Let’s dial back childhood

Woman smiling while talking on the phone and holding a teddy bear in a bedroom.

Old-school calls. New-school cool.

Old-school calls. New-school cool. ✶

Retro landline phones for kids. Safer, screen-free, and fun.
Create your own "landline pod" today.

WHY FLIPPLY?

Kids today are surrounded by screens, swipes, and endless scrolls.

But when everything happens through apps, we lose the art of real conversation.

At Flipply*, we’re bringing back the joy of simple voice calls.

Landline phone calls don’t just connect kids and give them a form of freedom, they also teach them how to talk, listen, and build confidence in conversation.

* FLIPPing cool Landlines for Youngsters: Flipply. Yup, seriously we just did that.

No likes, no swipes, just vibes.

Why parents are loving Flipply

❋ Screen-free, safer communication

❋ No strangers, no ads, no sneaky in-app charges

❋ Affordable and future-proof with the 2027 landline switch

❋ Teaches kids manners and confidence when speaking to adults

❋ Every call is a practice for real-life social skills

YOUR OPTIONS

I have an existing landline as part of my broadband package.


Perfect! Get yourself a landline phone (if you don’t already have one) and set up a “landline pod” with other friends and family. Details below 👇

I don’t want the hassle of setting up a new landline phone.


No problem! A great alternative is the SIM card enabled landline phone - basically a dumb mobile disguised
as a retro landline. Check it out here ☎️

I want to future-proof with a VoIP landline phone.


Great idea! Given BT are turning off the traditional copper wired network soon, we’ve created a simple guide to setting up a VoIP (digital) system ⬇️

LANDLINE PODS

Start a " landline pod "

What is a landline pod?

A ‘landline pod’ is a circle of friends & family where each home has a landline so kids can ring, chat, and make plans.

Think of it like a pre-approved list of people that your child is allowed to call from the home landline phone.

How to start a landline pod?

1). Grow your pod

  • Share this website with your family, friends, and school year groups so everyone knows what to do.

2). Create your list

  • Collate all your phone numbers, sit with your child, and choose who they want on their list.

  • Write it on a card, or in an old-school address book, and keep it by the landline phone.

3). Set the rules - e.g.:

  • They can only call people within the pod.

  • If they want to call someone outside the pod, they must check with you first.

  • No calls before 7am, no calls after 7pm etc.

Benefits for kids

Why Flipply is the perfect alternative to a smartphone:

Safer Friendships – only trusted numbers.

Confidence Boost – answering politely, making calls themselves.

No Screens – a healthier balance in a digital-first world.

Better Memory – kids remember phone numbers again.

Unplugged Freedom – no screen time limits or distractions.

Retro Fun – big clunky buttons, real ringing sounds.

No more screen battles!

Freedom without handing over a smartphone.

What is VoIP & why should I choose it now?

The 2027 Landline Switch-Off

By January 2027, the UK’s copper-wire landline network will be shut down.

All calls will run on VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), also called Digital Voice.

To keep using your analogue phone, you’ll need an ATA (Analogue Telephone Adapter).

The good news? Any retro phone works with Flipply’s recommendation for VoIP.

We make this easy for parents, so kids can keep talking safely.

HOW IT WORKS

You will need:

1. Broadband connection

An existing broadband connection. No, not the old connection from the 90’s with the annoying dial up tones.

We mean super fresh, super fast modern fibre broadband is da bomb! If you don’t have it yet (why not?). Go get it!

2. VoIP adapter

If you want to use your analogue (old style) phone, you will need to buy an ATA - we recommend this one.

These are required for your old school phone to work with VoIP.

Sign up and pay annually with Phonely.co.uk and get a VoIP adapter for FREE worth £50!

3. Phonely plan

We’ve partnered with VoIP specialists Phonely so we can bring you their award winning Digital Voice Technology.

Sign up here for Phonely with CallGuard: most popular plan.

Pay annually and get a VoIP adapter for FREE worth £50

OR pay monthly and get 10% off using the code FLIPP10.

4. Choose a phone

Scroll down to view our handpicked favourites.

We make it easy peasy lemon squeezy for choosing, so you don’t have to.

Pick A Phone  ↯

A young girl with red hair lies on her stomach on a bed, talking on a corded telephone. The bedroom has a collage of pictures and posters covering the walls, with a bedside table holding a framed photo, lamp, and various books and items.

Why Phonely?

✦ Keep your existing landline number, and port it for free

✦ Use your landline on the go with Phonely’s free call app

✦ UK based company with UK based support (0800 112 5000)

✦ Block scammers automatically with Phonely’s CallGuard protection

✦ Trusted by the police, with excellent customer reviews

✦ Only £14.98/month (as at September 2025)

Five girls sitting on a green carpet in a colorful bedroom, one girl with a maroon cap holding a phone, others watching with smiles.

Flipply Recommends

Phonely with CallGuard (Most Popular Plan):


✦ Only £14.98/month (as at September 2025)

✦ Pay annually and get a VoIP adapter for FREE worth £50

OR Pay monthly and get 10% off using the code FLIPP10

✦ 2000 minutes to UK landlines AND 2000 minutes to UK mobiles

✦ Voicemail service and call recording

✦ Auto call blocking and quiet hours

FLIPPLY PICKS

Disclaimer: If you buy through the links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. As a non-profit organisation, 100% of funds go towards running our social mission. This costs nothing to you but means we can keep the site supported and free of advertisements or sponsorships.

With ❤️ Team Flipply