Can you go without your smartphone for 30 days?

Are you tired of your smartphone? Is the constant slog of social media and never-ending notifications driving you insane? Do you wish for the days of Y2K, flashy flip phones, and the simple pleasure of putting the perfect song on your MySpace page? We know how you feel. It turns out that nearly half of Americans are ready to give up their smartphones and switch to a dumbphone, with Gen Z and Millennials leading the charge.

To help encourage everyone to reconsider their smartphone use, we hired one person this summer—our Dumbphone Dreamer—to give up their smartphone and switch to a dumbphone for 30 days. We bought them a new phone, paid for their wireless plan, and gave them a $1,000 Visa gift card to help cover the cost. Plus, we also threw in an anti-screentime gift basket to help fill the time while detoxing from their device.

We got a ton of great applications from people dreaming of a healthier relationship with their phone, and it's inspired us to scrap our screen time and the payments that come with it. If you didn't win but still want to cut down on your screen time, high data usage, and phone bill, check out our recommended low-data and lower-cost plans.

The 2025 WhistleOut Dumbphone Dreamer is Sarah! She has an average screentime of 10 hours and 56 minutes per day, and she's excited to see how much more free time she has using a dumbphone. You can learn more about Sarah and her adorable dog Mommas below! 

The WhistleOut’s Dumbphone Dreamer will spend 30 days away from their smartphone, using a dumbphone instead.

Through our surveys and research, we’ve discovered that many people—especially younger Americans—are tired of their smartphones. Unfortunately, they’re afraid to give them up. Instead, they feel trapped by social media addiction, FOMO, and even a fear that they wouldn’t know how to function without a smartphone in their hand.

If this describes you, we’re here to help. We want our Dumbphone Dreamer to prove to the world that they don’t have to rely on a smartphone if they don’t want one.

Our winners are Sarah and her dog Mommas! You can find her on Instagram @_sayrahsaurusrex_. She has an average screen time of 10 hours and 56 minutes per day with her current smartphone. When we asked how she'd spend her 30 days of no screen time, she told us:

"If I'm chosen, I plan on spending the 30 days focusing on all the things I've put off doing, like reorganizing my things/room, or detailing my car. I'd also pick up a few of my hobbies that I've abandoned over the last couple of years, like doing diamond paintings, crocheting, and making art (mostly drawing). I think the most important thing I'd do, though, is spend as much time as possible outside with my dog. Either going for long walks, sitting under a tree, at the park, relaxing or playing fetch, or exploring new hiking spots and just enjoying being out in nature with her. Or all of the above!! I'll certainly have enough time to do it all, right??!"

We're excited to see how using a dumbphone will help Sarah and Mommas spend more time together!

We want to make the process of switching from a smartphone to a dumbphone as easy as possible. Not only will the winner receive a $1,000 Visa gift card for agreeing to participate in our challenge, but they’ll also get:

• Brand-new Unihertz Jelly Star Phone
• $240 Visa gift card to cover a Mint Mobile annual plan

Of course, the first few days breaking up with your smartphone are never easy, so we’re also including an anti-screentime gift basket with:

• The Game of Phones party game
• Annual National Parks Pass
• $50 Barnes & Noble gift card
• Digital camera

Who knew getting rid of your smartphone could pay so well?

Here at WhistleOut, we love cell phones. That said, we also know they aren’t always good for us. For some people, smartphones have become massive time sinks and a major source of anxiety. People spend hours doomscrolling at bedtime or absentmindedly ignoring their screen time limits.

We’ve found that 45% of all smartphone users are currently considering switching to a dumbphone. In the younger, more tech-savvy generations, the numbers are even higher. 59% of Gen Z and 49% of Millennials are ready to trade in their smartphones for something with a lot less power.

Our Dumbphone Dreamer challenge is to help people see that these devices can be a great option for their wireless service. They can help you reclaim your time, and you might even save money on your phone bill by switching to a talk and text plan.

Plus, who doesn’t love a good dose of nostalgia? Think about your old Nokia 3310 or the first time you used a phone with a slide-out keyboard. That said, don’t assume today’s dumbphones are the same models as yesteryear. Today’s cool dumbphones—like the Jelly Star—have several smartphone features, including excellent cameras and mobile data connectivity.

Finally, switching to a dumbphone isn’t as strange as it sounds. These devices have had a resurgence lately with people looking to digital detox, cut down on their screen time, or even look for a cheap disposable device.

The Dumbphone Dreamer challenge is open to US residents who are above the age of 18.

We would also like to know your current screen time habits and what you intend to do with all your newfound free time.

Applications are now closed. Our winner for the 2025 challenge has been selected and was announced on August 8, 2025. 

We announced the winner on this page and our socials on August 8, 2025.

Dumbphone Dreamer applications were open from 7/7/2025 through 11:59 MT on 8/4/2025. The winner has now been selected. 

Want to stay up to date on the Dumbphone Dreamer job or try your hand at winning one of our other giveaways? Follow us on Instagram and be the first to see all our giveaway announcements.

Here are the contest’s full terms and conditions.