Best Samsung Phones for Seniors, Tested and Reviewed in 2024

Pricing

The Z Fold5 will cost about $1,800. That’s significantly more than budget-friendly phones like the Samsung Galaxy A03s. Even more robust Samsung phones like the Galaxy S24+ don’t cost as much. However, there aren’t any other folding phones to compare this one to. A few vertically-opening options are on the market, but they still don't give you the gigantic, tablet-esque screen of the horizontally folding Z Fold5. So, even though it’s costly, the Z Fold5 is one-of-a-kind!

AT&T offers a discounted Unlimited 55+ plan for older adults (only in Florida) to help with costs. This plan features unlimited talk, text, and data, starting at $60 monthly. If you have an eligible phone to trade in, you can also finance the Z Fold5 for as little as $22.23 monthly. Just make sure that it fits your budget – and your carrying space. Since the Z Fold5 is larger than the average phone, you’ll want to ensure it can fit in your pocket or purse!

» Learn More: AT&T cell phone plans for seniors 2024

Usability

We sat down with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 to see how well it worked for seniors. After a few days of testing it out, we were surprised by its simplicity. It runs on the Android 13 operating system, which feels fast and intuitive. Android 13 includes accessibility features, which are easy to set up from the settings menu.

The flipping mechanism was durable and felt natural to open and close, which we had been concerned about before we unboxed the phone. We were impressed with the screen size and thought it made web browsing easy and fun. It combined the portability of a smartphone (it can fit in a larger pocket when folded up) with the screen size of a small tablet.

» Another Senior-Friendly Tablet: Consumer Cellular GrandPad review

Unfortunately, the oversized screen is both an advantage and a drawback. To fit so much screen space onto the Z Fold5, Samsung had to create a heavy, chunky phone. That meant holding the phone up for extended periods (like when snapping photos or videos) took a toll on our hands and wrists. Weighing in at 8.92 ounces, the Z Fold5 is a heavyweight smartphone. If you struggle with arthritis or have difficulty holding heavier devices, choose a lighter phone like the Galaxy A14 5G (7.13 ounces) or the Jitterbug Smart4 (6.7 ounces).

Battery Life

In theory, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 has a fantastic battery life. It’s designed to last for up to two days with moderate usage. However, our definition of “moderate usage” must be different because we needed to grab the charging cable after about 15 hours of texting, video calling, video streaming, web browsing, and even several hours of leaving the phone in standby mode. We understand it takes more power to keep the larger screen up and running, but we wish the battery would have lasted closer to 24 hours like the Galaxy Z Flip5.

Pricing

At just $159, the Samsung Galaxy A03s is one of the least expensive Samsung smartphones around. You can get a more advanced phone by spending about $20 extra for the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G, and you can even get the senior-friendly Jitterbug Smart4 for $149.99. However, if you want a modern Samsung smartphone with a few bells and whistles, the A03s from Consumer Cellular is cost-effective.

» For Phone Plans: Consumer Cellular cell phone plans and pricing

Consumer Cellular’s plans are also very inexpensive, starting at $20 per month with no activation fees or contracts. That’s one of the best prices you’ll find from any carrier! The plans are affordable, and you can get an additional 5 percent AARP discount during online checkout. All we had to do was check the box for AARP members to save. Score!

» Dive Deeper: 2024 Consumer Cellular review

Usability

Though the Galaxy A03s is more advanced than the Jitterbug Smart4, it’s a no-frills cell phone. While testing it out, we could do everything we wanted — make video calls, text, use Google, check Facebook, download apps, listen to music, and even connect to Bluetooth hearing aids.

» For Hearing Loss: Best Bluetooth hearing aids of 2024

The interface was noticeably sluggish. Switching from Facebook to YouTube took time. Even typing messages had a noticeable delay. We made typos because the phone wasn’t displaying letters at the same speed we pressed them. Those with visual processing issues may suffer even further due to this.

The 13 MP camera wasn’t all that impressive, either. It took decent photos in optimal lighting conditions, but videos and photos in low-light environments were not high quality. While the A03s is a solid phone at the price, you shouldn’t expect the same fast speeds, processing power, and advanced camera systems you can get with the Z Fold5, Z Flip5, or the S24+.

Battery Life

What the Galaxy A03s lacks in processing power, it more than makes up for in battery life. We used the phone consistently for more than 36 hours before it needed a charge. We could have gotten nearly two days of battery life with lighter usage. Even with vigorous usage (playing games, streaming movies, and downloading large files), the battery lasted all day. That was a massive improvement over the comparatively short-lived battery of the Samsung Z Fold5. So, if you hate having to plug your phone in constantly and don’t want to spend a fortune on a quality Samsung phone, the Galaxy A03s is our top pick.

Pricing

The Jitterbug Smart4 costs $119.99. Lively regularly runs sales that could lower the price further, so keep your eyes peeled! The Smart4 is technically cheaper than the Galaxy A03s, but if you want to get the most out of the phone, you’ll want to upgrade to one of the higher-tier Lively plans. That means you could still save by choosing the A03s and pairing it with a more affordable Consumer Cellular plan.

» Further Reading: Lively phone review

Lively plans start at $19.99 for unlimited talk and text, but you must add a data plan with the Smart4. Data plans range from $5 (1 GB) to $30 (unlimited) per month. The best part about this phone is that it uses Lively's medical alert system features. It eliminates needing both a phone and an alert system. That saves you money and simplifies your technology. To access these features, you must upgrade to the Preferred plan ($39.99 per month) or the Premium plan ($49.99 per month).

Usability

The Jitterbug Smart4 stands out from other Samsung phones because it was made for seniors. The simple, list-style menu is effortless to navigate. We quickly figured out how to make calls, send texts, take photos, and browse the internet.

» Get the Inside Scoop: Jitterbug Smart4 review

Since we upgraded to the Preferred plan, we could also utilize the bright red Urgent Response icon at the top of the screen. That is one of the best features of the Smart4, as it allows you to use your smartphone as an emergency response device. When we pressed the button, we were connected in just 15 seconds with an agent who could send help quickly.

Lively's Urgent Response button is clearly displayed on the home and lock screen

We’re also big fans of Lively Link, a mobile app for caregivers and loved ones. The app allowed us to view the Jitterbug Smart4’s location, see the phone’s status, and receive alerts if an Urgent Response call was made.

Tracking my grandmas location using the Lively Link mobile app

The only downside is that the Jitterbug Smart4 may be too simple for some seniors. While we still enjoyed using it, we missed some of the more advanced features of the Galaxy S24+, like a high-end camera and ample storage. Like the Galaxy A03s, the Smart4 also shows sluggishness despite the super-simple interface. While testing it out, we noticed that the touchscreen wasn’t quite as fast to respond as we hoped. The phone often took a second or two to respond when we clicked on certain icons.

Battery Life

The Jitterbug Smart4 has pretty solid battery life. We could get around 28 hours of mixed-usage time (talk, text, and web browsing) without charging. The phone performed even better on standby, lasting up to four days. That’s a whopping 96 hours! People who use their phones sporadically can expect to get a solid two or three days out of the Jitterbug Smart4 before needing to charge it. Even if you’re constantly on your phone, you probably won’t have to pull out the charging cable more than once per day (if that).

Pricing

The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G costs $159 – the same as the Samsung A03s. Bundling the Galaxy A14 5G with a Mint Mobile plan offers the most value. If you prepay for 12 months of Mint Mobile service, you can score $50 off the phone’s retail price. While paying for an entire year upfront is a commitment, Mint Mobile offers excellent service.

The carrier offers a senior plan called Mint 55+, which costs $15 per month. It features unlimited talk and text, 5G speeds, and 5 GB of monthly data. You’ll also receive a year of technical support and help switching from your old carrier. That is a fabulous option if you’re looking for an affordable, senior-friendly plan.

» Check Out: Mint Mobile senior phone plan review

Usability

While the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is technically a step up from the Galaxy A03s, we didn’t notice much difference. Both phones worked well enough and had the expected features, though they were a little slow when opening and closing apps. The A14 5G only has 4 GB of RAM, meaning it’s not well-equipped to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.

It’s also important to note that this smartphone only comes with 64 GB of storage, some of which gets taken up with the operating system. You can add up to 1 TB of storage with a microSD card, but you’ll pay more for needed storage. If you like to take many pictures and videos like we do, you’ll find that the built-in storage gets used up pretty quickly. As we used more and more storage, we noticed that the phone slowed down even more. Still, if you don’t mind paying for extra storage or using a cloud-based service to store your photos and videos off of the device, the Galaxy A14 5G is a dependable and budget-friendly option.

Battery Life

Samsung claims that you can get up to two days of use on one charge, and we were happy to see that this was pretty accurate. We made video calls, sent texts, and downloaded various apps while testing the Galaxy A14 5G, and we didn’t need to charge it until we'd been using it for 40 hours. It’s far better than the battery life on the Galaxy Z Fold5.

The only downside is that the phone charges pretty slowly. It took about an hour and a half to get the battery from 5 percent to 100 percent. That said, if you just like to plug in your phone at night or don’t plan to use it for a few hours, the slow charging isn’t a huge issue.

Pricing

The Samsung Galaxy S24+ costs about $1,000 (the same as the Galaxy Z Flip5), while other similar phones are closer to $800. Although it may be more expensive, the extra features and larger size make it worth every penny. It’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for an easy-to-read screen and voice-activated features via Galaxy AI.

» Related Reading: Best voice-activated cell phones for seniors

T-Mobile offers three different Unlimited 55+ plans you can pair with the S24+. T-Mobile’s least expensive 55+ plan starts at $45 monthly for one line and increases for higher-tier plans. These plans include many perks, like unlimited talk, text, data, in-flight WiFi, streaming bundles, and more. Another benefit of getting the Samsung Galaxy S24+ through T-Mobile is that you could knock down the price when you trade in an eligible phone. Plus, you can get zero-interest financing with no money down for as little as $41.67 monthly.

» Learn More: T-Mobile Unlimited 55+ plan review

Check out the video below to learn about T-Mobile’s phone plans for seniors.

Usability

The Samsung Galaxy S24+ boasts 12 GB of RAM — and it shows. We were blown away by how fast and smooth everything felt on the S24+. From pulling up the AI chat assistant to scrolling through social media posts, the Galaxy S24+ never showed signs of slowing down or faltering. Even though it costs about $800 less than the Galaxy Z Fold5, we felt the Galaxy S24+ provided a smoother and more user-friendly experience.

The only thing we thought could have been better was the AI system’s implementation. While Galaxy AI works exceptionally well, it’s turned on for most things by default. If we just wanted to jot down a note or send a text the “old-fashioned way,” we had to go into the settings and disable the AI. If you’re not interested in voice-activated features, you might find that the Galaxy S24+ is overly reliant on them. But again, you can turn these features off and on as you see fit.

Battery Life

Much like the Galaxy Z Fold5, you get a lot of power and speed at the expense of battery life. That said, the Galaxy S24+ outperformed the Fold5 and the Flip5, as we could get a complete 24 hours with moderate usage. However, if you use your phone a lot for streaming or other high-energy activities, you may have to bring out the charger more than once per day.