Tablets for over-60s: an easy buying guide
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
A tablet is the easiest way for most beginners to get online: a flat touchscreen, about the size of a magazine, with no keyboard or mouse to learn. For email, video calls, catch-up television, reading and shopping, it does everything most people need.
Who a tablet suits
A tablet suits you if you want to browse the internet, keep in touch with family, watch programmes, read, play puzzles or do a supermarket shop from the armchair. It is less suited to long typing, such as writing letters or keeping club accounts; for that, see laptops for over-60s.
The main types
- Apple iPad. Dearer, but consistent, well supported with updates for many years and easy for family with iPhones to help with.
- Android tablets. Made by many companies at a wide range of prices. Quality varies more, so stick to well-known brands.
- Amazon Fire tablets. Low-priced tablets built around Amazon's own app store. Good for reading, catch-up television and video calls, but some apps you may want are not available, so check first.
- Simplified tablets for later life. Sold with large icons and telephone support included, usually for a monthly fee. They suit complete beginners with nobody nearby to help, but cost more over time.
Wi-Fi only, or Wi-Fi and mobile data?
A Wi-Fi tablet connects through your home broadband and is all most people need. A "cellular" or "4G/5G" tablet also takes a SIM card so it works away from home, but costs more to buy and needs a monthly data plan. If you have no broadband at all, a cellular tablet with a data SIM can be a way to get online without a landline; compare the cost against a broadband social tariff.
What to look for
- Screen size. Around 10 to 11 inches is the comfortable all-rounder. Eight-inch tablets are lighter for reading in bed; 12 inches and over are heavy to hold.
- Weight. Under about 500g if you will hold it for long. Pick one up in a shop if you can.
- Years of updates. Security updates keep banking and shopping safe. Ask how long they are promised from today.
- Storage. 64GB is a sensible minimum; 128GB if you take lots of photos or download programmes to watch offline.
- A decent front camera and loud speakers for video calls.
- Accessibility settings: larger text, magnifier, read-aloud and voice typing are built in to all the main systems.
- A stand-up case. Propping the tablet on a table makes video calls and recipes far easier, and protects it when dropped.
Rough price guide
As a rough guide at the time of writing (November 2026):
| Type | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Budget tablet (basic use) | around £70 to £150 |
| Good mid-range Android tablet | around £150 to £350 |
| iPad (standard model) | from around £300 to £450 |
| Refurbished iPad or Android tablet | from around £150 |
| Case with stand | around £10 to £30 |
Very cheap tablets from unfamiliar brands are often slow, dim and stop receiving updates quickly. They are the ones most likely to end up in a drawer.
Setup tips a family member can help with
- Connect to the home Wi-Fi and create the Apple, Google or Amazon account together. Write the email address and password down and keep them somewhere safe; see passwords made simple.
- Increase the text size and screen brightness, and switch off any sounds that irritate.
- Put the six or eight apps that will be used on the first screen and move everything else out of sight.
- Set up email, a video-calling app, catch-up television apps, and the library's e-book app.
- Add favourite websites as icons on the home screen.
- Turn on automatic updates and a screen lock (a PIN or fingerprint).
- Practise the three essentials: going back to the home screen, turning the volume up, and charging.
What you can do with it
- See the grandchildren with a video call.
- Order groceries: see supermarket home delivery.
- Learn the basics of buying online with online shopping for beginners.
- Book GP appointments and repeat prescriptions through the NHS App or your surgery's website (services differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
- Watch catch-up television, listen to the radio and do the crossword.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying the cheapest tablet on the shelf. A slow tablet puts beginners off for good.
- Paying for mobile data you will never use if the tablet stays at home.
- Buying a second-hand tablet too old to update. Check the model against the maker's support list.
- No case. Tablets are slippery and screens are costly to mend.
- Tapping pop-up warnings that claim the tablet has a virus. They are advertisements or scams; close the page. See online shopping safety.
Common questions
Do I need broadband to use a tablet?
You need an internet connection of some kind: home broadband, a tablet with its own data SIM, or free Wi-Fi at a library or café. Our broadband guide explains the options.
Can I type on a tablet?
Yes, on an on-screen keyboard, or by speaking and letting the tablet write for you. For regular typing you can add a keyboard case.
Can I print from a tablet?
Yes, to most modern wireless printers. Ask whoever sets it up to connect the two.
Where can I learn to use it?
Many libraries, local Age UK branches and community centres run free or low-cost tablet sessions. Ask at your library.