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1 missed call (from 2009)

Find a simple phone that works on your network

Get your attention back with a phone that calls, texts and not much else.

PlainPhones compares dumbphones, flip phones and kids' phones sold in Canada, and checks each one against your network, so the phone you buy can actually make calls.

Must have: WhatsApp, maps, hotspot and more
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2 of 5 phones, checked against Chatr

3 more phones might match, but we can't confirm they make calls on Chatr, so we've left them out.

  1. Nubia (ZTE) Cymbal 2

    A simple flip phone sold by Bell's and Rogers' budget brands, with a hotspot, FM radio and a removable battery. No app store, so no WhatsApp.

    • Flip
    • No app store
    • Wi-Fi hotspot
    Works

    Calls and texts should work on Chatr, including over 4G.

    from $80

  2. TCL Flip

    A cheap flip phone sold by Bell's and Rogers' budget brands, with a hotspot, music player and headphone jack. No app store, so no WhatsApp.

    • Flip
    • No app store
    • Wi-Fi hotspot
    • Battery: about 13 hours of use
    Works

    Calls and texts should work on Chatr, including over 4G.

    from $110

A note from the founder

Why a plain phone?

Doomscrolling was a problem for me (still is when I get the chance to use social media), so I decided to take back my attention and my serenity by switching my primary phone to a minimalist phone. I added website blocking to my iPhone (which now has no data so can only be used on wifi), and let my family and friends know that good ol' SMS would be the way to reach me now.

This has completely broken my addiction to my phone and now I'm setting a better example for my kids and am able to think straight for even minutes at a time. If you're like me and worry about the state of the world and reach for the phone to keep "informed" about what is happening, then switching to a plain phone may be a great fit for you. But first, let's list the pluses of a smart phone and the downsides of a plain phone to see if it is good for you (which is what this is all about, making good choices for yourself and your happiness).

Smart phone pros

  • Keep in touch with friends and family
  • Can get support and admiration from your social media followers
  • Find your way around without a map
  • Can get an Uber
  • Take photos and video to make good memories
  • Use apps for productivity, e.g. banking, language learning, etc.

Plain phone cons

  • No way (mostly) to use apps
  • Knowing your way around town means you have to think
  • SMS messaging is uncool and clunky
  • You may be ignorant of what is happening in the world
  • No social media followers
  • No productivity apps, e.g. Uber, Duolingo, banking
  • Being bored while waiting around, self-distraction becomes harder
  • Can't sell on Facebook Marketplace
  • Can't make good memories with photos and video

With all these pros for smart phones and cons for plain phones, this is not for everyone. But despite all this, for me the opportunity to be bored and to not feel the compulsion to check my feeds for the latest garbage the algorithms want to show me was worth the trade-offs.

Who it's for

What we check

Whether a phone can make calls on your network today and after 2G is switched off, what it costs in Canada and where to buy it, and the things people ask about most: WhatsApp, maps, a Wi-Fi hotspot, music, the camera and how long the battery lasts. How we check · Which phones make calls on which network · Networks in Canada