The Jitterbug Flip is a basic flip phone with not-so-basic features many seniors need. GreatCall’s Flip has a well-lit screen, a speaker with adequate volume and features anyone can learn quickly. The Jitterbug Flip gets high marks from consumers, is hearing aid compatible and keeps seniors connected to loved ones and emergency services.
The Jitterbug Flip brings you back to the cellphone basics and is built with seniors in mind. Features include bigger buttons, a brighter screen, built-in magnifier, simple menu and a powerful speaker. The Jitterbug Flip retails at $74.99.
The Jitterbug Flip is an easy-to-use flip phone from GreatCall, a company specializing in aging and independent living technology solutions. If you don’t want a smartphone like the Jitterbug Smart2, the Flip is a great choice, and you can add safety options so the phone can also function as a medical alert system.
Pros
Easy to use
Large buttons
Quick access to emergency services
30-day no risk guarantee
Cons
Camera is inadequate for large, crisp photos
No microSD card support
Jitterbug Flip Phone Features and Specs
GreatCall’s Jitterbug Flip phone comes in a shiny red or graphite-gray clamshell design with a front cover display showing the date, time, and incoming calls and text messages. The display also indicates if the 5Star safety service, discussed below, is enabled. You can charge the Jitterbug Flip in your car (charging adapter not included) or in your home on the included dock.
The Jitterbug Flip specifications include:
Measures 4.3 X 2.2 inches and is 0.7 inches thick when closed
Weighs 4.7 ounces
Camera: 2 MP with flash
Connectivity: GPS, Bluetooth, speakerphone
3.2” 480-by-320 color display
Large, backlit keypad
5Star button
Flashlight button on the side
Voice dial
Reading magnifier in the cover
GreatCall provides extensive national cellphone coverage via Verizon’s nationwide network. You can check coverage across the U.S. by entering the ZIP code on GreatCall’s website.
GreatCall’s Health and Safety Features for Seniors with Jitterbug Flip
Bigger Buttons, Source: GreatCall
The Jitterbug Flip offers several optional safety features from GreatCall. While you don’t have to add these features to your cell plan, each one adds significant value for keeping retirees independent. You can add the 5Star Urgent Response service alone, or bundled with the other services, explained below in the price section.
5Star Urgent Response: You will find the 5Star Urgent Response button located below the Flip’s keypad. Press the button to immediately connect to a 5Star operator, 24 hours a day, seven days a week as part of your emergency preparedness plan.
Operator: The Jitterbug Flip can connect you with a live operator if you are having trouble using your phone, or need help finding phone numbers or looking up addresses. The operator can connect you to any number in the U.S. and Canada.
Urgent Care: This service connects you with a registered nurse or board-certified doctor if you need medical advice.
GreatCall Link: This smartphone app uses GPS to track the location of the Jitterbug Flip phone, so a designated family member or caretaker can find where you are when you have the phone with you.
Product Replacement: This is phone insurance. If you lose or break your phone, or it’s stolen, GreatCall will replace it.
Jitterbug Flip Costs and Monthly Plans
The Jitterbug Flip retails for $99, but you can often find discounts by purchasing directly through GreatCall’s website which sometimes features 25 percent off or other deals (currently $74.99). You pay a one-time $35 activation fee, a separate fee for a monthly service package with call minutes, and, if you choose, a texting plan and health and safety service bundle. GreatCall offers a 30-day money-back return policy and month-to-month service contracts, making the Jitterbug Flip a low-commitment cellphone.
GreatCall’s monthly plans allow you to have voice-only service, voice and text, or both plus a health and safety plan. GreatCall’s five voice-call plans range from $14.99 to $49.99 a month, and four text plans from $3 to $15 a month. The Jitterbug Flip has no internet access, so there is no data plan. If you buy a health and safety plan, the cost for a talk plan ranges from $5 to $40 a month.
See the chart below to get an idea of how much you would pay for a GreatCall monthly service plan with a Jitterbug Flip as a light, moderate or power user. The Basic, Preferred and Ultimate are Health and Safety Packages.
Service
Basic $19.99
Preferred $24.99
Ultimate $34.99
5Star
X
X
X
Urgent Care & GreatCall Link
X
X
Personal Operator & Handset Replacement
X
Light Use 600 minutes/300 texts
$13
N/A
N/A
Moderate Use 1,000 minutes/700 texts
N/A
$21
N/A
Power User Unlimited talk/2,500 texts
N/A
N/A
$55
Monthly Total Minus taxes
$32.99
$45.99
$89.99
GreatCall Jitterbug Flip Sample Plans
How to Buy the Jitterbug Flip
You can purchase the Jitterbug Flip and a voice-call plan through GreatCall’s website. You can also choose to add texting and the safety services mentioned above.
Jitterbug Flip Complaints
The Jitterbug Flip and phone plans are highly rated overall. GreatCall, the company behind the Jitterbug Flip, has an “A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau. The Jitterbug Flip has many 4- to 5-star reviews from highly-rated consumer publications, namely for its senior-friendly design.
ConsumerAffairs readers either love or hate the Jitterbug Flip, with reviews averaging to 2.75 out of 5 stars. Chief complaints about the phone have to do with difficulty connecting to GreatCall services in some geographic areas. However, GreatCall resolved or is working on settling each issue we found with tech support, an explanation or a refund. ConsumerAdvocate gives the Jitterbug Flip a 9.8 out of 10 stars, and 575 consumers gave the phone a 4.5 out of 5 on My3Cents.
GreatCall Jitterbug Flip FAQ
Is the Jitterbug Flip hearing-aid compatible?
Yes, the Jitterbug Flip has the best FCC hearing aid compatibility rating of M4/T4. You can also pair the Jitterbug Flip with Bluetooth headsets or speakers for ease of use.
How much storage does the Jitterbug Flip have?
The phone has 1 GB of internal storage, which is enough to hold about a thousand photos, fifty text messages, and two hundred contacts. With no slot for a microSD card to increase space, you can stretch the storage by not keeping all the pictures on the phone.
How long is the Jitterbug Flip’s battery life?
The Jitterbug Flip battery lasted in tests over ten hours on a voice call. However, we would venture to say no one talks on the phone that long. The battery remains charged to some degree over several days if unused, and GreatCall recommends charging every day or night, so a low battery is never an issue. Jitterbug Flip’s battery is easy to replace, and you can buy a new one if the battery stops holding a charge. The lithium-ion battery lasts from 18 to 24 months.
How does the 5Star service work?
If you fall, feel threatened by an intruder, or have any other emergency, press the 5Star button to connect with an emergency response operator. The operation knows your GPS-guided location and can send help even if you can’t speak. If you tell the operator what your emergency is, they will dispatch police, fire or ambulance services. You can also deactivate the button in your phone’s settings.
Conclusion
The Jitterbug Flip phone is a good choice for seniors and people with some health conditions. The Flip is simple to use, and GreatCall’s optional services provide peace of mind for seniors and the people they love.
Both my wife and I have the updated Lively version of the Jitterbug Flip Phone and I must say we are so happy with this purchase! Yes, we have gone through our share of phones the past 20 years or so however the Jitterbug Flip is by far the easiest and reliable pair of phones we've ever had.
Sooooo easy! Huge lighted keypad! Big numbers! Big texting if you like to text! Finally, the simple phones we've always needed!
We have no need for the expensive iphones and all the expensive data usage that go with them. Hey, we're not part of that population who's 'best friend' is the iphone! We like to talk with others. Thank you.
Dean J.
Mountlake Terrace, WA
April 01 2020 9:23PM
My experience with the company has been excellent. The Alcatel flip phone is horrid. The sound is bad, I can barely understand a word my father says, and he has trouble hearing anybody. The only reason I changed my father's 2009 Samsung was so he could have voice mail. The old phone was great. I will look for another provider to find a better quality phone.
P S.
Chicago, IL
June 27 2019 7:20PM
I just got one of these about a week ago and HATE it. I got it because of the cheap GreatCall plan ($14.99/month for 250 minutes) because I don't expect to use it much. The phone itself is far TOO simple, with the "Settings" menu item basically being useless: allowing you to change only things like the color scheme, ring tones, etc.
So you have to contact GreatCall customer service for everything else (like shutting off texting capability). The REALLY bad problem is that the phone doesn't have any type of call blocking, and Greatcall doesn't offer any type of call blocking service. So I'm getting probably about 10 robo-calls every day, with no way to prevent them. I'm also getting several calls a day for someone named "Deanna" -- I assume she previously had the number they assigned to me for this phone.
I'd gladly pay extra for call blocking, because it is so very annoying to get these types of calls so many times every day. I wouldn't recommend this phone to ANYONE other than someone who is completely unfamiliar with any type of technology. I wouldn't recommend Greatcall service at all -- PERIOD.
Linda H.
Corsicana, TX
June 18 2019 1:12PM
Signed up with GreatCall. Ordered Jitterbug flip. After 2 weeks phone became hard for people receiving calls to hear me. Called company, had phone replaced. One month later same problems. Called company to cancel and get a refund. Was told because I had ordered 2 phones refund was denied because 30 days had passed. I then asked to have phone unlocked so I could sell it privately. Was told phone is for GreatCall customers only. Stay far away from this company. They are poor at customer service after they take advantage of customers. Go to their competitor. I did. Extremely satisfied, no issues 6 months.
Bill W.
Lakeland, FL
June 08 2019 7:19PM
Bought this for my 88 year old mother and getting it set up is interesting. First off, I wanted to keep her old phone number. He said OK but I found out later that they gave me a new # and the only way to change it is to give them the Acct # of the old including PIN, and Password along with several other pieces of info. You also need to keep that acct active until the change which can take up to 3 business days. While I do understand why this is, it would have been nice if he told me. The thing that angers me the most, is that to get voice messages, you have to purchase the middle package which is $10.00 more. Nowhere did I see that listed. The agent kept trying to get me to buy more items. Not sure I trust the company. I was also told that they were fixing the speaker but we are now in June.
David P.
Laconia, NH
May 26 2019 2:55AM
We purchased the new flip phone for my 87 year old father. We found when speaking to him on the phone we could not understand what he was saying. Great call admitted in April when we called there was a bug with the phones microphone and would have a fix for it in May. We spoke with them now and they don’t know when the bug will be fixed and are not replacing the phones. The phone is useless. Our only recourse now is to buy another phone through a different provider. Very disappointed and would not recommend them.
