I recently bought this phone and so far I'm pleased with it. As mentioned in the review, the browser is expensive and a bit cumbersome to use. If you think you're going to be online a lot you might look at a more internet friendly phone. My biggest complaint is that the phone package only included a very brief owner's manual. There wasn't even a diagram explaining all the functions of the keys! Isn't that odd? Luckily I have a teenager around who explained everything. I've requested the full manual from Tracfone, hasn't happened yet.

January 15, 2013 at 10:08 PM

Yes, I have been a little annoyed that no detailed user manual is included. There are several keys on the LG 530g that can be challenging to understand. This certainly isn't a phone for surfing the internet. But for everything else, it performs great. Thanks for your comment.

January 15, 2013 at 10:50 PM

Actually manuals not being very detailed is par for the course for Tracfone

January 18, 2013 at 1:39 PM

My biggest complaint with this particular phone is no way to BLOCK an incoming caller/number. The phone is pretty great other than that though I found after trial/error you definatly don't want to browse the net too long ... those minutes will rack up quick. I do a lot of selling on Craigslist so the camera isn't "digital" but it does well enough, and receiving text messages is cheap and returning them quick with the "Querty" pad. It's got my vote!

January 18, 2013 at 1:47 PM

In regards to not being able to block incoming calls, I may as well stick with my LG500g in that case..

January 27, 2013 at 5:28 AM

I recently bought this phone and overall am very happy with it. Much easier to text on it than my touchscreen was. Problem I am having is how to dial into a phone extension. I dial the extension and hit the pound sign and nothing happens. I just continue to hear the message play. Any hints on how to get this to work? Thanks.

January 31, 2013 at 6:27 AM

Check to see if there are any promo codes before you add minutes. I just bought a 60 minute card and Googled "tracfone promo codes" and found a site that said April promo codes. You can try several codes so I tried the 30 minute code that said was only for certain phones and it worked! So I got 60 units plus 150 units for $19.97! Why do they call minutes units? The last time I tried a promo code I think got an extra 10 minutes.

April 16, 2013 at 10:36 PM

Checking for promo codes is a great tip, in fact, we have a page (located at the top of the page) dedicated to tracfone promo codes! Glad you got some bonus minutes! I don't know why they call them unites, just how it is.

April 16, 2013 at 11:07 PM

I agree that this is a great phone. What everyone else said is true. I had the lg800g and hated it. No more touch screen phones for me. I'd like to know where i can order a cover for it. The back is kind of flimsy and I'd like to protect it. Thanks for thos website. I use it for the promo codes all the tome!

April 24, 2013 at 6:42 AM

I like this phone too, except I can't sync it to my computer to upload music.

May 4, 2013 at 10:57 PM

Can this phone be synced to a car unit?

June 23, 2013 at 12:01 PM

Any idea why this phone is so hard to find? Tracfone doesn't offer it direct (at least I don't see it), and it's very scarce on Amazon and eBay. This seems odd for a relatively new phone that has gotten good reviews. Has it been discontinued already?

July 18, 2013 at 1:11 PM

I've noticed this too, and I'm not sure why it is becoming scarce. Could be just a coincidence, or perhaps they are ending distribution of it. Very strange indeed.

July 18, 2013 at 1:23 PM

Where is the "sent" folder in the text area??

August 20, 2013 at 6:10 PM

Try here http://www.kmart.com/tracfone-lg530g-pre-paid-mobile-phone/p-018W004901837001P

September 7, 2013 at 12:03 AM

I have the phone, but found that the soft keys don't work in the Facebook app. Anybody else have that problem?

October 15, 2013 at 5:08 PM

me too!

November 6, 2013 at 5:35 PM

I bought this in early 2013. A couple of times, it stopped receiving texts w/ no outward signs, while everything else seemed to work. Spent time with Tracfone tech support & had to master-reset (or whatever it's called) and reprogram entering strings of hexadecimal digits. Losing my settings & numbers each time. Had been shutting it off at night & at other times. I decided not to ever shut it off again & it's been great since then.

November 15, 2013 at 8:54 PM

Your blog is fantastic, thank you for sharing your insight! I just upgraded to this phone and am hoping you might be able to help me with two settings that I am unable to figure out:
1. Once I complete a step, an alert sound is issued, despite the fact that I've turned the volume of the keypad tone to zero. How do I turn this off? This alert sound is issued when I send a text message or when I complete a settings selection, for instance.
2. I would like to customize the voicemail message. What menu option allows me to do so?
Thank you for any help you might have!

December 28, 2013 at 5:21 PM

does it have a vibration mode?

January 7, 2014 at 9:24 AM

Thank you for your detailed review of the LG 530G phone. I just purchased mine from Tracfone and it should arrive in a couple of days. I have been with Verizon Wireless for several years and currently have an iPhone 4s (already old technology), but their costs have been creeping up and up. When I get my LG 530G set up, I will just use my iPhone as and iPod to play my music using my WiFi. Tracfone's pay as you go will save me bundles. I like the layout of the LG 530G as it is kind of like the old BlackBerry that I had several years ago before going with iPhone. I am old school, so I still like having a physical keyboard.

That the phone does not come with USB/micro USB cables is fine as I have those from other devices such as my Kindle. Also, I ordered a 16 GB micro SD card to use with my new phone. It appears that Tracfone will port my current cellular number and have my Verizon Wireless account closed for me, which is great.

Overall, your review makes me feel that I have made a good choice of phone. It has everything that I need at a very reasonable price. I am now very glad that I did not upgrade to the iPhone 5s, which runs anywhere from $200 to $400!

January 30, 2014 at 4:38 PM

I googled LG530G user manual, and was able to quickly download a complete, 100 page user manual for free in about 1 minute, from the LG website.

March 13, 2014 at 11:27 AM

I went to the local phone accessory store in the mall and found two covers that fit pretty well. One is for the "LG Motion", and the other was a Samsung something or other. They fit, and protect it well.

March 13, 2014 at 11:29 AM

Sent messages stay in the "Outbox".

March 13, 2014 at 11:30 AM

In the LG500GHL model, you do this to block calls. Maybe it's the same in this model too.

"Edit' the contact, choose "Options", select "Add Detail", select "Groups", select "RejectNo" then choose Done. Whenever the call comes in, it will not ring or show in the window but it will show on the list of "Received Calls" but with no minutes charged.

March 23, 2014 at 6:17 PM

See the message left 3/22/2014 about blocking calls.

March 23, 2014 at 6:19 PM

Love this phone. Like the vibrate feature when number called answers. LG phones have great antennas which I need living in isolated area. Phone does exactly what I need it to do.

April 15, 2014 at 10:42 PM

Is it the LG Motion silicon gel skin for 4G MS770 ?

April 24, 2014 at 3:35 PM

I love Trac Fone more all the time. They tried to put me on T-Mobile network, but service w/that carrier is not good at my house. They replaced the phone with one that uses Verizon and it works great! (If you don't know, what they do is buy huge amounts of airtime from the major carriers and resell it.)There was some hassle the first week getting all that(and my #) straightened out, but they were very helpful and shipping, etc never cost me a dime. They ported my # which I have had for @15yrs on Alltel, Sprint, and StraightTalk. :Point is though, that I use my ph. for calls & texts. It's a phone. I have a tablet for internet and wifi is everywhere. I have the trusty Tomtom for navigation. I have a 20 dollar phone that works fine and I just paid $32 dollars and got 640 minutes of airtime. Texts cost @1.7cents each. Their slogan is "you're in control." It's true. Even if I burn all those minutes in 2 months, it will still cost about half of what my wifey was ready to pay Sprint and that involves a 2 year contract. Once we get the last two kids out, the difference between $30 a month and $130 a month should be convincing enough even for a hardhead like her! Trac rocks. Big time. Even if you pay $43.75 at the convenience store on the corner, you still get those 40 free bonus minutes with that 200 minute card.

June 26, 2014 at 12:58 PM

Is there an easy way to set the phone to "church" mode where the phone does NOT beep on call, does NOT beep low battery, and in general, just shuts up until you go to /church off/ mode?

Thanks,

Jim

July 6, 2014 at 3:15 PM

I kept getting a "playback error" for 3 MP3's downloaded using downtube (windows 8.1 app), the files were 2 from two different vocal touhou remixes (they had japanese characters) and one was full english, IOSYS ("Overdrive - IOSYS"). Normally these MP3's work on my phone and PC, but these three only work on my PC. I downloaded one of the files off soundcloud, and removed the characters, and it works fine! then I tried to put the downtube file of the same song without characters, and I still got the Playback Error for that file only! the two files are almost the same! well, except for the fact that one is from a youtube downloader which normally works. Soundcloud works too, but I prefer downtube because it's easier to use.

September 16, 2014 at 12:05 PM

Have this phone... soft keys don't work on Facebook. Browser is expensive.... pretty good phone though. Anyone know what a 9+ icon means?

October 22, 2014 at 3:10 PM

I love this phone but suddenly I can't receive texts. Any suggestions?

November 9, 2014 at 2:51 PM

I was wondering if this phone wii run the Java version of the facebook app?

Thanks!

November 22, 2014 at 11:14 PM

"Few people use the Mobile Web feature...." was included in your review. How could you possibly know that or do you track what users of the cell phone do with it?

Comment is from an old fact-checking journalist.

November 27, 2014 at 1:24 PM

Just got this phone and it keeps rebooting it's self. Anybody got any suggestions?

December 26, 2014 at 3:01 PM

I'm looking for a silicone cover for the LG530g tracfone. can't find one any place. Does anyone have any ideas where to get one? Please email me at AJAnhalt1980@gmail.com if you know of any, Thanks!!!!

January 4, 2015 at 6:31 PM

I sold my LG 530 G in Radio Shack.

January 14, 2015 at 11:37 AM

I bought a 530G a few months ago to use as a basic cell & emergency phone -- so it doesn't get much use. Even so, the battery charge goes to minimum quickly although I just charge it fully, (try to) verify that it is off, and leave it in my truck, disconnected from the charger. I have thought that the brand new battery must have been bad as purchased, so intended to replace it. However, I can't find a replacement for this battery anywhere! So, my question has 2 parts: does anyone know where I can find a replacement for the LG 530G battery (FL-49EN on the battery itself); and am I inadvertently leaving the cell on so as to deplete the battery, and if so, how can I make sure it's off? Should I leave it connected to the battery in the truck? Any thoughts or info will be appreciated.

April 1, 2015 at 5:24 PM

I just got this phone last week for and can't figure out how to stop the phone from giving a verbal notification by female voice every time it gets turned on/off and how many minutes are left. It is annoying.

April 23, 2015 at 3:02 PM

Hubby gave it to me for Christmas 9 mos ago. I love/don't love it for a few reasons. Used to have a flip phone which I loved. No accidental calls, no accidental waste of minutes on that stupid internet button which I seem to hit a lot. Also scratching up the display face even tho I slip it down in my purse in a special fabric pocket. 2 weeks ago I bought a case for about $7 from Amazon, so hopefully that will take care of a lot. What I really don't like is no call block option! There is a sales call that will not quit calling. 646-886-9198 I think it's a scammer and they call ALL THE TIME. Ready to change my phone number after having the same one for 5 years. I hate that I might have to do that because of a nuisance caller and not being able to block him.

October 14, 2015 at 12:25 PM

Yes, this phone has both pros and cons. I like the full keyboard for texting. That is very annoying about the sales calls you keep getting. I'm looking into an app from Tracfone that can be used to block any number that is calling you, which would be great except it is only for Android smartphones.

October 14, 2015 at 12:35 PM

try buying a battery for this thing. Impossible- they say it will work but the shape is wrong - the only way I got a new battery is to buy a new LG530g and use that one

January 21, 2016 at 10:25 AM