- Hearing-aid compatible (HAC M3/T3)
- Dedicated SOS button on the back
- Full access to Google Play Store
- Doro Connect & Care companion app for family
- Camera is only basic — fine for snapshots, not much more
- No NFC for contactless payments
- Can feel sluggish with many apps open
"The Doro 8100 strikes the perfect balance between a smartphone and something your mum can actually use without calling you every five minutes. The simplified home screen shows big, clear icons and the companion app lets you manage settings from your own phone."
Check Price at Amazon →2. Emporia SMART.4
Best Display- Brilliant 5.5" display with vivid colours
- Physical number pad and touchscreen combined
- Printed training book included in the box
- WhatsApp pre-installed and ready to use
- Dedicated emergency button
- Removable battery — easy to replace
- Slightly bulkier than average smartphones
- Limited app selection on Emporia's own store
- Camera quality is lower than competitors
"What we love about the Emporia SMART.4 is that it comes with a printed training booklet — not a PDF, an actual book. For someone who's nervous about using a smartphone for the first time, that makes all the difference."
Check Price at Amazon →3. Doro 6880
Best Simple Phone- Large physical buttons — no touchscreen fumbling
- Incredibly loud speaker (hear it across the room)
- Hearing-aid compatible (HAC M3/T3)
- Dedicated SOS button on the back
- Long battery life — up to 10 days on standby
- Built-in torch for dark hallways
- No internet or apps — it's a feature phone
- Small screen compared to smartphones
- Camera is basic, for emergencies only
"If your parent just wants to make calls and send the occasional text, the Doro 6880 is hard to beat. The buttons are large enough to press without reading glasses and the speaker is genuinely room-filling. Battery lasts about a week with moderate use."
Check Price at Amazon →4. Apple iPhone SE
Best Premium- Full iOS with superb accessibility features (larger text, VoiceOver, hearing aids)
- FaceTime for effortless video calls with family
- Excellent camera — far ahead of budget options
- iMessage for seamless family group chats
- Compact 4.7" size fits neatly in a pocket
- Most expensive option by far
- No dedicated SOS button (uses side button combination)
- Can be overwhelming without proper setup help
- Smaller screen than the Android options
"The iPhone SE only makes sense if your parent already uses Apple products or if the rest of the family is on iPhones. FaceTime and iMessage just work, the accessibility features are best-in-class, and the camera is leagues ahead. But it needs proper setup help."
Check Price at Apple →5. Alcatel 2020X
Best Budget- Incredibly affordable — under £30
- Flip-phone design prevents pocket-dialling
- Big buttons with clear numbering
- Loud speaker for calls
- SOS button for emergencies
- FM radio and built-in torch
- Very basic — no apps or internet
- Small screen
- Build quality feels a bit plasticky
"At under £30, the Alcatel 2020X is a no-brainer if you need a simple, cheap phone that does the basics well. The flip design means it doesn't pocket-dial and it's satisfying to close. Perfect as a spare phone or for someone who genuinely just needs calls and texts."
Check Price at Amazon →Side-by-Side Comparison
Here's a quick snapshot of how our five picks stack up against each other. If you're choosing between two or three models, this should help you decide.
| Phone | Type | Price | Screen | Battery | SOS | Hearing Aid | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doro 8100 | Smartphone | £149 | 6.1" | 1 day | Yes | M3/T3 | 4.5/5 |
| Emporia SMART.4 | Smartphone | £169 | 5.5" | 1 day | Yes | M3/T3 | 4.3/5 |
| Doro 6880 | Feature phone | £59 | 2.8" | 10 days | Yes | M3/T3 | 4.4/5 |
| iPhone SE | Smartphone | £449 | 4.7" | 1 day | Side btn | MFi | 4.2/5 |
| Alcatel 2020X | Flip phone | £29 | 2.4" | 7 days | Yes | No | 4.0/5 |
The Doro 8100 (highlighted) is our top pick for most people because it balances smartphone functionality with genuine ease of use. But if your parent has no interest in apps or the internet, the Doro 6880 is the one to get — it does less, but it does it brilliantly.
Best SIM Plans for Elderly Users
Getting the right SIM is just as important as getting the right phone. There's no point paying £30 a month for unlimited data when your mum only makes a few calls a week. Here's what we recommend depending on how much your parent actually uses their phone.
Light Users — Calls and Texts Only
If your parent mainly makes calls and sends the odd text, a cheap pay-as-you-go SIM is all they need. Two good options:
- iD Mobile PAYG — around £5/month for 1GB data, unlimited texts, and 100 minutes. Uses the Three network, so coverage is solid across most of the UK.
- Asda Mobile PAYG — around £5/month for 1GB data, unlimited texts, and 100 minutes. Runs on the EE network, which has the widest coverage in rural areas.
Moderate Users — WhatsApp and Video Calls
If your parent uses WhatsApp, wants to video-call the grandchildren, or occasionally looks something up online, they'll want a bit more data:
- Voxi — £10/month for 12GB data with unlimited social media and messaging apps (including WhatsApp and Facebook). No contract — cancel anytime. Uses the Vodafone network.
- Smarty — £6/month for 4GB data with unlimited calls and texts. Rolling one-month plans with no commitment. Uses the Three network.
Heavier Users — Streaming and Regular Browsing
If your parent enjoys watching BBC iPlayer, listening to podcasts, or browsing regularly, they'll want more generous data:
- GiffGaff — £10/month for unlimited data, calls, and texts. Brilliant value if they use their phone a lot. Uses the O2 network.
- Three — £12/month for 30GB data with unlimited calls and texts. Rolling contract, easy to cancel.
Setting Up the Phone
Handing your parent a new phone and saying "there you go" is a recipe for frustration — theirs and yours. Take an hour to set it up properly before you give it to them. It makes a world of difference.
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Insert the SIM and charge fully before unboxing with your parent.
Do this on your own first. Insert the SIM, turn the phone on, let it update, and charge it to 100%. Your parent doesn't need to see the setup screens and loading bars — they just need to see a phone that works when they first pick it up.
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Set up contacts — add key family members with photos.
Add your number, siblings, close friends, their GP surgery, and any regular contacts. If the phone supports it, add a photo to each contact so they can see who's calling. Set up speed dials (usually the number keys 2–9) for the people they call most. Don't forget ICE (In Case of Emergency) contacts.
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Adjust accessibility settings.
Increase the font size to the largest comfortable setting. Turn on high-contrast mode if available. Set the ringer volume and call volume to maximum. If your parent uses hearing aids, enable the hearing-aid compatibility mode (usually under Accessibility or Sound settings). On Doro phones, there's a dedicated hearing-aid toggle — easy to find.
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Install essential apps (smartphones only).
Keep it simple. WhatsApp for messaging family, their pharmacy app if they order repeat prescriptions online, and BBC iPlayer or Radio if they enjoy it. Remove or hide anything confusing — games, shopping apps, news apps with endless notifications. Less is more. On Doro phones, you can manage this remotely through the Connect & Care app.
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Configure the SOS button and test it.
Add up to five emergency contacts to the SOS list (you first, then other family members). Test the button once — press and hold it, and make sure the calls go through and the location text is sent. Then show your parent how to use it. Reassure them it's there if they ever need it, and that pressing it by accident isn't a problem — you'd rather have a false alarm than a missed emergency.
One final tip: write down the phone's PIN, passcode, and their voicemail number on a card and keep it in the phone's box or taped to the charger. If they ever get locked out, they'll know where to find it.
Common Questions
It depends on what they want to do. If they mainly need to make calls and send texts, a simple phone like the Doro 6880 is perfect — big buttons, loud speaker, no confusing apps. If they want to video-call grandchildren, use WhatsApp, or browse the internet, an easy smartphone like the Doro 8100 or Emporia SMART.4 is the way to go.
For light users, a pay-as-you-go SIM from providers like iD Mobile or Asda Mobile works well — they typically offer 1GB data, unlimited texts and 100 minutes for around £4–5/month. If your parent will use video calls or stream, a simple contract with more data from Voxi (unlimited social media) or Smarty (1 month rolling) gives better value.
Many smartphones allow remote setup to some degree. With an iPhone, you can use Family Sharing and screen-share via FaceTime to guide them. Doro phones have a companion app called Doro Connect & Care that lets you manage their contacts, set up speed dials, and add apps from your own phone. It's genuinely useful.
Yes, most phones designed for older people include a dedicated SOS or emergency button. The Doro 6880 and Doro 8100 both have one on the back. When pressed, it calls up to 5 pre-set emergency contacts in sequence and sends them a text with the phone's location. It's not a replacement for a personal alarm, but it adds peace of mind.
Budget £50–80 for a good simple phone (like the Doro 6880) or £120–200 for an easy-to-use smartphone (Doro 8100 or Emporia SMART.4). The iPhone SE at around £449 is worth it if your parent is already in the Apple ecosystem. Don't overspend — a mid-range phone handles everything an older person needs.
Need a Personal Alarm Too?
A phone is brilliant for daily life, but for fall detection and 24/7 monitoring, a personal alarm is worth considering alongside.
See Our Personal Alarm Reviews →