With the use of mobile phones at an all-time high, it’s easy to become addicted to the feeling of being connected, always on, checking social media and notifications constantly, and running – or rather scrolling – away from FoMO. Yet with the rise in popularity of minimalism and slow living, alternatives have started to appear. Naturally, minimalism provides the perfect solution to focus on the essentials, the things that matter, and on quality instead of quantity. This applies to everything, from interior design to traveling and yes, even technology. Minimalist phones offer an easy way to reduce digital clutter while still providing the option to keep in touch and access the Internet, when needed.
To help you bring more calm into your life and to digital detox, we’ve researched the best minimalist phones. These devices can easily help you replace your Apple iPhone, Samsung, or other smartphone with an option that is better focused on mindfulness. In this list, we feature phones of different capabilities and designs, but all of them are perfect to disconnect. Here are our favorites:
Wisephone II – Editor’s Choice
A minimalist phone that helps you focus on what matters.
Imagine having a phone that lets you be, never bugs you with notifications or ads, never tracks your location, and keeps your data private. Throw in minimalist design and a quality build, and you have the Wisephone II. Designed and made by Techless, this beautiful phone follows a “people-first” vision that puts the focus on essential features and mindful living. The WiseOS operating system and UI are intentionally simple and clean to offer a laid-back user experience. Apart from having no social media apps or app store, the phone doesn’t have a browser, which helps you greatly limit the time spent (or rather wasted) in the digital realm.
Calls, messages and notes are all available, along with practical maps, a calculator, a clock, and a high end camera suite. While the front has a 13MP camera, the back features three cameras that take high-quality 64MP images. As for storage, the phone comes with 128GB as standard, but users can easily expand the available space to 256GB with a microSD card. Since the Wisephone II has minimal features, the battery lasts significantly longer and also charges rapidly with the USB-C port.
The Wisephone II is crafted to last with an aluminum body and premium glass. Techless sells this minimalist phone with either a lifetime subscription, or at cost with a month-to-month plan, both designed to not rely on ads or other subversive monetization options. The Wisephone II launches in Winter 2023.
Nothing Phone 2
A minimalist phone with a Glyph interface.
Designed to help you reduce your screen time, the Nothing Phone 2 features an innovative Glyph Interface. Light illuminates different sections of the back of the phone to indicate important info. The user can assign specific light and sound sequences for every notification type or contact, to see key information and notifications at a glance. Additionally, the interface doubles as a portable ring light. This cell phone also comes with the Nothing 2.0 OS that encourages mindfulness. Users can customize everything from the home screen layout to colors and app labels. As for the cameras, they shine with an upgraded signal processor, Advanced HDR, and 4K 60 fps video at the rear and 1080P 60 fps in the front. A Snapdragon® 8+ Gen 1 chipset keeps everything running smoothly.
The Nothing Phone 2 is also beautifully designed and made. It features a curved pillowed glass back and a slim frame as well as premium components. One of the most sustainable phones you can find, this product is made with a range of recycled materials and plastic-free packaging for a lower carbon footprint.
Punkt MP02
A Jasper Morrison design.
Switzerland-based brand Punkt. specializes in digital minimalism and understated consumer electronics. Naturally, their collection also includes phones. One of the most beautiful mobile phones you can buy, the MP02 4G was designed by award-winning designer Jasper Morrison. Focusing on the essentials, the phone features a simple interface with phonebook and text buttons that allow users to call and send text messages. On the screen, only the clock and the date appear, without any apps or widgets. The minimalist operating system provides extra security while a Signal protocol feature encrypts calls and texts for even greater security. However, users can also connect the device to a tablet or a laptop if needed. The MP02 has a 4G LTE connection which allows users to access the internet with ease when needed.
Comfortable to hold, this minimalist phone is compact and features subtle curved edges. Since it has only minimal features, it has a longer battery life. Finally, Punkt MP02 comes with bespoke ringtones created by Norwegian sound artist Kjetil Røst Nilsen.
The Light Phone 2
A thoughtfully designed mobile phone.
All of the minimalist phones from our list provide digital detox solutions and the Light Phone II is no exception. This premium quality phone keeps things simple but offers maximum functionality with a range of practical features. Designed for permanent use or for those moments when you want to switch off, the Light Phone doesn’t have an internet browser, apps, or access to social media. Of course, you can call and text, along with a lot of other things. For one, the launcher menu is easily customizable and features specially designed tools that work perfectly with the phone’s LightOS. Apart from the essentials that include an alarm, calculator, notes and voice memo, calendar, and GPS, the tools also include a music player and a podcast tool. Additionally, the Light Phone supports hotspot tethering. It also has Bluetooth and a headphone jack, for more convenience.
If the screen reminds you of an e-book reader, that’s because the Light Phone has a custom electronic paper screen that doesn’t emit blue light. It features only black and white tones for optimal legibility. The Light Phone is unlocked and comes in two models: North America and International, both of them available with accessories like a screen protector and a light case.
The BoringPhone
A great choice for children.
Originally created to offer a healthy and safe “first phone” solution for children, the BoringPhone is one of the best minimalist phones. It’s designed to offer all the useful tools you’d actually need, without the distractions of internet access, email, social media sites, and apps. In one word, boring – but consciously so. Deliberately as simple as possible, this minimalist phone allows users to greatly limit the time they spend on their smartphone and instead focus on more important things. That’s not to say the BoringPhone is uninteresting. It offers phone and messaging features as well as maps and GPS navigation, a camera, a music player, gallery, notepad, clock, calendar, and more. You can also use the phone for hotspot tethering or sync Android and iOS contacts from another device.
As for its design, the BoringPhone looks like a standard smartphone, with a sleek screen, and thin case that fits into pockets with ease. However, this is a true minimalist phone and comes with a custom BoringPhone OS for a smooth, user friendly experience.
Punkt MC02
A smarter phone that puts users in complete control.
Swiss tech brand Punkt is changing the world of consumer electronics, one minimalist product at a time. We’ve included their MP02 4G phone in our list and we also have to feature one of their latest designs: the MC02. Developed with mindfulness in mind, this minimalist phone encourages a more intentional user experience with the goal to create a personal digital space. Users are in complete control and can rest assured that their private data remains private thanks to the Swiss Apostrophy operating system which is specially designed for data sovereignty.
MC02 adds a layer of security with protection against spam, phishing or ads, even when using third party apps. Plus, this phone comes with a built-in VPN for safe browsing even when accessing public Wi-Fi hotspots, in coffee shops, for example. On top of all this, MC02 also offers something new: the Data & Carbon Ledger that allows you to see the environmental impact of different apps and adjust usage accordingly.
Beautiful and simple, this phone has a minimalist, intuitive interface. Apart from e-mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, and files, MC02 also offers access to the Google app store, has 5G and 4G Voice communication, a 6.7” high definition display, and two cameras – 64mp at the back and 24mp at the front.
Mudita Pure
A minimalist phone that enhances well-being seamlessly.
We’ve previously wrote about the gorgeous Mudita Pure phone, a minimalist phone that aims to change the way we interact with our smartphones and technology. Aptly named Pure, the phone is beautifully understated and elegant. The design references both Japanese and Scandinavian minimalism, featuring an uncluttered launcher and stylish curves. Indeed, this minimalist phone has received a range of prestigious design awards. Among them, the Good Design Award and the iF Design Award.
For optimal clarity and no sleep-disrupting blue light emissions, the phone has an e-ink display with a paper-like look reminiscent of e-book readers. The screen has a resolution of resolution of 600×480 with a pixel per inch density of 270. The ergonomic keyboard is a pleasure to use and comes with physical keys for a more tactile texting experience. A side button slides on three positions, allowing the user to stay connected, receive only messages and calls from a selected range of contacts, or remain in offline mode. Other features of the Mudita phone include ultra-low SAR values, Bluetooth 4.2, a headphone jack, an open source operating system, a replaceable battery, and an extra SIM slot. As for the ringtones, the company collaborated with musician Nick Lewis, who used a series of instruments to create acoustic ringtones and alarm tones.
The Minimalist Phone Theme
A perfect solution to turn a smartphone into a minimalist phone.
If you don’t want to replace your current phone, but still crave for the tranquility only a light phone can provide, you can install the minimalist phone app. Available for Android only, the app converts smartphones into devices that actually help you reduce screen time and improve well-being. The app replaces the standard home screen with a minimalist version. Users can select which apps and features they want to keep and which ones they want to hide, to improve their productivity, eliminate distractions, and spend less time browsing the Internet. This way, the app provides a cleverly simple solution to enable more mindful phone use. Plus, when used alongside a dark theme with an OLED display, the theme extends the battery life.
Currently, the app works only with Android phone devices with OS 6.0 and higher, meaning that you can’t install it on an iPhone. The developer offers the theme in the Google app store as a one-time purchase or as a monthly or annual subscription.
BOOX Palma
A device without a SIM card.
Unlike other minimalist phones from our list, the BOOX Palma doesn’t actually have a SIM card slot. Instead, this device offers access to the Internet through WiFi and to voice or text messaging apps. Similarly to a few other options from our list, Palma has an eye-friendly ePaper display. Comfortable to use, the screen features black and white tones and not a trace of blue light. The device encourages users to read ebooks and relax offline, but easily connects to the Internet to allow user to access their email, read news, or get in touch with loved ones through apps like Whatsapp, for example.
Palma has a 16MP rear camera with an LED flash, a speaker, a microphone, an USB-C port, a light sensor, and a micro SD card slot. The side buttons are conveniently customizable, while scrolling is extra-smooth thanks to the paper-like touchscreen and the BOOX Super Refresh Technology. BOOX Palma comes with a Black or Ivory White protective case.
Nokia 8210 4G
Our pick for the best minimalist phone.
If this phone looks familiar, that’s intentional. Giving a nod to the classic Nokia 3310 that has become an iconic design with a reputation for durability, the 8210 4G might not look as beautiful and pretty as the other minimalist phones from our list, but it’s as reliable and high-quality as the original. The bold design is instantly recognizable, even with more refined features, a larger screen, and stylish curves. Plus, like its name suggests, this mobile phone provides seamless 4G connectivity. The bigger display, intuitive interface, and crystal-clear audio quality all allow users to easily text and make phone calls.
This light phone comes with features like an MP3 player and FM radio. It also has a rear camera, headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.0, a micro SD card slot, and a micro USB port. Unsurprisingly, the phone is specially designed to last. Its battery life is also impressive, keeping the phone on for weeks on standby or in offline mode. Plus, it fits perfectly in smaller pockets thanks to its compact size, similarly to the brand’s old flip phone devices. Available in Dark Blue, Red and Sand colors.
