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 Feature Phone

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

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 basic rugged phone

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 thumbnail

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 thumbnail

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

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 ...

Compare Technical Specs

Unlocked Dumb Phones With SIM Card For Travelling The World

PhoneLG Xpression C395CAT B100BLU Tank II T193Snapfon ezTWOBLU Jenny TV 2.8CAT B30Blackberry KeyOneNokia 3310 3G
Approx. price$60$100$20$80$23$60$300$70
Battery1000mAh1150 mAh1900mAh1000mAh820mAh1000mAh3500mAh1200mAh
Bluetoothv2.1, A2DPv2.0, A2DP, EDRYesYes3.02.1Yes2.1
BrowserYesOpera MiniNoNoNoChromeOpera
Camera2 MP3.15 MPVGA (.3MP)VGA (640x480px)1.3MP2 MP12 MP2MP
CarrierUnlockedUnlockedUnlockedUnlockedUnlockedUnlockedUnlockedUnlocked
Dimensions4.3" 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", 240x320px2.4", 320x240px1.8" x 1.6", 320x240px2.8", 320x240px2", 176x220px4.5" touch, 1080x1620px2.4", 240x320px
Display (int)
E-mail clientYesNoNoNoYesYes
FlashlightNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Form factorSlideBarBarBarBarBarBarBar
FM RadioNoYesYesYesYesYesYes
GamesYesNoYes (1)NoDownloadableNoYesSnake
GPSYesYesNoNoNoNoYes
Headset jack3.5mm3.5mm3.5mm3.5mm3.5mm3.5mm3.5mm3.5mm
Hearing aidM3 / T4NoM3/T3No
Memory (RAM)50MB64MB32MB1.26MB24MB64GB128MB
MP3 playerYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYes
MP3 ring tonesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes
RuggedNoIP67, 810GNoNoNoIP67NoNo
SIM cardYesMini-SIMDualYesDualDualNano-SIMSingle or Dual
SD card (max.)32GB32GB16GBYes32GB16GB2TB32GB
Speed dialYes
SpeakerphoneYesYesYesYesYesYes
Standby time10 days23 days30 days5 days25 days10 days81h27 days
Talk time2h20m10h16h5h12h6 h20h (3G)6h30m
USBmicroUSB 2.0microUSB 2.0NoCharge onlyMicroUSBmicroUSB 2.0USB Type-C 3.1MicroUSB 2.0
Vibration alarmYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Voice dial
WaterproofNoYesNoNoNoYesNoNo
Weight (oz)3.52.33.23.566.43.1