Best VoIP Phones for Seniors

Pricing

It’s hard to beat $0 per month premiums. But we must acknowledge that even if you choose the free plan, Ooma Telo is not completely free. You’ll still need to pay applicable taxes and fees, which vary based on location. Additionally, you’ll need to purchase an Ooma Telo adapter, with hard-wired devices starting at $89.99.

The Ooma Basic Plan has no monthly premium, but you will have to pay taxes and fees, plus additional charges that you may incur. For example, free subscribers pay per minute for international calls (starting as low as $0.14 per minute). Alternatively, you can upgrade to the Ooma Premier Service Plan for $9.99 monthly. It gives you free international calling to Canada and Mexico. It also has extra features like a free second line and spam call blocking, which we’re big fans of, as they can help reduce the risk of identity theft. The FBI estimates that seniors lose over $3 billion to scams and fraud, so this protection is crucial.1

» Useful Resource: Common scams that target seniors

If your home internet is weak or frequently goes out, consider the Oome Telo LTE device ($129.99). This service costs $19.99 monthly, but provides an always-on LTE internet connection and a backup battery for power outages. That is a great option for seniors in rural areas who lack access to reliable internet connections.

Equipment

Some VoIPs, such as Vonage and Ooma Telo, are hardware-based; you just plug in the adapter to your internet router and your phone into the adapter. Other VoIPs, such as Google Voice or Grasshopper, are software-based; you download the software to your computer or cell phone to use their service. While software-based means fewer cords and devices to keep up with, it may not be the best fit for seniors who are apprehensive about more advanced tech.

You’ll need a physical device with Ooma Telo, but you may not have to worry about wires. The company offers variations of its standard adapter at three price points: Ooma Telo ($99.99),  Ooma Telo Air ($109.99), and Ooma Telo LTE ($129.99).

The basic Ooma Telo adapter plugs directly into your router. The setup is extremely simple. You just head to the company website, register the device using the activation code printed on the bottom, choose a phone number (you can pick any area code in the United States), input contact and billing information, and then plug the device into your router. Then, you could plug your landline into the phone cable port on the Ooma Telo device and turn the device on. The whole process takes about 15 minutes! We love an easy setup process.

» For Phone Shoppers: cell phones for seniors: a buyer's guide

However, the process gets more complex if you don’t want to mess with hard-wired devices. The Ooma Telo Air connects to your home internet via Wi-Fi (no wires). So, you’ll need to know how to connect a new device to your home network to make this work. The process may vary based on your home internet setup and provider. Lastly, the Ooma Telo LTE can be a backup or replacement for your home internet. This equipment comes with extra prep work because you’ll need to ensure that Ooma Telo offers LTE coverage in your area. Fortunately, you can check this information on Ooma’s website, and the company offers LTE coverage in all 50 states.

Features

The free Ooma Telo plan includes the basics, such as free nationwide calling, pay-per-minute international calling, one free phone number (or keep your old number for a fee), and voicemail. If you upgrade to the Premier or LTE plans, you can get even more from the service, including:

• Spam call blocking
• Call forwarding
• Three-way conference calls
• A second phone number
• Free mobile minutes
• Free calling to Canada and Mexico
• Private device (choose a specific phone that will call a dedicated number only)
• Caller ID
• Address-based 911 service
• Free mobile app for unlimited outbound calls

Pricing

While Vonage doesn’t have a free plan like Ooma Telo or Google Voice, it offers affordable plans starting at $9.99 monthly (plus taxes and fees). We like that Vonage keeps its plans and pricing pretty simple. If you only want to make calls within North America, you pick the North American plan ($9.99 monthly). To make calls internationally, you can upgrade to the World Prime plan ($14.99 per month).

Both plans offer the same essential features, but the latter allows you to make unlimited calls throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and 60 other countries globally. Oh, and you can still make international calls on the North American plan. You’ll just pay rates starting at $0.04 per minute. This is much cheaper than the international calling rates at Ooma Telo.

» Related Reading: Senior travel and vacations

One thing we like about Vonage is that you don’t have to pay anything for the adapter. You don’t even have to pay for shipping! You can get the Vonage adapter sent straight to your door without paying anything beyond the monthly premium, taxes, and a one-time $9.99 activation fee.

Equipment

The Vonage Box is the standard device that allows you to connect to your home internet and use the VoIP service. We found the setup process very similar to Ooma Telo and Voiply. After registering the device online, you just plug it into your router. From there, you can transfer your existing number or pick a new number. The setup process is pretty simple. If you run into any snags, you can rest easy knowing that tech support is just a phone call (or online chat) away.

Features

We like how Vonage doesn’t skimp on the extra features. From extension apps for using Vonage VoIP on your smartphone to checking your voicemails by phone or email, there are many ways to get more out of the service. However, this might be a drawback for seniors who just want a simple, easy-to-use VoIP service. You may have to read through several Vonage how-to guides to understand everything at your disposal. Even then, it can feel like you’re missing out on some things. In this situation, there can be too much of a good thing.

» Related Reading: Best smartphones for seniors in 2024

That said, Vonage does offer several useful features for seniors. One we particularly liked was the multiring feature. Even if you’re nowhere near your landline, your cell phone can ring as well, and you can answer the call through the Vonage app. We would have liked to see video call integration, but this feature is now only available to businesses via Vonage Meetings. In any case, some other useful features include:

• Vonage mobile app
• Toll-free number
• Traditional voicemail
• Do Not Disturb setting
• Three-way conference calls
• Voicemail via email
• Vonage Boomerang (helps avoid missed calls)
• Simultaneous rings on up to five devices
• Call forwarding
• Spam blocking and call filtering
• Automated call return (no need to dial numbers for missed calls)
• Caller ID
• Virtual numbers available in up to 22 countries

Pricing

Grasshopper doesn’t have the cheapest premiums (that honor goes to Google Voice), but it still offers competitively priced VoIP solutions. You don’t need to pay for any costly equipment, and individuals have two plan options: True Solo and Solo Plus. True Solo costs $15 per month if you pay for a year of service in advance or $19 per month for a monthly plan. Solo Plus costs substantially more — $25 per month with an annual plan or $32 monthly for a monthly plan — but it includes some great features. You can also get a 14-day free trial to see if you like either Grasshopper plan before committing to the service.

True Solo is specifically designed for one person and one person only. You’re paying for one user to have one phone number, with calls that can be forwarded to one additional number. If you upgrade to Solo Plus, you can have an unlimited number of users on your account, one phone number, and call forwarding to up to three additional numbers. It’s important to note that you can add more than one primary number to either plan, but it will cost $10 per month per number.

Equipment

We loved that Grasshopper doesn’t require you to pay for or install any new devices. You can download the app, pay the subscription fee, and begin. However, this also means you must have your internet and at least one phone line already established. Unlike Ooma Telo, Grasshopper doesn’t sell any phones or non-VoIP phone plans. Since Grasshopper doesn’t allow 911 calls through its service, it’s best to have a landline or mobile phone plan already in place.

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Features

Grasshopper packs a lot of great features into its plans. One thing we like is that you don’t have to pay more to get all of the best perks. The only benefit of upgrading to the Solo Plus plan is adding users and forwarding calls to more phone numbers — two things most seniors probably won’t need. 

One thing you can get with Grasshopper, Voiply, or Google Voice that you can’t get with providers like Ooma Telo is voicemail transcription. You can choose to listen to your voicemails or have them transcribed so that you can read them instead. It is a wonderful feature for seniors with hearing loss.

» Related Resource: Best cell phones for seniors with hearing loss in 2024

Once again, the lack of 911 calling was a major disappointment, but otherwise, we were really happy with all that Grasshopper offers. Some of our favorite features include:

• 24/7 tech support via phone, email, chat, or social media
• Mobile and desktop applications
• Call forwarding
• Virtual fax
• Voicemail
• Custom prerecorded greetings
• Instant response text when you miss a call
• Call screening

Pricing

On paper, Voiply is one of the most affordable VoIP services. Like Vonage, you don’t have to pay for the adapter. Plus, Voiply plans start at $7.46 monthly if you opt for an annual subscription. Whether you bring your old number or get a new one, you won’t be charged anything extra. It can take up to 10 days to port your old number to the Voiply service.

The only pain point for some seniors is the potential cost of a phone. If you don’t have a landline and want to get one through Voiply, you’ll need to pay at least $84.95. Naturally, you can look for landlines or mobile phones elsewhere, often at much lower prices. However, if you want to get everything done simultaneously and ensure your landline is compatible with Voiply’s service, you might be surprised by the upfront cost.

Equipment

When you sign up for Voiply, they’ll send you the Voiply plug-and-play adapter, which you can plug directly into your modem, router, or connected computer. The setup process is fast and easy. If you’re using a cell phone, you can start making and receiving calls on the go as soon as you download the Voiply mobile app and sign in to your account.

If you choose one of Voiply’s costlier bundles, you can get the Voiply adapter plus a wireless landline with a built-in base speaker and answering machine. This Vtech Bundle starts at $84.95. Alternatively, you can get the AT&T Bundle. The bundle comes with a wired base phone and two cordless phones that go in different rooms of your home. The AT&T Bundle starts at $99.95. We weren’t super impressed with Voiply’s landline offerings, as you can find much more affordable landline phones or mobile phones elsewhere.

» Learn About: AT&T phone plans for seniors

Features

Like Vonage, Voiply includes many extra features with its affordable plans, including simultaneous ringing on more than one device. One cool feature we couldn’t find with any other provider was phone number parking. For just $2 per month, you can essentially retain ownership of your phone number and only use it when required. For example, if you need a number to register for a service but don’t want to pay a lot to maintain it, you can use Voiply’s number parking service. We also loved that, unlike Grasshopper or Google Voice, Voiply does allow 911 calls. Not only does it allow them, but it also offers enhanced 911 support, so your home location will automatically be shared with emergency responders.

In addition to the features already mentioned, here are some of our favorite perks offered by Voiply:

• Spam call blocker
• Unlimited calls to the U.S. and Canada
• Mobile and desktop apps
• Voicemail transcriptions
• Caller ID
• Online fax service
• 24/7 tech support
• Three-way conference calls
• Call forwarding
• Personalized voicemail greetings
• Simultaneous ringing on multiple devices

Pricing

Google Voice is completely free for everyone. The only fees are those associated with your internet and phone plan (or if you plan to make international calls). Since Google Voice requires you to register using an existing U.S. or Canadian phone number, you’ll need a landline or mobile plan. If your phone plan includes data or internet, you can call with Google Voice over that connection. Otherwise, you’ll need a separate home internet plan. So, while Google Voice is free, you’ll still need to pay for a phone service to get registered and home internet to make VoIP calls.

» For Your Consideration: Cheap internet for seniors

You can, however, bundle your phone and VoIP together if you live in an area that supports Google Fiber Phone. In addition to a landline phone, you get VoIP to make and receive calls through Google Fiber's ultra-fast internet. The service starts at $10 per month. If you live in an area that supports it, Google Fiber Phone also lets you make emergency calls to 911 (linked to your home address). You can’t do that with the free version of Google Voice.

Equipment

Since Google Voice calls are made through your browser or the app, there’s no equipment you’ll need to buy — as long as you already have a computer or internet-ready phone. It makes Google Voice great for seniors with all the equipment and plans required to make calls and use the internet but specifically want to use a VoIP service. For example, if you have solid home internet but lackluster mobile service where you live, you might want to use Google Voice to enjoy clearer calls over the internet.

One issue we ran into is that some phone numbers don’t work when setting up your Google Voice account. For example, you can’t use another VoIP or phone number from outside the U.S. or Canada to set up Google Voice. Since the process is mostly automated and Google Voice doesn’t have 24/7 tech support, you might find the setup process a little frustrating, especially if Google Voice doesn’t recognize the validity of your phone number.

Features

Google Voice is like a free version of Grasshopper as it doesn’t require an adapter, you can make calls via an app, and (unfortunately) you can’t make calls to 911. It is one of the most disappointing downsides of using Google Voice. However, since Google Voice requires a separate phone number for verification purposes, you can still make 911 calls through your other number.

Despite the lack of 911 support with the free version, Google Voice offers a couple of solid features for seniors, including:

• Google Fiber Phone (depending on your location)
• Voicemail transcriptions
• Phone number porting
• Calls and texts via browser or application