Best Dumb Phones For Travelling Abroad

If you plan on travelling internationally, there are many reasons why you’d want to take a dumb phone with you. First, it’s cheaper than a smart phone, so in case your phone gets damaged, lost, or stolen during your travels, it’s not so much of a problem. Second, you won’t need a full-blown data plan for the country or countries you visit. Third, some of the phones used in the USA (the ones that use the CDMA standard) will simply not work outside of North America, as CDMA is extremely rare outside the U.S. and Canada.

For best prices and compatibility, make sure to get an unlocked dumb phone that can take SIM cards. Then, get a prepaid SIM card locally in your destination country. If you’re travelling several countries, you will likely need to get a new SIM card for each of them. Don’t worry though, prepaid SIM cards for dumb phones can be really cheap. Make sure to compare as many offers as possible, as prices may differ vastly depending on which provider you choose!

Here’s our overview of unlocked dumb phones that work with SIM cards:

Nokia 3310 3G Simple Bar Phone (Unlocked)

A modernized version of Nokia's iconic classic, the Nokia 3310 3G is a stylish yet simple bar phone that works with today's 3G networks. It needs a SIM card, so it will work with GSM networks like AT&T and T-Mobile. The original version was a huge success when it was ...

Blackberry KeyOne Smart Phone With Physical QWERTY Keyboard

This site is mostly about dumb phones. However, if you're looking for a *smart* phone with a physical keyboard, you'll want to get a Blackberry. Yes, Blackberry still exist! And believe it or not: At this point (2020), they are the only cell phone manufacturer that still makes smart phones ...

CAT B30 Rugged Bar Phone (Unlocked)

The CAT B30 is a waterproof rugged phone made by CAT, the construction company. Made of high quality materials, this phone is IP67 certified to be dust and water resistant. The manufacturer guarantees that it will easily survive being dropped from 6ft (1.8m) height onto a concrete floor. Ideal for ...

BLU Jenny TV 2.8 Cheap Dual SIM Phone (Unlocked)

The BLU Jenny TV 2.8 is a simple bar phone that's available for below $25. It can take up to two mini-SIM cards, and as the name implies, it can also be used to watch analog TV. This phone only works with providers that support 2G, such as T-Mobile, Simple ...

Snapfon ezTWO: Simple Phone, Great for Seniors (Unlocked)

The Snapfon ezTWO is a GSM phone designed specifically for senior citizens. It has a red emergency button on the back, that when pressed will connect its user with a trained operator that can alert 911, family members, or other emergency contacts if necessary. The ezTWO comes with big keys that have large numbers ...

BLU Tank II T193 Low-Cost Dual-SIM Phone (Unlocked)

The Blu Tank II T193 is our favorite low-cost phone (below $25). With a standby time of 30 days and up to 16 hours of continuous talk time, this phone has a better battery life than any other dumb phone we have tested so far. Call quality is decent, not ...

CAT B100 Military Grade Rugged Bar Phone (Unlocked)

One of the toughest cell phones available: Designed and made by the construction company, CAT, the B100 is guaranteed to survive a fall from a height of 1.8m (6ft) to a concrete floor, without ever suffering a scratch. The designers of the CAT B100 have definitely done their homework: This brick is ...

LG Xpression C395 QWERTY Slide Phone (Unlocked)

The LG Xpression C395 is a slide phone that comes with a 3" touch screen on the outside. The phone slides open to the left, revealing a full-scale QWERTY keyboard, ideal for those who dislike typing on tiny touch screen keys. This makes the C395 an ideal phone for texting, but the device also ...

Unlocked Dumb Phones With SIM Card For Travelling The World


Phone	LG Xpression C395	CAT B100	BLU Tank II T193	Snapfon ezTWO	BLU Jenny TV 2.8	CAT B30	Blackberry KeyOne	Nokia 3310 3G
Approx. price	$60	$100	$20	$80	$23	$60	$300	$70
Battery	1000mAh	1150 mAh	1900mAh	1000mAh	820mAh	1000mAh	3500mAh	1200mAh
Bluetooth	v2.1, A2DP	v2.0, A2DP, EDR	Yes	Yes	3.0	2.1	Yes	2.1
Browser	Yes	Opera Mini	No	No	No		Chrome	Opera
Camera	2 MP	3.15 MP	VGA (.3MP)	VGA (640x480px)	1.3MP	2 MP	12 MP	2MP
Carrier	Unlocked	Unlocked	Unlocked	Unlocked	Unlocked	Unlocked	Unlocked	Unlocked
Dimensions	4.3" x 2.1" x 0.7"	4.8" x 2.2" x 0.7"	4.8" x 1.9" x .5"	4.6" x 2.2" x 0.6"	5.0" x 2.2" x 0.5"	4.7" x 2.1" x .6"	5.9" x 2.9" x 0.4"	4.6" x 2" x .5"
Display (ext)	3" touch (400x240px)	2.2", 240x320px	2.4", 320x240px	1.8" x 1.6", 320x240px	2.8", 320x240px	2", 176x220px	4.5" touch, 1080x1620px	2.4", 240x320px
Display (int)
E-mail client	Yes		No	No	No		Yes	Yes
Flashlight	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Form factor	Slide	Bar	Bar	Bar	Bar	Bar	Bar	Bar
FM Radio	No	Yes	Yes		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Games	Yes	No	Yes (1)	No	Downloadable	No	Yes	Snake
GPS	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes
Headset jack	3.5mm	3.5mm	3.5mm	3.5mm	3.5mm	3.5mm	3.5mm	3.5mm
Hearing aid	M3 / T4		No	M3/T3	No
Memory (RAM)	50MB	64MB	32MB	1.26MB	24MB		64GB	128MB
MP3 player	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
MP3 ring tones	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Rugged	No	IP67, 810G	No	No	No	IP67	No	No
SIM card	Yes	Mini-SIM	Dual	Yes	Dual	Dual	Nano-SIM	Single or Dual
SD card (max.)	32GB	32GB	16GB	Yes	32GB	16GB	2TB	32GB
Speed dial				Yes
Speakerphone		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Standby time	10 days	23 days	30 days	5 days	25 days	10 days	81h	27 days
Talk time	2h20m	10h	16h	5h	12h	6 h	20h (3G)	6h30m
USB	microUSB 2.0	microUSB 2.0	No	Charge only	MicroUSB	microUSB 2.0	USB Type-C 3.1	MicroUSB 2.0
Vibration alarm	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Voice dial
Waterproof	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Weight (oz)			3.5	2.3	3.2	3.56	6.4	3.1